Argentina players, from left, Lucio Cinti, Marcos Moneta, Rodrigo Isgro, and Ignacio Mendy, celebrate after defeating South Africa in their men's rugby sevens quarter-final. Photo / AP
Argentina players, from left, Lucio Cinti, Marcos Moneta, Rodrigo Isgro, and Ignacio Mendy, celebrate after defeating South Africa in their men's rugby sevens quarter-final. Photo / AP
The podium in the Olympic men's rugby sevens competition will feature at least one new team after Argentina stunned 2016 bronze medallist South Africa.
Somehow, they did it while finishing with only five men, clinging on for a 19-14 victory despite having Gaston Revol sent off in the first halffor a high tackle, and then Lautaro Bazan Velez sent to the bin in the closing stages for a deliberate knockdown.
But just as it looked sure that South Africa were going to be able to get out of jail, Argentina managed to win possession and frantically kick the ball into touch to spark wild scenes and seal a semifinal berth.
They will play defending champion Fiji in the semifinals, while 2016 silver medallist Great Britain take on the All Blacks sevens after remarkably rallying from a 21-point deficit to edge the United States.
The US scored the first 21 points and appeared ready to enter the medal round but conceded four straight tries to lose 26-21.
Britain lost to Fiji earlier Tuesday to finish second in Pool B and, for at least half of the quarter-final match, were on the verge of another defeat.
"Pretty unreal when you're down like that," British player Robbie Fergusson said. "We could have been down and out at halftime, but the score before halftime and resilience in the second half is what we're all about.
"When our backs are against the wall, we seem to be at our best."
The best the United States can finish now is fifth.
"That's a heartbreak, especially to lose a lead like that," American player Joe Schroeder said. "That hurts."
That's how South Africa captain Siviwe Soyizwapi described his team's loss to Argentina, too.
It was yet another setback for a squad that had to play the Olympic tournament without a head coach, who was in quarantine outside Tokyo because of a pre-tournament positive test for Covid-19.
