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in what is going to be some incredible matchups.
If we were to do a power rankings today
of the four best teams in the world, we got them.
Unfortunately, that means the crowd
is gonna lose out on the hometown favorite.
Well, not really hometown.
It's kind of like an adopted hometown sort of situation
for Furia with their Portuguese fandom here in Porto.
But regardless of the fact,
it was some fun CS nonetheless.
It was insane to just have Furia walk out
onto that stage to hear that arena.
It felt like we had tens and thousands,
hundreds of thousands of people cheering for them.
It was that laugh.
I just could not believe it.
And that caught me between full and beam
shown on the screen, apex getting shown on the screen.
I feel like it literally delivered on somebody's
front yesterday.
It was insane to see Fallen or a farm so hard on Nuke
only to let every single fan in the entire arena
down by the end of it just absolutely getting
destroyed on that three.
Yeah, I don't want the Fallen World Tour to end,
but unfortunately it did.
And prematurely in the quarterfinals,
I really thought they had a great chance
after what they showed on Nuke, after that moment that you mentioned,
where he's just reading his notes mid-round,
knowing that he's already got it in the bag.
And for G2's sake, I feel like that team still has a long way to go.
But I'm still happy that they were able to make it to the playoffs here
because they had a pretty hard road.
I mean, we always talk about the fact that the quarterfinals
looked so good for them, right? They wrote to that.
They make it there.
But not being able to make it into the semifinals,
I feel like this could have been it if it was Ebony moment.
Because again, even though we're saying right now we have top four,
There's been shakiness from every single one of those Brussels that still remain.
Yeah, I think we're all hoping for the moment where G2 kind of overcome the mountain
when they finally managed to slay that beast of the quarterfinals.
They looked so good in the group stage.
They had their, they did have their hurdles.
They struggled against Aurora the second time around,
but at times they looked so strong.
We're thinking Wrinkle might be the solution to that, but not quite yet.
Now, we're, and to really touch on the teams that have made it through,
we are in a bit of a transient period in CS right now
where there's no one dominant team.
And so if a team like G2 is going to slide into that upper echelon,
this would be the season for it.
They have the opportunities.
They have the upgrade in offing firepower.
We just need to see some of the other individuals
show the lack of stage nerves.
That's what really kind of drove me up with this G2 team.
I thought G2 and I thought heavy God in particular
was going to show me why he's supposed to be the best,
if not top three anchor in the world.
But it was a far cry from that yesterday.
We did end up getting our top four at the end of day number one.
We come into today looking at Falcons going up against spirit,
mouse, vitality, having a match up there as well.
So it feels like at any point we could see an upset.
And it's crazy to think that there even is a chance for an upset
when you're looking at these four teams remaining.
Hard to call it an upset when you look at the top four teams in the world,
especially with the history these teams have, right?
You've got mouse and vitality.
They've played maybe 10 times in the last near memory.
You've got spirit and Niko that have played against each other
There's so many times just that that that tandem, but then you've got Falcons with the history with the major
Even though spirit are coming in off of an incredible season so far the story lines on both sides of the bracket are crazy
This one's incredibly hard to predict last year. It was all vitality's era
We knew almost before it even started who was going to be lifting the trophy at the end of the day
Not with JL as a stand-in not when Falcons are seemingly powering up and not when we've got a new iteration of mouths
that is looking super feisty and a spirit that, of course, has already proven that they can win the biggest of trophies.
Day 1 already gave us so much, but I'm excited to see what Porto is able to bring us for Day 2.
journey here in beautiful Porto began, where 16s became four.
But today is a brand new day.
Fans are gathering in the arena in hopes of seeing their favorite team make it to the grand finals.
Our players are preparing to put on the best counter-strike they can,
facing up against the pressure and their opponents.
What awaits us once again for day number two of Blast Open Porto
is the roar of the Superboc Arena.
For centuries, the sea has carried the brave to these shores, glory, treasure, infamy.
Those who came were tested by the journey, tested by the storm, by what awaited them.
But some are built to endure it.
Here, legend doesn't belong to those who arrive.
It belongs to those who read their mark.
Generation after generation have come to Porto, daring to challenge.
Staring to conquer, but Porto remains.
Invictus, Invictus.
Welcome to Last Open Porto.
Good afternoon, Porto!
And hello to all the Counter-Strike fans around the world.
It's semi-final days after them, and we are in for such good games once again.
Yeah, just like yesterday. The beginning was like one sided, but it was beautiful nonetheless.
We got to meet to see so many stars rise up onto the stage, the second game, so everybody was there with 40 of the vitality, the feelings, you know?
They still show up.
Yeah, this is what can happen when you go up against a team right by Tazzy.
You think you've got them, you maybe celebrate a little bit too early.
Furia had the fans and the majority of this crowd on their side,
cheering them on for every single round.
But then it can quickly come apart, and that becomes a problem.
But also, in our opening game, you know, Falcon's G2,
we were expecting a potential of three maps coming in there.
But Falcon said, not today.
We need to cruise on through, because we've got a bigger test coming our way.
That's a good thing. I don't even see G2 as all they actually dropped the ball.
Well, I think it was Falcons stepping up and saying,
hey, this blast should and could be ours.
That's what I'm looking for Falcons today.
But the enemy they have ahead of them today,
I don't know if it's going to be the same as on the first day.
Yeah, we got to look at that as our opening game.
We'll be Falcons taking on Spirit.
And Spirit right now, they are looking incredible.
They're coming in focus.
They've had some extra days of practice.
But they've been lacking some of these official games,
which means they're coming straight into this arena
where Falcons could be coming in hot.
Before we started the stage, I was checking with the audience
and apparently everybody is on Spirit's side.
I think they changed teams of, but he's not here.
So maybe Spirit, do you want to just do a quick test?
Let's find out. Let's do this.
Putzgao, get stuck here for the Spirit.
Fa-sumonono!
There's a feeling you want to check Falcons.
OK, yes, Spirit's getting a lot of love in this arena.
Fa, what about the Falcons fans?
Make some noise!
I don't know if it's, I don't know if it's.
I haven't seen this sign it says, Monizinho are the best of the world.
That's what they believe over there.
So we got a mixed crowd, we got a good crowd.
But with this, it is time for us to get ready for the battle.
With that in mind, we're saying Portugal came back in a dilemma for some of it all.
We are back at Longuano.
He's coming!
That's right, baby!
He's coming to your feet, old eagle!
Run, now!
Come on, let it out!
Get out!
Oh, no! Just a little more with the run!
We're going to have so much fun looking at our semi-finals today,
knowing that these teams are one the best of three away
from making it to the grand finals.
Boo and Maui Snake here talking about it, right?
Falcons showed up yesterday.
I want to say showed up.
I don't mean they just took to the stage.
They really showed up against G2.
So coming up against Spirit today,
it feels like they're going to have
to hit the symbol sort of strides.
The game against G2 was maybe one of their most dominant
of the entire event, right?
You look through a group stage with teams.
They should have dominated.
They should have dispatched them easily.
start to question it and then your wise words doesn't matter how they look.
Falcons, it doesn't matter.
They're going to show up in the playoffs.
They definitely did.
And they also changed up just how they're strategizing.
I think that's so important for Falcons to see that they have the luxury of all
teams to know we have proof that we can win S tier trophies.
That's not where the pressure is.
The pressure is on developing aspects of our map pool, for example.
And so they can, they can go through a group stage and they can lose a
couple maps here or there because they don't worry.
They just brush it right off and then they go full steam into a G2 that looked like they were powering up.
And that's that's my goat coach that wraps you guys as we lost ancient three times in a row.
We're not picking it in the in the not a fourth time.
Goat coach call right there.
And look, they get the two and finally we were tested.
So about that yesterday, maybe a little bit leading towards performance,
a little bit towards not being there.
But someone who really showed up yesterday and we're hoping shows up again here and has before is Nicar, right?
This is the record that he has up against Donk's Spirit that.
Niko has simply had Donk's number.
There was a couple series in a row back at Rio,
back at Astana, where Donk was able to take over.
And they were able to, Spirit that is, beat Falcons.
However, that was right when Kerrigan
was getting integrated into the lineup.
I don't think that that was a full-fledged Falcons,
wings spread, ready to do the most damage possible.
And as you can see, there's just been more
than a handful of trophies that have been won by both of these guys.
But really the one that matters the most me is the far left.
The Cologne major, the most recent matchup that they had against each other,
where it was Nico and the rest of Falcons getting the better of spirit.
And when you look at it, Nico against Donk, Donk sometimes just forces
engagements and against almost everyone in the world.
He can win that engagement from a 40 60 duel against Nico.
He's just in the right position at the right time.
And he's going to win that slight advantageous engagement against
And that's the reason Donk has some of his worst performances
of all time against the G2 or a Falcons
with Nico at the steering wheel.
It's crazy looking at that, right?
We're talking about, yeah, they ended up winning at it.
But when you look at each map, now, we just have close it
is the amount of over times that will force the fact
that it's only by margins that you see Falcons come on top
there and go on to claim what is one of the best
victories someone can.
That's what you have when you have the only rifler
that in a head to head, it has just been better
than Donk.
That can actually beat him in those kinds of ways.
And there we have Nico and the rest of Falcons
hitting the red carpet.
That's really where this team belongs.
Walking in like stars.
You have Nico as we've already talked about,
but Monacy is making a case right now
that he has a claim for the world number one.
And then of course right behind him, Zonic Kerrigan.
This new brain trust is instilling fear
in everybody that is trying to game plan against them.
Howie's gonna have his work cut out for him.
Magix is definitely gonna have his work cut out for him
because we haven't even gotten to Kioske yet.
Niko, you did it again against G2 yesterday.
It was this time of 1.54 rating.
We're keeping that same energy today?
Yeah, you have to praise me again.
It seems to be working.
Keep running the numbers out.
You keep knowing what you can do a bit.
But what did you think of the crowd yesterday,
just the atmosphere and the arena coming into this one?
It was good. It was good.
I knew it was going to be good.
Every time we come to Portugal,
it's been a crazy arena.
The atmosphere is amazing and it's just nice to play.
It's very energised and hopefully today
Now looking at that, you're probably going to be the fan favourite in the arena as well,
but what is most important for Falcons going up against Spirits?
I know it was so close last time at a major.
Yeah, I mean I think Spirits is probably the team that is in the best form right now,
so we know it's going to be a hard game.
I think for us we kind of have to do just what we did yesterday,
be very energised, have high coms, make proper decisions as well,
and just stay positive all the time, you know.
It doesn't matter which rounds we lose, which rounds we win,
we just have to stay 100% in each round.
I think this is what is crucial for us.
This is what we have done the best of the major.
And I think if you manage to do it today as well,
it's gonna be exciting at least.
I'm gonna go to the ceiling, mate.
Thank you very much.
Really trying to reenact
what happened at the major for them, right?
It was such a fairytale story for them there.
What happened yesterday,
it felt like the beginnings of it.
And I do really wonder,
is that them channeling what happened
only a couple of months ago for themselves again
when we're here in Porto?
The entire major felt like
divine intervention from Falcons.
really every single matchup felt like they could have lost,
but someone new came to the head of the Falcons,
and they managed to carry them across that line.
Sometimes Tezos, sometimes Niko,
but against Falcons or against Spirit rather,
they really managed to come together
and really prevent Donk from getting anything done
in that series.
And that's the same game plan
I think they're gonna need here as well.
Donk said after that that he choked,
but I don't think that the guy that has your number
in the head to head is making it so that you choke.
I feel like this is actually just a great matchup
that Nico matches the finesse of Donk's erratic movements,
that he actually has the mechanics
that can go toe-to-toe with him.
And I would even say sometimes, positionally,
Nico is a little bit more set up than Donk is.
We're Donk trying to brute force
through those kinds of moments.
It's just that Nico's so ready,
as he is just one of the most prepared riflers
for any sort of duel that faces him.
I don't think Donk is much of a choker,
but he has had some struggles
in a few playoff series recently.
We saw at the bounty as well,
he had five of six maps went bad for him
in a role he really struggled.
I think to some extent the weight of winning another major,
the weight of being the best in the world,
I think could be pushing on him
and could be trying to make him play more explosively
than he has in the past.
And that's caused some problems for him.
I mean, of course, Dunk is the superstar
on the side of his spirit.
But there are so many individuals
that have been showing up,
even when it feels like there is that little bit
of lackluster from where you want your shine
to be the most.
Well, we want a third guy.
That's the thing with spirit.
When it comes to them as a team,
Basically every team of the year in history has had at least three guys that have been in HLTV's top 20 right now
We've got Donk obviously we have shiro. He's probably the fifth best
But then who's after that it really jumps off or it falls off a cliff when you're looking at teneer and zon'tix
And I hate that teneer said in a recent interview along the lines of that
It can be me sometimes or it can be zon'tix or magics
It's supposed to be you it's supposed if we don't get you as that third guy
Then it is just such an unknown quantity who's gonna be stepping up beyond the two known ones
And it makes it so difficult to be able to assess to adjust to know exactly what is gonna show up when these two teams
Finally face up against each other it is gonna happen in a moment, but first we want to know exactly where our veto is gonna play out
Porto stems the vault the school on it mixed down
There we go, they hyped.
That's what the energy we need all day long.
And now we're moving into our veto
to see what these teams are going to play.
As always, everyone in the arena,
boo the maps you don't like, cheer the ones you do,
take part in this experience.
So let's get things started.
Let's get the bands out the way.
I wanna see a new video today.
Ash is out.
Boo straight away.
You said you wanna see a new video straight away.
They did play it last time against each other, but let's see if they switch things up.
Let's get the next band out.
Is it any further though?
Yeah.
They don't like this.
Okay, you are correct, Porto.
Iron Foto enjoys it, but they're not getting it today, not in this matchup.
First hit.
Let's see all the picks.
Show me.
Oh.
This man right here, he's just smiling from start to finish.
He is a new kid.
He loves everything.
There we go.
Just a whole experience.
All right, we're coming out from spirit.
It's got to be a hit.
Ancient in play.
Now this is different picks from what they faced last time
around, so let's see, maybe one of those maps
go into the cider.
Let's keep the next pans going.
Makes me happy, James.
It's kind of mixed, but let's keep it moving.
Ah.
That means.
Not for the whole run! Is it this too?
Last two for the decider, new maps for spirit and falcons to go up against each other.
Vorto, match up! Nice!
I know it can be good, so I'm still confident, even though we didn't have that much time to fix it.
And to be honest, we tried to avoid it yesterday.
So we'll have to see but in terms of practice which is also why we picked it
in group stage it has been good so hopefully we'll have a better day today.
I felt real I feel relaxed and not so self-sufficient I don't know because maybe
we have really good form and we also have good plan for today and thus we
They have to be held behind hardly and if we just count all the things,
I just feel confidence and calm.
The last three times we played against them, they played really well
and almost had the overhand, but yeah, we wanted to show a good game today.
First, we just want to feel like we improve and get our game back,
but we'll see how this game goes today.
We just have to play our game and right now we are confident.
We just have to play starting for the first round and not after losing first map for example.
So yeah, we just have to play our game.
Look, it's a valid take there that you want to be playing from the first round, not after
losing your first map.
But there is a slight advantage when I look at this one.
Even if Spirit were to be a little asleep on the side of Nuke, maybe map 1 doesn't
go in their advantage.
When I'm looking at this Vito, they do potentially have the tools to hit the
in the coffin here and go for an ancient as that pick up against Falcons.
I actually think this is about as good as the Vito could have gone for Falcons
even though it is clearly spirit-favorite. This is still, they went for the curveball,
they went for the nuke that they haven't picked yet this season. They looked solid
when they've been on it. They're still, they're gonna have to combat those
demons on ancient. There's no way around it, but then they get map 3
which is a map they are comfortable on. Without a doubt, I mean it's nice
that they use the group stage to warm up on ancient, albeit they didn't
win anything on it. I'm a little surprised at the new pick. I know that in the past there have been instances mouths in particular have been able to construct game plans that have kind of kept on guessing for a long time. But for Falcons to pick this they've only played it twice this season. It was not a feature of their
they only played at a single time at the major they lost it at the major and so to to bank your semi finals on that map when you've by the way this season they will play 12 T side rounds on that map. That's not a lot of proof to say that you are definitely the favorite coming into this first one.
Well nuke might not have been a hallmark of their major run but you know what was a surprise pick coming out in the playoffs people aren't ready for the opponent team is not prepared they're not ready to play that map.
And I think Nuke, when you look at Kerrigan, he's a caller that has really done well with these kind of curve ball plays, picking a map that's not that good in your map pool, but you know it's not the greatest for them, and it's where you have a chance.
I think Anubis was going to be a poison chalice.
I am hoping that the surprise pick in this playoffs is more successful than their quote-unquote surprise picks when it came to that group stage of running ancient time and time again there.
But we were looking and talking a little bit about to near when he's saying anyone could potentially show up on the side of spirit if they were needed if it wasn't necessarily a great dunk day for them.
But then I beg the question at near up against the Tessus who's really adding more value who's been that strong and more stable player when you are looking at.
OK, our star players that we're aiming for aren't necessarily showing up the way we thought I might say Tessus is the more stable player for the Falcons.
for the Falcons, but I picked Taneer
if we're talking about which player I think is going to be
the difference maker in this series.
You look at Taneer, I think he's been put
into slightly adjusted P side roles
where he's playing a little more trade
fragging instead of the entry.
I think Spirit is realizing as time goes on
that maybe we want Zontics to not be our second
rightful star.
Maybe Taneer is the guy we should put the ball
in his hands.
When Donk has gone down,
I think when they had sought fifth at the helm,
they really tested that out.
They threw a bit more utility for Taneer
It made things work much more effectively.
And I think they're continuing with that as we go.
This is just an unfair comparison for me
because Taneer is supposed to be the third best guy.
Tessus gets the least resources.
And he still has a higher rating than Taneer for the season.
So I'm going to be taking Tessus in this one.
My favorite Falcon, by the way.
I love what he's always able to accomplish with very little at his disposal.
How he oftentimes has to make a macro decision.
Does he go for a push to try to upset the balance
balance of things are getting out of hand. And that's where he's been so clutch
for Falcons in the past. There's been multiple big stages now where he has been
able to shine when Niko falls in the early round, when Kyosuke falls, when he
knows that he has to take that 1v1 on the extremity and try to find a
difference maker frag and then watching him and Monosie clutch up in the 2vx
has been just fantastic. It might be an unfair comparison when we look
towards the players here, but I feel like this is the most fair in even
playing field we're gonna have when we look towards bathrooms taken on spirit
here in our semi-finals hoping to book themselves all the way into that grand
finals tomorrow.
Do you know why you are here? Cause and effect. Everything you've done,
every choice you've made has determined that this is where you were meant to
be. It's not coincidence that has brought you here. Don't think for a second that this
was an accident. Sailors once left this place with no map of what lay ahead. Legends said
a monster waited for them at the edge of the world. A titan who rebelled against the
of gods. They sailed through him anyway.
Deluxe walks it down with another call!
Little guy, what the heck?
No way!
What are you doing?
That's that!
Every Titan in your way was put there to be sailed through.
Every storm you weathered became your cape of good hope.
The path is laid out for you, but you have to be the one to sail it.
This is your story. This is your destiny.
E the sailor who doesn't turn back.
Cause their plans and effect your ending.
Become Invictus.
This team of titans is ready for anything you follow them while their fighting mentality
can be a double-edged sword.
One, they are still trying to master.
When they get it and they're sharpest,
they risk all hope from their enemies.
This is Team Falcon!
Their will to win and hunger for success, does not come from motivation.
This is what gets you started, but it can also play.
Determination and sheer will is taking them to where they want to go.
This is why their enemies fear them, but for the first round, that's even begun.
This is Team Spirit!
the fans and Porto are making their opinions. No, it felt like a mixed reception. They're
seeing the spirit players walking out and taking to the stage. Definitely a mixed reception,
which I was not expecting based on what happened this morning. I mean, this morning before
the games, we had spirit clear favorites in terms of the crowd. And then the crowd,
they switched up. They swapped their, they swapped their choice. Now they want Falcons
to win. They're all booing spirit. I didn't see that coming. I don't know. I don't
even know why that one happened right there. I mean, I think, I think they're
booing because those fans that have been donks fans that have been spirits fans
they're they're frightened right now because the pinnacle of a rifler it
doesn't last very long that that peak is fleeting that donk right now he's
coming up on year three of being the best rifler in the world think of all
the greats from the past Axial two years cold zero two years Olaf less
than two years they know that his time is not much longer and so you need to
start stacking some trophies of your spirit. Let me count on you with that one. Accessories,
Nito 10 years, and the map, that magisk, we've had 30 players in the chat, and that's no
more.
Alright, we're all back to, it is a lot of fun that everyone is getting into the
crowd here and you guys are so valid with what this time is ticking down for. Of course
everyone wants to be able to lift trophies for themselves. In fact, wasn't it you
How many of you have talked about Zontec's housing?
The notable results have it stacked up enough for them
that they feel like they are the best?
Well, I mean, he didn't want Chopper on the team
and they didn't want Chopper on the team
because he couldn't win consistently enough for them.
Chopper won multiple trophies back-to-back.
There were at least two incidents where he was able to win one trophy
then win a second right on top of it.
It's time for Magix to try to do the same.
He's only won a couple of trophies so far, in Ostana, in Bounty.
now he hasn't and it actually and sorry with EWC as well so now he has an
opportunity to win those two in a row to match what Chopper was able to
accomplish but Spirit right now they're trying to build an era and I think
they're far from it. They already got back to back ground final smelly they're
about to make it three in a row. Just great how food does not mince his words
at all here with that one but you go to question you're talking about
consistency and lifting properties but there's a consistency in being a player as well
When I look towards a dunk or a monocy and I'm seeing who's being able to put their team in successful positions
Be able to have more of those consistent showings in playoffs in grand finals whatever sort of best of three
We're looking at it is the question of which one is it both dunk and monoski are the focal point for their team
We've heard Sonic said everything will always be for monoski to succeed
They're both incredibly consistent at top-level players even in the same category
They're in that upper echelon of Pete players in Counter-Strike right now, but nobody can hold the candle to Don.
Well, for this season they have the exact same rating. If you're using the top 20 filter, when they're playing the best teams in the world,
Honestly and Don, they are head to head right now at the pinnacle of competition, but that's why I involved the supporting cast,
where Niko clears anybody on the side of Spirit, where Tessus has a higher rating than Taneer, who's not even supposed to be his counterpart,
And then you have Kyosuke another guy who almost is matching Donk in head-to-head duels ever since he's put on a falcon's Jersey
And so Spirit they need to dig real deep in this one
And if I'm even thinking about the tactics to would I rather have the guy that just won the last major has another one behind him
To in the past in Kerrigan or Magic's who's still getting his sea legs
I'd rather have someone they could shoot back
Alongside a team with Donk with dawn ticks with shiro with to near
I think they've figured something out in this season and the way they play tactically
Magics has continued to develop as a caller and when it comes down to it when these two teams go head-to-head
I think Kerrigan is going to be a weakness that will be targeted and that's going to put spirit over the line
He said it himself
Kerrigan practiced in the offseason whether he did or not that's still up for debate
However, his rating in the last series versus G2 was his best playoff rating ever in a falcons jersey
He's actually getting the necessary kills to turn the tides in some
Disadvantaged situations. I don't think that this spirit team has what it takes to actually get it over the line
I've been seats in here playing with his favorite coach next to him instead of the actual coach behind him in Holly
Well, is it anomaly will it just be the start of what is a string of great ratings here a string of great runs and best of
Threes we've got patterns coming up against spirit here not number one being new
Ladies and gentlemen, the boys and girls and Counter-Strike fans across the globe,
welcome back to the Superboc arena.
You join us for a semi-final of Epic Proportions.
Here at Barber Proportions, 2026.
And in 10-20, you join in the Azebra as Anders Bloom.
And Anders, correct me if I'm wrong, but this one has all the ingredients
to be one of the greatest Counter-Strike matches of all time.
New Ratsom and the Ratsom boys get the show on the road!
We have got Nuke to begin with so I want to get welcome.
And Falcons, they will start on the T side and they're not going to delay.
They want to kick up the action right away. They've already blowed open that door.
They're putting a lot of pressure towards that mini position.
Oh, Haragin. Molotov for the huts very early on. Let's see how much it burns out.
It's actually going to force a bit of a rotation as Tessa's dives down.
He's already made his way and they hold on to the ramp.
This is already a deep layered strategy.
Shiro and then Jep is activated.
It'll be Monosin next to go down and that leaves the bomb on the ground.
Somehow Spirit have found a way to answer it back and that whole play with Tess is now.
It's a little bit nullified.
Absolutely true.
A little bit tentative on the spacing there and towards the ramp.
Lots of easy duels for Team Spirit and they've got a pretty much
a loseable situation to this point.
a four versus two, bombed down towards the wrap.
Carrigan and Tessus left to pick up the pieces here.
I'm not sure anything can be done.
At this point, Trymaker then get a couple of kills
if possible, and where is Tessus?
Is he undetected?
Do they read this play?
He's the linchpin of this one.
I can't see a world where Carrigan
can find much impact from this position at Trophy Roots.
They know it as well.
They don't even give a chance to set up on the other side.
It's gonna be a high alert here for the CT side.
They'll know that someone is up.
They're missing a player.
He wasn't with the rest in lobby and they've already got a play behind the box here. So Tessus, honey, you're absolutely right
No chance
It's such a great answer
And we got kind of robbed I feel like of actually seeing that Tessus play being put into the round
But it's such a good response for spirit
Rough start with the Falcons there, not much accomplished and I set the spacing not really ideal, no real trade potential
Easy picking for Team Spirit here, you can see the idea is going to be the lowest
attack, Karagan setting up a utility to get a down set fence, but unfortunately no
plan, no real frags found, leads us to an eco here in round number two. A scout for
Monacy, you can see he must drop by Karagan and indeed he'll sacrifice his
economy going forward. We'll see if Monacy can get a few tags and enable a
few picks here for the clocks of the Falcon. Should be 2-0 all day long,
objective here. At least try and take a couple of players down with you.
I'll make you wonder a little bit if what they were trying to do ultimately was just
push the ramp players back into Tess's. Normally people will give up the ramp a
lot on the CT side, they'll just kind of run away. That didn't happen. Spirit
stood their ground. Honestly with the scouts. We've seen it in the past but
Spirit should be very careful out here. He can do unspeakable things with
the scout. Don't get me wrong, it's just very unlikely they get more than
a couple of kills here.
Gonna slow it down. We talked about these ideas before.
Try and bleed out CT utility.
A couple of kills.
Damage the economy going forward.
But you can see very passive discipline, I would say, here, between spirits.
And they're gonna be setting up dogs with the opportunity to get multiple kills here.
And as you know, he's gonna deliver each and every time.
It's a nice and warmed up, clean sweep, looking likely here. Nice stouts.
From Montesey, but not quite enough there to find a kill.
It is the clean sweep and a bit of a bonus situation going forward.
We talked about this in the group stages.
When you know there's MP9s going into this first gun round here,
you have to be very aware of the prospect of the lobby crunch after.
You've got MP9s, close-range weaponry.
You might try and push towards the ramp.
Squeeze from the heart as well, but we'll see what they've got at their sleeve,
but Carrigan needs to be very aware of that possibility.
I'm really glad that you flanked out early on here.
It is something that we saw fail a couple of times during the group stage.
You have to assume that Falcons will be ready for this one.
See, Karrigan, he is setting up the rest of his team a lot on this T side.
We're not expecting big kills to come from him.
That'll be up to Niko and Monosy and the rest.
We want Karrigan to engineer the tactical aspect of this.
And that's a dangerous map for Spirit to be against someone like Karrigan.
This is a map where you can really call rings around the other team.
So if he gets under their skin here, that's where things get really, really dangerous.
Yeah, since the removal of Overpass, I'd say Nuke's up there.
The most tactical map we have right now.
so many ideas especially towards his outside area lots of variations different approaches four smokes now deployed in total for the
Falcons as Kaisuke tries to cross over towards secret so far so good but worth notes in Karrigan only operating here with the tech nine
AK's around him Tess S with the Galil so
First objective complete one player down towards secret
And we hit the sub one minimap towards ramp he go once again nice little off angle for shiro, but
But as the counter-dance of Othello is off, it's caught napping now.
He'll get dropped by Kairosuke and Zikra.
It's a dead on after a peak, Shiro.
He should have got more than one. It's an absolute...
Oh!
It's a hit!
That is a fucking triple!
He set it off angle, but they should have traded him out some way, somehow.
Karygan, don't look there so much to be done again.
The bomb is lost on the other side here.
Shiro and Magix are low on health.
You don't expect Karygan to clutch this one before.
Yeah, I think that's dead on the nose in the bends. He's only got 20 seconds here
He can't check every angle can't check every position should be dropped momentarily by magics in the streak it continues
That's a bonus round victory the end of the two MP9 they leave it three players surviving with eight K's in their hands
Huge injection to the economy here. I've seen spirits at no plan once again for Balkans
Opening pick go defend them as well
Like I said, don't takes trying to play the pixel gap gets called nothing
The Shiro certainly does it, the Sniper going to town with the M4A1S triple kill, nothing by Headshots.
Look, pedestrian almost, too easy for it, no flashes, no real pressure, they run in one by one
and he guns them down as we get into a partial by now for the Falcons.
Eagles are tech 9s, they have got a little bit of utility here, a couple of smokes, a couple of flashes.
Just going to be feeding the round out, they've got some of the best eagle players on the planet
on team Valkyrie here as Karrigan drops the outside utility once again.
It's Valkyrie, it's one of the few teams I should just saw in the info box there to actually take down Team Spirit
and obviously it was the semi-final of the Cologne Major. They will want revenge
and the two-man save one were both in overtime as well.
That is a great point.
Speaking of their team, it was so far so good.
Team Spirit wants to get discipline, not giving much away here.
Letting them have the ramp run, it's not a bomb site.
What do you have that with your pistols? What do you get to do next?
Dream Star for Spirit at the moment.
Donk, you know some of these skills are a little bit easy with the M4.
Getting him activated early. The desk did such a great job of really wrapping this around Niko and against Donk.
Like how good he's been historically.
Maybe he can find a way to navigate this one. He's actually made it very deep and I don't think anyone's even realized.
It's a long mission that he's on right now with a eagle wrapping around to the high ground
That's actually significant though they got three kills in around Henry that makes a difference
certainly a bit of a lineman of that.
Katsuki showing he's not here to mess around.
Rubbly outworld that gets an equal brutal.
Not quite enough to win the round,
but it will damage the economy going forward.
That's for sure.
It removes a couple of AKs as well.
As we get into the next gun round here,
this time the Falcons are fully equipped.
AKs across the boards.
Ready to see a bit of life out of them.
What have they got next?
This time actually utilizing the outside smokes.
Not just one player there.
We've got three players getting ready and waiting,
presumably for Karrigan's utility.
There we go.
That might be one of the most nuts,
deagle triples we've seen all tournament long.
If you could have won the round,
I mean that would have been a highlight, but.
That's neat.
Yeah, it is a really nice grenade.
Normally you save those to blow up in the smokes.
Oh, they're really putting the pressure on.
Deep in Sendiery as well,
hoping to keep Falcons back
as they've set up this first wall.
Yeah, there's the HE,
they wanna see behind it.
The next round is not afraid. You'll take down Donk at a distance.
Always a big achievement if you could do that.
Down below, SonTix, you said it was caught napping last time.
Yeah.
It was Kusuke that peaked him and...
Tessa's now for the lobby.
Took it out. Magics.
If they can trade out SonTix, even if he gets a kill here, it's on.
Should be the first round for Falcons.
Five versus three.
Right in their time. Ready for the reaction.
CT's in the dark right now.
The no players are down towards Loa through secret.
Shiro trying to get any intel he can, possibly a pick towards a lobby.
They're gonna gamble it all three together. It makes sense right on the CT side instead of trying to hold everywhere
You try and group up a little bit more
Talk is becoming a bit of an issue here
What's the final commitment the bomb down towards lower right now?
But two players on the CT side are there ready and waiting Carrigan probably goes down here
3d for shiro. Oh no, it's when he seconds remain it is super scary
They're gonna go right into the snack bomb side
This could be a bit of a disaster so take your ready for one
but Teneir on the double spraydown.
And like you said, the time is already running down low.
It's Tess's, can't web-scry, you can't do anything about it.
You're right. Has to pick up the AK,
you just take a run for it, even that's not gonna succeed.
Teneir, using that corner, waiting for them,
finds a triple and puts himself at an eight to one scoreline.
Absolute disaster.
T's battle kids get two opening kills,
and they have to work half of them as well.
They're gonna take down Doc Northrop,
with a great shot from obviously Tess.
