# Luke Littler sets up Aspinall clash after van Gerwen exit

> Luke Littler advances to face Nathan Aspinall at European Championship as Michael van Gerwen exits in Dortmund.
- Title: Luke Littler sets up Aspinall clash after van Gerwen exit
- Summary: Luke Littler advances to face Nathan Aspinall at European Championship as Michael van Gerwen exits in Dortmund. Luke Littler defeated William O'Connor to set…
- Keywords: luke littler, nathan aspinall, michael van gerwen, kevin doets, machineseeker european championship, dortmund, darts, round two, sports, Luke, Littler, sets
- Source: Sky Sports — https://skysports.com/darts/news/12040/13602739/european-championship-darts-luke-littler-sets-up-nathan-aspinall-clash-as-michael-van-gerwen-is-dumped-out-in-dortmund
- Published: 2026-10-23T22:44:00+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: luke littler, nathan aspinall, michael van gerwen, kevin doets, machineseeker european championship, dortmund, darts, round two, sports
## Luke Littler wins opener
Luke Littler defeated William O'Connor 6-3 with six 180s to advance to second round.
## Nathan Aspinall sets up clash
Nathan Aspinall defeated Cristo Reyes 6-3 to face Luke Littler in second round.
## Michael van Gerwen exits
Michael van Gerwen lost 6-3 to Kevin Doets in round one.
## Kevin Doets comments
Kevin Doets said he felt he was the better player throughout the game against van Gerwen.
## Littler's focus
Littler said he had changed his grip and throw during his break to avoid boredom.
## Littler's confidence
Littler hit a nine-darter on DartCounter before the tournament and remains focused.
## Round two schedule
Round two features Littler vs Aspinall in evening session on Saturday October 24.
## Next match
Littler and Aspinall will compete in a best of 19 legs round two match on Saturday.
## Key takeaway

Luke Littler defeated William O'Connor to set up a second-round clash with Nathan Aspinall at the European Championship in Dortmund, after Michael van Gerwen was eliminated by Kevin Doets.