Sevilla and Malaga drew 2-2 in a pulsating La Liga encounter at the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan Stadium this evening.
Both sides went into the game without a win in their opening two matches and they are still waiting for those elusive three points.
Pedro Morales put the visitors ahead with a sweetly struck first-half strike, but it was immediately cancelled out by Kevin Gameiro's equaliser.
Former Blackburn Rovers striker Roque Santa Cruz put the away side ahead again in the second half, but Gameiro once more levelled the scores with a scrappy header.
Read how it all unfolded in our minute-by minute live commentary below.
Good evening! A jam-packed day of football is still not finished! After Liverpool's 1-0 win over Manchester United and Arsenal's 1-0 triumph over Tottenham Hotspur in the North London derby, there is still time for yet more football. Here we will bring you live action of the La Liga match between Sevilla and Malaga.
TEAM NEWS:
SEVILLA XI: Varas, Coke, Cala, Navarro, Moreno, Rakitic, Rabello, Mbia, Gameiro, Bacca, Perotti
MALAGA XI: Caballero, Gamez, Sanchez, Angeleri, Antunes, Darder, Tissone, Morales, Duda, Olinga, Santa Cruz
A few changes for the home side then, with Javi Varas replacing Beto in goal. Marko Marin misses out through injury and Vicente Iborra also misses out. Alberto Moreno and and Bryan Rabello come into the starting lineup.
Just the one change made to the Malaga side that lost to Barcelona last week. Duda replaces Pawlowski.
KICKOFF: We are underway!
Not much happening in the first couple of minutes. Neither sides are taking any chances and seem content to clear the ball into the stands at the slightest whiff of danger.
Sevilla beginning to settle into a rhythm as they dominate early possession, but we are yet to see a shot from either side.
Right on cue, Sevilla carve out an opening. The ball breaks to Fabrice Olinga in the box and his smart volley is saved well by Caballero, who gathers the ball at the second attempt.
CHANCE! Two chances in the space of 10 seconds for the visitors! First, Varas saves well from Pedro Morales' shot before Duda drags his shot wide from the edge of the box. That was a real chance for Malaga.
Malaga starting to get a bit more of the ball, and they look dangerous.
A corner for the hosts, but the opportunity is wasted as they play it short and Malaga nip in to clear the ball.
A cross is looped into the box from the right hand side by Carlos Bacca, but Bryan Rabello can only head tamely towards goal. Promising signs from Sevilla though, it was neat build-up play.
BOOKING! Sergi Darder is the first player to go into the book for a cynical foul on Diego Perotti. The midfielder can have absolutely no complaints about that.
The first real chance for Duda to run at the home defence, but the Brazilian loses control of the ball and is easily dispossessed. However, he gets a second bite at the cherry when he collects a quickly taken free kick, but he cannot pick out Roque Santa Cruz with his low cross.
Another free kick for Malaga, in a central position this time. The captain Duda steps up from 35 yards out and his ambitious attempt lacks any pace. An easy save for Varas. A poor decision to shoot from there, it would've had to be a stupendous shot to beat the goalkeeper from that range!
Stephane Mbia gives away a silly foul on Duda. The Cameroonian was known for his questionable disciplinary record at QPR and it seems he still steams into tackles in La Liga.
Sergi Darder makes a clever run to the right of the penalty area and is picked out well, but with the angle narrowing his shot sails harmlessly wide.
POST! Pandemonium in the Malaga penalty area! Caballero and Antunes get themselves in a mix-up which almost results in a goal! Diego Perotti forces Cabellero into a smart save with an outrageous volley from near the corner flag, and Carlos Bacca hits the same upright with the follow up. He should have scored!
BOOKING! Sergio Sanchez enters the book for a rash challenge on Carlos Bacca. The striker has left the field after receiving treatment but should be OK to continue.
Kevin Gameiro has been quiet so far, and his attempted flick doesn't come off as Marcos Angeleri shepherds the ball back to his goalkeeper easily.
BOOKING! I said earlier that Mbia is reckless and he too has picked up a booking for a late foul on Fabrice Olinga. He was out of control as he lunged in an attempt to win the ball. If he carries on with this combative style, he could well earn himself an early bath.
BOOKING! We have a card-happy referee this evening! Marcos Angeleri is the latest player to earn himself a yellow card for clipping Gameiro as he tried to play a one-two with Carlos Bacca.