Tess gets to pick towards her, five bursts is three.
And once again, a little bit too sensitive.
Eat more assertion in these advantages here.
They split up, they try and over cook it.
Karangir's picked off and with 32nd from any,
they scramble down towards lower.
Hugh Salk, who's given away to the gamble stack
in the lower bomb site.
To near with the triple spray down.
Time gone, Tess.
There's nothing to do.
Try to scramble up the vents
and we go five and zero.
Bear in mind as well, it's a second map.
It's ancient.
They've picked it three times, Falcons in this tournament, they've lost every single Alte.
It's not a good map for them, and this is looking quite troublesome and worrying for Falcons fans right now.
Yeah, our desk had plenty of memes about ancient and Falcons, and that's a really scary prospect.
I'm glad that you bring that up right now, because...
Whatever happens on this side, don't fucking worry, we're gonna smash them on the ceiling.
Well, there you go. They are fully confident.
That's gonna be important, that's gonna be something that I'll have to keep in mind, because...
This is about the perfect start for Team Spirit 5 and 0. In their favor.
Yes, we move into round number six. And we know they can step up in these rounds.
Kaiizuki has looked excellent individually.
He's got the AK-47 here. He will have to be the hero.
But these are the sort of rounds Falcons win. And bear in mind, the money's got amazing.
These rounds have been close. They can just break through and find one on the board.
They'll be into this half. It's still early days here in the semi-final.
Once again, the outside smoke support. They're going to attempt this lower split.
Lower split, once again through secret, Zontec's ready and waiting.
As opposed to that, can he just find one, the save play ramp, get the intel, get out of there, let them have it as he repositions now.
He's got backup near by as well, so unless we rush him down right now and he's gonna have a second there, I'll clear there.
Tenir on the other side, Nico, good head shot, but the backup reinforcement's coming in with Tenir just in time to stop Falcoons from actually getting onto the side in front of the bomb.
free kill from Magix.
He finds Q2K sneaky around on the upper bomb site.
Testers, that's a wide swing.
You'll get the AWP.
But even though there's any way to throw that away
on the site, winning a 1v4, very, very doubtful.
Maybe a bomb farm would be nice.
I mean, the bomb's down towards lower right now.
A CB can scoop it up, but very unlikely.
He can do anything with this one
and there it is, John P. Kings from the bomb site itself.
Six and zero, feels like a tactical timeout.
is upon us going forward. They are yet to post a single round.
Sure, it's the T side of Nuke, but this is your map pick.
We're going to need a couple to work with
if we're going to step up on the CT side.
So that was a partial bite to be fair.
Hero AK can't deliver the goods this time,
but we do have maximum loss bonus in AKs across the board.
I don't think anyone was expecting this.
Falcons in that quarterfinal, they just looked unbeatable.
But we've set it all along.
Spirit they are the best team of the tournament and they are playing like it. They were playing like it all throughout the group stage as well
Very very scary for Falcons to be up against this
They don't have the answer yet. Shiro's the relocated from Iraq to play that mini position and Karrigan's already out of the round
Surely you can catch him in mini. Surely you don't let him get away with the AWP and in fact
It's monosy to find him to near though ready to answer back Tess's out of the round and a leap of faith from Nika
We jumped from that mini roof making his way towards hell
We would maybe find one player in the garage, she's not impossible.
Okay, we've threaded a needle again Niko, a backstab available to him towards the ramp,
but Zontik's playing a very passive position, can't get caught out here,
they'll be aware of the gap and that's why Zontik's is playing on the ramp itself,
investigating every crevice, but it should be an absolute freebie here for Niko.
That opens it up, but it is still a 3v3 and Magic's in round ago.
OK, he wanted to push that lobby to get the information.
Got a little bit more that he was bargaining for there.
And, honestly, takes him down.
Donk and Teneir.
If they steal this round away, that could be heartbreaking.
Even if Falcons have faith in their CT side,
this one should be theirs.
Yeah.
They are bringing the bomb up to the upper bomb site,
and that is exactly where Donk is waiting.
They go down lower now, but that's where Teneir is waiting for them.
20 seconds once again.
What's the final play?
You're right, they funneled them completely in.
They might be hurting them right down to the vent.
17 seconds, that smoke is suspicious,
but Donk is actually not going to push it.
He'll already fall back down.
He wants to see if he can put a little bit more pressure on them.
Waiting for Tanea.
No more grenades on the CT side.
Falcons, they desperately need their first round.
They must win this one.
And finally, the bombers can't sit.
The pressure is on Spirit,
maybe for the first time in this series.
Tanir, he's creeping up slow as you'd like.
I think they've already spotted the gun barrel.
Honestly, let's go for a couple of rounds.
Stop, though.
No!
A great shot to take down Tsuke.
Oh, wow.
How Tanir won the fight on the other side.
But that's another round that Falcons should have won
every single time.
Another fumble advantage.
How many opportunities will you get?
You need to start closing these rounds out.
Don't cut the ladder.
Get a bit of a freebie on the tail.
Do you think Tanir, in the bet,
he's got zero chance?
I'm actually getting out, but somehow it wins the duel.
This was the advantage.
Niko, threading that needle as we mentioned,
honestly getting the pick towards her.
The sound cue disrupts Niko,
and then Don comes down from the heavens, wins the round.
This is the play, and it is a great little maneuver there
from Taneir.
Fantastic movement, and it will be seven.
It's a zero here in favor of Team Spirit.
No bomb plan again.
Have they even planted the bomb at all, Anders?
Just thinking about it.
Just thinking about it.
It's the only time they've done it.
It's the first time, the first and onlyest.
That's nice.
That is a massive grenade.
Falcon's trying to change the tempo
but the counter utility!
It is way too much here.
They have been shut down.
He was just one player left here.
He can win these sort of rounds, even on 20 HP,
but Shiro, promising position here,
but this is the shot.
He has him a chance, but 8-up break,
8 and 0, this one spiraling now.
Henry, you brought it up.
You said Doc was on the high ground
in that last 2v2,
to near us down below. Previously, when it was late round,
it was Shearer pushed up towards the lobby with the AWP.
In the late rounds right now, they're doing a fantastic job
scaring and funneling Falcons exactly where they want them.
And they're reading them like a book as well.
They were more than prepared for the upper rush,
and there's double HEs in towards the hearts.
Molotov just squeaky doors. It did about 150 damage
before they even got out of the hut there.
Sure, you might be able to bounce back at the CT side,
but you need a couple of rounds here.
That was another partial.
We have a gun round ahead of us, but not much to show for it.
Where are the individuals right now?
We've got Tessus, 2-8, Carrigan, 1-8.
We've had some decent output from Kaisuke.
Monosid, Niko has managed to find good positioning
and find them a couple of key picks,
but need to stop converting those advances right now.
As we get into round number nine,
Team Spirit running away with the semi-final.
And now, mind, this could be a grand final itself.
I dare say whoever wins this series
and this goes on to win the entire tournament.
That is very, very likely.
I can't disagree with that the desk we're talking about somebody has to be like their second and third man for Donka the spirit
Time right now to me it is the man. He's stepping up 12 to 3 score line
Massively stepped it up in shero. He's right there as well. This team looks completely unstoppable at the moment. Yeah pressure on
So I can carry them need to work out how they get into this game. They need at least two rounds here
outside smoke support once more zonzix this time not being as tentative towards
the ramp from changing his stance got back up with donk as well test says
fine position beat you'd come in your hands son and yeah core a little bit
unaware is there it will be an opening page I don't know why switching to his
knife and such a key problem around it's all collapsed again yeah this time
without even a chance of outpins to really get me a good open
It was such a slow peek as well coming in from Lobby.
It wasn't a big swing or great aim, it was a bit of a freebie.
You're watching the angle, but are you really paying attention?
This is where you might want to see some kind of a timeout here with Falcons.
We've got to get everyone lined up.
Paragon, Spown, Externia, getting an easy kill there.
9-0. This isn't the semi-final, I promise to crowd.
We said this could be one of the greatest canister matches of all time.
setting us to be one of the worst.
And I love the change of stance there.
It's been very passive defensive outtapes,
obviously giving them the ramp run of the time,
but what a nice way to change things up.
The double push of Donk there, a quiet around.
They don't see it coming, even though they're holding it.
SS, flammable's there,
and it will be lobby control,
granted the team spirit, and yet another round.
No bomb plumb once again,
even with the maximum loss bonus,
we're pistols across the board.
We need a miracle for the Falcons right now.
What is going on?
They're my pick.
Oh, you're not exaggerating.
A miracle is exactly what they need.
Let's see if anyone can deliver here.
Magic starts clean.
And a double spray down.
They might have converted one of the kills there,
but now Donk is at the site.
There we go.
Wait a minute.
Yeah, he's actually caught with a grenade in hand.
Kusuke just put the fix all the way.
He's hitting the second headshot there
and bringing down some kills.
The test is, now he's right to her face in him.
He might be able to clutch this one.
I think he knows Tanir is somewhere in that corner.
He's just not sure about the timing here.
They need a time in the round, but the bomb is clear to the side
and he's just completely timed himself to near stepping out.
Easy shot to bring him down, 10 in a row now.
And you know what? I agree.
We want a much more close back and forth, but on the other side,
are you excited how you'll be alive at a time when a player like Donk
is playing at this level? Like, we're witnessing some of the best
they've ever played. Anybody has ever played.
a once-in-a-lifetime generational talent.
We've never seen anything quite like it.
Sure, there are prodigies, and Kaisuke is one of them as well going forward,
but no one has ever been on this level before, especially at 19 years old.
It's just unbelievable the form he is displaying, each and every series here,
especially in Porto, it's been an absolute heater.
Round number 11, Anders, I don't know what else to say.
They need these last two. It's been so flat.
They've had the advantages.
They've had their moments, but they're unable to close these rounds out.
They are bottling it on the big stage right now
Multiple opportunities to pick up rounds the late calling from spirit has completely outdone them, but you're right two rounds
It's something it's better than nothing
Shiro not ready around and Nico deleted from the round early
He was supposed to be the guy that could challenge donk out there and maybe bring him down
That's what he's done historically the desk alright
And he said he's a once-in-a-generation talent with the last talent of that generation was Nico
And he's been performing at an insanely high level for more than a decade now
Okay, we've got some space at least on the map, but they've allowed it to happen exceed to near playing very passively
But test says he could get the shadow advantage if this has got to be a kill for him
There it is. Okay. We're back in the round best chance. They've had in some time here
But the bomb is so far away I was gonna say if it could be intercepted here
There is a way that this could still go wrong. This is where Spirit have done, I
think some of their best work was up 30 seconds. Every single time they've picked
the right bomb site, they might be doing it again, they might be overcooking it,
they're going straight into the nest where Spirit are waiting.
Don't with the headshot!
Shot on again!
So one, you're on again!
There's a little time! 12 seconds on the clock in Montesey scrambling.
He's gonna have to pick up the bomb right there. 8 seconds.
Shiro's hot on his heels, walking in through the hot.
I don't think Modesty even has thought about that yet.
He's right behind him.
Oh, the side-ime has come out, and it's an 11th round.
He had no idea where Shiro was coming from.
Spirits do it for a third time,
and they pick the right bombsites.
They steal it away each and every time.
It was the opening pick, but you thought
a real chance there, Falcons managed to make it work.
They get space down towards the fence.
Like I said, a pre-kill and to near death.
Asuki thought that was enough.
Surely they could've earned this one, but no.
They choose to form bombsite once again,
don't open things up, takes the anchor away
from Magic's up in the rocket,
and they could've earned once more.
Shiro sneaking through the heart.
5-7 in hand, and it's another round on the board.
This one you call a whitewash.
11-0, Neal Mappic.
There's not really much that it can do about this one.
All you can say is, boys, try and get this last round.
I would just change things up.
up a rush this way. I mean they tried it once at Tech Nines and they did actually get
into it around a little bit. So maybe you're right. One chance to at least pick up anything
at all on the T side here. Wow. No one expected this today. The crowd is with Falcons at
the beginning where they've been very silent now. Spirit have taken over this one. Making
a huge claim for themselves here in Porto. We're changing the pace of outside brush,
but a similar sort of result here.
It will be guys who get going down early.
courtesy of Shira.
They're trying to get multiple players down towards secret here.
Smokes don't look ideal.
Huge gap there.
So we've got Monosia Cross, but what can you really do
if it needs some backup here?
Isolated by himself towards secret.
Oh, he's going to see that as well.
Magics, timing was perfect.
12-0, really?
And listen, it's not what I was expecting, Henry.
I'll be honest, getting out of bed this morning.
I wasn't seeing this coming, but like I said, Spirit, they are a phenomenal team.
They're the number one in the world right now. Falcons are defending major champions,
but you wouldn't think that with this sort of performance, is that a pick?
Okay, they're getting bullied and carried in. Okay, now we're getting somewhere.
One round, surely available here. Another three-on-two advantage.
They cannot fumble this one.
That is crazy hubris from Teneir.
Not even playing inside of me, just dropping down, making all the noise behind them.
I don't know, you gotta be careful though, you test the guards like that, maybe they will actually punish you.
Here we go!
They're on the bomb side of the very least, they're Suntics!
Try to charge into the site!
A second bomb!
Finally for the Valkyries!
A hurricane in the clutch!
Come on!
A bullet might just do it.
One round could be enough.
We've seen that in the past.
It's a win for Captain, a triple, in the same game!
He takes out a pinch in the beginning of this game.
Are you ready?
Yeah, get ready.
Let's go.
It's here.
Is it there?
You're only with this stand?
I am not sure.
What's with this hit, for God's sake?
I'm gonna check it out.
Let's rush ramp, let's take the fights.
Fun boosts.
Ah, this is gonna be a sense.
Try hard, man!
I'm fast, I'm gone.
Oh, I think Sandbox fell.
behind your...
NICE!
nah
it's right, it's right
can i get it? can i get it?
flash? flash?
boom
one more, one more
okay
nah
easy man
is it here sound?
one here
peeking
fuck man, i missed this map
He's going past the sky.
Oh no.
Nice.
Nice.
Nice.
Nice.
Nice.
Nice.
Nice.
Nice.
Nice.
Nice.
Easy.
Nice.
Oh, come on.
Nice smoking.
What is that?
He's on the ground.
I'm watching where he's at.
No way.
Oh, handbox.
one side there
one heaven there
nice
they got thick
thick
thick
thank you
easy
nice
easy
easy
easy
easy
easy
Welcome back to the semi-finals day here at Blast Open Porto 2026 as we bear witness to
a meltdown of nuclear proportions. Team Falcons post one measly round on their T side of new
Kierlanders and it's courtesy of the man on the screen right now and unlikely hero
Karrigan gets three kills around number 12. Can they get back into this one? That
That is the question. They move on to the CT side. We heard the voice comes. Niko say it doesn't matter what happens in the first half.
We'll destroy them in a second. Are you believing in that whatsoever?
I am. Perhaps the long distance runner are believing in Niko. So you better believe I still have faith that they can turn us around somehow.
Alright then. Let's get into the pistol ladies and gentlemen. Let's see if Falcons can fight their way back into it.
D-side pistol now, Spirit and a plethora of utility, HE for the door, Molotov for the huts, and a smoke for main potentially, and here we go, variation, but it's going to be ramp, it's going to be the chosen objective, and Kaisuke, they know it's opening tick, they've had plenty of those so far here on Nuke, can they convert this one, must win.
We're sending Donk in as the human flashbang. Why would you send him in first?
He is your super weapon, but they did exactly that.
And he was picked off early.
Another chance here for Falcons to step it up.
They've been in this situation before. He fumbled it.
They've come in this one.
This round is definitely still on.
Sure, it's a five versus three, but no kits.
Okay, that's a good point. Another headshot though.
You can still lose it.
Sonkits with a cockroach all around.
Not even a kill on the side of Spirit.
I'll say this, they could have won that last round Henry, if not for Tenir, dropping down
with noise.
Now I'm not saying that's going to cost them all of Nuke, but it would be a classic Counter
Strike example of a little bit too much hubris of thinking you've already won and then suddenly
backfires, and especially against the leader like Carrigan, and you let Carrigan back
into it.
They just needed one.
Zero obviously would not do it, but one, if there was a map to make a comeback
on it might be the CT side of Nuke, historically.
One of the strongest CT sides in the entire map hole.
We'll see whether they can bounce back here.
Bear in mind, they've got the bomb plant.
You're not out of the woods, yeah, if you're Falcons.
It will be a force fight in response.
Since they've got an MP7,
you don't see many of those in the second round.
I'll see whether anything can be done here.
It's mainly Deagles and Technites.
Falcons now holding on by a threat here in their map pick.
Ancient upnecks as well.
They've had nothing but losses.
Big Ls throughout the tournament.
Three of them to be exact.
trying to expand their map pool into failed experiments but for now all they
can do rebuild brick by brick here on nuke.
Nico, be careful he does.
Careful, easy, a bullet straight between his eyes.
Long delivering that head shot. Now they're down below very very quickly.
There's also a rotation coming in here, Kusuke's there.
He needs a backup though and it's more honestly coming in from the ramp. Let's
see what you could do. Nice early kill. He's ready to fight them left and right at the moment.
They should be the round of falcons even if they lose that early engagement outside.
But I think they're making good on it now. Donk and Sontics. Any kind of damage will do just
anything to stop the momentum to not make falcons feel like they're building a comeback.
And if you get a couple more kills in a round like this one, it all hands up.
Absolutely true. Should be a done deal here. Should be a freebie for Carrigan.
no problem there whatsoever. So, leaving a little bit of pressure here. You know it's
a full eco coming up next. Sure, Donka's alive, but if there's an eagle, 29 HP, maybe he gets
one more, but that should be it. You've got to make sure he doesn't plant. That's the
only objective right now on the CT side. Don't give them an opportunity to force by
again. There we go. No problem. Well done, Falcons. Even after losing our first pick,
good adjustment. Great concept. Honestly, coming down from the ramp. Crossfire,
Redoom, enabled down towards lower, and they make live walk again.
This crowd is amazing. We knew that it was going to be as well.
We were there in Lisbon, and now here in Porto, it's been electrifying here in the Super Pop Arena.
Really? How sad, before we went live, have you reminded me?
The CT side for Kerrigan is one of his few good sides.
Yep, it's true. One of the few maps he actually has decent outputs on.
I would say it's only on the CT side.
He's kind of running in through huts and tweaking it all by himself, usually.
But CT side, he is good for one or two kills each and every time on that bomb side floor.
He is actually pretty decent in that position.
So after saving the day, getting at least one round on the board,
can he step up and go even further here on the CT side?
This one is the gimme.
This one, they shouldn't be getting any picks whatsoever.
Kaisuke this time, the one towards secret.
Does he overstep the mark? Does he give them a deagle opportunity to there? We know his pistol is vicious
But they're so dangerous
You just can't give them even an inch here and you don't really have to either
You don't have to be peeking this yard all that much just make sure that they don't get into mini for free
There's already an incendiary or a molotov. I think even be held inside of the bomb site
So the test is ready if they come through me. Yeah, he's gonna be throwing it up slow
Kisuke a bit of a battle. There's a team killer in the mix, because it's all out chaos.
There's all spirit trying to funnel the way onto the bottom side, and they've been completely modified here.
Nice triple for Kisuke.
And another round for Falcons.
It's a really, really slow process to rebuild themselves on this map, but I think you've drawn a good picture
with Nuke being this map, with Karrigan being the leader.
leader. I've got a wide but notoriously Danish IGL
television very good on the map like Nuke. Maybe he can draw on
some of all that experience and build this comeback. I hope so.
We don't want any blowouts here in the semi final, especially
when we built this one as one of the greatest matches of all
time potentially. Number one, number two team in the world,
major champions future major champions potentially with Team
Spirit as well. They have the favorites at this tournament
coming into it. Bear in mind, we have another semi-final for you today as well. Vitality taking
on Maus and Vitality with JDL seem to be getting stronger and stronger. That's going to be another
barn burner, another matchup. But for now, we enter another gun round here.
Dairbone's utility, the team's spirits. Not an ideal buy. They'll be over-investing
a few of those Degals previously, but look at that outside control. Smokes deploy
three of them to be exact.
Makes blowing them open that much harder.
Honestly, great position.
He's got another each year right underneath him.
So he throws it, picks up another one, throws it again.
Hasn't found even a single target outside.
So they have one smoke and a couple of Molotovs left.
This comes down to the ramp.
Brew four towards the ramp and it's not a great position.
Kaisuka, this is a classic one and Dunand is.
You ideally need someone back here up.
He's got no one at all.
If he gets more than one, I'm impressed.
See if he can beat the odds.
There's the first one.
He's ready to f**k out.
He's done it!
Two.
I'm beating the odds on that one.
Look at the time.
That's the bomb now, alone in rap,
making his way down on the back of Magix.
But his teammates are far away.
This is what happened to Falcons at some point
in the first half.
He removes that bomb.
It's now alone.
Zanzik's found in hot.
A little bit of history repeating itself for the moment.
Spirit getting some of their own medicine.
Dong and Magix, they can't even win the round now, and they're not trying to either.
They just want to see if they can keep some of the AKs alive here.
Bomb on the ground, a fifth round for Falcons.
Absolutely.
Asuke stepping up massively there, he only gets one, that round
is going to have a very different outcome, they can make their way down towards the other, the double.
Talk to me about this, if we see the replay from his point of view,
he gets the first kill, and then he squeezes into the second fight, why is he doing that?
Because he's trying to change up the angle, I said probably, it's very difficult to calm what's happening there exactly where he is
So he's trying to get the drops on them while the cops are scramble, while the working things out
Okay, and there it is, getting two frags there is massive
And you can see Team Spirit have a little bit lost there, they didn't have any utility at there, so they go towards the ramp
Five, six rounds, then we'll start to be nervous
Okay, boss?
Yep
Let's give it a hit
Okay
Sonic
They could be nervous at about 5 or 6 rounds. I don't know if I fully agree, but at some point Spirit would be.
I think that was a pretty lousy round there for Spirit. As I mentioned, maybe investing a bit too much in the Deagles before didn't have all the utility ready to work with there.
Get into the latter stages of it. They have to just kind of acquiesce. Get into the ramp room with no real flashes.
Should have been much harder for the defense there, but now another pass. You're buying a donk here away.
We know what he can do with this one. It's aggressive towards the squeaky door.
He's so nervous. This is exactly the kind of round that Spirit could win.
You can see Tess is jiggling back and forth,
going to throw out a bit of burn,
and he's in here to keep the back off.
He'll run into the hole!
And the line!
Tess is anchoring the bomb site like a champion.
And Magix never even stood a chance.
He's picked up the AK as well.
A quad kill.
Now he said he had some faith in Tess's on this team.
He said he was his favorite Falcon.
I mean, he's living up to that right now.
Absolutely.
That's a beautiful sequence there.
Karrigan giving the information a good out of squeaky door and he's been high alerts and he's more than ready for the triple spray down there slowly
But surely the Falcon starting to soar here in the first map
Down but not outs
Give it a head in the game and now it's down the alley can actually bring the boys back into this one
Recalibrate and find Matt point that will alleviate a lot of pressure
You gotta love the protocol as well right test is throwing down an incendiary
So that he only has to fight on his left hand side and he's fully committed to that fight
You can see it there, hoping that no one will try to run through the ramp around.
Very intentional stuff and he's more than ready to notify the entire round.
They're leading to six ladies and gentlemen, Falcons not going down without a fight.
They go on the round thanks to carrying it in the first half.
Let's see if that turns out to be enough.
Yeah, looking like it might be. It's another buy here and it's the look.
It's Galilz once again.
We had a couple of smokes remaining.
Sure, most of them have been deployed already towards outside.
There's another difficult round to operate in, firepower affected, open a pink bound, monosy.
Sender shows some wall-class form now, takes down the danger man in the form of Donk as well.
And they're going to send him out outside here, maintain their advantage, and spotting a couple of players going down towards Seekles.
They know exactly what's going on here.
Yes.
Could have made a case that Nico could have taken that fight, but he's settled for the information.
And I respect that.
Absolutely true.
Now you've got two CTs down towards Loha.
I'm honestly locking them in for the retreat.
And looking like another great opportunity.
You have no smoke, you just have Molotovs remaining.
Again, trying to brute force his Loha bomb side.
Need a pick, but they're giving you nothing.
Before Sontek's discovered outside,
so they have a little bit more info to work with.
And obviously actually putting on a bit of a defensive smoke
that he wants to play around.
He's still aware that they could be coming for him.
Super heads-up play here for the young sniper.
There is a player right inside of the smoke waiting 35 seconds.
That smoke's gonna be fading very soon.
Magics on the hunt, Monosy.
Oh, he's...
Oh, amazing!
Trying to see if he could big-brain that one.
But caught by Monosy instead.
Five versus three.
The bomb's still down the low.
They wanted that kill to sow the seed of doubt
to see if they could rotate people back to the A bomb site.
But they're sticking down here,
I think they're gonna let the clock run down.
Spirit is saying, we're gonna leave these guns.
Seven rounds now on the side of Falcons.
Brick by brick and round by round,
they are building this one back.
Admirable outflow right now.
Love that for Monizzi,
give him magic's enough road to hang himself.
The smoke he thought he had,
they definitely thought he snuck through.
Yeah, the crowd comes alive.
Monizzi know that something's up
and the master gets himself a couple of kills
with the AWP.
We're going to round up a 19 here. The streak continues.
He got down, dunked at the start, and then, yeah,
what a master stroke to find. Magic's here as well.
He starts spraying.
He knows he's been rumbled, and it's yet another round.
Spirits refuse to take a full eco here.
A couple AKs, once again, we are going to see
tech nines joining them.
They're doing all this work,
and Niko is still to get activated.
He's got six kills.
Yeah, we're all waiting for that.
Never mind, that's now five in a row here.
On the CT side, there are 11-1 down.
Boosting towards the ramp room.
Yeah, it's to be good for once in a half.
Catch somebody off guard.
I don't like this Karrigan feeling very lonesome.
Towards Mini.
The fact that he's falling back,
I think is a better choice.
I mean, it didn't tell on the clock
and it doesn't even look like he's gonna be
finding anyone at the moment here they've made their way across once again
they are so stretched out on the map spirit which you could do a lot with
this on nuke but so far they haven't managed to prove that so what have you
got to work with here a couple of players including the bomb down towards
secret two AKs available don't and zon't x to wield them one flash one
flash that's really been the headline here it is don't have the utility to
close these rounds out there's never enough flashbangs molotovs they
They deploy all the smokes early on.
And to anything they can do with this one,
don't get them towards the vent.
Are they going for the upper splits here?
Oh, we're so low on that around once again.
30 seconds, spirit.
They desperately need a round.
They desperately need anything to get them back in this one.
Okay, dropping down the vent.
He should be in the corner.
He's gonna need to get rid of him.
He's gonna stand his ground finally.
They kill him.
But it might just be too little, too late here.
Bomb, make it a run for it.
They're gonna be able to plant it.
No one there to intercept.
and Nico, they were far away.
Two versus two, no-landers, their first plant since the pistol.
It's another partial buy, can they convert it,
alleviate that pressure, get map points,
Zontics and Shirro up against it.
You want Nico to activate here, finally proving his world.
There it is!
Zontics gonna be found, evil missing, and Nico!
Two kills to his name in this one.
Oh, that was the best chance that Spirit had
to at least get up to 12.
Finally getting a plant down, no-landers,
that is huge, it means they actually have the full buy
They'll have everything they need going forward.
A scary moment there by Niko.
As you mentioned, finally activated here on the CT side of a huge clutch.
Didn't have to break a sweat here.
Can't be disciplined there from Niko.
And now they are feeling the pressure, feeling the heat.
Another tactical timeout.
Could they really fumble at 11-1 advantage on their opponent's map pick?
Potentially.
Here's the answer.
Shiro will have the AWP for the first time now on the T side.
Donk has gone MIA. We haven't really mentioned his name in the second half whatsoever.
Starting to cool off. Same story for Tanev.
Kinshira, finding an opening pick here which they desperately need.
And listen, if those two graphs cross the decline of Donk and the ascend of Niko,
that is easily the thing that makes a difference in a game like this one.
We're down to a three round gap, ladies and gentlemen.
This is suddenly turning into a very, very different affair.
We're all a bit up deflated at the end of the first half.
We're getting nothing!
The Falcons have brought it back to this.
It's been feeling the pressure.
This is what it's all about.
Never back down, never surrender.
Every day, no counter-strike.
You can bring it back, even from the depths of hell.
11-1, Follando has done it.
Honestly, putting in a shift to the AWP and the CT side.
It's lost the place, it's towards the outer area.
Eco, Stenka hits down for the smoke.
No real damage done as of yet.
Bear in mind, Shura of the AWP as well.
They're trying to set him up.
It's a down the opener, this time towards Squeaky Door.
Some six again, we're in the first half down the low,
when he was possibly sleeping a little bit here.
It's Monty peeking in this time, and he's lightning fast, and we know that.
Donk, he would love a challenge.
He'd love to prove you wrong, Henry,
and show that he's back again on this T-side,
because they do need him right now.
I'm in it on the clock again. The utility has run very low.
In spite of the bomb plant, they've got a flashbang
and an HG here on the T-side.
That is not that much to work with.
Once again, down towards secret. Three players this time with the AWP. It's uncomfortable.
He got Monosy. He felt like he's getting one all day long here and then falling back.
A prime position for him. How do you possibly flush him out? Again, you have one HE, you have one flash.
You have to take the dry peeks and it's the same result, Anders.
He's playing this perfectly. Shiro will finally take him down. 30 seconds and then no exact fuel is going on.
Mad Advantage once again, huge pick up,
14-8 towards the ramp.
20 seconds, how do they get this bomb planted?
Well, they're waiting, the patience is crazy.
Shearer holding it while the bomb is being planted.
And now, if you want to peek this again,
Shearer might have brought it back here
to find another round.
That is mad!
He stood his ground in that hallway
and never moved an inch for that triple.
Well, they didn't have a lot to work with there,
but they read them like a book,
the retake coming in from the secret area,
Karagin swinging in for the AWP.
Impolite, honestly, did more than enough there.
Perfect counter strike until the moment he repicks Shirro.
Unaware that he had the AWP available,
and it is the difference maker.
Finally, they find their first round on the T side here.
One more would do it to take their opponent's pick.
Tactical timeout called once again.
Team spirit looking for that knockout blow.
It would be a disaster to imagine a world
where they give this map up.
They win the first half, 11-1.
You think there's no way the Falcons get back into it,
but they managed to post six rounds in a row.
They could seven to find themselves in a position
where maybe there's a chance of the comeback,
but now they need to lock in once again.
The game is still on.
Four rounds are quiet on the CT side.
They can keep this one going,
but now it has to be the perfect game.
Donk with the best spawn available,
but they want to change things up,
go for the faster round here,
instead of running the defaults
They're running out of utility towards the end.
Like I said, 7-18 is about the second half of the week, now they just need 4 and it's going to be hard.
We're going back here, they're rushing the site, straight into Tessus, but come on, big man!
He's great, he's been shot in the back, so it takes to pick up a target!
He falls through his doubt, Kisuke!
He wants the last defender in our way, there should be no way.
Toys being to the investigation gravity got the better of women here come the
fire and flames
all the Falcons what a shock an amazing game of counter strike in the end we
thought they were cooked we thought they were done but Falcons and admirable
attempt in the second half there sure they didn't get the win but they showed
they can hang at this level and recover the 11-1 deficit it comes down to
absolute pandemonium at the end, it carried a cratering and it felt like they had control of the round for a split second there.
Niko left into two versus one, he can't close things out and it's a sigh of relief as Team Spirit do pick up their opponent's map pick,
but it definitely gets way too close. 11-1 into 13-8.
of this map. It's just crazy
to see that how difficult it
is for spirit to just put it
to the point of match point. As
soon as that happens, though,
Maui, it feels like it's done
and dusted. There was a little
bit of panic coming out from
the side of thousands when it
gets that close, but also
amazing for instance, the
when it gets that close but also amazing from spirit to just go we're at match point. Let's just rush it at this point
Because there's so much more still in the game and that's after a Holly time out
I was questioning it in the moment thinking you just won you just broke the seal on that T side half
But it then you actually slow your team down and just call for a full-on rush
It was a surprise that definitely caught Falcons off guard the way that monestee was positioned on top of the hunt right there
Probably indicates that he did not expect anything like that
that. Yeah, I think what Falcans realized along that half is that they were continually
getting opening kills. You couldn't see a spirit open around into anything other than
a 45 time and time again. And sometimes when you're in that situation, you want to call
a rush, but then it's too obvious. You win that one round, you go straight for a rush.
