santa cruz sends málaga into last eight published: wednesday 13 march 2013, 22.50cet
málaga cf 2-0 fc porto (agg: 2-1)
a 77th-minute header from substitute roque santa cruz took the debutants into the last eight after isco had wiped out porto's first-leg advantage.
by graham hunter from la rosaleda
the málaga cf fairy tale in their debut uefa champions league season continues as goals from isco and substitute roque santa cruz saw off ten-man fc porto and secured a place in the quarter-finals.
the spanish side had never before had to overturn a first-leg deficit in uefa competition but drew level on aggregate thanks to a sublime dipping volley from isco two minutes before half-time. porto's task was made even harder when steven defour collected a second yellow card early in the second period, and the ten men were made to pay when santa cruz nodded in 13 minutes from time moments after coming on.
the frantic pace did not strip excitement from the tense contest but as the first half unfolded it did prevent the game's three main playmakers – joão moutinho, júlio baptista and isco – from introducing craft ahead of perpetual motion. by half-time isco was not among the top ten players in terms of distance covered, such had the pinball nature of the play bypassed his refined skills. however, the instant that the home side introduced just a little bit more thought into their play the balance of the match swung firmly their way.
until the 35th minute it had been a stop-start contest, a series of fouls halting the flow of the game. neither side had properly threatened but when a corner dropped to antunes, his left-footed shot was bound for the top corner until helton made a fine save.
the surge of adrenaline seemed to give málaga purpose and conviction and javier saviola swiftly had an effort ruled out for a foul on goalkeeper helton – but moments later the goal did come. manuel iturra fed a simple pass to isco's feet and, with no defenders closing him down, he whipped a dipping shot up and over helton to the delirious acclaim of the rosaleda.
the half-time break offered porto the chance to regroup, but any adjustments vítor pereira made were lost within four minutes when defour tripped joaquín to collect his second booking. as the ten men worked double time, nicolás otamendi's error from an isco cross gave saviola a glimpse of an opening that went begging.
isco himself drove an effort into the side netting but porto were not without a threat of their own, a james rodríguez free-kick poked just over by jackson martínez a timely reminder to thehome side. warning heeded, the decisive breakthrough arrived shortly afterwards. santa cruz, who had replaced baptista only three minutes earlier, rose above otamendi to meet isco's right-wing corner and place a downward header beyond helton.
porto pressed and probed, helton charging forward for a last-gasp free-kick, but málaga crucially held out for their ninth clean sheet in 12 european home games as the final whistle confirmed spain's third representatives in friday's last-eight draw.
