Winter Olympics 2022 - Italy remain undefeated with 7-5 win over Team GB in mixed curling doubles
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Published 05/02/2022 at 14:09 GMT
Stefania Constantini's brilliant shooting helped Italy to their sixth win in the mixed curling doubles at the 2022 Winter Olympics. Bruce Mouat and Jennifer Dodds conceded defeat in the eighth end after a brilliant stone from Constantini left a three-point finish impossible for Team GB, who remain in the chase for the medal run despite suffering two defeats.
Amos Mosaner of Team Italy competes against Team United States during the Curling Mixed Doubles Round Robin ahead of the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics at National Aquatics Centre on February 03, 2022 in Beijing, China.
Image credit: Getty Images
Italy remain undefeated after beating Team GB 7-5 for their sixth straight win in the mixed curling doubles.
Stefania Constantini produced unbelievable shooting for Italy in the best individual curling performance of the Olympics so far in a brilliant match.
Team GB remain in the chase for a medal run despite two defeats, and Bruce Mouat and Jennifer Dodds can hold their heads high after going close.
Italy stay top of the table, ahead of Sweden who have five wins and two defeats.
Italy started the match with the hammer and finished a cagey first end 1-0 up.
Team GB hit back in the second and third end, smashing through in the latter and knocking Italy off the button with the sixth stone.
But Italy responded with a strong fourth end, scoring twice before making it 4-2 in the fifth.
The two nations produced heroic plays on the fifth stones in the sixth end, but it was Jennifer Dodds who expertly knocked Italy off the rings behind the tee line to earn two points.
But in the seventh end, Constantini squeaked by the guard to produce the shot of the match, knocking Team GB off the rings in front of the tee to score three points and all but end the contest.
In the eighth end, Constantini slid deep in the rings and behind the Team GB stone in a mistake that gave Dodds and Mouat hope.
And a stone into no man's land from Mosaner gave them an even bigger chance to level the scores for an extra end.
With two stones on the button, the possibility of a three-point end remained, but Italy were ever trying to neutralise Team GB's chances by freezing their opponent's stone at the front of the four foot lines.
The fifth stone from Mosaner left enough room for Team GB to wedge inside the four foot circle, building a barrier of stones each side of the button. And they did just that, knocking the remaining Italian stone off the button for a grandstand finish.
But Constantini's brilliant final stone made it too difficult for Team GB to score three and they conceded defeat to end a brilliant match.
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