The 24-year-old Bryan Balsiger and Twentytwo des Biches were called into the Swiss team after the individual competitions, and delivered an outstanding clear round to help Switzerland to the final. 

The Swedes continued their domination and flew around the tricky track set by Santiago Varela. Seeing their horses jump today, you would not guess that they already had done three demanding rounds over the last couple of days including a jump-off. No matter how it unfolds tomorrow and no matter who will take the medals, Sweden has definitely impressed!

Another rider that delivered a tremendous round was Pieter Devos, who pulled off a spectacular performance for Belgium with Claire Z after being called on to the team following the individual competitions. The pair finished on one time fault to help the Belgians to the final.

WHAT a round from Marlon Modolo Zanotelli and Edgar M, who delivered one of five clears to help Brazil to the final. Here over the Samurais and Katanas upright.

USA's Jessica Springsteen was again a bit unlucky, and had 13a down with Don Juan van de Donkhoeve but the Americans are nevertheless in for the team final.

Germany's Maurice Tebbel was also one of the riders coming in from reserve position, to really impress. Tebbel delivered a round on only two time penalties with Don Diarado, riding immaculate as usual. Here in the penultimate combination, the Hanafuda Playing Cards, that caused trouble for so many as it followed on six tight or five flowing strides from the previous fence.

The performance of the day goes to Brazil's legendary Rodrigo Pessoa, who had a rough first Olympic round in Tokyo. After Carlito's Way almost got to a full stand-still ahead of the Shinkansen Speed Train upright at fence no. three – he miraculously convinced the gelding to jump, and cleared it!

At the Shibuya Cross wall, a second try was needed to get over and in the end Pessoa managed to convince Carlito's Way to get all the way through the finish line.

Also Morocco's Abdelkebir Ouaddar needed a second try to convince Istanbull vh Ooievaarshof to jump the Shibuya Cross wall.

Eugenio Garza Perez's Armani SL Z also slammed on the break twice at this wall, which meant game over for Mexico.

"It was a perfect round," Henrik von Eckermann said after he cleared the track with King Edward – that has not touched a pole over his four rounds of competition.

Olympic Champions Ben Maher and Explosion W had the middle element of the triple combination down, but jumped a beautiful round – looking spot on before tomorrow's team final.

This might be exactly how the Mexicans feel about the new Olympic team format... With two riders doing great – one finishing on a time penalty and the other on five faults – they still had no chance for the final whatsoever since one of their three riders got eliminated. A team with three riders finishing the course, no matter on how many faults, would always be ranked higher than a team with only two riders getting through the finish line.

Fabian Sejanes' Emir jumped his heart out for Team Argentina...

... and made his rider really happy when ending with one down and three time faults, helping the team on to the final.

Close call... Inside or outside of the flag was the question? Argentina's Martin Dopazo with Quintino 9 was found to be inside the flag, and made it through to Saturday's final.

Mexico's Enrique Gonzalez made a small but efficient gesture of joy when ending the course with only one time penalty together with the lovely Chacna, one of many great Chacco-Blue offspring in Tokyo.

Jerome Guery and the handsome Quel Homme de Hus continued in good form for Belgium with only one time penalty.

Even though it looked like André Thieme's DSP Chakaria still is a bit intimidated by the arena and the fences, the German rider managed to give her the security to jump around with only one time fault to help his team finish second – tied with Belgium.

Marc Houtzager and Dante were the best on the Dutch team after ending on five penalties. The Dutch team struggled, but in the end they finished 9th and qualified for Saturday's final.

Edgar M decided that he and Marlon Modolo Zanotelli needed to do another jump when leaving the ring after clearing the course for Brazil.

Clooney 51 does not always look like the easiest to navigate around, but Martin Fuchs guided the gelding through on one time penalty and the Swiss are in for the final.

A walk in the park... There was no way to see that All In had three rounds in his legs already, the 15-year-old gelding jumped incredible with Peder Fredricson. Please give these two a gold medal!!

Mclain Ward and Contagious came fresh from the sideline and really impressed today, having only one fence down on the oxer at 12.

Ireland's Shane Sweetnam had a hard Olympic day. It started off well, but at the triple bar coming into the triple combination, Alejandro pulled a shoe and must have also stepped on himself as he afterwards got completely unsettled and way too careful. Unfortunately, it ended with a fall for horse and rider who luckily both could walk out of the arena by themselves. This also meant game over for Ireland, as under the new Olympic format there are only three riders and no drop score.

Israel was another team that suffered under the new Olympic format, which opened for more flags but less riders per team. We have from previous Olympic editions been used to four riders and a drop-score, whereas for Tokyo there were three riders who all counted towards the result. Here, Teddy Vlock's Amsterdam 27 that decided to jump over the flowers instead of the Himeji Castle at no. 2 and a few fences later the two had a nasty fall. Luckily they seemed ok when leaving the arena, and thankfully Vlock wore an airbag that probably saved him from injuries.

World no. one Daniel Deusser and Killer Queen delivered for Germany, with only a single time penalty.

Uncas S jumped incredible for the Chinese team with Zhenqiang Li in the saddle.

Speeding towards the final: Pieter Devos and Claire Z made a fantastic Olympic debut, but had to accept one time penalty even though they went as fast as this through the finish line.