Malaga welcomed Athletic Bilbao to La Rosaleda this evening looking for what would have been just their second win in eight games.
Down in 14th, Bernd Schuster's side are just one point above the drop zone, while the visitors were looking to draw within one of fourth-placed Villarreal.
Juanimi headed the hosts into half-time lead, but Ernesto Valverde brought on Markel Susaeta after the break, sparking a second-half turnaround thanks to goals from Mikel San Jose and Iker Muniain.
Scroll down to read how the game unfolded.
Good evening! Welcome to Sports Mole for live coverage of tonight's La Liga encounter between Malaga and Athletic Bilbao at La Rosaleda.
MALAGA: Caballero, Angeleri, Sanchez, Weligton, Antunes, Tissone, Samuel, Darder, Portillo, Eliseu, Juanmi
BILBAO: Iraizoz, Laporte, San Jose, Iraola, Balenziaga, Iturraspe, Ibai Gomez, Rico, Muniain, Herrera, Guillermo
Bernd Schuster and Ernesto Valverde both opt for a lone striker being the focal point of their attack, supported by a cast of attacking midfielders. Juanmi will lead the line for the hosts, with Portillo and Eliseu also potential dangermen. Meanwhile, Iker Muniain and Ander Herrera will offer support to Guillermo, who makes just his second appearance of the season.
Just under 10 minutes until kickoff at La Rosaleda. It's a vital match for the hosts, who are hovering just one point above the drop zone after 13 games. A victory tonight won't move them anywhere, but they will draw to within one point of a four-strong group that includes Valencia.
2001 - Athletic have not won at La Rosaleda in the league since 2001; the last occasion that Guerrero and Etxeberria found the net. Longing
— OptaJose (@OptaJose) November 25, 2013
Team are out and we're ready for kickoff. Here we go!
KICKOFF! Bilbao get the game underway at La Rosaleda, kicking from right to left and wearing their usual red and white strip.
It's been an even start to the match. Malaga had the chance to deliver the ball into the box after Eliseu was fouled just inside the Bilbao half, but still no chances for either side.
Nearly a chance for Muniain as he slipped in by a wonferful pass from Herrera. The attacker couldn't quite sort out his feet as he controlled the ball, and it bounced off him and into the arms of Caballero. Great vision from Herrera.
Bilbao have definitely settled better. Malaga's early tactics rest on pumping the ball up the Eliseu and hoping that he can fashion something. It's not working. So far, at least.
Sergio Sanchez needs a spot of treatment after stretching to meet Herrera's long ball over the top. He's OK, and Caballero starts from the back. The ball is worked down the right, and Garcia Sanchez nearly finds Darder on the overlap but the ball goes out of play. The home side are struggling for fluency in the early stages of the game.
Malaga have seen more of the ball in the last five minutes, and nearly took the lead when Portillo was put through on goal, only Iraizoz to save with his legs. However, the linesman had his flag up, and it couldn't have counted anyway.
OFF THE LINE! That was so nearly a lead for Bilbao! Gomez put a dangerous ball into the box from a free kick, which was only half-cleared as far as Rico. He delivered the ball to the back post, where Guillermo beat Caballero with a header. However, a last-ditch clearances saves Malaga's skin.
The game has settled once again, with both teams being a bit sloppy in possession. Valverde will be happy with the start his team have made, although a goal certainly would go amiss. They nearly had one through Guillermo's head, which is the closes either side have come to breaking the deadlock.
CHANCE! Malaga should be ahead, as Vitorino Antunes plays a nice one-two on the edge of the area to create an opening. His effort is poor though, dragging it across Iraizoz's goal and off target. Big opportunity wasted.
There's movement on the Bilbao bench. Looks like they're going to make a chance as Laporte is stripped and ready for action.
GOAL! Malaga 1-0 Athletic Bilbao (Juanmi)
Fantastic goal! Juanmi buries a header in the top corner after a superb headed cross from Marcos Angeleri. It was an angled ball out to defender on the edge of the area, and he directed it towards Juanmi in the centre of the box. Beautiful.
Mikel San Jose nearly replies for Bilbao, but his header from Gomez's free kick misses the target. So the hosts lead, and you can't really begrudge them it. Both teams have had their spells on top.
HALF TIME: Malaga 1-0 Athletic Bilbao
Not a bad half of football by any stretch of the imagination. Malaga lead, although it could easily be the other way around. Guilermo saw a header cleared off the line with the first big chance of the game, while Antunes should have broken the deadlock in the 35th minute. Still, it's Bernd Schuster's men who lead thanks to Juanmi's brilliant header.
IMAGE: Juanmi salutes the Malaga faithful after opening the scoring at La Rosaleda
© Getty Images
© Getty Images
The possession stats tell the story of the game, with Bilbao shading it with 51%. They've had four shots, with two being on target. Malaga have only had one of their four on target, but it's the only one that counts for anything.
Valverde may turn to Benat or Markel Susaeta if things don't turn around soon after the break, whereas Nacho Camacho offers experience in midfield for the home side should Bilbao come on strong.
Right, the teams are back out and we're ready for the second half.
RESTART! The home side get us back underway at La Rosaleda.
BILBAO SUB: Valverde has made that change at half time, with Markel Susaeta coming on for Ibai Gomez.
Dangerous ball in from Muniain, but it's dealt with well by Angeleri. Bilbao are pressing early in the second period. They've got their backs up.
Looks like De Marcos is going to be entering the fray any moment now...
BILBAO SUB: Mikel Rico is the man to make way for Oscar de Marcos. One change left for Valverde as he plots a route back into the game.
Malaga look comfortable, it must be said. Bilbao caught them a little bit cold after the break, but since then Schuster's side have settled back down and are now looking for a second. Tissone is a livewire in midfield for Los Boquerones.
SHOT! De Marcos slices high and wide after being supplied by Mikel Balenziaga, moments after San Jose headed wide from Susaeta's corner.
GOAL! Malaga 1-1 Athletic Bilbao (Mikel San Jose)
It's been coming! San Jose gets the equaliser, although his header wasn't a clean one, coming off his shoulder on its way past Willy Caballero. Poor marking from the hosts, who failed to pick up the former Liverpool man from Susaeta's corner. The visitors are in the ascendancy here, and it's the second-half subsitute doing the damage.
Now its Malaga pushing forward looking for a second. It's not exactly end to end, the tempo is a bit too slow for that. The build-ups are more deliberate rather than gung-ho. Fascinating contest, though. Still level as we enter the final 15 minutes.
SHOT! Oscar de Marcos strides forward and has pop at goal, but it's a weak one that bobbles into Caballeros arms.
GOAL! Malaga 1-2 Athletic Bilbao (Iker Muniain)
The turnaround is complete! Muniain poaches a goal right under the nose of Caballero to put Bilbao ahead late in the game at La Rosaleda! The goalkeeper should really have done better, as he allowed the attacker to get a toe on the ball to nudge it over the line. Have the visitors snatched all three points?!
Three minutes of injury time to be played. Can Malaga snatch an equaliser and avoid a fifth defeat in eight games.
FULL TIME: Malaga 1-2 Athletic Bilbao
What a turnaround from Ernesto Valverde's boys. They were down 1-0 at half time but walk away from La Rosaleda with all three points thanks to goals from Mikel San Jose and Iker Muniain. They were a threat in both halves, but converted their chances in the second period to condemn the hosts to another defeat.
The win takes Bilbao one point behind fourth-placed Villarreal, while Malaga remain one point above the drop zone.
That's all we have time for on Sports Mole tonight. Thanks for joining us, and come back again soon!
