Staggering late win keeps alive GB semi-final hopes

Team GB’s women’s curlers’ slim hopes of reaching the Winter Olympics semi-finals remain alive after they stole two shots in an incredible final-end victory over the United States.

The Scottish quartet need to win their final three games and hope for favours elsewhere if they are to salvage a place in the medal matches.

And they have cleared the first hurdle in extraordinary scenes in Cortina.

Trailing 7-6 going into the final end, they were without the hammer and looked set to suffer a decisive defeat after a haphazard performance.

However, Rebecca Morrison executed a sensational double takeout with her final throw to put pressure on the final US stone and the Americans faltered, botching their effort to hand the British rink an implausible 8-7 triumph.

“There was a lot at stake but we just need to keep believing,” Morrison told BBC Sport. “We were up against it but we’re here to fight and that’s what we did.”

The inexperienced rink – with only Jen Dodds surviving from the 2022 gold-medal winning team – finished sixth in last year’s World Championships and were some way short of their best again against the Americans, with opportunities missed and mistakes made.

A steal in the third end hinted that November’s European silver medallists could get the win they needed, but the US wrested back control to lead at the break.

A double in the sixth edged GB in front again, but the concession of three in the following end gave the Americans a lead that looked insurmountable until Morrison’s late intervention gave them a lifeline.

“Once it came out of Becca’s hand I knew it was close and you see the thrill it gave us,” said skip Sophie Jackson.

“Our performance was up and down but we’ll be back tonight.”

Before then, Britain’s men will return to the ice in a similarly perilous situation.