World no. 21 Ulaanbaatar MMC Energy showed why they are six levels higher than Pasig Chooks in the global rankings, taking a 16-22 (9:37) win to advance to the knockout playoffs of the 2019 Chooks-to-Go Manila Challenger, Saturday.
With the win, the Mongolian club swept Pool D, beating Kranj earlier in the day 19-17. Ulaanbaatar awaits the second placers of Pool B in the next round.
On the other hand, Pasig will have to beat Kranj later in the day at 6:10 pm to join Ulaanbaatar in the next round.
Playing two games earlier in the day, the tired legs of Pasig showed, especially late in the game.
Down by just three, 11-14, with 2:59 left, the top-ranked Philippine club could not keep pace with the Mongolians as Delgernyam Davaasambuu took over. By the end of Davaasambuu’s flurry, Ulaanbaatar was already up 20-16 with under a minute left.
Dulguun Enkhbat sealed their ticket to the next round with a corner deuce with 24.7 ticks left.
Davaasambuu had 10 points to lead Ulaanbaatar while Enkhbat added five markers.
Serbian Nikola Pavlovic, who tried to power Pasig to an upset, had seven points. Top Philippine player Joshua Munzon added six markers.
In other games, Antwerp fell to 1-1 after suffering a heartbreaking 20-21 loss to France’s Lyon in the penultimate game of Pool B. Melbourne, on the other hand, knocked off Belgrade to advance to the next round with a 22-11 win in Pool C.
The Scores:
Ulaanbaatar 22 – Davaasambuu 10, Enkhbat 5, Enkhtaivan 4, Ariunbold 3.
Pasig 16 – Pavlovic 7, Munzon 6, Ababou 2, Rike 1.
