The Santiago Bernabéu was witness to a match that got underway with fairly even play, highlighting the very different strategies of both teams: Málaga, who started out strong, reaching the goal area, with Casillas saving a great shot at goal from Rondón, which could have put the visitors in the lead on the score board first. Real Madrid who played on the attack, using their great speed and power to try and get past Willy Caballero, who also made some great saves.
The most active Málaga players were Joaquín Sánchez, Monreal and Isco, who were on the attack for the Blues and Whites for the entire match, with the Portuguese player causing a lot of problems for the Madrid defence.
Without doubt, it was Real Madrid that showed excellent game play throughout this match, leading to the first goal from the Whites: a cross from Cristiano Ronaldo, giving Benzema the chance for a perfect header straight into the net, giving Madrid a 1-0 advantage at half time. However Málaga did nearly equalise at the end of the first half following a Cazorla free kick.
Real Madrid started the second half with more aggressive play, with another chance to score within the first 10 minutes, which was stopped by Weligton, when Benzema was face to face with Caballero. Málaga had the same tactics on the pitch as in the first 45 minutes, but were now in search of an equaliser. Real Madrid stepped up their attack, which saw Willy Caballero as their main obstacle in search of their second goal: the Argentinean keeper made a spectacular fingertip save on a shot from Cristiano Ronaldo, who was just about to celebrate a goal, but the ball missed and went out for a corner.
Málaga handled the pressure well from the home side with impressive play led by Joaquín, whose crosses into the Whites area were well received by the Málaga strikers. With no time to take a breath, Madrid were back on the attack, with another attempt by Benzema, and like Callejón minutes before, had great chances to score the second goal for the home team.
Following the substitutions by both teams, the match lost some intensity at times, although tension remained in the air, with play from either side looking to end in a goal. Five minutes before the end and Málaga’s chances increased, with the Blues and Whites fighting to take away something positive from this match.
Their reward came in injury time, thanks to a fantastic free kick from one of the best players of the night, Asturian Santi Cazorla, who slammed the ball into the right hand corner of the net, with an outstretched Iker Casillas unable to reach it. The long awaited and well deserved equaliser came in the 91st minute, ending the match in a one all draw, leaving Málaga Club de Fútbol with 41 points, tied with Levante in the BBVA League.
Match statistics
Málaga CF: Caballero; Sergio Sánchez, Weligton, Mathijsen, Monreal; Demichelis, Camacho; Joaquín (Seba Fernández 72’), Isco (Van Nistelrooy 57’), Cazorla and Rondón (Eliseu 57’).
Real Madrid: Casillas, Lass, Pepe, Ramos, Marcelo; Khedira, Xabi Alonso, Kaka (Callejón 66), Ozil (Granero 84’), Cristiano; Benzema (Higuain 85’).
Goals:
1-0 (35’): Benzema
1-1 (91’): Cazorla
Referee:
Ayza Gámez, Colegio Valenciano: Real Madrid’s Kedhira and Pepe were given yellow cards, as well as Sergio Sánchez for Málaga.
Information
28th BBVA League match, held in the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium in Madrid.
