Madrid, Sep 26 (EFE).– Cameroonian goalkeeper Carlos Kameni played the game of his life to lead Malaga to a 0-0 draw here Saturday against mighty Real Madrid, which had not been shut out at home since September 2013.

The Blancos started the day in first place but now trail surprising league-leader Villarreal, a 1-0 winner Saturday night over Atletico Madrid, and second-place FC Barcelona after six games played.

The two teams’ ball-possession struggles at Santiago Bernabeu Stadium led to numerous counterattacking forays, although the requisite precision was lacking to break down the defensive walls erected by Kameni and Costa Rican goalie Keylor Navas.

Malaga’s defenders also did their part, holding off Real Madrid’s veritable second-half siege of their goal and maintaining their poise and grit even after Moroccan midfielder Nordin Amrabat was sent off in the 77th minute for a malicious elbow to the face of Blancos defender Marcelo.

The Andalusian side, which has not yet scored in this La Liga campaign, earned its third 0-0 draw of the season and now has given up just three goals through six matches.

Real Madrid has been even stingier, surrendering just one goal through six matches, but it now finds itself in third place despite a league-best plus-13 goal differential.

Yet despite the Blancos’ frustrating night, defending champion FC Barcelona had a much worse Saturday, losing Argentine super-striker Lionel Messi for up to eight weeks with a knee injury in the Catalans’ 2-1 win over Las Palmas at Camp Nou. EFE