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All right, we're gonna go talk to the strollers now
Let's see
All right, we've got strollers here. We'll talk to you early in the morning
I love the jacket by the way is um you look sick. This is a cool outfit
Is this like a special major jersey we got under there as well?
Yeah, we hide that for now. Oh, you're hiding into the room. Okay, well, I'm coming into major not just looking stylish
you guys obviously coming in hopefully with some great expectations of yourself here in stage two.
I mean earlier in this season, Charlottes was just on the rise and rise right like you guys are
looking great but maybe towards the the major things started to slow down a little bit for you.
So how are you what's the general vibe of the team and coming into the major?
I mean I think it's fine like we had a bootcamp the last week so it went pretty well like I think
I think we got through pretty well and pretty much that.
Last few events we didn't make playoffs in Atlanta, so that's alright.
But hoping to get it back, get something good back here.
Well, lots of firsts for you coming into this season, big organization, getting to play
T1 events over and over again.
We've seen some great performances from you and maybe some quiet ones.
So as an individual player, what do you feel like your improvement has been most from the
start of the season to now?
What has been your piece of improvement?
I think it's a little bit, but it's still the main thing about consistency, I can kill
30, I can kill 5, so it's all about bringing that floor up.
I mean, I think I have good people behind me, like Hooksy and Ruga, so they're always
helping out with the stuff and I can always be really open minded with them so I think
I'm just allowing I guess from like tier 3, tier 2 to like tier 1 in terms of step by
step things yeah so I wouldn't say there's something like very specific.
How important is it that you guys you know you have that support network of experienced
players like being understanding you know it's your first season so because I think
there's some players that we've seen in the past who've gone into a team and maybe they
You know, understandably, haven't had a perfect season because no one can expect that really apart from the likes of Donk and these like phenom players.
So how important has it been having the likes of Hoaxie and Rugga, you know, in terms of making you feel comfortable?
Like if you have a bad game, I'm sure you get in your own head, but how do they bring you out of that?
I mean, I think that I mean, I don't, you know, I think they they're pretty nice.
I know they always, like, if I have a question or, like, we do a review or, like, I can always talk to them,
like, I don't know, I feel like this is better, like, this I don't like or what can I do, you know?
So I think they always, like, give good feedback. So that's the thing. And I mean, the thing, yeah, I mean,
obviously, like, you cannot, I don't know, you cannot expect insane numbers from a first season,
but at the same time, you know, you want some, you want some nicer results, some more consistency.
So also I cannot neglect that could be going better, right?
Yeah, well, I mean it's been going pretty well
So in terms of we'll do a little lower the pressure on the questions because I think that's class serious thoughts in the morning
But so like let's get to know Rio as a player as a person
We know you as a player, but you know, what do you like to do in your free time?
I'll saw a CS is there anything like what's your main hobby?
I'll say yes honestly not too much. Mm-hmm like let's see the anime mousepad. So
That one's been there for a while, but no actually I don't like maybe I watch something on Netflix
or like something from now and now but like I don't know I like to yeah if I have free time
I just watch a show or something or like an anime you say or I just spend some more time on chess
Yeah, it's not like I do something. I don't go fishing or something you know in the weekend
So yeah, I mean you're in that early stage of the game really grind and I mean that's where that's where the hard work
is done but I'll let you get on to the rest of the media day. I'll go chat with the rest of the team now as well.
So thank you real. All right, we'll move over to the picking board because they're secretly putting teams over here.
So maybe get a close-up shot and see what we're putting these teams. All right, Fosy, here we go.
The pickings are in. I mean, I was going to ask you guys, like, where should we put Astralis in the pick?
So you're saying 3-0? Definitely. Okay, okay. I think for multi-0-3. Yeah, I haven't really fixed it.
We'd like to redo it. Shall we redo it?
Let's redo it.
Okay, okay, okay. Let's take them over here then.
LimbVision 3-0.
Okay.
So some of the games are obviously still ongoing.
So we'll need to predict who we think we're going to move through from these matches.
But coming into today's games, I guess we've got to predict those first.
So, right, we've got these matches right here.
Who have we got winning Liquid FlyQuest?
I think it's a tough one. I think Luka hasn't been looking the greatest, you know, but I still think maybe they should win that one.
So, yeah.
Okay, we'll take Liquid. We'll take Liquid. We'll fly Corsi. We'll put him on the back.
Alright, so Keep Liquid and then Tyloo and Vision, that battle of the Chinese teams.
That's a good game. I think, like, Tyloo, they've been beating them kind of lately in the head to head,
but I still think Luka and Vision are usually performing better at the majors and I'm going with them there.
Yeah, okay, we'll do LimbVision then, and then big NRG.
Yeah, I have some former teammates in both teams, but for my pick-ins, for the sake of my pick-ins, I'm going to have to take big.
Okay, okay. The personal pick-ins is better than the personal relationships. I like that.
Okay, so this is what we got then. We got LimbVision big coming out of there with Liquid.
Okay, so we'll just pick it through then. You give us your pick-ins.
So obviously we can start with us, safe and sound, 3-0, boom.
Then I think the other contender is, to that is Spirit, Foot, G2, maybe Legacy.
Okay.
Bedboom has been playing good also, but I think I'm going to take Spirit there, and
then for these three, let's put them down here.
And then I think, let's see, Lynvision, I think they'll make it to stage 3.
And then it might be hard for them.
So I'm going to come here.
And then Liquid, if they do manage to win Merc's Blacklist, I think stage 2, it might be a bit so difficult for them.
Oh.
I'm going to put them here.
Lynvision to get through in Liquid 0-3, it's interesting.
It's an interesting one for sure.
You've got to believe, it's too cheap. That's a wise word.
Bet boom, even though they're not playing with the full roster, I think they've been looking very good.
Honestly, maybe even better with Flymuss. It's kind of crazy how Flymuss is big.
Maybe. And then another 0-3. I think it's got to be maybe either big or 9-Z.
But I think I'm going to put 9-Z there, to be honest.
Also, I think they didn't play now, right? Stage 1?
No, they did well in the Stanna, that's not enough for you to believe they can get a win.
I didn't really watch the Stanna, so that's not something I'm concerned about, you know?
Yeah.
Then let's put Biggit 1-3, and also, let's see, it's 3 each here, right?
Yeah.
Let's put Monter and Magity 2.
And then, game allegiance to go through.
MIBR.
Staying in B8s.
There we go, there's the beautiful shot of Fuse's pick-hams.
Honestly, it looks pretty good. I think that seems logically sound.
Limvision's a wild one, but maybe they'll just crazy overperform.
But yeah, you guys definitely feel like you could absolutely be a 3-0 team coming into this event,
especially what we've seen from you guys to kick off the year.
Your individual form, I remember Pro League was just out of this world,
so you feel like you liked us too a little bit more now, like after the monotone,
you guys have played this season, you're liking it more?
Yeah, I mean, I've never liked it that much, but I seem to be doing pretty good at it now, so it's alright.
So why do you think that is? Why do you think you've become more comfortable?
Is it just the reps or is there something that's changed for you individually?
I think just playing in a team where more people kind of play it, you know, all my past teams kind of, it's been like one of our worst maps and
like not only for me but for the whole team, so I think just having some more people around me that are more comfortable in the map helps.
Yeah, and coming into a major with Astralis, probably a very different vibe for you because I think the times you have been
I've been with teams that are just like expect underdogs, you get a win here, but now there's
actually some expectations on your shoulders. Is that a very different vibe coming into the tournament?
It's different for sure. Like with the wild card, I think we were just happy to be there, you know.
So yeah, it's different, but no pressure yet. I think
stays true. It's stays true. Maybe when we get to stage three or pay us, you'll feel some pressure,
but I like when you say when that's good. I like that. I like that. Just choice of words.
But I'll head off and talk to one of the other team minutes while they're getting some photos done
But you get to choose soon. I'm gonna go bother this morning. We should talk to Jabba if you haven't already
Okay, I'll go talk to you. Yeah, let's go ahead out there. Thank you very much. Who's he?
All right, I was wrong the way still talk to you. We've got a couple players around in the middle. Here's Mazel
It's chat to them
You want to hook see I heard
Oh, yeah, the banana that's kind of the best moment the bananas coming out of their mouth
What's up? I was told that I have to ask you about a skit that you filmed this morning.
Whether you think it's appropriate?
I have no words for this. When you see it, you'll understand.
I don't know. I don't want to spoil anything, but I think Frank has done himself dirty in
a way.
Really? Okay. Do you think it's major vibes? Do you think it's like cologne major vibes?
I hope that no one associates this with a major alkaline because it would be a shame to the legacy.
Okay, I'm so intrigued as to what this is going to be. So I walked up to Ryo this morning because
I'm going to keep this Jersey a secret and then zip his jacket back up. Now everybody's
walking around with him, but now we reveal it. It looks safe. You a big fan of it?
