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Malaga CF delivered another thrilling performance to earn a vital point in a dramatic 2-2 draw against Granada at Los Cármenes on Friday night.
The match, marked by late goals and a crucial penalty save from goalkeeper Alfonso Herrero, saw the visitors extend their unbeaten run, much to the delight of their travelling fans.
The first half belonged to the visitors, who dominated possession and chances, keeping Granada on the back foot for large periods. However, despite their superiority, Sergio Pellicer’s side were unable to convert opportunities into goals, with Rahmani and Antoñito both coming close but being denied by Granada’s goalkeeper, Marc Martínez.
Granada, still reeling from their recent relegation from La Liga, struggled throughout the first 45 minutes, and frustration was palpable among the home crowd. The hosts were limited to rare counter-attacks, none of which truly tested Herrero.
Despite the Malaga's dominance, their inability to finish proved costly. Granada returned to the pitch with renewed energy after the break and quickly turned the tide. In the 49th minute, a cross from the right found its way to the far post, where Carlos Neva lashed the ball on the volley past Herrero to open the scoring.
However, Malaga’s response was swift. Just four minutes later, Antoñito capitalised on an error by the Granada keeper, curling the ball in at the near post from a tight angle to restore parity. The goal was no less than Malaga deserved for their earlier control of the game.
That said, Granada, buoyed by their home support, pressed for a winner and they thought they found it through Myrto Uzuni in the 81st minute. A floated cross to the back post was headed back across goal but the Malaga defender, in trying to clear off the line, ended up playing the ball onto the Granada forward's face, putting the hosts seemingly on course for victory.
But Malaga had one final twist in store. With the clock ticking deep into stoppage time, Nelson headed home a dramatic equaliser in the 93rd minute from corner kick to bring the score to 2-2.
But just as Malaga fans celebrated a hard-fought draw, the match took another dramatic turn. A penalty was awarded to Granada in the 97th minute after a foul by Nelson, who had just scored the equaliser.
Granada’s Shon Weissman stepped up to take the penalty, but Herrero came to Malaga’s rescue, sticking out a leg to make a crucial save to deny the hosts a last-gasp victory.
“We never give up,” said Malaga coach Sergio Pellicer after the match. “It’s in our DNA to fight until the very last second, and today we’ve shown that again.”
The draw sees Malaga remain unbeaten for another week, and while the team will reflect on missed opportunities, Pellicer’s side can take heart from their ability to deliver under pressure as they continue their campaign.
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