Mirandés end Funes' unbeaten run as Málaga suffer first defeat under new boss

The honeymoon period is over for Málaga’s new gaffer as the Costa del Sol outfit finally tasted defeat after a remarkable two-month unbeaten run.

Anduva ends the fairy tale

Talk about coming full circle. The very same Mirandés side that kickstarted Funes’ unbeaten run as Málaga boss has now brought it crashing down at their Anduva fortress. Nine matches without defeat represents the second-best start for a debutant manager in Málaga’s history - not too shabby for a bloke promoted from the reserves.

Funes wasn’t having any of the blame game in his post-match, refusing to point the finger solely at the officials. “We need to think about what we can do better,” he said, keeping it proper professional.

Málaga’s worst showing yet

The blanquiazules looked proper pants, if we’re being honest. The stats tell the story:

• Fewest shots on target under Funes
• Less possession than usual
• Defensive gaps all over the gaff
• A shadow of the team fans have enjoyed watching recently

Funes was desperately searching for answers, changing his system three times during the match. He went from one striker to two, then back to one again - proper tactical hokey-cokey that showed all wasn’t right.

Mirandés’ masterclass

Credit where it’s due, Mirandés had their tactics spot on:

1. They congested the middle of the park, leaving Málaga with nowhere to play their usual passing game
2. They completely nullified Larrubia with a three-on-one marking job that kept the La Luz neighbourhood lad out of the game
3. They exploited Málaga’s left flank, where Rafita’s peculiar positioning left them vulnerable

It’s back to the drawing board for Funes and his Málaga side. They’ll need to dust themselves off sharpish with Cultural up next at La Rosaleda. After this performance, they’ll be gagging to get back to winning ways in front of their home crowd.