Team Unicorn star Dimitri Van den Bergh set up a tantalising semi-final against Glen Durrant at the Betfred World Matchplay with a gutsy victory over Adrian Lewis on Friday, rising upto a career high World no.17 in the process.
Debutant Van den Bergh, held off Lewis' fightback from 8-2 down to claim a 16-12 win and reach the semi-finals on his debut in the World Matchplay.
Another exciting night of action in the £700,000 event at Milton Keynes' Marshall Arena began as the Belgian secured a spot in his first televised individual semi-final in style.
Lewis cut the gap to three legs at one stage, but Van den Bergh punished some key missed doubles as he pulled clear to continue a remarkable week, averaging almost 100 and finishing 41% of his darts at a double.
A two-time World Youth Champion, Van den Bergh has reached five televised quarter-finals in recent years as well as the World Cup semi-finals alongside Kim Huybrechts, but has now set his sights on lifting the Phil Taylor Trophy.
"It's a fantastic feeling - amazing and unbelievable," said Van den Bergh. "It's my first semi-final in a major and I'm showing the world that I have it in me.
"I'm in the semi-finals and I want to win that now and see how far I can get. It would be a dream come true to win this event but I'll take it round by round and I'll be practising, fighting and believing in my own ability.
"I'm so happy about my game and I know that I've learned from each match. I keep learning and I keep digging in and I'm chasing my dreams.
"Adrian has been in the final but I showed that I can play long games. When he came back I had to keep playing my game. It's the first time I've played a game of the first to 16 but match-play is all about legs, not sets, and I took the chances I got on my doubles."
Despite an early 12-darter from Lewis, which featured a 102 finish, Van den Bergh quickly established a 6-1 advantage with the aid of four 180s, a 177 and a 164 checkout.
Lewis hit back by taking out 161 in leg eight, but Van den Bergh finished tops and 104 to move six legs clear, and then retained that cushion by trading 13-darters with the Stoke ace to lead 10-4.
Lewis took four of the next five - including trading 11-darters with Van den Bergh - as he cut the gap to 11-8, but three in a row moved the Belgian 14-8 up.
Lewis again hit back, winning three successive legs, but Van den Bergh had enough cushion to eventually secure his spot in the last four with a 66 finish.
Saturday's other semi-final sees 2018 champion Gary Anderson taking on 2019 finalist Michael Smith in a mouth-watering all Team Unicorn tie, before Durrant and Van den Bergh battle it out for the other place in Sunday's decider.
