Getafe 1 : 3 Malaga - Pereira stars in Malaga win

Posted Saturday, March 03, 2012 by PA

Eliseu Pereira scored one goal and set up another as Malaga came from behind to see off the challenge of Getafe 3-1.

Manuel Pellegrini's men trailed to a first-half strike from Diego Castro, but Eliseu's introduction after the interval provided an equaliser before the midfielder teed up Jeremy Toulalan for Malaga's second.

Santi Cazorla then added a stunning strike from distance as the visitors maintained their push for European football next season.

Getafe made the brighter start with Castro's right-footed strike forcing an early save from visiting goalkeeper Willy Caballero.

Miku then fired over the bar from close range for the home side, before Getafe goalkeeper Miguel Moya was called into action to palm away a testing shot from Jose Salomon Rondon.

Antonio Juan Rodriguez missed another good chance for the Madrid hosts, poking Abdelaziz Barrada's corner over the target from just a few yards out.

Caballero then kept out Dani Guiza's effort from near the penalty area, and was put to the test again on the half hour by a header from Rondon.

Malaga's defence came under pressure once more minutes later, but Caballero was on hand to make a stunning save to push away Castro's drive from the edge of the area.

However, Getafe's dominance eventually paid off three minutes before the interval when Castro turned Juan Valera's pass into the bottom right corner.

And they should have been two ahead six minutes into the second half but Guiza's shot from the right of the area came back off the bar.

Malaga immediately set about finding an equaliser and substitute Eliseu provided one after 57 minutes with a fantastic 25-yard strike into the top right corner.

Chances continued to arrive at both ends, with Rodriguez's long-range effort failing to trouble Caballero while Eliseu had a shot fisted away by Moya.

But Malaga found themselves in front eight minutes from time when Eliseu played a neat pass to Toulalan, who drilled a shot high into the net from 25 yards.

Cazorla then put the result beyond doubt in stoppage time with a spectacular effort from distance which left Moya stranded.

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