There was a great atmosphere in the packed stands of Martiricos for the season opener at the Blue and White fortress on a hot Saturday night. On the pitch, Pellicer made three changes to his lineup compared to last week in Ferrol. Two of them were in defence, with Puga replacing Jokin at right-back and Einar coming in for Monte as centre-back. In the attacking midfield role, one academy player replaced another, with Dani Lorenzo taking the place of Ochoa.
In the opening minutes, Málaga CF started strong on both wings, with Víctor García and Carlos Puga actively involved. In the 11th minute, Dani Lorenzo had a clear chance with a low left-footer that just grazed the left post. In the 14th minute, Reina tested Alfonso Herrero with a shot that the Malaguista goalkeeper managed to deflect during the visitors' first approach.
The match was fairly even until the 30th minute, when a much-needed hydration break was taken due to the intense heat. Five minutes later, Kevin Medina was injured and was replaced by Julen Lobete. In the final moments of the first half, Mirandés took the lead with a well-placed header by Panichelli (0-1, 40').
Panichelli himself had another dangerous header in the 45th minute, but Herrero made a flexible save to keep it out. After five minutes of added time, the referee signalled the end of the first half, with the visitors from Burgos holding a narrow lead.
After the break, Pellicer made a second change, with Juanpe making way for Ochoa. Energised by the crowd, the team came out with determination, pushing hard to equalise. Meanwhile, Mirandés focused on managing the game, staying compact and organised in defence. In the 62nd minute, Dani Lorenzo, as he did in the first half, had another close chance with a shot that went wide of the post.
Then in minute 69 the heroes of the promotion, Dioni and Antoñito, came on to replace Baturina and Larrubia. Whether by coincidence or not, both played key roles in the equaliser. Cordero took a corner from the right, and Dioni headed it into the net (1-1, 80’), sending Martiricos into a frenzy. Two minutes later, Lobete was forced off due to injury, making way for Haitam, who returned to action after a long spell on the sidelines.
In the 87th minute, visiting player Homenchenko struck the crossbar of Herrero's goal. During the final rush, with seven minutes of added time, Málaga CF pushed for more. In the 92nd minute, Ochoa fired a shot in the box, but it was saved by Raúl Fernández. Then in minute 95, Dioni headed a cross from Cordero just wide, and Cordero himself tried a direct free kick in the 98th minute, but it came right before the final whistle.
Shared points and the first home point of the season for Málaga CF, bringing their total to two from the first two matches of the campaign. The team will play at home again in the next match, hosting Albacete Balompié.