Image source, Getty Images

American Ted Ligety, who won gold in the men's giant slalom: "This is the event I have been putting so much pressure on myself to win, so to pull through is an awesome feeling. I feel really lucky I had such a good first run because I didn't have to take all the risks in the second."

Nice takeout from Canada to remove two British stones from the house. Great Britain's hopes of reaching the final looking remote now. They've not played badly, but they are paying for those slips early on which saw them go three down after two ends.

Trendsmap Canada, external: #lovecurling is now trending in Canada

Steve Cram
BBC Sport curling commentator

"You have to steal one now to take it into the extra end, or you can steal two and win it there. Great Britain are up against it. This is a Canadian team who have been playing brilliantly all tournament."

Great Britain face an uphill battle to secure victory here after they are forced into taking just the single shot in end nine. That reduces the deficit to one, but crucially Canada will have the hammer in the 10th and final end.

Big end for Switzerland. The tape measure is required to work out which stone is closest. The referee rules in favour of Switzerland and they score two to take the lead against reigning champions Sweden with two to play.

Curling can be baffling to the uninitiated so here's a guide to what is going in just 350 words. Fast fact: The sweepers' heart rates can hit 180 beats per minute.

And as the curling excitement hits fever pitch, listen to legendary BBC natural history presenter Sir David Attenborough lending his famous tones to a curling commentary.

He describes the objective of curling: "The aim of this ritual is to land your walnut in the centre of the nest."

Anna Thompson
BBC Sport in Sochi

"It may seem like a cliche but you can feel the tension in the air at the Ice Cube. Both semi-finals being played out in front of me and both are tight affairs. We're getting down to the business end of the match and the fans are absorbed in the games... polite ripples of applause now and again and the odd blow of a horn and a cowbell being rung. Soon we'll know who'll be going for glory in the gold medal match but will it be Great Britain?"

Rob Hodgetts
BBC Sport in Sochi

"The US Ski Team, external have confirmed on Twitter that Bode Miller has competed in his last race in Sochi 2014. The American experienced some knee swelling in his first giant slalom run and is wary of further aggravating the joint that was rebuilt last season."

USA's Ted Ligety storms to his second Olympic gold - eight years after his first - with victory in the men's giant slalom.

The 29-year-old world champion, who won the combined in 2006, was quickest after the first run and holds on to beat France's Steve Missillier, 29, by 0.48 seconds. Another Frenchman Alex Pinturault, 22, was third, 0.64 secs back.

Image source, Getty Images

Marit Bjoergen and Ingvild Flugstad win gold for Norway in the cross-country team sprint. Finland take the silver with Sweden the bronze.

Nathan Gornall, external: Amazing how Olympic fever transforms mundane sports, I haven't been this tense since Peter Wilson's gold in the shooting.

Peter Davey, external: Getting wayyyy too excited by the curling. Too tense to watch!

Steve Cram
BBC Sport curling commentator

"Once again, a blanked end and we carry on into the ninth with the hammer and two behind. The Canadian team are calm and collected. Great Britain are still in this... they need a two in this end. It can be done - they have to believe that."

The eighth end is blanked after Eve Muirhead removes the Canadian stone and ensures her shooter slides out of the house, too, which means Great Britain retain the hammer for the ninth and penultimate end but still trail Canada by two.

Don't forget you can follow this match on BBC Two, via the video stream at the top of this page and on mobiles, tablets and the BBC Sport app.

Well played Canada. Skip Jennifer Jones gets very animated as she shouts her stone down the sheet. It's a beauty, taking out both British stones. Hopes of a two look all but lost now. The momentum has swung back to Canada with two stones to play in the eighth end.

Image source, PA

A smidgen of hope for Great Britain as Canada misjudge a takeout, only making minimal contact to leave the GB stone in the house. There's a very good chance of a two here for Britain, which would level things up nicely with two ends to play. Still four stones left to play, though - and Canada have the chance of a double takeout.

Ben Braddock, external: Love how tactical curling is. You always have to think a couple of stones ahead.

MH, external: Time to hold your nerve and minimise mistakes. Come on Team GB

Steve Cram
BBC Sport curling commentator

"The end is blanked. Claire's second shot didn't stay in the house which meant they couldn't build how they wanted to. The men were 5-3 down in the eighth and the Norway skip was all smile, but it all changed. Canada will be looking to shut Great Britain out and not give them a chance. We are into the business end of the match now."

The seventh end is blanked which means Canada retain their two-shot lead with three ends to play against Great Britain. Eve Muirhead and her team are running out of time to get back into this game.