Fulham leave pitch as Malaga take penalty into empty net

Fulham's pre-season friendly against Malaga concluded unexpectedly on Wednesday as the Spanish team scored a penalty into an empty net in the final minute of normal time. Fulham's defender Calvin Bassey was penalized for a handball, allowing Eneko Jauregi to convert the penalty and equalize the score at 2-2. However, the match took an unusual turn as former Real Madrid boss Alvaro Arbeloa was dismissed for seemingly complaining to the referee at full-time.

Despite being sent off, Arbeloa and his team left the pitch as Fulham believed the match was over, leaving Malaga on the field expecting a penalty shootout to determine the winner of the Costa del Sol Trophy. Malaga proceeded to score the winning goal, converting the penalty into an empty net before celebrating with their teammates in front of the home crowd at Estadio La Rosaleda in southern Spain.

Both Fulham and Malaga had agreed prior to the match that no penalty shootout would occur in the event of a draw. Fulham confirmed this agreement on social media, stating that they had agreed no shootout would be necessary. Malaga's post-match report on their website confirmed that while a shootout was scheduled, Fulham left the pitch claiming the contract did not include a shootout.

Fulham's pre-season preparations will continue on Saturday, 15 August against Stuttgart, with their first Premier League match coming against Chelsea at Craven Cottage on Monday, 24 August.