Team Europe's chances of winning the Mosconi Cup vanish as Jayson Shaw breaks through!

Team Europe's chances of winning the Mosconi Cup vanish as Jayson Shaw breaks through!

Jayson Shaw booked his place in the last 16 of the Hanoi Open Pool Championship – live exclusively in Asia on Vietcontent – to boost his hopes of Mosconi Cup automatic qualification.

The Scottish shooter defeated the Philippines’ World Cup of Pool champion Johann Chua 10-6 to reach the last 16, and is the highest-standing current European in contention for the Mosconi Cup.

Eagle Eye will can confirm his place with either a semi-finals or finals appearance, with Albin Ouschan, Max Lechner and Sanjin Pehlivanovic all still in contention – though dependent on results.

Mario He, Aleksa Pecelj and Moritz Neuhausen all suffered huge blows in their hopes of qualifying with defeats on Friday. He, who has been putting his name in contention over the past few seasons, looked distraught after defeat to Italy’s Francesco Candela.

Connecticut Open winner Moritz Neuhausen, enjoying his best career calendar year to date after reaching the World Cup of Pool final with Joshua Filler for Germany, was beaten by another Mosconi Cup hopeful in America’s Shane Wolford.

The draw was tough to Pecelj, matching him with best friend Pehlivanovic. In a tense affair, it was the Bosnian who prevailed, seemingly dashing the Mosconi dreams of his touring partner.

All three will be hoping they’d caught the eye of Team Europe captain Ralph Eckert, who has been in attendance of all three of the last Matchroom majors, in hopes of securing a Wildcard Captain’s pick.

The Philippines entered the last 64 with 17 players flying the flag for the Pinoys, but only three were able to survive to the last 16.

Young sensation Kyle Amoroto – who achieved a career-highlight win over Shane Van Boening on Thursday, Lee Van Corteza and Peri Open finalist Michael Feliciano will all be hoping of taking the title back home across the South China Sea.

Friday’s action was wrapped up with a blockbuster between two former world champions, with Van Boening taking on Albin Ouschan. The American held a 7-2 lead and looked in control of the race to 10, before Ouschan was able to mount a comeback with eight of the next nine racks.

SVB was at the table and looking to run out to make it hill-hill, but scratching on the seven ball allowed the Austrian to advance to the final stages.