Belgium will face Austria in the second round at the World Cup of Darts after an assured 5-2 win over Greece to end the opening action in Jena, Germany on Friday evening.
ADVERTISEMENT
One of the most comfortable pairings in this format, they will hope that finally it will become a golden formula and it certainly is in the pairs with Huybrechts having won his last 12 pairs matches in the tournament dating back to 2014.
An 88 average with two 180's and 5/14 in the end with a potential quality tie with Mensur Suljovic and Rowby-John Rodriguez now awaiting.
Both teams held their throw in the opening stages despite glimmers of a break for Belgium on Greece's throw which saw the tie go 1-1 but Huybrechts gave the favourites a slender advantage at 2-1.
A 180 was hit by Michael but this proved to no avail on Greece's throw as Belgium broke to go 3-1 up and head two away as their average rose to around 10 points ahead of their opponents at 90.
This break of throw was consolidated as Van den Bergh left 124 with only a 60 but Greece were well back which allowed time for Huybrechts to return for double 16 a few turns later to make it 4-1.
A 180 from Huybrechts set Belgium on their way down to 62 to win the tie but Michael sealed a potential late reprieve in a 120 checkout to make it 4-2.
ADVERTISEMENT
But it was more a consolation than a reprieve as Van den Bergh hit double five after Huybrechts couldn't seal it first time with a 68 checkout.
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.