Malaga and Athletic Bilbao played out a largely quiet 0-0 draw in the first leg of their Copa del Rey quarter-final this evening.
Ricardo Horta sent an early effort over the top of the Bilbao goal, before Ibai Gomez's shot was saved by Malaga's Mexican goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa.
Samuel Garcia prodded narrowly wide for the home side midway through the first half, and Arthur Boka carved out an opening with a mazy run on the half-hour mark in Malaga's clearest chances of the first half.
Bilbao's best opportunity came through Iker Muniain, whose defence-splitting pass was just inches away from finding a teammate in the Malaga box 10 minutes before half time.
Oscar de Marcos nearly found Inaki Williams with a teasing cross on the hour mark, but the striker failed to direct an effort on goal.
De Marcos then combined well with Muniain on 70 minutes, but the latter was unable to test Ochoa, before Nordin Amrabat's shot from the edge of the area was dealt with by Iago Herrerin.
The second leg will take place at San Mames on Thursday January 29.
Joe Sharratt
