Málaga 4 - Espanyol 0

Málaga: Goitia; Manolo Gaspar, Cuadrado, Helder Rosario, Calleja; Eliseu, Apoño, Lolo, Duda (Nacho 71'); Adrián (Albert Luque 79'), Baha (José Juan Luque 86'). 4-4-2.
Espanyol: Kameni; Sergio Sánchez, Lacruz, Jarque, Chica; Moisés Hurtado, Oscar Sielva (Coro 57'); Rufete (Valdo 65'),Román, Nené; Luis García. 4-2-3-1.

Team changes: Málaga: Manolo Gaspar, Cuadrado, Eliseu for Jesús Gámez, Weligton, Nacho / Espanyol: Lacruz, Oscar Sielva, Román for Pareja, Angel, Coro.

Goals:
1-0. 35. Adrián. Struck low shot wide of Kameni from Duda's cross.
2-0. 57. Apoño (penalty). After Lacruz pulled back Adrián inside area.
3-0. 84. Baha (penalty). After Lacruz brought down Baha inside area.
4-0. 92. Albert Luque. Following up after Kameni failed to hold Eliseu shot.

Yellow cards: Moisés 56', Lacruz 83', Coro 89'.

For a couple of hours Málaga were up in to the top six after a comfortable 4-0 win over Espanyol, Atlético's draw later in the evening dropping them back down to seventh on goal difference.

The visitors had finally won a match midweek, beating second division B side Poli Ejido in the cup after two months without a victory, and they had two or three chances early on. However it was Adrián who opened the scoring for the locals before the interval and the striker then won a penalty which Apoño converted after the restart.

Baha added a second penalty later on, beating Kameni at the second attempt after the referee ordered a re-take despite Kameni's first save. And Albert Luque finished things off with a fourth goal in injury time after Kameni could only push out Eliseu's shot.

Málaga's points tally of 31 is the best ever by a newly promoted side at the halfway stage of the season, and Espanyol limp on just a few weeks before the inauguration of their new stadium, coach Mané likely to be their second managerial victim of the season.