SITTER! Coke misses an absolute sitter from four yards! He gets onto the end of a deep cross from the left wing and sidefoots his volley over the bar! His blushes were spared somewhat as the whistle was blown for offside, but that was a shocking miss by the defender.
There is a frenetic pace to this game; real end-to-end stuff. The tackles are flying in too, and it wouldn't be a surprise if a red card was brandished at some point this evening.
GOAL! Sevilla 0-1 Malaga (Pedro Morales)
The away side take the lead! It all came from a Sevilla corner, which was wasted by the hosts. Duda did superbly in holding off a challenge as he broke away on the right flank before switching the ball to Morales, who was allowed time to stride forward and unleash a fierce shot into the bottom left corner of the goal from 20 yards. A superb example of how to counter attack.
Duda is down clutching his face after running into Cala's shoulder as he turned. An innocuous challenge, there was no intent at all.
GOAL! Sevilla 1-1 Malaga (Kevin Gameiro)
Gameiro, who has been very quiet up until this stage, pulls a goal back almost immediately! The ball was fed to Mbia in the right channel, and his delicate cross was turned home well by Gameiro, who has to arc his neck backwards to connect with the header. The former PSG forward was definitely offside, however. It should have been cancelled, but the goal stands.
2 minutes of added time announced
CHANCE! Sevilla play a corner short before swinging it into the box. Gameiro, who is totally unmarked, controls beautifully and strikes a low shot across goal from a tight angle. Caballero gets down very well to save with his feet.
HALF TIME: Sevilla 1-1 Malaga
And breath... What a fantastic half of football that was! Goals, bookings, controversy - it had the lot! Moarales's superb opener put the visitors 1-0 up slightly against the run of play, but Gameiro equalised just four minutes later. Malaga aren't happy though. The Frenchman was quite clearly offside before he nodded the ball into the net, and they let the referee know their feelings in a torrent of abuse as the teams walked off the pitch at the break.
Elsewhere in La Liga, Lionel Messi (who else) has scored a first-half hat-trick as Barcelona lead Valencia 3-2 at the break.
More La Liga news, and Gareth Bale has completed his move to Real Madrid. Who saw that coming?! His new side won 3-1 earlier today, with former Malaga player Isco scoring twice.
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KICKOFF: The second half is underway.
No changes for either side at the break. Let's hope for more of the same, that first 45 minutes was great entertainment!
Duda swings in a free-kick from the left wing, but it evades everyone and bounces out for a goal kick. The Malaga captain was influential in everything the visitors did in the first half, an impressive display so far.
Kevin Gameiro does a good impression of Luis Suarez, as he comically stumbles when setting off on a run towards goal. Unlike the Uruguayan, however, there was no cry for a foul.
Bryan Rabello loses the ball and then brings down Sergi Darder in an atttempt to make amends for his error. Darder went down easily, but it was probably the right call by the referee. Duda lining up the free-kick, which is about 25 yards out in a central position...
...But the Malaga captain hits a tame attempt straight into the wall.
CLOSE SHAVE! Javi Varas collects a back pass and takes a touch across his body right on the goal line. However, it is a heavy touch and the goalkeeper has to make a lunging tackle to deny Roque Santa Cruz a tap-in! That would have been a mother of all mistakes had it gone in!
SUBSTITUTION: Victor Machin replaces Bryan Rabello for Sevilla.
Sevilla seeing a lot of the ball, but Malaga are defending resolutely. Ivan Rakitic's shot is deflected wide for a corner. The Croatian midfielder has been very quiet so far. He needs to see more of the ball if Sevilla are to find another goal.
BOOKING! Cala becomes the fifth player to enter the book with a nasty foul. He drives his shoulder into Duda's face as the winger tries to get round him.
SIDE-NETTING! Duda steps up to take the free-kick himself, but his left-footed effort doesn't quite have enough curl on it to creep inside the near post.
SUBSTITUTION: Eliseu replaces Fabrice Olinga up top for Malaga as they look to pace to provide themselves with a second goal.
Promising from Sevilla. The hosts force their seventh corner of the game, which Stephane Mbia flicks on towards the far post. Gameiro gambled and rushed towards the far stick, but he made the run just a tad too early as the ball fell just behind him. It looked as though that move was straight from the training ground, and it almost paid off.
