China beats Denmark in PyeongChang Games women's curling

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Zhou Yan (R), Ma Jingyi (L) and Liu Jinli of China compete during women round robin event of curling against Denmark at 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympic Games at Gangneung Curling Centre, Gangneung, South Korea, Feb. 17, 2018. China won 10:7. (Xinhua/Ma Ping)

Two four-point winning ends helped China beat Denmark in the round robin session of the women's curling at the PyeongChang Winter Olympics on Saturday evening.

China built an unexpected 4-0 lead in the first end by capitalizing on some mistakes of the Danish.

But China's advantage didn't last long, as Denmark retrieved one point in the second end, and stole three more points in the third on mistakes of the Chinese side.

The two sides played a see-saw game in the next two ends, with Denmark turning the tide 6-5 after the fifth.

In the sixth end, China chose to give up gaining one point to enter the eighth with the hammer.But the strategy didn't work with Denmark playing strong defense and both sides gained one more point each in the seventh and eighth ends.

The ninth end turned out to be the decisive one, when China, with the hammer once again, gained four points after skipper Wang Bingyu made a couple of great shots.

"We didn't expect the easy four points in the first end. It was totally because our opponents were not in their best form and made some mistakes," said Wang Bingyu after the match.

"But anyway, anything could happen during Olympic Competitions," she added.

She said that after the Danish leveled the score, she and her teammates managed to stay cool and play patiently, and the patience paid off.

"After winning four more pints in the ninth end, we were really relieved. Knowing we were having a three point advantage, we were sure we are going to win," she said.

Also on Saturday evening, Japan beat Olympic athletes from Russia 10-5, United States lost to Canada 3-11, and host South Korea defeated Great Britain 7-4.

Ten teams are competing in the women's curling competitions of the PyeongChang Games, with the top four finishers from the round-robin to qualify for the semifinals.

Sweden led the current standings of the women's curling round-robin with four straight wins, followed by Japan on four wins and one loss, and South Korea with three wins and one loss.