Billiards

World Cup champion Trần Quyết Chiến of Việt Nam in action at the 36th World Championship National Teams Three-Cushion on March 22 in Viersen, Germany. —Photo kozoom.com

HÀ NỘI — Việt Nam earned a draw in the first day of the 36th World Championship National Teams Three-Cushion on March 22, Hà Nội time, in Viersen, Germany.

Việt Nam, represented by world No 2 Trần Quyết Chiến and No 8 Bao Phương Vinh, tied 1-1 against Spain in the first match of Group A.

Spain have been one of the world's strong teams. However, in this year's tournament, their best athletes Daniel Sanchez, David Zapata, Javier Palazon and David Martinez do not play, reducing the team's strength.

Chiến, the reigning Bogota World Cup champion, met no difficulty to beat No 26 Ruben Legazpi in the second match.

He went to lead 20-12 before Legazpi fought back to go ahead at 27-25.

However, Chiến made a highlight of the day with a near-to-finish shot. The Vietnamese went to a finish of 14 points against Legazpi before miraculously missing the last carom in a tight corner, leading 39-27.

Legazpi had one last chance, made 10 and missed at 39-37. At that score, Chiến was able to finish in 23 innings at 40-37, pushing Việt Nam to a 1-0 lead.

World champion Bao Phương Vinh of Việt Nam earned a poor result in the first match at the 36th World Championship National Teams Three-Cushion on March 22 in Viersen, Germany. — VNS Photo

With that, he levelled the score for his country, as teammate-world champion Vinh lost to the excellent playing of Sergio Jimenez at the other table 40-33 in 24 innings.

In another match, defending champions Turkey beat Argentina 2-0.

Tomorrow in this group of death, Turkey will play Spain first, followed by Việt Nam vs Argentina.

The world championship features 16 teams in four groups of four. They compete in round robin format with two leading ones advancing to the quarter-finals. The final is planned on March 24.

Việt Nam are one of three Asian squads qualified for the world competition, which sees the fifth participation of the Southeast Asian team.

In its first participation at the event in 2018, the Việt Nam squad included Nguyễn Quốc Nguyện and Chiến who took a place in the quarter-finals, the best result of the team to date. — VNS