In a nail-biting encounter at the World Men’s Curling Championship in Moose Jaw, Canada, China’s curling team narrowly lost 7-6 to their Asian rivals Japan during their tenth round-robin match.
The game kicked off with both teams exchanging points, leaving the score tied at 1-1 after the first three ends. In the fourth end, Japan held the hammer, and a misjudged takeout by Chinese skip Xu Xiaoming allowed Japan to score two points, seizing the lead.
China had the hammer in the fifth end but chose to blank it, aiming to retain the last-stone advantage in the sixth. However, another missed shot enabled Japan to steal a point, extending their lead further.
Refusing to back down, China simplified their strategy in the seventh end. After an official measurement, they secured two points, narrowing the gap. Yet, Japan responded swiftly in the eighth end, with their skip delivering a precise draw to add two more points, pushing the score to 6-3.
The Chinese team rallied in the ninth end, applying pressure with strategic stone placements. Their efforts paid off as they picked up three points, leveling the game at 6-6 and setting the stage for a dramatic finish.
In the tense final end, China pushed hard to force an extra end, but Japan’s final stone found its mark, earning them the decisive point and sealing the 7-6 victory. With this result, China slipped to fifth place with six wins and four losses, with two more round-robin contests left to play.
