The blue and white team improved compared to previous days, but they are still bottom of LaLiga Smartbank
Rubén Castro balanced the match after Diego Collado’s goal
Pepe Mel’s debut with Málaga ended in a 1-1 draw against Villarreal B and extended the malaguista team’s losing streak at the La Rosaleda stadium, where they have gone 15 games and ten months without a win.
The Castellón team went ahead, but Málaga deserved a better prize and He had clear chances for striker Rubén Castro and midfielder Álex Gallar.
Pepe Mel played with a single striker, Rubén Castro, and a midfielder, Fran Villalbawhich allowed him to have more of the ball with Aleix Febas and the Senegalese Alfred Ndiaye acting as squires.
The team from Castellón did not suffer in the early stages, despite the Malaguista drive, although little by little they began to triangulate, managing the minutes and making Málaga nervous, in need of goals and points.
The blue and white team could not find ways to overcome the network in the center of the Villarreal B field, that in the 21st minute, after a corner kick and a poor clearance by the Malaguista defense, made it 0-1 through midfielder Diego Colladowho hooked a left-footed shot inside the large area that entered a squad.
Málaga did not break down and in the 26th minute a center by Álex Gallar was deflected by Rubén Castro with a subtle touch with his right foot that changed the trajectory of the ball and misled goalkeeper Gianni.
Shortly after, Rubén Castro, very active, scored the second, which was annulled for offside, although he insisted again along with Ndiaye against a somewhat knocked-out subsidiary team.
Villarreal B started the second half with more ambition against a more conservative Málaga and with Rubén Castro as the most dangerous player.
As of the 60th minute, Málaga became the owner of the matchwith another goal annulled for offside by Rubén Castro, and Villarreal, stuck behind, defended as best they could.
Villarreal B practically did not exist in the second half, cornered by Málagawho had several clear chances from Rubén Castro and Álex Gallar, but failed to hit.
Data sheet
1 – Malaga: Manolo Reina; Juanfran Moreno (Murillo, m. 90), Escassi, Moussa, Javi Jiménez; Hervías (Chavarría, m. 58), Ndiaye, Febas (Ramón Enríquez, m. 58), Fran Villalba (Fran Sol, m. 70); Alex Gallar and Ruben Castro.
1 – Villarreal B: Giani; Miguel Ángel Leal, De la Fuente, Mbacke, Tasende (Carlos Romero, d. 87); Diego Collado (Haissem, m. 70), Alberto Del Moral, Rodri (Geralnik, m. 90), Sergio Lozano; Arana (Losifov, m. 70) and Ojeda (Pacheco, m. 46).
goals: 0-1, m.21: Diego Collado. 1-1, m.26: Ruben Castro.
Referee: García Verdura (Catalan School). He showed a yellow card to the locals Febas (m. 57), Moussa (m. 68) and Ramón Enríquez (m. 89), and to the visitors Sergio Lozano (m. 5), Diego Collado (m. 39) and Geralnik (m. 94).
Incidents: Match corresponding to the seventh day of LaLiga SmartBank played at the La Rosaleda stadium in front of some 20,000 spectators.