PRAGUE - Two of the best teams in the classic games, Vitkov Prague and Etikon meet each other in the semi-finals of the European Cup, tomorrow, Sunday at 12.30 in Prague. The other semi-final is between two French teams: Ronchin and Chartres. The Germans of Bochum and the French Andernos are out after the group stage. The team of Ronchin with Brahim Djoubri, Jean Francois Florent and Bernard Villiers won its two matches in Group A: 4-2 against Vitkov Prague and Andernos. The team finished with the maximum match points as group winner.
Vitkov Prague advanced as second to the semis as second after a 4-2 win against Andernos.
The best matches in this group came from Marek Faus in 71/2 against Francis Connesson (200-36 in three innings, run 147) and Eddy Leppens in 47/2 against Nicolas Gerassimopoulos 250-74 in four (run 138).
Djoubri, Faus and Villiers remained unbeaten.
In Group B, there was suspense until the last matches. Etikon started the preliminaries with a loss against Bochum (4-2), but the Germans then lost 6-0 to Chartres. The last match between Chartres and Etikon was decisive which teams would reach the semis.
Etikon played for its last chance, needed a win and did it convincingly: 6-0. Jean Paul de Bruijn showed his quality in one cushion against Jacky Justice with a final run of 98 (120-44 in six). Henri Tilleman finished in three innings against Willy Gérimont (250-62). The match between Patrick Niessen and Xavier Gretillat decided over the win in the last innings. The Belgian missed in the final phase in a position short to the long cushion, but Gretillat then also missed a simple point over one cushion. Niessen could finish the match: 200-168 in five.
Henri Tilleman, with two matches in three innings, was one of the stars of the day and remained unbeaten in this group.
The Ronchin team with Bernard Villiers, Brahim Djoubri and Jean Francois Florent won its group with the maximum match points
Etikon with Patrick Niessen, Henri Tilleman and Jean Paul de Bruijn meets the title holder Vitkov Prague on the final day