By Amy Tennery
BEIJING (Reuters) – Arch rivals Canada and United States face another hurdle earlier than their anticipated Olympic girls’s remaining showdown, with semi-final challengers attempting to chop off their path to gold on Monday.
The perennial hockey powerhouses have been broadly tipped to contend for the championship in Beijing, however Switzerland and Finland hope to spoil the social gathering, going through off in opposition to Canada and the U.S. respectively.
For Finland, the pairing gives an opportunity of candy revenge after they misplaced to the People 5-0 within the Pyeongchang Olympic semifinal and 2-1 within the 2019 World Championship remaining.
“We’ve got nice recollections from enjoying in opposition to them and we’re going to take the ability from there and preserve going,” stated Finland head coach Juuso Toivola. “(There may be) a way of revenge.”
Thrice bronze-medal winners Finland misplaced 5-2 to the People of their Beijing opener earlier than dropping two extra video games within the preliminary spherical however stated that they had discovered their footing after cruising previous Japan 7-1 of their quarter-final.
Sochi bronze winners Switzerland outgunned Russian Olympic Committee (ROC) 4-2 in a tense quarter-final on Saturday to arrange their assembly with Canada, having already achieved their Beijing desires.
“Our important aim was the quarter-finals however we aren’t executed but. We wish to go on from right here and get that medal,” stated Pyeongchang Olympian Dominique Ruegg, who helped her workforce to get a fourth-place end on the World Championships final 12 months. “We simply wish to preserve going.”
They’ll deal with a Canadian squad bent on reclaiming the gold after the U.S. ended their run of 4 straight Olympic titles in 2018.
The Canadians have swatted apart each opponent of their path to date, scoring a jawdropping 44 factors in 5 video games.
“We’ve got been by means of lots. The final Olympics we got here up wanting our aim of profitable the gold medal. Stuff like that actually stings,” stated Blayre Turnbull, who has recorded three objectives and two assists for the Canadians.
(Reporting by Amy Tennery in Beijing; modifying by Clare Fallon)
Supply: KFGO