Monacy was looking for an opening pick and hut just gets caught out. It's just
again crazy to look at an eight and 13 score line here for new Falcans pick, knowing
what Spirit were able to do in that first half for themselves. I mean the fact that your
eleven rounds in a row winning it and Kerrigan steals away that last one like come on man
you couldn't have just given us the straight up 12-0.
I think this goes back to what Maui said in the pregame that this is a nuke where
Falcons haven't played very many T side rounds. I think under 20 T side rounds this season
they played very little. Doesn't play into Kerrigan's strengths as a caller where
he likes the mid rounds. He likes to pivot players around the map. Nuke it's very
you get a situation where you can mid-round,
but then you're kind of just guessing.
You can't poke and prod into a bomb save
the way you can on a Mirage or a Dust 2.
In theory, some of his rounds should have worked.
They found man advantages,
but then it was Spirit that just thought two steps ahead,
so I would give Spirit a lot of credit.
We actually have a couple of rounds we can look at
where we see that they find ways to flank Spirit out.
I mean, Niko in this one, round seven,
is able to slink into hell.
He gets the drop on Zontics there and in this kind of situation if you're falcons after you get this kill
You're thinking to yourself
Okay, we have a great opportunity to try to take this one towards lower because we took down the ramp guy
We know we're magics into near play being around the the door and a
Riflers that don't is towards the outside and so instead of going for the natural conversion here
Especially after getting the kill on magics where you could go down ramp and just convert they they out thought it
Okay, Kerrigan actually probably overcooked this one in a way where he thought the least likely thing they're gonna expect is if we go a
Even though B was ripe for the taking it was it was very easy for them to get into that position
And so they find themselves in this two-on-two standstill and weird smoke from donk all in all
But they take so long Falcons to get the bomb the digits in that it allows long to then wait his whole smoke out
And then they both I don't know how monestee though doesn't get that kill. I'll be real
Yeah, you've got to get the player coming up, but then you have round 11. Another exact same things happening very similarly, right?
You have Tezos coming down the bank. He gets the entry and they move into the lower bomb site.
They take down Zontics. They're in a 43 with the advantage, but then you kind of overcook this one.
You think about where you want to be going. They go back towards the upper bomb site yet again,
and here we've got Donk and Magix in perfect position to deal with this exact same play.
This is just perfect kind of reading from spirit.
And it's not we're showing two upper plays. There was a couple of times it went lower also in the bomb site stacks, right?
Yeah, you're in the right place at the right time every single round
This was a weird map of or at least half of new clear practically every read that Kerrigan made in the mid-round was just wrong
To the credit of spirit. They actually just outbought them. They had they they were one step ahead so frequently
And that was something that you a singer I've been coming into this when we were looking at the IGLs
What was going to be able to be brought at is this this textbook of Kerrigan despite so often we call it
to the right. And he goes
to the right. He goes to the
right. He goes to the right
right, okay, great mid round
calls from him being able to
switch things up. It's almost
like magic knows that that's
exactly what he wants to do.
And so at any given point, he
goes, we're just going to do
the opposite of what you
wouldn't lately think to do.
I don't think magic's
generally is considered a great
mid round caller, but I think
he's got the pieces he
needs. He's got the right
idea. The right reads. I
think the coaching staff gives
them a good plan for the
game, and they come into
this one, and he does make
some good mid round reads some
to perform a little more effectively,
but I think the team struggled entirely
when it comes to the T side.
I think we should talk about that T side
a little bit more for the side of Spirit as well,
or maybe it's more props to the side of Falcon CT.
I'm not really sure how you would like to look at it there
when we talk about the second half.
Well, for Spirit, they were really trying
to make outside work for themselves,
and eventually it just crumbled.
It finally fell apart.
Niko, Monacy, they were trading blows
in getting multi-kills
or at least opening kills towards that outside yard,
But eventually with enough iterations,
you throw the old cross smokes,
you throw the diagonal cross smokes,
you're gonna get down eventually,
and that's when finally they were able
to catch Monosie off guard,
where he was just trying to take a little bit more
than he probably should have in trying to get a Nade out,
and then he just gets traded.
And that's just gonna happen eventually
if you just keep going towards those secret hits repeatedly.
I mean, even when you look at the round
that they won there on round,
you know, to pick up that point,
that's still a 4v3 after Monosie does.
They still have the advantage.
You really couldn't see a spirit T side round where you weren't losing a player early on or two players early on
I think that's one where you have to look back at that as Falcons and think our CT side was very solid
Spirit did not have a great T side. That's why I kind of was happy with this map pick
I thought spirit have a struggle some T side at times
But you just couldn't come back from the fact that you're 11-1 down at half
You just need to pick up one or two more rounds on T side
I know that we looked a lot at don't coming into this one
But the question around spirit is always not necessarily don't is he going to perform and if he does how well is he going to do it right?
It's always about the second at the third star who was going to be able to show up in that regard and we looked at both
Teneir and Tessus that was our comparison between the two who was going to be a little bit more stable be able to go over
The edge a step a little bit here and it feels like Teneir was the one right as much as we wanted to praise Tessus
It was really Teneir that did that little bit extra the interesting thing about spirit and the thing that I would probably point out as their
their biggest flaw is that Tenir, as far as they're concerned, is their third
rifle star. He really is their second rifle star. They should be putting more
resources into this guy. They should be setting up more effectively for him and I
think they're starting to learn that over time. You can still see it in game
after game. They prioritize Zontics over Tenir. I think that's a mistake and
this is a great example of why Tenir is so strong.
The late-round situations, he was excellent there. Oftentimes the wild card player
because he was often at door, but then we saw that he was getting kills
he was getting close towards
lower. He was choosing all of
the right moves in order to keep
spirit in some of those kind of
dicey mid rounds, especially on
their defensive apps. Yeah, look,
it is everything right about what
Tina could do if there was that
little bit extra towards him. But
the fact that he is putting it up
in new like this, not even their
map pick and he's able to do it
without that support. You're saying
he needs a little bit more of I do
But it's enough right now.
It's enough the spirit to be able to take this map.
It's hard to say comfortably considering what was a weird start to the second round.
But I'm still going to say comfortably 13-8, right?
It was comfortably and then very, very uncomfortably and then comfortably again.
Yeah, I think it's a parable of comfort.
Right.
Yeah, of discomfort.
Yeah, I mean, it just makes you wonder about Falcons.
If you were able to secure, say, the pistol or one of those mid-round situations,
How this could have been a completely different story,
but we're not here to talk about what ifs.
Well, we almost are here to talk about what ifs,
because one of my favorite things to give you guys
is predictions, especially over from Pauli Mocken here.
Something that we like to look at is,
is Donk going to get a 1.4 plus HLTV rating.
Before the series, I think it was at a 1.6.
It's probably around there still.
I think it's almost a guarantee
that he's going to be above a 1.4.
Even if he has a grand final,
if he makes it to a grand final,
And it's a similar story to what happened at our lost,
lost batting event.
You would still be putting it at a high percentage?
If he makes the grand final
and if he has another five bad maps in a row,
he might not get a 1.4.
But Doc's not gonna do that.
There's a reason that was the first time in his career.
It's gonna be the only time in his career.
This is actually more no than I feel like
the percentage said.
I would be, just based off of what I'm seeing
in terms of percentage, I would be predicting no
because they got two maps coming up against the Falcons
that I still have a lot of faith in.
Okay, still a lot of faith in Falton's there.
I mean, they were able to bring it back
when they got that little bit more comfort
for themselves than Nick was their map pick,
but we get to look towards what has been a bit of a thorn
in their side just after this break, which is ancient.
the battleground in which Niko has to be able to
get to the bottom of the battleground.
And that's what we're looking for.
Looking towards ancient now, a map that falcons themselves
only a week ago were picking up for themselves
in the group stage, and now it feels like the ability
for Spirit to be able to close this out in a 2-0, because there has been very limited
has been the battleground in which Niko has taken down Donk many times before.
It was a go-to with G2.
It was very tough for Donk to get things done in the middle.
You have Spirit.
They love to fight in the middle and brawl.
And if they do, I think Niko has a very solid chance of taking down Donk.
And that's what they need if they want to finally win an ancient game.
We see the win rates there, and it's not looking pretty for Falcons.
We saw them.
100 percent for Spirit.
I mean, it's yeah, it is going to be tough.
But that's when Falcons sometimes make miracles happen.
That's when Terragon and Zonic need to get back in the lab.
They need to understand what was going wrong.
And that's the thing, if you have an arguable goat coach
and you have an arguable goat IGL,
then why wouldn't you be able to fix some of the problems you had?
The only time that they had a great T-side in the group stage was versus Legacy.
They played a slightly more up-tempo style,
but every now and then they would mix in one of those slower paced rounds
to let their opponents make a mistake.
I would like to see a kind of mix similar to that, unlike on Nuke, where sometimes I just felt like they were running right into the aid bomb side.
They weren't, they were also sometimes overthinking those mid rounds. It doesn't need to be complicated. Just go for the simple conversions.
Take a page out of the foot playbook and just be a little bit quicker to the trigger.
In contrast, I'd like to see Spirit take a page out of the mouse playbook. You saw when Falcons were fighting in middle, they really struggled to deal with the extremities.
You saw zealots get aggressive into where it's a cave. You saw the aggression down B ramp
You really couldn't do anything if you were Falcons
I think if spirit change up their game a little bit and attack in that direction
It's gonna be easy for them. We know what they say at fourth times the charm
Or at least that's what falcons are hoping for themselves a single elimination a spot for grand finals of keeping your lives
Here at blast open porto all rests on ancient
Thank you very much guys setting the table nicely. Yes indeed welcome back to the semi-final
It's Falcons with their backs for the wall and is team spirit now on their map pick and as a desperate
Falcons are yet to pick up a single victory here with three outings at last quarter begs the question
Can they come back and take us to a third the stats they know
Stats they know but sometimes reality has a different way of doing about it. So we'll find out right now
We're alive on the second map here, the semi-finals at last porto with spirit being up one the map as they stole away Nuke from Falcons
They start on the T side here and they are so strong on this T side
First map little underwhelming with a blowout first half
Falcons need to hit the ground running here need an advantage he to build upon it
Come on a seat need a saving grace here towards that K position dual elites in hand
Time to set up slow and steady the bomb over towards a main right now as they
smoke off towards red. Tess S losing vision and spamming over towards heaven
but no one home for now but Tess S does eventually get one through the smoke and
fights to near. You'll take it, whatever you can get here they're jumping to try and see if you can find anyone beside you.
Don't know that Kyusuke is back here but they will now flash a set up for it but he can't quite find the shot.
And he's getting more dangerous now along drawn out fight. Shiro finally going down to Kyusuke.
Where are the bullets?
It says pistol filled with blanks.
I think he fired two magazines and didn't kill anyone there.
Magics and Sonics.
Can he bring this round back?
It's a big crash.
There we go.
The answer is no.
Arrogant and monosy come back in a very, very needed
pistol round that go the way of Falcons.
Not the prettiest round of Counter-Strike you're ever
going to see, but Falcons will take it all day long.
It all started with Texas towards the red room
getting that shot through the smoke,
cutting them down to size in early five on four.
Let's have a look at it.
Okay, 4-2 and favoring him there.
And for yeah, a messy awkward exchange with both teams
as the climate they way through in towards the A side
smoked off, perfectly held,
and given all the time in the world
to find those final few kills and denying the plant.
Should be the eco-reverting spirit,
a couple of deagles perhaps, and Donk will wield that,
but should be 2-0.
Just what we wanted to see, Falcons.
It's gonna be an uphill battle here on Ancient.
Here at Blast Porter, they've lost to Lin-Bige
legacy and mouse on this very map. This is the start they need it. This is one of the dangers of
this beep on-site. If you let the T's go in this deep, okay, maybe you can still hold it back here.
Very calm work for Tessa. She did not look stressed at all, but there is always a risk if you
take your eyes off that ramp. So it's a good job. Tessa brings down three of them with a
Formassia. Quick second round straight into the Bayer spirit. They're going to be picking up a
a couple of Galeel's or at least one of them there.
Now, this will set the turn.
We all know what Donk likes to do towards middle.
He's a brawler.
He likes to make his way out towards middle
with six or so flashbangs.
Get the double headshot.
Will Team Falcons allow him to have the freedom
to do that each and every time?
Not many teams can shut him down,
but Falcons have done it before.
Can they do it again?
We are going to see.
The aforementioned Donk make his way out,
edging the Molotov right now.
And it's a classic set up. Hopping that smoke over towards red eventually with two players very meta right now, but Donk was waiting for it.
Both HGs go off and now the reshook red and actually take control of middle.
Yeah, he wrote that HG going off.
Yeah, two of them.
I think you're right to set up a warning as well, Henry. He is such a monster.
I mean, he is on all maps, but T side of middle like this, you've seen so many players crumble against the battle, against Donk in that battle in the middle.
Kusuke I think playing one of his worst roles playing mid on this map CT side
So he needs to back up they need some early advantages and this won't be the first step in the right direction
They could find it here because you came making a lot of noise
Straight into the fight you take down Sonic. He's not afraid of don't guy there
And how he's done that some very messy way to take that fight
Shiro has set the map on fire
Just carrying it left now as the whole defense crumbles
It was looking so good, the two opening pings go in the maze and nothing Carrigan can do.
Adds a Molotov, one single piece of utility that's a difference maker there, burning two of them to a crisp.
Third on the spray down and it's Yura once again saving the day with the triple kill and Spirit have arrived early here.
Two one and the round is stolen away.
They gave away so many interesting rounds on you that they could have won.
They were in those 5v3 advantages and similar here, right?
5v3.
The Manitov, yes, they were low, but that switches so quickly.
They're taking the full eco here.
Go over the more conservative approach.
Want to make sure they have as many gun rounds as possible here.
Can't sabotage the economy too early.
So just USP's, couple of 5-7s.
Trying to find a couple of kills if possible.
Spira looking comfortable here.
Mid-control granted.
No one harm, it's going to be Mika burrowed away in towards A main.
And they smoke off towards the B lanes.
The back side is actually a pretty woeful smoke,
but it shouldn't make too much of a difference.
You've got to be careful that there isn't a gap for somebody to look at.
right, like, yeah, they could, if the theory, they could look right over there.
Monosy's certainly aware that they could be sneaking anywhere.
Forward position as well being played by Niko with the 5-7, so over in the hallways, maybe you could find Magix.
It would be interesting,
given that the rifles work really well in the meantime, Monosy getting one to return.
Oh, that's a nice headshot, but great check for Magix.
Just doing that extra due diligence to make sure that he weren't going to give anything else up.
Monacee, he's still in the AK, 40 seconds, are you really going to run all the way back to the B-bomb side?
Or you could, not without a risk though, Tiniere is holding the center of the map.
Great read. Knowing the CTs have gathered a couple of weapons, they're in towards CT spawn on the A side of the map
and Monacee confirms his position. Now going to be running in towards B. The round should be secure here.
Should be in the operative ward. Molotov down to guarantee the plant. Monacee of course, no Kevlar, no U2, no Kits.
He's home for the ace there who definitely give this a look in
When you're hitting shots like these you almost owe it to the rest of the world just to see if he can
I feel like if you just find anyone early it would be fair enough to walk away the AK it's such a valuable weapon on the CT side
Absolutely, no kit you got to remember no armor anyway, so very very tricky to win clutch like easy swings for it
You've got to admire the confidence and it is sure to take him down a second round for spirits
They take that early sort of time out on the economy like you said it's Falcons not buying
in the last round, not forcing anything up. They want all of the weapons going into round
number five. That was about as good as it was possibly going to get that bit of Falcons.
He managed to get three kills of the US crews in five sevens. You keep team spirit modest
and humble as we get into the next round here. Modesty with the AWP, Edrith and
they need, they get themselves back online here on ancient. It's going to be such
A difficult battle, one of the absolute best maps of spirit.
Donk, Amarijou, A169, rating across 13 maps,
which is a win streak for spirit.
It's just so ridiculous to imagine
that this is the kind of thing that we're up against.
Everyone said it, everyone thought it,
when we saw Nuke first and Ancient Second,
we knew that this is gonna be very dangerous for Falcons.
I don't know if they can roll this one back,
but I'm ready to be proven wrong.
Okay, a lot more passive round this time, Team Spirit.
A little bombarding middle with Utility, and Kaisuke finding a bit of confidence here.
He might have the free kill on Taneir. He's already being tagged up by the Utility.
The spam comes through. Nice alley-oop from Karagin.
Fakes the aggro, does the damage, and Taneir will find that opener.
Niko, no problem at all, Zontics.
And Limber tends to try and get the trade in towards middle,
and they will try and break through in towards A.
And number five on three, Doc LoLHP.
It should be a third round all day long for the Valkyries.
They've even put in the incendiary to make sure that they could really go fast with it,
so I think you're absolutely right here.
If they can't win this one, then there's not much left to be discussed.
I think a little bit of a boost up on top of the Plateau now.
They're really biting their time here.
Spirit, they want an opening.
Tess is about as good as you could get.
The flash to set it up here, and Shiro's the last to go down.
Tess is in the double kill.
A much needed round.
It justifies not forcing into previous one.
And it takes some of the guns away from the spirit side so super important work being done early on here
Really like that very active work here realizing it's not the standard dog force approach into words middle class
Okay, and I said nice assertive play towards a b lane
Thanks to me about it towards a with huge man advantage and there's no response and now those USB kills come back to hold them
The money's gonna be in the proverbial bin here for spirit. They're three two down
Do they buy it for this round?
and the averaging around $3,500 per player.
Donkers purchased the AK-47.
Do they want to buy into this fully though?
That is the question.
Donk got the hero AK, maybe a little bit.
Okay, some utility we bought around it.
Yeah, we're all there.
They're fairly invested in this one.
Two rifles, couple of Deagle so far.
Son takes the Chiro, setting a bit of cash
going forward, but yeah, they are fully invested
into round number six here.
Almost feels like it would be worth it
The Falcons are not to fight Donk that much in the middle because we just know how good he is.
You pointed out the flashbangs that go over the wall. He is so good at getting those fights
that maybe you just don't give him the opportunity right away.
Sandlar on a counter utility coming out.
And Donk throwing out his golden monotone.
Not that it really does anything in this one. A little bit of spam early on.
They are leaned towards this B side of the map with the bomb early on.
This is the absolute best position Falcons have been in all series long.
If they can pull this round almost yet, another eco for Spirits, and they'll have their own momentum, some breathing room to get a decent scoreline here in the first half.
He's just joining us, the first map short on the overall scoreboard. Look fairly competitive, but Bearmino's an 11-1 first half.
Falcons, a commendable job to have someone of a comeback in the second half. Set them up here on ancient and so far so good.
So good up the win in the pistol a couple of rounds fallen apart
But overall looking pretty good here defensive hold in towards the a bomb site
Defensive is the word you can see two players in towards don't up
They will be smoked off and the retake will have to assume
Very intentional very very hard to plant the bomb
Special if you're peeking early
Son takes before that smoke went up and then Nika whiteness indeed taking down dog
The Punks of the Bomb will do the slider, at least it's shimsy too, nearly getting the kill.
The Bomb pass not that bad for Spirit, and it's still somewhat for winnable round,
but the advantage is decided with Falcons holding double towards Donuts.
You said it, playing that retake setup.
Tania and Chirol are powering in the corner, and now they're gonna punch it down.
Not a single casualty on the CC side.
As Falcons finds a fourth round, I'm slowly, modestly impressed here by what Falcons are bringing.
It's a great game plan so far.
Every call they're making seems to be the correct one.
And you see what's in spirit going forward there.
They drop the utility towards CD support,
and they're trying to catch them as they're pulling up utility,
as they're rejigging the setup around it.
But it looks a bit silly when you've got the AWP
gunning you down, a couple of freebies there for Eco and Monacee.
The perfect setup, the perfect hold.
The bomb gets planted, but there's still not enough to buy here.
Valkyries with a decent lead here in the second map.
Four to two and another Eco around the corner.
The round number seven should be theirs for the taking.
Don't go get Diego Armour.
Starting to cool off here.
Look at how much utility is being committed
at the start of the round.
Just to stop anyone from running through.
You kind of have to.
They're not being paranoid.
It definitely is a real danger.
Boosts being set up inside of the smoke.
No one immediately on the other side though.
And there's going to be smoke recommitted here.
Karrigan, playing towards this cave position.
You'll smoke it off here, but he's not a bad cave player, necessarily.
Got the first one there, taking out Sinear.
Scary on reload, but he's more than ready.
Yeah, nice work there, Karrigan.
Facing him out with the fake reload.
Haha, the crowd are enjoying it as well.
That's round.
Can they at least find a couple of kills here? I doubt it.
Don't turn the player with Kevlar.
From way downtown, Kaisuke with the spray,
gets the intel, a couple of players are there and decides to peel away.
That's the correct way to play here. Don't give them anything.
Lead out the clock.
They didn't commit themselves towards the bomb site.
You know they've got their utility.
I did consider doing the group stage, right?
Because if you've been around for a minute,
you'll remember that FaZe, when Karagin and Rain
were still on that team, they were one of the early adopters of this map,
and they were so good.
The combination of Rain and Karagin pushing that B ramp and together.
So maybe there's something in the back of Karagin's mind
that he's just has a favorable idea of this map.
Maybe they can bring back that kind of dynamic a little bit later on.
No problems, they clean up.
It's another round with zero casualties on the fountain side
as they get up to five rounds.
They're really laying in the groundwork right now,
but you can't let up.
Like you have to keep spirit this low down.
If you let them back in the game,
then they could be all the way back
and they could steal this entire semi-final away from you.
All of a sudden the third map seems possible.
Ancient has been a disaster for the Falcons here at last pause that we got a lot of reps on it a lot of tape a lot of data
And it seems to be doing pretty swimmingly so far to win the pistol now
Don't come to his usual antics towards middle get given a bit of space here
They're not gonna fight him though. They'll let him have it
And that's absolutely fine. Karagin once again in the front of full willing to take these challenges with the AK-47
Doesn't work out this time Maddox will best him with the glower
It's the first opener that had in some time.
If that had been two seconds later,
then this push from the ramp would have come down
on the other side.
That's the pincing maneuver that I was just talking about.
They tried to execute it here,
but scared for a little bit too far forward.
And it's, he goes down.
Sure, if you could have won that fight,
Kusuke would have been on.
Tessa's looking out, but it's Donk.
He is always ready for that kind of fight.
Tess has had the advantage in the duel,
but not in the mechanics.
Donk eviscerates him with the AK-47,
a four on two now, but it's Monosie and Niko.
anything can and will happen with these two left in the clutch. Nico in playing to a world-class
level this tournament. Can he keep them in the rounds? He went into it but the trade and the
spacing it is so good. Needed a multi-spread down. Needed a double I think from honesty to even
investigate the side of the map so Spear will find a third one. Oh man, if you replay that
last round to Karrigan as soon as he gets that first engagement his two teammates they are
maybe two or three seconds away from being able to help him up coming down the ramp.
Monosie's gone and with him is the AWP. I mean I like it from Karrigan. Had some success against
the Glocks and Eagles. Feeling a bit audacious there towards the cave but a beautiful swing
from Magic's pre-fire towards the corner. That's the important frag though, Shiro
utilizing the cops. The information is C-Base feeding to him. He hit the bomb with his
back as well. He goes down there. The round is over, holds his nerve, gets the pick,
maintain the advantage. We've got a tactical timeout. The first called here by Team Falcons.
That money's absolutely fine going into the following round here. They still have a 5-3 lead.
It's going about as well as it could be against Spirit here on Ancient, one of the world's best on
this particular map. And now they've got the Shira AWP. All the grenades they need.
Their economy coming back online on the team side here. Very important. Round number nine.
There's still quite a lot of cash as well with the Falcons going forward.
Then a great job here in the first half of their opponent's pick.
Very interesting to see if Falcons have got any more tricks up their sleeve that last time.
It was Kusuke, who's otherwise going to be the mid player pushing the B ramp with Tess's.
So do they want to fiddle around with the defense even more?
Are they going to be happy to play like they normally do?
Grenades in the middle, Don flashed in.
He's looking for the fight like he always does.
And even that is great.
You'll take that if you're Don.
Oh, they're pushing right behind it.
They want to see if they can maybe put some speed and catch Monosie sleeping.
You're going to have to get up really early for that to be the case.
Good spray for Tessus.
Needed a second, maybe.
And there's Monosy.
And like you pointed out, Shiro's on the other side with a sniper of his own.
Oh, he wants a mistake.
He wants somebody to do all the step-demon, but that's not happening at the moment.
Carrigan flashed in, maybe, but not enough to get the kill there.
Sontics finds him.
And we've got the duo back again.
Monosy and Niko up against Shiro and Sontics, and they're waiting.
No one moving on the Falcon side yet.
They're not going to try and give this one up easily.
Just going to pump the brakes here.
Take away some intel.
Monosy AWP towards that B ramp.
Rosie Incendiary can smell Dominic on the other side of the world.
Flush him out, watch and maneuver that once.
Gives them the man advantage.
And it will be a two versus one.
Shiro though, thrives in the clutch.
He saved spirit so many times this year.
In this exact sort of scenario.
Two versus one.
Monosy and Niko using the buddy system here.
Sticking together and both pushing the B lane.
They seem to have a great read on the situation.
It should be impossible for Shiro to read that they're both coming this way.
Even if he gets one, he's gonna be looking somewhere else for the second one.
They're right behind him.
He's not even thought about it yet.
They come in the bullets, but all it does is alert him.
He swings out, gets the first one, and now he knows.
Monacy is there.
No way!
First, he watched the incendiary, and then it was the high explosives to get rid of Shiro.
Utility master, Monacy, doesn't take a lick of damage there.
Making the fights come to him. Nice HG to close things out.
Shirou tantalizingly close.
They're finding that two versus one, cuts it down to size,
but no chance on the second interaction.
It's going to be the sixth round on the board here for Falcons,
and the money in disarray once again between spirits.
They actually made that 2B1 as scary as you could.
You used fire the first shots without killing him,
so now he knows you're coming,
and then the second shot from Monizio doesn't hit,
so now he knows that there's somebody at the ramp.
I mean, that could have gone horribly wrong,
wrong but it didn't. Six rounds. It's already looking good. Get all the rest of
you can of your Falcons. Don't even give them a sliver for this T-Sign now.
The T-Sign now has been called. Don't, you can't really get going here. He's A-to-A
right now but they're managing to contain him. He's only getting a single
frag per round. Hatten had one of those monstrous moments just now but
Modesty he certainly did amazing work here the HG to follow things up aside
relief there for the Falcons and another difficult financial situation so near
we'll have the MP7 Magics on the Galil drop once again this time opening things
up but again Niko answering back another four versus four
flying into the HG's there from the T side it take a little bit of damage
But the trade killers in maybe shut down donk of any one kill you'll take that all day long
Bombs surely gonna be planted here. They are starting to get back now
Was a bit of open runway for spirit. They boosted to near and they're actually falling back from the A side
I was gonna post him up leave the CTs in the dark and see if anyone dares hunt for information here
And isn't there certainly going to because they're ready for it or is it double kill potential but not converted
With good jank on towards Teessas, he wins the round and he gets that kill.
They're now at 3 vs 3, they know at least where one player is.
And we start sneaking over towards B, I say sneaking, it's actually full speed ahead.
Magics to get first contact from Karagin.
Oh the timing is so crazy, I think he's seen the shadow of him, he knows Karagin!
He's still near to win the fight.
Magics have such an advantage in terms of the information for that one.
And we'll see if he saves the team here if the question steps into the flames
to get the first one, but he's about to get peeked from that long backside.
Again, he touches the flames, jumping around for any kind of a peek.
Tessa's solo here, a lot of this is gonna be on whether or not Monosy could do it.
And there is a player right in front of him, Shiro.
In the open here, and he's ready for Tessa's take to Gally easily.
But she doesn't see what happens.
But it's another round for Spirit One, they desperately needed.
A fourth one picked up and really, really good work here for them.
Son takes together the last one, Shiro covering that close position.
I like that round. It's a creative play.
They've been seeing Spirit once again.
Doc going for the chaos in towards Middles.
As long as he gets one, you're happy with that.
Niko contains it once again.
They speak in towards a boost to near up with the MP7.
He gets the intel.
The two players are there.
Takes one down, fix the other, leading Tessas
in a very difficult situation.
That's who I'm saying we take.
They've got to get lost, win round with Spirit.
They managed to get it over the line.
Monacee can't clutch up this time.
And now they're feeling the financial bar.
We're getting to one of the penultimate rounds here.
It's going to be a tactical timeout.
Donik knows this one will be an uphill battle.
It's going to be Karrigan, MP9.
Tess is on the 5-7.
They do have the Monacee AWP.
What do they bring to the table here?
No kits and there's no helmets.
And this could cost them two if they give this round up.
Very important.
And do they change the stance?
They go for an aggressive maneuver down the B lanes
and they try and get Intel in towards A main of the staff.
Allow them to have mid control potentially.
Donka's got the best possible spawn for his antics towards middle.
Does he utilize that?
If this could be everything on the line right here.
If you look spirit back and tie up the game,
6-6 at the end of the half, which is exactly what could happen.
They're going to be quite happy with that.
A lot of grenades here you can see.
Exile all the protocols.
It's Nico.
Hoping to go for something.
He's flashed in and that deep CT spawn smoke they're gonna hear it
They know that somebody's happening on the other side the question is how much will it slow down spirit here now that smoke is fading
It's getting recommitted immediately
And the rest of spirit are pushing doughnuts, but the bomb is weirdly trapped behind that the long B smoke
Comes down to Niko here
The man for one of the new rightful zontics domes in with the AK 47
Bob's crampling over from T spawn here modesty the last slide defense coming in from the temple
They'd have to give this one to and the volunteer would deny access and that should be the call for the save
If the reason I saved it before, it's very unlikely they can actually retake it with no kits
Let them have it, hold on to the little you have, that's going to be an M4 and the AWP
The MP957, sure you can try and contain here but you can see the CTs is giving it up
And allowing them to find round number 5 there
Magic's holding the extremities, we'll find Karrigan with that MP9
to save what they have left
here on the Falcon side.
Yes, absolutely.
But this is already enough, right?
We're all in agreement.
Five rounds on the T side of
Ancient for Spirit.
That is something they can build
on for the second half, and it's
just going to get scarier there.
Sure.
But the thing is, they have
contained Doc.
I just want to stress that
point.
He has not been the Superstar
in this series.
Sure, didn't have a bad game
in the first map of Nuke.
Didn't have to.
They were level one up, but
he's not the star of the
show right now.
This is afternoon.
right now. This is happening at Team Effort, digging deep in coordination.
Honestly trying to hold on to the AWP here.
Looks like it'd be absolutely fine to do so.
We do find the final round of this first half.
They hold on to the AWP in a 5-7. It's not great.
Honestly, we'll have to go above and beyond for a teammate to secure a 7th,
which feels unlikely.
They've done that shot from Johnson. It's beautiful stuff with the AK.
Yeah, the cross-air placement was immaculate.
Round number 12, ladies and gentlemen.
Yeah.
Spirits marching their way back into this series here.
Falcons, we knew this was going to be a very tough match.
I am impressed by how they played the CT side so far.
I'm not convinced it will be enough to take down Spirits.
Well, until here, he sees an opportunity he feels like
there might be a weakness in the defense,
or it's like grenade in his hand,
and he's still coming back.
That's a huge double.
And now I'm going to see if he wanted it.
He wanted to clean the path there for his teammates,
But instead, if you're already with the scope on the other side,
Niko and Kyusuke, two versus three,
are there being flanked as well.
It's just gonna get worse from here on out.
Sontics shooting it with their back,
it's magic's in the front.
A tied game at the end of this one.
Six to six.
We're at the Asus ROG lab.
It's Maui Snake and Boo, and we're going to be looking at some clips of pro players from last events.
And without the nameplates, we're going to try to guess who created the highlight.
And this should be easy because we're looking at it in lightning fast refresh rate on pristine color from ACES ROG.
We're going to be keeping score, but once you make your guess, you are locked in.
Keeping score. I thought this was just for science.
Oh, science, Antoine.
Alright, let's roll the first clip.
I can tell you that this one is FaZe from 2025.
Who has these gloves?
Yeah, so weird skin combo.
Doesn't Brokey have... This is Brokey.
It's Brokey. Lock it in. It's Brokey.
It's like, they're gonna lose this map.
He thinks about going for the night kill, he doesn't.
He walks around a connector and then he ghost-scopes someone
and everyone's like, Brokey's got it
and then he's right back to get the pump.
Alright, this one is the Huns 2025.
I know who this is. I can't remember his name.
A score maybe is the only name I can't remember right now.
I don't think there's a score.
Okay, yeah.
Someone else.
Okay, if we can't remember the name, I'm gonna say that what happens next is,
he doesn't get a whole bunch of Eagle kills and makes one of the best clips of the year.
