Málaga stepped onto the pitch with a single idea in mind: to attack. Pellicer’s men - A. Herrero; Puga, Pastor, Montero, Víctor; Izan M., Dotor, Larrubia, Joaquín, Dani Lorenzo, and Niño - came out intense, fresh, and fluid, looking to pin their opponents back in the first half.
Joaquín was the first to flirt with making it 1-0, but a solid defender blocked his shot just as he headed toward goal from the edge of the box (0-0, 3’).
Subsequently, Larrubia tiptoed along the byline to slip past his marker and try a cheeky shot at the near post. The goalkeeper blocked the effort (0-0, 9’).
With these two warnings, the Blue and Whites showed their intent, displaying great intensity in the opening 45 minutes.
As is typical for the division, the match slowed down for a spell after the 25th minute, but the hosts regrouped and reached half-time pounding at the opposition’s goal. Joaquín, Niño, and Larrubia tried to finish off several counterattacks with inviting passes that, thanks to Sanse’s solid defending, didn’t come to fruition. The first half ended with the score still 0-0.
The second half began in a similar fashion. Málaga worked hard to keep possession of the ball and relentlessly pushed it into the vicinity of the opposition’s goal.
Juanpe, who came on for Izan M. in the 67th minute, nearly scored with a delicate and precise shot from the edge of the box in the 68th. The ball skimmed just past the top corner on the outside.
Larrubia came close to scoring again in the 73rd minute. The number 10 left a defender on the ground in the area with a brilliant cut, wound up his leg, and fired a shot that smashed into the side netting.
The crowd urged their team on, and the players responded with depth and tireless effort. The Blue and Whites kept pressing until, in the 86th minute, Rafa finally broke the deadlock. From a corner, a poor clearance by an opposing defender sent the ball looping into the midfielder’s path. With no other option, the homegrown player pulled off an acrobatic bicycle kick that ended up in the back of the net, sparking jubilation among the fans.
A stunning goal that sealed Málaga CF’s first victory of the 25/26 season.