Chua, Aranas survive two-time champs to earn shot at World Cup of Pool title

MANILA, Philippines – Johann Chua and James Aranas pulled off another squeaker and edged two-time champion Albin Ouschan and Mario He of Austria to reach the final of the World Cup of Pool in Spain on Sunday, July 2.

Fresh from a 9-8 quarterfinal escape against Chinese Taipei a day prior, the Filipino pair hacked out a 9-8 win anew to deny Ouschan and He, the 2017 and 2019 winners, another crack at the title.

Hope seemed lost for the Philippines when it blew an 8-4 lead as the Austrians won four consecutive racks to draw level and earned the break in the deciding rack.

A golden break by He cut their deficit to 7-8 before a miscue by Chua on the six ball in the 16th rack allowed Austria to tie the race-to-nine duel at 8-8.

He, though, came up with a scratch on his break in the final rack as Chua and Aranas proceeded with a run out to secure their place in the $60,000 championship match.

The Filipino duo will face the winner between China’s Wu Jiaqing and Wang Can and Germany’s Joshua Filler and Moritz Neuhausen in the final.

Another win by Chua and Aranas will give the Philippines a record fourth World Cup of Pool crown and break its tie with China. – Rappler.com