Málaga 1-1 Real Madrid

Cristiano Ronaldo scored his first goal in five away La Liga games

Cristiano Ronaldo scored a disputed header and missed a penalty as Real Madrid drew at Malaga to trail La Liga leaders Barcelona by nine points.

After a quiet start, Real forward Ronaldo headed in Toni Kroos' free-kick despite looking offside.

He then had a penalty saved by Carlos Kameni after he was brought down.

Keylor Navas kept Real in the game with several fine saves but Raul Albentosa was unmarked at the back post to fire in the equaliser.

Both goalkeepers were in fine form but rather than view this as two points dropped, Real may look at the result as a point gained given the chances that fell to their opponents, who moved into the top half of the table.

The result matched the goalless draw that Javier Garcia's side achieved in the Bernabeu earlier in the season and although Zinedine Zidane's team temporarily moved into second, Atletico Madrid overtook them later on Sunday after a goalless draw with fourth-placed Villarreal.

The Madrid derby takes place at the Bernabeu next Saturday but Atletico also face a trip to PSV Eindhoven on Wednesday in the first leg of their Champions League last-16 tie.

Ronaldo fortunate to break 'goal drought'

Cristiano Ronaldo scored his 22nd La Liga goal of the season

Ronaldo walked out of a midweek news conference ahead of Real's Champions League tie at Roma when he was asked about his record of not having scored away from home since 29 November.

But after scoring in the 2-0 win in Rome and at Malaga he answered those critics, although four league games without an away goal hardly constituted a drought.

He was fortunate not to be flagged offside when he nodded in the opener, his 34th goal of the season, and he made the most of the touch he drew from Weligton in winning the penalty.

Malaga will feel that justice was served when Kameni saved to his left, with the Cameroon goalkeeper also keeping out Ronaldo's near-post shot later in the game.

Zinedine Zidane has six wins and two draws from his eight games in charge

Zidane watches shaky defence

Real were without the injured Karim Benzema and Gareth Bale, in addition to the suspended Raphael Varane, and it was at the back that they looked most vulnerable, particularly with several dubious back-passes early on.

Keeper Navas came to the defence's rescue on a number of occasions, saving from Juanpi, Duje Cop and a deflected effort from Ricardo Horta.

A more ruthless attack would have punished those mistakes and although Zidane extended his unbeaten start at Real to eight games, a second draw could prove costly in the title race.