Phil Noble/Reuters
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.
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Argnetina then began their attack with less than 30 seconds to go.
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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.
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A few seconds later, the time was expired and Argentina was still more than 30 meters from scoring a go-ahead try.
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Over the course of the next 10-15 seconds, USA missed several tackles as Argentina was able to keep the ball alive.
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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.
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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.
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The U.S. couldn't catch the Argentine player and it was game over.
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