Django, Robocop lose semis to eventual World Cup winners USA

Django, Robocop lose semis to eventual World Cup winners USA

By LOUI GALICIA, ABS-CBN Europe News Bureau 10/13/2008 7:21 AM

Francisco “Django” Bustamante and Dennis “Robocop” Orcollo's hopes to reclaim the World Cup of Pool title was quashed when they lost to the American team, 6-9, in the semifinals held in Rotterdam, Netherlands Sunday.

The Philippines opened the rack with an unlucky break but USA missed, giving the first point to them.

However, as in all their previous matches, the Pinoys suffered from a streak of unlucky breaks, giving the Americans Rodney Morris and Shane Van Boening the second rack 1-1.

The third rack was a clean table for Bustamante and Orcollo with the Americans having their share of an unlucky break.

But, the crucial moment came during the fourth rack when Orcollo missed the ninth ball, gifting the rack to Morris and Van Boening at 2-2.

The next rack was also problematic for Orcollo when he made a foul and the Americans grabbed the important point.

In five minutes, the outstanding play of the Americans gave them two consecutive racks at 5-2.

The Philippines seemed to be struggling to rebound, taking the 8th rack at 3-5 but asking for a time-out before the 9th rack.

Orcollo again fouled in the 9th rack, stretching the American lead to half at 6-3.

But the Pinoys, desperate to stay in the match, managed to pull lucky points that narrowed the Americans' lead to 5-7.

Bustamante scratched in the 13th game, giving the crucial 8th point to USA in the race to nine.

The Pinoys continued to hang on to the game, winning the 14th rack at 6-8.

But all prayers were unanswered as the Pinoys suffered from a fatal unlucky break with the Americans wiping the table clean for the final score of 9-6.

The Americans would eventually win the World Cup of Pool after beating England's Daryl Peach and Mark Gray 11-7 in a thrilling final.

Lucky/Unlucky breaks

The Pinoy pool giants admitted that they lost to themselves.

"Wala nga eh, kaso ganoon talaga. Hindi naman talaga magaganda ‘yong tira nila. Kaya lang gumanda ‘yong tira nila dahil marami kaming tinirang mali," Bustamante said.

Of the two, it was Orcollo who blamed himself for the blunders that cost them a shot at the title.

"Sumablay ako sa ninth ball. Wala eh, sa umpisa palang sumablay na eh," Orcollo said.

But their compatriots did not blame anyone and still expressed their support and pride to the two Pinoys who have reached the semi-finals."

Well you know ‘yong billiard talaga eh luck lang sa placement. Minalas lang tayo talaga," Ambassador Romeo Arguelles said.

The breaks didn't go the Filipinos way and in the end the Americans capitalized on that one mistake (Orcollo's)," Finnish player Mika Immonen said.

"That was one costly mistake. It doesn't have to be always costly but this time the Americans won a few racks in a row and they gained the lead and they held on to that lead until the very end. Sayang," Immonen, who has been in the Philippines about twenty times already, said.

Even the Americans conceded that they were just lucky that they gained from the Pinoy's blunders.

"Philippines is always the favorite every time they play. Philippines is the best country for pool so it's always very tough. We are very lucky. They had a scratch at a break and some unlucky shots," Morris said."

SOURCE: WWW.ABS-CBNNEWS.COM

http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/sports/10/12/08/django-robocop-lose-semis-eventual-world-cup-winners-usa