Japan upset Switzerland and reach curling final
Japan defeated world champions Switzerland 8-6 in the women’s curling semifinals at the Beijing Winter Olympics on Friday to secure their ticket to the gold medal match against Great Britain.
Skip Satsuki Fujisawa and Team Loco Solare caused a stir a day after being beaten 8-4 by the top-ranked Swiss in their final round match.
The next challenge will be Great Britain, who defeated Japan 10-4 in the round robin and beat Sweden 12-11 in the other semi-final on Friday.
Japanese curlers celebrate after defeating Switzerland in the women’s semifinals at the Beijing Winter Olympics February 18, 2022 at the National Aquatics Center in Beijing. (kyodo)
Either way, 2018 bronze medalists Japan will now take at least one step onto the podium on Sunday, with the country’s best-ever Olympic curling result guaranteed.
The gold medal match will be a replay of the third-place match that Japan won 5-3 in Pyeongchang, South Korea four years ago.
Victory in the semifinals marked a dramatic turnaround for Japan, who narrowly advanced to the playoffs through the draw-shot challenge after Thursday’s loss to Switzerland, who led the record-breaking round-robin game with an 8-1 record. Tie break came.
Japan’s skip Satsuki Fujisawa shoots during the fifth final match of the women’s curling semifinal match against Switzerland at the Beijing Winter Olympics on February 18, 2022 at the National Aquatics Center in Beijing. (Kyodo) == Kyodo
“I didn’t feel that much pressure,” said Fujisawa. “You could say my indecisiveness hurt us yesterday, affecting our tactics and our shots.”
“But today we had a lot of time from morning to our evening game to discuss everything thoroughly as a team and to decide how to proceed. That was the big thing.”
Japan had started the back-and-forth game on a positive note before Switzerland passed Silvana Tirinzoni due to a lack of precision with the hammer and their world champion side took control.
Hokkaido’s Kitami team avoided such mistakes in the semifinals and looked strong from the start.
Japan’s Satsuki Fujisawa reacts after her team scored four points in the fifth finish of the women’s curling semifinal match against Switzerland at the Beijing Winter Olympics on February 18, 2022 at the National Aquatics Center in Beijing. (Kyodo) == Kyodo
After Switzerland blocked the first, both teams scored one each with the hammer until Japan grabbed the momentum with a big fifth end.
With the two front and third Chinami Yoshida laying the groundwork, Fujisawa threw an excellent double takeout with the last stone to score four points and take a 5-2 lead.
“Our focus wasn’t on trying to win, it was on making good shots, team shots, one at a time,” said leader Yurika Yoshida.
Japan extended the lead by stealing one in six before Switzerland hit back with a three to go 6-5-7.
Japan’s Chinami Yoshida (bottom) gives instructions to her teammates as Switzerland’s Silvana Tirinzoni (top L) and Alina Paetz watch during the sixth finish of the women’s curling semifinal match at the Winter Olympic Games in Beijing February 18, 2022 at the National Aquatics Center in Beijing. (Kyodo) == Kyodo
With Japan holding one of eight serves, Switzerland had to make it big on their last regular end with the hammer.
It looked like several points after Yoshida missed badly on a double takeout attempt, but Fujisawa dug Japan out of danger to limit Switzerland to one.
Second Yumi Suzuki said the team found themselves here on the ice.
“Satchan (Fujisawa) kept making great recordings, but we all played our parts and did the recordings we needed to do. We discovered the quality within ourselves,” she said.
Japan coach JD Lind praised his side for turning things around with a heavy defeat just 24 hours after the end of the round robin.
“The way this team handles adversity and recovers from difficult situations is definitely the greatest strength they have,” said Canadian-born Lind. “They’re an amazing group who work really well together (and) support each other.”
Japanese curlers celebrate after defeating Switzerland in the women’s semifinals at the Beijing Winter Olympics February 18, 2022 at the National Aquatics Center in Beijing. (Kyodo) == Kyodo