Málaga CF and CD Mirandés faced off on matchday 24 of LaLiga Hypermotion on a cold evening this Monday 2nd February. Around 50 Malaguistas cheered on their team at the Municipal de Anduva among the 2,672 spectators in attendance.
Juanfran Funes lined up the following starting-11: A. Herrero; C. Puga, Recio, Einar, Rafita; Izan M., Rafa, D. Larrubia, Dani Lorenzo; Chupe and Niño.
The match was evenly contested in the first half. The Blue and Whites started brightly in the opening minutes, and Chupe struck the post in the 7th minute with a fine effort from the right side of the box.
The home side also had their chances and managed to get shots on target against Alfonso Herrero. In the 22nd minute, Mirandés forward Carlos Hernández put his team ahead with a precise low cross-shot.
The Blue and Whites tried to restore parity with energetic runs down the flanks. Dani Lorenzo, after a brilliant individual move, came close to the crossbar in the 39th minute with a spectacular strike from the edge of the box. The teams went into half-time with the score at 1-0.
Funes’ men pushed hard in the second half in search of a quick equaliser. The Blue and Whites dominated possession and, at times, managed to impose their style of play. Carlos Puga delivered a ball into the box which, after a poor clearance by the home defence, looped dangerously and dropped into the path of Aaron Ochoa in a scoring position. The homegrown player headed it goalward, and the ball ended up in the back of the net, to the delight of the Málaga supporters (1-1, 59’).
Both teams pushed forward after the equaliser, trading quick attacks in each penalty area. In the 83rd minute, Alfonso Herrero produced a superb save to tip away a powerful direct free kick from Javi Hernández.
Just two minutes later, in minute 85, an alleged hold by Carlos Puga on a home attacker following a corner resulted in a controversial penalty against Málaga CF. Two minutes after that, Carlos Hernández converted the spot kick with a well-placed strike into the corner. Alfonso Herrero guessed the direction but could do little to stop it (2-1).
Málaga threw everything forward in the closing minutes and created a couple more chances. The last of them saw Einar attempt a backheel effort that went out of play just inches wide of the far post. In the end, the referee’s final whistle confirmed that the points would remain in Miranda de Ebro.
