Team GB's women curlers knock out reigning champions Canada to ensure progress to semi-finals
Thursday 22 February 2018 11:37, UK
Great Britain maintained their aspirations of securing a Winter Olympics medal in Pyeongchang with a tense but ultimately successful 6-5 victory over Canada.
Skip Eve Muirhead, Anna Sloan, Vicki Adams and Lauren Gray, who won a bronze medal in Sochi four years ago, did not need a victory from the final round-robin encounter to ensure progress to the last four of the tournament but knew a victory would send the world and defending Olympic champions home.
Canada, whose men's or women's curling teams had never previously failed to reach an Olympic podium, were ahead for the majority of the encounter but the British team levelled up proceedings in the eighth end at 4-4 before Muirhead claimed victory with two stones in the final end.
"It was a great team performance, it shows we have a lot of determination, a lot of patience and I'm really happy to get the semi-final spot," Muirhead said.
"As a team I think we played really well. Everyone is communicating great. Our coach Glenn [Howard] has passed on a lot of his expertise and to have him in our corner and not in their corner is great.
"The last few games we've got better and better and that's important building into the play-offs.
"We know our semi-final will be very tough, whoever we're playing. One thing we did great is we didn't panic. The last few ends were very clinical and as a team I'm delighted the patience paid off."
Canada led 4-2 at the end of the opening seven ends, after Team GB started the slower of the teams but significantly they managed to restrict their opponents to one point in the ninth end.
GB made full advantage of the hammer and Muirhead's timely shot at the end secured their passage past the group stage and guaranteed a semi-final against Sochi runners-up Sweden.
