Málaga 0 - 1 Valencia

Navarro header seals three points

Updated: November 1, 2009, 9:25 AM UK

Valencia continued their fine start to the season after seeing off bottom club Malaga thanks to a second-half goal from defender David Navarro.

Navarro headed home in the 69th minute to help Valencia, who have now won nine of their 15 competitive games - including two Europa League play-off matches - while losing just once, climb back up to fourth and to within five points of leaders Barcelona.

For Malaga though, the defeat is another blow and leaves the Andalusian club with just four points from nine league games and without a victory since their 3-0 defeat of Atletico Madrid on the opening weekend.

Valencia created the better chances in the first half, most of them coming early on, but were unable to make the breakthrough before the break.

Only a mixture of the woodwork and good goalkeeping from Malaga's Gustavo Munua kept Unai Emery's high-flyers from netting at least once in the opening few minutes, with David Villa featuring heavily for the visitors.

After just two minutes the Spain international saw his attempted cross from near the goalline take a slight deflection that beat Munua but strike the near post and rebound back into play.

Then, two minutes after that, a 50-yard lofted ball from defence found Villa in space on the edge of the Malaga box and Munua did well to scramble back and tip the ball over after the prolific hitman had attempted to loop a header over the out-coming goalkeeper. From the resulting corner Valencia went close again, with Navarro getting in a good header but only managing to direct it straight at Munua.

Munua was being kept busy early on, and he denied David Silva in the 20th minute before Valencia threatened again when Pablo Hernandez broke from the halfway line, but the winger, having ignored Silva and Villa in the middle, curled his shot just wide of the far post.

It was Valencia goalkeeper Cesar Sanchez's turn to earn his wages in the 29th minute when he twice denied Victor Obinna in quick succession, and the veteran shot-stopper produced similar heroics at the start of the second half to keep his side on level terms.

Malaga centre-back Weligton was the frustrated party on that occasion, as he saw two efforts from inside the six-yard box saved by Cesar.

Both attacks continued to prosper, and Silva drilled a shot just wide before, for the hosts, Duda's cultured left foot let him down for once as he blazed a decent opening high and wide.

Munua was in the action again in the 60th minute as he did well to push away Silva's 25-yard drive, but after all his good work, the Uruguay international may feel he could have done better with the goal that ultimately earned Valencia the points.

Pablo sent in a deep cross from the right and Munua backtracked to try and punch it away, but he failed to connect with the ball and Navarro, coming in at the far post, was able to divert the ball into an empty net.

That was a huge setback for battling Malaga, but they showed good character as they tried to get back on level terms.

Obinna came agonisingly close to an equaliser in the 76th minute when his 25-yard effort smashed against the crossbar, while the Nigerian international was then denied by another crucial save by Cesar, but it was not to be Malaga's day.