I was watching this in my mind, but I can't remember the name.
Yeah.
Nine.
Next up, Furia, 2026.
Oh, this is Keisarotto.
This is going to be the pistol lace where he flicks right.
Oh, this is such a sick clip.
It's one of the best highlights of the year.
I think it's four kills.
Let's say four.
This is like a bounty, right?
Yeah, I'm pretty sure it's a good thing.
That's me.
Yeah.
Yeah, person.
Oh, my god.
Next clip is going to be Vitality from 2026.
Yeah, this is a side reflect.
Oh, yeah. He purposely looks into the wall when he peeks, so that he can flick really hard, right?
Yeah. Yeah.
This is I would say a gratuitous flick.
This clip is Falcon's 2025.
All right.
I'm taking Kyosuke.
I think it's Kyosuke 5 kills.
Yeah, I'll give this Kyosuke 4.
The indecision and the action.
Niko would have already thrown the nade and would have turned around.
Randomly swing around shooting, let's go straight, and then on shelf.
Yeah, just looking for fights all the time.
Well, GG, at least the highlights were incredibly clear thanks to this ASUS ROG.
I agree.
The last rays of sunshine reaching the top of the dome, the arena, the super buck arena.
And it might be one of our sunsets here for Falcons as well.
They are in trouble right now.
Second map is ancient.
It's one of the great maps of spirit.
They are undefeated right now on this one.
And the second half is coming up.
I don't know what it'll take the Falcons to get back in this one, but they are going to need something truly special Henry
I'm kind of believing I like what Falcons did there in the first half
They contain Donk they managed to come up clutch multiple times there and he had control throughout that first half short six six
Doesn't feel great, but it's much better than 11-1. Let me tell you they switch over to the T side now
We'll have a look at that by they're setting up you till early
So we're gonna see a red smoke they kick things off here
They have a couple of them free flashes two smokes in total and a p250 for Nico ladies and gentlemen
This could be a barn barna could be the last map of this series. Let's raise the energy. Let's make some noise
This pistol could be enough
Smoke down towards red is predicted flashes going over its monosie and Nico working in tandem once again as he obtained mid control
So there is a kit in play as well to know from the back of Machets.
They knew that was going to be the P250.
Donk immediately retreats.
Do they want to challenge this? I mean, part of the round here,
set up for Falcons is to try and find that opening with the P250.
So why give him the chance?
And they're falling back. They're playing containment.
They're saying you're not going to get any kills in the middle right now.
Over on the other side though, there is a chance for a bomb plant to be honest.
The smoke is already up Henry. This could be a wild retake of a round for Spirits.
But they do have the smoke kit combination.
It is beyond powerful on the CT side.
So be careful Falcons.
If they smoke that bomb, you might be in trouble.
I'm not even planted yet.
The fight's happening.
Oh!
It's Stonk coming through with a headshot.
And Niko, he doesn't even start a chance.
They don't need a kit.
They just need kills.
What a call to make their way back towards that B bomb site
in the nick of time.
The map was way too quiet.
Had information towards A main.
Middle was dead.
and as the BXQ comes through, it's the man of the moment.
The best player in the world, Dock, with his best sequence so far in the series.
Wow! Something quite special with the USP there.
Denying absolutely everything for the Falcons. Three headshots.
That's more like it, but Dock, no golf plan and full eco for Falcons going forward.
Not a single dollar invested into the round. It's blocks across the board here.
Seven to six, as Team Spirit put their best foot forward.
Looking to make their way to the grand finals where they'll be playing against either mouse or vitality
It's our second semi-final coming up after this. I
Feel like that donut P 250 peak is so common and it's so obvious that spirit knew it as well
You could see that immediately disengaging so
Very passive pistol round for them, but it worked out beautifully
And without the bomb plant here. You're right bit of an issue for the T side
Yeah, sort of round. You're expecting to have all five players survive to near interesting choice. I'm in go over the five seven Kevlar play
potentially get an all about early for Shearer going forward. We'll see if this works out for him. Like we said, not much in terms of investment here, $0
was brought into the round.
They're in the machine gunnery.
A couple of kills would be great.
See there, as mentioned,
and you've got about five, seven.
It's actually getting a lot more expensive than it should.
It's a blast.
If you're Falcon's two kills and a full eco,
keep some humble, keep some modest.
And Teneir will not be able to bring out
that all going forward, I don't think.
Let's have a look.
No, not sure he can either.
Yeah, you're right.
That did get more expensive than
even I was expecting, so...
So two round lead.
It's better than it was on Nuke.
That T sign for them though on the Falcons team.
It just did not come through.
We've got a double door smoke coming in courtesy of Magix here.
We talked about these ideas before.
A bit of a bonus around a couple of SMGs, and the next is actually
Missed it someone out there to get out.
Oh yeah.
They're all walking through it. Three people.
Forward position from Tenir.
We'll see how aggressive he wants to be.
And Donk, the hole on the other side, smoke brother behind him, that is a shot to the system.
Donk turns around and there's a firing squad ready to take him.
It is Tenea, like I said, he was already in the hallways, Tess is though, he seems to be aware of the noise being made,
but Tenea will find the headshot there.
Four versus four, that could bring it back, they're actually so trapped in that Falcons.
They're occupying this really tiny bit of real estate and now they've been smoked inside of his box as well.
I don't know if I like this.
It's a devastating smoke towards a cave.
Magics investigating the B ramp as well.
They're boosted above it. A nice idea all they really can do at this stage.
Still plenty of time, but they've lost control of the map.
It's going to be Niko coming in last.
And then Cendri ready and waiting.
We've got three CTs here. They've got a great read on the situation.
As he gets spotted and it will be carried into strike.
Great shot towards Shearer.
Send here, it's not spreading.
He's Suke was in the corner and he lands a headshot against Magix.
But I thought that was going to burn him out. That should have been deeper.
If that was a monotone instead, then I think Suke is dead 100% of the time.
A bomb being planted behind the pillar. Can't really do much about it here.
Son Tix and Tenia, you might be thinking about saving this.
I know you just have the advantage, but there's not a lot of money in the bank here for Spirit because of that last round.
You've got to be careful. Falcons.
You gave up rounds like these on Nuke. You can't afford to do it on Ancient as well.
Son takes a sneak again. He doesn't have the smoke. He's looking to find someone
straight up. Sure he's got the kit, but without that smoke combination it is just
not as efficient here. Nico caught off guard, surprised, and now today he's trying to hold that line, but
some run-and-gun counter-trikes. You should give it a blast to Aragon. Three kills for the captain of the team.
So Carrigan does his best work, the mid-round chaos just to know both players go down with a bomb blast there.
A slightly hollow victory towards the end but the money is ruined for Team Spirit as well.
They get smoked off towards their K position, this is all they're done for.
But they manage to stay calm, focus on the objective, make their way towards the beat-off side.
Carrigan with a showstopper towards Long, gets a headshot on Shirou and Tsukai-Chan-Zin as well.
Well, lucky to be alive.
Lucky the incendiary didn't spread for the corner.
And with all five players going down,
that changes everything.
Team Spirit know they have a chance to bite back here.
If they can win this round, that could be the game.
And they will fully invest.
And as we're going to see the MP9s,
we're going to see a couple of them pause.
And a difficult purchase of Falcons as well.
They got two Galos and a Mac 10.
So much hinges on this.
They were already a little pressure on Nuke, right? It was right there for the taking. They lost seven rounds at the start of the second half, and maybe that already started to frustrate them.
Now coming into this one, this should be the easy one. The map streak is online, like they've won against everybody in the world on this map.
Well, in the playoffs on the big stage for Karrigan, does his absolute best work.
Kanzontics get them an early advantage here.
He's completely alone, MP9 in hand, going up against the S&P to kick things off.
He's done very well on the first, but a nice trade against Falcons.
The advantage here, there's no one else over towards A. They're scrambling over
now.
Shiro, first point of contact, but he has only got the Desert Eagle.
Good smoke, Olivia.
Pressure here. Let's go to see if don't
Speaking of smokes you got two of them one towards CT spawn one towards donor the bomb still down the back of carrying
Yeah, they're gonna walk away from it. I
Guess you could understand why they just don't know what's on the other side of that CT smoke
From our point of view you just go it open and run right in it's just on there with an m4
You probably trade him out, but just don't he says just don't well
Well, he looks human so far.
Yeah, that's it.
We've never really even seen like the real Donk effect.
Not that he's been playing badly, but...
That pistol round?
That was a little bit.
That was some glimmers of it, but I definitely agree.
They've contained him.
Absolutely.
Yeah, you've got to strike while the iron is hot though.
You've got to win this map right now before he wakes up.
That's the really scary aspect of it.
Magics right in their face with the M1990C's a shadow, and he swings to near back
here.
Nicely done.
Taps away.
He bursts down.
Could be enough right here, 25 seconds, 2v3, and with Niko, the only one that has any health left.
Neither really has him playing his best counter-strike yet either.
Nice swing coming in, Shiro with the kill, and it's really, I think, to near locking them in,
making sure they can't just run on the plant, the bomb, Spirit on 9 rounds, and that one was one of the big ones.
Yeah, I can't stress enough how important that round is to Spirit, and I dare say that it wouldn't have forced one in for that unless the C4 took down everyone in the previous round.
They knew there was an opportunity there.
The Sabotage finances send them packing here
and book themselves a place for the grand final.
Falcons have no choice but to pull you going forward.
Should be double digits here all day long.
The chances here in Porto starting to diminish.
And just to draw some threads back to Newclyde,
it's that late round CT calling
that's working out really well for Spirit.
They're at the right bomb site.
They've got the right ideas.
And they had that on Newclyde.
They seem to be at the right place
each and every round.
One step ahead.
And a chance to farm some cash here. Magic would love to...
They would love us to clean rounds here. They managed to get a couple of kills with the Glocks before,
and Falcons find similar success here. HG goes in, waiting for the Flash here to be delivered,
and it's going to be uncomfortable once again. There it is! All right! Niko gets one, a bomb probably
kind of nice, but they're already on top of him coming up from CT spawn. Two kills. It all counts,
Doing a little bit of damage. She couldn't find a third.
The spirit marching on.
They did very well to crawl their way back into the first half of this map.
Now, they've got a three-round lead. They're up to 10-7.
The economy, it's not amazing on that CT side, but they're slowly putting it together.
And Falcons, what could they do now? All AKs on the T side.
Got a dig deeper than ever.
If you team Falcons right now, Karagin needs to deliver the goods.
What's the call? What's the approach?
Smoke's going down towards red and donor.
Suggests mid activity here.
Karagin still wasting any time.
Audi goes. Trying to do his best.
Donk impression here.
He's actually got some decent space.
Takes massive and made damage on routes.
He will be joined by Kassu.
Okay, he's actually got some decent space in the map right now.
First objective completed.
Reactions coming in now from the CT side.
Pushing down that B ramp.
Magics always spots a barrel of one for them.
Easy pick up and they get three kills in total a disaster here for the Falcons
He was looking promising for a split second, but the perfect reaction the perfect response and we will see a five on two ensue
Because the money's already solo on the Falcon side here
What do you even do in theory? We try to save this double AK? I know it's it's not the most exciting answer that we're looking for here
Because this doesn't mean in on the clock, but I don't know what the other answer is
is kind of in a 2v5 like this one the way that spirit have been playing so far the discipline
they've shown in these kind of moments it's very hard to imagine you could do that.
Magic's a little isolated so you find him it's a small step in the right direction.
You give Monancey an inch you'll take a mile every single time.
One step in the right direction here cutting the five on two down to size all of a sudden
it feels a bit more possible.
players now operating together hoping to crash open his side.
Flash to set it up and a dink actually on to Monosy, but he did get the kill under this.
24 seconds hit, it is so off! Oh no! So perfect!
Shiro! He had the right instincts, and unfortunately that early flash bang was there.
Yeah you see the frustration there for Monosy.
No chance, Stunts is hiding in the corner. He didn't have to be
to get this one Spirit climbing their way to 11.
They've got a score to settle against Falcons because they were not out of the major by this very team in the semifinal.
They want to get some revenge. They're just two rounds away from doing that here.
There's a rematch of epic proportions.
Falcons though can feel this one slipping out of their grasp.
That was another huge round. They don't get a bomb plant here.
Yep, the lost bonus, none of the great stage.
They got $2,900 each going into this.
And it's going to have to be the partial mic.
Need a bit of a miracle here.
One round away from grand final point.
Tech nines and the deal will have
to do the execution looking likely.
They've got the utility for it, Anders.
They might just set up in the smoke.
They're standing in the CT smoke,
and they're going to flash their way through.
It is a bit of a classic on this map.
But let's see if they're actually ready here.
Right here.
Oh, the spray.
That is not for anything, but it's Nico!
And in front of his eyes and turns the corner and it will shut down to here!
So, Yuzuki's found a killer as well, that means the bomb's going to be planted now.
That won't help.
Donk though, activated, and he's starting to look a little bit more scary now.
Up to 16 kills.
If they missed their window while Donk was still sleeping,
if they can win this one Falcons then maybe there's a chance of holding back butts.
They're going to want to take a look at his retake.
Oh, Donk. Where's the rest of the team?
I think Shirou's far away still lands the shot on Monosie.
The bomb is ticking fast now.
Magics and a bit of a fight here.
And here's the scrunching right under the crosshair.
That's enough.
There will be enough indeed.
Shirou has to back on out.
Well, we said we needed a miracle.
And the miracle has been delivered.
Niko cracking things open towards Long.
It's a tech knife.
The Desert Eagle that prevails,
playing in front of the deployed utility as well.
Catching to near off guard, a fumble spray with almost no damage inflicted as let Falcons back into this game and denying series points here.
This is the moment he fought, he was going to blow them down, there's a second flash and the catch is up.
Let's him into the side and Niko running through the flames as well.
They can't believe it!
And a lifeline has been gifted to the Falcons here.
We gave it all to try and get this round for his team. That is a huge investment.
And all they get is a single rifle saved on the spirit side, so it is maybe back on again.
Absolutely.
They've reached up monosy here.
I haven't seen this before in this half for him.
There might be an opportunity catching to near back.
At the back of B.
I like this boost.
I like it a lot.
He's got one of the absolute masters of the B ramp.
Time and time again, you'll see him helping himself to space.
Finding those opening pigs, but for now they are smoked off.
What just happened there, to an air with a speculative spam through the smoke, finds a boosted monocy and a huge opening kill for a lot of utility as well.
It takes Karrigan down to 49 HP.
You have to wonder if that's because they blew up in the smoke at that top ramp position.
If Tiniak can put the pieces together that quickly, what an angle to find.
What a scalp to take as well, monocy.
The top frag is 16 and 13.
Removed early, that's the AWP taken out of the equation.
And because it's Monosy, you know he's not going to be the lurk player.
You know that, you know, it's not Tessus or somebody else playing over there.
Sure.
So you are going to be fairly sure the rest of the team were there with him.
The timing now, they are going to know that they have to walk back to the A bomb site.
They're already setting up with two people and now they're taking mid control.
Spirit of play again.
These late CT rounds, absolutely perfectly.
They are ready in doughnut soon.
This is beautiful.
Deep grenade lands and it actually just crushes testers 24 seconds
and something's finding out he knows the backup's gonna be there no matter what.
They're already on the side. They've played this to perfection on the spirit side.
No chance for Niko. Passed it down by Taneer.
And might be Oshiro, ladies and gentlemen.
Taneer with the kill through the smoke funnels him in towards A.
Well read once again. They go into the stack.
Huge output there from Zontics, the HE on top of the Wolfpack as well.
Leaves them in disarray. It's series points, grand final point between Spirit and the money.
Is in a disastrous spot, averaging around $3,000 per player. That means maybe one or two AKs.
We set it right from the start, Henry. Somebody has to step up and bring down Spirit.
We thought Falcons could be that team. They look like it. They certainly look like it yesterday.
yesterday and so far no one has been able to spirit they're just too strong
here in Porto at the moment 12 to 8 ladies and gentlemen we need four rounds
straight for Falcons to bring this one back otherwise like you said spirits will
be in the grand finals and the first one's gonna be the most difficult one
Two Mac 10s AWP on monosy, Dong in the middle ready with the naked of his own.
Mac 10 news!
Run it's a Karagun splat!
Oh!
Meeting him up now!
Hopes down Sonsics, how has he done that?
Unbelievable scenes.
Karagun once again saving the day.
They were 11-0 down on Mugansil.
Karagun gets a triple kill and gives them hope in that first map.
And he's done it once again, a double kill.
Towards the donor position, round over.
Another lifeline found, weapons upgraded.
And we go 12-9.
Team Spiro no choice but to save.
The three rifles they have,
they did not see that one coming whatsoever.
Beautiful call.
And the in-game leader stepping up when they need it most.
If you had to summarize carrying on those T-sides,
That is the round. That is a true carrigan round.
He's done that for a real long time now.
9 to 12. I mean, if that doesn't get you fired up on the falcon side, I don't know what will.
They're fighting for overtime at the moment.
We're gonna have to see some of these special ones again. It's not over yet, see it?
Spirits. They've already shown that. They've already shown how hard they are to get rid of on Nuke.
Okay. They've got money.
Didn't think that would be the outcome.
A disastrous position for Falcons, but once again they are back into it,
three to go here on the T side.
This time, a more subdued round, showing presence over towards B,
smoking towards K, Molotov B ramp, but it's all a bit of a bruise.
Nico there alone, and gone completely flashed again.
Tickle save him, but surely it's a double kill.
Tess S mows him down, and all of a sudden they have the man advantage once again.
This is a huge opportunity for the Falcons.
in the open if he misses that shot he is dead every time but he doesn't miss and
it's shiro instead to get blown up that delayed flash in the middle it ruined
son ticks and donk and it could ruin this half for them as well the money is
low on that CT side they desperately need these rifles
spirit have done great work late in the CT rounds but in a two versus four
I don't know how they did it half the time on New Guider, but they did.
Falcons being very careful here, setting up the utility.
I don't see a Worldwacket back into this one considering they've opted to essentially gamble stack here with two players.
B bomb site, right with the taking and double digits obtained here and team Falcons once again dominating that middle position.
This time the hero is Tess as chaos in towards middle, but that's where the Falcons thrive.
The flashbangs just kept coming in, an opportunity to take down Donk, keeping him quiet, keeping him contained once again.
gets no kills there, and there will be a 4 on 2, they have no choice but to save.
The money's going to be pretty ruined as well, Andrew. In terms of loss bonus, they're only going to get $1900 into the next round, so yeah.
No choice but to save these two weapons, and a real chance of overtime here.
Tactical timeout, might be on the menu going forward, Team Spira can still cause damage going forward with two save rifles.
rifles, will it be enough? And Carragher once again finds the window of opportunity to get
the Falcons lead through it. Great work, Frances. Aliouks with the flashbangs. And now, feeding
the pressure, feeding the heat, you can see how blind don't work. That says it all. Nothing
he can do. Not to get one, but he gets nothing at all, and the double spray down
They're coming through.
There's early Anders.
Valkyries are finding a way back into this series.
Can it really take us all the way to Dust 2?
Three sequential flashbangs.
That's a great blueprint for shutting down Donk.
I don't know if they could keep doing that in the middle,
but maybe there's a chance still.
10 to 12.
That's in here.
There they are.
They win this one,
and then overtime is almost locked into that stage.
Magics though.
He's got some trickery of his own.
of his own. Here's a bit of a
Neymar himself. SMG. You never
know in that cave position if
you get fined an entry then you
can still turn it around. These
are some of the more dangerous
rounds and look at the risk that
they're taking as well spirit.
They are walking up through that
hallway and tests is these on
high alerts. Certainly
considering it's the bombers in
the middle for the moment
here. It's all a bit of a
gamble for spirits. There's
front position that don't is
currently in. I mean you're
going to see the shadow on
the ground so you will have a little bit of an advantage but you also can't escape.
The ground on the knife's edge here, lots of space taken from the Falcons.
They're unsure as to where these remaining CTs reside.
A smoke spotted in towards Donut. They can guarantee that this position should be clear.
Sontek's in towards A-man as well. He'd be joined by Donk.
And they've waited so long, Spirit.
Oh, it's a perfect time.
It actually is. Yeah, they're walking away just as Tess is starting to move up now.
30 seconds they are four people coming out of doughnuts
get up at your points it should be fine though
I didn't send the area there's still 30 seconds left
you don't have to panic right now if you're on the Falcon side
it's not crunch time yet but they do run through
oh now it is!
Donk!
Oh!
Alright but Monosie has exorted back in here
The whole semi-final rides on this one
and he finds an elbow
but sprayed down
Magix returns to the round and now it's Tess's
oh he's sandwiched in already
It might be a done deal, spirit!
I think they found enough damage on him
He's scrambling to get away
A retreating headshot
And now he's back around the corner
The pressure on Teneir
Tess is, can he live up to the pipe here?
It's a straight Diffuse
Oh, he's got him up above it!
Normally, pros don't fake
But Teneir doesn't know that yet
He's new to this tier one counter strike stuff
And Tess's ice cold on the other side
Retreating playing the mind game
power is beautifully.
They keep the dream alive!
It looked like they were done.
They were contained in towards the donor spirit.
Read it well, once again.
Teh says it is impossible.
Two versus one clutch.
He holds his nerve
and keeps Falcons in the tournament.
Somehow gets him off the debuts
and comes up massive in the one versus one.
It looks like we're going to over time.
That should have been the GG moment.
Round number 24, SMGs and 1M4 in the hands of Donk.
Have they really done enough here?
This is the falcons we were looking for.
The full defuse probably would have done it,
but that is so easy to say
when you're watching from afar.
Round of number 24.
Finally, we get what we paid for here.
Nuke, it was two on the side.
If we wanted more out of this with this, this map has it all.
See, Falcons have got just a little bit more left in them.
Dast.
They're going the other way, Henry.
They're walking away from this one.
It is a dangerous boost.
Still got a minute on the clock now.
This is where Karrigan historically has been so hard to call against.
He's always got one more idea.
He's always got something of his sleeve right at the end.
Time not on their side right now,
and there's the 45-second mark.
They've got decent space towards middle,
but where do they finish his round off?
Smoke goes down towards Donut, limits their options here.
Looking to strike towards the B round,
but it's to near with a flash in hand,
trying to set a magic there.
And mind, SMG's pretty much across the board.
Zontics can hit, footstep towards main,
and he gets the first pick.
That boost is dangerous, and it's Tess is on the look.
Look at it towards the ready.
He knows, he's found everything.
Sontics, and it's actually such a smart push.
20 seconds, and like you said, time.
It's off the ass, and Sontics comes back in for more.
And Monosy, you thought this was it,
you thought it was gonna be OT,
but there's no chance to win this one.
10 seconds on the clock.
And then, oh, no way, stunning head shot.
He's somehow got the ball count.
It's already more than you could've expected.
Holy shit, and what a weapon!
The most epic question after opponent stand!
The Gragas have returned, and there is the Grand Final!
We promised you one of the greatest series of all time.
The first match didn't deliver, but the second suddenly did.
Team Spirit made their way to the Grand Final,
but they were tested to the very limit of their ability there.
A barn burn or a finish, monosy, doing absolutely everything to keep them in the game.
It comes down to a 1v1. It seemed impossible.
And it comes down to the minutiae once again, a sigh of relief between spirit there.
It followed, they should have closed it out rounds ago.
They managed to get the job done in overtime.
But it is as close as it gets in the last few rounds of regulation, Anders.
What an absolutely spectacular map to you that we had here.
I cannot to believe it.
I think the whole world could see how monosy could win this one. It's on the edge of a knife
Spirit they get their revenge. They wanted this since Cologne. They were knocked out
They were denied the grand final and now it's their turn grand final here in Porto very very well played at the end of it
Spirit have done it but by the skin of their teeth in some of these rounds
Despite starting off very well here against the Falcons. Just tell me, you were talking about what was happening in some of these clutches today.
You said you were laughing about it afterwards. What was it like in the voice comms for Spirit?
We just full trolled the last two clutches. I don't know. It looks like we want to play more 30 for win this round because it's 100% for us round.
But we're full trolling. My last clutch.
There was some mind games going on, but talk to me about this nuke.
You dominated from start to finish.
Was this just good reads on what they were doing?
It seemed in the mid-round, even when they were making plays,
you were always able to catch up with them.
Was it just good reads from your team?
Yeah, it's also a good plan from our college staff and the players.
And looking at that, you get revenge now against Falcons
that took you down at the Major, highly behind you.
How much did that help having him there, being able to call these timeouts
when it was getting close, when it was getting crazy, especially on ancient?
It's helped so a lot.
And now, you're through to the grand final.
Another grand final going your way.
The consistency is up.
If Spirit keep playing like this, are you super confident
that you will take another trophy home tomorrow?
We'll see.
We will see.
Guys, make some noise for Teneir and Spirit!
It almost was fourth time the charm for Falcons there on ancient. It felt like a map that had
let them down time and time again in group stage was almost going to be reversed, but we
almost saw it. Those last two rounds were insane from the individuals of Falcons. I
mean, the practice almost paid off. You can call Falcons anything you want. You're
never going to call them boring. That was unbelievable. Honestly, I think there
a 1v4 at the very end there, he gets into the 1v1, just can't put it over the line,
and that Teza's holding her nerve in the 1v1, not biting on the fakes. Everyone swings,
Tenir's waiting for the swing, everyone swings expecting the stick, there was no stick, Teza's
unbelievable, what a game, what a game. It is actually so insane to think if Tenir
sticks that on round 23, that we don't even get to see the almost 1v4 clutch from Montesey.
The fact that everything was down to the wire, you cannot say that, you know, whilst it was a 2-0, it was an easy pickings for spirit.
I mean, look at this. The situation that Monace is able to put here, we all thought it was done, that there was not even going to be time to plan.
I think DeNier had a point though. I mean, they did straight up full troll this one.
Sonic swinging from A main, just giving the duel with 10 seconds left, completely unnecessary.
But maybe they want to entertain the fans, too. Maybe it's not just Falcons that want to make cinematic history with these plays.
maybe spirit want to give you a little bit to to make your heart race as well.
Well there was an ultimate give and take between Falcons and Spirit. Everyone being able to take
away from this whatever they want the absolute enjoyment and excitement that H had ended up
gifting us here especially because the first half being six and six fifth.
Yeah I mean you go into the second half and you're thinking if they don't seven five on the
first half which they didn't then you're not really gonna have much of a chance. You really
have a weak T side for Falcons and not only that Spirit come into this one they do exactly
a team that play on the
extremities very much. They
play in the middle of the map.
Mouse showed that Falcons
really struggle with that.
Then you have spirit they try
on the extremities. They're
really failing. I think Falcons
did a great job going back
to the drawing board with the
couple of days they had to
actually adjust that and they
they really found complete
remedies for that. Then you
have spirit they go for mid
contest. That's where you
really neutralized on because
it doesn't matter how good
your aim is if you're going
to hit with five, six, seven
flashbangs in mid. You're
just going to have to take a
straight up dual and that's
And that's where it got really risky for Spirit, but unfortunately for Falcons, you have to get more than six on the CT side.
You just don't give yourself the buffer to work with.
I mean, let's say they had a gotten just one more of those rounds.
This could have been overtime. It could have been in their favor. Who really knows what could have been?
All we know is right now, it is a 2-0 for Spirit. They are making it to the grand finals.
But we do have a missing a Desk member. It's Maui Snake who is joined by Magic to run over what has been an insane 2-0.
First of all, Magics, just want to say congratulations.
Well done.
Lately, you've actually had more of Falcon's number, obviously a Cologne that didn't go
your way but three of the last four now.
That's always been a historically really difficult match for you guys, for Donk especially.
What do you think that it's been changing in your favor lately?
I feel like there's not something that is making the trend going this way or not.
I think that in this exact match the Vita was weird because Nuke is not the map that people
are usually expecting to pick and they have more of a more better maps to play on but maybe they
decided to pick Nuke based on our maybe some struggles on this map so it was a
great match today. Well what do you think did you think it was gonna be the
Dust2 or a Nubis pick one of those two more likely right? Well I mean we
expected Nuke but I mean because it's difficult to pick like ancient or maybe
that's too into the spirit sometimes and so like the only one way for them was
taking you okay all right want to say that your calling on ancient was really
great we have one round 10 I'd like for you to just kind of walk through how
this one broke down for you guys so obviously it starts with a pretty big
midfire
Well, the meat call was brought by goentics in this exact round I feel like
at the moment when
Near had his duals I understood that I can enter B maybe and I heard
smoke being thrown to banana like from far away and
And luckily enough, I won that duel.
Yeah, yeah. That was close. You almost had it.
Yeah, yeah, it was like kind of weird as fuck, but we managed to win this round,
and this exact round was the reason why we managed to catch, to getting more of rounds like that half.
Okay, wait a second. So the first thing you brought up there, though, was that Xontix made the call?
Yeah, basically, because I wasn't being like purely solely, and there somewhere towards me, towards A,
and you know they're doing something and I have to adapt for them because I'm not on their screen so
they they're calling an idea to make it together and I'm just doing something that is going to be okay.
Okay so how would you say Zontix shrimes in along with the other players in terms of the mid-rounding?
Well he's extremely useful especially sometimes when I'm choking but I'm not choking too often
And also, he's been in a lot of areas where he can see more things going on and sometimes
he's asking for something or he's offering something, sometimes we're doing it, sometimes
we're doing it and losing five people.
There's no trade.
Yeah, okay.
All right, so now this is you guys getting to three consecutive grand finals.
A lot of the talk coming out in the player break after your guys major run with Sofya coming in for a brief while was about Holly and his contributions,
but now that he's back, I mean, this is a lot of proof that something's going right in the Spirit camp.
What would you say that Holly is positively providing you and Spirit as a whole?
He does help me a lot of the game plans because I'm still doing a lot of them.
And if I have some questions or I'm running out of ideas,
what to write, I'm asking him.
And also, it was like him being away for a couple of months
and him coming back.
I feel like a lot of things have changed
because we were able to understand which things are
more useful and better for us as a team.
with me being there, with Zontics being back, with Nochopper.
And, you know, we went through like pretty big changes, you know, in terms of how, you know,
the amount of responsibility and etc.
And, you know, it's kind of different from what we have had like in 2024.
Okay, I want to just say I would say that this is probably the well
I would say in my perspective that this is the best
Spirit has looked consecutively because you guys could always win the big tournament here or there
But a lot of that came down to just don't popping off. I mean, yeah
Just little flukes I guess you want to say but with this series in particular don't even have a necessarily great rating
And I would say that especially was it did I post over 100 or not? I don't know what yours was
Sorry, but I know that his wasn't quite at that 1.5 or anything. It was it was a good rate
I think it was a green rating
But I know it wasn't just like off the page or anything so I want to know from your guys
It's surely something you've talked about that you can't always expect him to put up that kind of number and
I've seen in some of your mid late rounds other players step up or you guys have other ideas
Has that just been a focal point in general?
Not really because I feel like it's more about of
of knowing some strengths of players, for example, because we all know that Donk is basically
capable of doing anything, and we probably never knew what was Chopra and Magix capable
of in 2024 being in Mitchell's.
And now, like, we do have kind of more of an understanding, like, we have some space
to give for Nier because he is a player that is capable of doing a lot of things
during the game and if he gets his resources he's shining.
Also we know like, we sometimes will understand
how to create a comfortable environment
for like sheer for some things, for them to play,
for everyone, like everyone is getting like resources
basically and everyone is capable of getting a kill.
Yeah, okay.
All right, I got confirmation from production
that you did get a 1.02, so congratulations again.
1.02? Yeah, 1.02. We're so back. We're so back. Alright, and back to the desk.
1.02! That's enough of Magic's decoy, right here, right now. Spirit is so back!
Despite the fact that Dunk was not the highest rated on the team,
he himself had 1.09, and it was sheer with the highest of 1.21.
It doesn't matter because Magic's is so back. Magic's is so damn back. Who cares about Dunk?
doesn't even matter. It was okay. When you look at the series, though, it was Shiro showing up,
Zontik showing up, Taneer showing up, and when you look at the Falcon side, they were the one that
looked like the classic spirit with one player with green rating and the rest of the team somewhere
in the gray or the red. They were really struggling to find output from more than just one
player. Whereas Spirit, I think as they've developed, Magic talks about it in the interview.
It took a little bit for Holly to get back in involved, but now they have a better
understanding of the players of the way they can play towards those players. And I think you
see it here when Donk isn't activated, which he often isn't against Niko led teams or Niko specific
teams, where he struggles to find those 1v1 victories. Now they can lean on Shiro more,
they can lean on Taneer more, they can lean on Zonfix, and Magix as a fragging IGL. I think he's
done an admirable job. He doesn't get enough credit for it, where he is holding his own.