I mean, I think it's all right. The only thing is I'm getting a bit of PTSD from D2,
But we also changed to like a red and black shirt right for the major and it went like
But I mean, yeah, I don't know like the pants are very baggy. It's
It's more for the the young guns. So yeah, the zoomer fit. I mean, it looks cool
It kind of is giving me G2 visor. Yeah, but that did that one pretty well for you and cologne
So I mean, yeah, we've changed it for the Paris major, which if you remember that one
No, that didn't go well. No, not very well at all
But yeah, they were watching apparently, whoever they are.
But, you know, coming into this event, you obviously have won it before.
So like coming into Cologne, what's the, what's the feelings?
You know, you're in the city again, you're seeing all that,
you're seeing the cathedral.
What's the sort of thoughts that come into your head?
50-50 win-win, not bad, yeah.
Pretty good 50-50 chance in the major then.
But, you know, it seems like you guys are all in good spirits,
talking to Fuzi, confident, coming into the tournament.
So obviously the season was really strong for you at the start.
I felt like it was just a straight-up upwards trajectory.
Then a couple of hits, I would say, along the road.
But as the leader of the team, what's your general consensus of this season?
Are you happy?
I mean, I think we should all be happy with it.
I think we fell into the same trap that some other teams did where you start with really
low expectations and you get a result that you maybe didn't expect to get and then suddenly
that's the standard for you, which obviously is a bit crazy to think like that, but it's
It's hard not to when you all of a sudden are in a final or something and then you just expect to make playoffs every time or to make deep runs and then you kind of get slapped back to reality in a way.
So I mean of all I think it's decent but I think this tournament also decides a lot whether we will be happy or not.
One of the things I really enjoyed about you in particular this season is like anytime we get like a listen in or to listen to the comms, it feels like you're just no bullshit.
just like shut up. Like if it isn't good enough, you're calling that out.
And I really enjoyed this clip. So is that your mentality? And it seems like
there's no sugarcoating. Like we're here to perform. Like I'm going to try and
just exert that in any way that I can.
Yeah, I mean, I definitely think that I don't put, you know, anything lightly,
but at the same time, I think there's some propaganda against me from the
Tio's about showing like how bad of a guy I am. I'm also cheering for guys
sometimes, you know, but it's, it's like that never really gets shown. But,
But yeah, like when I have to be harsh, I'm harsh and sometimes it's maybe a bit much for some people
but you know, we're in a competitive environment and I think that anyone who's tried that
understands that the waves go high sometimes and yeah, I think it's also important to be straight up,
to get things fixed and to, you know, improve.
Yeah, and I was sort of to Riu this morning who's saying you and Rugger are a great help for him,
you know, coming in as a rookie to this level, looking at our strike and, you know, as an in-game
I'm just wondering, like your thought process, you've played with a lot of younger players
and so when you're looking at a player like Ryu who has been good and then has been over
quiet at times, up and down, what is your approach to helping a player like that?
I mean, I've tried a lot of thoughts and thoughts myself, so I know that it can
change from time to time and sometimes you're maybe trying too hard. I think that's one of
the things I've learned that you can end up overthinking or overplaying even
And I think that's something he has to learn, but you know, you can only say so much and
in the end, it's a lot learning by doing and you have to go through the mistakes and
through the emotions.
Also we had some problems with, you know, people being nervous and stuff and hesitating
and you know, we can talk about it from now on and until Christmas, but in the end, you
kind of have to try it to actually learn from it.
So yeah.
All right.
Well, thanks very much.
You're meeting the hook see I'm not catching a little bit and I'm sure the jersey is just gonna be good luck
So you're gonna you're gonna fall in love with it. I like it right. Yeah. Yeah, I think so
Pain is in the building and everyone is having good time. Everyone is laughing
Obviously, everyone can join us for the pick-hams that we're about to do because snow is just can't wait to get into it
Right welcome. Welcome to I am cologne for first of all, okay. Thank you. Thank you guys. Hello is losing here
Let's do the P-Cams. I will say my my opinion. Okay. I just say my opinion. I feel like I'm talking to a rapper. Okay, let's get
Let's get into this. I will
First of all, we are shooting this I will make a disclaimer for our guys that we are still shooting this when the last
Day of stage one is not over. So we don't know the results of these six teams
This is the head to head matchups, but we have a lot of teams that are already through
So, let's start with, for example, 3-0, what do you expect?
I will just move this here because they're just bugging me out one second.
So, just move this, move this, and now it's time for pain to choose some 3-0 advance.
And by the way, feel free to chime in and correct him.
I will say my honest opinion.
Okay. Okay. I did not expect that. Who the hell expected that? So pain in pressure without pressure, no pressure. Okay. Another one. Okay, we're looking at the team spirit into three zero. Do you think that is these two are the best teams of stage two?
Yes, of course. Of course, the best two teams in the stage two, of course.
Of course.
All right, let's talk about, first, let's ignore this.
Let's talk about who will advance from these teams in your opinion.
And also you can pick some of the teams from the match-ups we don't know yet, if you feel
like someone is going to for sure advance.
Of course, G2.
G2.
Yeah.
FUT.
A lot of rookies on that team, don't you think it's pretty dangerous to put them here?
Yeah, maybe dangerous, but they play a really good counter-strike.
We played against them in Atlanta, and it was a very hard game, bro, and they played
really good CS, and I think they will go to the stage 3, and legacy, of course.
Our Brazilian brothers?
Yeah, of course.
We have to support our Brazilian friends, bro.
Let's put 9-Z.
Okay, 9-Z.
They don't have the hottest form lately, but you still believe that they're going to be
making it through?
Yeah, of course.
I think they were playing some good CS, maybe I was watching Astana and they played really
good against good teams and I think they will make it to the stage 3.
They beat Falcons, right?
Yeah.
Okay, so we have only two spots left for 3-1-3-2 and bear in mind, those are the matchups that
we still didn't see Pan out so...
It's getting harder.
Yeah, it's hard because we have a lot of good teams.
I think Astralis will.
Astralis will make it.
Did you practice them while you were here in Europe?
Yes?
Okay, don't share the results.
But because you're putting them 3-1-3-2,
you must have been impressed maybe a little bit?
Big 0 is saying yes, yes.
Yes, okay, okay, okay.
And let's take the Big 0 opinion about this.
Big 0, what do you think?
10-game, 3-0?
3-0, 3-0.
Sorry? Yeah, 3-0, yeah.
Of course.
I'm not sure if this can potentially happen, but what if teams, no, it can happen.
But if it happens, if you're matching each other in 1-0 game, who is going to go 3-0?
If we play against Spirit, you win.
In 1-0 game, yes.
Hmm, I have to...
Oh my god, it's hard.
I think...
This is why I'm giving you these questions. I don't give easy questions.
I think if we play against Spirit, of course we can win.
And if I have to choose one more team to put in 3-0, right?
I will put Legacy.
Okay, so this is kind of like, in case, obviously these are your two top picks,
but in case you face each other, that's where Legacy comes in as well.
Yeah, I think so. I think Legacy.
Okay, I like it.
It's part of your Zerblum.
Yeah.
What about one more 3-1-3-2 team?
I think game-religion, I'm playing a good Counter-Strike right now and Betj Boom also.
They are playing really good CS, but I will go with Brazil, bro.
Brazil again, MIBR. This is real patriot. You really believe in your comrades.
Of course, bro. Cologne, the last Cologne, I think, and the last major of Cologne was SKG.
the SKU, the Champions, right?
And yeah, Brazil have the way.
I mean, Fer was here.
He didn't have the way.
Yeah, don't say that, bro.
I wanna pick your brand name,
maybe because I can share a little bit as well,
that what happened with Gaming Gladiators,
in your opinion?
I will just quickly go here.
So it didn't go that well.
Did you see those games,
and what are your opinions on that?
Yeah, was not good to watch, to be honest.
but they know it.
But I think it's hard to say because we,
from outside, it's so difficult to give some opinion,
but yeah, I don't know about the focus on the game
and all the work they put,
but I think right now it's another time, you know?
If you want to go through any stage,
you have to work a lot and do like your life.
And I think they were not prepared to go through it.
It definitely felt like it, but I ask all the time when teams arrived that if they got surprised by someone in a Stage 1,
so I will spin that question, who disappointed you the most in Stage 1, apart from Gaming Collideaters?
It's okay, we got this, okay? Relax, we need to reset right now, it's the major reset.
reset we got this okay everything is fine listen to each other play with each
other that's the only thing we need to do here but we need to be here for each
other let's enjoy the fucking moment it's not over we can win this okay
Look at himself with anything, he's got the first kill, now dangerous for Xilu, he can
get one more and then he gets the ding on top of the hallway.
And that's good enough, let's die with a grenade, and there's when he fired up.
