Getafe beats Malaga 1-0 in Spanish league

MADRID (AP) Serbia forward Stefan Scepovic scored an early goal to give Getafe a 1-0 win against Malaga in the Spanish league on Friday.

Getafe midfielder Victor Rodriguez raced up the right against a retreating defense and made a pinpoint cross to the middle of the penalty area for Scepovic to head past goalkeeper Idriss Kameni in only the second minute.

''(We) were able to translate what our coach told us in the dressing room into action on the pitch,'' said Scepovic, who looked ahead to the next match at Atletico Madrid in the fifth round.

''We all know what it's like to play in the Vicente Calderon stadium and it's important for us to be going there with a victory under our belts,'' said Scepovic.

Malaga came close to equalizing in the 83rd, but goalkeeper Vicente Guaita held onto Sergio ''Duda'' Barbosa's free kick.

The win means Getafe rises to provisionally 12th in La Liga on three points, but Malaga has yet to score a goal this season and has just two points after four rounds. It previously lost against Barcelona and drew against Eibar and Sevilla.

''Football is like that, when you leave space, when you are a bit asleep, they kill you,'' said Kameni. ''We are in a very competitive league and we have to wake up.''