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Xabi Prieto's goals put Real Sociedad fourth win win

ANDER GILLENEA/AFP/Getty Images

Xabi Prieto scored twice as Real Sociedad climbed to fourth in LaLiga with a 3-2 victory at Real Betis.

The Sociedad captain headed a 72nd-minute winner at Estadio Benito Villamarin after goals from Aissa Mandi and Antonio Sanabria cancelled out Jon Bautista's opener and Prieto's first strike to twice bring Betis level.

Striker Bautista slotted the visitors ahead after chesting down Asier Illarramendi's ninth-minute through ball.

Mid-table Betis, who bounced back from last week's derby defeat to Sevilla with a win at Malaga on Tuesday, levelled when Algeria international Mandi acrobatically converted Dani Ceballos' 16th-minute cross following a short corner on the right.

Prieto produced a fine curling effort into the top left corner to restore the away side's advantage in the 26th minute but Paraguay striker Sanabria nodded in Ruben Castro's cross to equalise 20 minutes into the second period.

Sociedad were not to be denied victory though and they moved ahead of Atletico Madrid in the table thanks to Prieto's superb far-post header 18 minutes from time.