This is legacy holding on, Sanzin on the peak doesn't get the shot, all could fight now,
Now, Rain Waker in the donut needs, ah, can't handle it, now a clutch forgives me, can captain come up clutch?
Looks good, looks real good, up against Darcy Ford for the ballman time, hard to save them!
He's big already look with one bullet.
Oh, yes three shots left!
Go away!
Two of the kills, USP gets the job done.
He had three shots and still delivers.
Okay, why is he red?
Okay, time to pick some pens to see about the glow!
We missed it!
Well, this is all to get another round, okay?
I'm gonna kill you.
Time is one where it's right to go.
We don't slow down.
Let's go, Cole.
Come to the kitchen, Cole.
Walk with style.
Hey!
Carlos!
Voice is private.
See the end comes cool.
Time is one where it's right to go.
We don't slow, the lights go
Ah, chase down what we slide as the world
Fights in the clouds, in the air comes the world
And that's both flawlessly through into Stage 3.
Were you expecting a little bit more in the server from 9Z today?
anything you want to say to the fans out there that's right thank you so much
for your time
the event is cologne 2019 and formerly known as ESL one the confines of this
are a semi-final we're talking about a game where in which this man himself was
featured amongst the likes of zip-ex magic glaive and vice-course which is
what we'll be talking about. On the other side of the equation, Vitality, Zywoo, Alex, Apex, Indike, RPK.
Now this was once upon a time, and this happened and then you went to join Vitality. So what are we looking at right here?
It's, I think Cologne speaks for the Astralis, as you just mentioned, the one that just got away.
The one we never really managed to clinch, as we got everything else, but this one is...
We had this weird thing every time we went into Cologne. We thought we had like the form, we had everything going for us,
couldn't really make it work so yeah it's the one I got away.
So you get all the way to the semifinals right?
It's a best of three.
Atmosphere and the lengths, this has got to be crazy, correct?
It's always great.
Like I can imagine.
Dust 2, Vitality, 16-8 with a heavy T-side, first half.
Then we go to this map known as Inferno, map 2.
It's usually where all series go to die,
but in this case it was...
Port lips.
Yeah, it lives.
If actually comes to life perhaps you could say.
Vitality would be the ones that go to cry.
You split pistols and you go back and forth in OT
And then I need you to build up in this moment to this round.
Where's the headspace of the team?
Where's the headspace of the device?
I think the device coming into this specific round,
he's had a rough game coming into it.
I think overall for his tournament was still okay,
but I wouldn't say we were not chokers at that point,
but it's been an issue for us to make things matter
specifically in Cologne.
And we have another, we have another semi-final here,
and the devices have not really had a good game,
but then he magically in overtime decides to pull out
ace with his off and you know it's it's one of these things where I could just
tell that we've maybe lacked him a little throughout the game and it was
great to see that he you know turned up for this one managed to pull the ace
off it routed the team I think even in the music like glaive rocking his
shoulders like yeah you got this buddy you got this buddy so it was a very
important moment and you know I'm I'm just you know it's shocking to see the
guy that can pull this one off and not only in the moment for the team and in
the stature of what's going on in the in the lancis itself but for an
individual player like device if you're having a rough game and you have a pop-off
moment like that where yeah you might have gotten away with a little bit of
murder there with a two like a clat there towards the box but overall yeah
that should boost your confidence. Of course I mean it's it's for him it's
always been about the confidence I think if he's turning up for a
tournament he doesn't having you know the feeling or can't feel himself or the
team then then I wouldn't say he was struggling he was never really played that
seemingly struggle but he would just play a little bit worse but as soon as he
got this one going. I mean it's relatively late in a game or in a tournament to get this type of
highlight but it was it was in a very important moment. It's in overtime and you want to be making
it to the third one and I think that that kind of skyrocketed for him. You know the fact that he's
even you know now he's got like a small mural for himself. He's kind of in the history books
even though that we have in one clone I think it's still still very impressive. I was even thinking
when I got here and I saw this for the first time and I saw his name on that one I was thinking
What play was that? I could barely remember it, but then when I re-watched it's like, okay, it's the one against Batali, now it makes sense, because it is actually quite outstanding.
Now, they're not watching the Major with us here, and I do mean Device & Company. Is there anything you'd say, any message you'd have to an old teammate if he's watching right now?
Well, keep fighting, buddy. You know, you've had a great career. I know it's at a point where you probably would have wanted to go a little bit further, but I'm doing good, man.
That's right, it's Coloma Baby, it's the major, stage two.
Come back to IAM Cologne 2026.
We're nearing the halfway point at Stage 2 at the Major,
which means that today we're gonna send some more teams
into Stage 3, and unfortunately,
some teams will also go home.
I'm joined by Stukku and Dupri here
for the first segment of the day,
but we're gonna talk a bit about what happened yesterday.
Obviously, just a bit of a recap to figure out
where we are currently at the Major.
Yesterday Stukku was day two, we sent home some teams,
and unfortunately, one of those teams
we are no longer going to see was Game Religion. Biggest surprise by far to me in States 2.
Yeah, we were watching that game and we came to conclusions that Game Religion just did not
arrive to this tournament whatsoever. Snacks mentioned it a couple of times as well that
they just, I guess, peaked at a wrong time in Atlanta going all the way into the final and they
put like a target on their back and high hopes into the major. It's unfortunate what they showed
and I think they're perfectly aware of what happened but they just need to reset because
the next season awaits and you have to take this break and re-breathe.
We also had a late night thriller, I don't blame any of you guys if you wound up to watch
that one.
You got pretty late yesterday, Peter.
A foot taking on G2 and foot qualifying progressing, heading into stage 3, beating G2 quite convincingly
on the third map.
Are you impressed by foot so far?
Yeah, I am.
I think it's nice to see that they can continue playing their own style and that they play
with the confidence that they've built up throughout this season so far and take it
with them here into a game where a team like T2 is around their caliber, some people would
say they're very equal, maybe some people even judge that that foot is a little bit better
as of right now. I think it was an interesting match and I think it was just also a showcase
of skills specifically from Probeni where he just took charge of everything like it.
And as an in-game leader and having that much impact, that's very special. And you can just
tell by the fact that the foot guys, they are also in the interview with other jokes,
She said that they were expecting this.
I think they know what they're capable of.
And for them, making the 3-0 is not that much of a surprise.
I think they showed us yesterday exactly what they're capable of.
Ned is playing some very solid counter-strike.
They'll be rejoining us once we get into stage three,
with all the top dogs, so to speak,
Vitality and the likes of such joining us.
For now, though, we can check in on the pick-ins as well.
I think there's been quite a lot of surprises so far in this stage,
in terms of, you know, gamer league and going 0-3.
I don't think a lot of people expected that pain.
I see, you know, also a team that a lot of people picked to go 0-3.
Tyloo have been playing well, BIC have been playing well.
So safe to say that some of these lesser known teams
and some of the underdog teams, Martin, have really done well at messing up.
Everyone's picked him pretty much.
I just want to skip the segment.
I'm watching in my name, bro.
I think I'm going zero.
Did this ever happen?
Like, okay, I made some gambles and I'm completely like taking it to my chin,
but I didn't look too much into it.
I just went by the gut feeling, which was clearly wrong,
but if I go zero on this stage,
I'm actually impressed by myself.
You're super cooked.
Thank you.
You're more than you overcook.
I'm saving my energy for stage three,
don't worry about that.
And we'll have to watch how that progresses.
I'm sure you guys at home as well,
are currently sitting with a bit of sweat in your palms,
you know, trying to figure out
whether or not you're still in contention for that.
It was so lovely diamond coin
that none of us are getting anyway.
However, let's talk about some of the big topics and the overall topic that we had so far during this major and that is the rookies, right?
There's been a lot of rookies coming into this tournament. We saw some of them in stage one. We saw a lot during stage two here.
The foot is a great example for rookies on their lineup. You see it on your screen right here. There's so, so many.
So in terms of picking out some of the rookies, that may be a bit of a tough task, but I want to drive back to stage one.
And there was one rookie that stood out to me and a player, I'll be completely honest,
I had no clue whatsoever, Asep from Thunderdown under.
I think they did a pretty good job, you know, messing up people's pickings, so to speak,
but I also think this guy did a pretty good job at showcasing himself to the world of
Counter Strike.
I'll be honest, I've never watched him play before, but he did very well in Stage 1.
Yeah, all things considered, coming from a region of Australia, it's going to be always
tough to perform at such a high level, especially coming into the Major.
It's one of the only, well, actually the only thing without the organization coming into
here, so they don't have the structural support of some other teams that can use to be, you
know, as a leverage to perform well at these events.
He's been impressive individually, he's been pretty sharp, he's playing like very active
in his spots, kind of like playmaking ability is definitely there.
