Cesc bags brace, Hernandez nets

Posted Saturday, September 03, 2011 by teamtalk.com

Cesc bags brace, Hernandez nets
Fabregas: Celebrates one of his strikes

Cesc Fabregas scored twice as Spain recovered to beat Chile 3-2 in a friendly, while Javier Hernandez netted as Mexico drew 1-1 with Poland.

The former Arsenal captain, now revelling in his return to Barcelona, maintained his recent fine form by netting the Spain equaliser and then slamming in the winner after his penalty had been pushed out by Chile goalkeeper Claudio Bravo.

Chile had looked set to inflict another friendly defeat on Spain when they raced ahead with goals in the opening 20 minutes from Mauricio Isla and Eduardo Vargas in St Gallen.

However, World Cup and Euro 2008 winners Spain staged a memorable second-half revival to take the win.

Half-time replacement Andres Iniesta pulled a goal back in the 54th minute before his Barcelona team-mate Fabregas drew the teams level in the 70th minute - just six minutes after he had come on in place of Alvaro Negredo.

Fabregas then spared his own blushes by being quick to the rebound after his last-minute penalty was saved.

Chile by that stage were already down to 10 men, having lost Pablo Contreras to a straight red card in the 82nd minute.

Nicolas Otamendi headed the only goal as new Argentina boss Alejandro Sabella saw his side win 1-0 against Venezuela in the Indian city of Kolkata.

Lionel Messi was the star attraction for the friendly international, but defender Otamendi was the only player to find a way past goalkeeper Rafael Romo.

He headed in a corner from Messi after 67 minutes at the Salt Lake Stadium. The match had been set up by a local sports management business.

It was Sabella's first game in charge of Argentina, having taken over from Sergio Batista. Batista was sacked after a dismal Copa America showing when, as hosts, Argentina were knocked out in the quarter-finals.

Manchester United striker Javier Hernandez scored an equaliser for Mexico as they drew 1-1 with Poland in a friendly played in Warsaw.

Pawel Brozek had given Poland a 27th-minute lead but Hernandez levelled for Mexico eight minutes later. Poland had Ludovic Obraniak sent off 20 minutes from the end for violent conduct.

Uruguay came from behind to overcome Ukraine 3-2 in Kharkiv.

The Copa America winners were rocked when Andriy Yarmolenko scored inside the first minute for Ukraine.

They levelled when Alvaro Gonzalez scored in the 43rd minute, but Yevhen Konoplyanka restored Ukraine's lead two minutes later.

Uruguay were level again thanks to a goal from Diego Lugano in the 61st minute, and Abel Hernandez netted an 87th-minute winner.