Britain's last chance of a fencing medal came and went at the ExCeL - but how they gave it their best efforts against top seeds Italy.
The Italians, Olympic champions six times, survived to the semi-finals by a 45-40 margin.
Richard Kruse, James Davis and Husayn Rosowsky had beaten Egypt 45-33 to reach the quarter-finals and after Laurence Halsted replaced Rosowsky were level 35-35. Kruse went into the last bout against Andrea Baldini trailing 38-40, but Italy's losing semi-finalist in the individual event saw them through.