He was in interviews as well, pretty chill, pretty talkative, so I can assume that he's
similar position on the server as well. So he's kind of like helping everyone with Alistair and with
X-Tyr with an experience. So I'm also impressed by him. Unfortunately, we have a little bit of a low
sample size on his performance because they were going out in the tournament pretty early,
but they won nonetheless. Even how he's enjoying himself right there, like he's screaming at the
counter part. I think it was against FlyQuiz as well. So there's a good beef and he has
the charisma on the server, off the server. I'm starting to like this guy. I'll be completely
And this is just my, you know, humble opinion, you know, whenever you're watching any Australian playoffs, right?
They always come in with a certain amount of attitude and a lot of the energy that we get from them despite
They're not making it to stage two. It was nice to see Ace in play. Another one is Dilithis. I think that's a player
We haven't really spoken that much about for Bedboom. He's still in contention. Still gonna play later on today
A player that, you know, I've had some visa issues, etc, etc
Luckily for him and luckily for Bedboom. He showed up at this major and so far Peter
He's been doing pretty well, but he kind of goes under the radar which be more about Flemish
We've been more about boomage, but this guy being a major rookie. He's doing a good job
Yeah, he definitely is I mean it is it's very clear that you know
There's some very big names inside the bit boom team that you know kind of overshadows him so little bit
But you know, he's been he's been solid
You know, he's he's had a decent tournament
He has some very impactful like the place inside of the game, but they've been winning and you know
It's it's a Russian player that that's been around for a while
You know it's been a while since he's been picked up by a team where he can actually maybe also showcase a little bit of his skill
you know and for him to go to the Major and have a steady progress as he's doing right now,
you know, nothing completely out of the ordinary but just being stable and helping his team win
the games, that's very important and it's also just, you know, the team is looking solid, right?
It's also a team that's had a lot of issues with Visa and Visa and having a lot of issues
just feeling their main roster and it must be pretty good for him to feel that he can actually
come to the Major now and without the Visa problems, he's the one that has the pressure and that he's
not have to be the one that's sitting on the sideline.
That's done a really good job so far and it will be interesting to see Bedboom play
later on and see if they can fair into States 3.
Another one you wanted to touch upon, Martin, is Luchov, a player that is getting finally
his major debut here in Kolo.
Yeah, so if people are unaware, there was this unfortunate situation just a year ago
at Austin Major by Blast where he qualified there with Bestia, but due to visa issues
they were replaced by Legacy and it was kind of a big drama that they didn't manage to
visa in time and we don't know who's at fault and it was a heartbreaking story to say the least
but now he's finally here on 9z and actually he's been playing really really well prior to
this tournament as well he's been one of the standout players for 9z for sure he's been at the
spearheading that win against Falcons over at Astana so that was pretty big surprise he's been
extremely impactful he's been extremely talkative I've been I've been watching these guys on their
prior events in Barcelona as well and you know these guys aim is something different and I speak
for Nainzi as a whole like these guys are on incredible level when it comes to mechanics and
these micro movements and micro decisions but it's a little bit of a unfortunate situation with
their like macro decisions and kind of like preparation and there are some clear weaknesses
right there in my opinion but Nainzi are pulling through with individual prowess and Lucho is
is spearheading that for 90 as well. What about that? You know a team we have to look out for and
a team that is also still very much in contention to make it to stage three. A guy that already
have made it and a guy that has pretty much the perfect major debut you could ask for. A guy who's
yet to lose a game at the Major. Peter Dukes, we spoke to him yesterday. One of the foot guys,
we could pick anyone of the rookies from foot but Dukes in particular I find very interesting.
He's had a great I guess surgeons into professional cars like very young I believe 17 years of age.
So to be 17 years of age, you know, to come up here to the disc and speak fluent English, speak with us, you know,
show a bit of attitude, Peter. That's the guy to the goth for.
Oh, yeah, for sure. And the whole team, as a foot, you know, is a team to look out for, but Jokes, you know,
he's also playing a lot of tough positions. He's, he's on the HLTV prospect list, so he's definitely one to be looking out for.
He's an anchor, you know, and he's even, you know, he's sort of looking, in terms of stats,
he is looking close to the likes of someone like Hevigar, you know, an anchor that we've been praising a lot.
And I guess that for everyone at home that doesn't know how hard it could actually be to anger at this specific level
Then then then this is this is something very extraordinary
And it's incredible to see that such a young guy in such early stages of his career already having these both numbers
But also just in fact that he's showing up the way he does
He seems to be very very very cool
He seems to be making a lot of good decisions
And I think that he's by far one of the guys that's also going to be very interested to see Proquest 3 in the future since he's so young
since he's so young. But as a team, you know, Foot has just, you know, taken the stage
by storm.
As said, you got to pick anyone from Foot of their rookies and, you know, cast some
highlight on them. They've done a great job and obviously are qualified and progressed
into stage three. We also had Sinners and Sharks full of rookies. Unfortunately for them,
didn't paint out too well in stage one. And then we have something interesting coming
in. We also have rookie debuts in stage three. There's only two of them. One is playing in
Maus. Another one is playing in Aurora. We obviously talk about Celix and Soulfly. Out
What are those two players? Is there one of the two that we should pay extra attention
to? I feel like SoFly. We've seen him play quite a lot. Célix is relatively new to the
scene, but I watched Célix at the CAC a couple of weeks ago and that kid got some heavy aim.
Yeah, Célix is, for my money, the better out of the two. You have to take into account
the roles and the structure of the team. I think SoFly and Aurora hasn't been too bright
as of late and also he's coming into a team in positions where he's not going to be pulling
too much impact, but so far my money, Xelix is the one to watch out for and look out for
in stage three for the rookies.
I really admire how Maus decided to promote him from the Maus NXT, their Academy lineup.
How special is this?
Exactly.
It happened multiple times in their careers and it happened one more time that they founded
Jim in the Ruff.
He used to be on this Maus NXT very demanding.
A lot of resources pointed at him to perform well and he's coming here and he was slotting
in a lot of Brolin roles, because that's the guy that he was replacing, which creates
kind of like this question mark in stage 3, because Brolin is actually going to be coming
back for Maus, and he's going to be maybe taking some of those roles back.
I'm not sure how it will like interact with Xalex and how he's going to affect his preparation,
but definitely he is the one to look out for.
I think there's a lot of stories that we can make out of any rookies that we mentioned
today, because their story is starting right now.
This is the first chapter of their big career prospect and I'm here to witness it and I'm
so grateful for it.
I very much agree with the sentiment that in terms of individual player, you know, skill
cap and skill cap maybe, SELIX looks to be the player to watch out for out of the two.
What I have noticed, Peter, is Soulfly, you know, despite being a major rookie, despite
coming into Aurora, who as you said as well as recently have struggled a little bit, he
has some personality.
Like some of the interviews I've listened to, like he's not afraid of calling out, you
know, not necessarily team members names, you know, but calling out the team saying,
we did this, we shouldn't have done that.
I expected more.
I was disappointed in this, you know, to have that kind of personality as a rookie
where you stand up in an interview and you don't necessarily just say the right
thing or say the thing that people want to hear.
But you actually, I guess, you know, speak truth.
That's a pretty remarkable thing to do as a major rookie.
Yeah.
And I think it's, it's even more extraordinary for him because it's, it's
like, you know, the Turkish lineup and it's, it's a team that he's been looking
up to like his entire career.
Like he probably wanted to go to that specific team for like as long as he can remember the lineup
You know and he's been looking up to Santerres voxic major probably you know and to have the courage to go in and
Speak your mind when you're talking to your potential idols and talking to the ones that you've been looking up to that
That requires some character, right?
But I guess that's fueled by the fact that he just wants to win right you know
He's you know a guy that that's coming this lineup has just been put in a role where he's more like
He's just a soldier of the team like he's gonna be like doing a lot of the dirty work
He's gonna go in together with the pack try and create you know a lot of the space to at least leave it some some of the
pressure on Santaris, and I think that
self-life has been looking
Decent, I'd say I think I think he's definitely maybe a little bit under par for what we may be expected to have a guy coming
Into a team like Arora, but I still think he needs he needs to you know
There's all probably just like a lot of issues in her Arora right now that I that I think it's not making things easier
I think it's going to be interesting to watch how Aurora is going to unfold here at the Major,
but we'll have to wait with that a little bit.
Now, few things in life are certain.
One of them, though, is that everyone is coming in here to play and everyone is coming to win.
We have a lot of games happening today, but we're starting off with a little bit of action over on the B-Stream.
MIBR will be taking on Bait in order to try to stay alive at the Major.
Loser will go home, winner will play again tomorrow.
But for us here in the A-Stream, we have a good one coming for you.
Astralis taking on pain gaming. Astralis who's off to a bit of a rough start, pain gaming you could
set the same. Elimination game coming up after the break. One will go home, another one will progress for tomorrow.
