The Croatian duo shot out of the starting blocks. Krcmar hit 72, giving them a 1-0 lead with a 14-darter. Krcmar then also pinned a 104 finish and a 55 checkout, extending the lead to 3-0.
Suljovic finally put Austria on the scoreboard with a 71 check-out in the fourth leg. Croatia then moved to 4-1 thanks to a 12-darter. The deficit was then made up by the Austrians. Suljovic threw out 68 and 80 to cut the deficit to 4-3, before Rodriguez hit the double 8 to make it 4-4.
Austria then took its first lead of the match with an 11-darter in the ninth leg. That was mainly due to Rodriguez. 'Little John' recorded a 180 and a 100 finish in that leg.
The lead then went back to Croatia anyway. The Croatians threw a 14-darter in the tenth leg, then made it 6-5 via a 17-darter. Austria then missed a chance to make it 6-6, but Rodriguez missed the double 10. The Croatians, however, missed two chances to double the lead, before Suljovic equalized with a double 5.
There were more misses from Croatia in the thirteenth leg. Krcmar missed three chances to put his country at 7-6, after which Suljovic did find the double and brought Austria to one leg from victory. Suljovic was then able to finish it off in the 14th leg, but he missed three match darts. Krcmar then had one chance to keep Croatia in the match and a fine 74 finish made it 7-7.
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Croatia could start the last leg, but Austria were again the first to get a matchdart. Suljovic missed tops, after which Grbavac missed a matchdart on double 20 on behalf of Croatia. Rodriguez then provided joy and relief in the Austrian camp by hitting double 10.
It is only the second time the two Austrians have reached the semifinals at the World Cup of Darts. They also succeeded in 2021, when they eventually lost to Scotland in the final. In the semifinals of this edition, Austria will play against the winner of the duel between Belgium and Italy.
Samuel Gill is the Chief Content Officer (CCO) of DartsNews.com, a role he has held since 2020. He is responsible for editorial governance across the platform, including setting content standards, overseeing accuracy and consistency, and guiding long-term editorial strategy across professional darts coverage. Since joining, he has contributed more than 10,000 articles and editorial pieces, playing a central role in the development and daily operation of the site.
Based in Leicester, Samuel has extensive experience in darts media and has been closely involved in coverage of the professional darts circuit for several years. Within the UK darts community, he is a recognised figure known for his consistent editorial output and ongoing reporting on major tournaments and developments across the PDC calendar.
In his current role, Samuel works closely with editors and writers to ensure content meets clear journalistic standards, with a focus on source verification, editorial consistency, and timely updates when new, confirmed information becomes available.
AUSTRIA WIN A THRILLER! 🇦🇹
Austria come back from 4-1 down to reach the semi-finals! 🙌
Heartbreak for Croatia who missed a match dart in the decider! 💔
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