Football
Sections
Highlight
Sections
Highlight
Opciones para compartir
Malaga CF endured their first defeat of the new season in the Saturday evening kick-off with a crushing 3-0 home loss against Elche.
The newly promoted side, previously undefeated, were outclassed from start to finish and failed to pose any significant threat to their opponents on a disappointing evening for the packed home crowd at La Rosaleda.
Despite having made a strong start to the season under coach Sergio Pellicer, the Costa side's performance was a far cry from previous weeks, struggling to get into the game, with lapses in defence and a lack of attacking precision that allowed Elche to dominate.
The hosts' troubles began early, as Elche opened the scoring within the first three minutes through Agustín Álvarez. The forward headed home after the Malaga defence reacted far too slowly to keeper Alfonso Herrero's parry, allowing the ball to be recycled and the final finish to go completely unchallenged.
-kQPD--711x841@Diario%20Sur.jpg)
From that moment, the Alicante team, led by standout performer Nico Fernández, managed the game well, often slowing down play and frustrating their opponents. Malaga’s attempts to press forward were unconvincing, with the team unable to register a single shot on target in the entire game.
The second half brought more of the same for the home side. Pellicer introduced striker Julen Lobete in place of the anonymous Yanis Rahmani, but the substitution did little to change the flow of the game.
Shortly after the restart, Nico Fernández struck again, this time with a long-range effort that sailed past a helpless Herrero, extending Elche’s lead.
Malaga’s response was muted, as they continued to look out of ideas and short on confidence. As the game wore on, Elche maintained their control, with their defensive discipline keeping the Blanquiazules at bay.
Then, just into the final 15 minutes, a handball by Einar Galilea resulted in a penalty after an intervention from VAR. Mourad calmly converted from the spot, making it 3-0 and sealing a comprehensive victory for Elche.
-kQPD--1200x841@Diario%20Sur.jpg)
-kQPD--1200x851@Diario%20Sur.jpg)
-kQPD--711x841@Diario%20Sur.jpg)
Despite the heavy loss, the home fans continued to offer their support until full time. However, the defeat will raise concerns for Pellicer, who had previously fielded an unchanged line-up for the third consecutive match.
“The first goal came too early, and we never recovered,” he said. “We didn’t even get a shot on target, which is worrying."
He went on to praise the commitment of his players, despite their poor showing on the night. “The team is united, and I am proud of their effort, even though the result was not what we wanted. We will learn from this and come back stronger.”
Málaga will have the opportunity to regroup ahead of their next match, away at Deportivo La Coruña next Sunday (2pm), with Pellicer confident that his side can turn things around. “This is a tough league, and there will be ups and downs. We’ve had a bad day, but we’re determined to improve and make this season a success.”
Publicidad
Publicidad
Publicidad
Publicidad
Reporta un error en esta noticia
Necesitas ser suscriptor para poder votar.