Football: Valencia, Malaga through to Cup quarters

MADRID: Valencia eased past La Liga rivals Osasuna into the quarter-finals of the King’s Cup on Tuesday, while Malaga flirted with danger against third-tier Eibar before a flurry of late goals put them safely into the last eight. Valencia went into their second leg against Pamplona-based Osasuna with a 2-0 lead and a 2-1 win in the second leg sent them through 4-1 on aggregate. They will play 2011 winners Real Madrid or Celta Vigo for a place in the semi-finals, with Celta holding a 2-1 advantage from last month’s last-16 first-leg. Meanwhile, Malaga, who were held to a 1-1 draw by Eibar in the first leg, won the second leg 4-1 to book a place in the quarter-finals. The Qatari owned club is facing a probable last-eight clash with holders Barcelona, who host Cordoba today having won their first leg 2-0 at the second-division Andalusian club.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 10^th, 2013.