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Team USA overcame a slow start to escape day one of the 2004 Mosconi Cup with a 2-1 lead.
Team Europe drew first blood with a 5-4 win in the first match as Niels Feijen and Steve Davis broke and the ran the final rack to defeat the team of Tony Robles and Charlie Williams.
Team USA came back and tied it in the second match when Johnny Archer and Gabe Owen took advantage of some nervous mistakes by the team of Oliver Ortmann and Thomas Engert. Europe led the match 1-0, but Team USA came back with three games and took the lead 3-1. A missed bank on the 8-ball by Ortmann in the 8th rack was the end of the match for Europe as Team USA took the match 5-3.
The final match of the day saw the US Team of Earl Strickland and Rodney Morris lose the first game but come back with five straight games to earn a 5-1 win over the team of Marcus Chamat and Mika Immonen. The match was really determined by a couple uncharacteristic misses from Chamat and dominating play from the US pair.
Play continues on Friday afternoon with three more doubles matches and then three singles matches in the evening.
For up-to-the-minute results, check out the official site at www.mosconicup.com
