Málaga 3 - Espanyol 2

Málaga: Arnau; Gerardo, Fernando Sanz, César Navas, Valcarce; Juanito, Miguel Angel (Edgar 90'); Romero, Juan Rodríguez, Duda (Tote 60'); Fernando Baiano (Michel 70'). 4-2-3-1.
Espanyol: Kameni; Jarque, Lopo, Soldevilla, David García (Oscar Serrano 60'); Alex Fernández; Maxi (Morales 90'), Ito, Fredson, Dani (Jonathan 86'); Tamudo. 4-1-4-1.

Team changes: Málaga: No change / Espanyol: Alex Fernández for Oscar Serrano.

Goals:
1-0. 07. Juan Rodríguez. Got on the end of Duda's cross to fire shot over Kameni.
2-0. 15. Miguel Angel. Collected Baiano's headed pass to turn defender and score.
3-0. 53. Juanito. Poked ball in after Kameni spilled shot from right of goal.
3-1. 71. Dani. Picked up Tamudo pass and struck deflected shot into net.
3-2. 85. Sanz (own goal). Turned ball past Arnau trying to cut out Serrano cross.

Espanyol continued their slide down the table in the second half of the season, and they find themselves out of the European places after losing 3-2 to Málaga. The Catalans went two down in the first quarter of an hour, Duda finding Juan Rodríguez with a long ball for him to fire a first time shot over Kameni, and Miguel Angel pulling down Baiano's headed pass from another Duda centre and turned Lopo before scoring.

Things got worse for Lotina's side just after the half hour mark when Alex Fernández was sent off for a second bookable offence, but despite the numerical disadvantage they had their best moments of the half when Dani and then Tamudo brought good saves out of Arnau. However the gap grew wider just eight minutes after the restart when Kameni couldn't hold on to Duda's shot, allowing Juanito to nip in and score.

Espanyol did get back in the game though with twenty minutes to go when Dani forced his way past Fernando Sanz and shot wide of the keeper after the ball came back off Tamudo, and five minutes from the end Fernando Sanz turned Serrano's cross past his own keeper to set up a close finish.Arnau and his defence kept out the last gasp attack though to give their side a much needed three points, which takes them up to fourteenth, some five points now above the drop zone.