China has slim chance to make women's curling semis

China's lead Zhou Yan (L) and second Yue Qingshuang during their women's curling round robin game against Japan at the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics at the Ice Cube Curling Center February 17, 2014. [Photo/Agencies]

SOCHI - The Chinese women's curling team lost to Japan 8-5 Monday but still have a chance to make the semifinals at the Sochi Winter Olympic Games.

Four teams, Japan, China, Switzerland and Britain, still have a chance of moving into the semifinals alongside already-qualified Canada and Sweden.

China faces Switzerland in its final game later Monday, the winner of which will reach semifinals directly or go into a tiebreaker, while the loser will be eliminated.

"It will be our last round-robin, and we will play our best," said China's second Yu Qingshuang.

China's coach Tan Weidong said the girls played well but the Japanese team was more stable.

"They created lots of pressure for us, and we lost some chances," he said.

Also Monday, Britain beat Russia 9-6 to end the home team's faint hope of a first Olympic Winter Games curling medal. Victory for Britain means that another win in its evening game against Denmark would guarantee a place in the semifinals, while defeat means it would face a tiebreaker.

Debut team South Korea won 11-2 in its round-robin game against the United States, to leave the Americans with a 1-8 win/loss record at the bottom of the standings.