Philippines Billiard Team Earn Finals Birth

Philippines Billiard Team Earn Finals BirthThe Filipino billiards dream team of Efren Reyes and Francisco Bustamante made their way through to the final of the PartyPoker.com World Cup of Pool as they overcame fourth seeds Germany in a hard-fought encounter at the Newport Centre. Backed by a large support, the dynamic duo took their chances in the latter stages but the turning point of the match was the tenth rack. Who do you think will win? Discuss World Cup of Pool here. View the World Cup of Pool Tournament BracketsWith the Philippines leading 5-4, Reyes got out of a snooker and managed to fluke the 9-ball in down the rail to open up a two-rack lead from which the Germans never really recovered.
Following the flag waving introductions, the Philippines won the lag and Reyes clipped home a cross table bank shot to take the 1 ball and followed that up with a perfect cut on the 3 ball down table. From there they took the rack to establish the early lead. In the next there were two balls off the break for Engert but with no available pot on the 1-ball, Ortmann tucked the white behind the 8-ball. The deadlock was broken by a flashy long pot on the yellow 1 by Bustamante and that set up the run out to take the Filipino lead to 2-0. Engert gave the Philippines ball in hand in the third as his three rail escape from a snooker failed to come off and Reyes and Bustamante cleared to the 8 ball. However, Bustamante missed a simple black to give the Germans a chance and Ortmann played a superb bank shot into the middle pocket to leave Engert perfect on the 9 ball. A great break from Ortmann in the fourth set up a run out for Team Germany to level the score up at 2-2 but Philippines restored their lead from the break in the next. Engert let the Philippines back in the sixth game as his escape from a snooker made contact with the 1 ball but left it on for Reyes. The run broke down though when Reyes scratched making an excellent attempt to bank the 5 ball and the Germans grabbed the opportunity to level things at 3-3. The Philippines restored their lead with a comfortable run out in the next and increased it in the eighth game as Reyes crashed home the 1 ball and caromed the 9 into the corner pocket. Against the German break, it was a valuable rack to win. Germany got the opportunity they were looking for in the next as Reyes missed an easy pot on the 1 ball and they took the rack to reduce the deficit to 4-5. A safety battle ensued in the next following the German break before Reyes escaped from the snooker and managed his fluke on the 9. They took the next with their break to take the score to 7-4 and put the Germans under huge pressure, but they responded well to take the 12th with break to keep their dream alive. Another missed 1 ball from Reyes allowed Engert and Ortmann to clear the table and get to 7-6 and, stepping up a gear they took the next to level it at 7-7. The excitement in the arena was palpable as the match became a race to two. A superb clearance just when they needed it took the Philippines to the hill at 8-7 before a mistake by Bustamante in the next left his team snookered on the 2 ball as the yellow 1 inadvertently dropped. But Reyes escaped and left a tough shot for Ortmann whose attempt to bank the 2 ball left it hanging in the pocket and that was to be the Germans’ last contribution to the match. Philippines had one scare when the 8 ball took its time to drop but they worked their way around the table to seal victory and a spot in the final.

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