Real Betis strengthened their push for UEFA Champions League qualification with a hard-fought 2-1 victory away at RCD Mallorca, as Manuel Pellegrini’s men edged closer to LaLiga’s top four. Cédric Bakambu proved decisive once again, netting the winner in this fixture for the second consecutive season.

Betis made an assertive start in Palma and nearly went ahead inside three minutes. After a poor clearance from goalkeeper Leo Román, Marc Roca tried his luck from 35 yards, only to see his ambitious effort crash back off the post.

The early warning soon turned into a breakthrough. On 18 minutes, Antony’s strike from the edge of the area was parried by Román, but Abde Ezzalzouli reacted quickest to guide the rebound home, scoring in back-to-back matches against Mallorca and handing the visitors a deserved lead.

Mallorca’s best opening of the first half arrived just before the half-hour mark, yet Vedat Muriqi could only direct a close-range header straight at Álvaro Valles from a corner. The Kosovo striker’s frustration was compounded in first-half stoppage time when Betis doubled their advantage. Antony threaded a clever pass into Bakambu’s path, and the striker finished ruthlessly to give the Verdiblancos firm control at the break.

The hosts struggled to mount an immediate response after the restart, though Muriqi remained their main outlet. He was booked for protesting a rejected penalty appeal on the hour mark but quickly made amends. Six minutes later, he powered home a header from Samu Costa’s cross to register his 16th LaLiga goal of the season and reignite the contest.

The closing stages were played at high intensity, with chances at both ends. Román produced a sharp save to deny Pablo Fornals, who was later left stunned when David López spectacularly cleared his goal-bound effort off the line.

Despite late pressure, Betis held firm to secure a third successive league victory. The win keeps Pellegrini’s side in fifth place, four points behind both Atlético Madrid and Villarreal CF in the race for the top four. Mallorca, meanwhile, remain just one point above the relegation zone as the battle at the bottom intensifies.