Jose de Sousa is through to a clash with Gerwyn Price in the Last 16 of the 2022/23 PDC
World Darts Championship after a remarkable win over Ryan Searle.
De Sousa came from 3-0 down to seal a 4-3 sets win with the aid of nine 180's as Searle went from a potential whitewash win to starting at defeat and will now head home while 'The Special One' remains involved.
The first miscount happened in the opening leg but De Sousa recomposed himself to seal a hold. A 13-darter on double 16 saw Searle hold himself.
He saw a dart bounce off for 60 though and went into double one with the bed blocked. But De Sousa looked for two double 20’s and couldn’t seal them and Searle went one away from the opening set.
De Sousa sat at 1/10 as Searle hit double five for the set. De Sousa again went for two double 20’s on 140 but despite missing the target, he returned for the same target for 2-1 down in the second set and was throwing to force a decider.
That was forced with Searle having to hold for a 2-0 sets lead. He did so surviving the late pressure at 2-0 up.
Searle continued to run away with it breaking on double 20 for 1-0. But darts were missed to hold and De Sousa pinned double 10 for 1-1.
Searle hit double four to break back and was one away from a three sets lead. He pinned double 10 to seal it. Searle missed double 19 for an opening hold and handed De Sousa a chance at 58 which he took.
De Sousa hit double 12 to go 2-0 up. He missed set darts and Searle returned for an 85 checkout. He broke again to force a decider where he’d have the throw. But De Sousa hit a 92 checkout to survive.
Searle nearly broke missing 101 for a break after De Sousa had missed droves of darts. Searle missed 64 to hold but returned missed darts to break from De Sousa at 1-1.
Searle hit 120 to go one away from the win. He missed it again for the win and De Sousa broke tom go one away from 3-2 down in sets. A 64 checkout saw De Sousa continue his comeback.
A 65 checkout saw De Sousa break to begin the sixth set. Searle missed two darts to break back after a 180 but returned with multiple darts missed for 2-0. But De Sousa returned for double 16 to go one away from 3-3. This he sealed with a 55 checkout.
In the decider, he went 2-1 up and one away. De Sousa missed the second double 18 on 92 for the match but Searle missed three darts for a decider followed by another three after match darts came and went. But De Sousa returned for double two.