LIVESCORES MATCH REPORT
Málaga 1-3 Villarreal: Gueye double completes comeback at La Rosaleda
Málaga struck first through Carlos Dotor, but Alberto Moleiro and a Pape Gueye brace turned the match around as Villarreal claimed their first La Liga win of the 2026/27 season.
Villarreal came from behind to beat Málaga 3-1 at La Rosaleda on Thursday, 17 September, securing their first La Liga victory of the 2026/27 season. Málaga had made the better start and went in front through Carlos Dotor, but the visitors responded before half-time and pulled clear late on.
Dotor opened the scoring in the 12th minute after Málaga broke forward quickly, with Juan Cruz providing the final pass. The home side's advantage did not last until the interval. Alberto Moleiro equalised in the 40th minute, finishing from inside the area after an assist from Ilias Akhomach.
Pape Gueye then completed the turnaround in first-half stoppage time. The midfielder had entered the match during the opening period and made an immediate impact, putting Villarreal 2-1 ahead before the teams went into the break.
Málaga pushed for a route back into the contest after half-time and made several changes, but Villarreal retained the lead. The decisive third goal arrived in the 86th minute when Gueye converted a penalty, completing his brace and removing any realistic prospect of a late Málaga recovery.
Why the result mattered
The win was particularly important for Villarreal because they had gone into the sixth round of league fixtures without a victory. Their opening five matches had produced two draws and three defeats, leaving them near the bottom of the table before the trip to Málaga.
Cadena SER reported after the final whistle that the three points moved Villarreal out of the relegation places, while Málaga were left 19th at that stage of the round. Those positions were the immediate post-match picture and could change as the rest of the weekend programme was completed.
For Málaga, the defeat extended their wait for a first league win of the season. The club's official report confirmed that they remained on three points after six matches. Their early goal had given the home support something to build on, but Villarreal's response before half-time changed the direction of the match.
Why South African readers are searching for the standings
The supplied LiveScores South Africa trend signal recorded reported interest of 1000+ for the query 'málaga cf vs villarreal cf standings' at 12:36 UTC on 20 September. That should be treated as a reader-interest signal rather than an exact or independently audited search-volume figure.
For anyone arriving through that search, the useful context is that this was a direct meeting between two sides that had started the season poorly. Before kick-off, neither club had won a league match. Villarreal's comeback therefore changed their immediate position more significantly than a routine mid-table result would have done.
What happens next
Málaga's next scheduled league fixture after the Villarreal defeat was away to Getafe on Sunday, 20 September. The club's own match report said they would travel to the Coliseum still looking for their first victory of the campaign.
Villarreal, meanwhile, left La Rosaleda with a first league win and three points that eased the pressure created by their winless opening run. The key takeaway from the 3-1 scoreline is straightforward: Málaga led early, Villarreal were ahead by half-time, and Gueye's late penalty turned the comeback into a two-goal victory.