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Portugal edged out Canada 28–26 on Monday in a thrilling third-round Group B clash at the World Rugby U20 Challenger Cup in Santiago, Chile. The junior Portuguese side, known as Os Lobinhos, secured the narrow victory by establishing an early lead and demonstrating fierce defensive resilience to hold off a late Canadian surge.
Portugal’s journey through the tournament had been a mixed bag before today’s victory. They opened their campaign with a disappointing 22–15 loss to Belgium, a setback that ultimately severely compromised their tournament aspirations. However, they bounced back spectacularly in the second round, crushing Namibia 69–12 in a dominant performance that kept their hopes alive heading into the final pool matches.
Canada entered today’s match with a similar pattern of performances in the competition. The Canadians suffered a tough defeat against a strong Belgian side but managed to redeem themselves with a big win over Namibia. Their up-and-down form highlighted areas of vulnerability, particularly in consistency across both halves, which put them under heavy pressure to perform in this final group stage match.
Monday’s match between Canada and Portugal was a showcase of contrasting halves and styles of play. Portugal commanded the first half, imposing their rhythm to carry a 15–7 lead into the interval. In the second half, Canada adjusted their strategy and played with immense heart, launching a furious comeback and keeping themselves within striking distance. Ultimately, Portugal’s discipline and defensive stance in the final minutes allowed them to milk the clock and seal the win.
Despite the win, Portugal narrowly missed out on a spot in the tournament final because Belgium defeated Namibia 47–22 to claim the top spot in Pool B. Consequently, Portugal moves on to the 3rd-place playoff match this Saturday, October 17. Canada will transition into the lower placement bracket where they face Brazil to determine their final tournament ranking.
