Mens Curling Results: GB beat Switzerland 8-5 to reach Olympic final
mens curling results were settled late as Great Britain edged Switzerland 8-5 in the men's semi-final, guaranteeing a medal and booking a place in Saturday's final against Canada.
Mens Curling Results: The key turning points
The match swung in Britain's favor beginning in the sixth end, when they stole an end after Switzerland's vice skip missed a hammer shot. The contest then flipped decisively in the seventh, when Bruce Mouat executed a run-back triple takeout that denied the Swiss a likely three and left them fighting for a single point. Britain added two in the next end to lead 6-5 going into the 10th, and finished the game 8-5.
Mouat’s shot and the crowd reaction
Mouat called the seventh-end shot one of the best he has ever made, and allowed himself a small fist pump after it landed. The game played out in front of a raucous crowd that included a band of Scottish supporters with specially written songs, a lone bagpiper and even someone playing a kazoo; Hammy McMillan described the week as “an emotional rollercoaster” and said the fans’ energy could spur the team on for the final.
How GB reached the semis and what’s next
Great Britain’s path to the knockout rounds had been precarious: they scraped through the round robin only because the Italian team lost their last group-stage game to Switzerland on Thursday morning. At nine o'clock on Thursday morning GB did not know whether they would reach the semi-finals; by nine o'clock on Thursday night they had earned a place in Saturday’s final against Canada. With the 8-5 semi-final win, GB will go for gold in that Saturday match.
Swiss history in the tournament also featured prominently: Switzerland entered the semis unbeaten in the round-robin stage, and their national coach, Glenn Howard, had been brought in to build the team. Howard came onto the side of the ice during a timeout as his side sought to recover from the decisive shots. The teams’ rivalry included a long head-to-head record in which Mouat led 22-10 coming into this semi-final against Swiss skip Yannick Schwaller.
For fans scanning mens curling results, the 8-5 scoreline and Mouat’s run-back triple takeout will be the standout entries from the semi-final. Britain’s two-point score after Mouat’s shot, and the earlier steal in the sixth, were the concrete plays that turned the match in their favour and set up the final.
The confirmed next event is the final on Saturday, where Great Britain will face Canada for the gold medal.