OUCH! Sergio Sanchez takes an elbow to the mouth from Stephane Mbia. He may look like a caveman, but Sanchez felt that. Clumsy rather than malicious from Mbia, but the midfielder is already on a booking. He's treading a fine line.
GOAL! Sevilla 1-2 Malaga (Roque Santa Cruz)
That goal was all about the assist! Segi Darder received the ball on the edge of the 18-yard-box with his back to goal. With two touches, he swept a reverse ball into the path of Roque Santa Cruz, and the hitman kept his composure to slot a calm finish inside the near post from 10 yards. Brilliant from Darder.
SUBSTITUTION: Jairo replaces Carlos Bacca, as Sevilla look to change things up top. They have 20 minutes to find an equaliser. Can they come from behind again?
GOAL! Sevilla 2-2 Malaga (Kevin Gameiro)
Yes they can! A looping ball into the box is not dealt with at all well by Malaga. It bounces over over Jairo and Angeleri to Gameiro, who nods the ball past Caballero. The goalkeeper gets a touch, but it bobbles just over the line. Jesus Gamez made a despairing lunge to try an keep it out, but the ball was a fraction over the line. A close call, but we are all level!
HANDBAGS! Ivan Rakitic and Eliseu are involved in a little spat on the floor in an off-the-ball incident. There was nothing in it though.
CLOSE! Vitolo bends a good effort wide of the post as he steps in from the left flank. Caballero was scrambling there.
SUBSTITUTION: Roque Santa Cruz is replaced by Mounir El Hamdaoui as Malaga make their final change. Francisco Portillo also entered the fray amongst all the action.
What a finale! This game is poised on a knife-edge now with little more than 10 minutes remaining. Cala meets Rakitic's corner, but the centre-half wasn't expecting it and it bounces off his knee and over the bar.
SUBSTITUTION: Stephane Mbia leaves the pitch with cramp, and is replaced by Vicente Iborra. A typically combative shift from Mbia. One thing you certainly cannot accuse him of is a lack of commitment.
DISALLOWED GOAL: Well, that is a reprieve for Malaga. A goalbound header is flicked in by a Sevilla player, who is at least three yards onside. Crazy decision by the officials. Sevilla's opener was marginally offisde, however, so I suppose - as the saying goes - 'these things do even themselves out'.
Mounir El Hamdaoui almost sneaks in behind the Sevilla defence, but the winger is eased off the ball just as he was about to pull the trigger. The ball just wouldn't sit nicely for him.
Duda swing yet another free-kick into the penalty area from a deep position. His delivery has been spot on tonight.
Three minutes of added time to be played.
RED CARD! Duda, who has so impressive all evening, has been shown a straight red card by the referee for a foul on Diego Perotti! A very hasrh call by the referee. Yes, it was a cynical foul, but worthy of a yellow card, not a red.
CHANCE! Just before the sending off, Malaga had a great chance to win it. A deep cross found Francisco Portillo loitering at the far post, but the striker couldn't readjust his feet to get a firm touch on the cross. The goal was gaping and that surely would've won the game for his side?!
FULL TIME: Sevilla 2-2 Malaga
Yikes, what a match! Malaga almost stole all three points right at the death, but ended up with 10 men after Duda was harshly sent off. A point apiece for the two sides is probably a fair reflection on the game though.
The home side made it hard for themselves this evening. They went behind twice: first to Pedro Morales' stunning first half strike, and then Roque Santa Cruz's smart finish. Kevin Gameiro has paid back a large chunk of the €7.5m fee paid by Sevilla this summer with two equalisers. He was offside for the first and the second was scrappy, but they all count!
Although it ended in a draw, the game could have swung either way. Sevilla had a perfectly legitimate goal ruled out for offside with less than 10 minutes remaining, and Francisco Portillo squandered an injury-time chance for the visitors.
Sevilla had 64% possession tonight, and no doubt they were the more commanding team. However, Malaga were impressive on the break and fully deserved their point.
A breathtaking game of football this evening! Both sides are yet to get their first win of the season, but each side played very well in patches tonight and it shall not be long before either side pick up three points.
Thank you very much for joining me tonight. I hope you enjoyed the game as much as I did! Before I go, just a reminder that you can win £100 by entering Sports Mole's Barclays Fantasy Football League by entering the following code:12799-455963. Good luck, and goodnight!
Written by
Kristian Johnson
Kristian Johnson
