Scotland’s Team Mouat came through two hugely contrasting matches on day three of the Le Gruyere AOP European Championships in Finland to take sole ownership of top spot as the only unbeaten team at the halfway stage of the round-robin.
The world’s number one ranked team, who are aiming for their fourth consecutive win at this event and their fifth in all, knew that they would face one of their biggest challenges of the week when they lined up against Switzerland, one of only three teams to have beaten them in any of the six competitions they have played this season.
Bruce Mouat, Grant Hardie, Bobby Lammie and Hammy McMillan duly responded to that challenge and looked to have the match under control as they built up a 4-2 lead ahead of the midway break.
However their opponents responded well in the second half of the match, scoring twos at the sixth and eighth ends, while holding the Scots to singles, to head down the extra end with the advantage of the hammer. 
They then looked set to make that pay as the end built, but a deft tap back by Mouat with his final stone left Benoit Schwartzel-van Berkel with a difficult double takeout to secure the win and he narrowly failed to let Scotland steal a 7-6 win.
They then returned to the ice a few hours later to meet an Austrian line-up that has just been promoted back into the A Division of the Euros and the Scots were in total command from the off, scoring four at the opening end and stealing three at the second, on their way to a 10-2 victory in six ends.
“It was a good day today, with two really good wins,” said Mouat.
“Obviously it was a tough game this morning, but we felt we started off really well and controlled a lot of the first five ends and then slightly let it slip away.
“We still played well enough, though, to put some pressure on them in the extra end and get that miss that we needed and it was really satisfying to come away with that win.
“That filled us with confidence coming into the game against Austria.
“It’s been a while since I’ve played against that Austrian team, back in the juniors, so it’s nice to see them making it to the European A division and they’re playing some good curling.
“We got a bit fortunate with the two steals early on in the game, but that result solidified a really good day for us.”
Their target remains to finish in top spot in the rankings, which brings with it last stone advantage in the play-off rounds and Mouat expressed satisfaction with the way they are progressing through the competition, saying: “We’re very happy with how we’re going and momentum is building.”
They play Italy, the team they have replaced at the top of the world rankings with their exceptional start to the 2024/25 season in their only match of the fourth day in Lohja.
Please click here for more information and results: https://livescores.worldcurling.org/ecc/aspnet/current?EventID=1
The following 7 round robin games will be live streamed on the BBC iPlayer and BBC Sport Scotland website (plus play-off games subject to Scotland qualifying).
Watch on BBC Sport Scotland website
Sat, 16 Nov
17:30 (UK)
Sco v Den (Women)
Sun, 17 Nov
12:00 (UK)
Sco v Sui (Women)
Mon 18 Nov
10:00 (UK)
Sco v Sui (Men)
Tues, 19 Nov
12:00 (UK)
Sco v Ita (men)
Tues, 19 Nov
17:00 (UK)
Ltu v Sco (Women)
Wed 20 Nov
12:00
Sco v Ita (women)
Thurs, 21 Nov
12:00
Swe v Sco (men)
Scotland Schedule:
Saturday 16 November
Session 1 – women
Scotland – Sweden 5-8
Session 1 – men
Scotland – Netherlands 8-6
Session 2 – women
Scotland – Denmark 11-9 (EE)
Sunday 17 November
Session 2 – men
Scotland – Norway 6-5
Session 3 – women
Scotland – Switzerland 1-8
Session 3 – men
Scotland – England 8-1
Monday 18 November
Session 4 – women
Scotland – Turkiye 4-5
Session 4 – men
Scotland – Switzerland 7-6
Session 5 – women
Scotland – Hungary 9-3
Session 5 – men
Scotland – Austria 10-2
Tuesday 19 November
Session 6 – women – 07.00
Scotland – Estonia
Session 6 – men – 12.00
Scotland – Italy
Session 7 – women – 17.00
Scotland - Lithuania
Wednesday 20 November
Session 7 – men – 07.00
Scotland – Germany
Session 8 – women – 12.00
Scotland – Italy
Session 8 – men – 17.00
Scotland – Czechia
Thursday 21 November
Session 9 – women – 07.00
Scotland - Norway
Session 9 – men – 12.00
Scotland – Sweden
Semi Finals – women – 17.00
Friday 22 November
Semi Finals – men – 07.00
Bronze medal game – women – 12.00
Bronze medal game – men – 17.00
Saturday 23 November
Gold medal game – women – 08.00
Gold medal game – men – 13.00
Image: World Curling
