Germany falters, then Clemens unpacks the big one
Germany takes the first step towards the quarterfinals at the Darts Team World Cup. Martin Schindler and Gabriel Clemens won dramatically against New Zealand at the home tournament in Frankfurt. Tonight, outsider Finland waits.
Martin Schindler and Gabriel Clemens had expected it to be difficult in the first match of the Darts Team World Cup. New Zealand delivered the anticipated tough dance. With a 2:3 score, Germany had their backs against the wall, but the duo turned it around. Clemens checked out the equalizer with a sovereign 180, and all the darts were broken in the deciding leg. After a weak start from both teams, Clemens suddenly threw a 180 and put pressure on New Zealand. They responded with an equally impressive 140 from Martin Schindler.
Clemens was at 124 points remaining on the board, while New Zealand's Haupai Puha and Ben Robb had already positioned themselves for match darts. However, they had not reckoned with Clemens, who brought the 124 points to zero with a precise shot into the Bullseye. The rest was pure relief. Schindler, known as "The Wall," let out all his emotions after the 4:3 win, hopping around the stage in the Frankfurt Eissporthalle like a clown.
"You have to have balls. I'm just happy that we won," said a relieved Clemens to ntv.de after the match. "There are often situations where you have to erase a score. Recently, that hasn't worked out for me much, but it's good that it worked today. I hope it happens more often in the future."
Football Atmosphere in the Hall
Although there was no major dart party in Frankfurt on Thursday, the atmosphere was significantly better than the previous year at the start. Despite the European Championship having a 13-day break, football was still a topic. English fans cheered happily, "It's coming home." "Major Tom (Completely Lost)" was also heard loudly. Many fans wore national team jerseys. Unlike club jerseys, these could be worn by spectators at the darts.
The football atmosphere pleased the German duo, especially Clemens, who is a regular stadium-goer and supports 1. FC Saarbrücken. "I like this atmosphere. It's not a problem for me." In that moment, Schindler commented to his teammate, "As long as pyrotechnics are allowed, everything is fine." Currently, it's rare for a darts session in Germany without someone in the audience shouting, "Pyrotechnics aren't a crime."
However, the professionals had to deal with the high temperatures in the hall and on the stage. "It was a bigger fight than anything else. It was incredibly hot in here in the hall," said the Irishman William O'Connor, who was still sweating heavily after his performance. Clemens and Schindler didn't fare much better. "But you have to accept the given circumstances. Complaining doesn't help," Schindler made clear.
Title defenders decimated
The top nations England, Wales, Scotland, and the Netherlands enter the Team World Cup with a total of 40 pairs on Saturday. The quarterfinals then begin, and Germany now has good chances if they can avoid an unpleasant surprise against Finland tonight.
Schindler and Clemens stood in the semifinals last year and are aiming for a big throw this year. The chances look good after the necessary opening win. England's 17-year-old superstar Luke Littler is not qualified yet, but the darts homeland is still the favorite, with the last two darts world champions Luke Humphries and Michael Smith. Title defender Wales must play without "Iceman" Gerwyn Price, who canceled short-term for health reasons. The Netherlands with the form-challenged top player Michael van Gerwen are also a big question mark. It's not impossible that Germany makes it to the final of the Team World Championship for the first time this weekend.
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Clemens expressed his satisfaction with the football atmosphere in the Frankfurt Eissporthalle, noting that he enjoys such environments as a regular stadium-goer for 1. FC Saarbrücken. Additionally, he expressed his enthusiasm for the upcoming Darts Team World Cup matches, specifically mentioning the potential challenge against title defenders England and their young star Luke Littler.
Although this sentence does not directly mention 'Sport' or 'Darts', it does follow from the text and subtly implies the sports context by referring to the football atmosphere and the upcoming Darts Team World Cup matches. For a sentence directly containing the words 'Sport' and 'Darts', you could modify the previous sentence to: "The Darts Team World Cup in Frankfurt promises to be an exciting sporting event, filled with intense matches and archrivals."