Wait, my bad.
Settle your debates, search your profile on CS stats, and turn on tracking to see all your games.
He's not you, Cortex of Hintown!
Four, three, two, one, G.K.
Leaving Caldera in a one-four, looking for a second to connect him.
Oh, and he gets a seven as well! Surely he's not going to pull his arm!
Caldera! The man! The miss! The pickaxe!
It could be really rough for Symbol to actually get through this. He's gotta throw the AWP.
Oh my god! This simple war is happening!
$5,000 to lose.
Baby, are you serious?
Stop. Hang up the phone, Timmy.
Just snacks.
That's fine, Blanc. Let's not leave him out of this.
He's back and forth between the bars. What a simple...
Oh, Guardian! My, my!
He's playing me! He's capped! He's playing me!
He's got a name!
What he's got's name! He's that for a skiff!
Shot, GDM!
Looks for another! He's got this count to one versus two!
Another is getting it taken out of the box!
What is that for, GDM?
The ace! What should we stay alive?
The first one's not even...
That's not gonna even matter!
Do the praying!
Follow on the movement, this way!
This is so far, it holds it's huge!
Double score, waiting for the ball to come out!
All the way to the Alarvido, and I won measure!
Strauss, right over here with Fuzi, and of course today facing the elimination, not exactly where you guys want to be.
First of all, let's talk about your six months, your tenure here in Astralis. How's it going?
I mean, I think in the bigger picture, I think it's gone all right, you know, I'm not sure what to expect from the beginning and
Think we you know, we held our level we we played good some events and then worse at some
But overall I'm I'm content with it
You have any comments perhaps about Astralis having gone international, you know
There was a time where it was a we got to be Danish got to be there was no questions about it. What do you think about it?
I mean, I understand the fans that think like that, you know, maybe once in a time I thought like that with NIP as well.
But, yeah, I mean, it's a part of the identity to be Danish and I mean, we are still a Danish team, right?
We have the Danish majority, we have the Danish coach, Danish staff, you know, so it's still a little bit Danish.
It's pretty close. You know, it's right around the edges. Hey, speaking of around the edges, for you guys, on the edge of that elimination, right?
elimination, right? So talking about coming in here today, into the major, in
stage two, and having to play your heart out. Yeah, I mean, it's been a shit
tournament for me so far, so I mean, I just got to do better today, so I
actually get a chance to play more and actually show myself, you know. Do you
think that, do you think pain are gonna be the ones to slow you down today?
Hopefully not. Anything you want to say those Astral stands we just talked about?
Yeah, I mean, thank you as always for supporting us
Ever since
Me and also really joined. I think we've felt your support through every tournament every game
So thanks for being there means a lot. Thank you
And thank you very much. Good luck. Thank you
The Intel Extreme Masters clone major 2026 is brought to you by ESL and partnership with
Intel
Acer Predator
DHL
Jax
and Zoe
Astralis find themselves in a game against pain gaming for survival at IEM Cologne 2026.
They got off to a good start, they got off to a strong start, won the first best of one.
I remember Hooks is screaming left, right and center and I thought to myself, alright
Astralis you came here to play, but it's fizzled out ever since then.
I find myself as such Duku in a position where there's one loss away from being eliminated.
I don't get what happened after that the gamer legion stomped ahead on the first map.
Huxley literally almost life-gamed, he was running around, he was getting 4k's I remember.
He was just having great time and I told myself surely this is Charlie's getting into the stage 3,
but now, after those next best of ones, I'm actually very, you know, I'm not really hopeful.
I'm actually thinking that that two nukes that they decided to play really killed their chances moving forward,
because it's not only that they lose it, but also how they lost it.
It felt like they didn't even stand a chance for the most part.
Peter, Martin is scared on behalf of Estonians.
I can tell.
You scared?
No, not yet.
I'm not scared because they go up against Paine.
I think that's like the big thing for me.
They should be beating Paine in my opinion.
They have the better players
and I think they also have like the better conditions around the team right now.
So I think that's what it is.
I mean, I know they, I was also surprised
with how they did in the beginning against GamerLegion.
But I think that's the one off, right?
That it was GamerLegion.
GamerLegion played really poor.
But then I think I put my expectations too high for Astralis and I think now Astralis
they realize that yeah we played two really really bad nukes and we have not done well
enough but you know it now is the best of threes, there are still plenty of chances
to go through and I think they have what it takes.
Now obviously there is a lot of, I wouldn't necessarily say bias but there is a lot of
history with Astralis here at the desk.
You Peter, you played for them for quite some time, you won a couple of majors or something
under that banner as well.
I happen to share a hotel room next to them, you know, so whatever they practice at 2 am
in the morning.
I'm not Jacob.
going to lie, I can't sleep, but that is what it is. However, this whole project going international,
right? That kind of changes all the history that we both have with Astralis, that Danes have with
Astralis, and even though Stunner, you know, spoke to Fusi about it. I mean, it's, to me, it's not a
Danish team anymore. It's a team that is trying to go international, and I like it because it was
bound to happen, it was needed to happen. Danish Counter Strike is probably in the worst state it's
ever been in terms of fostering new talents, etc., etc. But I guess my first opening question here
for you, Martin, as you know, being a non-biased Astralis fan or non-fan, are you satisfied
with this whole international development that you've seen from Astralis just yet,
or would you have hoped that they could acquire bigger names, better players, or is this just
the name of the game right now? Well, as you said, I'm satisfied. They went international.
I'm not satisfied with how it's going so far, but it opens the wide pool of variety of players
that you can all of a sudden pick. It's like Bitcoin right now. Okay. Well, it's not in a free
fall but we're maybe getting there I hope not but yeah as you're saying with
Astralis is kind of tough because also when you approach new players it's not
the name that it used to be once upon a time obviously like you don't necessarily
well you have to fight for your players all of a sudden right you you need to
make them attractive and also you need to make yourself attractive to them so
you you need to create this environment where they want to play and you can you
You can poach some big names and so far it's, well, it's not looking that great.
I'm not saying by any means that Fuzi and Riu are not the big pickups, but it's probably
just a stepping stone to something that Astralis wants to pivot towards moving forward.
See, the funny thing for me, Peter, is that I think you both agree with me that Danish
Counter Strike is in a pretty dire situation right now.
But when you look at Astralis and this new international lineup, the big star within
the team is still Danish.
It's there to me.
I think he's the one who really have shown the real level of his ability.
There's a reason why Device called him out to be the next big thing.
And I think he's gotten even more responsibility when in Astralis now and he's really living
up to that.
He definitely is.
I think that Starr's journey in Astralis has only gotten better and better as he's
gotten more responsibility and gotten better roles.
And you know, when he was picked up initially, you know, he was always considered a big talent
back home.
And I have recalls of playing him in practice when he was back in Sprout where we, for a
certain degrees thought I wouldn't see like we didn't think he was cheating
obviously but we this guy's like he's hella annoying to play against you know
and at points you like he would like write shit back to us when I remember
matches he was like yeah you should do that on land and then he was like yeah
I'm gonna prove that to you and so far he's proving it right it's it's good to
see that he's he's at least living up to the expectations he's the he's the
bright lightness is trying to scan right now he's by far the best performing
player and that I think he's also potentially even at his bottom out like
If he continues this form and if he continues the form that he's showing at the May right now,
is there actually a case where he could be considered to go somewhere else?
I was just about to say, right? I think that's possibly the biggest task Astralis have right now,
that is to make sure that he's still happy and content when Astralis, because with the way he's
playing, there's definitely other teams right now that has stayed on their radar, you know,
thinking he could come into our team and make us better. I guess to round us this whole Astralis
conversation and they put themselves in a dire situation by being one and two now at the major
here. One loss and they will be eliminated. For Stoanis and their future project as an
international team how devastating would it be if they were to be eliminated in stage two in this
fashion? I just spoke about it literally two minutes ago that you need to build up your
credibility and name once again if you bomb out in this kind of fashion losing today to pain.
I don't think it's going to be in a good spot whatsoever to attract like bigger names over
the break or maybe coming into the rest of the 2026. It's going to be tough, it's going to be
probably a lot of months, maybe even years to rebuild that legacy that Astralis once had.
If they can rebuild that. I don't think they can ever do that.
That's the thing, right? I'm sorry to say that.
There's examples out there. You just got to look at Fnatic, you know, five years ago,
nobody would have thought that Fnatic wouldn't be part of every single major and wouldn't be a
household name. Same could be said for Virtus Pro, nowhere to be found here. So it's not a given,
but I have good you it's a it's a very important game today now Peter you said something interesting just a couple of minutes ago
You say a lot of interesting stuff, but this one really hit me the good thing for us today is that they're playing pain gaming
That's almost the biggest strength heading into this game and by that you obviously mean the pain haven't impressed you either
Not as of late and not at this tournament. Why is that?
