First Division - Day 31

Málaga 1 - Espanyol 1

Málaga: Ochoa; Rosales, Albentosa, Weligton, Miguel Torres (Ricca 46‘); Juanpi (Atsu 67‘), Recio, Camacho, Chory Castro; Duje Cop (Pablo Fornals 81‘), Charles. 4-4-2.
Espanyol: Pau López; Javi López, Alvaro González, Enzo Roco, Rubén Duarte; Oscar Duarte; Marco Asensio (Hernán Pérez 67‘), Víctor Sánchez, Pape Diop, Abraham (Sylla 88’); Gerard Moreno (Caicedo 57‘). 4-1-4-1.

Goals:
0-1. 11. Diop. Got above defence to head Marco Asensio corner wide of Ochoa.
1-1. 45. Duje Cop (penalty). After Víctor Sánchez brought down Juanpi in area.

Yellow cards: Rubén Duarte 24’, Charles 24’, Javi López 47’, Camacho 61’, Oscar Duarte 62’, Hernán Pérez 83’.

Málaga and Espanyol are edging towards another season in the top flight after they drew 1-1 in the Rosaleda stadium on Sunday afternoon. Diop headed the Catalans into an early lead from a Marco Asensio corner, but Duje Cop made it all square from the penalty spot after Juanpi fell rather easily under a challenge from Víctor Sánchez on the stroke of half time. After the restart the locals had the better chances, Chory Castro curling a shot just wide, and Recio and Charles coming up against Pau López, although Hernán Pérez could have won it for the visitors when he volleyed a shot over the top later on. The result takes Málaga on to forty points, usually good enough to steer clear of any relegation problems, with their opponents still four points below them in the table.