After a draw with the Spanish team in their opening match in Group A, Vietnam's team needed to secure a win against Argentina in their second match to have a shot at claiming one of the two spots in the quarterfinals.
In football, Vietnam would undoubtedly face formidable odds against the Argentine national team. However, in Carom 3-Cushion Billiards, the situation is entirely different. The Vietnamese team boasts the reigning world champion, Bao Phuong Vinh, and the current World Cup champion, Tran Quyet Chien, both of whom rank in the top 10 globally. This places them far ahead of Argentina's leading players. While Argentina's top player, Guillermo, is ranked 280th globally, and Oliveto is positioned outside the top 400.
In the showdown between the two number one players, world’s No.2 Tran Quyet Chien showcased his superiority against Guillermo, who trails him by 278 spots. After taking a 6-0 lead in the third inning, Tran Quyet Chien went on to score a series of 9 points in the tenth inning and 6 points in the eleventh inning, widening the gap to 25-8 and ultimately securing victory with a score of 40-18.
In the match for the second position, Bao Phuong Vinh also successfully defeated Oliveto with a notable score of 40-17. This outcome enabled the Vietnamese team to overcome Argentina, earning an additional 4 points.
In the remaining match within the group, Turkey drew with Spain, intensifying the situation in Group A. Presently, both Vietnam and Turkey have one win and one draw, leading the group with 6 points each. Following closely is Spain, with two draws and 4 points, while Argentina remains at the bottom with two losses and no points.
In the final match this afternoon, the Vietnamese team will face Turkey to determine the team that will advance to the quarterfinals. If the match ends in a draw, there is a high possibility of a scenario where all three teams - Turkey, Vietnam, and Spain - will have two draws and one win each. In the upcoming match, Spain holds a higher level than Argentina, making the probability of winning 90 percent.
According to regulations, if three teams have the same number of points, the organizers will consider the average secondary index of innings. The team with the better index will be ranked higher. Currently, Vietnam's index is slightly better than that of Spain and Turkey. Therefore, as long as the Vietnamese team does not lose in today's match, its chances of advancing to the quarterfinals will be higher than the other two teams in the group.
