Relegation fears reignited as missed chances cost Malaga CF dear away at Leganés

Malaga CF’s newfound momentum was halted abruptly on Sunday as they fell 2-0 to Leganés at Butarque, a defeat that once again exposed their lack of finishing touch and reignited relegation fears.

The visitors, unchanged from the side that had swept aside Deportivo a week earlier, were rocked within four minutes.

A rapid Leganés attack saw Juan Cruz beat Einar Galilea on the flank and send in a dangerous ball which rebounded kindly off Diego García to put the hosts ahead. The deflection wrong-footed goalkeeper Alfonso Herrero and forced Malaga to chase the game from the start.

Despite the early blow, Pellicer’s team reacted well and began to dominate possession. Juanpe impressed again in midfield, while David Larrubia spurned two clear chances that could have changed the course of the match.

The first was in a one-on-one against Juan Soriano after a precise pass from Rafa; the second was another misfired attempt early in the second half.

As Malaga pressed forward, they penned Leganés deep in their own half but struggled to find the cutting edge to turn pressure into goals.

The hosts, meanwhile, remained compact and dangerous on the break, with Cruz once again threatening to extend their lead before the interval.

Pellicer introduced Eneko Jauregi and Izan Merino after the break to freshen the attack and defence respectively, but Malaga’s finishing woes continued.

The inevitable punishment came in the 72nd minute when Rubén Peña launched a long ball that Álex Millán controlled and buried to make it 2-0.

Nearly 11,000 fans were at Butarque, including around 500 travelling supporters who voiced their frustration at full time. With the defeat, Malaga’s hopes of building a consistent run after ending a four-game losing streak last week have been dashed.

Ultimately, once again, Pellicer’s men are left to rue missed chances as they sit just one point above the drop zone with Real Sociedad B still to play.