Málaga CF and SD Eibar faced off on matchday 36 of LaLiga Hypermotion. The match took place at Ipurúa on a rainy Monday night, 21st April, in front of 4,396 spectators, including around a hundred Malaguistas in the stands.
Sergio Pellicer opted for the following starting-11: A. Herrero; Carlos Puga, Murillo, Nelson, Einar, Dani Sánchez; Juanpe, Manu Molina, Larrubia, Lobete, and Dioni.
The home side pushed hard to take the lead in the opening minutes, but the Blue and White defence effectively held off Eibar’s attacks.
Lobete had Málaga CF’s first real chance. He crafted a shot from a tight angle on the right wing, which the home keeper deflected at the near post for a corner. The resulting corner led to a header from Murillo, but Eibar’s defence managed to clear it away as well.
The Blue and Whites gradually shook off the home side’s pressure and began asserting themselves more in the opposing half. In the 26th minute, Dani Sánchez went down in the box after being brought down by a defender. The referee initially signalled a penalty, but VAR reviewed the play and determined the contact wasn’t enough to warrant a penalty, leading the referee to overturn the decision.
In the 31st minute, Alfonso Herrero denied a good chance for Eibar. The goalkeeper reacted quickly to intercept a through ball that was heading toward Jon Bautista in a dangerous position. The collision with the forward prompted medical staff to come on and ensure Herrero was fit to continue.
In minute 35, Carlos Puga delivered a brilliant solo effort, reaching the byline. The wing-back fired a powerful and dangerous low cross into the heart of the box, but no Málaga player was in a clear position to finish, and the ball rolled out on the opposite side.
The referee added 5 minutes of stoppage time due to two injury breaks, and during the added time, the home side struck. Jon Bautista netted the opener for Eibar just before the break, making it 1-0. Málaga CF had one last chance before half-time with a solid shot from Dioni at the edge of the box, but the goalkeeper read it well and made the save.
After the restart, the match followed a similar rhythm. Cordero, who came on during the half-time break, had two opportunities to level the score. In the first, he couldn't finish off a brilliant solo run, and in the second, his shot hit the side netting.
Larrubia then unleashed a superb shot from the edge of the box that curled toward the base of the post, but the goalkeeper managed to tip it wide with his fingertips. The resulting corner led to a stunning goal by Murillo, who powered in a header at the far post to make it 1-1 in the 60th minute.
Just 10 minutes later, in minute 70, homegrown player Rafa unleashed a powerful and precise strike from the edge of the box that nestled beautifully into the back of the net. A debut goal for the midfielder that the Málaga faithful won’t soon forget (1-2, 70’).
Only two minutes after that, SD Eibar found the equaliser from a set piece. In an attempt to clear the danger, Nelson Monte inadvertently sent the ball into his own net.
The match remained open and evenly contested, with both teams pushing hard in the final minutes. However, the scoreboard wouldn’t change again, and the final whistle confirmed a share of the points.
