Gib darts pair see off Spain in thrilling World Cup match

Gibraltar darts pair Craig Galliano and Justin Hewitt delivered an impressive victory against Spain in the PDC World Cup of Darts on Friday.

Facing Jose Justicia and Jesus Noguera in Group K, after the Spanish pair had been defeated by Sweden the previous evening by a 4-0 scoreline, Hewitt and Galliano added to Spain’s woes with a final dart finish.

Spain had led throughout the match but Gibraltar kept clawing back the difference until it all came down to the final darts.

With the scores level at 3-3, the tension on the PDC World of Darts stage in Frankfurt, Germany, was palpable. The crowd, gathered in support of Gibraltar, raised cheers for the Gibraltar pair and jeers for Spain as they threw their darts. 

Albert Hewitt, Justin Hewitt’s father, commented: “It was so exciting when we hit the winning double. All the crowd shouting, 'Gibraltar, Gibraltar.' Both me and Ernest Galliano, Craig’s father, were in tears.”

Spain had a chance to take the final game but missed a double 20 by millimetres.

It was Craig Galliano who stepped up to provide the winning dart.

As the Spanish players offered warm congratulations to the local pair, Spain’s miss was met with celebrations from a crowd that had turned to support Gibraltar. 

The Gibraltar pair, still the youngest competing in the tournament this year, showed nerves of steel as Galliano stepped forward and delivered a double nine with a single dart. 

Punching the air in celebration to a massive reception from the watching crowd, Gibraltar made headlines across the darts world.

“The minnows have beaten Spain,” commentators reported.

“Incredible feeling to beat Spain at a World Cup. We are getting hundreds of messages from all over the world,” Albert Hewitt told this newspaper. 

“History beating Spain in a World Cup,” commented Ernest Galliano, Craig’s father.

The Gibraltar pair will be playing Sweden next this evening to decide who goes into the next round.