In the opening matches of the Milano Cortina 2026 curling competition, Sweden emerged victorious against China, marking their first win of the tournament. The reigning Olympic champions showcased their skills during the fifth round-robin session.
Sweden Triumphs Over China
Sweden began their match against the People’s Republic of China with the hammer. Skip Niklas Edin capitalized on this advantage, scoring two points early in the game with a precise draw. China responded when skip Xu Xiaoming successfully played a draw, earning their first point.
After a blanked third end, Edin secured another point for Sweden. At halftime, the score stood at 3-2 in favor of Sweden. Following a blanked sixth end, Edin once again showcased his skill by drawing his final stone amid three Chinese stones, increasing the score to 4-3 in the eighth end.
Final Moments of the Match
In a critical ninth end, Sweden was lying four when Xu attempted a draw but was too heavy, leaving one Swedish stone in play. Edin took advantage of this, scoring two more points with his final stone. In the last end, China managed only one point, leading to a final score of 6-4 in favor of Sweden.
Oskar Eriksson, Sweden’s third, expressed satisfaction with the team’s performance, stating, “We played great as a team and felt good coming in today.”
United States Claims Victory Over Germany
In another match, the United States started strong against Germany. Daniel Casper led the team by scoring four points in the first end. Although Germany managed to steal one point in the third end, Casper’s solid performance kept the Americans ahead.
By the end of the fifth end, the United States maintained a 6-3 lead. They continued to press in the final ends, eventually winning the game 8-6 after Germany conceded in the last end. Casper noted, “It’s good to get that win after a couple of losses.”
Great Britain and Switzerland Shine
- Great Britain defeated Czechia with a final score of 7-4, building a solid lead early on.
- Switzerland faced Canada, dominating the match and winning 9-5, placing them at the top of the rankings with a 4-0 record.
This session highlighted the competitiveness of the Milano Cortina 2026 curling tournament, with several teams still in search of their first victories. As the event progresses, the focus remains on the performances of these elite teams.
