Alex Lely has picked a strong European team ahead of the 2021 Mosconi Cup with Eklent Kaci, Albin Ouschan, David Alcaide, Jayson Shaw and Joshua Filler all in the side to face the USA at Alexandra Palace from December 7-10, live on Sky Sports
Wednesday 3 November 2021 16:02, UK
Eklent Kaci joins Albin Ouschan, David Alcaide, Jayson Shaw and Joshua Filler in being selected by Alex Lely to represent Team Europe at the 2021 Mosconi Cup.
The Albanian will make his fourth Mosconi Cup appearance on the back of winning the World 10-Ball Championship in September and reaching the semi-finals of the World Pool Masters earlier in the year, as well as being a part of Europe's 11-3 winning Mosconi side last December.
Captain Lely said: "He's become a Mosconi Cup veteran with his fourth consecutive year. He will bring that experience and the hunger to do better, yet like the first two years he was okay.
"Last year he was okay, he was solid and looked strong at times. He has it in him to go beyond that and he will look to go beyond that this year."
"He came third in a couple of Pool Series events, and he missed out on some tournaments due to travel issues, but the crown was a victory in the World 10-Ball Championship, and he's won in Europe recently.
"He's sharp and as pure a ball-striker as there is in the game and that's what oozes out of him in the Mosconi Cup arena. He will be looking to be the man of the hour. He has it in him. We expect him to bring his best on and away from the table as a member of the team."
Kaci is joined by Filler 'The Killer', who will represent the blue and yellow of Europe for the fourth time on the back of a year that has seen the German claim another Pool Series title in the World Cup of Pool back in May.
"I hope to see his A game where he doesn't put a foot wrong," said Lely. "I expect his B and C game to be one-level up from where that has been in the past. He will be more difficult to play. Not one USA player will be happy to see him in the side."
Jeremy Jones' USA side is taking shape with vice-captain Shane Van Boening joined by Skyler Woodward so far with the rest of the team to be announced over the course of the next weeks.
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