Michael van Gerwen will take on Peter Wright in a repeat of their 2014 World Championship - a match MVG won 7-4. Will it be repeat or revenge on New Year's Day?
Tuesday 31 December 2019 09:40, UK
Michael van Gerwen remained on course to retaining his World Darts Championship title after making it through to his fifth final at Alexandra Palace with victory over Nathan Aspinall.
MVG came out on top 6-3, finishing with a 96.34 average as well as hitting 26 140s and three maximums on his way to a straightforward victory.
"So far I have't had to produce my 'A' game yet, it's nice to be in the final without playing your top level but for the final it has to be there," Van Gerwen told Sky Sports Darts. "Me and Peter have a history, in finals he's missed match darts, normally he's the runner-up in finals against me."
Van Gerwen punished Aspinall for one missed set dart in the deciding leg as the Dutchman nailed double 16 to clinch it 3-2 and move ahead against the throw.
A corking 124 from Stockport thrower Aspinall handed him an immediate break at the start of the second set and he landed the first maximum of the match in the ninth leg to pave the way to level the match at 1-1.
The third set went against the darts as the trend continued with world No 1 Van Gerwen sinking double 16 to regain the upper-hand.
But 'The Asp' made the Dutchman pay for a poor visit when throwing for a two-set cushion, replying with a stinging 110 to make it 2-2 in the race to six sets.
Van Gerwen was struggling to make any inroads on the Aspinall throw until he stabbed home double eight to reclaim the lead in the next with an overall match average of 96. He was on course to record his lowest since his first-round victory over Zoran Lerchbacher in 2014.
The three-time world champion picked it up in the sixth set in 41 darts as he upped his game with a cool 110 set average.
Aspinall was not going away though. The 28-year-old UK Open champion quickly wrapped up a whitewash seventh set to reduce the deficit to 4-3.
A third ton-plus finish of 107 enabled Aspinall to win a vital second leg in the eight set, but it was the favourite for the title who held throw in the deciding leg with a two-dart combination shot at 68 put him to within touching distance of reaching the final on New Year's Day.
A 14-dart leg handed Van Gerwen the breakthrough in the ninth set and that proved enough for the Green Machine to set up a rematch of the 2014 final against Peter Wright.
Check out daily Darts news on skysports.com/darts, our app for mobile devices and our Twitter account @skysportsdarts. Coverage of the World Championship continues with the New Year's Day final getting underway at 7pm on Sky Sports Darts.
