The U.S. men’s curling team upset Canada 5-3 in the semifinal round of the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang and advanced to the gold medal game against Sweden.
It’s the first time Team USA will play in the men’s curling final at the Olympics.
Although the U.S. first defeated Canada earlier in the week, the northern neighbors were still heavily favored because they had produced the past three Olympic gold medalist men’s teams. That streak now comes to an end.
The team is hot right now — winners of four straight, including its final three round-robin matches after it started the Olympics 2-4. The U.S. wouldn’t have even qualified for the semifinals if it hadn’t defeated Canada, Switzerland and Great Britain in a row.
Sometime around the U.S.’s 2-4 start, there was heavy doubt and a little mockery from Olympic viewers on Twitter:
USA Curling is an absolute travesty. It’s a mockery of a sham of a fraud.
— Adam Gold (@AGoldFan) February 17, 2018
SPECIAL COVERAGE: Pyeongchang 2018 Olympics
The USA curling team looks like USA forgot to send a curling team and just picked the first four guys they saw at the airport in Bangor, Maine.
— Allyson Groves (@allysongroves) February 19, 2018
However, the Americans face a tough final opponent. Sweden defeated them 10-4 in round-robin play and won the bronze medal in 2014 in Sochi.
The gold medal game will take place in the middle of the night here, though: Saturday at 1:35 a.m. Eastern time.
• Adam Zielonka can be reached at azielonka@washingtontimes.com.
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