Winter Olympics: Team GB mixed doubles curlers edge closer to semi-finals with China win
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Hosts: Beijing, China Dates: 4-20 February |
Coverage: Watch live on BBC TV, BBC iPlayer, BBC Red Button and online; listen on BBC Radio 5 Live and BBC Sounds; live text and highlights on BBC Sport website and mobile app |
Team GB’s curling mixed doubles pair took an important step towards the semi-finals at the Winter Olympics after holding their nerve to overcome China 6-5 in a nail-biting contest.
A win was crucial for world champions Jen Dodds and Bruce Mouat and they are second overall with five wins and two defeats, with two games to play.
They trailed 4-1 but drew level with a superb three before securing the winning point in the final end.
They next face Norway at 12:05 GMT.
The top four will progress to the next round and get the chance to play for medals.
“We know in mixed doubles you never give up because you can get threes or even fours so easily,” Dodds said. “We knew we weren’t out of it and stuck in there.”
On the Norway match, Dodds added: “It’s a re-match of the world final back in May. We’ll need to keep playing like we did in that second half. I think it’ll be a really good game.”
After a good start in which Britain stole one in the very first end they faced a prolonged period under pressure.
China took two in the second end after Mouat’s attempted guard curled too far, leaving it open for Zhi Ling to remove their closest stone and his partner SuYuan Fan to draw in for two.
The host nation stole one in the next – but it could have been worse for Britain had Dodds not managed to dislodge a stone.
But Ling and SuYuan Fan’s searing form continued in the fourth as they stole another for a 4-1 lead at the halfway mark.
Now chasing the match, the British pair opted to use their powerplay to force the issue, and it worked perfectly.
Fan was unfortunate to miss a clearout of the house and Dodds capitalised to roll in a stone for three points to level the match.
It got better for Britain in the sixth end when Fan’s final draw came up short to give them a one-point steal on their opponents’ powerplay to nudge 5-4 in front, but a few careless shots in the next left the match all square heading into the last.
Britain had last-stone advantage in the decider and crucially made it count. After Mouat’s successful takeout, China’s final shot missed to gift the Scottish pair the vital winning point.