Gerwyn Price beats Joe Cullen in European Darts Trophy as Michael van Gerwen suffers shocker

[p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/darts/cullen-j-A5nTHxhe/price-g-8dDDoW0B/summary/stats/?mid=M9hYUVjC"]The Welshman was in commanding form at the Lokhalle[/a], peppering the treble 20 bed with authority and converting three finishes above 80 as he powered through the contest in just eight legs.[/p][p]Six 180s and clinical doubling ensured [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/cullen-joe/A5nTHxhe/"]Cullen[/a] rarely gained a foothold, as [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/price-gerwyn/8dDDoW0B/"]Price[/a] reinforced his credentials as one of the leading contenders for the title this weekend.[/p][p][b]"I felt like I was playing well," [/b]Price said afterwards.[/p][p][b]"The crowd were right behind me tonight. I usually bring the best out of everyone, but I'm ready for them. [/b][/p][p][b]"I'm fully focused on my own game, and it was another good performance. [/b][/p][p][b]"If I can build on that and get better, I think this tournament is mine."[/b][/p][embed guid="5c1d8c4a-a03e-4e9b-91b4-48969032f6e8" url="https://x.com/OfficialPDC/status/2032892332450738685" social-type="twitter" /][p]Price will now meet [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/noppert-danny/YmMfGEz0/"]Danny Noppert[/a] in the third round after the Dutchman eased past [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/evans-ricky/GA3fKcWh/"]Ricky Evans[/a] 6-1.[/p][p]Noppert capitalised on an unusually erratic display from Evans, converting four doubles from six attempts to wrap up a comfortable victory.[/p][p]While Price set the tone with a commanding victory, the night's biggest shock arrived in an all-Dutch showdown as [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/zonneveld-niels/MeTrr5Fk/"]Niels Zonneveld[/a] stunned three-time champion [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/van-gerwen-michael/SU4UkKsm/"]Michael van Gerwen[/a].[/p][embed guid="f4b9b129-6467-4b43-aa75-cb96de164835" url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cT2v4e__xPQ" social-type="youtube" /][p]Zonneveld produced one of the finest big stage performances of his career, averaging 104.46 [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/darts/van-gerwen-m-SU4UkKsm/zonneveld-n-MeTrr5Fk/summary/stats/?mid=8UplxAlT"]to claim a resounding 6-2 win[/a] despite Van Gerwen posting a formidable 107 average of his own.[/p][p]The match swung heavily in Zonneveld's favour early on. The 26-year-old stormed into a 4-0 lead with relentless scoring and sharp finishing, including two ton-plus checkouts. Van Gerwen briefly threatened a recovery by claiming back-to-back legs, but Zonneveld extinguished any hopes of a comeback in style.[/p][p]Successive 180s piled the pressure on before he sealed the contest with a clinical 100 finish in just 12 darts.[/p][embed guid="5f48654c-9cc5-4df3-8a88-fa4276b6b0f7" url="https://x.com/OfficialPDC/status/2032907792810430817" social-type="twitter" /][p][b]"What can I say? I'm so happy with this win," [/b]Zonneveld reflected.[/p][p][b]"I'm in a position where I know I can do it, but you have to do it. Michael played really well, but I felt so comfortable and so focused tonight."[/b][/p][p]European Champion [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/van-veen-gian/jgT1AT29/"]Gian van Veen[/a] also progressed comfortably, dispatching Poland's [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/ratajski-krzysztof/jNZjSeIT/"]Krzysztof Ratajski[/a] 6-1 to maintain his strong European Tour form. The Dutchman's scoring consistency proved decisive as he kept Ratajski at arm's length throughout the contest.[/p][p]Dutch representation remains particularly strong heading into the final day in Goettingen, with eight players from the Netherlands progressing to the last 16. [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/nijman-wessel/xCX137Ee/"]Wessel Nijman[/a] averaged more than 100 in a commanding 6-2 victory over [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/de-decker-mike/ARzd8nfD/"]Mike De Decker[/a], setting up a clash with Van Veen, while [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/veenstra-richard/4v1TAC87/"]Richard Veenstra[/a] claimed the scalp of Germany's number one [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/schindler-martin/pWemrnqQ/"]Martin Schindler[/a].