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Scotland tied their three-game streak against Argentina with a 29-6 win in Salta.
Hamish Watson, Mark Bennett, Matt Fagerson and Sam Johnson scored tries as Gregor Townsend’s side bounced back from their first defeat in style.
Blair Kinghorn and Ross Thompson contributed nine numbers with the boot while a local crowd that had celebrated Independence Day in Argentina before the start and in a spirit of celebration fell silent.
Scotland won 6-3 before Watson gave them a small credit 3 minutes before the break.
But Townsend’s team took the third quarter of the game, scoring 21 unanswered points in the era of the moment to tie the series 1-1.
Watson won his 50th international match when Scotland made adjustments to the team beaten 26-18 via Los Pumas seven days earlier.
Dave Cherry, Sam Skinner and Rory Darge returned to the peloton and scrum half Ben White made his first start after receiving the green light on Ali Price.
Scotland got off to a quick start on an incredibly hot afternoon and Kinghorn scored an undeniable penalty in the fourth minute.
But Edinburgh fullback Emiliano Boffelli evened the scores before the competition turned into a tug-of-war with reckless driving errors to blame.
Argentina failed to get credit from Santiago Carreras before Scotland squandered an opportunity.
Darcy Graham put together a thrilling attack by recovering a high ball under pressure, but fellow winger Duhan van der Merwe was forced to hit the Argentine defence hard.
Carreras’ skills, whether with the ball in hand or kicking around the edges, continued to cause problems, and White’s attack on Rodrigo Bruni gave Boffelli a simple penalty.
Scotland, however, regained the lead just before the break after opting to skip an undisputed triple in front of the posts and pass to corner.
Argentina failed to protect a course of action and Watson marked his historic appearance by digging for his seventh attempt.
Scotland extended their lead two minutes after the restart after Darge and Pierre Schoeman drilled into the home defence.
White prepared Bennett, who cut a line to score his starting moment in so many weeks, and Kinghorn switched for a 15-6 lead.
Guido Petti gave the impression of giving Argentina hope in the storm, but the score was denied by an advance pass from winger Juan Imhoff earlier in the play.
Argentina had a mountain to climb after Boffelli won a yellow card in the 52nd minute for killing the ball.
Scotland took full credit when Fagerson rushed to make his first check-out and replacement Thompson added the extras.
Los Pumas’ anguish continued when Carreras was sure to score but lost the ball under pressure from Darge.
Scotland sealed the win when Johnson charged onTo Price and Thompson converted.
The series will now be in the 3rd game next Saturday in Santiago del Estero.
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