Belgium and Germany win, Chinese Taipei surprise at World Cup of Darts

Sweden also went through with Jeffrey de Graaf; they beat Gibraltar 4-1.

The Netherlands also streamed into the second round. The biggest surprise came from Chinese Taipei after they beat former finalists Ireland. 

Sweden 4-1 Gibraltar

In Group K, Jeffrey de Graaf and Oskar Lukasiak played against Craig Galliano and Justin Hewitt of Gibraltar. Both countries won a match and so a spot in the next round was at stake. Hewitt was the man who opened well for Gibraltar. He left 40 for Galliano and that went out: 1-0. In the second leg, Gibraltar was nowhere to be seen and Sweden could calmly move to 1-1.

De Graaf was allowed to throw it on double 16 and did so. Sweden were lagging in the third leg as Gibraltar had four chances to make it 2-1. But that did not go out and so Sweden had two chances at the break, but Lukasiak missed double 16. Hewitt had to throw out 8, but missed three times. De Graaf threw double 8 and posted the break: 2-1.

Sweden finished the job

Lukasiak threw the first 180 in the fourth leg, leaving 47 for De Graaf. That didn't go out, but Lukasiak got three more chances. He did throw it out and so the break was cashed in: 3-1. Lukasiak got the first match darts and finished them off right away. Double 10 made it 4-1, taking Sweden to the next round.

Czech Republic 4-0 Iceland

Adam Gawlas and Karel Sedláček took on Pétur Rúðrik Guðmundsson and Arngrímur Ólafsson of Iceland in Group H. The Czech Republic took the lead and immediately grabbed the break. Gawlas threw out double 2 after Iceland had missed two chances at double 16 and 8. Gawlas then also threw the first 180.

Sedlacek missed three chances on tops. Iceland then also threw 180, but Gawlas was not prevented from throwing out tops: 2-0. The youngest Czech was clearly the best on the oche, as he threw another 180 in the third leg. Gawlas also finished the leg with double 8 to make it 3-0.

That was the second break and that break was also cashed in, giving the Czech Republic the match win. Gawlas missed three match darts, but Iceland could not take advantage from 20. Sedlacek threw out double 2 and so the Czech Republic reached the next round for the first time in history.

France 4-3 Denmark

Thibault Tricole and Jacques Labre took on Danes Benjamin Reus and Claus Bendix Nielsen in Group J.

France threw 180 in the first leg right on the first turn, but Denmark was allowed to throw out first. Nielsen had 115 left, but that was too much. Labre was allowed to throw for the break, but did not get 20 out. Reus came back for 72, but that too did not go out. Tricole did throw 5 out and so the break was posted: 1-0.

Reus threw 180 in the second leg and so Denmark took the initiative in the Frenchman's leg. Nielsen took advantage by throwing double 12 and posted the break back: 1-1.

France wins by late break

Denmark made it 2-1 via 80 and thus still had a chance to go through. Then they had to break, but that did not happen. Indeed, Tricole threw the bullseye on 82 to put France up 2-2. France had a chance to break via tops, but Labre missed. Reus took advantage by throwing double 3: 3-2 for Denmark. But also in the sixth leg it went with the darts. France threw out 62 and then also won the match. Labre threw out tops and so France won 4-3.

Croatia 4-2 Canada

Boris Krcmar and Romeo Grbavac battled for the group win against David Cameron and Matt Campbell in Group I. Canada had chances to break right away, but Campbell missed three arrows on tops. Krcmar took advantage and threw out 52 to make it 1-0 for Croatia.

In the second leg the reverse happened and Croatia missed two chances. Campbell hit tops this time: 1-1. Croatia had no problems in the third leg and reached 2-1 via double 4.

Grbavac hit the target and put the pressure back on Canada. Cameron could not handle that pressure as he missed three darts on double 12. The captain Krcmar still had to throw out 74 for the break, but that was no problem at all. In two darts it was 3-1.

Great finish

Grbavac got match darts from 120 but missed. Campbell then threw out double 8 and posted the rebreak: 3-2. Croatia reached the next round through a great finish from Krcmar. 96 went out via double 18 and tops: 4-2.

Ireland 3-4 Chinese Taipei

William O'Connor and Keane Barry took on Teng Lieh Pupo and An-Sheng Lu from Chinese Taipei in Group E in the fifth match of the evening. Group win was at stake Ireland started the match. Ireland had the first chance at 72, but O'Connor missed tops. Pupo then threw double 16 to equalise for the break: 1-0.

But Ireland established order in the second leg. O'Connor threw 62 out in two darts to make it 1-1. Lu threw the first 180 of the match in the third leg. Barry did the same, but Lu just threw out 132 in addition to that 180. Great darts. That made it 2-1 and the third break in a row.

A great denouement

In the fourth leg, O'Connor also threw his first 180. Lu continued to throw great and found four triples in two innings. Pupo had 64 left as a result. He got one arrow on tops and hit it: 3-1. O'Connor missed three darts on tops for 3-2 and so Chinese Taipei had a chance to win via 97. Pupo also got a match dart on double 12, but he missed.

Barry then threw double 10 though and so it was 3-2. In the sixth leg, Ireland hit the gas straight away with a 180 from O'Connor. 

Barry also threw one, and so there was an attempt for a nine-darter. It did not succeed, but Ireland had 81 left after nine darts. That went out via the bullseye and so it was 3-3. Ireland got to start the seventh leg.

Pupo threw 180 at a perfect time and so there was 81 left for Lu. He had two match darts on double 12 but missed. Ireland had 164 left, but that did not go out and so Pupo was able to finish it off. 

He did so via double 6 and so it was 4-3 and Chinese Taipei advanced to the next round.

