Lebanon Beat France 24-20 in Golden Point World Cup Thriller as Miski Pounces on Mourgue Error

Lebanon beat France 24-20 in golden point at CommBank Stadium in Parramatta on Sunday, in a finish players and coaches on both sides struggled to explain. Abbas Miski scored the winning try in the 85th minute, catching a chip kick from France fullback Arthur Mourgue and running in unopposed. It was Lebanon's first win of the Rugby League World Cup, in their last game of the tournament, and league site League Unlimited reported it was their first win in almost four years.

Mourgue had sent the game to extra time himself. With Lebanon leading 20-18 and the clock at full time, he kicked a two point field goal from 40 metres out to level the score at 20-20. Five minutes later his attempted chip and chase, launched from deep inside his own end when he only needed to take a tackle, handed Lebanon the match.

How the game swung

Lebanon halfback Alex Conti opened the scoring after four minutes, starting and finishing his own try. Lebanon led 8-6 at half time. In the second half, Michael Gabrael crossed for Lebanon, Guillermo Aispuro-Bichet replied for France, Tony Francis scored to push Lebanon ahead again, and Cesar Rouge hit back for France to set up the closing minutes.

Tempers rose late. Lebanon captain Alex Twal and France prop Julian Bousquet were both sent to the sin bin in the 77th minute. A Conti penalty goal put Lebanon 20-18 in front, and France looked beaten until Mourgue stepped up from 40 metres and tied the game with the last play of regular time.

Golden point chaos

France thought they had won it early in golden point. Cesar Rouge kicked a field goal, and French staff ran onto the field to celebrate. The score was wiped off after a review found an obstruction in the build up, with Thomas Lacans penalised, and play went on at 20-20.

Conti then had a penalty shot from near halfway to win the game. He missed. Mourgue fielded the kick deep in his own territory. Instead of taking the tackle and sending the game to a second period of golden point, he tried a chip over the top. Miski read it, caught the ball in the air, and ran the last metres to score.

"When they got that field goal, I was in a bad place and so upset," Miski told Fox Sports after the game, saying this may be one of his last World Cups for Lebanon.

Conti was named player of the match. The NRL match report credited him with the opening try, two try assists, three tackle breaks, two penalty goals and 114 run metres.

What it means

Both teams were playing their final match of the pool stage, in week three of the tournament. Lebanon finish with a win that head coach Michael Cheika signs off with before he returns to Super Rugby with the NSW Waratahs, the AAP reported. France finish without a win in three games and head home.

The result will be remembered less for the standings than for the last ten minutes: a two point field goal on the buzzer, a winning field goal ruled out, a missed penalty from halfway, and a fullback's gamble that turned a famous escape into a famous defeat.