Langbahn Team – Weltmeisterschaft

2021 Mosconi Cup

2021 Mosconi Cup
Dates7–10 December 2021
VenueAlexandra Palace
LocationLondon, England
CaptainsAlex Lely (EU)
Jeremy Jones (US)
MVPJayson Shaw
Flag of Europe  11  – 6  Flag of the United States
Europe retains the Mosconi Cup
2020
2022

The 2021 Mosconi Cup (officially the 2021 Cazoo Mosconi Cup)[1] was the 28th edition of an annual nine-ball pool tournament between teams representing Europe and the United States. It took place between 7 and 10 December 2021 at the Alexandra Palace in London, marking the second consecutive year that the tournament had been staged in England, and the first time since 2002 that the event did not alternate annually between the US and Europe. Sponsored by British online car retailer Cazoo, it was broadcast live on Sky Sports in the UK and on networks worldwide.[2]

Team Europe were the defending champions, having won the previous year's tournament by a scoreline of 11–3. Alex Lely and Karl Boyes again served as Team Europe's non-playing captain and vice-captain, while Jeremy Jones again captained Team USA, with Shane Van Boening promoted to playing vice-captain.[3] Earl Strickland, selected to play on Team USA for the first time since 2013,[4] was forced to withdraw after he came into close contact with a case of COVID-19 on his flight to the UK.[5] Jones, who had intended to act as non-playing captain, came out of retirement to take Strickland's place on the players' roster.[6]

The teams were level at 2–2 after the first session. Team USA won three of the first four matches in the second session to lead 5–3, and looked likely to extend their lead when Jones and Chris Reinhold won four of the first five racks against Europe's Eklent Kaçi and David Alcaide. However, the Europeans fought back to win the match with four consecutive racks, leaving Team USA with a 5–4 overnight lead.[7] Team Europe surged ahead in the third session, winning all five matches. In the final match of the session, with Jones and Alcaide locked in an intense safety battle in the deciding rack, Jones asked referee Marcel Eckardt to clean the cue ball with 12 seconds remaining on his shot clock, mistakenly believing that the clock would be stopped while the ball was cleaned. With no extensions remaining, Jones incurred a time foul, giving Alcaide ball in hand to run out the rack for a session whitewash.[8] Leading 9–5 going into the final day, Team Europe won two of the last three matches to retain the Mosconi Cup by a scoreline of 11–6, giving Europe the overall series lead at 14–13, with one tie.[9] Jayson Shaw was Most Valuable Player, making him only the third player in Mosconi Cup history to be MVP for two consecutive years.

Teams

   Team Europe[10]
Name Nationality Notes
David Alcaide  Spain
Joshua Filler  Germany
Jayson Shaw  Scotland Most Valuable Player
Albin Ouschan  Austria
Eklent Kaçi  Albania
Alex Lely  Netherlands Non-playing Captain
Karl Boyes  England Non-playing Vice-captain
   Team USA[10]
Name State of birth Notes
Earl Strickland  North Carolina Withdrew
Skyler Woodward  Kentucky
Chris Reinhold[a]  California
Tyler Styer  Wisconsin
Jeremy Jones  Texas Playing Captain
Shane Van Boening  South Dakota Playing Vice-captain

Results

Tuesday, 7 December

Results[11]
Teams
Team Europe
2–5 Teams
Team USA
Doubles

Ouschan & Kaçi

4–5 Doubles

Styer & Reinhold

Singles

Joshua Filler

5–2 Singles

Shane Van Boening

Doubles

Alcaide & Shaw

5–0 Doubles

Woodward & Jones

2 Session 2
2 Overall 2

Wednesday, 8 December

Results[12]
Singles

Jayson Shaw

5–3 Singles

Shane Van Boening

Singles

Albin Ouschan

3–5 Singles

Skyler Woodward

Doubles

Ouschan & Shaw

4–5 Doubles

Van Boening & Woodward

Singles

Joshua Filler

3–5 Singles

Tyler Styer

Doubles

Alcaide & Kaçi

5–4 Doubles

Reinhold & Jones

2 Session 3
4 Overall 5

Thursday, 9 December

Results[8]
Singles

Jayson Shaw

5–2 Singles

Chris Reinhold

Doubles

Shaw & Filler

5–2 Doubles

Styer & Woodward

Singles

Eklent Kaçi

5–3 Singles

Shane Van Boening

Doubles

Ouschan & Alcaide

5–1 Doubles

Styer & Van Boening

Singles

David Alcaide

5–4 Singles

Jeremy Jones

5 Session 0
9 Overall 5

Friday, 10 December

Results[13]
Doubles

Shaw & Filler

5-4 Doubles

Woodward & Van Boening

Singles

Jayson Shaw

2–5 Singles

Skyler Woodward

Singles

Joshua Filler

5–4 Singles

Shane Van Boening

2 Session 1
11 Overall 6

Notes

  1. ^ Reinhold competed for Team USA in 2020 under the name Chris Robinson. He adopted his stepfather's last name in the interim.

References

  1. ^ "Cazoo title sponsor 2021 Cazoo Mosconi Cup". Matchroom Pool. 3 December 2021. Retrieved 9 December 2021.
  2. ^ "TEAM EUROPE AND USA READY FOR 2021 CAZOO MOSCONI CUP". Matchroom Pool. 6 December 2021. Retrieved 8 December 2021.
  3. ^ "Mosconi Cup: The annual nine-ball pool tournament returns to Alexandra Palace in December". Sky Sports. Retrieved 8 December 2021.
  4. ^ "Mosconi Cup: Jayson Shaw claims Earl Strickland selection wrong for Team USA but still expects fireworks". Sky Sports. Retrieved 8 December 2021.
  5. ^ "Mosconi Cup: Earl Strickland out of annual 9-ball pool event due to possible exposure to COVID-19". Sky Sports. Retrieved 8 December 2021.
  6. ^ "Early shock at the Mosconi Cup as Earl Strickland withdraws due to 'possible covid exposure'". PlanetSport. Retrieved 8 December 2021.
  7. ^ "Mosconi Cup: Team USA leading Europe heading into day three of 9-ball tournament in London". Sky Sports. Retrieved 9 December 2021.
  8. ^ a b "Team Europe Runs Rampant and Closes In On Victory Over Team USA". AzBilliards. 9 December 2021. Retrieved 10 December 2021.
  9. ^ "Mosconi Cup: Team Europe defeat USA to retain trophy at Alexandra Palace". Sky Sports. Retrieved 10 December 2021.
  10. ^ a b "Mosconi Cup". Matchroom Pool. Retrieved 8 December 2021.
  11. ^ "FINELY POISED AFTER DAY 1 OF 2021 CAZOO MOSCONI CUP". Matchroom Pool. 7 December 2021. Retrieved 8 December 2021.
  12. ^ "USA Take Slender Lead At 2021 Cazoo Mosconi Cup". AzBilliards. 9 December 2021. Retrieved 9 December 2021.
  13. ^ "Europe Win 2021 Cazoo Mosconi Cup". AzBilliards. 10 December 2021. Retrieved 11 December 2021.