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Canada, Argentina to Men's Pan-Am Final

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Canada, Argentina to Men's Pan-Am Final

Canada and Argentina will play for the Pan-Am Games Men’s Rugby gold medal after Argentina hammered Uruguay and Canada edged the USA in the semis in Toronto.

Argentina got two tries from Santiago Alvarez in a 43-7 rout. It was much closer in the USA v Canada semi. 

Canada dominated possession early on and ran out to a 12-0 lead. However, the Eagles came back with a try from Carlin Isles.

Isles then broke through for another long-range try in the second half to tie the game. In a key play, Isles touched the ball down, and then was blindsided by a late hit from Canada’s Admir Cejvanovic. The Canadian was given a yellow card, but Isles had to come out. The foul was quite egregious, and might have warranted a red.

Still, the USA capitalized, sending the ball through the hands for a try for Martin Iosefo. That made it 19-12. But a poor turnover by he USA gifted a try for Nathan Hirayama. That tied it. The Eagles did a poor job of controlling the ball and a turnover led to Cejvanovic going in at the corner. However, Iosefo grabbed him and flipped him over. After some debate, referee Federico Anselmi ruled no try.

The USA recovered and Perry Baker somehow ran out of his in-goal. But another turnover in the ruck led to Cejvanovic going in with the game-winner.

So the USA will play Uruguay for Bronze, just as they did four years ago.