Orcollo and Corteza crush Singapore, reach World Cup of Pool quarters
The Philippine team produced a masterful display of precision Pool on Friday to dominate Singapore 7-3 and advance to the elite eight in the 888.com World Cup of Pool in London, England.
Spurred by a handful of expatriate Filipino fans in York Hall in Bethnal Green, Lee vann Corteza and Dennis Orcollo now face Hungary in the next round on Saturday.
17-year old Aloysius Yapp and veteran Chang Keng Kwang were no match for the Pinoys, who defeated Croatia in the first round.
The Philippines started strong, winning the lag and breaking and running out for 1-0.
Yapp muffed a six ball in the next rack and the Philippines cleaned up for 2-0.
Singapore got on the board by running out well after Corteza scratched while kicking at the one to make it 2-1.
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The Philippines were fortunate in the next rack when Orcollo knocked in both the two ball and three ball off a kick shot. Corteza converted a tough 4-5 combination enroute to 3-1.
Orcollo made a superb masse shot on the two in the next rack to set up an easy cut for his partner on the three. But Corteza stunned the crowd by butchering the shot, allowing Singapore to pull to 3-2.
The Philippines took the next rack and then accomplished a superb break-and-run out in rack seven off a magnificent reverse cut by Corteza on the one ball for 5-2.
When Yapp bludgeoned a simple 4-6 combination in rack eight, the Philippines ran out for the hill at 6-2.
Singapore pulled a rack back but in the tenth rack the Philippines cleared the table for the win. The rack was highlighted by a superb bank shot on the six ball by Corteza who left perfect shape on the seven for his partner.
When the final nine ball disappeared, the Pinoys fist-bumped in celebration.
With Miko Balazs and Gabor Solymosi of Hungary up next, the Philippines seems to be a hot favorite to reach the Semis, where England A or Chinese Taipei could await. The Magyars defeated Russia 7-4 in a mild upset in the round-of-16.
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The host nation in the World Cup of Pool has the privilege of fielding two teams, and the two home sides have been in form. The England B team of Chris Melling and Daryl Peach demolished Germany's Ralf Souquet and Dominic Jentsch 7-0 while England A, namely Darren Appleton and Karl Boyes, laid an identical 7-0 shellacking on Indonesia, 7-0 in the first round.
Also reaching the quarters are defending champs Finland, represented once again by Mika Immonen and Petri Makkonen. The Scandinavians survived a nerve-wracking final -rack decider to defeat Korea's Ryu Seung Woo and Ham Won Sik. Finland next plays England B.
Chinese Taipei, bannered by Ko Pin Yi and Chang Jung Lin, made quick work of Greece via a 7-1 score to reach the quarters, where they await the winner of Italy versus England A.
Orcollo and Corteza are making amends after last year's debacle, when they were beaten 7-6 by Switzerland in the first round at Robinson's Place Malate in Manila.
Corteza is Orcollo's fourth different partner after teaming up with Francisco Bustamante, Ronnie Alcano and Roberto Gomez. Orcollo came closest to winning in 2011 when he reached the final with Gomez, only to lose to China's Li He Wen and Fu Jian Bo.
The Corteza/Orcollo tandem is aiming to match the achievement of Bustamante and Efren Reyes, who won the inaugural running of this event in 2006 then captured the title in 2009 when it was held in SM North EDSA.
Live streaming of this event is available at http://www.pool.livesport.tv/home. For more info, visit http://www.matchroompool.com/world-cup-pool
Follow Bob on Twitter @bhobg333. Special thanks to Bel and Lorenz Laureola!
