Spain vs Argentina LIVE: Tokyo 2020 result, final score and reaction from Olympics fixture
The final group stage match will determine which nations progress to the knockouts and aim for the gold medal
Spain face Argentina in the men’s football at the Tokyo Olympics on Wednesday, with both nations needing a positive result to ensure they continue their journey in Japan.
The Europeans have so far won and drawn, but despite dominating long stretches of their matches they have been unable to click in attack, scoring just once so far - they are top of the group heading into the final 90 minutes, and need just a draw to guarantee a top-two finish. Argentina have it slightly more difficult, after defeat to Australia earlier in the group stage. They did recover to beat Egypt, but the lay of the group means they have to win this match to go through - anything less and they will be out, regardless of the result from the other match.
The race for medals looks set to be a tight one and there have already been plenty of surprise results - but to even have a chance at success, a big performance from both sides is required here.
Follow the latest updates from Spain vs Argentina and all the big news at Tokyo 2020 below:
Great Britain 5-12 Argentina, 5 minutes left
Desperate intervention from Great Britain as Argentina make a half-break, the ball froced free from a tackled player. Ruled legal by referee James Doleman, perhaps fortunate for the GB side. Their scrum in their own 22.
Great Britain 5-12 Argentina, 6 minutes left
Back underway and a nasty moment for Argentina as a jumper goes down awkwardly, but a brilliant choke tackle wins a turnover scrum. Good start to the second seven minutes for Argentina.
GB 5-12 Argentina
Just a short turnaround in sevens. Dan Bibby leads the GB team talk with help from Scotland’s Robbie Fergusson, an experienced head. Great Britain have had more possession than in the semi-final against New Zealand but struggled to make the most of it after their early score through Ben Harris - a little impatient in the first half from them. Argentina have been very good so far. Here we go...
Great Britain 5-12 Argentina, 7 minutes
Nearly again for Moneta! He bursts out of one tackle after Argentina win the ball back in British territory but can’t quite escape Norton on this occasion, and his offload goes awry.
Great Britain chance their arm from deep in their own territory but Ben Harris is dragged down, and that’s a chance gone for Argentina! The try-line is begging as GB again play loosely around the contact area but Argentina can’t quite gather cleanly. That’ll do us for the first half with the hooter long since gone.
TRY! Great Britain 5-12 Argentina (Marcos Moneta, 6 minutes)
It was only a matter of time for Marcos Moneta! What a talent he is. He’s one-on-one with Dan Norton about fifteen metres infield, squaring him up with an arc to the right and then jabbing his foot down to hop past Norton to the inside and sprint away for the score beneath the sticks. Conversion is good - Argentina lead!
TRY! Great Britain 5-5 Argentina (Lautaro Bazan Velez, 5 minutes)
Bazan Velez! A big dummy from the scrum-half at the set-piece and Ollie Lindsay-Hague goes chasing down the wrong boulevard, Bazan Velez peeling back to the blindside and putting his foot down to power away from the chasing GB man. Conversion missed, but Argentian are level.
Great Britain 5-0 Argentina, 4 minutes
A little bit loose, that - Ollie Lindsay-Hague has just been guilty of over trying so far and forces a loose offload towards Dan Norton to try and set the all-time leading sevens try scorer on a run down the right touchline. Argentina scrum.
Great Britain 5-0 Argentina, 3 minutes
Excellent defence from Great Britain. Alex Davis arrives in a timely fashion on Marcos Moneta, already well scragged by Ethan Waddleton, and the force of his tackle jolts the ball free from the exciting young Argentine.
Great Britain 5-0 Argentina, 2 minutes
Really fast start from GB this. Again the restart goes up for the rangy Harry Glover to get after, and the Stade Francais bound, long-limbed Glover forces an Argentina knock-on.
GB lose the ball soon after the scrum though and Argentina attack for the first time.
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