Sevilla 2 : 0 Malaga - Sevilla go fourth

Posted Monday, January 19, 2015 by PA

Sevilla moved into fourth place in the Primera Division standings following a 2-0 victory over Malaga at Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan on Sunday evening.

A first-half opener from Carlos Bacca and a moment of magic from second-half substitute Denis Suarez won the game for Unai Emery's side, who remain unbeaten at home this season.

The three points moved the hosts up one place into the last Champions League spot, while Malaga remain eight points further back in seventh.

Malaga had the better of the opening exchanges and Samu Castillejo was first to test home goalkeeper Beto after 10 minutes, but his weak shot from the edge of the 18-yard box was easily held out.

While moments later, down at the other end, Malaga stopper Carlos Kameni did well to keep a dangerous cross out before Fernando Navarro was caught offside as the hosts began to dominate.

Bacca was unlucky not to break the deadlock eight minutes later as he carried the ball into the Malaga box, with Kameni on his knees in front of his goal, but the Columbia striker's shot was punched clear by the keeper's left hand.

The home side were left frustrated again midway through the first half as Gerard Deulofeu crossed the ball in, while Bacca and Jose Antonio Reyes efforts - on the rebound - were unbelievably kept out by Kameni.

After 34 minutes, former Sevilla winger Duda could have put the visitors ahead against his old side had his powerful effort, which sailed past the left post, been on target, but it was the hosts that took the lead nine minutes before the break.

Deulofeu took on three defenders before crossing the ball in from the edge of the box for Bacca, who controlled it well and fired into the bottom-left of the goal past a diving Kameni for his 12th goal of the season.

The hosts pressed for a second but were limited for chances as the second half got underway, while Bacca had a goal ruled out for offside 10 minutes after the break.

Portugal international Beto suffered what looked like a neck injury following a collision with second-half Malaga substitute Javi Guerra two minutes later, and the Sevilla stopper received some treatment before he managed to continue.

Sevilla had a half-chance to go further ahead after 66 minutes but Bacca failed to get any power onto Reyes' cross in front of the Malaga goal. Moments later they did made it 2-0 as Suarez took on the visiting defence.

The 21-year-old picked out Bacca on the edge of the area as he was under pressure in the centre and the opening scorer turned and crossed the ball back into the box for the young Spaniard, who slotted it into the bottom right of the net.

Bacca again tested Kameni deep into the second half, but the Malaga stopper made a great diving save to thwart the Columbian's efforts.

Down at the other end, Sergi Darder sent his long-range drilled effort wide before Beto comfortably kept out two more attempts on his goal to hold on for the three points.