As the weekend approaches, the Mosconi Cup has afternoon sessions on days three and four. The matches are also cut shorter so it becomes a race to five not six. Day three's afternoon session kicked off with doubles action as Boyes & Immonen took on Hatch & Archer. With the Americans having a second overnight lead at 4-3, Archer won the lag so the Americans would break first. Hatch made a good starting break with two balls down but Archer looked hampered on the two ball. However he was able to fluke it, showing the first signs of good luck, but Hatch missed the following three allowing Europe to clear up and take the lead. It was 2-0 straight after when Immonen's break led to a cut and run and it went to 3-0 after Archer made a ball from the break but Hatch missed a difficult one ball, leaving the clear up for the Europeans. Boyes scratched off the break in rack four allowing the Americans to put a rack on the board but Hatch returned the favour to allow Europe to take a 4-1 lead. With the victory in sight, Immonen powered three balls in the break to leave Europe an easy cut and run to win the game 5-1 and again level overall.
Archer and Immonen stayed out as the second match was also a doubles match. Deuel accompanied Archer this time with Souquet partnering Immonen. This time the Europeans won the lag but Immonen couldn't take advantage from his break. Deuel played a majestic 2-8 carom double pot before it all got defensive. That was until Archer made another fluke with a 3-4 combination to allow America to take the first rack. Deuel then made an illegal break but left the cue ball agonisingly in the jaws so the Europeans could do nothing so America doubled their lead. Souquet made two balls from the break in the third rack but had to elect for a push out. Deuel missed a safety attempt to allow Europe to pull a rack back. Archer restored a two rack lead with a quick cut and run but Deuel again missed a safety attempt in the fifth to allow the score to become 3-2. Deuel made a ball in the sixth before electing a push out that was given back, Archer's guardian angel was shining again, as he fluked a 2-7 combination before leaving a snooker that Immonen fouled from, making it 4-2. Souquet made a ball off the break in the seventh but it was not enough as the American pairing took the rack to win 5-2 and regain the overall lead 5-4.
The final game of the afternoon saw Rodney Morris take on the debutant Karl Boyes. Boyes won the lag but scratched from the break to allow Morris to take the early lead. Morris' opening break saw two balls potted but another stroke of luck as the cue ball balanced in the jaws of the pocket. Boyes got the last laugh, however, as Morris failed to make a decent safety attempt to give Boyes the chance to level the score. Boyes took the momentum with a cut and run in the third to take the lead, before Morris retaliated with a cut and run of his own which included a bank shot on the two, making the score 2-2. Boyes again mastered the break with another cut and run to re-take the lead. Morris looked to respond again but became too casual and surprisingly missed the nine to give Boyes a present to make it to the hill. Boyes then finished The Rocket off with yet another cut and run to win the game 5-2. Making the overall 5-5 as we go into the evening session later tonight.
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