A try scored at the very end of the match gave the Portuguese their first success in the World Cup on Sunday.
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A resounding feat! Facing a Fijian team which was playing for its place in the quarter-finals, Portugal created one of the biggest surprises of this World Cup (24-23), Sunday October 8 at the Toulouse Stadium. Players in attack, eye-catching in defense, the Portuguese never gave up – even when the men from the Pacific took a six-point lead four minutes from the end of the match – to achieve their first success in a World Cup.
Already eliminated, Portugal made the Fijians doubt for 80 minutes. Although impressive since the start of their tournament, their opponents were clumsy in the first period (3-3). They then accelerated after the break. By going to queen, Raffaele Storti gave his team the advantage for the first time in the match (10-3, 45th). Six minutes later, when Fiji had equalized, Francisco Fernandes took advantage of a numerical superiority to put Portugal back in front (17-10, 51st).
Fiji goes through the back door
On the verge of elimination, the Fijians reacted by scoring a second try (17-17, 68th) then two penalties (23-17, 76th). Insufficient to stop the Portuguese momentum. The players coached by Frenchman Patrice Lagisquet scored the winning try thanks to Rodrigo Marta at the very end of the match (24-23, 78th). The Fijians will console themselves with the defensive bonus point, synonymous with qualification for the quarter-finals, a first since 2007. After not having come close to giving their ticket to Australia, they will face England, with the obligation to show a completely different face to continue dreaming.