PORTO – The Turkish team Göztepe Spor, led by Tayfun Tasdemir, got off to the best start in the Coupe d'Europe for teams. The tournament kicked off in Porto this Wednesday in the same venue where the World Cup was played. The teams from Varde BK (defending champions) and FC Porto (organisers) are automatically qualified and don’t have to play preliminary matches. In the three days of spreliminary round, 21 teams in five groups compete for six places in the knockout phase with eight teams. The European Cup will end on Sunday at 4.30 p.m. (Turkish time) with the final.
The best match on the first day of play came from Jérémy Bury, who plays for one of the favorites: Soissons from France. The Frenchman showed up against Turkey's Mesut Ekinci and won 40-15 in 12 (3.333 average). Tayun Tasdemir and Nick Polychronopoulos shone with 40 in 15 (2.666).
Göztepe Spor Kulübü with Tasdemir, Kiraz, Berkay Karakurt and Yavuz leads the overall field with two wins, 14 match points and an average of 1.355. Club Billar Mostoles and Soissons have only played one match so far. The French team playing with Caudron, Bury, Soumagne and Devogelaere, have the best team average with 1.662.
The leaders in the five groups are Mostoles in Group A, Pottendorfer in Group B, Weywiesen in Group C, Göztepe in Group D and Soissons in Group E.
Today's matches, Thursday, include:
Team Eekhoorn-Billard Club Zürich (10.30 in the Netherlands and Belgium)
Herstalien-Randers (10.30)
Andernos-Sokol Zizkov (12.15)
Cues&Darts-Ringsted Billard Club (14:00)
Mister 100-Leça FC (15:45)
Soissons-Kladno (17:30)
Team Eekhoorn-Herstalien (19:45)
Göztepe Spor-BC Zürich (19:45).
Jéremy Bury, playing for Soissons, best starter in the field
The overall standings after 1 day:
1. Göztepe Spor Kulübü 4-14-1.355-12
2. Club Billar Mostoles 2-8-0.810-5
3. Soissons 2-6-1.662-11
4. Pottendorfer BSK 2-6-1.147-8
5. BC Weywiesen 2-6-0.881-8
6. Team Eekhoorn 2-6-1.316-8
7. Andernos 2-6-1.101-6
8. Cues&Darts 2-6-1.062-6
9. BC Neusiedl 2-6-0.859-11
10. Mister 100 2-6-0.608-6
11. Herstalien 2-6-0.807-10