Aitor Mañas scores in the 89th minute to deny Málaga a first win in 1-1 at Alavés

Aitor Mañas scored in the 89th minute to earn Alavés a 1-1 draw with Málaga at Mendizorroza on Friday night and deny the visitors what would have been their first win in the top flight since April 2018. Adrián Niño had given Málaga the lead in the 44th minute, and they remain the only side in LaLiga without a victory this season.

Niño strikes again

A quiet first half was settled just before the break. Niño broke in behind the Alavés defence and beat goalkeeper Antonio Sivera with a left-footed shot. The assistant referee raised his flag, but VAR found no offside and the goal stood. According to Cadena SER, it was the striker's third goal in three consecutive matchdays.

Alavés coach Quique Sánchez Flores changed his shape at half-time, bringing on Hugo Novoa to stretch the pitch. Lucas Boyé hit the post after the restart, but for long spells Málaga defended compactly and broke forward, and Sivera had to save from Málaga substitute Salinas to stop a second goal.

A late equaliser and a disputed foul

As Alavés threw crosses into the box, substitute Toni Martínez sent a header towards goal and Málaga goalkeeper Alfonso Herrero made a diving save. The rebound fell to Mañas, who had come off the bench in the second half, and the academy graduate pushed it in for his first goal in the top flight. Marca reports he had missed two games with a concussion suffered at Santander.

Málaga claimed a foul on their player Recio at the start of the move, but VAR did not intervene. Alavés almost won it in stoppage time: Ángel Pérez hit the crossbar and Boyé sent a shot just wide after a slight deflection.

What the coaches said

Málaga coach Juanfran Funes was clear about the equaliser. "We can see that, in their goal, he clearly steps on Recio," he said. "I'm unhappy for our people, for not being able to give them that win we came so close to." Funes called it his side's best first half of the season and their best away performance.

Sánchez Flores was critical of his own team. "There was too much stress when it came to playing the ball. In the first half we were miles away from what we had imagined," he said, adding: "Games like today's drain our confidence. We are all angry." COPE noted it was Alavés' sixth game in a row without a win.

Where it leaves them

Málaga have five points from ten games (five draws, five defeats) and are three points behind 17th-placed Racing Santander, who have played a game fewer. The two teams directly above them, Valencia (6 points) and Elche (7), are both in action on Saturday: Valencia host Villarreal and Elche visit Rayo Vallecano.

Alavés move to 12 points and seventh place, though the clubs around them all have a game in hand this weekend.