And I think that makes Spirit such a more dangerous team than any we've seen in the past.
I mean, there's also that humble part of him too, whilst he might be a little bit
that he uses, but he's
difficult to be able to call
around. There is also always
some ticks there for him where
he's like he's able to step in
and make calls have a different
perspective that I don't and I
feel like that. He's again not
really joking when he says
there's so back, it is looking
like a great spirit in
fantastic form, especially
heading into the grand finals.
But because this is single
elimination, it is good by
that. We have to say to
Falcons. Falcons can't handle
it this time around against
spirit, but certainly pushed
him back and forth on this
ancient battle. If you go
into the end of the
but certainly pushed them back and forth on this ancient Indian.
I want to just start with Nuke though, possibly with least Karrigan,
because looking at this Nuke, you pick into it, yes, it's the T-Side,
it can always be difficult, but it really didn't get going for you guys at all right
until that one final round of the half.
Why was it so hard?
Because it felt even when you had rounds in the mid-round,
you were making the right moves, but they were almost like one step ahead of you.
I think we actually first two gun runs, we are in an advanced position,
what you can get a T-Satnuke entry and we are going maybe some situation we are
too scared in the group I remember this is five on three or five on four and it's
three secret and just 30 seconds too quiet on the map we give them time to
make good plans and they punish us and those two first weapon rounds are key
if you want to get some momentum on T-Satnuke as we also see T-Satnuke
the once you get the momentum it is hard to break so we had good plans
but today we didn't execute them probably and that's just how it happened sometimes.
What did that conversation have with the team look like between the maps?
Because obviously ancient started well for you guys.
You came back in with some new energy.
Yeah, I think we just realised that once you get the advantage that we should play a little bit faster
or be on the same page or when we have an advantage,
somebody's scouting, group is playing, group is not playing for the lurks.
Basic stuff that we did manage to execute on Nuke, on Ancient.
We did a bit better, but the split is playing pretty good right now, so they are going to punish those small mistakes and to rate it at that.
Looking at this, I know this is not the end you would have wanted, but we're talking a lot across this whole group stage in improving the map pool,
seeing what you guys can work on and gain control again right of where you want this to go.
Are you at least happy with some of the development you're starting to show? Is it going in the right direction?
I think yes and no. I think today was more important that we are fighting
because last time we played in playoffs against EWC against Legacy we were not
really on the server and today I can probably say that we fought on to the end
even very close to the minus even that's one before but again I think
they did a great job for us that they executed perfectly and that's
just great when they're playing really good but we fight it today so I
still some road to go but this is our fifth land now so we are getting more data and life
set I think Spirit is the best team this season so far. Looking at that right there we're kind
of in this position now where you guys are going to have a break for a little bit of time. How
important is that break? How much rest do you take in before getting back on to practice and
trying to keep on showing these improvements? I mean we are taking a few days off now
so we have a lot of practice going into next tournament and then we go back to back to
back I guess there's a lot of tournaments on the way so we are trying to take that small
pitch up as a team now, re-allocate the start of the season with the maps and everything and
back to the draw in both when it comes to figuring out the map I mean one map we're
consistent in this too and let's try to have that feeling on more maps and that comes
with sometimes losing an official on certain maps to improve for the long term because
this is not short term but we are aiming for this long term. Any final words for the fans
fans and everyone out there supporting.
Thank you very much.
It's not the start of the season we wanted,
but at least we are keeping someone consistent
in where we are right now.
And hopefully we're going to break through
and achieve the same level we had at the major.
And hopefully sooner than, rather than later.
Thank you very much, Kargan.
Sorry for your loss, man.
Well, they might have fallen short
of the grand finals here.
Fifth LAN and fifth playoffs
for the side of Falconsons Kargan joined.
So there is still something for them
He's talking about it, collecting a lot of data and looking forward towards the longevity and the long road ahead that they have to be hopefully able to lift more trophies, lift more land trophies.
He better be looking forward to the long road ahead because there is a long road ahead if they want to fix their map pool.
I mean, we've talked about it time and time again. They should probably play cash. Their ancient is looking really weak. Their nuke is questionable.
questionable. There's so many maps that the top teams that they need to be able to compete against that need need to play these maps. They're just not able to pick them. They're not confident. They're not strong on
Just embrace the fact that you have the highest firepower roster in currency. Yes. I don't want to even entertain the argument that there's really even a higher skill ceiling team than them. And so just play the high skill ceiling maps play cash. You should probably find a way to fix ancient. This is five losses in a row on the
map and I would rather they just kind of look towards what it kicks and do with this same lineup because he was finding a
ton of success with it. So Kerrigan just needs to find a way to emulate that. I would likely move away from Nuke if I'm with them
because those T sides were not convincing and even they're winning maps for them. So just go to this is the puggiest map
pool we've ever had in CS history where we have garage dust cache ancient and even inferno. Now they're good at
That's five maps that you theoretically should be great at and then just you just need to ban one of the other two
So I feel like there is a bright future for them and he said it before they were ahead of schedule
But now they still should have their eyes to having a deep run if not winning at Singapore
Issues to fix but definitely a light at the end of the tunnel that you guys are talking about for Falcons
It's not gonna happen here at Blast open Porto though
It is spirit that go to that grand finals who they'll face up against though is still the question that remains
It'll either be Vitality or Maus and that'll be decided after this break
All players use a gun that nobody else uses
It's the biggest resource in the game
It's a one-shot gun, so it's bound to have high impact.
Top Orphas get the credit they do because not anyone can do it.
A top AWP is the player you're going to remember because they're going to get the best highlights.
They're going to be really, really fast.
You need your AWPer to perform if you're going to be putting as much resources into
the AWP every single game.
I think the roller has evolved in a few ways.
When you go all the way back to the start of CSGO,
we had super combat Alphys.
Kenny S is the best example because he was so mobile
with the AWP.
The AWP got nerfed as a result,
mainly players like Kenny S who were so aggressive
and who were always pushing, always in the face.
In the game that got nerfed and we saw Alphys
be more ecstatic for a while.
Device is a great example of that
and someone who would pick their spot and stay in it
and be like a turret almost.
This guy never missed a shot.
He was the most reliable author of the time, really.
I think all by yelling is not easy.
Yeah, give him space.
He'll figure it out every time.
There are very few cases of players
who have made that work at the top level.
There's a few factors, I think, that play into this.
When you're at all pin, you've got to be focused
on your crosshairs, basic as that sounds.
I think you have to have a lot more trust for your team
in order to actually be capable to all.
It's interesting to see James still be able to do it.
Considering the whole narrative around his team
is how he has very inexperienced players
that he needs to put in the right place.
But he's someone who is so passive on the York
that he's still really alive in those late rounds.
He's more so playing for the clutch
while his team open up the round.
You typically just see an in-game leader
be the first guy in.
I think if you're all pink,
it's hard to be as involved.
Feels easier said than done.
But then you have also flashy orpers
a lot of fun to watch people at Monacy, extremely exciting player in your face, pushing through
utility and of course, simple doing the same thing. Absolutely able to take over games
with high risk plays, and thus on the simple best moments, dropping in from heaven, getting
two no-scope kills, hit the craziest start, and got away with that time off the time.
When you're a top-up as well, you're getting studied, you're getting game planned for.
The fact that I was able to find as much impact as he does is impressive considering
Analyze teams trying to figure out how to not let this guy pop off.
A guy that never makes mistakes, a guy that is extremely hard to punish.
There's different levels of walking, whether they're flashy, whether they're reliable.
They have to perform in the highest impact moments.
And there is no room for error. If you miss a shot on the orb, you're going to die.
You're always going to take attention because there is no room for error.
The continuation of our semifinals day here at Superbock Arena in Porto, it's only a matter
of moments before we get to see Maus coming up against Vitality, and it's not like it's
the first time. These teams have met up against each other by any means.
It's not the first time, it's not the second time, it's not the third time, it's maybe
like the sixth or tenth time. It's somewhere between there, we've seen them play time
and time again and so many times vitality just have this team's number now is just had not been
capable of taking down this vitality team when they were in their era it almost feels reminiscent
of liquid Astralis back in 2019 where they were clearly ahead of so many other teams but they just
couldn't overcome that hurdle and the one time they did they immediately lost but I think they're
going to do so yet again today. Unfortunately for mouse the last time that they were able
to find a win that wasn't a seeding game because Chengdu was indeed a map that was not even really
for elimination was back at IEM Cologne not the major but in 2025 and like Vu already mentioned
I mean that the fact that you don't win a trophy on top of that it leaves me to to say that Mao's
left a lot on the table last year a lot of people consider them the second best team of the
year I would probably rather have been in a lot of different teams shoes even G2 for example
who at least lifted a trophy back in London.
Maus on the other hand, we want to see them,
or I want to see them do more
because that bounty showed a lot of promise,
but it didn't necessarily involve beating
all of the most elite teams.
Yeah, because when we look at that head-to-head,
the series in which Vitality had been able to take over them,
that was lost years, lost seasons,
and there has been a massive change up to the side of Maus.
They were able to go ahead through Bloss bounty,
lift that trophy for themselves,
and so we're still seeing a matchup
that is to be presented here
between the new roster of mouse and the stand-in of JL Vitality.
Yeah, you look at the changes on mouse, they're obvious,
the change on vitality also quite clear.
But when you're looking at mouse, you question the change initially.
You question if they were making changes as vitality began to dip,
that their changes were trying to fix something they didn't need to change.
Instead, we've seen with bounty that those changes made sense
and those changes led them to victory.
PR, eighth playoff of your career at some big events overall, you're still so young with
all of this.
Does it become normal?
Do you get some nerves still, like giving the feeling that you have?
Yeah, of course, even though it's eighth time, I don't think it's not a big number,
you know.
So of course, it's way different than studio games, and of course, I enjoy the big stage
games.
I'm excited, so yeah, can't wait to play.
We say can't wait to play.
obviously you have to wait a couple of extra days you know what has Mal's been
doing during this time? Some relax some practice a little bit of everything you
know we kept we made sure we are sharp you know but we took some some time for
ourselves as well. Looking at that right Vitality they had some struggles
yesterday but do you feel like they're maybe not at their strongest right now
coming into this match up could it be good for you guys? I mean they said
they are feeling good so we're gonna see they have standing but I think
JL is pretty good assistant and he has some experience even in this JL is going to be exciting.
A fine balance to strike of knowing how to utilize that break for the side of Maus.
How do you find the balance of measuring up your competition that is a vitality with
a stand in here, Maui?
It's going to be difficult for Maus to try to figure them out because they were
already having problems facing off against this vitality when they were in their previous
Jail just adds another wrinkle into the mix.
The fact that he's finding more comfort with every consecutive game shows the vitality that nobody wants to face.
It's one that's powering up off the back of the fact that they had a four game, four tournament streak of not making it to the semifinals.
Now we're seeing vitality somehow getting a little bit of a breath of life really inspired by that man on your screen.
Jale, what was it like to not just play against the crowd but play in a crazy White House game like that they're known for?
I mean to be honest my expectation was just that when I came in and then when the first game we lost against Sinisteroq I'm like okay back to reality but it felt good that's what I expected.
Looking at today is the energy good right now after being able to pull that off?
Oh yeah of course I mean we improved game by game and I feel like we lost New, Cash, closed game and then Dust2 we smashed them so I'm checking the same thing today.
Looking towards Maus, I know you only stood in for him, but I mean this is a vitality that normally always beat them with it
Is it an extra bit of confidence does the team have that?
Oh, yeah, of course
I mean they beat them so many times on for me. It's just a game. I've never beat Maus. I mean as a vitality
I beat them as Nari, but I don't see it's gonna be an interesting game
And the crowd's gonna be on your side this time. I mean it's hard not to be when you're playing against Maus
At first I was gonna say maybe time will tell if it really is truly on their side
But it is one of those things that jail does not lack confidence and charisma
just oozes from him and a little bit of chaoticness that he's adding into the
vitality roster right now. You might even say false confidence. I think that
this team has struggled with jail. They've powered up as we've said many
times. They've been powering up. They still need to power up further. This
mouse through the group stage has looked incredible. They've already won an
event this season and this isn't the vitality that just felt like a better
mouse for so much of the last year and a half where it just felt like
I think they were better in every position.
I think this is a vitality that doesn't have the system
behind them at the moment, especially with the stand-in
to stand up to Maus that's got a great coach, a great IGL,
and plenty of practice behind them.
Maus has done everything possible to even the score
with vitality in theory, but they
need to put it in practice to actually see
if they can quell their demons who
do take the shape of vitality.
I feel like this is a team that they have just
had recurring nightmares about for the last year and a half.
and it's just never really gonna be easy,
even if you're doing well in the group stage,
even if you've won the bounty event.
A lot of those are studio performances
and mouse, historically, they've got,
it's kind of a mixed bag of results
when you see them in an arena.
I do give them a little bit more credit
than I think you guys might,
just because of these roster changes
that have arisen on both sides, right?
Whilst the Vitality one isn't permanent,
what we are seeing is the implications
on some of their more, you know,
solid standalone players here.
Flamesy and Rocks, the two that we looked towards
back how they've been performing so far at this event of lost open portal. If I'm
looking at a silver lining for mouse what might give them an edge it's how
badly flames and ropes have struggled with jail in the roster. You don't see it
on the on the graphic here but ropes is going for a massive amount more
opening duels on the T side specifically because JL he fancies
himself the late round player. He said that in the interview I want to be
the late round player. Robs is a late round player. He is the quintessential
a potential late round player when you think about vitality and their era.
That means he's really struggled and I think JL with less utility knowledge,
less experience in the role that he's playing than Mezzi.
I don't think he's been able to set up a flames he the same way he would.
He would have been set up in the past.
So you're really seeing two players struggle, even if JL does well.
I think the team around him is struggling.
Have to agree with the sentiment there.
Rops has really become or he went from being at the perfect chess piece
that you have if you're Apex.
just controlling him on the other side of the board,
fully aware and fully confident
that he's gonna be able to lock that down.
But because he's really not believing in the system,
he's now taking all of those extra opening duels.
And sometimes that's a liability.
And then you lose the control on that side of the map.
And it's really impeded them on maps like Nuke,
where you just see Rob somehow die in lobby
when that used to be his home,
that you could not trespass upon that if he was there.
Would you say them Maui,
because you're someone that loves
to be able to do the eye test that a late round JL bow is coming out on top more often
than not that he is still finding success there. We've been seeing some better signs
from JL in the game versus Feria. I'm not going to forget the 1v2 he had on cash as
he was taking that B bomb side. I mean there were there had definitely been moments where
he has lived up to the billing of being a previous major MVP. That's something that
JL is never going to lose and his stage presence has actually it does feel like
it's changed vitality that it has actually just blown some wind in their sales that were it was
otherwise kind of a sputtering ship one that vitality just couldn't find any way to course correct
and so this is actually changed the atmosphere of the team. Do I like Jail as a late round player?
Yes. Do I like him more than Robs as a late round player? Different question. No that's that's
the problem I'm having. I think Jail's done admirably. I think he's done a great job
but he's replacing one of the greats on his own team and I wish we saw more of that from Robs
instead of JL. I mean we'll also see we're even going to get the run back of
these late rounds JL in similar sort of map situations because right now we have
to discover what is going to be Albedo in this best of three.
Oh this is where we get the exciting part and involve everyone here inside
the arena it's time to discover what maps we're going to be playing with
malls going up against by talent and I'll just say this to you Archibald
Yep.
Hey, Bex did say on the winners interview yesterday,
Dust2 is back.
So maybe they just straight go for it.
Really?
I thought he would be happy.
Maybe Mid-Hash would be picked.
I don't know.
Let's see what happens on the first ban.
Let's get him out.
Bring it up.
The norm.
The expected.
Now, thing to talk about.
There's some poppy.
Say boo if you don't like it.
Say boo if you don't like it.
Show me the next one.
Yeah, you're not getting it.
It's not happening for you, man.
That means you'll be happy.
Let's see. Let's see. First pick.
There we go.
And see the Porto crowd enjoys some dust too,
and Apex stuck to his words.
So, does that mean we're getting the tried and tested pick for Mouse?
Yes.
Okay, Porto's winning on both the opening two maps.
I don't even care.
So, what else do we have on the bag in terms of fans?
Stick away the noobs.
Sad. They love some noobs. Next one.
Everyone wants to see some more casts. Not so much in the playoffs, but we do have...
Okay, so I feel like that was three maps for the crowd of enjoyment and cheers. More than the booze.
Three maps?
Let's hope so. We deserve it. We only have two to start off with. Do you want to ask him if it's three maps?
Yeah, what do we think Bordo? Are we getting three maps?
But, now we need to ask them, who's winning this game?
Is it Vitality?
Is there anyone in the house for a mouse?
A lot of who's in this.
But, now it's for Counter Strike, now it's for all of you.
Guys, we need to max out on the energy for the last game.
Let me hear you.
Make some noise!
We have to put up a good game if they want to win, I would say.
I'm confident of what we can achieve here in Porto,
and I'm also really confident in the team, and I think we have a great shot here.
I can't say for sure. Maybe they are more sharp, more third individuals,
because Xerxin is definitely a four above in terms of skills,
so yeah, I think they might be better in that spot.
Yeah, I haven't analyzed the game too much, so I can't say for sure.
I don't think it's necessarily about the veto, it's more in the game what we will try to show up on the server against them.
If they change players they always manage to be consistent, they have a really great way of playing Counter-Strike
and it works against every team, almost even without a huge style player.
So they're always a team that we respect and we know that they can beat us if we don't come with good skills
but definitely today we're really standing and the only goal is just to enjoy the game, enjoy the semi-final
and try to play as best as we can and maybe you find yourself in the finals.
enjoy it as much as you can to try and make it to that grand final everyone is hoping for that of course it would be so nice for Vitality to be able to regain that sort of position for themselves but we would love to see that consistency come out from mouths and looking at this a Dust 2 Mirage in Furnive that's the video we have at play here and you guys love to talk to me about how is it just that slight advantageous for Vitality?
I think dust 2 is the only map that vitality have looked good on on both sides of the map
They've looked really shaky on the T sides this entire event CT side. They are bulletproof at times
They've made some major comebacks happen
But you look at it does to you have to feel pretty comfortable with that for vitality that you at least manage to get there
And then mirage and inferno. I think their maps that aren't too far down their map will either
I'm a little bit worried about mouths in this one
I felt like they could have tried to punish a little bit more with the pick.
The Mirage one for me is just a bit scary when you're against a vitality
who haven't looked the best on Mirage necessarily,
but with the way that Mirage has skewed to be so heavily CT sided,
if you're off the back of a fresh loss on Dust2, then this could end prematurely for the mouse side.
I'm hoping for a more positive note on the side of Maze,
because whilst we've put it to bed about vitality, what JL is offering,
but also potentially hindering.
I have to look towards some of the players of Maus.
It has been this couple of days break
because they played so well in the group stage, right?
We'll finally see them showing up at Porto,
taking to that stage very soon.
But I'm looking towards the performances.
Zellix is one of those ones, right?
Where you look at him, new to the roster,
new to tier one.
He reminds us every now and then.
It's only been a couple of months
that he's actually been playing at this level.
Yeah, we've talked JL to death.
We've done the exact opposite with Zellix.
I think Zellix has flown under the radar
since he's joined this roster,
overshadowed by so many different things. And then you look at mouse and
they're starting to realize, hey, Zelex aim wise is up there with some of the
best. He's actually incredible mechanically. He's managed to show off
really impressive plays. Really impressive, impressive plays in their
last years. The timing was impressive from Scrony there. Out of every
moment he could have walked by, that was it. He's ruined the illusion
for everyone. He apologized to all the viewers at home. We know how much
We don't like seeing scrawny that but no it's always nice to hear nice to see him
Only get a chance, but it's also yeah pivoting back to zelec's here and mouse. I think scrawny goes underrated as well
As he's got so overshadowed by launderers next to him sometimes, but no that's the high difference of play
I think zelecs is their their highest rated player at this event
And he's really showcased himself that he can be a force to be reckoned with against the best teams in the world
Zelecs if you told me tomorrow this guy was created in the lab
I would believe you because not only are his aim stats just off the charts in terms of spotted accuracy headshot accuracy
But he's working with a psychiatrist already in his first year of tier one counter try like that's what we've asked for tier one teams to do
For such a long time as they're trying to get over the hump
And so him to take it upon himself to already try to get down pat the mental aspect of the game before he's even really contesting
contesting for lifting some of the biggest trophies in the world. This guy's going above and beyond. I have high hopes for him in the near future. To me, if I had to make a prediction today, he's going to be the second runner up in terms of rookie of the year.
I think demons got that one for the future, but Zellix is looking super sharp already. Zellix joined this team and he said, I heard Miles were chokers. I'm not going to have that call. It's not going to be me. That ain't me.
What is it like with the best time to get a psychologist is sorry the second best time to get a psychologist is now the best time was before the issues presented presented the more you choked in the playoff.
The more you choked in the playoff.
I'm choking right now.
But look at the end of the day.
Zellix has been performing despite having such a small amount of time on tier one there.
And it's not just us singing his praises talking about this as well.
It's also exertion their IGL.
Zershin, you guys are coming into this one in a very good position and looking at how you performed throughout the group stage.
Do we feel like you're just kind of back on track after EWC?
Yeah, definitely. I think that we took the right takeaways we had from that tournament and I think practice has been going really well.
And also the game against Falcons was a good confidence boost to our level.
So yeah, we feel as prepared as can be with the extra day coming into the semis.
Now, this will seem like a long time ago, but there's no real worries anymore for Malus when it comes to arenas.
But how much do you think about that for maybe the younger members of the team?
Because Pierre has got some experience of it.
But do you know as the captain that there are some slight differences with them?
Well, I think this is the biggest stage we've played on as a team with this five.
So I think that there will definitely be nerves.
I think it's normal.
We are looking forward to play.
I think it's a key that we get the experience on the stage
before the big big tournaments like the major, for example, and stuff.
Overall, we are going into today with the understanding
that it's going to be a brawl between us and them.
They have a stand in.
I think at the moment we have a better form than them, but at the same time they have
better experience.
So, yeah, just going to the server, we have a good idea of what we want to do, and if
we execute it well, I think it will go pretty well for us.
You said they have more experience.
You are the part of the mouse, but not when you were in IGL, who got beaten by Vitality
many times.
Does that help you now that you are the IGL, that you've gone through that,
that you maybe have a better reader at all?
Yeah, maybe.
We don't know yet.
We only played them once since I took over in Cologne.
We lost 2-1.
But definitely they have the mental edge over the years, but at the same time I think that they're with the stand-in at the moment
We have two new players
So I think that it will be kind of a fresh slate in a way and we hope that we started off with a win against them
Looking at this matchup in particular, what is most important from the Mauer side in order to get this win?
Yeah, I mean we want to play the confidenceiest we know. We want to also surprise them a little bit
So I think that they will need to definitely be ready from the beginning
We are a team that is known for playing five players at once and also that's what we want to show up today for the game.
So many things have changed for the side of Maus, alluding to that maybe previously Vitality have had that mental edge over them.
It changes today in their mind. They have that standing on the side of Vitality.
But I think one of the bigger changes outside of just the roster is an individual that has been showing up.
Someone that we thought was actually going to get the MVP in Blast Bounty, kind of stolen towards the end.
But it is Torsi. He's still having an amazing season for himself.
He's been on the scene for quite a while and I think he's really impressing this season specifically
I don't know what they've been feeding this guy towards you gun good other offer gun bad
It's just incredible. Oh, well, he's I was incredible
I'll he's been performing this season not only in the ratings in the way he's getting kills
But the way he's carrying games that I haven't seen from him since back at the start of his days in mouse
Where he could actually take over a game put the gun in his hand go for opening picks on T side even on nuke
I've seen them go for the AWP in his hand to try and find an opening. I don't think you've seen that from torsion in a very long time
What's great about him is that he's taking over T sides
That was his Achilles heel for a very long time was that you get him on the rifles on the AK
He doesn't really deliver in the same way that he does on the defensive off positions
However, and why root will not root why I predict vitality in this one is that vitality has always just been as kryptonite
It's his worst team that he plays against that he has 10 or more maps played against for his entire time on mouse
They always stump him because I would say that Torsi at times can suffer from similar sort of
Molodoy problems where if the game's not going well for him
He'll throw in a cheeky repeat here there and vitality just eats it up so easily
So even though I've liked a lot more of what I've seen from Torsi
This is to me where the road ends for him if you look at the opponent graph for every player on mouse
that's been there for a while.
It's vitality is the worst one for all of them.
They just get dominated by this vitality team,
but that was vitality primarily when they had their era,
when they were really struggling to get towards you,
the AWP, when they were struggling to work around that.
I think this is a different vitality
and this is a different mouse.
That's the thing, right?
You're talking about it like as if this is gonna be
a constant, a stable right now,
where you're saying every time you look
at what has previously been his kryptonite photography,
is it a player though on vitality?
Do you think it is mental
that there is just something
about him himself that crumbles
when he looks towards the players
that are on the server against him.
I would say one element is kind of that.
Now is sort of play a style that's
somewhat similar to vitality,
but they're just a little bit worse
in almost every aspect of it.
Similarly now they also have just
both aggressive middle of the pack
or aggressive entry fragger IGLs.
I feel like the way that Torsi
wants to get into these games
is just by getting set up.
Hopefully he can have one little
their moment for half. But the vitality when they were at the peak of their powers, they
were so great at just trading off of each other. And so one misstep, if he takes that
one and gets it, that's fine. But looking for a second kill, as soon as vitality know you're
there, their utility is so precise where they want to just make sure to keep you out of
a round. And I feel like that's what happens oftentimes. So he just gets completely blanked
as soon as they figure out where he is on the map.
I think for a lot of time I would have agreed with you that mouse is really budget vitality.
I think vitality is budget vitality right now. And Mouser making that step forward to actually make
this look a lot more competitive. When you see these rosters, it's not the same play. It's not
the same tactic coordination that you saw from vitality for the year prior. This is a completely
different vitality, which means I think Mousen's play style will hold up. I mean, again, we're
talking about it. There have been a lot of pieces moved on the board here on both sides,
but is it enough that when they finally meet up against each other in this season,
It is going to be a different story, either way.
We are going to have an amazing best of three here,
yet we're still to see our teams take to the stage
and figure out who exactly is going to be able to make it
to the grand final and play in that best of five tomorrow.
Do you know why you're here?
Cause and effect.
Everything you've done, every choice you've made
has determined that this is where you were meant to be.
It's not coincidence that has brought you here.
Don't think for a second that this was an accident.
Sailors once left this place with no map of what lay ahead.
Legends said a monster waited for them at the edge of the world.
A titan who rebelled against the gods.
They sailed through him anyway
Every Titan in your way was put there to be sailed through every
Storm you weathered became your cape of good home
The path is laid out for you, but you have to be the one to sail
This is your story. This is your destiny.
Be the sailor who doesn't turn back, cause their collapse, and affect your ending.
Become Invictus.
Every team strives to find their consistency.
Very few have done it like them.
Through every pivot, player change or gamble, they have still put themselves in a position
to be titled contenders and that could never be taken away from them.
Now they want to earn your respect.
Porto, this is now!
Respect is earned, not given, and this team has shown that even when the tide comes in with the waves crashing around them, as people start to doubt them, they still find a way to discover their magic once again.
You can never count the greatest team of all time out.
Water, this is my job!
just when you think you're the crowd of favorite porter proves you wrong and
there was an absolute mix for both of these teens walking out on stage and
most vitality were used to it yesterday you do have to look towards this matchup
of vitality and a mouse how you play in a crowd like this how you might be
taking to that stage for the first time and wondering what exactly is going
to be playing in your mind I'm sorry do the fans remember that vitality
just took out the fan favorite they biggest took out I wouldn't even say
They were the fan favorite heel.
Yeah, they're getting more cheers than I think Mouses,
but there's split reactions.
There's very split reactions.
Somehow Vitality being the fan favorite
is something they're comfortable with.
They've been there before, but they've
received a lot more booze recently.
Even if the crowd flip flops after their tournament
favorite loses, I'm not flip flopping, OK?
I'm all Vitality on this one.
This is a team that has just weathered the storm
in so many different ways.
And the way that they're playing with Jail,
I just see it getting better game by game.
The way that they just got superior today,
I didn't expect it to happen in that fashion,
but I'm glad it did because now it strikes fear
into the hearts of every single team
that's left in this tournament.
Nobody wants to see a vitality
that is coming back into form after missing,
after missing four semifinals in a row,
this one is now, it feels different.
Fidelity has impressed us,
but part of that is because they are low,
was so low that in comparison, they look amazing.
They look so much better than when they lost to who was an inner circle in the group stage.
Who did now is lose to nobody they dispatched of everyone comfortably.
They dominated in the group stage and they're going to continue dominating again.
The only map Maus have lost for themselves is off against Falcons.
That is the Maus that we're talking about.
It feels like they should be the favorites when we're looking at a vitality with a stand in.
They are a team that is powering up and again hoping for consistency,
being able to make it into that grand finals tomorrow.
The problem is history weighs heavy on mouse
when you know how many times you've lost.
When they heard it in the interview with Zershin
talking about, we're trying to get out of it.
The problem is you can't forget how many times
12 to two for vitality in their history.
And even if vitality have shown that they can bleed,
it's still gonna be a very tough uphill battle for mouse.
I put my faith in one Godai GL today
and he let me down.
The second one won't do the same.
Apex is making a case for himself
as one of the greats by even producing this kind of result
with a stand-in.
That's so often times why we elevate the name of people
like Kerrigan, who's won a trophy with a stand-in before.
Won multiple trophies, in fact.
So for Apex to really, from day one to what is this?
Day nine, it looks like a completely different team
in the way that they have found so much more synergy.
And that defense is half.
I'm really scared about Maus because exertion,
he can look good when things are going well,
but he starts to lose his feel for the game,
his grip of the mid-round and vitality is the one that's in the driver's seat.
They have been a lot more active on their CT side.
They can find counters.
They can find ways to remedy any problems that are occurring in the first couple of gun
rounds.
They know how to find the answers.
There is that big question there.
You say the goat IGL on the side of Apex, but then you have to question exhaustion.
So young, able to produce results like this for himself and not even necessarily
a long time that he's been able to do it for himself either.
And that's what's going to be really difficult to see in this kind of environment if he can keep it up
because Xershin himself has said that he wants to usher in a new era of being a fragging in-game leader.
And you know what? He's already proved it to some respect, to take down Spirit at the beginning of this season
and have bestified to still look like a completely competent and serviceable player while finding great mid rounds.
I thought that this was a necessary move for Maus to have finally bestowed the title of in-game leader to him.
and he has done extremely admirably.
I do see Maus entering a new era,
but I think that it's gonna take a little bit more
before they're taking down teams like Vitality in an arena.
Talk about IGLs, bring me Cyclone.
With the weakness you see from Vitality's T sides,
we only need a couple of gimmicky plays
coming out of Maus to get them a decent T side
to give them the running room to go and win on CG.
It's a big runway for them,
something that they should be able to take advantage of.
But again, a couple of days since we've seen Maus,
their first time taking to the stage here in Porto,
is it going to be a display of greatness?
We'll see as we head to Dust2.
Questions around that greatness, totally fair.
When the desk so aptly criticizes the individuals
that tend to fall short versus vitality
as their top opposition.
And add to that, that while Zellex may be
the second highest rated player coming into the playoffs,
he has also never faced this vitality
since dawning a mouse jersey.
So, point down!
Time to find out what their mouse can hang on!
Let's get it on!
They have to challenge Dust2, which
is the tallest task in the whole series.
Vitality keep getting better and better,
and taking down harder and harder opponents.
Oh, almost.
Beautiful interruption there, at least an attempt from Torsi on the immediate fallback to the A site.
Hold outside of the smoke, tons and numbers here for Vitality.
It was a Vitality that caught caught off guard by Furious CT aggression on Nuke last night.
Xershin lines up two Noggins, Zilun and JL instantly to the sidelines, two versus four queued up for a Vitality.
The previous Dust 2 outings has been banking on guys like even A-Tax to hot-tarn.
Flames he finds, Spinks over the CT box, would have been a perfect chance for him to go through,
but it's PR from inside window to just clip the wings of both and give Maus a CT pistol.
That's huge out of PR, I mean if he fights in the middle, they have two players in CT that can also push at the same time.
That's your best chance to survive, but also get the kill to make it so easy to deny the bomb plant.
