EUROPE ONE AWAY FROM GLORY Europe 10– 5 USA
TEAM EUROPE is now one match away from retaining the PartyPoker.net Mosconi Cup after a one-sided blitz on the American team in front of a standing room only crowd at the MGM Grand, Las Vegas. After getting the better of things yesterday, the Americans entered the day with high hopes but were battered from start to finish with only Shane Van Boening contributing some red to the score board. Needing a great start to the day, the USA lost an exciting opener as Appleton and Feijen got the better of Dechaine and Putnam by 6-3. That restored the Europeans three point lead that they held at the start of day one, but the final rack of the match was one of the best safety battles in Mosconi history as all four players took turns to leave the cue ball tucked up. It was Feijen who broke the deadlock as he made a table length bank on the blue 2 and from there the Europeans ran out to take the match. “Yesterday we lost the first doubles match 6-5 but Niels and Nick had played well. You need a bit of luck at the right time and we had a couple of rolls there,” said Appleton. “But we played well at the end and had a lot of fire inside us - Niels is a fantastic player to play with,” he added. There was more misery for Putnam in the next as he was easily beaten by a firedup Darren Appleton as Europe moved into an 8-4 lead. The tone was set in the opening rack as Putnam looked to be heading for a run out but missed a howler of a 9 ball to hand the rack to Europe. The big man never really recovered from that and further errors sealed his fate. The third match featured Johnny Archer and Rodney Morris against Niels Feijen and Ralf Souquet and for the American side it was desperate stuff. 8-4 soon became 9-4 as the lacklustre American pair failed to make any sort of dent in the confident Europeans’ armour.
BY: LUKE RICHES
“When we had a training camp we played with each other and figured out what teams were working out and Johan then picked the pairings,” said Souquet. “It’s not over until the fat lady sings and we want to win the next two and finish it off. We have quite a comfortable lead but it’s still a long road.” Feijen added “When everyone is scoring points in front of you it takes the pressure off. We’ve clicked really well and have a great team spirit and a great team.” It was Shane Van Boening who finally stopped the rot and ensured a final day of play as he endured a torrid match against Nick Van den Berg that went all the way to a decider. Van Boening had led 5-2 at one stage but the plucky Dutchman fought back to level it at 5-5 and breaking in the final rack he found himself favourite. A dry break got the American back to the table and he played a superb slow roll on the 1 ball to set up a difficult run out which Van Boening completed to keep his side in the competition. Finally it was left to Chris Melling to turn the screw and put his side on the hill as he beat Mike Dechaine 6-2 in a clash of the rookies. Melling looked as confident as ever and his win leaves him in the running for MVP honours. “It was unbelievable. There’s a lot of pressure and people back home don’t realise how much pressure you’re under as you have the whole continent and your friends to play for.”
Appleton / Feijen 6-3 Putnam / Dechaine Darren Appleton 6-2 Shawn Putnam Feijen / Souquet 6-2 Archer / Morris Nick Van den Berg 5-6 Shane Van Boening Chris Melling 6-2 Mike Dechaine
FEIJEN BRINGS IT HOME FOR EUROPE Europe 11– 7 USA
EUROPE has successfully defended the PartyPoker.net Mosconi Cup following a convincing 11-7 victory over the USA at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. It was Holland’s Niels Feijen, in his seventh Mosconi Cup, who downed the winning 9 ball which sparked mayhem as his team mates flooded the arena. It also delivered Feijen the Most Valuable Player award, achieved for two singles and two doubles wins: “It got a bit shaky but they went in,” he said of his 6-3 victory over Rodney Morris to seal the Mosconi Cup. “I just want to thank the crowd, the British and Europeans and you need them to make it. There were some immense moments and thanks to the coach for doing a super job. He gave us speeches every morning and kept us sharp.” The Americans, who had trailed 10-5 at the start of the day, won the opening two games to leave the Europeans looking a little edgy. “Even this morning, there was pressure on us and we knew they would come out strongly. There was some heat to get over the finish line but these guys are just so good,” continued Feijen. “Being the Most Valuable Player is something I’ve been dreaming about this for seven years, every year I’ve played in it.” Johnny Archer, playing in his 15th Mosconi Cup was stoical in defeat; “We lost a couple of matches we should’ve won and they blitzed us in a few matches. We all gave it our best and will do it again next time. Hats off to their team, they hung in there when things didn’t look good.” The opening match of the day saw Shane Van Boening put in an excellent performance to keep US hopes alive as he comfortably beat Nick Van den Berg 6-2. The South Dakota Kid kept his team in the competition on Saturday night when he beat the same opponent in a close match but this time he pulled away from 2-2 to take the victory.
18 Stroke Magazine - January 2012
Still fighting, a dogged display from veteran Johnny Archer kept USA fires alight as he put paid to Darren Appleton’s hopes of a repeat MVP trophy. It was left to Niels Feijen to bring home the bacon for Team Europe as he faced off against Rodney Morris. The Hawaiian had not been at his best this week but had showed flashes of his best form at times. A poor safety from Morris gave Feijen an opportunity in the opener but he scratched, drawing the ball down table and into the centre pocket and Morris, with ball in hand, ran out. Feijen took the next with a tidy run out and went into a 2-1 lead when Morris scratched on the break and handed him an open table. Another excellent run out, this time from Morris, levelled the scores at 2-2, before Feijen took the lead, thumping a tricky 9 ball into to the top corner pocket. He increased that lead as he was given ball in hand after a Morris foul and Europe were two racks away from glory. That became one rack as Feijen took the next before a dry break from the Dutchman gave Morris a chance in what was a high quality match, and the Hawaiian ran through the table to reduce arrears to 5-3. Morris broke in the next and with the table open, he missed a horrible pot on the 2 ball. Feijen though, with nerves creeping in, missed it himself. Finally a shocking safety from Morris on the 5 ball was to prove to be the Americans last contribution to the event as Feijen ran out for a glorious victory.
Nick Van den Berg 2-6 Shane Van Boening Darren Appleton 3-6 Johnny Archer Niels Feijen 6-3 Rodney Morris