Málaga and Almería play out tense goalless draw in promotion playoff first leg
The first leg of the final promotion playoff to LaLiga EA Sports finished 0-0 at La Rosaleda on Sunday, with Almería now holding home advantage for the decisive return leg on Saturday.
Stalemate in Málaga
Málaga CF and UD Almería could not be separated in the first leg of the promotion playoff final, playing out a goalless draw at the Estadio de La Rosaleda. Both teams were largely contained by well-organised defences, and clearcut chances were scarce over the 90 minutes.
Defenses on top
Almería started the brighter, with Adrián Embarba and Arnau Puigmal threatening early on, but the visitors failed to turn that pressure into a goal. Málaga grew into the contest and created the best opportunity of the first half when Adrián Niño found space inside the box, only for his shot to be saved by goalkeeper Andrés Fernández. The home side pushed again after the break, with substitute Joaquín Muñoz curling an effort that drew another fine stop from Fernández. Further changes disrupted the rhythm, and although both teams looked to break forward at times, the rearguards remained untroubled.
Almería's advantage
The draw suits Rubi's side: the return leg will be played at the UD Almería Stadium next Saturday, and because Almería finished above Málaga in the regular season, a draw after extra time would be enough to secure promotion. The visitors therefore appeared content to keep a clean sheet and trust their home form to finish the job.
What's next
The winner of the tie claims the third and final promotion spot to LaLiga EA Sports. Racing de Santander and Deportivo de La Coruña have already taken the two direct promotion places. For Málaga, the task is clear: they must either win in Almería or score at least once in a score draw to force a penalty shootout if the aggregate remains level after extra time.
