The last team of the table visited Vicente Calderon finishing with an overwhelming 5-0. Malaga became the sixth straigt rival at League that leaves with no points in a match against Atletico of Madrid, a run that red-and-whites didn't had from 14 years. Fernando Torres, Valera and Maxi, the first two twice, were the scorers of the night that, in spite of the meteorological inclemencies, was one of the most serene and calm of the last seasons for Calderón's stand.

Nine minutes, almost ten, Atletico took all over the duel against Malaga. Time that Fernando Torres needed to score the first two goals of the match, both with the stamp of an authentic '9'. At 5', the captain took advantage of a reject from the goalie from a shot by Kezman to send the ball to the bottom of the net, and at 9' a loose ball, after a move by Maxi and Kezman inside the goal area, got close to the Fuenlabrada’s player feet who neither forgave in this chance. Already with clear advantage at the scoreboard, Atletico lowered the rhythm and controlled with easiness a Malaga team that showed very few resorts that could made think about the possibility of the overcome, perhaps some kick off or a foul kick by Duda disturbed scarely the ‘colchoneros’. It was necessary to wait till minute 40 to see another goal, this time, of course, was Maxi who remembered that he is also at a good run when he beat Goitia thanks to a pass by Petrov.

Soon after Fernando Torres got away from two opponents and he sent a deep ball to the Argentinean who was object of a clear penalty. The captain himself, with two gols in his scoreboard and usual shooter of penalties, gave up the chance to make his first 'hat trick' in League favoring Mateja Kezman, who was the one that got the luck of shooting the kick off. The fortune wasn’t with the Serbian who couldn’t transform his shot in the fourth goal of the match.

At the second half, with the scoreboard very favourable, Atletico just runned with intelligence their resorts thinking on the next games. Malaga, in spite of having more time of possession over the ball, confirmed their lack of ideas to arrive with danger to Leo Franco’s goal, and they determined to muddle the match with the help of fouls and hard game. Few time took Pepe Murcia in order to start the carrousel of changes: he gave entrance to Valera for Petrov and Colsa for Peter Luccin.

Pepe Murcia was right with the changes, cause two minutes after entering Valera on the field he scored the fourth one thanks to a spectacular shot from outside of the area. The third change was dedicated to give rest to Fernando Torres: the captain thanked with applauses the felt ovation that the fans dedicated to him while he guided his steps toward the touchline, where Manu del Moral waited him. Already at the add on minutes, Juan Valera was the centre of attention again and he finished off the match scoring the definitive 5-0.


Photo: J. A. Sirvent