Aubameyang's goal not enough as Deportivo drops second straight lead

Deportivo La Coruna were held to a 1:1 draw away at Malaga in round two of Spain's second division, despite taking the lead for most of the match.

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang put the visitors ahead in the 21st minute, finishing a low pass from Cruz Luismi by rounding the goalkeeper and slotting into an empty net. It was his second goal of the season.

The lead lasted only 12 minutes. Following a misplaced pass by a Deportivo player, Malaga launched a quick counterattack that saw Rafita brought down in the penalty area, prompting the referee to award a penalty. Goalkeeper Leo Roman guessed the right direction but could not stop Carlos Rubio's spot kick, leveling the score at 1:1.

Both sides created further chances in the second half without finding a breakthrough. Aubameyang's effort to the far post in the 69th minute was pushed away by Malaga goalkeeper Alfonso Herrero, while a header from Rubio later struck the crossbar.

It marked the second consecutive match in which Deportivo failed to hold a lead, having also surrendered a 1:0 advantage against Elche in the 76th minute of the opening round. Deportivo last beat Malaga back in 2019.

After round two, Sevilla top the standings with a perfect record, while Deportivo sit 10th with two points.