SOCHI, Russia—The Russian men's curling team lost in its Olympic debut against Britain on Monday, and expectations for its first foray in the Winter Games here are running low. A report published by a Russian state-run news agency noted that while the women's national curling team is "beautiful" and "famous," the men's team is "a completely different thing."

The Russian men have little history with the sport, having qualified for the Olympics only because they are the host country. And as the...