First Division - Day 2

Barcelona 1 - Málaga 0

Barcelona: Bravo; Sergi Roberto, Mascherano, Vermaelen (Mathieu 90’), Jordi Alba; Rakitic (Rafinha 63‘), Busquets, Iniesta; Messi, Luis Suárez, Neymar (Sandro 86’). 4-3-3.
Málaga: Kameni; Rosales, Angeleri, Weligton (Albentosa 25’), Miguel Torres; Tissone, Recio; Ricardo Horta (Juanpi 73’), Amrabat (Charles 54‘), Juan Carlos; Duje Cop. 4-2-3-1.

Goals:
1-0. 73. Vermaelen. Volleyed shot past Kameni after keeper pushed out cross.

Yellow cards: Recio 43’, Tissone 89’, Miguel Torres 91’.

Barcelona kept up their 100% record this season with a 1-0 win against Málaga on Saturday, their second single-goal victory in a row. The Andalusians didn’t let in a single goal in their two games against Luis Enrique’s side last season, and once again they proved a tough nut to crack. Luis Suárez had an early header ruled out for a previous push on a defender, and Mascherano headed against the crossbar, but Juan Carlos almost gave the visitors the lead with a shot from the halfway line which flew over the stranded Bravo but just missed the target. The locals felt they should have had a couple of penalties when Miguel Torres handled in the area and Suárez was brought down, and Kameni pulled off a string of saves, in particular from Messi. In the end Vermaelen volleyed home the winner after Kameni could only push out a cross from Luis Suárez with twenty minutes to go, although substitute Charles could have saved a point had Jordi Alba not closed him down as he prepared to pull the trigger with the game in the last minute of injury time.