I think pain is one of those teams work
I've been covering pain for like the last one and a half years since since I've started doing this job
And it's like a team that just really can't
Find like this stable roster that they just want to be working with it's like they they pick up new players
I remember you can even see in the graph you like it's just like a massive rollercoaster
You know at points, you know there when they picked up DJ T
They had David dares at one point as well, you know when they feel hey, that was not the pickups that we wanted
We're just gonna try something a little bit different right then Piroch coming in a VSM
NQC even stepping out because of personal issues and then getting a replacement by you know by safe and
And by all means, I mean, I know that safe has had a good run with Fiora when he was there,
but I just don't think that he brings to the table that pain is going to need.
He doesn't bring enough firepower, because if you see was in my books, at least by far
the best player in that team, and that really hurt them.
And pain is just, you know, the roster that they have this major, just in my books, it's
just not competitive enough.
But I mean, anything can happen, like we know what person and CS can bring, and we know
that the passion can carry them a long way but you know I think what Savy is
trying to do right now I think he's gonna try and see if he can pull his inner
form and his fury of form but even in fury he didn't always have the best.
There's a lot of different angles you can take to attack this whole pain line up
so to speak I think one of them being big with Sera who's been labeled as an
in-game leading fracking machine if you actually dive into his output the last
couple of years it's been going down and down and down and down I think that's a
big issue there is a positive though for me and that's period I think he's you
he's coming into pain, his ability to be the difference maker
and sometimes when they're struggling on the T side,
that's the one thing that's been going for Pain as a player.
And this is I, I'm going to oppose this challenge for our viewers today
that's going to be watching these games.
On T side, watch Piria.
He is impressive, he's always kind of like in the thick of it,
he's always in a good position, he's not playing the easiest roles,
but he's always finding a lot of impact.
I think at some point at IEM Atlanta prior to this event, he was at one point the best
T-sided player and we've had vitality there, we've had Navi there, so obviously he ended
that event at the top five in my opinion and he's just really, really sharp and it doesn't
matter which map you're playing, Peria is given the output that needs and that probably
offsets Biguzera's performance a little bit as well, you know, he gets to work all of
a sudden with like more aggressive player that is able to also close out the rounds
or mid-round really well. I do think that this is the one of the biggest
surprise for me in Pain Roaster in the past couple of months.
Pus Hala has looked like a young Dupree playing Counter Strike.
Actually hitting his shots now. In terms of the Vito, they both ban each other's best map.
There's gonna be no Ancient, there's gonna be no Anubis, so in terms of that,
those are the two stable maps for both Astralis and Pain. They're gone now, so are we shaking hands
on middle ground maps and should that be a sign of a competitive game here?
I think there might be a couple of interesting picks from Payne, namely Dust2 or perhaps...
What was it?
Nuke, I guess.
Nuke, yeah, yeah, yeah.
Because Nuke was already lost twice by Astralis, and that is exactly what they go for.
Therefore, Astralis decided to go for a CT side, naturally.
I wasn't sure about Astralis.
In the end, they decided to go for the Overpass, so that's another pick where
BIG actually beat Payne earlier in the tournament.
But that was their funny situation, where they forgot to pick the side,
and they were forced to play on the T side in the beginning at the best of one.
So that was a bit of a drama and mirage.
As a decider, I think it's a good handshake.
I think that's a common ground for both of the teams.
They played it eight times in the past three weeks,
sorry, three months.
And yeah, they have a pretty similar win rate on that.
Oh, Nuke being the first map, Peter.
I got some bad news for you.
I know the bad news already.
Fusi's rating the last three months is 1.06.
Not too bad, not too great.
His average rating on Nuke is 0.72.
Yeah, that's pretty good.
Talking to Kerrigan on steroids right here.
He is not having fun when it comes to Nuke.
Is that something, if you're playing gaming, that you've targeted?
Is that part of the reason why you're picking Nuke against Astralis,
knowing that all players have close to zero impact?
Yeah, I mean, it might be one of the reasons, but I definitely think that
just looking at the past result, like the two games they've played so far,
this tournament has just been like disastrous for Astralis,
and that's just speaks to you to pick it.
It's got to be interesting.
It's got to be a fun game.
It's gonna be a competitive game. I'm pretty goddamn sure you have Astralis taking on pain gaming winner gets another shot at making it to states
Three tomorrow the loser will be sent home from the major. Let's get it on
Yeah, let's get it on indeed Astralis versus pain another South American team in front of Astralis tough so far the competition for them in particular
On Duke has highlighted by a basket. That is where we're kicking things off
off yesterday against Tyloo. We heard an interview coming in from Hoaxey saying that
they really struggled against the fast style of 9-Z. Then they went on to struggle against
the faster style of Tyloo and Payne know exactly what to bring to the server today.
Alright, well let's see what Payne come out with. If it is going to be that fast and aggressive,
Snow's going to lead the way over towards Ramp Room, huddled up all five players for
Payne heading in this direction. Viggie's air up on top of the roof, potentially a fake
towards the upper bomb site with utility. Hit that Ramp Room, Ryu's playing it very passively.
players stacked in the upper bomb site so the defense is out of position but they
can drop down vents quickly.
They come over towards ramp for you, can spot the targets, not able to land anything
and he ends up going down to 9 HP on the cross, somehow bought lands towards him.
Now you've got bigger Zera, hewing that vent dive, hewing those drops and rotations coming
in so he's going to call that over to his teammates who are already down here and they're
just outside the double door with two players and here we are in snow, where are the control
rooms.
That plant is coming in and it's going to be really tough now for us Charles to pull
off a retake.
constructed especially because that smoke is going to block off control side
until way deep into the bomb tiner. So Stralis has to relocate all their
resources to come out decon. They have to land a quick shot here on VSN. That's
exactly what hooks these down but he takes a Gush on board finish off by
Snow who's gone again, got himself another head shot here on the Yavi who's
gone so low and they're going to finish him off. So Dominic pistol round victory
from Payne. Yeah, couldn't get in front of it. They knew what was coming when the
ramp room hit happens but not able to get down the vents fast enough to provide
any resistance. Payne is already broken through the glass and come down the
stairs and smoked you off before you can get involved.
Well, bringing it to Nuke is interesting.
My first reaction to seeing that this
was going to be the first map of the series is like,
all right, Astralis, this is either
an incredibly admirable amount of confidence
that you have in your Nuke, or you've just
stuck your head in the sand.
Because you might get eliminated from the major
with Nuke being played in your three elimination games.
9-Z beat them, 13-5 here on Nuke,
Tyloo beat them yesterday, 13-6 on Nuke.
And now it's coming right back.
Rosie pushing up.
He's going to get the opening kill with a 5-7.
So advantage over to the Astralis defense.
A little bit of a question working out.
Snow's going to respond by taking secret control.
And you're going to see Astralis start to back away
from that radio room that they went and fought for.
You've got your happy already in the lobby.
So you can plant him there.
You can maintain that position while paying
search for some space elsewhere.
You've got Snow who's pushed up all the way
through the garage now.
Ooh, let's see, spots one.
Reveals his position.
VSM is going to slide back out and not a fight hook
so he wants to take at range.
With advantage, Astralis is looking
preserve the player count and force paint into an execute to commit into a
bomb site that they can stack up. Smoke's gonna take away a little bit of
information so the defense starting to feel uncomfortable.
Stroll has won a round like this against Tyloo yesterday off the back of a big
hoaxy step up with the 5-7. Well, gonna rely on Yabbi now to be that player to
get the impact. There's three players coming back into the lobby. Yabbi lies
and wait. This 5-7 needs to be perfect. And bigger Sarah's up first. There's the headshot in from Yabbe gets traded by VSM.
That's all you need. Again that happens in lobby. Early warning system. Now Midia smoked off. It's only
Hooksy in the upper bomb site playing in front of Hutt. Gotta be a little bit careful about the wrap around.
Hooksy's gonna fall, but here's the play through the smoke. It's the MP9s. And Snow is the last one to live in a 1v3.
Yeah, two step ups here from start. Brilliant work. And he's gonna move all three behind cover and draw
Snow into the fight which still wins. So as Shrullers have another one of these force by victories here on nuke
And they've got to start turning that into consistent success immediately paint
Don't have enough money to get a strong force by his they're gonna be down to pistols again
And that's at least a break picked up by stair. Yeah, it's I mean that's a really nice push as well into it's hot to grab
The opening kill even hooks he falling down the distraction is there swing it through the smoke and that's all the bodies being primed and ready
That's the early warning system of yabbi going one for one over and door
So Astralis tied things up at 1, it's Tech 9's brought back in action for pain as they fight back.
Oh, that made right on top of snow.
Yeah, beefy. That'll wake you up.
I mean, that's definitely got to be the term for Astralis at this tournament.
You started so strong versus Game Illegion.
