Málaga 3 - Osasuna 1

Málaga: Contreras; Ruano, Bravo, Roteta, Larrainzar, Valcarce; De los Santos, Movilla, Zárate (Iznata 88'); Darío Silva (Ismael 90'), Dely Valdés (Edgar 70'). 5-3-2.
Osasuna: Nuno; Yanguas, Mateo, Vidakovic, Cruchaga (Angel Luis 73'); Alex, Palacios; Lekumberri, Sabino (Armentano 57'), Alfonso (Oscar Arpón 80'); Iván Rosado. 4-2-3-1.

Team changes: Málaga: Zárate for Musampa / Osasuna: Alex, Alfonso, Iván Rosado for Angel, Sena, Armentano.

Goals:
1-0. 01. Zárate. Free kick on left which went in off near post.
1-1. 18. Sabino (penalty). After De los Santos ruled to have fouled Palacios.
2-1. 37. Dely Valdés. Beat keeper after pass inside from Zárate.
3-1. 88. Edgar. Fiercely struck shot into top corner of net.

Osasuna dropped to the bottom of the first division after losing to Málaga in the Rosaleda stadium. Málaga's manager Joaquín Peiró decided to draft in one of his young players Ariel Zárate, one of five Argentinian brothers playing professional football, including ex Real Madrid forward Rolando. His decision proved to be inspired as Zárate fired a free kick over the defensive wall and in to Nuno's goal with only one minute gone in the match. Later in the half he proved decisive again, taking the ball through a packed Osasuna defence to set up Dely Valdés for his teams second, and he continued to create problems for the visitors throughout the match.

Osasuna were concerned about the referee for this game, having had three players sent off in five games by Rodríguez Santiago over the last two seasons in the second division. They have also had bad luck this season with referees, with decisions going against them in the last few matches. They need not have worried though, as this time Rodríguez gave them a hand awarding a rigorous penalty when De los Santos and Palacios went up for a high ball. Sabino converted the spot kick to level the scores before Zárate and Dely Valdes restored Málaga's lead. Nuno then saved a couple of times from Bravo and Movilla before the break.

Osasuna were playing well in midfield, with Alex Fernández returning for this match in great form, but they were unable to make any inroads up front. They are lacking a reliable striker, with Lotina rotating his players in the search for a goalscorer, and with Iván Rosado and then substitute Armentano cancelled out by the Málaga defence, their only attempts at goal came from midfielders Palacios and Alfonso. With twenty minutes to go Edgar came on, and the Portuguese striker showed the visitors how to do it, striking a first time shot from outside of the area into the top corner of Nuno's goal with two minutes to go. Málaga's victory takes them up to the top half of the table, and with the teams below them all winning, condemns Osasuna to last place. Things are not that bad though, and they are only three points below Valladolid in twelfth place. They do need to find a centre forward though, and veteran striker Cuco Ziganda could return for the local derby with Bilbao, even though he is reluctant to do so against his old team.