Poland 4-1 Hungary

Krzysztof Ratajski and Radek Szaganski took on Hungary's Gábor Jagicza and Nándor Major in Group G. Szaganski threw 180, but Hungary won the first leg. Double 6 went out to make it 1-0. Ratajski put things in order and made it 1-1 via double 8. In the third leg Poland dealt the first blow and took the break.

Tops made it 2-1. Ratajski was able to cash in on that break and did so via double 10: 3-1. Hungary failed to clear 47 and so Ratajski had a chance to win from 70, but missed. 

Poland got new chances on double 4 and Szaganski threw that out. Thus Poland won 4-1 and advanced to the next round.

Portugal 3-4 Italy

José de Sousa and David Gomes played against Italy's Massimo Dalla Rosa and Michele Turetta. The latter threw 180 right away, giving Italy the chances for the break. Turetta hit tops and so the break came: 1-0. In the second leg, Italy had chance after chance to make it 2-0, but squandered them all.

De Sousa hit double 8 to put Portugal next to Italy. In the third leg came the third break in a row. Rosa very cleverly threw out 142 to put 2-1 on the board. De Sousa replied with a 180, but Gomes failed to throw out 10. Italy took advantage and made it 3-1. Italy got three match darts on double 18 but missed three times. De Sousa did not fail and threw out double 4: 3-2.

Italy through to last sixteen

He also almost made it 3-3, but missed tops from 108. Italy again missed a match dart as Rosa failed to throw out 104. Gomes did almost nothing right, but did throw out tops in the sixth leg: 3-3. Turetta threw a 180 in the last leg, leaving 84. Rosa threw that out, bringing Italy the win: 4-3.

Belgium 4-0 Philippines

Belgium and the Philippines played a decisive match in Group A. Dimitri van den Bergh and Kim Huybrechts played against Christian Perez and Alexis Toylo. Belgium made it 1-0. Van den Bergh threw out double 16 and immediately caused the break. In the second leg, Huybrechts threw the first 180 of the match.

He eventually left double 8 for Van den Bergh. He threw that out and put Belgium up 2-0. In the third leg, Van den Bergh threw 180 and also finished the leg via double 8, making it 3-0 in no time. Van den Bergh also got match darts and hit the first straight on double 16: 4-0.

Northern Ireland 4-3 Switzerland

Northern Ireland needed to take at least one leg to reach the next round. That was what Josh Rock and Brendan Dolan had to do against Stefan Bellmont and Bruno Stöckli in Group B. Northern Ireland took the lead through Dolan.

He threw out 83 via double 8 for the 1-0. Stöckli had a chance from 100 to make 1-1 but missed double 10. Bellmont came back for it and threw out double 5: 1-1. 

Northern Ireland regained the lead by winning their own leg. Dolan threw out double 10 for the 2-1. In the fourth leg, Northern Ireland did not yield at all and so Switzerland could take advantage and they did. Bellmont threw out double 10 for the 2-2.

The Big Fish

Dolan had one chance at tops in the fifth leg from 74 and he threw it out as well. Northern Ireland were long gone and it showed in the game, as it was not good. It was 3-2 and thus match point. In the sixth leg, something special finally happened. Stöckli threw out the big fish, 170 and got a standing ovation from the opponents: 3-3. In the end, Northern Ireland won. Rock threw out tops and signed for a 4-3 final score.

Germany 4-1 Finland

Home-playing Germany entered the match with Gabriel Clemens and Martin Schindler. They took on Teemu Harju and Marko Kantele. Germany got off to a good start and won the first leg. Schindler threw double 16: 1-0. Kantele threw the first 180 of the match. He then also threw out 77 and brought Finland to 1-1.

Finland continued to throw really well, as Harju also found the maximum score in the third leg. However, it was not enough to post the break. Clemens threw out double 8 and made it 2-1.

In the third leg, Germany dealt the first real blow. Clemens threw out double 12 and Germany thus grabbed the break: 2-1. The match was also won by the Germans. Schindler finished it off via tops and determined the final score at 4-1.

Australia 4-2 Hong Kong

Hong Kong continued where they left off in the afternoon with Lok Yin Lee and Man Lok Leung. They made it 1-0, Leung throwing out double 2 after Heta missed an arrow on double 16. Leung threw the first 180 in the second leg and provided the chances for the break from 76. Lee did not throw out and so Whitlock was allowed to throw the 1-1.

He did so via double 8 and levelled the score. Hong Kong had 123 standing, Australia 122 in the third leg. Leung was allowed first, but he missed the bullseye. Whitlock did not and threw the break: 2-1. Heta had to cash in on the break from 130, but failed to do so and so Lee had three chances at the rebreak. But he could not handle the pressure and missed. Whitlock also failed to get 45 out and so it became 2-2. Leung threw out double 8.

Lee misses chances

Australia were in serious trouble as Hong Kong had 40 left. Fortunately for them, Lee didn't throw anything out and so neither did this. Heta threw out 107 to take Australia to 3-2. Leung threw 180 in the sixth leg, but Heta got a match dart on the Big Fish, but missed the bullseye. Whitlock came back for it and got two match darts.

He threw out double 8 and so Australia advanced to the next round.

Austria 4-1 Guyana

The final match of the evening was between Rowby-John Rodriguez/Mensur Suljović and Sudesh Fitzgerald and Norman Madhoo.

Austria had no trouble with Guyana in the first leg. Rodriguez threw out 60 to put Austria up 1-0. It looked to be an easy match for Austria as Rodriguez also threw in the 2-0 via double 16. It was also soon 3-0. 

Suljovic hit a double 7 and brought Austria to match point. Guyana got on the board as Madhoo threw out an amazing 152: 3-1.

Austria did eventually win the match outright. Rodriguez threw out double 5 and set the final score at 4-1.