[/p][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/doets-kevin/I14LCcyQ/"]Kevin Doets[/a] continued his impressive run after producing a remarkable 117.12 average on the opening day. The Dutchman followed that display with a composed 6-4 victory over [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/crabtree-cameron/KQt8l5u6/"]Cam Crabtree[/a], who had travelled from Washington DC as a late replacement for [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/clayton-jonny/tx0y2xRD/"]Jonny Clayton[/a].[/p][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/van-duijvenbode-dirk/fVUrttSI/"]Dirk van Duijvenbode[/a] survived a deciding-leg thriller against two-time European Champion [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/cross-rob/zs8lbtNH/"]Rob Cross[/a], while [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/wattimena-jermaine/0hcDtau6/"]Jermaine Wattimena[/a] struck eight maximums in a high-scoring encounter to edge past Germany's [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/wenig-lukas/dWKiF6Pi/"]Lukas Wenig[/a] in similar fashion.[/p][embed guid="3a0aae5e-7c43-4564-b895-54e5db762ee7" url="https://x.com/OfficialPDC/status/2032934071370670088" social-type="twitter" /][p]Germany's hopes of a home success remain alive thanks to [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/springer-niko/t6zcTJUa/"]Niko Springer[/a], who defeated world number six [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/bunting-stephen/xANKMtPG/"]Stephen Bunting[/a] in another last-leg decider. Springer now faces [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/smith-ross/l8mIsYNm/"]Ross Smith[/a] for a place in the quarter-finals after the former European Champion overcame [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/chisnall-dave/vRDFv29c/"]Dave Chisnall[/a] 6-4, aided by a pivotal 144 checkout midway through the match.[/p][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/heta-damon/GYfQQCI6/"]Damon Heta[/a] delivered a strong finish to defeat [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/labanauskas-darius/xEYlNLtI/"]Darius Labanauskas[/a] 6-3. The Australian followed finishes of 92 and 110 with a 13-dart leg to close the match, finishing with a 101 average and his first European Tour stage victory since August.[/p][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/searle-ryan/UFF3Eh5C/"]Ryan Searle[/a] also impressed, averaging just under 100 to defeat Northern Ireland's World Cup champion [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/gurney-daryl/UBbHHv2p/"]Daryl Gurney[/a] 6-3 and progress to a third-round meeting with Veenstra.[/p][embed guid="3ab6ad50-d7a7-4456-aa64-3366f2b7578e" url="https://x.com/OfficialPDC/status/2032948075925274663" social-type="twitter" /][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/dobey-chris/dWj1FjDn/"]Chris Dobey[/a] produced one of the most clinical displays of the session to dismantle [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/woodhouse-luke/QyQzAjPh/"]Luke Woodhouse[/a] 6-1, earning a clash with Premier League star [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/rock-josh/xKxxNY1P/"]Josh Rock[/a], who came through a gruelling contest against host nation qualifier [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/krohne-paul/44Fv5e3F/"]Paul Krohne[/a].[/p][p]Veteran Austrian [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/suljovic-mensur/Y73gOXrH/"]Mensur Suljovic[/a] completed the last-16 lineup with a spirited comeback victory over [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/sedlacek-karel/MgQ7sJG9/"]Karel Sedlacek[/a], reeling off four consecutive legs from 4-2 down to set up a meeting with Van Duijvenbode.[/p][p]Round Three takes place on Sunday afternoon from 11:00 GMT, before the European Darts Trophy champion is crowned later in the evening as the quarter-finals, semi-finals and final conclude proceedings in Goettingen.[/p][h2][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/darts/europe/european-tour-2/"]Follow the European Darts Trophy with Flashscore[/a][/h2]