Engonga refuses to take it lying down

Real Mallorca's troubled season is on the brink of collapse after a 3-1 defeat at home to Real Betis on Sunday sent them back into the relegation zone. But veteran midfielder Vicente Engonga yesterday refused to admit the team would be relegated. With two matches of the season remaining Mallorca lie in 18th position. Bottom club Tenerife have already been relegated, while Real Zaragoza also look a definite for the drop being three points adrift of Mallorca. Las Palmas have the same points as Mallorca, but avoid the relegation zone due to a favourable head-to-head record. Rayo, Real Sociedad, Osasuna and Villarreal are the other four teams still uncertain of their futures. Mallorca travel to the Bernabeu next weekend to face title-chasing Real Madrid in a match the islanders need at least to draw. If Mallorca lose and Las Palmas, Villarreal and Osasuna all win their respective games Sergio Kresic's side will be relegated. Although most people are already writing off Mallorca's chances of staying up, Engonga was adamant the team was still in with a shout. “Who says we can't get any points from the Bernabeu,” said the 36 year-old. “Against Real Madrid we are playing for our lives and I have confidence in my team mates to get the team out of this situation. “Don't forget, there are still six points up for grabs and a lot of things can still happen. “This season has been extremely disappointing, but football is like that sometimes. “Two seasons ago Betis went down with Finidi and Alfonso, and Atletico went down with loads of great players on the team. No team is exempt from relegation.” In Sunday's match Betis took the lead when a stunning 25 yard drive from Benjamin caught Leo Franco out in the 8th minute. The match was over as a contest 16 minutes later when Mallorca 'keeper Leo Franco was inexplicably shown a red card after harmlessly knocking Portuguese striker Joao Tomas to the ground. It was a poor refereeing decision, but what came next was even more implausible. In a move as stupid as it was unbelievable, Kresic, needing to bring a player off so that reserve keeper Miki could enter the game, took off Ariel Ibagaza, the one player most likely to create a goal. Without their playmaker, and with a man less, Mallorca struggled to find a route to the Betis goal. In the second half Tomas clipped in for the visitors after Capi had carved open the home defence on 52 minutes and former Mallorca striker Gabriel Amato added a third with a fine diving header a minute after coming on. Alberto Luque's injury time strike was no consolation for Kresic's side.