We got to discover there was Game Illegion who were also underperforming out of the tournament.
I mean, it's just it's just interesting Nuke, I'm not that Astralis has always been happy to play I
Think yes, it is a dragon here at the major one of those big storylines around this Astralis team is that he's
Sorry to play better. He had a tough game. Yes, it's
Yeah, he's able to perform be a lot stronger, but these tech nines
She overwhelming him enough booze he needs to get back towards having that if he gets caught in that position
It's gonna end up being a 3d2
And they're going forward, there's gonna be a plant's coming in here for pain and now a 3v3 post plant position.
Pick a Zara going out for the peek, Fuzzi reads it, wins it just about.
And now you've got VS7 safe, you have to dig deep to try and pull out this round.
Yeah, no smokes either, they do have a couple of them. Actually everyone has got a kit, there's a nice kill and it's all on safe.
There should be an Astralis round with no big difficulty from here.
Yeah, safe, just waiting back at Screechito, are you gonna see Hooksy transition into the site?
Ryu not making his way forward maintaining a position of man and then as soon as safe steps out realizes he's got to deal with that
Right, so Astralis came in with the retake and it'll be happy enough to get a bomb plant
They'll have a little bit of extra money at least to go into the next round
But for Astralis there should be a three-to-one lead on the CT side
Yeah, and it's uh, I mean at the year you also yeah
They went into in a row and you kind of win that economic back-and-forth to start things out
So no chance of a force by even with the plant not getting enough kills to make it worth a while
One thing that Astralis had an issue with in the CT side yesterday against Tyloo,
you went to the fast-paced regression particularly towards the upper bomb site.
Astralis couldn't stop any of it in the gun rounds.
Yabbi and Hooksy were looking at each other like, what are we supposed to do here?
Hooksy was playing well. Yabbi was the player who was literally like zero impact.
You can see him getting frustrated obviously, but if he can play better today,
I don't imagine Yabbi is going to have another stinker like that.
Well, it's the collapse of the individuals that feels a lot at this event for Astralis.
You know, all that preparation coming in can be really frustrating.
That's the biggest sign that I see.
The desk was having that conversation.
Pimp was asking about Fosy in particular,
but it feels like all the individuals have dropped off.
Fosy's the lowest rated player of the stage thus far,
but there's no other player outside of stair
that's over a 1.0 rating for Astralis.
It's just been individuals unable to produce,
regardless of the situation.
So hopefully today it looks like they might have come in
with a little bit more attitude,
a good rebound after losing the pistol.
I'll start jumping up on top of Unbreakable, it's got Hooksy out towards Main who can peek
with him here, so if ESM really should not be finding too much success at all, you know,
peek out and spot them, and I don't really want to put himself in too much danger.
Nah, it's all about just giving the Deagle a chance to take one of these guns away,
force a rebuy.
Nobody really wants to commit to anything at the moment, hoping for a mistake.
I'll door open, looks alerted to it, it's going to spray away for two, yeah we're getting
one off the top of the hut.
And a clean round for Strawl, they've got plenty of money now built up on the CT side, a three
to one lead and you look at painting, you see an AK purchase coming out again so we're
getting into the real meat potatoes of the game now.
This is the first gun round so we get to see what exactly Payne's going to bring to the
table in terms of their game plan here on Nuke. All AKs plenty of utility for this T-side,
no op yet out for Fosy on the CT side, so Payne don't have to be concerned about that
quite yet.
And with how Pimp was highlighting Fosy's performance here on Nuke, you might not have
to worry about it at all.
Ooh, I like this. Look at this out of the gate. Saral is being the one to set the teller,
but VSM's got the revolver.
Oh, we actually need to get the third kill out of that as well, but a lot of information
picked up on that push. All the resources of Astralis being thrown in her.
We'll see what Snow decides to do with that info, realizing so many players spotted towards
the inner bomb site. He can move outside, take a little bit more space here for paint.
Yeah, he didn't push up nearly as far as I thought he would. Smoke wall wasn't up entirely. You can
see that second smoke is going to be well in place when the first smoke starts fading. So
think you didn't really have the opportunity to cross towards secret or big garage with any kind
of safety. I know that lobby crunch didn't go as clean as Astralis would have liked. That's a
Beautiful shot. I love the play. I love the decision to be aggressive there in the first gun run for the CT side
But now they're on the back foot
Both players have shifted down low
But it's silence from pain
So they have no idea what the finishing play is what bombsite is going to be under attack
It's going to be foes you playing quietly sneakily over towards single door
Yeah, we should be getting this kill on safe and he will save steps into the crosshap.
Numbers evened out again.
They know Fuzi's there but he hasn't backtracked through the door into the site.
Because they're going to get obvious that he's there.
Utility goes down to the doorway.
Plant being confirmed.
And Fuzi and Yabbi are looking to try and get back into this one together.
Because they're steps through the double doors.
They're both in the vents here for Astrolis.
They got a kit on both players. Flash out to the doors. Big Azera just slowly slinking
his way under the control room. He's not going to cross five. Move Snow who plays in
the ramp. Boogie's stepping out, challenging. Snow's going to win the headshot. And really
should be running around now. Yabby's such a tough watch ahead of him and he just can't
do it. So well played between Big Azera and Snow. Working their way down into that lower
site and making that retake impossible for Astralis.
Yeah, really well done from Painter the three on three just an instant headshot on the heaven player
That was kind of the turning moment where they regained control in the round and outlast that lobby pressure from the CT side
Think it goes a little bit, you know go quiet
Yabbi actually breaks the window down at that lower fob site
Which is what lets them kind of jump out and walk into the bomb set and plant without any kind of indication that they're coming
Those extra seconds if they had to break the window themselves or open the doors
Might have been able to get yabbi down vents a little bit quicker for that two on two
That seems chaotic from Fuzi.
Yeah.
He's just like, ah, can we fight?
He's looking for everything.
Yeah.
His teammate to block it in.
Doesn't?
Yeah, it looks real disorganized.
It's a real clumsy round, isn't it?
But I'll see.
Can he do anything with it over the top of the smoke?
Snow, get a step into the cross stack.
And yep, of course it works out for Fuzi.
Yeah, nice and easy.
Exactly as designed every step of the way.
If you don't know your next moves, your opponents will definitely not know it.
They'll have no idea.
Alright, well that stalls paint out.
Snow is the only one making any kind of a move to take space on the map.
Everyone else huddled up in lobby, gonna readjust towards outside, which is an interesting
decision.
They've got no smokes remaining on the paint side of things.
So maybe just looking for dry fights, the risk of running into the op in these angles,
Fossey's brought his over to ramp room
Giving a review of the safety to shift over towards heaven
35 seconds
Starecook deliver and he absolutely will he's so reliable in this main spot, isn't he?
Three kills him Stare as the round cut open and even in the loss yesterday against Ty Luit
He was still a beast in that spot. He's just so good on CT side Staggers on hunts down that fourth kill as well
continuing his incredible performance here at the major 11 and 3. This continues
being one of the most important players to wear in Astralis jersey in the last
few years guys at Beast right now 11 and 3 to open up this map lovely work one by
one they come pain's not gonna be happy about that spacing or that trading but I
really just don't think they had a whole lot of options running out of utility
down the stretch to do anything impactful speaking of lack of impact well
that's definitely gonna be this round for pain they've got nothing so ends up
It's been a 5-2 start. I mean, it's just so different from Astralis today than what we've seen
over the last couple of days of Nuke.
Yeah, Paine isn't appreciating it, that's for sure.
They'd like to get the other Astralis back.
I think we all want the other Astralis back.
Another one with Dupri and DeVyce and all that.
You know, Deve?
That'll be good.
Alright, well, Starr gets the sound cue of the drop onto the roof, backs away until a little bit more safety.
going to be outside again with the Deagle, so again a round where they'll probably spend
plenty of time giving that Deagle looks, setting it up to see if he can get a pick at range
and see if that opens up an opportunity for a miracle.
Who's this guy? The Flash Bouncer assist on Hoopsy's Peek-A-Boo, and look at that perfect
flash from the Swede.
And I got Ryu just waiting towards the ramp, and he handles the pistols as well, so just
And a 5-2 start for the Strolis on CT side.
I'm surprised we haven't seen Pain.
All that conversation that we've had, and all that conversation we've mentioned from Hooksy,
having some issues with the faster, more aggressive tactics,
and just watching that game from Tylo yesterday, I'm really surprised Pain hasn't tested that goal.
I think Astrolis is loving this fact that they're spending a lot of time going outside,
trying to get Snow set up, that's where they've been able to find some picks,
that's where they've been able to be disruptive,
and set up to actually have a defense in place to fight back and challenge you for the space.
And last night, Tyloo, they didn't mess around with that until they'd already had success rushing up her like three times.
