The World Cup of Darts kicked off with a thrilling start as the Republic of Ireland, Northern Ireland, and hosts Germany secured victories in the Group Stage. 2022 champions Australia narrowly avoided a shocking upset against Japan. The entire tournament is broadcast live on Sky Sports from June 27-30.
In a dramatic opening night, Germany’s Martin Schindler and Gabriel Clemens electrified the Frankfurt crowd with a nail-biting win over New Zealand in Group C. Despite Ben Robb and Haupai Puha taking a 3-2 lead, Clemens’ 180 and subsequent 124 finish on the bull sealed the victory for Germany.
Australia faced a tough challenge from Japan in Group D, with debutant Ryusei Azemoto missing crucial match darts. Damon Heta forced a deciding leg, and Simon Whitlock’s 87 checkout clinched the win, keeping Australia’s title hopes alive.
Belgium’s Dimitri Van den Bergh and Kim Huybrechts overcame strong performances from Singapore’s 70-year-old Paul Lim, securing a 4-2 win in their Group A opener. Northern Ireland’s Josh Rock and Brendan Dolan impressed with a nearly 95 average in their 4-1 win over South Africa, setting up a crucial Group B clash with Switzerland.
Sweden delivered a standout performance in the tournament’s first match, with Jeffrey de Graaf and Oskar Lukasiak whitewashing Spain in Group K. Croatia’s Boris Krcmar and Romeo Grbavac dominated Malaysia in their Group I opener, averaging over 92.
Portugal’s Jose de Sousa and David Gomes won their Group L opener against America, with Jules van Dongen and Danny Lauby now needing a must-win against Italy. Poland defeated Norway 4-2 in Group G, while the Republic of Ireland overcame Lithuania by the same score in Group E. France, quarter-finalists last year, defeated Latvia 4-1 with impressive finishes from Thibault Tricole and Jacques Labre in Group J. Czechia’s Adam Gawlas and Karel Sedlacek edged Bahrain 4-3 in their Group H opener, setting up a clash with Iceland.
The losing nations from Thursday’s games will face the third team from each group in Friday’s afternoon session, followed by the decisive final group games in the evening. The round-robin phase will conclude with the draw for the last 16 on Friday evening, where England, Wales, Netherlands, and Scotland will enter the competition in the second round.
Credit: Sky Sports
