Ivan Azon gives Getafe the win as Malaga's winless run goes on

There were barely six minutes left when Ivan Azon settled a match that had been stuck for nearly 84 minutes. A well-executed counterattack ended with a pass from Martin Satriano and a low shot next to the left post, giving Getafe a 1-0 win over Malaga at the Coliseum Stadium in LaLiga play.

The result was a slow burn. Getafe held the ball less (44.5% possession to Malaga's 55.5%) but was far more incisive, finishing with 20 shots to the visitors' 11. The problem was finishing, or the lack of it, since for most of the first half the away goal turned into a fortress almost by accident.

From the opening whistle it was clear Getafe would try to win it through sheer volume of chances. Martin Satriano tested the keeper with a header in the 7th minute and again near halftime, Enes Unal headed one on target in the 12th, Ivan Azon aimed for the left post in the 13th, and Andres Garcia kept trying from outside the box. Nothing went in. Malaga, for its part, answered with flashes from Eneko Jauregi, Rafa Rodriguez and David Larrubia, but without seriously troubling David Soria's goal. At the break it was 0-0, and the scoreline felt unjust given how much the home side had produced.

The second half followed the same script: Ramon Terrats had two chances within seconds of each other in the 51st minute, Ivan Azon headed one on target in the 62nd, and Johan Mojica and Enes Unal both had attempts shortly after. Malaga, after bringing on Adrian Nino, Pablo Martinez and Chupe, created a bit more danger down the flanks, including a shot from Adrian Nino that went over the bar in the 66th minute. But it was Getafe that found the payoff: on a quick transition, Satriano set up Azon, who finished calmly to set off the celebrations at the Coliseum.

The closing stretch had more heart than clarity. The referee added 8 minutes of stoppage time, and Malaga threw everyone forward in search of an equalizer, with shots from Carlos Dotor, Angel Recio and Juan Cruz that missed the target. Getafe defended the lead with substitutes Saba Sazonov and Davinchi coming on, and held on until the final whistle.

The numbers behind the match

The shot count is echoed in the post-match expected goals figures: 1.304 for Getafe against 0.653 for Malaga, a number that confirms the home side deserved more than the scoreline showed for much of the game.

The preview had made Getafe the favorite, with a 44% chance of winning against a 33% chance of a draw and 23% for Malaga, with expected goals of 1.2 for the home side and 0.79 for the visitors. The final result ended up matching that forecast fairly closely, though the 1-0 arrived tighter and later than those numbers suggested.

What it means in the standings

The win pulls Getafe out of the bottom of the table, though its position in the standings, 8 points from 7 games played with 2 wins, 2 draws and 3 losses, still points to an inconsistent season. Malaga, meanwhile, can't get going: it sits on 3 points from 7 matches, with no wins, 3 draws and 4 losses, in last place. The gap between the two sides in the standings was 5 points before this match, and today's loss does nothing to help the Andalusian side close the distance.

For Getafe, the takeaway is clear: they created chances, kept pushing, and eventually found the goal that their volume of opportunities had been demanding. For Malaga, the underlying problem remains: a lack of scoring, with not a single goal on the board today, continues to be the main obstacle keeping them from climbing out of last place.