It's just perfect out of zershin. Obviously second kill just lines up beautifully. They don't clear him properly and they're a bit distracted
Set up like they're ready for a mid pop they have someone in CT and someone by the door
Vitality would not have tried that if they knew
Vitality have won the last six dust twos there were four dust two lost streak before that and again driving factor in it
some very clutch moments from apex I just can't help but consider when legacy
had them against the ropes almost felt like they could have been eliminated in
the group stage and jail yeah second career high rating lovely little stats
within this event for a couple of individuals now not meant to have much
of a fight in them they put their hands on that M4 you'd love to just
drop another body in this moment kind of put mouse on notice out of the
Gates got a pretty humble interview out of Zershin in regards to playing against
Vitality and you know two teams we've seen against each other in such big
moments in the last couple of years like in a lot of ways Maus almost serving to
define Vitality Zera is one of the hardest competition that Vitality
have been able to dominate versus I like the way that boosted it that
Vitality are currently budget Vitality and Maus are taking a step forward
they're a team that Zershin calls the best Maus lineup and you know I'd
say while he's been on the team that's something that definitely could be up for debate obviously you have the
K-rigid frozen rops lineup that had a streak of trophies, but insanely strong
They've already picked up a win at the bounty now. This would be this would be the real one though
You know, this is this is a real stadium attempt
This is something that those have to take up some of their stiffness competition and if they beat by Tally with a stand-in
Yeah, it's not gonna feel like it. It's gonna feel like they beat by Tally
Good early chip damage on the attempt to take over long. This is a position Zellex is going to be playing all that long.
And Zellex is the new... Hold on, we got the Catplay split through. Thought maybe Apex would hit the pause.
Thought maybe Roth would do the same, but he gives himself a flash to try to work with. Peels one player off of it.
Man advantage for a moment in Mouse's hands.
Yeah, it almost works excellently. Just got to keep tabs on how close this walk up is.
One player through the smoke now on the ramp. That's going to be space to handle. At least he's meant it to.
And Flamesee wins the duel.
Off-box for Climb Over Boxes, covered off by Zellex, who is such a turret in these stationary holds.
When he gets chipped away at PR, nice clean head shot to respond back. He's into the scoreboard already.
Nice into early. Seeing these new pieces of Maus. A Maus that has so much scarred tissue up against this vitality.
But PR, ZLX, they don't want to be just another iteration of Maus that cannot eat this team.
I was so good at figuring out situations like this, but it doesn't seem like he's aware of long and now with that one bullet
Oh, heard the AK, didn't know about the op. Nice little one-two tether between PR and Torsey.
So, SLB, a diffuse, a clean round out of Maus.
It's more good stuff out of them, again on CT sides.
Like you always trust them in 2v1 situations in any advantage spot. Honestly in 5v5s
I just love how they the way that they play CT side. This is gonna be the most solid dust to that vitality go up against
in their run so far
We've already got a taste
Potential threat still on this round with rifles floating here for vitality
We rops and zai Wu with the responsibility here
We saw one of the coldest starts to a map of vitality counter strike ever with the way fury of cough them off
With the CT side aggression and in the post game interview with X tabs yesterday
He said to HLTV. Yeah, it was the aggression out of the gate that really caught us off
We couldn't handle it, you know, and you just couldn't really get that game going
They felt like they caught it once they got onto cash.
They felt like they caught it when they convincingly won Dust 2.
And that leads me to believe that maybe Vitality will be ready for aggression again
as we hit Dust 2 at the start of this series.
Yeah, the thing is though, it's been left for dinner, right?
Now, this time it's coming up first,
and they haven't had a good track record of their first map.
Warming up into the series has been very nice for Vitality.
They make it to the third.
You're right, no guarantee we get there.
That's a cold open Dust 2.
Not that that should be an excuse, it's the last map they played last night, I think.
I'd say the real advantage here for Maus is the fact that Vitality, like they are now,
it's become their map.
You know, I think they've just realized how good they are on Dust 2, and so it's
moved up to, you know, being the map pick.
But you would never be able to know for sure which one would be perfect for this
specific lineup. Spinks gets vision of the players crawling out middle so draws
Zell X down already one kill into this round. He'll be looking to test the
waters with just a good smoke test. JL gets an entry. Rops covers the flank.
Pressure to full on PR who's gone on notice for the time being and with the
bomb dropped out towards middle it's just the perfect distraction for the
mouse members that remained to just come through and swoop away an extra
couple kills keeping majority up and this flawless CT start rolling forward.
They're crushing me and their setups look solid everyone's hitting their shots
they're doing what they need to do and unfortunately it's just another day with
a slow start at the beginning of map one for vitality except now it's on a map
pick that's not new because that's the other weird part you know they tried new
because they got crushed on it picking new has been kind of cursed even for
Falcons in the last series
It's going to be a great moment for a guy like Torgie, like the desk was certain to
highlight versus vitality.
Kind of his kryptonite falls off individually, but a slow starting vitality.
That's not one that you'd think overwhelms Torgie out the gate.
Yeah, there's a mountain of stats.
You just wonder how many are relevant right now.
Fair.
Given the new circumstances for both of these teams.
Lovely approach.
That's awesome.
Going for a boost on the head of apex in the middle of the mid ramp.
Frag your needs a great answer back.
Chip away at Flamesy at least in this 4v5.
We'll see what Maus have to do now having lost their AWPer in the opening.
There's a lot of stress on the A site because, you know,
Zershin will be the one to need to flash for Zelex.
We'll see about the lurk timing here.
Rops slow playing it.
They're out though, and they're already on there.
That was nice. They didn't waste any time.
Not at all.
Then Rops doesn't have to speed up anymore.
He's just gonna tuck this in, keep Zelex's attention for the time being.
B players still even has a tense commit here. So I mean, they, he knows, he knows that. Yeah, that's just easy for raps.
I love that this round comes from a great idea to kick off the entries and also the quick cat play.
That you could see them staging a bit longer, waiting to get a little bit more information, but it wasn't really necessary.
In fact, it was on mouse to make them more scared about the thought of going in.
Just another example that Vitality refused to go down easy so far at Blast Premier Open
Porto.
So much fight in this camp regardless of what it is they're up against.
That opening loss to Inner Circle had us all scared that this was going to be a difficult
couple of months for Vitality.
But quite literally, game by game, we see improvements, we see the ideas still flow and in this one it opens up with a great idea to get that pick.
The ultimate test for Apex will be winning as the captain of this team without even being in the server. That'll be coming up with JL and whoever else they get.
I'm really excited to see Apex at home taking characters newborns still talking shit about who Vitality's beating.
because you know it's coming yeah we'll see if Jesus is on their side
either way we're all blessed with the playoff bracket we've had for Porto
spirits and grand finals await their challenger it really does feel that with
spirit finding consistency either of these two teams are really gonna have to
step it up a notch that's why I think even the nature of a victory for the
likes of mouse would be a real testament to what they're able to bring
tomorrow if it is them to step into the Coliseum on Sunday
Frager needs to pop open a smoke and contact over the Tatex and Flamesee
ready for such a move at least quick enough to answer it's another opening
kill it's one that costs them health sure but we hit a minute and we've
Scott Maus, again looking for an answer back here.
Bit of a tough spot for Torsey with the counter-op looming over.
Is that going to like B-play?
Zayu worried about that long push at the same time as bomb goes.
They're thinking about testing PR, who is flawless so far,
5-0.
He's done a fantastic job in B.
That's another question about Maus on Dust 2.
He talked about it a bit.
Actually, now it's Torsey.
They in the face with the choke point.
In position, ready to hold.
And there's actually this departure from PR.
He's going even further!
That fucks...
Oh, mercy!
Totally shredded!
As that headshot is instant, and this is all you have left!
I want to say, he just made that so risky by getting me off in that line,
knowing that the flash full exact is coming his way,
just hoping that they don't throw one in front of the smoke,
even though the smoke is really deep.
Well, at least PR goes untouched.
He hasn't been a problem this week.
It's just a mismatch situation.
He was kind of asking for trouble.
Even if he got a kill, he's 100% dead, right?
Is that a position you'd go for with, say, PR closer compared to where he was?
Where he died over here, you know, if he stood behind this border and he, like, held the line.
Better chance to dodge flashes.
Definitely could stay alive and make it a sequence.
You get a kill on the right side of the big box and then on the left side as well.
left side as well. He knew it was risky. Maybe he was going to get the kill, try to jump out, but...
Ultimately not the way that one goes down and Vitality string two together.
He'll be afraid to ask for help sometimes. Right.
Well, that B bomb site of Dust2 was once upon a time an awkward moment for Maus. Go back to,
to say Spinks and PR playing that side.
Remember we had some criticism.
Oh, dude, yeah.
That's a thing we're going to be watching for this game.
Obviously, pieces move.
Well, I say that.
It is now those two in that site.
But we go JL out long quickly.
Zelecs with a cover of the smoke to get into the pit.
Plainsy strike down after just one.
And Zelecs still feels nervous that somebody is out here.
He's right about that caution.
But it's JL to find the headshot.
They are here.
Worried about a follow-up is his teammates take over
This B site, Spinks caught outside site as Robs walks one through.
Robs then, whoo!
Down on a second, and we've got a string of success here from Vitality
as they chop that mouse lead down to one.
It's a moment where you just got to shout out Jail for his individual level.
He takes out Zelex, and as Zelex in open duels has been an absolute threat.
He is so good with his aim in terms of flocking down kills like this,
but Jail looks slick here.
Torzik goes down, holding it up on his line.
two headshots and it's a win by elimination and now one round game.
They haven't even used I will yet.
Oh, they've got him on the mid cross.
He's seen no cross this whole time.
He's been sat here watching finally timing.
They're going to know this B sites empty.
So of course, flamesy goes for early positioning on a wounded pistol player to
boot. They got a safe door, so they can just get out.
Now it's really missing the mark there.
Totally vacant door cross.
Zywu has all the information for the opening 10 seconds
that nobody's home.
And so this round, it winds up just being a total freebie.
That's where Dastuki get really spawn based.
They were in a perfect spot to start going B
and just see if Zywu sees anything.
Maus on the other hand, nothing but a little bit
of utility.
I didn't even see him throw a nade.
Trying to cover it.
Trying to fake it.
Trying to place your aides.
I think they were saving their nades for a long take.
Hoping Zywu wasn't watching, but that's all Zywu can kind of do at the moment.
Zero and four still, so hasn't found his impact.
Call that getting info.
It's an important position.
Those win rounds.
Oh, they're gonna dive this.
Oh, wait a second.
No kid on the plate.
Door's held, still a player back flat.
Jump scare.
Wind up, racking up costs here and Spinks will be looking for the road.
Trying to catch Robs on the departure? Yeah, why not? Denying another AK? At least start
chipping into what is now, you know, $9,000, $12,000 on these two survivors still.
We're definitely looking for some... Oh. Well, you get one.
I was going to say, looking for some Robs consistency, which he's bringing, obviously.
He dies untimely death, but he's got eight kills, and it was only map one where we
just didn't see him. The last two maps, Robs is super solid, and yeah, it just
It feels like Nuke has just been an aberration.
Don't play that one on stage this weekend.
A lot of good teams have tried it.
It'll be tough on that best of five tomorrow to avoid it.
So strong start out of mouse, dries up.
Eight rounds into this half.
We are tied.
Money's flowing for vitality.
Individuals hitting hard with rops topping the charts
And Zaywu with a great spawn to again just try to challenge down that suicide
Once you get this time
Unknown amount of info cautious that maybe it's gonna be towards you looking to make another move
But he's still yet to find a duel
Absolute standout from the stand in on Dust2 particularly.
Tough approach this round for Flamesee.
Joan is way through tunnels, down to a third of his HP.
There's no weak part of the map, really, for Maus at the moment.
The ability to rotate over to help B, they can stop at mid B, they can
be comfortable walking up Cat. I do like this setup a lot.
Really looking for Torsi to just land a shot.
Same time as JL goes through the door, untreated for the time being,
Spink's tucked in, that's the perfect double up as the CT player takes Saewoo's attention instead.
Man, that's Saewoo dropping the bomb outside the door.
And here goes Zellax with the committed flank, multiple bodies to just execute with ease.
Two of them turned from him and so made mincemeat, our vitality out middle this round.
They're approached with AKs up on that booth, you know, trying to get tricky with it and just a good amount of bodies out of Mao's up close on that doorway.
It's just really the perfect solution to what could have been a problem. Finally, an end to Vitality's streak of rounds.
Yeah, totally. It's in a nice way as well. It kind of goes back to what we saw a few rounds ago.
The simplicity of just doubling up on mid-doors and a deep ball.
The HE makes Zai Wu into coming through the door and he knows that he's taking a risk because he has the ball on his back.
back and it's not often you could trick his eye-woo. Looking for the low cross
doesn't see anything. He has been trying this green box pick I think Torgie's
posted up waiting for him to try that. Doesn't come this round. Spinks in tunnels
could be first contact. We saw how wounded Flingsy was on the approach
a round ago now he routes the corner not ready for the forward position here from
Spinks and hearing the foot feet burn Spinks knows there was a double up in
this approach can he get out yes unscathed over towards long we're gonna
get this Zellex challenge you see his praise it can be rock solid but JL's
individual level sharp and now Zellex his position's been found out
secondary player to go through the peak is I would try to tip though through
that smoke JL now stuck in and Zellex gonna pop him they need that bomb
Come back! Go ahead, keep the pressure on!
Vitality's response is good!
Yeah, Tylo officially having a dud here.
Couple of rounds walking into his death out of a smoke,
caught off guard once again,
and Zellix plays it very well.
Even off the first flash,
doesn't try to overcommit to a peek.
Just tucks into position.
He has a teammate to help him out on the corner
so he can never get out of hand.
They'll have trouble scaling,
and it's JL shoots all about one bullet,
and that's the only chance he has to take him out.
That's a really good climb back into this game for Vitality, but Maus still look like they're somewhat in control
However, it'll be on them to keep a gap here on Dust2
These side rounds are not easy to come by
Now I remember back while Vitality couldn't lose to Maus
We always had a conversation about how Maus felt like they needed to make a change
Singular and we also said that there was too much scar tissue for maybe one player difference
to get Maus their solution over Vitality.
This is a totally different Maus, it feels like nowadays.
Guys, it's perfect, I tried to make it Celtic, but it's not a fucking game, okay? Let's fucking go, boys.
You got an amped up in-game leader with a little bit more swagger nowadays,
a Torzi who can also rally the troops,
and two new pieces in Zellix and PR that don't want to just be another chapter in the Vitality over Maus domination.
They're not giving up on trying to find opening looks,
It's a Tunnels control that previous round.
Spinks had that really deep angle, which looks amazing to be honest.
And clean shot in for Zer should start off unanswered.
It is not often that you take out Robs first.
A pistol in the middle of this approach towards Long.
JL has looked good, but doesn't have much to work with here.
Cell X eats the flash.
Just enough bullets to catch that Desert Eagle dead.
Insane.
Another smoke here for the CTs.
just giving themselves some cover, some temporary hold behind the car. You can hang on for a
second, but there is still this committed approach out of vitality soon enough. You were looking
for safety behind that car. Flames moves you momentarily. Smokes are soon to come up and
then Torsey is going to be watching. It sounds crazy, but it might be a must win
round for vitality. They're going to commit to it. They won't have money next round.
get a first kill 3d5 still zershin had talked this whole time pop up in a
second oh it looks like he's gonna get a lot from this but how much longer is he
gonna wait sitting here so it was gotten off with another version goes for the
all-in it's gonna be scary to let one teammate go down but at least zershin
still picks up all that slack I guess he felt it's just a material advantage
eventually if one trade came down he'd be able to respond they'd stay one
off the whole time. At least he was right that they weren't about to clear him because
he did get a little sketchy once I got that kill. As Alex won, you just got to take it
on the chin, but again, around the Vitality. Committed two, very low time on the clock,
started 3v5, and now they come into the next round with no rifles. Scout will be
unleashed in middle. Oh, prime surchin! Try to get Frisky up the mid-doors. You
heard him, listen in. Now, he's well aware that Vitality wanted to cause chaos,
Well, there's nothing more chaotic than a scout tech nine by I love how much they've been fighting for this cap info
Not even just getting a kill, but they're always getting a look into lower and finding somebody and you can't hang on to your AK
It is already gone. Torishi
You'll still find apex in the back drop with three members of vitality in front of their in-game leader
Be frustrating for apex to get picked off like that. He's had such great outings on dust two fishes this half three in ten
Can the other members of Vitality still puncture into the AD fence?
Torgy sees them already out from the corner.
So you'll give them a little room to work with.
Yeah, might have to give up a plant, so interesting moment.
Robs gets spotted.
Spinks sees that. PR is going to be on high alert this entire time.
Unfortunately for Robs, he's doomed.
Which now starts to already unravel this post-plant.
Sorry, we've got to go hero mode with a scout.
Three members of Vitality on site.
Catwalk remains smoked for now.
Flamesy sees this as a move, but it just puts them into Spaces Crosshair.
A half health tie who are working with the scout up against what is now a more and
more confident looking mouse.
Leaving their impact on the CT half, taking a dent out of a vitality that has
been using Dust2 to crawl their way through this tournament.
Another rough outing in the first half of this semis.
how we do a porto I think doing pretty well yeah everybody's over there trying to
watch foodie as well now they're understanding that there's something
happening on this stage as well we've got in the matching jerseys as well here
we go they came Pratt we know Fox and Roman can we hear some noise with
Fuck the Roman!
And matching up against them, you kind of match, it works, it works!
We have PR and Benz, PR, how do you feel today?
I'm feeling good bro, I'm gonna beat these old men.
The one will be on the keyboard, another one will be on the mouse
and at five points they have to swap, this is gonna be action packed, Michael Bay style.
We don't have time to just go in.
Okay, what's happening here?
Negotiations going on!
Are you getting the feel now?
Oh
Okay, okay still in it here
They have to swap now they have to swap they have to swap
Now we find out how you are
Pressure on it's working it's working for you
Okay, okay, I'm dual crispy
8 8 tied up 10
How we doing
Pressures on
They say half of aiming's in the leg, so you're doing well right now.
Of course.
Two more! Two more! Two more!
One more!
Oh!
Mordo, you're champions!
Raise your hands up, gentlemen!
How do you feel in Glory's victory right now?
I didn't expect to win against like legends, so it's easy for them.
Taking these legends down, what's on your mind?
It's normal, but I know very well now they are old, so it's normal.
Take it, Balgin, they do not know shit.
It's a pro player, we are streamers, so it's understandable.
Pato, can we make some noise for our players here?
Fox, Roman, PR, Benza, make some noise for them!
No doubt a moment in that first half that vitality saw themselves building into this game just like they have in this streak of victories through groups and the quarterfinals.
The mouse this week this event in particular with Zellex at the top of the charts has been something different.
And there was questions from Zellex, you know, he finally gets a victory over Falcon says, well now I just got a beat vitality and I thought to do that for the first time on a stage would be too much of an ask.
Here he is 14 and seven in the first half. Now is very comfortable in what had started to become vitalities at the zone of dust to fast moves. JL top middle already dangerous to hold chance to catch your breath as it's quickly JL tucked into the green side.
The CTs don't get a lot of cover.
T's want to try to bring this back.
But the approach is a little bit easier.
A lot of pressure on JL.
Oh, nice clean one.
Traded back by Azalex, who shows no signs of slowing down.
Spinks tiptoeing his way down through lower tunnels.
He's going to find it all cleared out,
which indicates vitality have departed
from that aggressive middle start.
Apex still for a couple more bullets.
But it's really all about this cat push.
This is a dangerous move.
Now Flamesy has some help right behind him.
Cershin could lose his utility if he's not careful, three grenades on his belt.
He's gonna have to turn around in a second, he can't cross his corner.
No, with all this utility.
He's thinking about it still.
Well, are you crazy?
Oh my goodness.
There goes the tools for the job.
Looking irretrievable, smoke grenade at best to be grabbed,
and Zelec's gonna make sure he goes and gets it.
Confident enough to try the same peek.
There's a player even closer than the one he's fighting with,
and he reacts fast enough.
Oh, of course.
Gonna see that as an invite to just shut it all down.
It's a good distraction vacant b site zaiwu back in time finds torgy and puts spanks into a 1v3
Money is what he wanted, but he gets pressured by the doorway two players through already
There's the third and he's getting surrounded, but be careful vitality
Spinks fights and Cyrus Frank finds him. They're looking at trajectory of that mate. It was perfect
Would have died even if it wasn't that close, but of course it's I won't has to be right on the mark
Two key kills from him. I love the bravado from Robson. Capric for this. Take that duel right then and there
That was very risky, I feel like if someone else was there with Zergin, he would have asked them to do it
Felt the compulsion to go and clear this out and you know, it was a move from vitality. They didn't read
Not much to stand on
Quick and easy. We're into the next one.
One thing I liked about Zealots talking about him beating Falcons and some of the other wins,
he hasn't really talked about how deep the tournament runs have been per se.
He's really talked about checking things off the list, taking out these top five teams in particular.
And I feel like contextualizing the wins like that, not getting lost in the macro of how good our overall runs have been,
even though they already have a win, is a good way to stay grounded in just the next upcoming game.
Makes you wonder when there's a conversation about working with a sports psychologist early
to keep them on the rails.
Don't get lost in the big moments, but it can be sometimes.
We're starting to heat up.
Yep.
Zai Wu is going hunting looking for impact and finds one early five before vitality off
the mid-pick.
Get some really suspect rounds back on that T side, but he is starting to heat up.
Also searching cut down early yet again.
Death back to back rounds.
I say back to back.
I kind of forgot about their rush out long that gets crushed.
Nothing to stand on in that one.
How many times are we going to start to write off vitality only
to see them rebound within a matter of strike?
They look like they're flashed again.
Oh, no, they're not right clicking.
Easy shut down.
Oh, that's insane.
What a blow, dude.
Wow, really, smoke.
Yeah, they did it right like a flash into the smoke.
Didn't think about a push right there.
They hold from the cat elbow, but it's a really powerful spot
when they also upside who on the up.
You could never anticipate that.
Did he dodge a flash?
Snapped away in the middle of it.
Yeah.
Player box didn't have to deal with it.
We've got Maus back to pistols.
Vitality right there to tie.
I mean, I feel like that's such a convincing,
crushing hold.
Vitality almost scoff at Maus.
Like, that's what you're gonna bring.
It's a cool idea.
Could have caught you off guard, but Vitality,
starting to close in on their opponents
with a one round gap.
It'd be nice to see for Maus' sake
them knots get put down into a 4v5 early.
Moussaport is showing us loads of potential.
It's really just about what everybody's chasing,
and that's consistency and experience together.
Dershan mentions that it's, yeah, vitality with a stand-in,
but he also says we have two new players.
Even if they've already won an event,
you can rely on that just to take the edge off
for a little while longer to keep the pressure lower.
Flamesy cycling grenades is there again play with the timing kind of popping out ahead of it
That dimes the close the gap a player drop low already
We are down over towards long from Cyroo means now the offer is freed up
But his site player goes down with nothing and a missed shot
Tech dying weak into Cyroo clear flames the offer that ramp and just as we are in the midst of another little
Black Talon they get shut out of this
If two players are quick to find you, just standing out in the open, it's a plus or a, a pistols.
It's Apex, the catch speaks now down to the two.
Frag grenade, well played, such little HP.
Solid!
Apex with a triple in the middle of it all.
Double his kills in that moment alone, and mouse, great breakthrough, but they had nowhere to run.
Yeah, they really wanted to make that four-man cap play.
It does feel like if they just stuck to...
I mean, they took outside what long...
Maybe they were anticipating that.
That was going to be a CT retake. I'm not sure but it doesn't feel like they have the resources to push off.
If they got a little bit further ahead, then yeah, they could have caught everybody off guard.
I think Vitality are very happy to see them pushing this direction. Excellent round today.
I mean, safety down. They can face with play for time if they get that kill.
It's going to be two ops. I'd say the two most threatening players on the Vitality side in Robson's IWU right now.
Obviously on opposing sides of the map as well which helps
That was making the move. I love that bullet just sails by him
He sees it as nothing other than an invitation to go hunting. See how he how long he loiter's
I'd say doesn't overstay as welcome. No, and there still isn't anybody to fight
Yep.
Ogh gets goaded into taking an off shot at nothing last round, but besides that, he's definitely been a threat.
Ooh, almost opened that up potentially to his own demise.
Maybe for the opening pick, we'll never know.
He peels away that off dual between him and Torji.
That may definitely signals that there's an off on the other side, obviously.
Question is, do you guys want to try to make it a B-split?
They think they can just overwhelm this off.
they're going into. Yeah, this set up damn well it's out here somewhere JL to play on
flat. He'll cut down Spinks first. Just walking right through into the rifles and lock finds
one presumably by opening up the CT smoke. Emergency protocols are amazing right there
at that. That Molly inside the window is excellent shuts it down to two choke points
has to be jailed to pick up a skill, but he does always going to expect a guy if
There's, you know, most of the splits coming out mid to be able to deal with that.
It looks a little rushed for mouse, but staying outside of that smoke in the mid B situation is the downfall of any good mid B.
Like, it does make sense to try to speed up as quickly as possible.
Even see rops from either CT or A, get that kill.
Oh, hammer time.
Yeah, that's a good one.
Hang on, hang on.
Fighting for his life, good shots from Torsey.
Crazy important. Yes, huge
And he's got it. Yeah
That is not small. They can actually buy and he has enough because of it
Stellar stuff here spinks kind of ahead of the pack
Great to the door hold that pick off. Thanks to rops as well certainly helps you can see jail ready for the second challenge
Knows there's multiple bodies coming in from the doorway when rops gets his that is just there
You know that is their solidifying kill lets him go back to tunnels at that point jail could have even died
You know Zai was gonna mop it up the rotations inbound
Etc of it never even called on I think there's a little extra little pressure on towards me this round because yes
They have enough and they wouldn't have but they probably wouldn't have I want to say they probably wouldn't have bought
Without that save gone. They would have had enough for some rifles
hard to say
But it's just going to be a slightly weaker by they've almost everything that they want.
That double off still obviously here for vitality.
They're going to know about it.
Thanks to the Rocks pick off from CT.
So what do mouse move?
What do they change?
With this map being very CT side of the advantage is coming with these HEs all the
Extra money you have for more utility, but overwhelming presence in on the T side.
That is a takeover and a half. Two and seven, twelve and three cents.
You don't see this boost that much.
Smoking a fade and flanking it.
Oh man, Titori's the only other side of it.
He's looking like he's got to find some value.
Oh, gets the third player instead.
And they're going to expect maybe somebody else nearby, not the case.
CT's move apex over quick.
What does Zaiwu want to do?
Because if that smoke fades, he knows there could be numbers on the other side of it.
It's insane that he flows like this.
Gonna have to be a real good adjustment.
He's in a solid position now and there's a flasher behind him.
Apex gonna keep his gun out.
This setup worked before.
Zaiwu makes the noise considering that corner.
Got it.
Just give some something to shoot at has him forced to win
You've got the challenge now out from sping to help him and right back in but open the door the timing for the wrong push
Absolute authority
He does it his way his terms his rounds
I've got a watch long and in just one second. I'm going to take this week. He knows there's someone on the corner
on the swing alongside Zershin still is brave enough to try it and understands that this is open the door for a sequence.
But even then through a smoke with a no scope.
That just crushes fuck now. I mean they save that gun. They invest half now.
Perfect individual moment of brilliance after highlighting statistically his turnaround.
Because that what was it 12-3 run? It was solid but there was nothing mind blowing.
I mean, T side, he was just getting flashed and killed.
He's walking through smokes and dying.
It's just a totally different game now.
First time we see a little pizzazz from Zaiwu.
Like you said, rushing.
But not first time this tournament.
We have to see where he's been pulling plays like that off.
Which just worried that maybe it wouldn't be a feature
of this first map in the semifinals.
He gives Mao something to think about.
Their limitation now, this double Kalil.
They could just try to go for the pack mentality
once more, move it out in the middle.
Smoke grenades gonna go beyond so they're actually ahead of this
They're gonna try to go to the challenge and JL it's only the one rops also a single kill and zelex turns into the solution
We're dropping them. Oh my goodness spinks. We get away
And as he goes back missed opportunity watches of the rifle back
Thanks feeling a little squirrely for a second very little you tilt to hold on to the site
We've got a flash here for zelex, but it's the exact same on the other side and vitality
They don't have a piece over towards that tunnel.
It's going to all be in from this window.
And maybe Zywu off the door, apex first.
Killed by the glill down beneath.
And it's LX clips the wings of the second.
It's the sprint away for Zywu.
Maus find a round off of pistols,
just simply swarming that B site.
Yeah, they simply got two kills inside of that window
as they were entering.
Those are the two players to hold it.
They go one for one, but that's it.
Once you get the B site, that's
all you have to worry about.
Vitality coming to that. One flash on the retake. Basically no nades when they start walking through the window.
With no nades at all. And the only reason they tried is because they have so much money.
They were even just looking for a couple of kills. Otherwise that would have been hard to save.
Well it should have been mouse crutch. Instead they looked rejuvenated.
They also win on a temple.
That was a half by that they pulled off,
so they have a few extra dollars in the savings count.
It's a great way to kickstart a threat back into the game already
for his long control as well.
Little more tempo.
Sudden burst of energy out of Mouses camp.
They take over, dumpster and pause, bomb and tow.
We get this double walk out through lower tunnels yet again.
There's also a departure here from PR.
Last round was good, but it wasn't genius.
Now's no, they have a little bit more to prove before they really scare vitality.
Ooh, vitality making moves here, pressing off the bomb site,
but also met by the perfect piece of utility to just delay this a little longer.
Immediately responding with a V smoke.
Rob has another smoke as well.
We're at a minute five.
We'll keep an eye on that.
They left Zellex down by X-Box. He hears all this utile usage.
They actually have so much utility on B. A molly too. They're going to have to get in between these.
Smoke down in front of them. Just robs the side to fire off because the lineup is right there for the taking.
He manages one. They take it off.
They took out JL first.
And as PR gets the robs frag, they're going to find it open.
Tarzy from top mid. Left alone. And Vitality's lead gone in the blink of an eye.
of an eye. Now is it bringing a little more fight to the table?
Sure, it'll cost them their offer. But this B bomb site now taken over back to
background. Yes, back to back. I wouldn't say they had the advantage on that attack.
Rops has eyes wide open in front of the smoke as they walk through jail. Just got
first bulleted. I think he was expecting to be protected and Rops was
holding that. He was not patrolling the angle. He was holding it the entire
time. So the responsibility is on him, but the whole round is gone because
that. Makes you wonder what kind of shot they hit on JL for him to die as quick as he did.
Tied game at 10 all off the back of that one. It's such a daunting move to make for mouse.
Met by that smoke grenade. Let's check these out. Xershin comes through. How many shots?
Just a few bullets needed.
Props unfortunately allowing him to get those shots off, and then this kill from top middle solidifies it all.
No rotation over, no looming tunnel threat, no retake allowed for vitality in that one.
Now vitality spent a bit more money, back to the two ops again.
Whoa, that was close.
It's a bit awkward.
That was looking like you under the analyst desk for a sec.
Oh god.
I thought I was sly.
I made square.
Yeah, 20 actually, not the worst.
That one catches. Very nice on Zelex.
Team's exchanging looks and opens a door for Zershin to approach this catwalk.
And now this time he's knocked out the bomb. So let's see what he wants to make a move here.
Now we've seen this press forward Zywoo apex kind of duo here on the elbow, but now the flash, oh it catches him awkwardly.
There's a little scramble in the steps here from Zywoo, he did not like that.
They're securing some good space. That was a moment where Zywoo's about to native too.
Looks like it's set for a second, put Zywoo on a back foot.
This might be disrespectful, but the two rounds back in B, I'd say if I were Vitality, I'm telling my team they got lucky.
Now, now's have to bring this one to war day with a full exec.
This one to take the lead.
A couple of smokes to blanket the approach.
It's going to make Zywoo's shots all the harder.
And he's not working with a frag grenade.
Nobody is on this team.
You'd think if Maus can get their footing on site, big if.
They should be able to hang on.
Zywoo missed opportunity.
Searching closes the gap.
But he opens the door at the same time for Apex,
who misses his climb up and announces his close presence.
Damn, Elephant puts that and now has to just sit there.
Remember Rob, with that second op for the retake.
It's a little slow to get in position.
It's also with no kit, but Apex still sneaking around.
What just happened there?
Slides down beneath the opera.
Corsi now can dealt with another couple players on the side.
They're trying to hide.
Jen, has he guessed the quad kills Dan?
Turns the dead Jen.
You died to the lock player.
Raltz finds the trade.
If not for Apex, then who?
They absolutely bottled it.
Torsi just ran across Cat.
This is a moment where Apex couldn't jump up.
He could have got spotted walking up through CT.
Instead, Torsi ends up being the player he kills on the ramp.
He did not assess the threat properly in that situation.
