Espanyol has a minute too many in Malaga

BarcelonaAlthough Manolo González and Monchi denied that the match at La Rosaleda was an ultimatum for the Galician coach, there was a feeling in the air that another defeat for Espanyol, on the field of the bottom team in the category, would greatly complicate the situation of the team and its coach, who were coming off a home loss against the last-placed team while having an extra player. In Malaga, where Bryan Zaragoza scored a great goal to put the 'periquitos' ahead and Fortuño played in goal, they were one minute short because in the 93rd minute, in a very cruel way, Niño equalized a not-at-all brilliant match (1-1), but one that Espanyol had already won. The point avoids a greater evil, but it also does not serve to dispel the doubts of a blue-and-white side that continues to be unable to find its way back to victory. And next Saturday they host Atlético de Madrid.

Manolo González's revolution

The change in goal is not the only change Manolo González made in Malaga, who had 21 days to find the formula to turn around the delicate situation after the bloody defeat against Elche in his "worst game as Espanyol coach," as he himself acknowledged. He introduced up to six modifications at La Rosaleda, with Pol Lozano, Quilindschy Hartman, and Fortuño as the main new additions to the starting eleven, and Dmitrovic, with back problems throughout the week, on the bench. Also present was captain Javi Puado, who returned to a squad list nine months after tearing the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee.

Bryan Zaragoza remained in the lineup, the most exciting signing of the summer who had arrived in Barcelona lacking rhythm. Last night it became evident that the three weeks of rest have helped him get closer to his best version. Not even a quarter of an hour had passed when the player from Malaga received the ball three-quarters of the way up the field and, with the ball glued to his boot, traced a diagonal into the area that he finished with a shot to the base of the post, unstoppable for Alfonso Herrero. A textbook counterattack by Espanyol and a trademark screamer from Bryan Zaragoza, which Manolo, heavily questioned in recent days, celebrated effusively.

Fortuño sustains Espanyol

It had only been a couple of minutes since Fortuño had avoided the 1-0 from Rafa Rodríguez with a good hand on the ground. The save by the goalkeeper from La Verneda boosted an Espanyol side that hadn't entered the pitch very well. From then on, things changed and the 'periquitos' swept aside their rival, very cheerful with the ball, but too soft at the back. With space, the white-and-blues scored the first, and if it weren't for Herrero and the Málaga defense, who cleared two shots off the line, they could have scored two or three. With a little more accuracy, Espanyol would have settled the match by the half-hour mark.

But the 'periquitos' did not take advantage of their momentum and Málaga regained control. Espanyol were lucky to have Fortuño, very secure despite his inexperience –yesterday's was his fourth game with the first team–, and that Málaga has wet gunpowder. They are the lowest-scoring team in Primera, the only one that doesn't know victory, and until yesterday they had only scored three goals, half of what had been scored by Roberto Fernández, the new international footballer for Espanyol. He is already worth 30 million euros.

The striker from Puente Genil, quite isolated last night, grew tired of pressing and fighting for balls while his teammates, as the clock ticked and Málaga got closer to the goal, defended the loot achieved by Bryan Zaragoza tooth and nail. With a free kick from his own half, Pablo Martínez was about to collapse the efforts of the white-and-blues. The shot, a direct one, crashed against Fortuño's crossbar in an action that was on its way to becoming the goal of the season.

The 'periquitos' resisted as best they could until the last minute, the 93rd. Then, Málaga, who had put on heavy pressure during the second half, equalized with a great shot from Niño, who entered from the second line like a bull. A huge blow for the white-and-blues, who, with only seconds to go, saw the three points slip away that would have warded off the ghosts that have been hovering over Sant Adrià de Besòs for three weeks.