Brawl over penalty spoils Spain win over Chile
Spain's Cesc Fabregas celebrates with team mates David Silva (back) and Pedro Rodriguez (L) after he scored the second goal for the team during their international friendly soccer match against Chile in St Gallen, Sept 2, 2011.
ST GALLEN, Switzerland - Cesc Fabregas scored twice, including an injury-time winner, to give Spain a 3-2 victory over Chile on Friday in a friendly that ended in an ugly brawl involving players and officials from both sides.
Television replays suggested the penalty which resulted in substitute Fabregas's winner should not have been awarded as Alvaro Arbeloa seemed to dive.
Mauricio Isla and Eduardo Vargas stunned Spain with early goals as a sizeable contingent of Chileans fans produced a carnival atmosphere rarely seen at the home of Swiss second division club St Gallen.
Halftime substitute Andres Iniesta inspired a Spanish revival by pulling one back and he also set up the equaliser for Fabregas.
The former Arsenal player then saw his penalty saved by Claudio Bravo but fired home the rebound for the late winner.
A huge brawl then erupted involving almost all of the players, and the benches joined in.
Spain's goalkeeper Pepe Reina tries to calm down his team mate Sergio Busquets (L) as Spain players argue with Chile players at the end of their international friendly soccer match in St Gallen, Sept 2, 2011.
Spain left Iniesta on the bench and appeared unprepared for the whirlwind which was unleashed against them as Chile began with the same mesmerising style which made them stand out at the 2010 World Cup.
The South Americans went ahead when a raking 60-metre crossfield ball by Gonzalo Jara from the left of the defence found Isla who took his time before firing an unstoppable shot past Iker Casillas in the 10th minute.
Chile struck again when Alexis Sanchez flicked the ball over a defender's head to send Vargas away and the 21-year-old Universidad de Chile forward rounded Casillas before flicking the ball in after 20 minutes.
Casillas then diverted Jean Beausejour's shot on to the post before Sanchez chipped over as Chile repeatedly caught out the Spanish rearguard.
Some of Chile's play bordered on show-boating while the Spanish showed an uglier, petulant side with numerous late tackles flying in as their frustration got the better of them.
The game changed completely after Iniesta was one of three Spanish substitutions at halftime.
The Barcelona midfielder reduced the arrears with a deflected low shot from the edge of the area nine minutes after the restart.
Fabregas and Fernando Torres came on in the 64th minute and the former Arsenal captain needed only seven minutes before slipping the ball under Bravo.
Spain and Chile players argue at the end of their international friendly soccer match against Chile in St Gallen, Sept 2, 2011.
(Agencies)
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