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Real Sociedad gifted victory from Las Palmas goalkeeper

Real Sociedad's players celebrate after scoring in a 1-0 win against Las Palmas. Getty Images

Real Sociedad took advantage of a horrendous goalkeeping mistake to beat Las Palmas 1-0 and turn the heat up on Atletico Madrid in the battle for a Champions League place.

The game in Gran Canaria looked to be heading for a goalless stalemate until, 16 minutes from time, Las Palmas goalkeeper Javi Varas inexplicably passed the ball straight to Sociedad midfielder Xabi Prieto on the edge of the box.

Prieto took one touch and, with Varas out of position to the right of his goal, he had the simplest of tasks to slot into an unguarded net.

That consigned unlucky Las Palmas to a fourth successive La Liga defeat and saw Sociedad move to within a point of fourth-placed Atletico, who play Barcelona on Sunday.