Málaga CF 1 - 3 Villarreal CF — Highlights & Result
Primera Division
·
(1 month ago)
· MD 6
Highlights
▶
Villarreal extended their away run in this Primera Division season by claiming their first victory on the road on September 17, 2026, overcoming Málaga CF 1-3. The visitors controlled the play with 63% possession and 16 shots, while Málaga managed just five attempts throughout the contest. C. Dotor opened the scoring for the hosts in the 12th minute with an assist from J. Cruz, earning a 7.2 rating. However, Villarreal responded before the interval as A. Moleiro equalized in the 40th minute from an I. Akhomach assist, picking up a 7.7 rating. P. Gueye then put the visitors ahead in the 45th minute, assisted by A. Perez, before sealing the result with a penalty in the 86th minute. That standout performance earned P. Gueye the match's highest rating of 9, while Ángel Recio recorded an 8 for Málaga.
Both clubs had struggled significantly in the opening weeks of the Primera Division. Málaga entered the match winless in five consecutive outings across all competitions, including a 0-4 defeat away at Real Madrid. Villarreal arrived having suffered four straight losses in all competitions alongside a six-match winless streak, which featured a 1-2 home defeat against Real Betis. Despite those overlapping struggles, the visitors broke their slide to jump from 19th to 14th in the standings. Meanwhile, the hosts dropped from 18th to 19th position.
The 20-team league table is currently led by Barça with 18 points after six matches. Málaga now sit 15 points behind the leaders following this latest setback. Villarreal find themselves 13 points adrift of the summit as they attempt to build upon their first away victory of the term.
Málaga will next play away at Getafe on September 20. Villarreal return to action at home against Levante on the same day.
Both clubs had struggled significantly in the opening weeks of the Primera Division. Málaga entered the match winless in five consecutive outings across all competitions, including a 0-4 defeat away at Real Madrid. Villarreal arrived having suffered four straight losses in all competitions alongside a six-match winless streak, which featured a 1-2 home defeat against Real Betis. Despite those overlapping struggles, the visitors broke their slide to jump from 19th to 14th in the standings. Meanwhile, the hosts dropped from 18th to 19th position.
The 20-team league table is currently led by Barça with 18 points after six matches. Málaga now sit 15 points behind the leaders following this latest setback. Villarreal find themselves 13 points adrift of the summit as they attempt to build upon their first away victory of the term.
Málaga will next play away at Getafe on September 20. Villarreal return to action at home against Levante on the same day.
Summary based on match data. Spotted a mistake? Tell us.
Match stats
Málaga v Villarreal
37%
Possession
63%
0.63
Expected goals (xG)
3.33
5
Shots
16
1
Shots on target
7
4
Shots inside the box
12
4
Corners
8
347
Passes
598
81%
Pass accuracy
90%
3
Saves
0
17
Fouls
10
1
Offsides
3
5
Yellow cards
1
Lineups & player ratings
9.0
Top rated
Pape Gueye · Villarreal
53'
· 2 goals
Key moments
- 12' ⚽ C. Dotor · assist J. Cruz · Málaga
- 34' 🟨 Jose Salinas · Málaga
- 40' ⚽ A. Moleiro · assist I. Akhomach · Villarreal
- 42' 🟨 Ilias Akhomach · Villarreal
- 45' ⚽ P. Gueye · assist A. Perez · Villarreal
- 68' 🟨 David Larrubia · Málaga
- 70' 🟨 Einar Galilea · Málaga
- 79' 🟨 Ramón Enríquez · Málaga
- 85' 🟨 Alfonso Herrero · Málaga
- 86' ⚽ P. Gueye (pen) · Villarreal
Málaga
4-1-4-1- 1 Alfonso Herrero (c) 🟨 90' 6.2
- 15 Ángel Recio 90' 8.0
- 4 Einar Galilea 🟨 90' 6.6
- 10 David Larrubia 🟨 90' 6.5
- 18 Pablo Martínez 90' 6.5
- 9 Chupete 90' 6.9
- 3 Carlos Puga 75' 6.9
- 23 Izan Merino 61' 6.5
- 8 Carlos Dotor ⚽ 61' 7.2
- 12 Jose Salinas 🟨 45' 6.0
- 19 Juan Cruz 🅰️ 45' 6.9
- 31 Rafa Garrido · sub 45' 7.0
- 22 Dani Lorenzo · sub 45' 6.6
- 11 Joaquín Muñoz · sub 29' 6.5
- 21 Adrián Niño · sub 29' 6.2
- 6 Ramón Enríquez · sub 🟨 15' 6.5
Villarreal
4-4-2- 25 Péter Gulácsi 90' 6.3
- 3 Alexander Freeman 90' 7.3
- 6 Pau Navarro 90' 6.6
- 12 Renato Veiga 90' 7.2
- 23 Sergi Cardona 90' 7.0
- 17 Tajon Buchanan 90' 7.2
- 24 Nathan-Dylan Saliba 80' 6.9
- 10 Alberto Moleiro ⚽ 80' 7.7
- 11 Ilias Akhomach 🅰️ 🟨 63' 6.9
- 22 Ayoze Pérez 🅰️ 63' 6.5
- 14 Santi Comesaña (c) 37' 7.3
- 18 Pape Gueye · sub ⚽ ⚽ 53' 9.0
- 20 Carlos Romero · sub 27' 6.3
- 9 Georges Mikautadze · sub 27' 6.3
- 15 Santiago Mouriño · sub 10' 6.9
- 16 Carlos Maciá · sub 10' 7.2
Ratings out of 10. Data: API-Football. How ratings work
Match facts
Málaga
18th
in the table · 3 pts from 5
· GD -6
Villarreal
19th
in the table · 2 pts from 5
· GD -3