Studio Ballroom
MGM Grand
3799 Las Vegas Boulevard South
Las Vegas
Nevada
USA
(702) 891-1111
www.mosconicup.com
www.matchroomsport.com
Thursday-Sunday 13-16 December 2007
Click the picture to download the full size photograph by Lawrence Lustig.
USA 8 – 11 Europe
TEAM EUROPE has won the 2007 PartyPoker.net Mosconi Cup following a dominating performance over the final three days of the competition that saw them win ten out of 14 matches.
Fittingly it was German veteran Ralf Souquet , who played in the first ever Mosconi Cup back in 1994, who potted the winning 9 ball to secure an 11-8 victory and send his team into a frenzy of celebration.
Making a record-equaling 11 appearances, Souquet sealed a glorious victory, as he came from behind against Rodney Morris to win 6-4 in what was the final game of the tournament.
"Read More..." for the details.
Shane Van Boening and then Earl Strickland had kept American hopes alive with wins over Konstantin Stepanov and Daryl Peach respectively. But another win from Tony Drago, this time over Johnny Archer, set Souquet up for his moment of history.
"I'm very, very proud of the team. Not one player can win the Mosconi Cup, only the team and the coach can win it, said Souquet.
"On the first day we did not act or play like a team and no one felt comfortable.
"We had a very long talk on the same day and we had things to change. We said we are a team and that we could win it,” he added.
Leading 9-6 overnight, the European captain Johan Ruijsink, thought long and hard about his critical running order for the Sunday singles. He opted to send his least experienced player out first as Konstantin Stepanov went up against America’s Shane Van Boening.
Both players looked nervous as they missed balls but it was Van Boening’s superior skills down the home stretch that carried him to a 6-4 win.
Tony Drago then stepped into the fray and cemented his Most Valuable Player credentials with yet another fine win, this time over Johnny Archer by 6-3.
There was a feeling that the pressure of the Mosconi Cup may have had an adverse effect on the Maltese potter, but once again he delivered the goods under the most testing of conditions.
Click the picture to download the full size photograph by Lawrence Lustig.
"Obviously, I was the weakest link in the tournament! To win this cup is an honour. Hopefully I will be in the team again next year and I can't wait to welcome our US friends to Europe next year, said Drago.
"We had the best coach in Johan, the World Champion in Daryl, the most dedicated player in Niels, a great future player in Konstantin, the scariest player that ever lived in me and the best player in the world in Ralf.
"It was so easy for us to come here motivated and we were playing the strongest team ever to play for the Mosconi Cup and it was in America.
World Champion Daryl Peach had a great opportunity to win the Mosconi Cup for Europe but ran into an in-form Earl Strickland in an ugly match marred by Strickland’s outbursts.
‘Scum of the earth’ was how Peach described his opponent following some disruptive behaviour during the heated contest.
Referee Michaela Tabb was forced to step between the two players after Peach snapped as Strickland branded him a ‘cheat’. The normally mild-mannered Englishman moved towards his opponent, asking him to step outside.
Peach claimed that Strickland was trying to put him off as he constantly moved and talked when he was at the table, and following a warning from Tabb, the American went off the rails.
Order was finally restored and Strickland eventually won the match 6-3 following some brilliant play in the closing stages.
That left Ralf Souquet the opportunity to win the Mosconi Cup for Europe for the third time in its 14 year history.
Shane Van Boening 6 – 4 Konstantin Stepanov
Johnny Archer 3 – 6 Tony Drago
Earl Strickland 6 – 3 Daryl Peach
Rodney Morris 4 – 6 Ralf Souquet
