2023 PDC World Cup of Darts Day Three – Belgian Brilliance & Dutch Disaster
2023 PDC World Cup of Darts Day Three
Bickering Belgians Topple Netherlands Duo
In what was undoubtedly the game of the tournament so far the Belgian team of Dimitri Van den Bergh and Kim Huybrechts took all 15 legs to book their place in the quarter-finals with an enthralling 8-7 victory over the duo from the Netherlands. The Netherlands team were missing Michael Van Gerwen who withdrew from the tournament became the first of the four seeded teams to be knocked out.
After a strained couple of days the Belgians appeared to have put aside their personal issues to focus on the task in hand. Noppert and van Duijvenbode did not lay down however and in the six leg produced 6 perfect darts but could not capitalise, allowing the Belgians back in and Dimitri pinned D4 to tie the match up 3-3. In contrast to recent interviews, the Belgians complimented each other after the match, exchanging praise for massive scoring visits and combination checkouts. Belgium will now take on Australia in the quarter-final in the only match without a seeded team.
A Comfortable Day for the Other Seeds
Tournament favourites Gerwyn Price and Jonny Clayton showed exactly why the bookmakers are frightened of them with an emphatic 8-2 victory over Denmark. It appears that the Welsh team have more in the tank as they comfortably eased to victory. Vladimir Andersen and Benjamin Drue Reus, representing Denmark, struggled to find the level that had brought them to this stage of the tournament and could not keep pace with The Iceman and The Ferret.
The English team of Michael Smith and Rob Cross also got off to a winning start in the 2023 PDC World Cup of Darts. The world ranked number 1 and 5 respectively played well albeit with little coming back at them. The English duo posted a solid 93.5% average finishing 50% of their doubles which, against the comparatively low numbers posted by the Latvians, resulted in the 4 time winners easing through to finals day. Smith saved the best until last with an 111 checkout to seal the final leg.
The afternoon session climaxed with Scotland’s pair of two-time world champions defeating the Philippines 8-5. Former winners Anderson and Wright did not have things all their own way however; Filipino duo Lourence Ilagan and Christian Perez broke immediately taking an early 2-0 lead. At 5-5 it looked like the match could go either way but Gary Anderson had other ideas. With his opponents on 56 looking to tie the game up 6-6, The Flying Scotsman pinned 141 to go within one leg of victory. The victory sets up a meeting tomorrow afternoon with France in which Wright and Anderson will be heavy favourites.
Hosts come through Tight Encounter
2023 World Cup of Darts hosts Germany had a tough draw against Poland in their round of 16 match. The home crowd were rapturous throughout and subsequently erupted further when their team secured a spot in the quarter-finals. Gabriel Clemens and Martin Schindler did well to hold their nerve in-front of the Frankfurt crowd
The polish team of Krzysztof Ratajski and Krzysztof Kciuk pushed the German and in a tense affair, the first 13 legs of the match were holds of throw. The one and only break of throw in the match came in the very final leg securing an 8-6 victory for the Germans. Clemens and Schindler book a meeting with number 1 seeds England tomorrow afternoon
Elsewhere in the round of 16
The Australian pair of Damon Heta and Simon Whitlock kept the dream of retaining the title alive. The defending champions came back from 4-3 down to see off the Croatian team of Boris Krčmar and Romeo Grabavac. The Australians won 4 legs on the spin after the break but then just as the Croatians seemed to be clawing their way back into the match Heta took out 77 with a smooth two-dart combination for a 14 dart hold of throw and an 8-6 victory.
History was made in the first game of the day where the French team of Jacques Labre and Thibault Tricole booked their place in the quarter finals. This was the first time a team from France has made it to this stage of the World Cup of Darts. The non-inclusion of the French team last year drew some attention from the media and so far, Labra and Tricole are justifying their place in this year’s tournament.
Another team achieving their best ever run in the World Cup of Darts were Dennis Nilsson and Oskar Lukasiakthe representing Sweden. The Swedes overcame a highly fancied and seemingly confident Canadian team 8-5.
Saturday June 17th
Afternoon Session
France 8-4 South Africa
Sweden 8-5 Canada
Australia 8-6 Croatia
Scotland 8-5 Philippines
Evening Session
Wales 8-2 Denmark
England 8-4 Latvia
Netherlands 7-8 Belgium
Poland 6-8 Germany
Sunday June 18th Quarter-Finals Fixtures
Scotland v France
Wales v Sweden
Belgium v Australia
England v Germany
