Skip to content

Mosconi Cup: Team Europe claim third straight trophy as Joshua Filler sees off USA in Las Vegas

Joshua Filler sinks the winning balls as Team Europe claim the Mosconi Cup for a third straight year; Europe had a two-point buffer over the USA heading into final day and visitors hold their nerve in Las Vegas

Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player

Europe make no mistake on the final day of the Mosconi Cup as they take home the trophy once again

Team Europe won the 2022 Mosconi Cup beating the USA 11-7 in Las Vegas as  MVP Joshua Filler sunk the winning balls in the third match of the day to secure the cup for a third straight year.

Going into the final day of play, Europe had a two-point buffer on the USA at 8-6 but that lead was soon cut to one as the World Cup of Pool winning duo of Francisco Sanchez Ruiz and David Alcaide struggled for mojo as the USA's duo of vice-captain Skyler Woodward and world champion Shane Van Boening rallied to an important 5-3 win.

Alcaide had struggled with the table conditions and cue ball control in the opener but something seemed to click in his singles action with Woodward in red-hot form and gunning for an MVP crown. Woodward made light work of the early racks to lead 3-1. The turning point came in the next rack with Woodward missing a costly five and Alcaide finding a groove to run through to victory 5-3 and put Europe two away from the title.

Image: Team Europe celebrate after clinching their third straight Mosconi Cup

The Mosconi Cup rivalry for the ages lived up to all expectations as Jayson Shaw clashed with Shane Van Boening to potentially put Europe on the hill, something he has done previously.

Shaw and Van Boening looked nervy for large parts in the rowdy atmosphere in Sin City. Van Boening scratched in the third rack but managed to get back to the table from a Shaw error to be ahead at 2-1.

It was the case of whoever settled first would come good and that did prove to be Shaw who did so to lead 4-2 after Van Boening slipped on the six. It was mission complete for Shaw who ran out a 5-3 winner. One away for Team Europe.

As it was in 2017 and 2021, it was left up to German superstar Filler to bring it home and sink the winning balls this time against Tyler Styer for a memorable win in Las Vegas, the first time Team Europe has achieved such a feat since 2017.

Also See:

Styer looked out of it for large parts but could've made it hill hill. It looked as if Styer would have a routine run out only to run aground on the eight to leave it in ample range for Filler to step up and seal the Cuetec MVP title and the 2022 Mosconi Cup crown.

Filler said: "I am so overwhelmed right now but let's go, we did it again! I was so nervous but then I was something in between, relaxed and nervous. It's amazing to be MVP. It's incredible. I started always pretty good but this year, yesterday I wasn't 100 per cent there. Being MVP is great, to win with this team and togetherness is a dream."

Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player

Skyler Woodward raises the roof in Las Vegas as he calls a time extension, takes a sip of water and then downs the 9-ball at the 2022 Mosconi Cup

Captain Alex Lely said: "It was some show. I want to thank the American fans. It was amazing. There was a lot of heat. From now to the future, the home-court advantage is massive. Two years from now will be bigger, crazier, and more intense than ever. I have a lot of appreciation for how the Americans handled themselves. They put them under a lot of heat.

"The team is special. It's a team of champions. Finding a way to get it together with all the egos in sync is quite a challenge but we've been working together for a few years. Jayson Shaw as the vice-captain was brilliant."

Around Sky