Málaga 2 - Villarreal 1

Málaga: Contreras; Ruano, Bravo, Larrainzar, Valcarce (Iznata 82'); Rufete, Movilla, De los Santos, Zárate (Roteta 60'); Darío Silva (Edgar 75'), Dely Valdés. 4-4-2.
Villarreal: López Vallejo; Galván (Xavi Roca 46'), Quique Álvarez, Berruet, Arruabarrena; Jorge López, Amor (Gracia 70'), Cagna, Calleja; Víctor, Moisés (Craioveanu 60'). 4-4-2.

Team changes: Málaga: Darío Silva for Agostinho / Villarreal: Moisés for Craioveanu.

Goals:
1-0. 24. Dely Valdés. Spectacular flying headed over López from Movilla's pass.
2-0. 29. Dely Valdés. Header on far post after cross from Rufete on right wing.
2-1. 70. Craioveanu (penalty). After foul by Roteta on Villarreal forward.

Two headed goals in the first half by Dely Valdés gave Málaga their first home victory for exactly six months, lifting them out of the danger zone for the time being and in to mid-table. By one of those strange coincidences, this was the first time that the two teams had played each other in their eighty or so years of existence, with for example Málaga going up and Villarreal going down from the first division a couple of seasons ago. Both teams made one change in attack for this game, with Darío Silva returning from injury for the home side, and Moisés preferred to Craioveanu for the visitors. Málaga's shortage of forwards appears to be over, with Edgar also returning to the squad and coming on to a rousing ovation in the second half after almost eight months out.

Once again the crowd at the Rosaleda stadium was disappointing, with only 15,000 spectators, well below the numbers who turned out last season. They were in for a treat though in the first half, with Darío Silva wasting three opportunities before Dely showed him how to do it. His first goal in particular was impressive, the Panamanian flying through the air to head on Movilla's cross past the helpless López Vallejo. Villarreal's only reply was a shot by Víctor which Contreras saved late in the half.

Villarreal's manager Víctor Muñoz tore into his players at half time, and maybe it was a trick of the light, but they appeared to come out with bite marks on their shorts. Whatever he did it worked as Craioveanu pulled one back from the penalty spot, and only brilliant goalkeeping by Contreras kept Jorge López and then Gracia from levelling the scores. The victory moves Málaga up to within one point and one place of their visitors in the middle of the table.