Mathew Ryan saves a penalty as Málaga and Levante share a goalless draw

Málaga had the game's clearest chance inside the first ten minutes and came away with nothing to show for it. Levante goalkeeper Mathew Ryan saved a penalty on 9 minutes, and despite dominating territory for long spells afterwards, the hosts could not find a way past him.

Málaga controlled more of the ball and committed more fouls doing it — 15 to Levante's 11, with three offsides flags against none for the visitors. Both sides picked up bookings, but the game stayed goalless from the penalty miss to the final whistle.

Match facts

• 9' — Penalty saved by Mathew Ryan (Levante) from Málaga
• La Rosaleda, Málaga

Málaga's stop-start return to the top flight

Málaga's first month back in the top flight was already uneven before this goalless draw. Lee Kang-In's curling strike and a stoppage-time Álex Baena free-kick beat them 2-0 at Atlético Madrid on the opening weekend, and a week later they were held 1-1 at home by fellow promoted side Deportivo La Coruña, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang scoring in the 21st minute before Chupete equalised from the penalty spot. Real Madrid then put four past them at the Bernabéu — Jude Bellingham, an Alfonso Herrero own goal, Kylian Mbappé and Arda Güler all scoring inside a 30-minute spell — with Málaga failing to register a single shot on target all night. Ryan's penalty save against Levante meant Málaga went a whole match without conceding for the first time all season, even without a win to show for it.

Levante climb from a shot-less defeat to their first win

Levante's month took the opposite shape. They opened with a 3-0 defeat at Espanyol in which none of their four shots found the target, then were held scoreless at Osasuna despite their goalkeeper making seven saves to preserve the point. A first win of the season followed at home to Real Betis: 2-2 at the break, then two goals in fourteen second-half minutes from Roger Brugué and a stoppage-time header from Jon Ander Olasagasti turned it into a 5-2 win. The point at La Rosaleda stretched Levante's unbeaten run to two matches, continuing that upward trend even if Ryan's save at the other end denied them a second straight win.

What's next

The point leaves Málaga 17th with two points from four games, still without a win this season and only one point clear of the relegation zone (18th-20th). Levante sit 10th on five points from four matches, unbeaten in their last two and two points off the Europa League place held by 6th-placed Sevilla. Both return to action after the international break.