Austria bounce back with United States win as Gibraltar and Japan open accounts at World Cup of Darts

The afternoon session is complete on Friday at the World Cup of Darts with the deciding matches in the groups set for the evening.

Austria have done their part after bouncing back from Benjamin Drue Reus in particular being incredible for Denmark on the opening night.

It was a 4-2 win for Mensur Suljovic and Rowby-John Rodriguez taking down Jules van Dongen and Leonard Gates with the latter now set to face Reus and Vladimir Andersen later.

A 180 from Rodriguez followed by a 96 checkout from Suljovic saw Austria take the lead. It was a second 180 from Rodriguez and Suljovic pinned 106 on double 13 for another superb leg to double their lead at 2-0.

After a miscount from Rodriguez, Gates hit double 20 to break back at 2-1 down. A 59 checkout saw Suljovic go one away at 3-1. Match darts came and went for Austria and Gates made it 3-2.

Rodriguez missed the bull for 121 for the win but Van Dongen missed two darts from 57 and on the eighth match dart, Suljovic sealed it for Austria.

Youthful Gibraltar duo, Craig Galliano and Justin Hewitt also comfortably sealed an opening win seeing off Guyana's Sudesh Fitzgerald and Norman Madhoo who bow out.

Now it is Australia later for Gibraltar as they aim to dethrone the defending champions.

Hewitt slipped inside double eight going for double 16 for 102 but Galliano returned for an opening break for Gibraltar. Galliano again hit the double after Hewitt missed, this time for a 2-0 lead.

Both teams missed multiple darts to win the leg before Madhoo finally sealed a first leg to make it 2-1. Hewitt missed 65 to go one away but Galliano returned to hit double 10 and go 3-1 up.

Hewitt let out a wild celebration as he hit double 20 for the opening win for Gibraltar.

Japan in Group B have also opened their tournament with a 4-3 win over Hong Kong. Tomoya Goto taking the honours for the side alongside Jan Matsuda.

Next is home heroes Martin Schindler and Gabriel Clemens who were ultra impressive on the opening night.