Host Italians hold off Great Britain for Olympic mixed doubles curling bronze

Italy's Amos Mosaner and Stefania Constantini saw out a tense 5-3 win over Britain on Tuesday to add the bronze medal ​in the mixed doubles curling competition at the Milano-Cortina Winter Olympics to their gold medal from four years ago.

The United States and Sweden play for gold at 12:05 p.m. ET.

The Italians, who said after their 9-8 loss to the United ​States in the semifinals they had given their opponents too many chances, were miserly from the ⁠start in the bronze-medal clash.

The world champions ‍did well to ⁠limit Britain's scoring opportunities ​and steal points at every opportunity to build a 3-2 lead heading into the sixth end.

In that end, Britain set up three stones in scoring position, ⁠but under tremendous pressure, Constantini threaded her final shot through a narrow gap and onto the button to clinch a crucial ‍point.

"The loss in the ‍semifinal yesterday was a tough ⁠moment, but we relaxed yesterday night and had dinner and ​a drink with our family. And we came back stronger today on the ice," Mosaner said.

"We did a good job and a great performance to take the bronze. Four years ago, we won the gold medal. This year, it wasn't possible, but we know it's the Olympics, and all the ⁠teams are at a high level.

"We had a good week overall, up and down, some roller-coaster," Mosaner added. "But at the end we were where we wanted to fight for a medal."

Italy controlled the closing stages, restricting their opponents to one point in the penultimate end before scoring one more with their powerplay to secure victory, sparking massive ⁠celebrations from the partisan crowd at the Cortina Curling Olympic Stadium.

Constantini and Mosaner ​had beaten the British duo three times previously, once at ​the Beijing