Espanyol 1 - Málaga 2

Espanyol: Mora; Navas, Lopo, Rotchen, Roger; Velamazán (Cristóbal 80'), Sergio, Galca, Iván Diaz (Morales 66'); Martín Posse, Tamudo. 4-4-2.
Málaga: Contreras; Rojas, Fernando Sanz, Bravo, Roteta; Rufete, De los Santos, Sandro (Zárate 72'), Agostinho (Canabal 80'); Darío Silva, Dely Valdés (Movilla 90'). 4-4-2.

Team changes: Espanyol: No change / Málaga: Agostinho, Darío Silva for Movilla, Edgar.

Goals:
1-0. 45. Rotchen. Diving header after long pass from Sergio on right.
1-1. 60. Rufete (penalty). After Rotchen fouled Dely Valdés near to goal.
1-2. 74. Darío Silva. On goal line after cross from Agostinho on left wing.

Málaga came from behind to beat Espanyol and keep their hopes of the reaching the UEFA spots alive. Both teams came in to the match looking for a victory which would take them closer to the top six, with Espanyol three points away from Villarreal and Málaga a point below them. Paco Flores fielded the same side that had given them their second 1-0 victory in a row at Valencia last week, with Joaquín Peiró bringing back ex Espanyol striker Darío Silva after a one match ban and preferring Agostinho to Movilla.

Raúl Tamudo was the man who gave Espanyol those two victories, and once again he was the most dangerous player on the field in the first half. However he did not have the same fortune, and after Contreras saved one effort and referee Rodríguez Santiago pulled him up for a non-existent offside on another occasion, he saw a third chance hit the crossbar. Málaga were starting to command midfield, but after Mora saved well from Darío Silva, play switched to the other end where Rotchen opened the scoring with a diving header from Sergio's free kick.

With an hour gone the referee awarded a much protested penalty after Rotchen went in on Dely Valdés, and Rufete converted the spot kick. Espanyol hit the crossbar again through Galca, but a rare moment of indecision by Mora in the Espanyol goal allowed Darío Silva to score. It was the second year in a row that the Uruguayan had sunk his old team, and out of respect his celebration was muted. The win takes Málaga over their rivals to ninth, three points away from the new incumbent of the last UEFA spot, Celta. With eleven games to go both teams can still aspire to reach their goal, but with the top clubs well clear only one place remains between five teams. If they don't make it, there's always the Intertoto. Holiday plans are already being rearranged just in case.