Feijen and Van den Berg Delight Home Crowd

Feijen and Van den Berg Delight Home Crowd
Holland A began their campaign in the final billiards match of the opening day in front of a large crowd at the Outland Nightclub in Rotterdam. The Dutch pairing of Niels Feijen and Nick van den Berg were among the favorites to win the whole tournament and made a good start by winning the lag in this first to eight match.
But they needed a bit of luck to claim the opening two racks as they were presented two good opportunities after an Indonesian player had missed a relatively easy looking shot. They ran out the third to quickly move 3-0 ahead.
However, Indonesia had a good opportunity in the fourth when a two-rail kick-shot on the 4-ball left it close to the pocket. Indonesia did not take full advantage but were soon back at the table when Feijen missed with an attempt to roll the 6-ball up the right-hand rail.
This time they accepted the chance to gain their first rack of the tournament. They soon gained their second courtesy of a 4-9 combination for 3-2. Indonesia looked on course to tie the game at 3-3 but then wrecklessly lost position. Yang left Zulfikri with a difficult 9-ball, who missed his tight cut attempt and the score was 4-2.
Feijen made another costly error in the seventh when he overcut a shot along the rail and the score moved to 4-3, in a match that looked like going all the way. A fortunate bank shot on the yellow 1 helped the Asian duo claim the next, their fourth in five racks to make the score 4-4 after trailing 3-0.
Just when Indonesia where taking control, Zulfikri produced a dry break, the first in six matches of the tournament and it would be a question of whoever holds their nerve would advance.
Niels Feijen made a superb kick-shot to sink the 1-ball and, with no position on the 2-ball, van den Berg produced an entertaining jump shot but Feijen missed a long red three to give the advantage once more to the Indonesians. A 4-6 combination, which seemed to take an eternity to drop as the away side moved into the lead for the first time.
It did not last long as a missed bank opportunity on the red three by Yang saw the momentum swing again and Feijen downed the 9-ball for 5-5.
The crowd at the Outland nightclub were being treated to a thrilling encounter and Holland moved ahead when they took advantage of a foul from Zulfikri who completely missed an attempt to hit the three.
Feijen, who was been cheered on by a number of members of his family, and van den Berg then moved to the hill and one away from victory. A spectacular kick shot on the 7-ball from van den Berg set up the final win and he then pocketed the last 9-ball to make the score 8-5.