Winless Malaga salvage late point against Espanyol but remain lowly in LaLiga

[p]Having gone winless across their opening seven LaLiga games (D3, L4) for only the second time in their history, Malaga looked determined to make a fast start against [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/espanyol/QFfPdh1J/"]Espanyol[/a].[/p][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/larrubia-david/hWytXuuP/"]David Larrubia[/a]'s close-range strike required a smart early save from [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/fortuno-angel/jRx96X5h/"]Angel Fortuno[/a], but that proved to be a false dawn for Los Albicelestes, as the visitors soon took the lead in the 13th minute.[/p][p][b][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/hernandez-javier/8QF1BiDA/"]Javier Hernandez[/a] picked out [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/zaragoza-bryan/hQyTbdVL/"]Bryan Zaragoza[/a] on the left wing, and the Spaniard cut inside a couple of defenders before sweeping a clinical finish into the bottom corner.[/b][/p][p]Manolo Gonzalez's men should've doubled their advantage before the half-hour mark, as [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/gatito-fernandez/trdcbm1s/"]Roberto Fernandez[/a] saw a golden opportunity denied by [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/herrero-alfonso/46MITnQj/"]Alfonso Herrero[/a], while Hernandez’s rebound was expertly blocked by [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/puga-carlos/d0cy0VJH/"]Carlos Puga[/a].[/p][p]Keen to make the most of that reprieve, [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/malaga/25tIqYiJ/"]Malaga[/a] pushed for an equaliser before half-time, but a speculative effort from [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/rodriguez-rafa/AFBVJfY6/"]Rafa Rodriguez[/a] was the best opening they could conjure, as Espanyol went into the break ahead.[/p][image alt="Match momentum" id="d46e6a04-e5ce-4006-be1e-8362679f9324" credit-line="Flashscore" hidden-attrs="alt, credit" guid="1db1e247-f242-481a-9db3-280802a19156" original-width="3840" original-height="2160" /][p]The hosts remained on the front foot at the start of the second period, and they came within inches of drawing level when [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/martinez-pablo/UqPEcOA0/"]Pablo Martinez[/a]'s free-kick cannoned off the crossbar. [/p][p]That sparked Gonzalez’s side back into life, with Herrero standing firm once again to deny Fernandez a seventh LaLiga goal of the season.[/p][p]Having only found the net three times across their opening seven league outings, Malaga continued to toil in the final third, as [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/calero-fernando/Sj35PsHd/"]Fernando Calero[/a] and Martinez fired a pair of efforts over in quick succession.[/p][p][b]Undeterred, the hosts refused to give up hope, and their persistence finally paid dividends in the final minute of stoppage time, when substitute [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/nino-adrian/OOr4KDkI/"]Adrian Nino[/a] struck a sublime volley from Rafita's cross to snatch a dramatic point at the death.[/b][/p][p]That denied Espanyol just their third away win in 15 LaLiga matches (D4, L9), while Malaga remain deep in relegation trouble despite avoiding a sixth straight head-to-head defeat.[/p][p][b]Flashscore Man of the Match: [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/puga-carlos/d0cy0VJH/"]Carlos Puga[/a] (Malaga)[/b][/p][embed guid="98622ce1-492e-44ec-9d9d-d649446ea4f4" url="https://x.com/MalagaCF/status/2108662764512346248" social-type="twitter" /][p][b][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/espanyol-QFfPdh1J/malaga-25tIqYiJ/summary/stats/?mid=dUikzzNa"]Catch up on the match stats with Flashscore.[/a][/b][/p]