Sweden stun Scotland in epic Euro curling semi-final

Scotland's women were denied a place in the final of the European Championships by an exceptional final delivery from Anna Hasselborg of Sweden.

The 2018 Olympic champion skip produced a superb draw in the final end to win the match for her team 6-4.

Rebecca Morrison, Jen Dodds, Sophie Sinclair and Sophie Jackson statistically outplayed each of their opposite numbers and overcame starting without last-stone advantage to have the upper hand heading into the last two ends.

However, the experienced Swedish skip responded to the pressure to clinch victory after Morrison narrowly failed with a high-tariff attempt at an angled raise to score the two required for victory.

It was a cruel end to a day that had started with the Scots needing to beat Norway in their final round-robin match to secure their play-off place, which they did 5-4.

"We're really happy with how we've been playing the whole tournament, so the semi-final is very tough to take, especially when we were all playing so well," said Morrison.

Scotland can however still repeat the feat achieved by three of the team – Morrison, Sinclair and Jackson – who won the third-place play-off to claim bronze on their first visit to the Europeans two years ago.

"We've just got to find a way to re-group for the bronze medal game and we know that if we can play like that there's a good chance that we'll come home with a medal," added Morrison.

They will take last-stone advantage into that match against an Italian team they beat in the round-robin stages and who were defeated 7-3 by defending champions Switzerland in the other semi-final.

Meanwhile Scotland's men made sure they topped the standings with eight wins from nine after seeing off Olympic champions Sweden.

Bruce Mouat's rink led 4-0 after two ends and completed a three in the 10th for an 11-7 success.

Finishing first in the round-robin earns last-stone advantage in Friday morning's semi-final against Switzerland.

Norway and Germany are the other men's teams in the last four.

Mouat, Grant Hardie, Bobby Lammie and Hammy McMillan head into the play-offs aiming to extend an extraordinary sequence in which they have won the past four European Championships in which they have played.

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