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Julen Lobete put Malaga in the lead in Santander. Agencia LOF
More defensive lapses see Malaga CF edged out by league leaders
Football

More defensive lapses see Malaga CF edged out by league leaders

Despite taking an early lead in Santander, errors at the back allowed the hosts to come back and inflict the Blue and Whites' third defeat on the bounce

Daryl Finch

Malaga

Sunday, 2 February 2025, 06:15

Despite taking an early lead through Julen Lobete at El Sardinero on Saturday night, Malaga CF suffered a painful 2-1 defeat against league leaders Racing Santander in a high-tempo contest. Defensive errors allowed Juan Carlos Arana to score twice for the league leaders in quick succession, eventually handing the visitors their third consecutive loss.

Malaga coach Sergio Pellicer set up his side to match Racing’s intensity, favouring a fast-paced and attacking approach, starting Ramón alongside Manu Molina in midfield and rotating his full-backs.

This led to an open contest, with both teams creating chances. The visitors started brightly and took the lead when Lobete took advantage of some passive defending to fire in a long-range strike after just six minutes, silencing the home crowd.

The visitors thought they had restored their advantage when Lobete found the net again, but the goal was ruled out for a clear offside.

Racing responded quickly, levelling the score ten minutes later. Arana capitalised on some lax marking from a corner, attacking the near post and flicking the ball in with his head back across the face of goal.

Fast-paced game

The frenetic pace continued, with Racing pressing aggressively and Malaga attempting to regain control.

However, midway through the first half, Arana struck again in almost identical fashion, heading home from another corner.

The second half saw Malaga push hard for an equaliser. They created several clear-cut chances, with Lobete having yet another goal disallowed for very marginal offside.

Dioni also came close after a solo run, and Kevin ought to have done better in his late one-on-one, but Racing’s defence held firm under pressure and the were ultimately left frustrated.

While the result didn't significantly impact Malaga’s position in Segunda División (they remain seven points clear of the relegation zone), their inability to capitalise on key opportunities and their defensive frailties continue to undermine recent performances.

The next opportunity to correct this comes on Saturday (6.30pm kick-off) when Levante visit La Rosaleda.

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surinenglish More defensive lapses see Malaga CF edged out by league leaders