Brits facing Swedes in play-off

Great Britain's men were left facing a play-off against Sweden for a place in the curling semi-finals after losing 9-5 to Norway in their final round robin match.

The Swedes, European champions, defeated Denmark 7-6 to finish with an equal record to Britain of five wins and four defeats from their round robin matches.

A win for the Danes would have sent the British straight through to the last four.

Sweden scored a surprise win over Britain in their opening round robin game and British skip Murdoch now has a chance for revenge when the two meet again on Wednesday at the Vancouver Olympic Centre when a semi-final date against Canada on Thursday will be up for grabs.

While the men's semi-final hopes remain alive, Eve Muirhead's Olympic dream ended with a 6-5 defeat against Canada in Great Britain women's final round robin curling match in Vancouver.

Britain needed to win and hope other results went in their favour to have any chance of making the semi-finals. They were tied at 5-5 going into the final end but the Canadians had the hammer and only needed to clear out 19-year-old Muirhead's final stone to secure a point for victory.

Britain were left with a round robin record of three wins and six defeats and, after winning three of their opening four matches they faded losing their last five on the trot.

Muirhead took the blame for Britain's latest defeat but her disappointment was tempered by the knowledge that there should be further Olympic adventures to come.

"We didn't want to end here on three (wins) and six (defeats). That's not what we came to do but we did and that's gutting," she said.

Andy Noble was the highest placed of the British trio competing in the giant slalom on Whistler Mountain. Noble finished 36th on his Olympic debut after his two runs, 7.02 seconds behind Swiss gold medal winner Carlo Janka.