Both teams entered this Canada vs. Korea game in draw 12 of the 2026 women’s Olympic curling round robin. In this, the final game of the round, both teams entered with a 5-3 tournament record. They also both faced a win-or-go-home situation. Which team advanced through the pressure-filled situation?
Team Canada started the game with the hammer. The first end was an open one, with few rocks in play. Canada skip Rachelle Homan had an open peel for the blank, but stuffed it to take the single.
Team Canada struggled to find a consistent draw wait. A couple of heavy draws led to a difficult first shot for Homan, which she missed. She rebounded with a draw to the button to best Team Korea’s lie of 2, leaving only congested options. Korean skip Eunji Gim couldn’t pick it out, resulting in a steal of one.
Team Korea lived up to their aggressive reputation in the third end. Choosing a high-risk option for their final stone. It paid off in the form of three points.
Team Canada wasn’t left with many options when the final stone of the end came up. Homan hit a precise bump-and-roll around the center guard to score two, going up 4-3 after four ends.
Both teams struggled to hit perfect take-outs in the fifth, as they went rock-for-rock with power through third stones. Team Korea was forced to a single with the hammer, but led in shot percentage 85-75 at the break.
Team Canada struck in the sixth end, helped largely by a few heavy draws from Team Korea. Gim had a difficult final shot, with Canada already lying three. The shot overcurled, wrecking off a stone higher in the house. Homan was clutch with her final rock, scoring four with the hammer.
The seventh end felt do-or-die for Team Korea. Team Canada knew it, and played the end with numerous rocks in the house. The plan paid off, forcing their opponents to a single with the hammer.
The first four stones of the eighth end clogged up the center line from hog to tee. Team Canada did well by skip stones to open up the middle. Holeman executed a draw to the four-foot, forced to one with the hammer. It was 9-5 heading into the ninth.
Considering the four-spot earlier in the game, the ninth end set things up for an entertaining tenth. Team Korea scored two, going into the ninth with a two-point deficit.
Team Canada started peeling as soon as they could. Team Korea had just one rock in play with three stones remaining, but give them credit. It took every last stone for the Canadians to eliminate them.
Team Canada advances to the semi-finals to face Team Sweden. Team United States and Team Switzerland make up the other side of the bracket. Catch those games on Friday at 8:05 am Eastern.
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