08/11/2020

Germany stuns the Netherlands to reach maiden semi-final at World Cup of Darts

Germany has reached the last four at the World Cup of Darts for the very first time after beating four-time winner Netherlands in the Quarter-Finals.

The Netherlands had a difficult preparation for the match with the Germans Gabriel Clemens and Max Hopp. Michael van Gerwen woke up with a back injury and it was unclear for a long time whether the match could be played at all.

The Dutchman was treated in hospital for a trapped nerve and was back in the Salzburgarena in time for the encounter with Germany. He was fit enough to start the game, but the preparation was quite disrupted.

Van Gerwen despite back injury fit enough to play at World Cup of Darts

The result was that Danny Noppert had to play the first singles match. He was unable to give the Netherlands the lead as he lost 4-3 to Gabriel Clemens. Van Gerwen then won the second single against Max Hopp 4-1.

A pairs match had to decide which nation would progress to the semi-finals. The Netherlands started hopeful, as Noppert landed tops twice to take a 2-0 lead. The Germans then came on the scoreboard with a 13-dart leg, before pinning double 8 to level the match.

Thanks to two good scores from Clemens, the fifth leg also went to Germany, as they needed one more leg to win. The Netherlands, however, forced a decisive leg, after Van Gerwen hit the double 5 with his third dart.

The last leg seemed to go easily to the Germans, but Hopp made it exciting after missing three match-darts. Van Gerwen got the chance to take the victory from 80, but missed tops. Clemens then hit the double 10 with the sixth match-dart to bring Germany into the semi-finals.

The Germans play on Sunday evening in the semi-final against Gerwyn Price and Jonny Clayton from Wales. The other semi-final is between England (Rob Cross & Michael Smith) and Belgium (Kim Huybrechts & Dimitri van den Bergh).