Boffelli added two more penalties – both for Tumua Manu and Fritz Lee being caught offside in tandem – before the break, with Leali’ifano replying with one of his own, having missed two simple attempts.
With Argentina turning the screw at the maul, Samoa were clinging on. Boffelli kicked three more points when Saracens’ Theo McFarland was caught offside, with the game slipping away from the Pacific Islanders.
Sama Malolo tapped a penalty from five metres out and, after a period of short-range pressure, the replacement hooker rounded off the move to give Samoa hope. But Sánchez stepped up, keeping Argentina’s dream alive, and forcing Samoa to defeat England to stand any chance of progression to the quarter-finals.
Match details
Scoring sequence 5-0 Boffelli try, 7-0 Boffelli con, 10-0 Boffelli pen, 10-3 Leali’ifano pen, 13-3 Boffelli pen, 16-3 Boffelli pen, 16-8 Malolo try, 16-10 Leuila con, 19-10 Sanchez pen.
H-T: 13-3
Argentina J Cruz Mallia; E Boffelli, M Moroni (Cinti 71), S Chocobares, M Carreras; S Carreras (Sanchez 66), G Bertranou (Cubelli 66); T Gallo, J Montoya (capt) (Creevy 72), E Bello (Gómez Kodela 42), G Petti, M Alemanno (Rubiolo 61), P Matera, M Kremer, J Martin Gonzalez (Bruni 54).
Replacements unused M Vivas.
Samoa D Paia’aua (Toala 58); N Ah-Wong, UJ Seuteni (Leuila 49), T Manu, B Lam; C Leali’ifano, J Taumateine; J Lay (Faumuina 54), S Lam (Malolo 54), P Alo-Emile (Alaalatoa 54), B Alainu’u’ese (Seu 54), C Vui (capt), T McFarland, F Lee, S Luatua (Taufua 60).
Replacements unused M Matavao. Yellow card Paia’aua, 1
Referee N Berry (Australia)