Argentina have booked their place in the Rugby World Cup semi-finals, defeating Wales on a scoreline of 29-17 after a tense game in Marseille.
Wales started the game much the better of the two sides, racing into a 10-0 lead early in the first. Argentina had completely failed to show up during this period and you got the sense that it could be a fairly comfortable afternoon for Warren Gatland's side.
However, they would fail to capitalise on that position.
Argentina kicked four consecutive penalties from that point to move into a 12-10 lead early in the second half, and while Wales would score a try to take the lead once more, it was the South Americans that had the final say.
After a prolonged assault on the Welsh line, they would score the all-important try to take the lead late on.
𝐋𝐎𝐒 𝐏𝐔𝐌𝐀𝐒 𝐓𝐀𝐊𝐄 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐋𝐄𝐀𝐃!!! 🇦🇷
What a time to score your first try of the game!#WALvARG | #RWC2023 pic.twitter.com/yroZlugG4W— Virgin Media Sport (@VMSportIE) October 14, 2023
Wales would push hard for a score of their own in the closing moments, although Argentina would then produce a breakaway try of their own to secure a famous result and book their place in the semi-finals.
Wales legends praise Argentina star for incredible piece of play
Argentina can look back on a number of defining moments that ultimately decided the outcome of this game. Most of them came in attack, but there was also one piece of heroic defending at the death that probably secured the win.
It came from substitute fullback Matias Moroni, who produced a stunning try-saving tackle to stop Louis-Rees Zammit from scoring a try that would have given Wales a late lead.
𝐖𝐇𝐀𝐓 𝐀 𝐓𝐀𝐂𝐊𝐋𝐄!!! 🤯
Louis-Rees Zammit denied right in the corner!#WALvARG | #RWC2023 pic.twitter.com/FGviAiNiRd— Virgin Media Sport (@VMSportIE) October 14, 2023
A stunning piece of play.
While that tackle would have broken plenty of Welsh hearts, a couple of legendary players from the country could only praise the Argentine star for pulling it off.
Speaking on ITV after the game, both Jamie Roberts and Gareth Thomas said that Moroni produced a moment worthy of winning the match.
Thomas: It's a great break from [Rio] Dyer. You've got to give Dyer credit for when he came on and what he contributed. Sometimes in defence, no matter what you learn in defence and the technique, sometimes it's about literally just putting your body on the line.
What happens here is that the Argentine player puts his full body on the line, gets in front of a try who we know can score tries from this angle and can finish from here.
Roberts: When that line break happened, I thought Rio had butchered it, but watching it back, what defence from Argentina. It's not just that tackle, but also the phase before it to recover and cut off all the options, he had to carry the ball.
That is game-changing, it's World Cup winning stuff.
Huge praise.
While Argentina have been criticised for their form in this tournament, they now find themselves preparing for a Rugby World Cup semi-final on Friday night. They will go into that game as huge underdogs, although you get the sense that they wouldn't have it any other way.
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