Fabregas gives Spain edge on ugly night

Come back England, all is forgiven.

Days after Roy Hodgson’s side went home with the derision of football purists ringing in their ears, Spain and Portugal showed the ugly side of the beautiful game in their semi-final in Donetsk last night.

Once again a match that could have been a showpiece for two of the world’s most sumptuous sides turned into a stalemate, before Spain went through on penalties, with Cesc Fabregas converting the winning spot-kick.