John Shuster

US Curling Men Defeat Switzerland in Must-Win Game

Chants of "USA" broke out several times in the crowd during the match

The United States picked up a win in its only day seven match.

Full coverage of Team USA’s victory is below. 

United States 8, Switzerland 4

The United States and Switzerland were in a tightly-contested game Tuesday morning. Until they weren’t.

Team USA took advantage of the hammer, tallying multiple points in a pair of ends to pull away for an 8-4 win over Switzerland at the Gangneung Curling Centre. The win moves the United States record to 4-4 with one game remaining in round-robin play. Switzerland drops to 5-4.

“We're playing the game we know we can play,” U.S. team member John Landsteiner said to reporters following the game. “I think we even have another notch on top of that."

Switzerland scored in the second end to take a 1-0 lead but the United States answered with a point to even the game.

Switzerland swung the scoreboard back in its favor in the following frame. The United States, however, grabbed the lead for good when it scored three points in the fifth end. 

After a Switzerland score in the sixth, the United States added three more points to increase its advantage to 7-3.

Chants of "USA" broke out several times in the crowd during the match. 

“Any time you put three points up it's a big momentum swing,” U.S. vice skip Tyler George said. “But I think it was building from the second end, and they (Switzerland) cracked a little bit before we got to the fifth."

Switzerland answered with a point in the eighth, but it was too little too late. The United States tacked on another point one frame later, forcing Switzerland to concede.

The win keeps the U.S.’s playoff hopes alive. A loss would have officially eliminated Team USA from semifinal contention.

The United States will conclude round robin play when it faces Great Britain on Wednesday at 12:05 a.m. ET. A team from the United States last earned a curling medal in 2006.

"We're going to work hard to get through tomorrow's game (against Great Britain) which is also a must-win and give ourselves the best chance of a tie-breaker,” Landsteiner said to reporters. “Hopefully, continue going into a few more games."

SUI  0    1    0    1    0    1    0    1    0    X - 4
USA 0    0    1    0    3    0    3    0    1    X - 8

Here are the results of every other matchup from day seven of the men’s tournament. 

Session Two

Italy 6, Norway 4

Italy and Norway had played evenly through the first eight frames. Then, the Italians took control.

Italy tallied three points in the ninth end to take a 6-3 lead. Norway threatened in the 10th but managed just a single score as Italy secured the victory.

Norway drops to 4-4 in the tournament while Italy moves to 3-6.

NOR  0    0    1    1    0    0    0    1    0    1 - 4
ITA    0    1    0    0    0    1    1    0    3    0 - 6

Japan 6, Denmark 4

Denmark opened its game against Japan with a point in the first end. It would not hold the lead for long.

Japan scored three points in the third and it never relinquished the advantage.

After a Denmark score, the Japanese team tallied two more points in the sixth to push its advantage to 5-2.

Denmark recorded two points of its own in the eighth and had a chance to win or tie in the final frame.

Japan, however, sealed the win with a score in the 10th.

Japan improves to 4-4 in round robin play with the victory while Denmark drops to 2-6. 

JPN  0    0    3    0    0    2    0    0    0    1 - 6
DEN 1    0    0    1    0    0    0    2    0    0 - 4

Session One

Sweden 7, Italy 3

Sweden lost their last game Sunday night, but it didn't matter. Niklas Edin's team was able to bounce back with a 7-3 victory over Italy to clinch one of four spots in the semifinals.

Sweden jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the third, and added stolen single points in the second and third to take a commanding lead early. 

The most Italy could muster was one point in the fourth, fifth and eight ends before conceding the game after the ninth.

Sweden had an 88 percent shot success rate in the game, and is now shooting 87 percent as a team for the tournament. They had 46 takeouts as a team in the game, to just 14 for Italy.

Sweden is now guaranteed the No. 1 seed in the semifinals after Switzerland lost Monday. They improved to 7-1 overall. They'll finish round robin play Tuesday night against Norway.

ITA   0    0    0    1    1    0    0    1    0    X - 3
SWE 3    1    1    0    0    1    0    0    1    X - 7

Great Britain 10, Norway 3

Great Britain did everything they needed to do to keep their semifinal hopes alive, defeating Norway 10-3 Monday night.

Britain shot 90 percent on takeouts as a team, to just 70 percent by Norway. British skip Kyle Smith was almost perfect, finishing the night shooting 96 percent.

Smith's team scored three points in the first end, and stole another in the second for a quick lead. Norway scored two in the third, but Britain answered, scoring two of their own in the fourth to take a 6-2 lead in the high scoring affair.

In the sixth, Norway's final throw came up too light, landing just above the house. Britain was sitting two stones at the time, and added another with a hammer throw that just made it in for another three point end for Britain.

Norwegian skip Thomas Ulsrud underthrew on four end turn throws in the game. He shot just 64 percent in the game.

With a six point lead heading into the seventh, Britain's final throw just tapped a Norwegian stone to sit closer to the button, and Ulsrud's throw was again not hard enough to knock it off, giving Britain a steal of another point, and forcing a concession for the win.

Great Britain can clinch a semifinal spot with a win over the United States in their next and final game Tuesday night.

GBR 3    1    0    2    0    3    1    X    X    X - 10
NOR 0    0    2    0    1    0    0    X    X    X - 3

South Korea 8, Switzerland 7

South Korea may be out of medal contention, but they can still play spoiler, which they did Monday night with an 8-7 victory over Switzerland.

The win is the second in a row, and third in four games for the Korea team, who prevented Switzerland from cliching a semifinal berth.

The Korean squad, led by ChangMin Kim, scored four points in the third end to jump ahead early. Swiss skip Benoit Schwarz overcurled his final throw, missing everything and going through the house with Korea already sitting three. Kim made him pay for the mistake by landing his final throw to take a 4-1 lead.

Switzerland got their revenge in the fifth on a mistake by Kim, who underthrew his hammer throw with Switzerland sitting three stones all in a row on the center line.

Korea scored two in the eighth, but Switzerland scored one of their own to tie the score at 7-7 heading into the final end.

In the tenth, Schwarz again missed on a final throw, setting up a straight shot into the button for Korea. Kim could have gone for the takeout of the outside Swiss stones, but instead opted for the draw, and it worked. Korea scored one and celebrated another win in front of their hometown fans.

KOR 0    0    4    0    0    1    0    2    0    1 - 8
SUI   1    0    0    1    3    0    1    0    1    0 - 7

Canada 8, Japan 4

Canada ended a three game losing streak Monday to keep their semifinal hopes alive, defeating Japan 8-4.

Canada took a 3-1 lead in the third, and never trailed the rest of the way. 

Leading 4-3 after the break, Canada added to their lead in the sixth scoring two more. Japan came inches away from a crucial double takeout, but just missed, giving Canada an easy double to go up three.

After scoring one more in the eighth, Canada finished the game off in the ninth, stealing a point after Japan's final throw came up short of the house for a steal.

Canada shot 90 percent as a team in the game, improving their average through the Games to 86 percent.

JPN   0    2    0    0    1   0    1    0    0    X - 4
CAN 1    0    2    1    0    2    0    1    1    X - 8

Current Standings

Team  W-L record
SWE  7-1
CAN  5-3
GBR  5-3
SUI  5-4
JPN  4-4
USA  4-4
KOR  3-5
NOR  3-5
ITA  3-6
DEN  2-6

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