Málaga, with a goal from Moroccan midfielder Hicham, achieved a vital and necessary 1-0 victory to continue opting for permanence, against Deportivo who also needed victory and will have to continue suffering.
The two teams, with the same system, five defenses, three of them central and two quick wingers, started a transcendent duel that in the first minutes was a trial and error.
Málaga began to stretch and prowl the rival area with two shots from the Albanian striker Armando Sadiku and the Venezuelan midfielder Juanpi Añor.
The malaguistas' best chance came in the 24th minute with a free kick from Juanpi that goalkeeper Dani Giménez failed to catch. The rejection was sent out by midfielder Adrián González.
Deportivo controlled the match and was not in excessive danger, although its offensive actions were also few, without exposing and trying to get out on the counterattack to do damage.
The blue and white team held on, with more tension than their rival, and did not go to the break with an advantage due to their lack of success, as was demonstrated on one occasion by the midfielder Tete Morente, whose shot from the front knocked down Dani Giménez.
The scenery did not change in the second half, in which Málaga coach Sergio Pellicer gave way to Argentina's Esteban Rolón, Morocco's Hicham and Luis Muñoz.
Málaga was looking for the goal. The central David Lombán headed and Dani Giménez was the protagonist, as later Hicham, who failed to hit with a cross shot.
The next Hicham did, after a deep pass by Juanpi. He went by speed of his defender and by low beat Dani Giménez with great definition.
The Galician team returned to move the bench and took out all their artillery, against a Malaga that defended with determination and hit their precious advantage.
(+) See the summary of the match:
Data sheet:
Málaga CF: Munir; Cifu, Ismael Casas, Juande, Lombán, Juankar; Adrián (Luis Muñoz, m. 53), Benkhemassa (Rolón, m. 53), Tete Morente (Hicham, m. 53); Juanpi (Renatos Santos, m. 85) and Sadiku.
Sports: Dani Giménez; Eneko Bóveda (Sabin Merino, m. 68), Mujaid, Álex Bergantiños, Montero, David Simón (Christian Santos, m. 68); Aketxe, Gaku (Borja Valle, m. 46), Vicente Gómez, Emre Çolak (Mollejo, m. 58) and Beauvue (Hugo Vallejo, m. 58).
Goal: 1-0, M.61: Hicham.
Referee: López Toca (Cantabrian Committee). He admonished the local Benkhemassa (m. 38) and the visitors Gaku (m. 23), Mollejo (m. 63), Christian Santos (m. 70) and Mujaid (m. 72).
Incidents: Match corresponding to the thirty-ninth day of the SmartBank League played at the La Rosaleda stadium in Malaga behind closed doors.