After the heroics of Steve Davis last night, things looked even brighter for the Europeans as the pairing of Steve Knight and Sweden's Marcus Chamat took the first match against the strong US duo of Johnny Archer and Shannon Daulton.

The European duo who had both failed to win a match in the event up till then, were massive underdogs but the run of the table was with them and they ran out 5 - 1 winners.

That put the match score at 5 points apiece, but from then on in it was pure misery for the Europeans. The German team of Souquet and Engert really should have nabbed the point against Deuel and Coltrain; they lead 3 - 1 and had a big chance to go three racks ahead.

A show of nerves from Engert gave the rack away and the Yanks were back in it. When Corey Deuel ran out the final rack, the match had lasted for one hour twenty minutes, easily the longest of the tournament so far.

In the final game of the afternoon, Strickland and Jeremy Jones put the boot into Euro hopes with a easy 5 - 1 victory over Davis and Immonen.

With three singles matches tonight, the European team realistically must win two of them to stand a chance of taking the 2000 Mosconi Cup.

FULL RESULTS
Steve Knight / Marcus Chamat  5 - 1  Johnny Archer / Shannon Daulton
Ralf Souquet / Thomas Engert  4 - 5  Corey Deuel / Michael Coltrain
Steve Davis / Mika Immonen    1 - 5  Earl Strickland / Jeremy Jones

Evening Session

The American grip on the 2000 Acclaim Mosconi Cup tightened this evening at the York Hall, Bethnal Green as they took two of the three singles matches to increase their lead to three points. With the first team to reach twelve points taking the magnificent trophy, Team America need just three of tomorrow's eight singles matches to cross the line.

The evening started bleakly for the Europeans as the German player Thomas Engert went down to Corey Deuel 5 - 3 after another nervy display. That put the US three points up and increased the pressure on the Europeans.

Steve 'the Rider' Knight was next out against Shannon Daulton and looked good as he raced into a 4 - 0  lead. The Cannon from Kentucky made a match of it but Knight kept himself together to take the match.

In the final pairing of the evening, Earl Strickland ran through a distraught Ralf Souquet 5 - 1 to leave the Europeans looking for a miracle tomorrow afternoon.

Commented Steve Davis, who viewed the proceedings from a tension-charged players room;  "We've got it all to do now which seems to be normal for a Mosconi Cup Sunday. Throughout the tournament, they've seemed to have the edge on us and it is fair to say that there are matches that we lost that we should have won."
"There's no point getting depressed about it now though; we've just got to get out there tomorrow and give it everything we've got. It's not impossible and I know from personal experience that it's not over until that final 9-Ball is sunk."


FULL RESULTS
Thomas Engert   3 - 5   Corey Deuel
Steve Knight   5 - 1   Shannon Daulton
Ralf Souquet   1 - 5   Earl Strickland

Each match is a race to 5, alternate break and the first side to reach 12 points wins the Cup.

For further details call Luke Riches on 07785 395 688
Follow all the action on www.matchroomsport.com