LISBON, Portugal –
A Canadian comeback fell quick Saturday as Manuel Cardoso Pinto scored a late attempt to give Portugal a 20-17 win in a world rugby check.
Canada had rallied for a 17-15 lead on two second-half Corey Tomas tries earlier than Portugal launched one final assault with Pinto beating a Canadian defender to the touch down a kick earlier than it bounced out of the Canadian finish zone. Jorge Abecasis missed the conversion try from the sideline.
The competition was the primary for the Canadian males since failing to qualify for the Rugby World Cup, dropping collection in opposition to the Seventeenth-ranked U.S. in September and No. 26 Chile in October.
Cole Keith additionally scored a attempt for the 23-ranked Canadians, who trailed 10-5 on the half. Rob Povey added a conversion.
Tomas Appleton and Raffaele Storti had the opposite tries for No. 19 Portugal. Nuno Sousa Guede kicked a penalty and conversion.
The Canadian males head to Brussels to play No. 28 Belgium subsequent Saturday.
Each groups made errors in a uneven sport within the Portuguese capital.
Portugal took an early lead on a transformed attempt by Appleton. Canada answered within the twenty second minute with Keith, beating a defender, bulling his method over after an offload from Lucas Rumball. However Povey missed what appeared like a routine conversion, leaving the Canadians trailing 7-5.
The Portugal backs made inroads on the Canadian defence because the half wore on however a number of good strikes led to dealing with errors.
A Portugal penalty within the thirty eighth minute upped the result in 10-5.
Portugal had one other good assault going within the forty eighth minute solely to see it finish in a penalty simply metres from the try-line.
The house aspect elevated its result in 15-5 within the 53rd minute, benefiting from an overlap down the fitting aspect with Storti touching down within the nook to cap off a chronic assault. The conversion try bounced off the submit.
Canada closed the hole to 15-10 within the 68th minute with Thomas going over from an attacking lineup after a Portugal penalty allowed the Canadians to get deep in opposition territory.
Canada saved coming, with the forwards battering their method in direction of the Portugal try-line. One other Thomas try to a Povey conversion gave Canada a 17-15 lead.
There have been eight Toronto Arrows in Canada’s beginning 15, together with captain Lucas Rumball, with two extra on the bench.
Canada had gained all 4 earlier matches with Portugal.
However Portugal was coming off a 49-26 victory over No. 22 Russia in July, having dispatched No. 20 Spain and the Twenty fourth-ranked Netherlands earlier this yr, additionally in World Cup qualifying.
This report by The Canadian Press was first printed Nov. 6, 2021
