These are just a few of the highlights from #MálagaNumancia, with the 2-0 win safeguarding the top spot of LaLiga 1|2|3 for another week.
Breaking records at the fortress
Málaga CF continues to break records at home. In domestic competition the lads have accumulated six victories out of six matches, with 10 goals scored and just one conceded. A full house and record 18 points out of a possible 18. This amounts to 72% of the total number of points scored so far (25) at La Rosaleda. Stellar.
Supersonic goals
More historic stats. Blanco Leschuk’s goal, 31 seconds after kick-off, is the third fastest in the history of MCF this century. Only the goal by Baha in Cádiz after 11 seconds (2008) and Salva Ballesta’s goal against Real Madrid Castilla 28 seconds in (2006) were faster. The 2-0, also the work of Leschuk, was scored two minutes in to the second half. Electrifying.
Koné, Muñiz’s secret weapon
Harper’s injury opened up a gap in the starting-11 on the attack. Mamadou Koné, who had only played 20 minutes in two games out of the 10 to date, debuted in the starting line-up for this 11th game of the season. His versatility led to Leschuk’s brace, first providing a left-footed assist on the left and then a right-footed assist on the right. Colossal.
Blanco Leschuk, two at a time
Gustavo Blanco Leschuk arrived quietly last summer from Ukraine. In just 11 games, he has scored six goals for the Blue and Whites. The last four, in pairs, were scored against Albacete and Numancia. And of course, all six were scored at home. This comes to 42.8% of MCF’s league goals (14) being scored by the Argentine. A scoring certainty at Martiricos.
+9 above seventh place
Muñiz insists in giving little importance to the standings at this time. However, it is no small feat to have such a good advantage over rivals in this tight competition. Málaga, sitting at the top, now have a +9-point lead over the team in seventh place, RCD Mallorca. At the time, the first team out of direct promotion and play-off positions to LaLiga Santander.
Munir and solidarity in the lead-up to kick-off
The Moroccan international goalkeeper was presented with the Liga 1|2|3 September Player of the Month award by Ben Barek. This was just before an emotional minute’s silence was held in memory of José Gil, the firefighter who lost his life in the storms that plagued the province last week. Monies raised from tickets for this game are all going to help those affected by the floods. The team stepped on to the pitch wearing t-shirts dedicated to Gil and the 31 affected towns. A day to remember.
