Malaga draw a blank

Posted Saturday, November 17, 2012 by PA

Malaga's winless streak in the Primera Division stretched to four games as they failed to find a way through a resolute Osasuna at El Sadar, but the visitors were grateful for the point after Willy Caballero was forced into two fine late saves in a goalless draw.

Osasuna started brightly and felt aggrieved when Kike Sola had the ball in the net after just two minutes, only for the goal to be wrongly ruled out for offside.

Malaga came into the game as the first half wore on but failed to create a clear-cut chance and were thankful to Caballero after the break as he denied Sola and Alvaro Cejudo twice in the final three minutes to move the Andalusians, temporarily at least, back into the top four.

Osasuna remain bottom but after taking four points from the last six available are now just one point away from safety.

It could have been even more for Jose Luis Mendilibar's men though as Sola fired home from Alejandro Arribas' pass with the first attack of the game, but the assistant referee mistakenly adjudged the striker to have been offside.

Malaga also had a goal ruled out 10 minutes later as Joaquin converted Eliseu's cross, but this time to call was correct.

The visitors then went on to have the majority of the ball in the first half but struggled to create under the intense pressing game that Osasuna were using to good effect.

After the restart it was the hosts who stared the brighter as Sola rose highest to meet Roland Lamah's cross on 50 minutes, but Caballero was able to comfortably collect his header.

Sola came close again 13 minutes from time as he just could not stretch to turn in a cross from the right, but the biggest chance of the match arrived six minutes later when Cejudo was played in by Sisi but placed his shot too close to the goalkeeper when through one-on-one.

Caballero then had one final save to make from Cejudo in stoppage time to leave the home fans frustrated.