Malaga will take a 2-0 lead into the second leg of the Copa del Rey last-16 tie with Levante courtesy of a comfortable victory at Estadio La Rosaleda this evening.
The hosts threatened inside the opening minutes as Ricardo Horta found space to shoot from outside the box, but Jesus Fernandez in the Levante goal was equal to his effort.
The keeper could do nothing about the opening goal less than 15 minutes later, however, as Juanpi picked out the top corner from the right side of the box.
Malaga continued to push on having taken the lead, but failed to double the advantage twice in quick succession when Luis Alberto and Horta both missed the target.
Levante finally began to come into the match around the half-hour mark, with Guillermo Ochoa forced into a couple of saves to deny Rafael Martins and Jaime Gavilan.
Jordi Xumetra then had a chance to level things up with just under 10 minutes to go until the break, but his effort from close range went past the left post.
Horta then came close again before Malaga were inches away from a second when Alberto's effort from outside the box struck the upright.
Juanmi had a good chance 20 minutes into the second half, but his effort from the left side of the six-yard box went narrowly wide of the far post.
The hosts continued to look more likely to get the game's second goal, and they should have wrapped the leg up when Samu Castillejo missed two chances in quick succession from very close range.
The second finally did arrive with a little over 12 minutes remaining, and it came through the dangerous Horta, who tucked his effort into the bottom corner.
Levante could not find an answer in the closing stages, and now face an uphill battle to quality for the quarter-finals when they meet in the return leg next Tuesday.
Barney Corkhill