It looked like communication got jumbled
where you could have just let everybody do what they want
and just sit comfortably.
That was supposed to be Vitality's error
to allow Maus back into the game.
They took out Zywu on the exact,
That was the key piece after hitting him with a flash
and him missing a shot, which has been rare on the CT side.
And instead Vitality are now one away from that point.
There's a split second here, where it almost
looked like he was going to give this all up.
By the way, the entire time they have a long play here as
well.
That was bad communication for sure.
Overthought that one things might be getting stressful. I mean this is where you can see even though it's vitality with the standard
It's still a team that we always lose to
But this has been a great second half lots of buys for both teams
It's tough to stomach that one.
Commitment into the pit for Apex.
They're really so playing it, so I actually don't mind Apex just sitting all the way back
here.
Oh, in front of the molly.
Wait a second.
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Flancy finds an opening.
Look at the T's down.
He's down the door.
How can people spot them?
Jail sticking around for the utility, but they want the replayers to really hit
Hard Friday's made so far, it is PR to the head shot.
Apex could have just kept himself tucked in,
decides to make a move after that presence
was spelt out middle.
But the Molly and a mid presence,
Mellis, where are they actually going?
Since the top three, whoa!
Spill goes through, that was with a teammate,
dinging him in the back of the head,
and yet still the push.
Wait, they're going into tunnels.
It's coming to our ropes,
there's three players running this way.
Aw, you'd think, and hanging on, two was prepared,
and the only manages to one frag,
But remember all that damage done by Nades, ZywOo needs to cross, held by Sphinx.
Aston headshot cuts him off Flamesey, 90 health in the 1v3.
And as Sphinx still sits in tunnels, it's this low health off Insertion's hand.
You got two players in tatters.
Now he's allowed Sphinx to join up, but he finishes off Sursion.
Knows that Sphinx would've been back in those tunnels to challenge.
Oh, he banged it out!
And he's got two of these three needed.
Flamesey on for the quad kill, 12th round for Vitality if he can figure this out.
and Xelix's first outing versus Vitality, 1v1, and he does it!
He delivers!
Doesn't give a damn it is Xelix's excellence.
Ties this game 11-all.
So prepared for somebody up in the window,
almost two really strong reads out of Flamesey.
But Xelix stays comfortable.
21 kills on the map, keeps Malus completely alive.
That could have ended in total disaster
with a rock push inside of tunnels.
One extra kill may have been enough.
18 year old clutch to tie this game again.
Timeout's running dry.
We're in around 23.
This one's open and again somehow
another pull by here for Vitality.
It's just got the FP9 on Apex.
He lost that first kill,
but Pio has a great adjustment.
this is anyone's game love that the money's kept up for both sides short apex to the smg
but man it's a full b attack I mean they're giving up everything else and with all their
utility they have come through so many smokes they have still been successful in doing that
but to run this risk around 23 it's audacious they'll have egg on their face if this
This doesn't work out.
Rops on car, JL out the doorway, just gonna charge down through, Rops sees enough, and
then the window challenge, oh, it's Zywoo's nade to finish it off, can't put that off in
just yet.
A couple of players still yet to emerge, space pod with her box, frag grenade find, big impact,
and so the health advantage leans heavily into vitality.
Quick rifle swap out for Zywoo, but Apex gets found inside that smoke, and still
the bomb is taking time.
I will awaits the cross would love to go for an opening.
But they hit that pause button now as they see the attempt.
They see this boost between both vitality players outside the window.
There was a moment there to run inside the window while I'm almost getting
planted, but now in a two on three.
No, they're actually starting to walk back.
Will they attempt this smoke fading?
It feels like an invitation, but it's such a tough ask.
But their money's actually so low.
They've got to consider that.
They're going to get mouse well.
They walk.
They pulled it off again.
The flash hits on car.
First kill comes out, but it's one and a half and stinks.
He gets a kill through the smoke in the door.
The entry power has been king here for thousands of second half.
They're never really walking into the understaff site, but they're still coming out with more
balties.
Let's be at the end of the dust to street.
I could get behind that.
We go.
Still an off to a side who's turned around within just to
breathe, breathe life into vitalities camp.
It's the reason they were able to answer to those earlier
mouse T side successes, but all I love it.
I love the ball out in the middle.
You know it's not a full buy.
Walk right out in this.
So much map control secured.
They've already completely destabilized the rotations.
Is there a need to open this?
Apex could throw it from the ramp,
but he won't, he's LX, kills, walks already.
That B site's under question.
JL tries to turn, Zagru comes out.
Clips off one of the mid players,
but he is what's compromised again.
They will have to, finally, win a retake in this site.
Hell of an ask.
They're going for it now.
Flashes in, one of them hits the pillar, one spot bounces back, and neither of the two front runners able!
And so they do it!
Maus, the beat by Talonni on touch!
He leads this head-to-head, a hell of a grudge!
And Maus strikes first, taking confidence from Vitality in Porto!
It's amazing what they did because we never talk about Maus as a firepower team,
and yet that is the reason they beat Vitality in the second half.
And even though, as a team, you'd always love to win off the tactics and the utility for a team like Maus,
they've already buffed out that side of their roster.
What they need to be able to say is they can take Vitality, who are stacked with superstars,
and say we outgunned them, and they did that.
They were managed to do it because of a guy like Zellex.
What a piece on Dust2 for the success of Maus in this opening map.
One hell of a fight coming out from Maus in the opening map here.
You won it against them last time, you two-faced.
They said they'd come back onto this dust too.
It was almost slipping away, but what were the crucial rounds,
crucial moments you noticed?
Because we saw that Apex 4K look like a bit of a communications stumble.
I think also at some moment, we started to struggle a bit
and our communication is a bit weird with the State Streetback.
I'll try.
And some of the crucial things for sure is that search and lead bike sandals.
We had maybe four or five full-buy rounds where he went first for the team,
made the space and just allowed for us to trade.
This is really what I'm close to love.
Very important here. Now we're going to Mirage, your pick.
I'm sure you're full of confidence with it, but you know it's vitality.
What are you going to say to the boys between the maps?
We just got to keep doing what we're doing.
Easy as that. Don't do it, man. Thank you very much.
a win for mouse here on the vitality's map pick you guys said it vitality going for a dust 2 because that is where they have looked the most confidence and we could see it there were a lot of great rounds for them but to ultimately fall just that little bit short on your map pick a 13 and 11 scoreline at the end of the day it's great to be able to see if you're a mouse fan.
Yeah, and that's the type of
wind that vitality is used to
getting over a mouse where it
gets close to the line. You're
at 11 rounds. You're at 10
rounds, and then all of a sudden
vitality creep back in, but it's
mouse creeping back in just
hammering home on the B bomb
site into rops into JL who in
the initial portions of the
half were shutting down any
sort of B play. They just said
we have a game plan. We're
and to keep going for it like you said, I think JL and Robs both combined for a couple multi frags to start off on that CT side on that defensive and then it just fell apart for them.
There was a rotation where they went back through tunnels. Robs wasn't able to get what looked like a clean multi frag. He set himself up so perfectly in the macro but in the micro he couldn't convert with the spray down there
down there and then jail coming up empty handed on the final be exact to but all the credit
goes to mouse great exacts great mid rounds to and I Zellix showing up on the stage totally.
I know that there's a lot to go through when it comes to the middle of all these rounds
of this map the nitty gritty right but now start off pretty strong for themselves and
the closing and that's like a bit about conversation that whilst I do want to get more about
the counter strike that mentality was a big factor coming into this is now is going
and a falter at the hands of
vitality again when it comes
like it comes up to it that
they have been looking strong
up, but they just get in their
own heads about it. And I feel
like starting him up that strong
and closing it that strong
really show that actually I
don't think it is playing too
much of my mind. I think when
you look at it as a viewer as
an analyst as a fan even you're
looking at eventually mouths are
going to crumble. You're
looking at a vitality where
that's where you think they
have the edge. It's not
really on the server as much.
Obviously you've got Zai Wu.
You've got rocks and got great
players, but you're expecting
just have a more cohesive team
given the vitality of a stand-in.
But vitality have that mental edge.
Not only did they start out strong,
but they actually had the first couple of gun rounds.
They faltered immediately.
I saw some anti-stratting from vitality.
They knew exactly how to get an opening
and then convert the round.
So even in the first half,
where they had the 8-4 win,
they still had to come back
and overcome adversities to some extent.
I would just say, I mean, really, really impressive
for Maus there to be able to just kind of withstand
that first hurdle
you're going to be able to
get a little bit of a
hurdle where maybe you get
tripped up there in your
initial game plans not going
exactly as you intended, but
then to kind of double down
on it. And I also give a
little bit of a shout out to
spanks on some of those
rounds. Occasionally he would
seemingly mess up some of those
mid late round situations, but
then he also was an X factor
on other ones, too. That's
what you're going to get
from a player like him where
even though he's playing so
he's able to sometimes cut the rotation,
then you get all the strengths of his game play.
I think one of the things we see from Spinks this season
is that he's more willing to go with his own read,
and that means you will see some questionable plays
where he overlurks, he waits a little too long,
but you'll also see the carry moments
where he knows the right time to go for a frag,
to go for a swing, and have impact on the round,
and I'm willing to take the good with the bad
if he keeps flying like this.
100% you're willing to roll that dice
because more often than not,
it is landing on the side that Spinks
is doing the right thing for himself,
doing the right thing for the team there.
But you did mention some of the hurdles in the first half
that Maas had to overcome for themselves there, Voo.
And we're looking at a round number seven.
This is the one where it is a question mark about,
okay, is Vitality anti-stratting?
Is there a set play to how that they want to look
for themselves to be able to get some round wins?
I think when you look at this one
from a Vitality perspective,
they really struggle to have more than one dimension
and they lean into the chaos.
We've heard that many times before.
This is what we're talking about
when we say they lean into the chaos.
They go for a long play.
Two players, Zywoo throwing the utility.
They create this engagement.
They create the chaos.
And then on the other side of the map
is where they're actually going to activate as well.
Usually, you see Vitality in their era.
They might regroup, go for a stacked up play.
Instead, they have blocks, get an entry duel
onto the V-site.
And then they close it out with players all over the map.
That's not classic Vitality.
That is Vitality playing with the stand-in
and recognizing how they have to play.
That feels like they're taking a page out of maybe
a footbook or something where it's just
kind of a mistake. Yeah. Yeah,
definitely. It doesn't the way
vitality always likes to bring
up their tea science is usually
just that methodical
space taking. Maybe there's a
pivot in the mid round, but
not something that's so
obviously planned before the
round started. Sorry, I'm
getting a little bit
distracted. The arena is
going a bit crazy that they've
got their own fun and their
own gains while listening to
the mouse so much. Hey, look,
I feel like if you know
it worked a little bad
historical matchups, getting
to have that this advantageous position to be able to take the first map of them.
You can get a little bit rowdy, have a little bit of fun there, but looking
towards the tail end again we said that they closed really strong. They were
already down around, they were able to tie it up there, but round number 13 was
a big one where we were able to see Maus again capitalize on being able to
take that B site. I think that's round number 23 on the B site near the end of
the game. We're seeing Maus, they kind of ran out of options it felt
like then you're just going hammering home the B site over and over but
where he usually gets a couple of frags.
Even while blinded there, he understands how to pivot,
they just weren't able to find the multi-frags from Robs,
and then JL wasn't able to activate
because now he's constantly had that second-third player
looking directly at JL, waiting,
not even worried about Robs.
They're just waiting for that rotate in,
where JL is oftentimes outside of window
trying to pivot into support,
but he's not there quite in time.
Really surprising the way that one broke down,
and obviously they try to just save this one out
towards the tail end of it,
And I think something even more impressive than that round
is the willingness to just go back to it again
in the final round too.
I mean, they're kind of back to back.
I think it might have been three in a row
that they went to be consecutively.
We're having so much trouble in the beginning of the half.
I think JL got a multi-kill with a FAMAS and an M4.
I think Robs had a couple of good moments too.
But then they just realized that was probably
where the worst synergy was.
I mean, it is a Robs playing with a JL.
And JL, I mean, yeah, we see him right there.
He kind of caught in the transition
where he's trying to just dive back into the bomb site,
not with the same finesse he would have necessarily,
if that was a pairing that we've seen for a year
where they just work together.
Our stature is trying to get that crowd as loud
as they possibly can, though.
I feel like it's actually coming through my mic there.
And look again, we've talked about it,
vitality whilst they might lose the first nap.
This happened yesterday for them.
It was a furia that came in.
Look at that, they're using a t-shirt,
had it, by the way.
That looks like an actual weapon.
That looks like what the pyro in TF2 uses.
It does!
Mike does look like a W mouse one kind of guy.
I'm going to tell you he said that.
They're having fun between the maps.
But yesterday, Vitality were down in map one.
If Urea came into that nuke looking so strong,
able to be able to do everything you possibly can
when it comes to a strap book.
And so now the big question is,
is it a similar sort of vitality
that's going to bounce back?
I'm now going to be a little bit more prepared
for what could come out
because Xelix was the big key part in this
that you guys highlighted before the series
and also really showed up and delivered
to what you guys were pinpointing in my part.
But I tell you he showed a bit more than they did on Nuke
in this one, and it required a bit more
from individuals from Maus.
You have to see Xelix actually have
some incredible moments, especially near the end of the game.
You have some faltering from Robson,
and he should have gotten to there,
but then you have Xelix pulling up the straps,
and he's doing exactly what he's done all event,
which is showcase his mechanics
and showcase his talent
in a way we haven't seen in the past.
I didn't think that now we're going to come up
with someone that put Ympath to shame.
I thought Ympath was an excellent anchor
that they had, an excellent extremity player.
Zellix might be one of them.
I didn't, I really, really didn't think
that they were going to find somebody like that.
And I almost felt like they really, they've lost something
when they decided to move away from Ympath.
But Zellix, I mean, just full faith to Cycro
that this further instills my belief
that he is the number one coach right now in CS.
I mean, you're pulling from an Academy team and it shows up this way, right?
You have to have so much faith, not only in what they're concocting together as a team,
but also as an org, right?
Everything that is being able to channel through them there, but I'm going to have
a lot of faith in you guys right now because we're going to play a game of higher or
lower.
You guys have always been able to deliver on this.
It is SES, higher or lower powered by IC Mark.
You guys can play yourselves at home if you want, but right now on the desk,
we're going to decide is the item on the right higher or lower mark.
value than what is on the left. And you're saying that's a bad item? That's a lower, lower, lower.
Low by a significant margin. I don't know. It should be higher. Lower. Okay. Lower.
At one? Okay. One more time. Run it back. Lower. Higher. Lower. Lower. I'm listening to Malie. High off.
Yeah. Lower. That's lower. I told you. I told you. That was lower. So you don't have to
Prefile this pretty fifty fifty for me
I'm sure
One more time
Who's griefing this game right? Yeah?
Listen to boo. He's he's griefing this lower. I'll greet the V bomb city higher
I think we do the whole opposite of whatever boo says opposite of it opposite of lower. That's actually
Okay
That's not even fair.
And at the end that was right.
Do you think the round difference in Mach 2 is going to be higher or lower than 2?
I think vitality will get lower amount of rounds.
Okay.
Oh wow.
Alright.
Then maybe the round difference is higher than how we?
Right the same.
It's going to be the same.
Yeah.
Oh the same.
Exactly the same.
A real name.
Down to the Y there.
Alright.
A Bon Burner.
Down to the Y.
That's what we're hoping is to live it here because we want to make sure
that the team that makes it to the grand final tomorrow is deserving is putting up
the best counter strike and so we'll see after this break what is brought to us
over on Mirage.
I don't even think he's up for a second there.
The monster is back.
Let's play again.
There are some pairs that are just more different.
Some try to intimidate you.
He doesn't try to.
Everything he does is deliberate.
You never really feel, so hey, you just feel late.
Where is no pattern?
We can't find something so slippery.
He doesn't move faster.
He's moved faster.
He makes him lose him, and that's the scary part.
He was mine for this.
It's not about losing to him.
It's about arriving at him.
Calmly.
Oh, he stopped.
Beautiful wild hat in Tywin.
This is ridiculous.
Tywin doesn't need the help.
Males every single shot.
Right here, right now, on Mirage 8.
Oh my God!
Oh my God!
I've got a chance!
Simon is going to fight right here, right now!
The most efficient player in Counter-Strike history.
No wasted ammo, no wasted movements.
There's a chance!
There's Simon!
If you try to, I will catch you.
11 to 5 for the Mongols.
The one that was slowly piecing together some kind of comfort zone.
No comfort whatsoever.
910 hits another.
He does it better.
Shot.
And so this space dries up.
He will do it all if he has to.
If the other stops for him, no help is coming for my son.
910 calls the emergency services.
And there's a ton of pressure coming in on Messi.
He lines up the bodies though.
Oh, so solid.
Locks this down another multi-frag moment, but here's Donk's rebuttal!
Okay, over towards Outer, damage onto the AWP.
This would be huge.
Is Donk gonna look for the pick-off in the Heaven from Hot?
Or is he gonna stay in Squeaky, the decision he has to make?
Donk comes back, Zywoo, remember, full health, over onto the AK.
They're feeding Apex to him, and now this huge health advantage.
Time's ticking. Donk's out wide!
Clashes and kills them off.
Always reliable Russian rifleing.
Looking up on it though is Shiro.
Does dispatch of another with Cobra gone.
Yami's scout gonna be pushed in.
Shiro a chance, don't comes in.
Just gonna get a couple of extra.
Padding up those stats further.
23 in County before the 9D connects.
Oh, it connects.
Three.
What?
How did a lot of masterful from the 9D?
Well, well, well, we're back for map two and we don't know who's going to win.
What a performance from Maus on Dust2 had the crowd erupting in their favor.
Does feel like one of these series that's going to either make or break wind fans for
Maus or lose them.
They're here on stage proving themselves versus their toughest competition that have probably
brought in all of the roster moves you see right now and even though Vitality are in with a stand-in
it doesn't feel like that. Another barn burner Dust2 game where their streak is finally broken
and now Maus have a real chance to make this a 2-0. Maus love a little mirage and I think
they're gonna love the prospect of a battered, broken-up, bruised Vitality.
egos even maybe a little wounded on vitality after not being able to step
into those bigger moments in contrast to the highest rated player in spinks and
sale x's 23 kills
PRC's that sums up down towards the underpass and there was a world where
vitality just pull those players back through connector but instead I was
gonna go towards top middle they already got the ace site go ahead take it
over, and obviously Q's up a retake.
Oh, when you get an additional kill on Zershin like that,
felt like they really wanted to plant open four connectors
so that PR could have come in late.
Even had utility PR from top middle
with a smoke and a Molotov.
So they had a plan to play this out long,
but you don't get there.
And unless we watch one of Torgie's best clutches ever,
this is going to be vitality kicking off with a CT side
pistol.
So nicely done.
I think that would have been as fast for sure.
Right?
Yeah.
Put themselves out there in the field,
If you get Zairu going top middle, I think it's really helping out that Zershin oversteps
in front of triple towards connector and dies there too.
Just a few too many casualties that quickly.
It was just really kind of good play that allows them to get the A site.
If they simply put the bomb down and didn't look for any more action, it would have
been pretty fine, but they were also a 4v5.
You have to assume vitality are frustrated and angry after Dust 2 with how many
of those C rounds I'm gonna say they definitely could have easily won positionally we're fine
and definitely got humbled in terms of the striking power out of mouse which I think makes that a special map for them
I think they will be very proud of themselves for pulling that off I think that
You know even if a call isn't perfect that it's trusted so well and there's so much force behind it like Zershin
knows that he has a unit right now that are going to
to listen and act very quickly.
You know, there are three outings in 2026.
Maus have actually never won the opening map of the series.
They once extended it to a three mapper back at the major,
but they win the second.
So to have this kind of runway in front of you,
don't let that confidence grow in vitality.
The force in so many bodies up inside the B-apps though,
You've got to be careful here if you're robson jl, you know, we saw that b-site back on dust to different map different
positions, but still lethal arm out is on these pops
Rob finds his jl no vision insertion in cell X collect a kill apiece
Well, it's up there. You know the window stopped in the process
Really just brings this one to a grinding halt you assume damn cell X trying to tap away with the tech 9s
I think it's further damage dealt.
I mean, you're almost just winning this on sheer kills.
And very costly by the end, Vitality
lose three members, I think, by the end of that.
That's a huge issue, though.
It looks cool if they don't, but they really just
wanted the bomb plant.
They didn't secure that because they couldn't get it
out of the window.
And that bomb player was lagging behind, right?
Took an extra second up there.
I feel like they have a chance to sneak out.
skills don't cut it on that one they come in with three deagles four deagles
Torso gets used to fun gun on the big ground so he has to save
yeah honestly fun vitality I'm running at them all game because you just lost
because they skill lift you on an individual basis right and you go we
have Rob Saewoo with JL like you're just your you know even flames he's not
in totally good form. I feel like death on and off. Not that many takeover maps, not
who we was the first half of the year, the beginning of the year. I think they still
like it was rock and roll. Well, you know, how do we lose on an individual level?
Right.
They'll be scratching their heads about that one and trying to regain quickly. Which,
like you said, run at them here and all could be good, but Mao's really taken their
sweet time. Hoping somebody from vitality over steps. Get these debils a chance, why don't
you? And right now you've got a potential pinch on Flainzy. Potential, the emphasis.
Spinks decided not to make a move alongside PR, so he better try to join up as the other
two are about to emerge out through that ramp and Rada's reinforcements arrived for
vitality. You know, again, you've got one defender you think maybe you can swarm,
That's not the case in this one either.
Vitality with the CT side of the barrage in front of them could go ahead and run with a nice early score.
And starting strong is really something we've been kind of waiting for Vitality to do more often as they improve with JL.
Excuse me, in their roster.
So a 3-0.
It's not rock solid, but it's decent.
First guns come up now for Maus.
But it's guns with no opt for torsion in their first five
Same can be said for the 5-0 Zilu not hesitating like he did on dust 2 to get his game going
Makes a quick move up into the ladder while they also drop a player down here in underpass
So layers to a minimum immediately versus mouse's first gun
So we will top no catch the cross.
Oh, and he's got great coverage.
Yeah, he's playing to protect him.
He wins it by himself.
I say wins.
You still actually got a third player.
Great move out of Torsey, but it's
got to the top boxes.
Honestly fun vitality.
You can have it.
They need to go back at the bomb.
They're down a player and look
the space grabbed on the extremity. They are walking dead.
Lines is timing. Yes, we've got to pull it off. That's crazy.
Takes off the back end of this walkout moment for Maus.
PR with zero kills thus far. Almost also blindsided. You'll have a chance here for
But that also rips away from him.
4-0 start for Vitality.
Good bow to real well.
If Rops is near a ladder, just like, give him space.
Don't even try to approach him, I think.
Well, 7-0 for Rops.
6-0 for Zywoo.
Not skipping a beat after a bad beat on Dust2.
It was scary for a second when Zywoo kind of missed his chance to punish the box cross,
but there were so many players there and Flamesee looking sharp.
Good on vitality to still win out early.
A cyclone timeout, Mohan.
Really hoping to have an easier time taking over mid.
I'd have no idea what cyclone wants to do on this round.
This timeout, it's going to be a half-buy, first of all.
Whoa.
Arela in the present phase.
A PC-Wong counter strike.
I'm sorry, does that say counter strike one?
Brother, you put that in a big glass box right now.
Signed by Furia 2026 before Fallen's retirement.
What did that?
Did that say 1.6 or did that?
I sort of couldn't see it.
Still coming through with a bit of a buy here, Maus.
This could catch Vitality off if they're not careful.
They've already walked out through this ramp smoke.
And look at Flancy.
He's just feeling confident.
Yeah, he never sees this coming.
Sandwich player done with one mouse interesting decision and a great call to just walk that out
I mean flamesy peppering connector such an indication he was not ready for this one at all
Not really in a position to take this over unless some free frag happens
They can try to run at this. I mean they have a smoke, they don't need to necessarily kill everyone.
J.O. and Zairu first to strike. So for a second it felt real good. Does Rob still think he can pull this off 7 and 0?
Smoke for the bomb. Oh yes. And the Torsi tries to close that distance now. And guess what? It's opening versions tech 9.
It's a pistol, but the time that one's gonna rob it back away from Rob's bomb pops everybody's dead
Now let's find one early with a two rifle by
That's the off-the-tact pause into the A site
I'm not sure what the call was exactly that they had they needed attack to do it. Maybe Cyclone just said
Let's just make it a whatever we do
I still really do love the Cyclone timeout and the round conversion off of those seems to be one of those coaches who get
success off those timeouts
Scary only for a moment, but when rocks comes off that deep use it's in the bag for mouse
So that'll kick start their money
They've now won two of those sorts of rounds right go back to the tech 9s on test 2 through middle
Yeah, it brought them the game really haven't seen vitality pull those off
Not it's an eye or like your big brother. Yeah, I
Love you both, but I only like one
Zelle X to Apex.
Oh, insertion quick on the chase, takes over a critical part of this bomb site.
Wait, this is, wow, he's actually in the flank window.
Oh, I thought he's gonna walk through. We actually had a chance to do that.
Gotta be careful because the players there will find insertion.
Oh, but space is on a tear.
What is happening this round?
I mean, there's chaos, and putting vitality to the flame like this, they are looking fragile.
And we just standing we had questions about the connected tissue about that layer of communication that vitality always had so
Firmly grounded well right now in a round like this pulled in so many directions mouths go back to back round wins
Thanks to this guy. Yeah, so through Palace and slams this round home. They're walking through so many smokes a series
But in terms of their success rate, it's like nearly a hundred percent
What an incredible round out of spanks
get that. Four. Three.
Monster stuff. Four.
And freebies come next.
That was a really competent three, too.
MVP. All they had of Zellix is maps this event.
1.07 or better.
Yeah, but knowing that Grand Finals, Spinks is gonna get it again.
That's what happened back at Bounty. We thought Torgie was gonna have a trophy to take home.
I like it though, you know, it's like Grand Finals performance. That mattered the most.
Oh, also by the way, Donk and Spiritor in the Grand Finals, so...
He's playing pretty well.
Let's not get too high on Mouse Hopium.
PR shuts down APACs are trying to get risky with the jump bench player keeps his head
on straight and now we're looking at mouse winning three rounds in a row potentially having five
players now guaranteed all guys up in this one that's a team ace for mouse just another
little feather in the cap as they close in the gap to a vitality that started this map
for zero love that they're winning their way they look fantastic honestly even though
They're at a one-round deficit of Spitality who feel they're on the back foot. They just saved they invest again
Sex test is time to put up a response. They're coming into this round with no kids
It's funny because there's just said they were as vitality was trying to make a chaotic back on dust, too
I really didn't see that. No, it was mostly mouse. I think you were doing way more cap pushes on their CT side like
It was them pushing through smokes on the T side.
There you go. Counter-strike one and all the counter-strike one.
The complete counter-strike one collection.
The number one online action game.
Oh, less conditions zero.
Number one counter-strike one and all the conditions zero.
I mean, that's the most beautiful part about this game, the history.
It's been feeling like a real sport lately.
Like Jess.
And badminton.
of young stars, a key piece of that, Zellex. I mean, I'm still kind of shocked that he was able to
put up on map 1 the way he did. I thought for sure he'd cool off from groups, but happy to be wrong
for Maus's sake. Burning a connector player into the dual, Apex hangs on, and then we get this
pop out from the B apartment. Last time it left the little to be desired rocks, gets cleared
out by the offer. JL's turn it back. Worried about that cat split, and sure enough Zellex
Oh my god, it's going to JL off!
Marketplace players dead, Spinks with a double kill, Torsi up next.
Nate's going to frag out on JL.
And so it comes down to a battle of the offers.
30 seconds.
And I'm all it's off to reposition Azaiwu out that doorway.
Man, he went out quickly. Torsi, will he watch this?
No, he's trying to get away.
No, he's trying to get away.
Amazing that Azaiwu dude. Imagine that risk.
Your one choke point that you're in gets Molly down.
You walk out of the only one left over instantly.
How do you even calculate that so fast?
He knows that Torsi isn't going to watch it.
That's his 100% gamble.
It works out perfectly.
He catches Torsi immediately going to Kat.
At what point did he know Torsi was going to Kat?
Right when that Molly went down?
No!
Because if he didn't start walking then, he would have missed him.
them. We always talk about Zilu's inhuman ability to just process the variables and
decide faster than everybody else. If it was anyone else, I'd say, oh wow, lucky he did that.
Speaking of fast though, we go right back into an action move. We are, got his entry. Apex is able
to deliver his rock tanks onto the capway. Window challenge with the bomb. Porgy opens
We go 2v2 once more.
Robs has been solid.
And Saewoo from the second door
gets caught up by Spinks this time.
Finally, Torsi has a set of helping hands.
And Robs, despite his double kill
and completely sectioning off
what was an aggressive move from Catwalk,
finds himself 33 health, 1v2.
Insanely perfect cover.
I mean, I was willing to let that go to a 1v1,
but without the bomb getting planted in the first place,
And that's a virtually lost position here for Robs.
This round goes right back to the chaos you were talking about when it comes to Maus.
They're creating a lot of it actually and it's working.
And it honestly looked like JL was one of the only people to really like drive in it.
In the previous round he got the 2K on the B side.
But this round they catch him with that flash, no frag.
And while Vitality have a lead, is it truly?
Door remains open for them to dominate what's left of this T-side.
Oh, and the money finally bottoms out here for Vitality.
So they're coming in with a few scraps.
Real limitations for the defense in this one.
Mao's hopeful for the 7-5 half and they're gonna run it towards top mid with bodies again.
And once more they have the advantage. It's a scout peeking you. No reason to be scared.
Still Vitality looking to make moves.
Vitality are getting dragged into the mud. I think successfully it's exactly what Mel's won out of this.
It's working out pretty well for them.
There's a freebie on the other side of this round if Mel's win it.
and they were genuinely on for that 2-0
this is MP9 though, Zywoo's gonna get an early warning thanks to Flamesee
So they lose their front runner towards you miss shot and remember Zywoo is still here to try to help.
He will get that trade back.
Still remaining inside of the ramp.
Now it's going to be the Palace challenge in a second.
Zershin comes through and clears Zywoo off this.
Insane.
Robson's got a tough ask.
Hanging onto the bench he'll be playing with the Faunus.
Challenge out from Palace.
You know Sphinx wins those.
And as he hangs onto a quarter HP that bomb is gone.
It's bodies confirmed.
He saw both remaining players here for vitality.
It is a sprint for Zershin to go link up with the fully held PR.
PR doesn't leave the ball in the site.
He's sitting here, which is...
He has it, right?
Oh no, Zershin does.
Through the apartments with the wrap.
This one's freebie for PR.
Well, you know, we'll see.
We'll see about this clear.
Yeah, good.
And it's after Vitality decide to spread.
Put Apex up into what could have been the cat split.
He's off to the save.
This is indeed Maus tying up on a T-side of Mirage.
They got what they wanted out of this game, man.
It's working super well.
It's very impressive stuff.
This is CS I've never seen before
between these two teams.
Well, there I say it.
That's exactly what Maus needed to deliver.
Yeah, because insanity would be trying again
what has already felt so many times.
It feels like Zershin's new style that he's bringing in.
And you know, this one's pretty tailored to vitality.
I didn't expect to see this whatsoever.
And yet, it's Vitality who looked frazzled.
Haven't seen anyone make them look frazzled.
Seen them get beaten down so badly
they didn't stand a chance,
but not frazzled in the same way.
Now where some of these rounds
are actually quite close in the chaos.
And like, how did the Russians do?
Like, how many smokes are they running for?
There's no disservice point.
That A-Ramp smoke was so well protected
and he still took that risk and was also successful.
Limitations in the last round limitations in this one to at least I was got an off not a scout
When it's back on dust to I went that that looks unsustainable, but then they win the map and now they're still doing it more
And they're still being successful. So
They're really proving they have what it takes to keep this up
They found a flavor of Counter-Strike that may just beat what was once their undeniable kryptonite
Mouses an organization living in the shadows of vitality during their era. They need that Sriracha sponsorship
I guess you wouldn't see it on their jersey though, huh?
Big pick off though for the single off
That is the one looming threat you still have to handle here in the 11th round and it strikes burst
Apex pops off the flashbang.
It's going to confirm a lot of presence.
Still 50 seconds if mouse feel like they've been figured out.
Right? This off that has already shown itself to be at B.
Now knows multiple players coming up the catwalk.
Oh, isn't that just the perfect avenue for the long range scope of Zywoo?
Trying to get him off this angle.
They will force a whip out of Zywoo.
And that allows Spinks to inch ever closer through the apartment.
Spotted.
Zywoo eats a flashbang.
