Switzerland and South Korea qualify for gold medal match at World Women's Curling Championship
BySportsbeat
Updated 27/03/2022 at 16:39 GMT
Switzerland beat Sweden 7-5 to book their place in the final, while South Korea's incredible 9-6 comeback over Canada will see them in their first ever world final. Defending champions Switzerland were unbeatable in the round robin stage and took their momentum into their last four clash with Sweden, winning 7-5.
Silvana Tirinzoni (curling, Suiza). Juegos Olímpicos Pekín 2022
Image credit: Getty Images
Switzerland and South Korea are set to go head-to-head in the final of the World Women's Curling Championship 2022 after hard-fought victories in Saturday's semis in Prince George, Canada.
Defending champions Switzerland were unbeatable in the round robin stage and took their momentum into their last four clash with Sweden, winning 7-5.
The Swiss were neck and neck with the Beijing Olympic bronze medallists in the opening rounds, the teams level at 3-3 after four ends.
But Switzerland fought back to score one in the fifth and forced a black end on the sixth to see themselves up 4-3.
Each team took a double with Sweden going in front 5-4 in the seventh end before the Swiss hit back to take the lead again 6-5.
Sweden blanked the ninth end before skip Anna Hasselborg was heavy with her final draw of the tenth to allow Switzerland to steal a shot and secure their place in the final.
Switzerland skip and third player Silvana Tirinzoni said: "It's like millimetres really in these games. But Alina [Paetz] made two great ones in the eighth - you cannot do it any better - and in a game like this, you have to fight for every rock so hard, I'm so happy."
Their victory was followed by the second semi-final which saw the 2018 Olympic silver medallists South Korea produce an incredible comeback against hosts Canada, scoring on each of the last three ends to win 9-6.
South Korea started strongly, taking a 3-1 lead after four ends, before Canada's skip Kerri Einarson was able to secure a double to level the game to 3-3 at the halfway point.
The sixth end saw South Korea nudge ahead again but three points in the seventh opened up a 6-4 lead for the Canadians.
South Korea skip Kim Eun-jung played a hit to score a double in the eighth end to level the match before Canada's errors allowed them to steal a single shot in the ninth and another double in the tenth to put South Korea in their first ever world final.
Kim said: "We've just met one of the best teams in the world and they put a lot of pressure on us in the beginning, but we were able to overcome that and take control.
"We would be very happy to win tomorrow. It would be a great experience."
Switzerland and South Korea will battle for gold on Sunday, having both qualified for the semi-finals in first and second position after the round robin stages.
Canada and Sweden will be in the bronze medal match in a bid to complete the podium.
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