In a thrilling comeback at the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics, South Korea's women's curling team defeated Japan 7-5 on Sunday, securing their third victory in the tournament. Skip Gim Eun-ji led her squad to triumph over Sayaka Yoshimura's Japanese team at the Cortina Curling Olympic Stadium in Cortina d'Ampezzo, located 260 kilometers northeast of Milan.
Korea started strong, opening the scoring with one point in the second end and adding another in the third to take a 2-0 lead. However, Japan responded aggressively, tying the match with two points in the fourth end. The teams then traded single points in the fifth and sixth ends, keeping the score level at 3-3 heading into the latter stages of the match.
The pivotal moment came in the eighth end, where Korea exploded for three crucial points, breaking open a tight contest and ultimately holding on for the 7-5 victory. This outburst allowed Gim Eun-ji's team to overcome an early lead they had squandered, showcasing resilience under Olympic pressure.
With the win, Korea improved to a 3-2 record in the round-robin stage of the 10-team women's curling competition. The tournament format features nine round-robin matches per team, with the top four nations advancing to the semifinals scheduled for Thursday.
Korea will look to build on this momentum when they face China on Monday in their next matchup. The victory against Japan highlights the team's growing form at the Cortina Curling Olympic Stadium, a key venue for the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics.
As celebrations erupted among the Korean players following the final stone, the match underscored the intense rivalries in women's curling, with both teams displaying high-level precision and strategy throughout the afternoon contest.
