Argentina have booked their place in the quarter-finals of the Rugby World Cup courtesy of a thrilling 39-27 victory over Japan in Nantes.
The final match in Pool D was a winner-takes-all affair, with both sides knowing that victory would see them finish second behind England and secure a place in the knockout rounds.
The action lived up to the billing too, with a tit-for-tat contest swinging both ways throughout.
Argentina were never behind in the game, but Japan refused to go away as the two sides traded blows and mostly took it in turns to score the eight tries from the match.
Five of those went to Los Pumas though - including a hat-trick for Mateo Carreras - as they managed to restore an arm's length lead any time Japan came within striking distance.
Argentina got off to a perfect start when Santiago Chocobares touched down after only 68 seconds - the nation's fastest-ever try in a World Cup match.
Japan offered the first sign of the ebb-and-flow match that would follow with their response 15 minutes later, and the equalising score came in some style too as second-row Amato Fakatava chipped ahead and collected his own kick before going over.
MAGIC from Japan 🇯🇵 🪄 #RWC2023 | #JPNvARG pic.twitter.com/U3fZWL2T60
— Rugby World Cup (@rugbyworldcup) October 8, 2023
Carreras got his first of the afternoon just before the half-hour mark and, while Emiliano Boffelli missed the resulting conversion, his penalty shortly after was enough to ensure a 15-14 half-time lead after Naoto Saito scored for Japan just before the interval.
Carreras's second came early in the second half, but a penalty and drop-goal took Japan back to within two points before Boffelli went over for a try of his own.
Jone Naikabula provided the latest Japanese response to reduce the gap back to two, but Argentina hit back immediately through Carreras's hat-trick score to move the South Americans more than one score ahead going into the final 10 minutes.
Nicolas Sanchez knocked over a penalty to edge Argentina 12 ahead, and there was no time for a miracle Japan comeback as they suffered a pool-stage exit for the first time since 2015.
Argentina, meanwhile, will now turn their attention to a quarter-final against Wales next Saturday.
Barney Corkhill
