TEAM Philippines survived another tense finish to remain unbeaten at the 2026 World Mixed Doubles Curling Qualification Event, rallying from a five-point deficit to defeat Spain 7–6 on Tuesday.
Pedro Malvar and Katie Dubberstein secured their second straight victory in Group D after mounting a composed comeback against a Spanish pair that controlled the early stages of the match.
Spain, holding the hammer, struck first and built momentum by scoring in each of the opening three ends to take a commanding 5–0 lead. The Filipinos, however, shifted the tone of the contest in the fourth end, producing a crucial three-point score to keep themselves within striking distance.
Malvar and Dubberstein then applied sustained pressure, stealing two points in the fifth end and another in the sixth to move ahead 6–5.
Spain attempted to regain control in the seventh end by deploying their power play, but the Philippine defense held firm and limited the damage to a single point, leaving the match tied heading into the final end.
With the pressure mounting, the Filipinos capitalized on their own power play in the eighth end, manufacturing the decisive point to seal the one-point victory.
The win lifted the Philippines to 2–0 in Group D, keeping them level with France, whom they face next. France also remained unbeaten after its opening two matches.
The World Mixed Doubles Qualification Event serves as a pathway to the 2026 World Mixed Doubles Curling Championship, with teams competing for limited qualification spots.
