Estonian women's curlers lose to Scotland and miss European Championship playoffs

Estonia's women's curling team lost 8-9 to Scotland in an extra end at the European Championship in Ostrava, ending its chances of reaching the playoffs. Curling is a team sport in which players slide stones across ice toward a target, and the European Championship is the continent's top national-team tournament.

The Estonians started confidently and led 6-2 after three ends, according to the sports news programme on Estonian broadcaster station Radio 4. In the sixth end they added two more points, stretching the lead to 8-3.

In the seventh end, however, the Scots won back three points. Going into the final end, Estonia led 8-6 and had the advantage of the last stone, but their opponents scored two points and sent the game into an extra end. Scotland won it.

Group B standings

Following the result, the two Group B teams that will keep competing for medals were determined: Sweden, who won all four of their matches, and Scotland, with three wins. Estonia, with one win and three losses, can no longer advance from the group. Turkey, Denmark and Lithuania also missed out on the semifinals.

Earlier, the Estonian women lost to Sweden 4-8 and to Lithuania 7-8 in an extra end, and then beat Turkey 8-2. On Friday evening, the team will play its final group-stage match against Denmark.

In Group A, Switzerland, which has four wins, has already secured a semifinal place.