Usa Women's Curling: Top-ranked Canada and U.S. Both Lose Semifinals, Set to Clash for Bronze
The Milano Cortina semifinals produced shocks for the short list of favorites in Usa Women's Curling: top-ranked Canada was upset 6-3 by Sweden, while the United States fell 7-4 to Switzerland, leaving both North American powers to contest the bronze medal.
Canada's Top-ranked Team Homan Falls Short vs Sweden
Canada's Rachel Homan rink was unable to overcome what the team described as "straighter" ice, and Sweden capitalized to win 6-3. Sweden, ranked No. 12, has now secured a place in the gold-medal game and will face Switzerland for Olympic gold.
Homan's team had earlier beaten their Swedish opponents in all three prior meetings this season, but were unable to replicate that form in the semifinal. The Canadians acknowledged difficulty with the ice that made some shots tougher, while praising Sweden's play. With the loss, Canada will redirect its focus to the bronze-medal match against the United States, with the squad signaling it will fight for a place on the podium.
Usa Women's Curling: U. S. Falls to Switzerland, Prepares for Bronze Match
The United States was stopped by Silvana Tirinzoni's Switzerland, losing the semifinal 7-4. Switzerland advances to the gold-medal game and will be aiming for its first women's Olympic gold.
U. S. vice skip Cory Thiesse, who previously earned silver in the team event alongside Korey Dropkin, expressed some surprise at the matchup for the bronze but emphasized the team's strategy this week: keep matches close and seize opportunities. With the semifinal defeat, the United States now faces Canada for the bronze medal.
What the Semifinal Results Mean for Medals and Momentum
Sweden's win over Canada and Switzerland's victory over the United States set up a gold-medal final between two teams with recent success on the world stage. Sweden's women's program has claimed the Olympic title three times since curling returned to the Games in 1998, and Switzerland arrives at the final having finished with silver behind Canada at the last two world championships following four straight world titles earlier.
For Canada and the United States, the semifinal losses shift the focus to salvage missions: both teams will battle for bronze. Canada enters the bronze match with history and expectations weighing on the squad; across the lead-up to these Games, Team Homan compiled an extensive record of wins, including consecutive domestic and world-level successes and multiple Grand Slam titles, raising the bar on Olympic performance. The U. S. enters the chance for a medal buoyed by a prior silver in the team event and a gameplan oriented around keeping contests tight.
| Semifinal Match | Score | Outcome |
|---|---|---|
| Sweden vs Canada | 6-3 | Sweden advances to gold; Canada to bronze match vs U. S. |
| Switzerland vs United States | 7-4 | Switzerland advances to gold; U. S. to bronze match vs Canada |
Sweden will meet Switzerland for the women's gold on Sunday, while Canada and the United States are scheduled to play for bronze on Saturday. The Canadian men’s team, mentioned separately in the competition for reasons beyond on-ice results, remains in medal contention for the men's tournament amid an off-ice controversy.
Both Canada and the United States must regroup quickly. Canada has emphasized that its work is not done and intends to come out fighting in the bronze match; the United States has stressed the benefits of staying close in games and seizing opportunities when they appear. In short, the semifinals reshaped the medal picture and set up a high-stakes North American clash for Olympic bronze in Usa Women's Curling.
