Team Norway eliminates Team Croatia

Mar 29, 2012

Schjetne wins the decider over Putnik
In the men’s team competition, team Norway exited team Croatia out of the Dynamic European Championships.
The lineup was: Roger Rasmussen v Karlo Dalmatin in 10- ball; Kristoffer Mindreboe v Bozo Primic in 8-ball and Mats Schjetne v Ivica Putnik in 9-ball. Dalmatin was not on his best game. He was said to have suffered from some illness lately. That is probably why he could not find into his game at all. He got smashed by Roger Rasmussen with 8:4. Bozo Primic evened out the team score by winning over Mindreboe with the same score. So the deciding match happened between Schjetne and Putnik. And that was a dramatic encounter. Both players did not perform very well and seemed to be very nervous. In the 15th rack, the score was 7:7. Both of the contestants have had their chance to get on top of the other one but failed in doing so. Putnik broke the balls and had a tough rack. He played a safety but left an open shot for Schjetne. The Norwegian made the 1-ball but snookered himself on the 2-ball. He played a safety and Putnik committed a foul. Schjetne came to the 9-ball… and missed an easy shot. What a drama for team Norway! Putnik was on the hill, 8:7. Then Schjetne won the next rack due to several mistakes from Putnik. In the final rack, Putnik broke, and had some balls pocketed. He tried to play a safety but committed a foul. Schjetne opened up the problem that was on the table but happened to hook himself behind a ball. He hit the ball and gave Putnik an open table. The Croatian went there and ran out of position after the first shot. He committed a foul and Schjetne won the match 9:8. The match was not of the highest standard and team Norway needed the point to stay alive in the team competition whereas team Croatia can leave the European Championships.
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