World Cup Darts Quarter-Finals Preview

The excitement is building as we head in to the latter stages of the World Cup of Darts. The action kicks off just after midday and James Punt has previewed every match. Check out is World Cup Darts Quarter-Finals tips and previews below.

Austria vs. Northern Ireland

Austria is the only unseeded team to make into the quarter finals after their surprise win over Belgium yesterday. Mensur Suljovic was impressive when beating Kim Huybrechts 4-1. Both players scored really well but Suljovic dominated. Dimitri van den Bergh just had a mare and was beaten by Rowby-John Rodriguez.

Northern Ireland smashed up Portugal without dropping a leg. Daryl Gurney was particularly impressive and as he said afterwards ‘the old Daryl is coming back’. Brendan Dolan hasn’t quite hit his best form yet, but he knows what he can do, and Northern Ireland do look like one of the potential winners now, gelling well as individuals and enjoying themselves.

Mensur Back To Best?

Mensur Suljovic looked like the old Mensur yesterday, averaging 107.9, didn’t have any problems with his specs and this will not be easy for Northern Ireland. We won’t know the team draw until after this is written but ideally Superchin would play Rodriguez as his record with Mensur shows him losing his last five matches against the Austrian. Brendan Dolan on the other hand has won his last three against Mensur. That said, Gurney is 0-3 to Rodriguez, so he must buck a trend today if he is to win.

Northern Ireland is the 1.63 favourite, Austria 2.38. It doesn’t make much appeal as a betting heat. I would make the two teams a bit closer based on H2H records and how they have played so far.

World Cup Darts Quarter-Finals: No Bet

England vs. Germany

Germany can’t win this on penalties and are the 3.10 outsiders with England at 1.40. That is a fair reflection of the two teams, either of whom look like tournament winners. Germany only just got past Japan last night, requiring the doubles match to take the win and that went to the deciding leg. They are under pressure to deliver for the home crowd while neither is in top form.

England got a good draw for this tournament, and they have cruised past Brazil and South Africa, but they have impressed so far. They haven’t had to, and they could have another easy match today. The crowd will be on their back, but these are two seasoned pro’s who have seen it all before.

England should win this, but their work will start in the semi-finals.

World Cup Darts Quarter-Finals: No Bet

Wales vs. Australia

A repeat of last years quarter final which Wales won in the deciding leg of the deciding pairs match. It was the best match of last year’s tournament, and it could have gone either way.

Australia is up for this while it must be said that so far Wales have underwhelmed. Price and Clayton needed to win the deciding leg of the pairs match against Lithuania yesterday, not what the defending champions should be doing. Last weekend saw Gerwyn Price win the Hungarian Darts Trophy after a slow start. He suddenly moved up the gears in the semi-final and final, looking like a different player. He needs to do something similar and hope that Clayton can improve.

Ferret Struggling

The Ferret is not in great nick. He bombed in Hungary last week after a nightmare on the doubles and that seems to have put some doubt in his mind, and he is lacking in confidence. Clayton needs to dig deep and try to find a bit of confidence as this is going to be close.

We are on Wales to win the whole shooting match, and this is the acid test for them. They know they can do it, but Clayton’s form is a worry. He can turn things round quickly, as we saw in the Premier League when he looked to have lost his form only to find it the next day.

Fingers crossed for Wales but as far as this match is concerned, it is the Aussies who look to be the better value at 3.20 to Wales’s 1.40.

World Cup Darts Quarter-Finals: No Bet

Netherlands vs. Scotland

Scotland beat Poland 2-0 yesterday as the Poles couldn’t quite repeat the form they showed in round 1. Ratajski put himself in second, expecting to beat Henderson but the Polish Eagle didn’t play well, went AWOL on the doubles, losing 2-4. Scotland won, or did Poland lose? Poland lost in my book. Ratajski needed to play the captains role and he flopped. Kciuk had given Peter Wright a run for his money with Snakebite only averaging 92.

The Netherlands didn’t have to do much to beat a weak Singapore team. Both MVG and Duijvenbode threw sub 90 averages, but both won. MVG 4-0 but Dirk continues to struggle and his average of just 84.6 meant he had to win the deciding leg to avoid a pairs match play off.

Well Matched

Two teams who have not really impressed so far. They are well matched however. Both have an elite player as captain, and they are carrying an out of form teammate. For that reason, it could be close. Will the two captains put themselves out first or try and play the mind games like Ratajski did yesterday and hope to get their elite player against. Whatever happens, this match looks likely to go to a pairs match decider.

The Netherlands are the 1.57 favourites to win and that looks too short to me. This looks more like 1.91 each of two and as such Scotland are the value at 2.62.

World Cup Darts Quarter-Finals: 1 point Scotland to win @ 2.62 with BET365

That is it from me for the weekend but we have more darts next weekend with Nordic Darts Masters.

-JamesPunt