Leicester: Flyhalf Nicolas Sanchez starred with 25 points and Argentina moved closer to a place in the Rugby World Cup quarter-finals with a comprehensive 45-16 win over Tonga in their Pool C match on Sunday.
Argentina scored five tries to get a bonus point that should seal a place in the last eight, unless the Pumas lose to Namibia, and Tonga get an unlikely win with a bonus point against tournament favorite New Zealand in their last games.
The crowd of 29,124 at Leicester's City Stadium included football great Diego Maradona, and he turned into the No. 1 cheerleader.
Maradona, who made Argentina's No. 10 shirt so famous, did high-fives with people around him and jumped up and down at every try.
It was another No. 10, Sanchez, who ran the show for the Pumas, and he became the tournament's leading scorer with 51 points so far.
The other tries came from fullback Joaquin Tuculet, wingers Juan Imhoff and Santiago Cordero, and replacement hooker Julian Montoya.
By the time Cordero barged his way over for the fifth try, Maradona was shouting and thrusting his blue-and-white scarf around his head.
Maradona was a fine finisher in his time, scoring one of football's best ever goals against England at the 1986 football World Cup.
Argentina's rugby team contains some decent finishers, too.
Imhoff and Cordero earlier scored two tries each in the 54-9 win against Georgia, and their pace and elusive running make them a threat for any defense in open space.
Flyhalf Kurt Morath and frontrower Soane Tonga'uiha got the tries for Tonga, which led 5-0 early and created numerous scoring opportunities.
Morath took his try well but his kicking let him down, particularly early in the second half when he missed two kicks that could have added serious pressure to the Pumas.
He also failed to convert both tries.
Tonga recycled quickly and this almost led to a second try from scrumhalf Sonatane Takulua, but the ball slipped from his hands near the left corner.
A booming kick from Sanchez some 45 meters got Argentina going and prop Ramiro Herrera bulldozed down the left and set up Tuculet for the first try. The second try was even better, Cordero ripping through Tonga's midfield before offloading to give Inhoff.
The flyhalves swapped penalties after the restart, but then Morath missed an easy shot from the right. He got another chance immediately as lock Tomas Lavanini was penalized for a late tackle, but missed from the left.
Sanchez dummied and scooted over the line to put the game beyond Tonga with 15 minutes left, leaving time for two more tries.
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