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Martin Schindler: "It's mixed feelings."
Photo:
IMAGO/Shane Healey / IMAGO/Pro Sports Images
The German darts professional Martin Schindler missed a surprise at the World Cup in London's "Ally Pally".
After a big fight and a 3:1 lead, Schindler lost 3:4 against Vice World Champion Michael Smith and missed the leap into the round of 16.
There Gabriel Clemens is the last German to meet "fireman" Alan Soutar on Friday (1:40 p.m.).
'It's mixed feelings.
Somewhere I'm happy to be up there and playing exactly what I want - and also disappointed not to have crossed the finish line," said Schindler at Sport1.
With six perfect darts he stormed to the break in the fifth leg and secured a furious set one.
But the "Bully Boy" countered, threw himself into a flow with a 170 finish and equalized.
The 26-year-old Schindler stayed on, got more 180 shots, checked a 128 and secured the fourth set in addition to the third.
Van Gerwen continues after a match worth seeing
But fourth in the world Smith came back, won the next two sets and forced the deciding set.
There, last year's finalist made the comeback perfect with his first match dart - and now meets his compatriot Joe Cullen, who had previously won 4-0 against the Australian Damon Heta.
The three-time world champion Michael van Gerwen also advanced to the next round after a high-class exchange of blows.
The 33-year-old Dutchman was world number 30.
Mensur Suljovic from Austria fell 4:2 in probably the best match of this World Cup so far.
Two-time world champion Gary Anderson was surprisingly eliminated.
The "Flying Scotsman" clearly lost 4-1 to the Englishman Chris Dobey, who was 22nd.
The Portuguese José de Sousa celebrated a mega comeback.
After a 0:3 deficit and match darts against himself, the world number 17 hit.
the Englishman Ryan Searle (16th) 4: 3.
De Sousa now meets world number one Gerwyn Price (Wales).
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