Team Europe delivered a dominant performance on Day Three of the 2024 BetOnline Mosconi Cup, extending their lead and leaving Team USA with a daunting challenge going into the final day at the Caribe Royale Resort in Orlando, Florida.
Now in its 31st edition, the Mosconi Cup continues to deliver thrilling moments as Team Europe and Team USA battle for transatlantic supremacy. This marquee event is the grand finale of the 2024 World Nineball Tour, with fans tuning in globally via Sky Sports in the UK, DAZN in the US and Brazil, and Viaplay in Scandinavia, the Netherlands, Poland, and Iceland.
Overall Score after Day Three: Team USA 5-9 Team Europe
- Match One: Team USA 5-3 Team Europe
- Match Two: Shane Van Boening & Skyler Woodward 1-5 Mickey Krause & Francisco Sanchez Ruiz
- Match Three: Billy Thorpe 3-5 David Alcaide
- Match Four: Fedor Gorst & Tyler Styer 3-5 Jayson Shaw & Eklent Kaçi
Day Three began with an intense team match, and Team USA fought hard to claim their first victory of the day. Jayson Shaw opened for Europe with a fortuitous fluke on the 9-ball, but Team USA responded quickly. Skyler Woodward capitalised on a rare error by Francisco Sanchez Ruiz, levelling the score. Fedor Gorst and Tyler Styer seized the momentum, taking advantage of mistakes from Eklent Kaçi and Ruiz to secure the win and close the overall gap to 5-7.
In the first doubles match of the day, Europe’s Mickey Krause and Francisco Sanchez Ruiz showcased exceptional teamwork against Shane Van Boening and Skyler Woodward. The European duo maintained control throughout, with highlights including a stunning hook by Krause and a textbook break-and-run. Despite brief resistance from the Americans, a costly scratch by Woodward in the fifth frame allowed Europe to clinch the match decisively, pushing their lead to 8-5.
©Taka Wu/Matchroom Multi Sport
Billy Thorpe started strong in his singles match, claiming the opening rack, but Europe’s David Alcaide responded with clinical precision, winning three consecutive racks to establish a commanding lead. Thorpe clawed his way back, levelling at 3-3 with a brilliant 3-9 combination shot. However, a scratch in the seventh frame proved costly, as Alcaide capitalised with a flawless two-rack run to secure victory and further extend Europe’s advantage to 9-5.
The day’s final doubles match saw Jayson Shaw and Eklent Kaçi face Fedor Gorst and Tyler Styer, with the Americans taking the opening frame after Shaw’s miss on the 5-ball. The Europeans levelled in the second, but a failed 8-9 carom from Shaw in the third let the Americans regain the lead, which they extended with a break-and-run in the fourth.
Shaw and Kaçi mounted a stunning three-rack comeback, capitalising on Gorst’s scratch in the sixth and delivering a golden break in the seventh to reach the hill. A tense safety battle in the final rack saw Gorst escape a hook but leave a shot for the Europeans, who cleared the table to claim their third win of the day and extend Europe’s lead.
With Europe leading 9-5, the pressure is on Team USA to stage a dramatic comeback on the final day. Team Europe, on the other hand, will aim to keep their momentum and close out the tournament in style. Tune in tomorrow to witness the finale of nine-ball pool’s most prestigious event.