Team Europe increased their advantage on an exhilarating second day of the 2024 BetOnline Mosconi Cup, taking place from 30 November to 3 December 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 Two: Team USA 4-6 Team Europe
Match One: Team USA 5-2 Team Europe
Match Two: Fedor Gorst 2-5 Jayson Shaw
Match Three: Billy Thorpe & Tyler Styer 5-4 Jayson Shaw & Mickey Krause
Match Four: Shane Van Boening 1-5 Francisco Sanchez Ruiz
Match Five: Skyler Woodward & Fedor Gorst 4-5 David Alcaide & Eklent Kaçi
The day opened with the second team match of the tournament, setting the stage for another dramatic encounter. Jayson Shaw, carrying momentum from Day One, gave Europe an early lead, while David Alcaide capitalised on Fedor Gorst’s error to extend it to 2-0. Skyler Woodward countered for Team USA in the third rack, followed by Tyler Styer, who levelled the score after a rare miss from Eklent Kaçi.
Billy Thorpe broke the deadlock with a decisive finish in the fifth rack, and Shane Van Boening delivered a remarkable jump shot to put Team USA on the hill. Gorst redeemed himself in the final rack with a composed clearance, securing Team USA’s first team match win of the event and tying the overall score at 3-3.
In the headline singles match, Jayson Shaw faced rival Fedor Gorst. Shaw capitalised on Gorst’s early mistakes, building a commanding lead with highlights including a stunning 2-9 carom in the fourth rack. Despite Gorst narrowing the gap, Shaw’s break-and-run in the seventh rack sealed the win, restoring Europe’s overall lead.
The first doubles clash of the day saw Billy Thorpe and Tyler Styer take on Jayson Shaw and Mickey Krause. The two sides traded racks early before Europe edged ahead. However, a missed shot on the 8-ball by Shaw allowed Team USA to level. Thorpe’s golden break in the seventh rack gave the Americans the upper hand, but Europe forced a decider with a break-and-run. Under mounting pressure, Krause’s missed safety gave Team USA the final rack and victory, once again evening the tournament score.
Francisco Sanchez Ruiz delivered a commanding performance in the fourth match, overpowering Shane Van Boening. Ruiz raced to a 2-0 lead, and despite Van Boening claiming one rack, the Spaniard’s flawless shot-making in his three consecutive racks closed the match in emphatic style, regaining Europe’s lead.
The day’s finale featured an intense doubles battle between Skyler Woodward and Fedor Gorst against Eklent Kaçi and David Alcaide. Both teams traded frames throughout, pushing the match to a hill-hill decider. In a critical moment, Gorst’s scratch on the break opened the door for Kaçi and Alcaide, who capitalised on the opportunity to claim the final rack and extend Europe’s lead to two points.
With Europe now ahead by two points, the tension is building as both teams prepare for another action-packed day. Team USA will need to find momentum to stay in contention, while Team Europe will aim to maintain their dominance. Stay tuned for all the drama as the 2024 BetOnline Mosconi Cup continues tomorrow.
In final match US failed to run out four open balls after Europe missed. Match should never gotten to Gorst scratch on the break