TORONTO – Samoa scored a last-gasp try to defeat Canada 21-20 and set up a Pacific Nations Cup final showdown with arch-rivals Fiji here Wednesday.
The powerful Samoans looked to be slipping to a shock defeat after Canada’s Sale Sharks wing Phil Mackenzie raced over for an opportunistic converted try to put the home side 20-16 up with four minutes left.
But Samoa punished a needlessly conceded penalty by setting up a line-out on Canada’s goalline with just seconds left.
And when Canada knocked on from the set-piece, Sakaria Taulafo was on hand to snaffle the ball and flop over the line for the score to give Samoa a 21-20 lead.
The Samoan victory dashed Tonga’s hopes of snatching a place in the final against Fiji on Monday.
Earlier, Canada had looked poised to score an upset, racing into a 13-0 lead through a try from centre Nick Blevins and eight points from the boot of fullback James Pritchard.
Samoa responded with a penalty from Michael Stanley to make it 13-3 at half-time.
The Samoans looked to have got a grip on the contest during the second half, scoring an early try through Anthony Perenise converted by Stanley.
Two more Stanley penalties put Samoa into a 16-13 lead before Mackenzie’s late effort put Canada back in front until Taulafo’s late winner. – Nampa-AFP
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