GENOA, Italy — Fifth-place Fiorentina beat struggling Genoa 1-0 Thursday to move into contention for the Champions League places in Serie A. Manuel Pasqual, the Tuscan club's captain, scored in the 14th minute with a lob over former Fiorentina goalkeeper Sebastien Frey in the 14th minute, following a perfectly placed long pass from defender Gonzalo Rodriguez. With 18 points, Fiorentina moved within one point of fourth-place Lazio. Defending champion Juventus leads with 28 points, followed by Inter Milan (24), Napoli (22) and Lazio (19). The top two finishers qualify automatically for the Champions League, while the third-place team goes into the final playoff round. Genoa remained fifth from the bottom with nine points. Sevilla in charge in King's Cup Alvaro Negredo scored a last-minute penalty to put King's Cup specialist Sevilla in control of their last-32 tie against Espanyol with a 3-1 first-leg win Thursday. Sevilla lifted the trophy in 2007 and 2010 and unlike many other La Liga teams in this round of a much-maligned competition, it fielded an almost full-strength side at the Sanchez Pizjuan. Federico Fazio headed in a corner after three minutes and the visitors leveled in the 70th following a brilliant run and shot from Christian Alfonso. Defender Cala bundled the ball in for the host from another corner in the 83rd minute before Espanyol full back Ernesto Gallan was shown a second yellow card for a foul in the area and Spain striker Negredo netted from the spot. La Liga sides Getafe and Valladolid also won but a clutch of top-flight sides lost to lower-league opposition including Osasuna, Real Sociedad and Levante. Last season's runner-up Athletic Bilbao could only manage a 0-0 draw at neighbor Eibar of the Segunda B (third tier) on a rain-soaked, churned-up pitch. La Liga basement side Osasuna was beaten 1-0 at second tier Sporting Gijon after Gaston Sangoy netted in the 15th minute. Sociedad went down 2-0 at second tier Cordoba, while Europa League competitor Levante lost 1-0 at third tier Melilla which managed to hold on to its lead despite being reduced to 10 men near the end. All three sides have the comfort of home advantage when they look to turn the ties around in the second legs scheduled for Nov. 28. Getafe beat second tier Ponferradina 4-0 with a double from Jaime Gavilan while Valladolid triumphed 1-0 at home to Real Betis thanks to a goal by Alberto Bueno just before halftime. In Thursday's late game Manuel Pablo's fizzing long-distance volley for Deportivo Coruna was canceled out by Pedro Geromel's back-post header for Real Mallorca, leaving the sides level at 1-1 ahead of the return leg in Palma next month. — Agencies
