Vicente del Bosque's side needed an impressive second-half fightback to beat Chile, but changes to the starting XI can help avoid a repeat of the opening 45 minutes in Switzerland

Fab finale | Cesc scored two late goals to stake a claim for a starting spot

“I have not been this happy for some time. I am going through a great moment and let's see if I can use that by playing more with the national side.

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- Cesc Fabregas

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By Ben Hayward | Spanish Football EditorWithout Andres Iniesta and Cesc Fabregas, Spain quite possibly would not be champions of the world. Last summer in South Africa, as the deadlock remained unbroken following 115 minutes of absorbing football in the final against Holland, Cesc found Iniesta with an intelligent defence-splitting pass which left the midfielder with just Maarten Stekelenburg to beat. The rest, as they say, is history.On Friday night, Iniesta and Cesc proved the inspiration for Spain once again.Having gone 2-0 down in a first half which coach Vicente del Bosque claimed "could not have gone any worse", the World Cup winners needed a reaction. Iniesta and Cesc delivered it.Iniesta replaced Xabi Alonso and Spain improved instantly. His introduction brought a spark that had been missing in the first half, his positive influence rubbing off on his team-mates, mediocre and helpless as Chile raced into a 2-0 lead at the interval.Iniesta got Spain back in it with a low drive from outside the box shortly into the second period, helped into the corner by a fortuitous deflection off Gonzalo Jara. And the midfielder then turned provider for Cesc - on for Xavi - as he threaded an excellent pass through to his Barcelona team-mate, who kept his cool to level the scores. Fabregas had been on the field for just seven minutes.A thrilling 2-2 would have been just about right, but this Spain side settle only for the best. And a winner came in the dying seconds, when Cesc converted a controversial penalty at the second attempt, after his first effort had been pushed onto the post by Claudio Bravo.Cesc simply picked up where he had left off with Barca since signing from Arsenal, proving he is ready for a starting spot in this Spain side after five years as a luxury replacement for La Roja.Fabregas cannot replace Xavi, who is the team's playmaker and pivotal pass-master, nor Iniesta, who showed his importance once again versus Chile. But last night's first half once again highlighted the flaws in fielding both Sergio Busquets and Xabi Alonso in the middle of the park. The partnership gives Spain solidity in the middle, but restricts La Roja as an attacking force. And just as significantly, it means there is no room for Cesc.With Barca defenders Carles Puyol and Gerard Pique both missing through injury, Del Bosque's best option would have been to move Busquets into the back four, where he has performed so admirably of late for the Catalan club, and fielded Fabregas alongside Xavi, with Alonso in a deeper role.Instead, his decision to start with another midfielder, Javi Martinez, backfired as the Athletic Bilbao man failed to cope with Chile's intensity and persistent pressure in the opening 45 minutes. It was the right idea, but the wrong personnel, as Real Madrid's Raul Albiol proved a less-than-perfect partner for the Basque and his club colleague Alvaro Arbeloa showed he is not Spain's next left-back, either.There are issues to address, especially because the inspirational Puyol is now approaching the end of his career. Already 33 and suffering from injuries in the twilight of his playing days, the Barca captain is unlikely to be around for too much longer and replacement centre-backs are somewhat thin on the ground in Spain . Pique, still only 24, will be a fixture once he returns, and Busquets can be too. It works at Barcelona and Spain can follow Pep Guardiola's lead once more.Ominously for their rivals, it will make La Roja even stronger.