Unseeded Austria march into the quarter-finals

TEAM AUSTRIA, featuring pool superstar Jasmin Ouschan and the solid Martin Kempter, completed a fantastic win over Belgium by 8-6 to advance to the quarter-final stages of the 2008 PartyPoker.net World Cup of Pool.

There was full credit to their opponents Belgium, comprising Serge Das and Noel Bruynooghe, who battled throughout and only fell behind at the closing stages.

It was a match that had everything; safety, shotmaking, drama and real competitiveness.

Both teams seemed determined from the outset but it was Kempter who missed a long 2 ball and Belgium took full advantage to close out the opening rack for the early lead.

A dry break from Bruynooghe was also illegal as three balls failed to pass the headstring. The table was congested but Ouschan and Kempter cleared the nine balls to level the score.

A miss from Ouschan on the orange 5 down the rail, let the Belgians back to the table and they ran out to go to 2-1.

Das and Bruynooghe looked composed in running the next one out from the break but Bruynooghe made an illegal break shot in the fifth to give the table back to Austria who ran out to get back to 2-3.

Austria then took the next from the break to level things at 3-3 before Kempter delivered a superb break that saw four balls drop before the white was kicked into the top left pocket. With ball in hand, Belgium cleared the remaining five balls to retake the lead at 4-3.

The Belgium team spent an eternity contemplating the table following their break shot and they were so caught up in the layout, they neglected to request an extension and timed out, giving ball in hand to Austria.

Belgium got back to the table but Bruynooghe’s jump shot saw both cue and object ball fly off the table for ball in hand to Austria. They cleared for 4-4 but a powerful break from Ouschan failed to drop a ball.

Following some safety, Kempter missed a cross table bank on the 1 ball and left it on for his opponents. Belgium, looking rock solid, ran the table to once again regain the lead at 5-4.

Austria got back to the table in the next as Das’s safety attempt failed to come off. They played some confident looking shots to run out and tie things up once at 5-5.

Fearful of a dry break, Kempter slaughtered home his break shot and saw a ball drop and the cue ball skid all over the table.

A superb screw shot on the pink 4 to get to the 5, got the applause it deserved from the crowd, but the run ended when the six ball was missed on the bottom rail. The Belgians gratefully seized the opportunity and ran out to move to 6-5.

With the 1 ball down and a shot on the blue 2, it was a good break from Das. A bad safety though from Bruynooghe left the 2 ball on and Kempter took it.

A great snooker from Kempter forced Das to foul and then Ouschan force