Canada enters Olympic men’s curling final

Sochi, Feb 20 (IANS) The Chinese men's curling team lost to Canada 6-10 in the semifinal at the Winter Olympics here.

China, who finished third in round-robin with seven wins and two losses, failed to control the game when facing the two-time Olympic champions while the latter showed their strength Wednesday with some perfect take-outs, reports Xinhua.

The two tied 4-4 after six ends but in the seventh, China made mistakes and Canada seized the chance as skip Brad Jacobs made a double takeout to set up three points. Though China won two points back in the eighth, they couldn't stop Canada when they scored three again in the ninth.

"We had chances in the first few ends where we had those guys banging brooms and we forced them to one. In the second end, if we could have converted a two there, that could have been a little bit of a different game," said China's Canadian coach Marcel Rocque.

"Sometimes you have to seize that opportunity when you get it and we just didn't. At that point their momentum went up and ours went the opposite. I know they're disappointed, as any athlete would be. There was a dream and the chance to fulfil that dream was just within brooms' reach."

China will play Sweden in the bronze medal play-off Friday.

In the women's semis played earlier, Sweden beat Switzerland 7-5 and will, in the final Thursday, take on Canada, who edged Britain 6-4.

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