USA rugby team suffers total meltdown in final 30 seconds after nearly completing a stunning comeback
Team USA suffered a heartbreaking loss in their opening match of the Rio Olympics when Argentina scored after time expired.
The United States team erased a 12-0 deficit in the final three minutes, scoring two tries in an 80 second span to take a 14-12 lead. The 13th-ranked American squad looked poised to upset the No. 8 team in the world.
But then disaster struck as everything fell apart.
With 45 seconds to go, Team USA's restart kick failed to go at least ten yards. It was a huge mistake that gave the ball unchallenged to Argentina near the halfway mark of the field.
Argnetina then began their attack with less than 30 seconds to go.
It is worth noting that the game doesn't necessarily end when the clock reaches zero. If a team is in the middle of an attack, play continues until a player is tackled, the ball goes out of bounds, or there is a score.
The United States was able to make one tackle as the clock was winding down, however, there was still 8 seconds left and Argentina won the ruck, allowing them to keep possession and play on.
A few seconds later, the time was expired and Argentina was still more than 30 meters from scoring a go-ahead try.
Over the course of the next 10-15 seconds, USA missed several tackles as Argentina was able to keep the ball alive.
The worst came at the 22-meter line when Argentina threw a desparate no-look pass.
The ball bounced around the ground and even hit off the leg of an American player before being scooped back up by Argentina.
That left Argentina with a player wide open on the wing.
A quick pass out wide and they had nothing but green grass between them and a 5-point, game-winning try.
The U.S. couldn't catch the Argentine player and it was game over.
