Sunday, 28 October 2012 06:40

MADRID: Malaga suffered a Champions League hangover after their midweek win over AC Milan, only drawing 0-0 at struggling Espanyol in a Primera Liga match this morning.

Malaga's midweek 1-0 win over Milan looked to have taken its toll as the Champions League debutants struggled to create openings against a resolute Espanyol.

"A point doesn't seem like much, but it shows we have recovered our confidence, playing like we did against a Champions League team," said Espanyol's under-pressure manager Mauricio Pochettino.

Malaga are third in the table with this draw with 18 points.

Meanwhile, Salva Sevilla scored an early goal to give Real Betis a 1-0 win over inconsistent Valencia and move them up to fourth spot.

A half-cleared cross fell to midfielder Sevilla after nine minutes at the Villamarin, and his first-time shot was too powerful for visiting goalkeeper Diego Alves.

Valencia, still seeking their first away win this season, improved in the second half when striker Roberto Soldado, who scored a hattrick against BATE Borisov in the Champions League during the week, twice went close.

Betis goalkeeper Adrian blocked another Soldado effort with his legs in the closing minutes to leave Valencia ninth in the table with 11 points.

In another match, Celta Vigo and Deportivo la Coruna battled to a 1-1 draw in the Galician derby.

In a scrappy affair that boasted 10 bookings and a sending off, hosts Celta took the lead when Mario Bermejo scrambled home from close range after Iago Apsas beat a terrible Deportivo offside trap.

The visitors drew level when Juan Dominguez finished off Juan Carlos Valeron's marvellous through-ball just before the half hour, replays inconclusive as to whether the goal-scorer was onside.

Home defender Gustavo Cabral was shown two bookings in two minutes early in the second half, but the visitors could not exploit their man advantage and Celta looked the more threatening in the latter stages.

- mD