Spinks kills Robs and now Zershin's going to pressure the other side.
to pressure the other side of the market.
Oh, he got it.
The bomb dropped.
The bomb dropped to 25 seconds.
Zywou feeling disquies.
Where is Flingsy?
Slowly trying to get his hands into this play.
He's got a clear thought.
Zywou's going to dive this, and they're
going to put them both down.
It is a maus with a lead on the T side of Mirage.
Even with that pick off, the fact
they had a smoke to follow up, just to make sure there
was no way else for him to get in.
We're watching that from Zywou's POV.
He's 12 and 6.
He's finding kills here and there.
But his teammates are falling like ponds.
Not around where they had a lot to work with, to be fair.
He was the one on the off.
And this has been a high-yield play towards the A site.
Maus want to go back to it.
Good flash again. They get Zywoo's job all the more uncomfortable.
Banking now on the bench peek out through from Apex and Plainzy.
Only one between everybody here.
Something different.
And it's not even Zywoo this time.
But look at the damage output. Has to be said.
Vitality were damn near close to winning it.
And in a position where the last two pieces have to force this retake.
Let's see what they've got.
PR finds another headshot. Could be him to make the difference.
But he's also got the bomb. So shut up, Corsi.
3HP from Palace is second to the round.
Maus have a level of confidence versus Vitality.
I'm going to say we've never seen.
Hey guys, it's Lee from Mimete.
Hey guys, it's Koala from the Daily.
Hi guys, it's Kicks on from Timorora.
Magiskron just appeared just here.
I'm going to be reacting to some of your bad comments.
I'm sure they're not too bad, but we'll see.
The first one, Kicks on Proving he belongs in tier 3 CS, yeah I mean I was playing in
tier 3 once so maybe I can go back.
What the fuck has been daily?
A team?
A team?
A team is fantastic, just needs to work on comps and map awareness.
Spirits broken, they took a stack of 4 childs to play with dunk, all they do is meme
around.
How the fuck you want to be the IGL if every interview is just troll answers.
working to put some respect on people's time. I think that both me and the
interviewers and the cameramen are still getting paid while doing this.
Next one from Jabid, Jabid fan. What the fuck am I talking about? Okay, AI logo
already hate watching, all I can say is that time is now.
Crescer placement, economy management, fiscal aim, optics.
At our tier one, I think so. We're bringing all the tier one events, so I
I think we are
I don't know what people expected
Besides that one major live game
Is already putting up IGN numbers without IGN
And Duke has no leader qualities and can't call for shit
So right with the Vitality Flare
Galveston knows the fall
Grenade spots, smoke spots, bot flashes, positioning
5-0 to 6-6
6-6, classic throw
Prodora just don't change
Yes man, we're open there
Bomb play positions
Retake ability, funding hopping, spray control and getting kills
It's a bind, you can be better than that.
This shit is so ass.
Okay.
Minus Voxic plus holiday, would actually be a tier 1 team.
But I think we're tier 1 now, so...
Some IGLs have further like qualities.
Example, Paul and Jane even chopper summer solid dudes with high probability like Apex or Pergon.
Manics is neither, his calls are subpar, he doesn't even shoot well.
His supposedly good vibe is not existing anymore.
I do shoot well sometimes. I don't think that having bird on a man is further like quality.
The rural still suck unfortunately. TO should pay sticky notes before the
day reminding them to turn their monitors on. Yes, blast you should do this.
This is bullshit. Random level 10 face it makes playing better.
Probably.
We are done with bad comments for today.
I've seen worse, heard worse.
There are light as fuck.
Flaming us, okay?
Um, said worse to myself in the mirror.
So, do better than that.
After all these comments, I appreciate very much.
Thank you.
I don't really care about a lot of these comments,
so keep writing them.
A team vitality that was capable of finding
9 of the 12 opening duals successfully.
And yet they couldn't restrain Maus.
They couldn't hold them back.
They couldn't prevent the breakthrough that
leads us to a seven round T side half out of Maus.
Mapping their back pocket, a confident home in Mirage,
and now a CT defense to eliminate vitality out of Porto.
Maus played as well as they normally do,
but now with a little extra flair
and took a lot more risks.
and it all worked, which is the craziest part.
It's kind of close in terms of the numbers,
but getting seven rounds on T side,
that's a recipe for success.
Now as that put themselves in the perfect spot
to start the second half,
they don't rely on a pistol in the second half.
The pressure is on vitality.
From a four zero start vitality as well,
only putting one additional round on the scoreboard.
It's been a long time since they felt like
they've been in control of this game.
At least they can maybe set a tempo.
Early to this A site, we've got majority of mouse here tucked into the sandwich as well.
Top stairs position from Spinks who's been lights out in the semifinals.
Surtian taps away towards Ramp Miss Chance at least first blood, one stairs through
a cellar.
Beautiful taps at a Zellex, opens the door for Torgie and now JL is looking for a clutch.
This would have to be the one on three 4k for JL.
one at least and now as he closes that gap to the bomb site it's torgy and PR
linked up shoulder to shoulder Jail swings wide and as all of these elements
point towards mouse's victory let's add to the pile a CT pistol yep no kidding
this is bad as it gets here for vitality and that's a tub series that
porto so far usually a scare in map one but there was something weird about
that last one. It's actually them playing very well, but still losing. And now, maybe
more of the same, except not as good as what we saw on Dust2, but a vitality. They look
a touch more frazzled. Mauselook a bit more focused.
Eagle in front of the Molly could have been a challenge, instead PR easy opening kill.
That was the one Desert Eagle that Vitality had to work with. It's a little too
be desired on the A4 commitment. Full commitment. That M4 is going to change hands in a moment.
Fraggernate gets more damaging, but we're still looking at four players up, and on top of that,
Zywoo now pause on the deagle, connects to the head. Worsheep pushes wide, it's a glock frag!
No way. They had it one deagle and it got cut down before it could even fire off.
Zellex with 100 health, version 40. Bench player goes for the glock tap,
gives Zellex a bit more info to try to make this happen. Apex no Kevlar. We've already
He's already got a couple kills back, drops now, deep cap play.
They put up a fight and they give him out to scare,
but it's a 9-5 lead nonetheless.
Ooh, chaos there for Zell, it's a really good approach,
though, to be honest.
Getting into safe plant, kept some angles,
made a very hard fight there for the bench player,
and everyone didn't have armor.
So even though all these bell players kept dropping,
they still had good chances all the way to the very end.
One more mistake would have done it.
I thought we were about to see that PR's full commitment spray with no one else in the site.
It was going to spell disaster.
Close window cigar.
Oh God, that could have been a big 5G4.
Just a straight up miss here for Dorsey.
Torsi, set up well.
It's not about your misses, it's about your reaction to those misses.
Hobbes takes a bit of damage and that exchange, two players tucked into the right side, Torsi.
Oh.
Give him another chance, that one a little more awkward.
It's not about your second miss, it's about your reaction to that as well.
Third time's the charm?
Yeah.
It's vitality to decide to really just let this moment linger.
Grouping inside of that ramp could give Torji something to shoot at.
We got a T smoke on our rooftop.
Third chance.
Also whiffed.
Spinks though.
Big player.
Tucked down beneath.
Two backs, 30 strikes.
Oh!
Oh, Rops rips it back, Surtian traits him, 3v3 yet again, so many opening man advantages
wasted in that first half, Torsche decides he doesn't and can't hang on to the ticket
any longer.
Big reposition on his behalf.
Yep, the flanking A ramp and him coming over towards jungle.
Does it open up a new opportunity?
It's Torsche with the kit on this one.
They find out about that ramp flight.
Does PR really think he's got a chance to make this happen?
I was going to walk into this, oh, he wins this fight.
Okay, now they know where PR is at. They've got to go vitality's first gun round gives them a chance at a comeback on this
D side. Yeah, we'll see if that's not small
To be honest man, this game has just been Robson's I wound in terms of their Maltese both with 15 frags
Gonna need more from the bottom here
It's absolutely more of a team effort over on mouse
the
those with rounds to play with
much back will sequence of whips
and number three the toughest of them all but still
yeah
honestly
I probably won't take that off after the shot anyway, if that goes.
Investment here for Maus.
Thor's against Devoted. Deserved.
Off to the Scout for a round.
You have to have your connector player struggling like he is.
Exertion, one of the better equipped players in this round.
We'll see if he can make it an anomaly, but right now he's also got the entire A site
as his responsibility.
Now he's trying to get ahead of this with a bit of a lean.
An early prediction as to what vitality he want to get off to, Zellex concerned about
the window climb, goes to take a look, frag grenade bounces past him, he's going to
be fine for that, player found, Zellex getting to kill, PR goes and catches Flancy.
Oh no, this is already getting into a lost position, they've got to be so careful.
Spot the standing behind that Molly won't take that risk very smart jail was approaching
And PR from above
Oh, it's a little scary, but it gets there frag grenade drop martyrdom to hell with it PR still takes over the underpass
If there's any team in this map that so far has been able to win rounds like these it's now
I mean, it's already over PR can take over underpass. You can free up spanks who's upper B. They're gonna see nothing there
Everybody could be walking into their death a cap play the one choke point that would be the solution here for vitality
and they've identified it.
Oh, they don't get five.
Bob gets dropped. This one's over.
Oh, mouse!
Really? Put pressure on Vitality now.
Torsio get his good gun back.
Four-round gap.
And money's all over the place here for Vitality.
Just when it feels like Vitality are going to start strengthening into this T side.
They hit a speed bump in the form of a mid crunch.
Mousers need to go on cruise control as far as we can see they're just about to close
this whole thing down.
No world in which you'd expect it to be that easy but I genuinely think they have put
a dent in the confidence of vitality.
Again, even though vitality have been beaten in one map, no teams made them look frazzled
over a series that's what Mauser doing right now.
I love the PR have the confidence there after two kills go down and mills.
He hears JL using the util and he just thinks to hell with it.
What are the odds? There's a fourth climbs over top to the fight.
To finish it off.
You got vitality trying to get their hands on an opening kill with a
The strategy like that.
The entire scene knows they've got a playbook and at this point in a game,
face elimination in semis, they're going to start pulling out the tricks.
But it doesn't land.
We'll find out if it's brave that mouse only have one kit to work with.
There really haven't been too many post plant scares.
It's a lot of rounds.
The fuses haven't necessarily been the issue.
Ferry spread out at the moments are both teams.
They're staging the fake.
This is heavier fake towards aiming.
Three players.
Storing utility.
Someone has to commit.
If no one commits, this has got to be pointless.
Yeah, okay, that's one commitment.
It loosened up the b side a little bit pressure on PR. It still seems pretty locked in though
Even if his teammates have departed right to the wall
Okay, the 90 degrees snap over makes use of one of the few AKs
So we have vitality hanging on to with a bomb plant retakes on
Sure
Zai Wu taken down to 40 health matches that absorption
You've already got this cap presence inbound
You've got Apex with the tech nine up in the apartments towards he's gone ahead and killed rocks
Zywoo eating a flat bang. It's getting uncomfortable
Zywoo still able to find a little motor and flames he wants this dual to come his way
But still the market player bosses apartments will blow Zywoo 13 health
Zerchen
Vitality pull this off Zywoo's 4k not in vain
Does indeed that ace, white support brings this to three.
He lurks out in the beat, and honestly, of all players right now,
PR is the one who is struggling the most on the individual fights.
You saw him full commit to that spray with the M4.
That was an early sign that he wasn't getting what he wanted to out of this game.
game. It looks like a free kill for him, but it's not. And it's rare you see vitality do
a really structured fake like they just tried to pull off. But they're successful with it.
That'll feel great. So the finding moment actually, look at the money here for Malz.
It's terrible. Another bit of early pressure. Flashbangs were good, but Spinks still gets
away with it almost doesn't get back in the car with a red MC again and he will drop them
in the process too many of these rounds getting racked up against Vitality.
Saigou can literally not do this every time.
Well watch him as he goes to the bench play he attempts and he spins to make a difference
in his mouth to again sucker punch Vitality upside the head.
Unflammable.
What a good match!
Left through the Alex!
But the counter strike they play is quality.
Eating the flashbangs, weeping in and out of these fights.
When he gets the first kill, it allows him to repeat the window.
Otherwise, his aim would have been down.
He would have had a tuck in behind Get-Rite,
but he clutched up the first kill and opened up lines on everyone else.
In that way, just like Rops.
On form is so good at getting the first kill no matter how many distractions there are.
And that was around where Maus, their money was crumbling entirely.
The Vitality early on run into the good gun and drop a massive chance to stay alive in the series.
And look what they come into this next wave.
They're buying, they're buying and they only have check nines.
Turn it life.
A Deagle on Ziloo, a P250 on JL.
A match-up historically that has been skewed so far, Vitality's way.
But we ever wondered whether Maus could emerge from the shadows.
And now they have themselves a golden moment after winning multiple rounds with lesser guns.
lesser guns. Something Vitality themselves seemingly can't pull off in this head-to-head tonight.
We have watched as Vitality evolved in this first outing alongside JL. Everybody nervous.
What would become of a team that is now going to have multiple events with a rotating
door of a roster?
takes Vitality's place if they step back a notch. That was the big question.
It's Spirit those front runners. Falcons major champions.
Did they just smoke Sandwich? They tried to. No they did. Yep chew on that.
Smoke up and over as mistakes start to trickle in. As waning opportunities for
Vitality to keep themselves alive in Porto slip through their hands round
After round, Zellex in the pocket, catches Robs, and as he falls back, will give the fade-away headshot over to Zywoo.
Now you've got the best player in Vitality, down to 20 health.
Pistols being forced to try to hold back a ticket play.
Smoke's gonna fake, and the pistols prevail. Flashbang finds his target, Flazy jumps, executed from behind.
And that's Maus with five points to secure themselves grand finals.
It's becoming quite a run here for Maus, making vitality look easy all of a sudden.
That three smoke exec sets them up for a good chance at a plant,
but what they needed was the round win, and you need more map control to do that.
They tried to transpose into the splash to CT to get the kills.
It was a worthwhile risk. They had double, two players blinded,
but Maus knew they needed that map control.
They have been one step ahead for what feels like the first time in this head-to-head.
Jail, Apex, Flameseed, their score lines have been static, it's even robbed since a couple
of rounds ago.
and he's either of us pulled away at this point.
You need a lot more from a lot more players
like Spinks get his 3K round versus that
B apartments hold, things like that simply cannot fly.
We've sang vitality's praise all event long
in their ability to still fight back.
Dispatching of 9C, legacy,
but a furia in quarter finals.
And we thought, damn, Vitality is going to evolve.
But little did we expect Maus to hit like this.
One HP for Torzi.
Still that off floats around and Spinks ever present.
Rock solid Mirage hangs onto the default position
as Vitality emerge out through connector
trying to take this site.
It is Zellex still with a front facing play
towards the ramp.
Spinks has been the end goal of so many of these rounds.
And as Rops's Diggle comes through the second track,
he's got the match!
Now, he'll pass the one-time fold and storm into Grand Finals,
successfully putting the air up on ice and the entire world on notice.
We have ourselves a new contender.
What an absolutely classy performance.
One of the biggest wins we've seen from Maus.
The crowd absolutely erupts in their favor as well,
which is just such a rare sight.
It is a new scene for Maus, a new looking Maus,
a team that might have the most firepower
the last five iterations of this team.
And they even did that with LPR in top four.
Who knows what their ceiling really is.
An 18 year old Zellex in his first game versus Vitality
on a big stage, already with a trophy hoist behind him.
What a game for Maus to try to upturn what has been such a skewed head-to-head.
I'm pretty sure right now the emotions in the adrenaline is still running high for this men, but give it up for Maus! They're through to the Grand Finals!
The previous team of Mal before you joined, they struggled again and again against Vitality.
You don't have that kind of problem. I know you've got a psychologist behind you as well.
You kept strong mentally even when they're battling back. Just go through what this win
took and how you're able to perform so well.
Well, I mean, it feels fucking great to be honest. I'm super happy. And now, like
Like I said in the last interview, I managed to beat Vitality too, Spirit and Falco, so I'm just super happy about that.
And yeah, I mean, I was trying to focus on the game to be honest the whole time, not think about anything else, and just, yeah, playing some good contests like to win against them.
That sounds like the right way to do it. You mentioned now you beat them Falco's, you beat them Spirit, and now you beat them Vitality.
Does that hold like a lot of value to you personally?
Yeah, I mean, it's a great feeling to beat these big dogs and just like these players
You know why I was watching my whole career to be honest
And yeah, it's just a great feeling always to play against them and even beat them, you know
You talk about them being big dogs
But I think you're the future man
You are coming in sharp to this right now just tell me right when you're looking at this dust to you are in a
Good position, but they start to battle back who was making these calls to start focus on towards B
and just how are you able to demolish it like that?
It was Dori who made the call of course,
but I think it was a really fair play from the whole team.
We baited a bit, like not maybe confident
on the first few rounds on this side,
but yeah, I think we just managed to reset well,
you know, and try to play confidently after all,
take some risk where we just, let's say for example,
we walked through the mid smoke,
I think 10 or 11 or something, you know,
and yeah, we just needed those plays more,
And after that we just get the traits win-on-be and they are they we want and lastly you got up against spirit again
Last time was in Malta. You lifted the trophy
Do you have this same level of confidence to make it happen here again in a big arena?
Yeah, I mean if we can beat them wise once and we can beat power cons and vitality
I mean why not why not I love it guys. He's one for the future
The last time we spoke to Zellix, he talked about beating Vitality, how much of a desire.
Now we look back on it, almost like a premonition and someone helped him get it over the line,
spanks.
Today you were just a whole nother player, you've shown up before, but it felt like
today against Vitality, you had a bit of a chip on your shoulder, something to prove,
right?
something to prove as a team. We kind of make a list like Arya Stark against the top teams that beat us so many times
We want to take some revenge a bit
Falcons, Spirit, Vitality, everyone, one at a time of course, we also want to limit at the time, but
We are tired to lose to these teams, so it was important for us here
I want to know what is it now about this roster of Maus that can almost cure the kryptonite of a Vitaliyo
Of course, I know they had a stand-in, but you guys yourselves individually just played so well
Yeah, of course Vitality was our clip tonight like you said for the last year, but there's
a stand-in. We have two new players. I think it's a kind of a new beginning anyway. I'm
happy we started it on the right foot. But a new beginning Vitality mouse, it's 2025.
How does it feel to have the crowd roaring for you at that point? It felt like at some
point in the match they did start cheering for you. Could you feel that?
Yeah, especially on Mirage. It felt like they want us to win.
We really appreciate it. I can tell you we also have two new guys in the team who haven't played in so many arenas.
And I can imagine it's not easy to get to Bud many times, but today the crowd was amazing. It was enjoyable.
And yeah, I wish they would cheer us more, but it's fine. It's their decision.
How does it feel also on certain rounds where, let's say, there was a round where you were lurking on long,
and there was a lot of action going on in the A-bomb site.
And it took a long time for you to come out,
a lot of your teammates that already died,
but then a couple rounds later,
you're just controlling all the action in the middle,
you're doing a great job cutting the rotations.
I would just say it's like goldfish memory or whatever,
but how do you take it when you know
how that last round you could have done something better,
but then you immediately lock back in for the next?
Of course it's not easy mentally,
but it's part of our job to be able to reset instantly
and the Counter-Strike, the game goes on so fast,
Sometimes you don't even blink and it's over, so it's important about the long-round.
Yeah, I definitely played a bit slow, we knew, I don't know, someone saw Flamie on long
and the communication was that he's holding me, I should wait.
Maybe I waited a bit too much, which sucks because the round, if I kill him, we win the round, different game.
But the next round, I'm happy because they are also called to go through the mid-smoke
and I'm happy it worked out. Sometimes you need to be crazy.
Thinking about the way you started on Maus and the way you're playing now,
You feel more explosive than you were for this period in between, you know
What's the difference maker between, you know
When you're having these great periods and you can really take over a game versus this period of downtime you've had in the middle
Definitely in the start of especially 2026 the first season wasn't the best for me. I was not in a good form
We also had a lot of change around us, but still it's not a
Not an excuse. You still need to play to a certain level and I think right now me and Xershin our leader a really good
Relationship with each other. We are talking often about the game
What I want to do how I want to learn and stuff like this and it's helping to keep me involved because they
If I just sit in this other side of the map and I don't do much. It's hard to feel activated
So I think right now we have a good day
Good relationship and we keep talking about the games what I want to do on dust too
How I want to look at how we want to set up for it the round for it
So it makes sense sometimes you will have games on you are a bit more passive
but it's fine today I had some crazy rounds and I like maybe I managed to show some of the craziness as well
So not to read into it, but would you say Brawlin was focused on other things? He was focused on activating Zershin himself maybe?
I don't know if Brawlin is certainly about Brawlin, I think it's more, me and Zershin have a really good connection
We know each other for so many years and every IGL I don't think it's also easy to be able to focus on
Like he's not focusing only on me also time to help select to perform towards the whatever you want to do is the MVP and stuff like this
But it's not like we talk every day, but sometimes for example with the Falcons game and I had the one kill on this side
We want that we want a serious which is super important, but after the game
Manic session are talking. Let's watch me together. What we what we done wrong
But maybe you could do better and why it happened the way they did
Sometimes it's unlucky sometimes I have to play better sometimes the rounds it's kind of strike
I'm just happy we managed to show some consistent level
One thing that we interviewed you at the bounty and you mentioned trying to help the younger players trying to take a new role in the team
How is that developed along along the road? I think pretty good so far
I'm a I'm the old guy in the team, which is in mouth is the first time it happened to me
I feel like I'm so young but they am the experienced guy in a way
I'm the oldest guy, so I need to show for the young guys always not always but most of the time
What is the right way? I can't be perfect myself as well
But for example, me and Xelek started to go to the gym together a lot, which so far it's been good.
Nice.
And yeah, we talk about the game. I'm trying to help, for example, me and PR1B, Dust2, it wasn't always the best.
We always try to work on it together.
So trying to show them to bring the experience.
And sometimes it's also the server-end killing, and sometimes it's just about the words.
I have one question about the coaching aspect of this.
I mean, you talk about working with exertion, but I'm sure Cyclones are also trying to
trying to orchestrate what's going on and also you worked with a lot of great
coaches I mean you worked with saw you work with X-Taz Sikron so what can you
say about him and either the day-to-day or just overall picture yeah first of all
I think in my career I've been a bit blessed with coach I think every team
I've been to I had a great coach we have a saw from G2 we have Zonic in Falcons
we have X-Taz in Vitality and I have Sikron now I think I've been
blessed on this department all of them are top to level coaches so it's
good for me. Maybe four of the top five coaches. Yeah exactly so I've been blessed, I'm aware of it. And what was the question again?
Just because what is Cycro and helping you do individually or even just on an overarching perspective?
I think it's a bit hard for a coach to focus on one player, especially when you have the upcoming guys coming. It's hard to
experience how do we help him and stuff like this. We want everyone to feel comfortable. But of course still if let's
I have a side that feels like, it's a bit off.
Let's watch together, what can we do better?
Why we don't feel so comfortable in this area?
And it can come with input.
For example, this game, I want you to be a bit more positive.
You can send it a bit more, just go for it, whatever you feel.
Stuff like this.
For example, on Mirage now, we told me before the game,
just do whatever you want.
If you want to fight, just fight whatever you want to do in the moment.
And it worked out.
it feels like you have very open communication between yourself sacron as
well as exertion do you still have such an open communication with the newer
players or is that still something that's being a little bit more developed
both about your gameplay in there as well we definitely I think in general in
mouse I think us all as a unit we have a great communication between us I think
the staff worked a lot on it throughout the years to make sure it the way it
is and I think we've get synergy even with the new guy with the new
guys in-game, we are having fun, of course there is some stuff that maybe this guy is
like to play Facitude in the late hours of the night when we have a game next day, you
know stuff like this, but I can see so many stuff of them that used to be real when I
was younger and it's part of the process you know so they're playing pretty good so
far and I'm just happy about it.
Amazing, well looks, thanks, thank you so much for taking the time to talk to us,
we'll let you go, you can go and enjoy the moments of victory against Vitality
but also prepare for the grand finals tomorrow.
Yeah, this time we won Vitality in the same as we lost to Speed in the final, so...
Well, hopefully...
I'm gonna show you that kind of thing again.
Hopefully, thank you so much.
Hopefully that's not a history that repeats itself for him there.
Of course these players are always gonna nitpick, dwell on those things that we aren't necessarily always looking towards,
but that's something hopefully is playing on his mind now,
but not tomorrow when we do see Maus show up in that grand final against Barrett.
They say visualization is important.
He's clearly visualizing, as he says that, the loss, the spirit.
I mean, one thing though actually that could work in the opposite direction is that the last time that apex had a stand in it was jacks at the last world final in 2024.
They lost to G2 in the semis G2 went on to win the tournament. So maybe there's something to the fact that mouse after beating vitality and apex with the stand in that they can actually repeat history in another respect.
There is still a lot left to be said about this vitality, right?
We were talking about the drought that they were on for some time.
Is this standing going to be a success for them?
Is it going to be something that hinders them?
At the end of the day, making it to the semifinals,
having this long run for themselves is a massive success,
but it does, unfortunately, end here.
Vitality aren't able to take a map away from Maus this time,
and we'll see you eliminated in the semifinals.
Apex just talked to me about your feelings,
instantly, obviously, coming off the stage
and what your thoughts were through this series?
Well, I felt like we had the chance on DOS2.
We had a big lead.
I mean, not big lead, but we knew what they were doing.
And we just have like poor communication
and poor decision-making.
And that made us like lose the game, lose the map.
And then Mirage, we also have very good situation.
I mean, they can't be with three extra,
but we can't kill more than one.
And that doesn't help.
So props to them to have played better than us.
For me, it's still a great result with Justin.
We got better on some areas of the maps.
So now we need to keep working hard to be sure
that we will be back with William.
Looking at that, right?
You were talking about this dust too.
You certainly had a chance, but you were making
a big comeback on it.
When they switched the focus towards mid B,
going towards B again, started to fall apart.
Were you trying to adjust around that at all?
Yeah, I feel like we had some, we knew they were going
there and like for example, the round that I think 11-11,
we knew it's B.
We are two outside B, Robin says, I feel it's B and we don't rotate for him and he's alone
on B unfortunately and we lose the round.
We still have a good opportunity to win the round but yeah, we were making like two small
mistakes that doesn't help and I felt like we were like, we had crucial infos but we
didn't answer to each other and that didn't help.
Looking at this overall it's still like you said, a good result considering you
get semi-finals again with a stand in.
Are you still proud and impressed by what the team showed especially after maybe yesterday's
game being able to fight back into it still?
Yeah, yeah, for sure. I think today was maybe too much, you know.
We were like close, but not close at the same time, so yeah, it's sad.
I'm proud of the guys because we're improving and we get back to the level we want,
but yeah, we still do like too many crucial mistakes,
but it's also a bit normal when you're playing with the stand-in,
so hopefully we will get just stronger from now.
And for the next event, right, you're going off to Barcelona, Spain,
for the star series run. It's with this roster or Mezzi comes back for it?
Medi comes back, yeah so he's back in the small faggot.
So I'm happy to have him back.
Nothing against Justin of course, he did what he could do in the top floor as well that he's not his.
But now being back with the full lineup for two events is pretty important for us to get ready and try to grab a trophy in one of the two.
When you say that right, important to grab a trophy for one of the two.
When you are back with the full five, maybe seeing some players come back to form,
Rob's looked a bit better this tournament as well.
Do you believe that's still possible? Do you see that in the team?
team. Of course we just need to be a bit more like a sharp in DVD I think I
will play do well today rubs had some good moments but the rest were a bit
underwhelming so it's gonna be important that we're gonna improve and play better
and better because right now it's just a bit yeah we're just a bit up in
DVD and we know how important is to play good as a team but also as
individual on CS2 and for now we just lack a bit of the individuals. Thank you
very much Dan it's one thing I do believe is you making a comeback into
So I look forward to the
future tournaments, mate.
Individuals might have been a
little bit off today for
Vitality, but they fought all
the way through that group stage,
lower bracket, being able to
bring it back up against Furia
in the quarterfinals.
It is, at the end of the day,
an amazing performance.
And he's talking about the
future, that now they've
gone back to the basics a
bit more, being able to
rebuild with the substitute
of J.L. that when
Messi steps back in, it is
trophies again that they'll
be looking at.
It's easy to say that
this event, if you don't think too much about it, because it's vitality going out at a semi final, you're expecting them to go to the final.
You're expecting them to beat a mouse that they beat so many times before.
But when you look at how the run of how they got here, the fact they're playing with the stand, but not only that, he's playing roles that are crucial to the team if they want to play strategically, meaning they have to adjust their playstyle entirely.
A totally different brand of CS than they normally do. I think this is an incredibly impressive run, regardless of the defeat.
I don't see vitality recapturing their prime from the previous year.
However, I do find that JL and what he instills in the team and really just kind of brings a different perspective can invigorate them moving forward.
I definitely just feel like Vitality needed some kind of shake up like this.
I mean, it was four tournaments in a row where they failed to reach the semifinals.
So to finally achieve that again, by the way, off of a pretty difficult run to beat Furia in the playoffs with full strength.
with the full strength to beat a rising foot team that almost won EWC.
That's extremely impressive for the sake of vitality.
Hopefully they're able to put it even further together once Mezzi comes back in tow.
That would be the goal for them, right?
That there is now a strong enough foundation for them
that coming back to the full roster will look good.
But again, we aren't going to be seeing them anymore here at Blast Open Porto.
It is going to be Maus and it is going to be Spirit there in that grand final.
But something more important than the grand finals tomorrow is what we're going to talk about right now
It's gonna be refrag all right everything that you're able to do for yourself over on refrag yesterday
We talked about spray transfers. This is a very different sort of mode a rush mode here being played on mirage exactly
It's five aggressive butts running at you so you can practice how you are gonna handle those pressure situations
This is probably what it feels like to play against foot. I
Was gonna say this is how I felt from honesty in that one before
before. Unfortunately, the last spot killed him.
Nope, much love to Magix actually.
That was Magix in that 1v1.
Now yeah, I mean, Refrag once again
is just the premier tool to use
if you wanna up your individual ability
when it comes to CS2.
I mean, there's obviously this mode.
The Defender mode is one that I like using a lot
to just kinda get to play against real executes as well
to know what it's like
to actually have to dodge flashes.
This mode, this looks kinda easy, Voo,
but could you handle it, you think?
I don't think I could handle that.
But I could try it for practice and see how it goes.
I mean, when you actually have live,
kind of active bots that are running at you
in more realistic, like that, realistic,
totally realistic ways compared to another practice map.
I think it makes a difference
in the way you're actually playing.
Great to practice your crosshair placement,
your tracking, your peeking.
There's a lot of different aspects of your game
that are gonna be improved by playing this.
I feel like the most one that you get to improve on
your side defense. That's something at least for me, I definitely struggle with a lot. I'm all about
being the bot running in, being aggressive, but holding the side is a little bit more difficult,
so maybe I need that mode. Why defend the site when you can just go die in the middle?
What are we holding a site for? Look, I don't know if I'm going to advocate for that sort
of counter strike, but I will advocate for what we are going to get to see tomorrow. It is
Maus up against Spirit in that grand finals. Of course, the side of Maus not wanting to repeat that
that's being saluted to.
Instead they want to look
towards what happened recently.
Blast bounty, right?
This is essentially that
rematch for them.
Very different avenues.
Very different paths in which
they got here.
But both of these teams
proving that they are at the
pinnacle.
They are at the peak of Blast
events.
This is the two best teams
that we have right now in
terms of the quality of
Counter Strike that they're
playing, even though some
of the individuals I would
argue are even better on some
of the teams that fell
today, like on Vitality,
like on Falcons.
When it comes to team CS,
Spirit and Maus are at the
top.
They're at the top of
as Spirit and Maus are at the top.
On top of that, Maus are just shooting harder
than I've seen them shoot, maybe ever.
This is a completely different version of them
with the fact that now Xersion is one of the best,
if not the best, Fragging IGLs in that upper echelon of teams,
and then Zellix has just been lights out.
I would say more than maybe ever,
this is definitely the best Fragging Maus we have seen.
This is the Maus that I think they have kind of,
they've got short-term memory a little bit
with the fact that they used to have troubles
playoffs. They used to have troubles in these huge matches. They used to struggle against
Vitality. I think this team understands that that's the past. We can look towards the future.
We've got PR and Zellix players for the future and we can go repeat exactly what we did about
it. Teams and Counter-Strike that you guys can look forward to tomorrow, a grand final
that is sure to deliver. We are going to say goodbye to you guys for our second
day here in Porto as the sun is setting out. Day comes to a close and I look forward
to tomorrow when a new going and a new champion is crowned.