Santander: Malaga's bid to qualify for Europe received a boost on Monday when the ambitious club scored three second-half goals to win 3-1 at Racing Santander in the Spanish league.
Malaga rose to fifth in the standings after the victory at El Sardinero stadium, a position that would ensure the Qatar-owned club advanced to the Europa League if maintained at season's end.
Having spent €60 million on players in the off-season, Malaga are only three points behind Levante in the last Champions League qualifying place.
Malaga had most of the first-half chances before Francisco "Isco" Alarcon put the visitors ahead in the 48th minute, sliding the ball in after teammate Salomon Rondon had missed a chance inside the area.
Santander midfielder Alvaro Gonzalez scored an own-goal in the 65th to help Malaga extend their lead, before the hosts struck back on a counter-attack five minutes later. Isco cut into the middle to draw two defenders before laying the ball off to Manuel Arana, who raced into the box and unleashed a shot past goalkeeper Willy Caballero.
Caballero and opposite number Antonio Fernandez both made finger-tip saves before Malaga forward Sebastian Fernandez volleyed into the net from Ruud van Nistelrooy's cross with a minute remaining.
"We're in a good position, fifth place, and we've cut the distance to Levante," Malaga coach Manuel Pellegrini said after his team won for the third time in four games. "But there's still a lot of season left."
Real Madrid hold a three-point lead at the top of the standings over defending champions Barcelona after both clubs won at the weekend.
Granada and Mallorca's match on Sunday was abandoned after an hour when a linesman was struck by an umbrella thrown from the crowd.
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