Tonga beat Samoa 20-18 in a pulsating Rugby League World Cup contest at CommBank Stadium in Sydney on Sunday, in front of a record crowd of 29,411. Both teams head to the semi-finals on the back of a match that ebbed and flowed for the full 80 minutes.

Rob Toia broke the deadlock after 27 minutes with a stunning solo try from 45 metres out, and Isaiya Katoa's conversion gave Tonga a 6-0 lead. A Katoa penalty goal in the 36th minute extended it to 8-0, before Samoa hit back through Brian To'o after a piece of brilliance from Stephen Crichton.

A second-half swing, then another

Samoa took the lead in the second half, and with 17 minutes to play they led 18-14 after Jarome Luai snuck down a short side and Izack Tago shifted the ball quickly for Fa'alogo to deliver the final pass to Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow. Tonga answered again: Addin Fonua-Blake took a pass one off the ruck and stampeded through the defence to tie the scores, and Katoa's conversion put the men in red back in front at 20-18.

Samoa had one last chance when Tabuai-Fidow flew high to bring down a bomb, but his pass to Fa'alogo travelled forward and Tonga held on for an emotional victory. Tonga now move on to a semi-final against New Zealand in Newcastle on Friday night, while Samoa will meet Australia in Sydney on Saturday.