Pre-Season Friendly
Saturday 2 August 2025
Kassam Stadium, Oxford
Oxford United… 3
(Mills 32’, Brannagan 82’ pen, Moore 85')
Malaga… 0
Oxford United defeated Spanish side Malaga 3-0 in the final pre-season friendly of the season before next weekend’s Championship opener against Portsmouth.
A first half header from Stan Mills, second half penalty from Cameron Brannagan and late goal from Elliott Moore brought pre-season to a close, with all eyes now turning to 3:00pm next Saturday at the Kassam as the competitive football begins again.
It was a fast start from the U’s with Greg Leigh almost getting on the scoresheet inside four minutes. Tyler Goodrham’s corner found the defender lying on the floor and he somehow poked a shot just wide.
Tyler was bright from the first whistle, and he could have opened the scoring after 11 minutes, cutting in from the left and curling just wide after outstanding work from Stan Mills.
Malaga are a well-known name around Europe, playing at a good level in the Spanish second division, and they showed their threat after 19 minutes, Lobete forced Jamie Cumming into a strong near post save.
The wide areas caused Malaga problems, and it’s from there where United got the opening goal. Cameron Brannagan played makeshift left winger, crossing the ball to the back stick for Mills, who arrived and met the ball with a flush header into the back of the net after 32 minutes.
The Everton graduate was enjoying himself and he could have scored again four minutes later. Mark Harris and Goodrham combined well, with the latter playing Mills through on goal but he couldn’t keep his shot down as the ball blazed over the bar.
Just before the break, Malaga threatened again. This time it was the striker Nino with the effort, producing an outstanding header low across goal, but again Cumming dealt with the danger well and tipped the ball around the post.
Into the second period and it was back with United to apply the pressure. Goodrham had a number of chances throughout, but two minutes into the half he had his best moment to score, getting on the end of Matt Phillips’ defence splitting pass, but he could only hit the post from a tight angle.
It was the Youth Academy graduate who was the closest to scoring again on 55 minutes with a curling effort which just sailed wide, and then on 59 minutes, Harris forced the opposition keeper into a really strong reaction save from close range.
Malaga were growing more into the game as they searched for an equaliser, one they almost found with 10 minutes to play. Pastor thought he grabbed it, getting a close-range header on target, Cumming though denied the Spanish side.
Straight up the other end and United made them pay as Louie Sibley won a penalty, the first one since the League One Play-Off Semi-Final against Peterborough. On that day, Cameron Brannagan slotted home, and the same applied this time as he smashed into the top left corner.
Will Vaulks saw an ambitious effort saved with five minutes remaining, and from the resulting corner the U's got their third. Captain Elliott Moore grabbed it, easily slotting home from a few yards out after the ball fell into his path.
That was the end of the action in what was a productive run out before next Saturday's action. As of next week, it all begins for real.
Oxford United: Cumming, Brodie (Ter Avest 76’), Helik (Moore 55’), Long (Kioso 83’), Leigh (55’), Brannagan, De Keersmaecker (Vaulks 76’), Phillips (Dembele 67’), Mills (Sibley 67’), Goodrham (Snowden 83’), Harris (Bradshaw 76’)
Subs Not Used: Ingram
Attendance: 3,407 (424 away)
