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Pre-season drama: Malaga score into empty net after Fulham walk off pitch in friendly
14th August, 2026 09:31 AM
A Fulham Football Club pre-season friendly against host Málaga on Wednesday, August 13, 2026, ended in the most bizarre fashion after the visitors “walked off the pitch” after the final whistle.
The bizarre scene unfolded between the two European rivals at La Rosaleda during the Costa del Sol Trophy match, following an unexpected turn of events due to a mix of touchline drama, and tight flight schedules.
Late penalty and chaos
With Fulham leading 2–1 near the end of regulation time, Málaga was awarded a controversial late penalty for a Calvin Bassey handball. Málaga striker Eneko Jauregi converted from the spot to make it 2–2.
Tensions flared on the touchline over the referee’s decision to award the spot-kick, leading to Fulham manager Álvaro Arbeloa being sent off following a heated argument.
Following the final whistle, the organisers and Málaga prepared for a post-match penalty shootout to decide the winner of the trophy, as is customary in European pre-season friendlies when matches end in a draw. However, the visitors refused to participate, citing a tight travel schedule to catch their flight back to England.
This left the home team to take a penalty against an empty net. The spectacle made for a bizarre sight as the La Liga side tapped the ball into an open goal before gathering at the centre of the pitch to celebrate receiving the trophy.
Post-match statements clarify the situation
In a harmonious tone, both clubs later issued updates confirming that they had unanimously agreed beforehand that no penalty shootout would take place in the event of a draw.
“We can confirm that prior to the match, both teams agreed that there would not be a penalty shootout in the event of a draw,” the Premier League side stated on August 13.
Peaceful resolution
Málaga corroborated the claims with a statement of their own, affirming that penalties were indeed not part of the match contract and that participating in a shootout would have caused Fulham to miss their flight.
The mutual confirmation brought a peaceful resolution to the drama that had briefly overshadowed what was meant to be a routine pre-season test ahead of the new campaign.
