Czech Republic - Germany, evening match.
After a busy day of matches, where I missed both of the day's rounds - in the first one the Czechs beat the Koreans relatively easily to complete the Asian double - it was only for the evening programme that I made it to the IWC arena. And immediately things happen. The match on the deck is stopped halfway through the second end and there is no play for a good fifteen minutes. Korea leads the Swiss favourite 3-0 after the first end and Sven Michel breaks the broom. Not in anger, but as a result of the hard throwing. The ice is adjusted and the broom is replaced. Meanwhile, the Czechs are pressuring the Germans and after a blank in the first end, Muskatewitz erases three scoring stones, but the fourth one is better after measuring. 1 : 0 after two ends. As the Czechs force the Germans to a one in the next end, the Czech flag flies across the stands, waved by Lukas Klima's father and wife. On the Aces, Canada leads America four-one and goes for the early win. Both Asian teams are leading in their respective games and are looking for their first and second wins, respectively. The Czechs are battling for a deuce and a tie in the eighth end, but a deuce is also in play in the event of a good hit and roll. Lukas is playing excellent stone and the German skip will play under draw pressure behind centre guard. Muskatewitz handles the role but the chance remains. The guard is in the way though and we are down three points after eight ends. The Japanese will win, but the Korean is more likely not to, as Lachat-Couchepin throws everything at 100 percent and Schwarz - Van Berkel navigates him flawlessly. The Czechs lose to Germany 4 : 6, when the key was four straight ones played by the opponent from the fifth to the eighth end. We fight on tomorrow.
rnphoto: last end