FUESSEN, Germany -- The United States qualified for the mens curling tournament at the Sochi Olympics with an 8-5 playoff victory over the Czech Republic on Sunday. The Americans, skipped by John Shuster, seized the advantage in the eighth end by scoring five points for a 7-3 lead. The Czechs pulled two back in the ninth, but Shusters team of third Jeff Isaacson, second Jared Zezel and lead John Landsteiner ended with another point to secure the last Olympic berth on offer. The Americans, coached by Tim Muller with Craig Brown at alternate, had kept their qualification hopes alive with a 7-5 win over South Korea in Saturdays tiebreaker. "We always seem to pick it up and bring it up the next step and find a way to play better in a game," Landsteiner said. The U.S. won its final five games at the World Curling Federations qualification event in the Bavarian town of Fuessen, and the Shuster rink will now be nominated to the U.S. Olympic team pending approval by the United States Olympic Committee. "The butterflies of winning for an opportunity like this, they never get old. Thats why we play this game," said Shuster, who won Olympic bronze in 2006 in the lead position. "These guys work their tails off and theyre some of the best in the business. Im extremely proud of how well our team has played the entire season and especially here when we had our backs against the wall," the 31-year-old Shuster said. Jiri Snitils Czech rink was playing its second playoff in as many days after losing to Germany for the first Olympic berth on Saturday. China qualified for the womens tournament in Sochi next year by beating Japan 7-6 in the playoff between the first and second-ranked teams. Japan was to get another chance to secure qualification in its playoff against third-place Norway on Sunday evening. Lite Racer Schweiz . -- Marty Havlat scored three goals for the first time in nearly nine years, and the San Jose Sharks prevented Colorado from clinching the Central Division title with a 5-1 victory over the Avalanche on Friday night. Ultra Boost Schweiz .J. -- John Elway says Peyton Manning cannot stamp himself as the greatest quarterback in NFL history even if he wins the Super Bowl on Sunday. http://www.nmdschweizkaufen.ch/."; The game can be seen live on TSN starting with Monday Night Countdown at 6:30 p.m et/3:30 p.m. pt. The Patriots, who had a bye in Week 10, will look to continue the offensive success they had a week earlier when New England scored 55 points and racked up 610 yards of total offense in a 55-31 drubbing of the Pittsburgh Steelers. Adidas Nmd r2 Schweiz . Here are some of the best from Week One and some to watch in Week Two: TOP PERFORMERS Anthony Allen, RB, Saskatchewan (176 YDS, 2 TD, 30 touches vs. Hamilton) - Powerfully-built back burst onto the scene in his CFL debut, after a couple of years in the NFL, playing 21 games with the Baltimore Ravens. Adidas Ultra Boost Schweiz . PETERSBURG, Fla.DUBAI, United Arab Emirates -- Defending champion Stephen Gallacher had seven birdies and an eagle on the back nine Saturday to surge past Rory McIlroy and take a two-shot lead into the final round of the Dubai Desert Classic. Gallacher equaled the European Tour record for the lowest nine-hole score with an inward 28 for a 9-under 63. That gave him a 16-under total of 200, with McIlroy in second after 69. Tiger Woods was 11 shots back after a 70. "This is the best back nine Ive had in my career by far," said Gallacher, who started the day four shots behind McIlroy. "So to get myself back into contention when I needed to, and given the stature of this tournament, it feels good." Gallacher started with seven straight pars before a bogey on the eighth. But he birdied the next four holes before an eagle on the par-5 13th, where he hit a 7-iron to within three inches with his second shot. After another par on the next hole, he finished with four straight birdies. "I struggled at the start and played the first four holes a bit ropey," the Scot said. "But I then hit a beautiful drive and 7-iron (at the ninth) to about 3 foot, and from then on I never missed a shot." The Desert Classic is celebrating its 25th anniversary, and Gallacher now has a chance to become the first person to win back-to-back titles at the event.dddddddddddd McIlroy earned his first European Tour victory here in 2009 and is still very much in the hunt despite battling food poisoning during the second round on Friday. McIlroy, who had his lowest score in three years with a 63 in the opening round, mixed three birdies and an eagle with two bogeys on Saturday. "My stomach is better today, still not 100 per cent but its better than it was yesterday," McIlroy said. "I feel like I can catch him (Gallacher) up tomorrow. I dont really want to focus on what hes doing -- try to focus on my own thing." Woods, who won here in 2006 and 2008, failed to get back in contention after a disappointing day on the greens. The top-ranked American had two bogeys and four birdies but missed a number of opportunities to pull closer. "I only hit a couple of bad shots, (but) missed a ton of putts," said Woods, who was in a tie for 37th. "Really hit it good but just threw away a lot of shots." Thorbjoern Olesen of Denmark shot a 65 to sit tied for third with Brooks Koepka of the United States, another two shots behind Gallacher. Race to Dubai winner Henrik Stenson fell out of contention with a 75 that included two double bogeys and left him 12 shots back. ' ' '