Malaga back into fourth

Malaga moved back into fourth in the Primera Division for at least 24 hours with a 4-0 victory over Granada.

Malaga moved back into fourth in the Primera Division for at least 24 hours as goals from Joaquin, Javier Saviola, Ignacio Camacho and Roque Santa Cruz saw them seal an emphatic 4-0 victory over Granada at La Rosaleda. Joaquin opened the scoring on 26 minutes as he capitalised on a slip from Pape Diakhate to stroll clean trough on goal and slot past Tono before Saviola doubled the hosts' advantage seven minutes later with a sharp turn and finish inside the area. Granada then had a number of chances either side of the break to get back into the game, but they couldn't find the target and were punished by two further goals in the final 15 minutes as Weligton's header deflected in off Camacho before Santa Cruz rounded off the scoring with a classy finish from Diego Buonanotte's chipped pass. A fifth defeat in seven games leaves Granada still rooted in the relegation zone, while Malaga are now ahead of Real Betis on goal difference in the final Champions League place with Los Verdiblancos set to take on Barcelona on Sunday. The scoreline flattered Malaga, however, and they were grateful to their goalkeeper Willy Caballero for making some important saves whilst the game was still in the balance. Indeed it was the Argentine who had to make the first save of the game as he parried a Diakhate header from Gabriel Torje's corner to safety 12 minutes in. And the Senegalese defender's luck didn't get any better 14 minutes later as he slipped at the crucial time to allow Joaquin a free run on goal and the former Spanish international converted the chance with ease for his sixth goal of the season. Saviola also made it six for the campaign moments later as he brilliantly controlled Francisco Portillo's deflected pass and turned inside before firing low past Tono at his near post. Caballero then had to make a string of important saves to stop Granada regaining a foothold back in the game before half-time as he denied Odion Ighalo when the Nigerian was one-on-one and then produced a brilliant double save to thwart Ighalo and Torje. Ighalo also hit the post early in the second period but thereafter Granada's challenge wilted and Malaga could have had even more goals in the final 20 minutes had it not been for Tono. The third goal was a tad fortunate though as Weligton's header from Joaquin's free-kick took a vital touch off the back of Camacho's head to leave the keeper stranded and Santa Cruz then continued his recent good form as an impact substitute as he took Buonanotte's pass down on his chest before firing low into the bottom corner.