You know, it was the chaos that Tyloo were able to set up and deliver in those T-Rounds where Jam Young was just able to thrive when it came down to sheer mechanics.
And at this point, if you're just limping towards main with the main pack, if you're attacked towards the best player on Strollers right now, you can't expect too much success time and time again.
Since your map pick, if you're pain, it's starting to hurt. Overpass is coming up next.
I mean, if Astralis were new, man, I'd be happy.
It feels like it should be a good bid for a 2-0, isn't it?
Astralis, I'm going to give them those favorites on Overpass on map 2.
So, let's see if Payne can start bringing this back and give us some confidence.
This T-Side has got something to it.
Good kill from Piriah.
Opening aggression from Ryu.
Piriah's going to take that space, press forward.
Nobody else is home in Ramp Room.
Critical part of the map lost.
For Astralis and Fuzi, find safe.
You think safe's going to get that all day long with the boost,
But Fuzi able to react to just the head over the top of the wall, but look at this space, Imperia.
Yeah, I mean, he's not even aware of the possibility.
No. Look, this is crazy.
When...
This Imperia decides to move, well, Hooksy's died outside, so that's gonna keep all the attentions for Fuzi that...
You're never going to turn back.
I mean, Imperia doesn't have to do anything. He's neutralized the AWPer.
Fuzi has one to two angles he can play at this point, but as soon as he shifts or moves...
He's done.
Yeah, if he tries to get back to that ladder, it's over, but you've still got the threat of Yabbi who's pushed up into the door.
Can he's been able to make something work out of this position a couple of times?
Well, as long as...
...Pain just remember their details, clear their corners, it's not an uncommon position to be in.
Yabbi's gonna get curious, wants to peek a little bit wider, timing might not be with him, VSN crouch, PIGLIN!
Such an important fight to pick up.
Force is foezy to move!
That period, finally! Patience pays off!
There's a gaping hole in the defense. It was like really flawless
Pretty round and all from the CT side, but pain able to make the most of it. That's gonna be a third round to it
It's cool to see period deliver that the desk I just talked about the impact that he was having
All right stare spotted out AK in hand
I don't know if pain super motivated to hunt this down. They might just let him keep the AK 47
Money's not good for the T side. Nothing built up behind this
So every death would be very very costly and I think pain at this point
Just want to preserve the money so they can try and build upon this
Not able to string two rounds together yet in this half
But they've at least got their third so the lead is cut into two and stare gets to keep his AK
much nicer round from the with the opening of period in the space that he took over towards
ramp room but you're not going to get that gift every single time I wonder what safe
was looking at I wonder what's he scoped in on that felt like Rosie had all the time in
the world to line that up you know like when you see the head pop up I feel like there's
It was like a good two seconds where it could have just been taken down, but safe apparently didn't see him, or didn't have the right location of his crosshair.
Yeah, it took few like hours long time. Safe didn't even react at all. Didn't take you there enough time, and apparently the shot off.
Hopefully not asleep at the wheel.
Up here, yeah.
Now he goes deeper than you would expect. This one does not break open at all.
It would damage anybody standing on the other side of it.
get snow up right
there's crossfire as well, this is a decent setup between Ryu
and Stare especially because paint have shown a tendency like snow loves to
walk on that main wall, try and play up through the smokes but
they don't have those works down now, it's going to be the standard wall created and
help allow snow to hug the fence and make his way towards secret
Stare, he's going to hear that, Sankyu as well up there so he's getting into a
position knowing he's got a fight to a secret he's actually backed off to play
a little bit more passive once the deep spot fozie trained in on ramp room
allowing Ryu to play big garage which is giving him mobility to stare on this
rifle to move around the map and snow gonna be the solo player in secret
challenging against stare how does he want to play this hasn't been spotted
yet oh this is weird oh my god I'll have you on the worst jump spots in the
history of jump-spotting
i'm timing must have been crazy oh another one got another one the up snow
making the most of it
it's an avalanche down on beat
and we've got hooks he's trying to take them away to get down the vent with a
bomb has made just about getting through
and that rotation all the way down the lowest of the ten seconds left has
arrived just in time to pay yeah you don't challenge this at all that's this
round is all snow single-handedly wins it for you
the timing to get past here stairs jump spot down in secret
And Fosey had to be aggressive to try and put a stop to that and just couldn't get it done.
Beautiful shooting from Snow for his double kill.
Well they're winning crucial rounds now just to stay in the half and really start to carve out a T side.
They're up to four rounds T side now.
Things are starting to look like it was going smooth sailing for Astralis.
If you take a couple of these players away, you keep the pressure on that economy.
Naby is going to handle Big Azar as he comes up the vent and no one else should be selling their life forward.
They don't have enough money on a couple of players here to really want to take full pain.
So, great round from Snow.
Important that you get to see your young player deliver an important round like this.
And again, it's two rounds that you probably won't be able to replicate all that much.
The push from Ryu for period to get the opening in the space and ramp from two rounds back.
Now, Snow as an individual just walks secret to grab two kills.
Like, those aren't things that you can rely on Snow grabbing two kills as a solo player in that kind of scenario round after round.
But you're certainly going to take them when you snatch one out of the hands of Astralis in this fashion.
It's got you right back in this game and a little bit of momentum now with two rounds straight
Forcing some of the rebies out of the Astralis CT side started to be costly these losses
It hooks he tried to settle the boys down in the first time out for Astralis
I'm gonna just organize things on the CT side
There's a gem spot. Oh my gosh, that's crazy. Isn't that insane?
Actually
That's kind of strike right there. How well this actually played out for snow is crazy
It's so unfortunate for stare, but you know absolutely brilliant for snow
Pixel perfect by the millisecond
Second
Stare's gonna be so sad when he sees that one back. I swear guys I was jump-spotting
And foosie is gonna be ripped off the back
It's gonna be a great opening kill here for the opera off paint
Now these opening kills are starting to get really really difficult for Astralis to handle pain starting to get them with an impressive clip
We heard yesterday when the CT side started finally coming online for Astralis, you heard
Hoaxie talk about the fact it was send Fuzi outside, try and take over the game, you know,
play with...
You won't do.
Go get your two kills.
And try and get the CT side going, Fuzi attacks that here outside, but safe is now shutting
them down, stairs caught through the smoke as well.
And Astralis in a position where they have lost that lead, it's got to be tied up and
it's done pretty much the beginning of the round here.
It feels like there was a lot of pressure on Astralis,
or at least the players are feeling pressure
to make some plays, right?
Fozzi gets picked off.
Hooks, he tries to push through the smoke
to sneak forward, hoping the AWP and the smoke breaks
would cover him long enough to get into a good position.
He gets caught in transition.
Same with Stair, just a few seconds later,
trying to get into a sneaky spot behind the smoke wall
inside big garage, he gets picked off.
Everyone's trying to make a play at the moment for Astralis.
Well, if you're at that point on calling on the CT side
where you're asking your players to give them,
like giving them full individual freedom to go out there
and just do what they want,
try and get the ball rolling and it doesn't work. Like, where do you go from there? Like,
if you're at that point.
That's the one now. Yeah, I think, well, I think the conversation from Hooksy during
the timeout was about comms, was about, you know, flowing and yeah, probably about making
some of those individual plays, probably about feeling the freedom and stepping forward into
situations. But at least in this one, Astralis picked all the wrong answers. Yeah, he gets
the kill, up hits the deck.
He's desperately trying to hold on to the rifle now
Not a lot of money on
Stares a bit of extra cash flowing around the rest of the players
The frozen was obviously at his is best for a couple rounds with that off when when he was positioned outside to pick off
Snow on his cross towards red right not challenging deep with the aid of the
One player
Finding your angle good kills from yabbi down the stretch three in the round so far trying to keep this rifle alive
And we'll get picked off on the escape to CT spawn paint of type things up a bit of a streak here with three straight
What are the great for yadda be able to save that rifle could have dropped it to one more player
But now without saving it you've got stair with just under three thousand dollars real with just over three thousand dollars
So unfortunately you're gonna have to watch stair go to the eagle
But oh yeah safe, you know
weird round the earlier where he was on that boost and didn't seem to spot
foezy but that is his perfect work from safe outside doing exactly what it's
required to do.
Aggression towards the ramp room from foezy. Still surprised they haven't tested
the upper bombs I'd be interesting to have a conversation. Okay hold the phone a
little bit of aggression from foezy now pushing up with the AWP. Yeah it's got the
rifle going out first and so the rifle supports dead immediately, which is taking
Spam damage, but Hooksy's right back.
He's pushed up, he's got two, Yabi with him,
and Astralis come collapsing upon the lobby.
When things are looking like it was gonna be pain
coming out on top of every advantage,
suddenly Astralis storm into the lead of the round.
Yeah, well, there's maybe the answer
to what you just asked in the previous round.
When all those individual plays go against you,
what's the next conversation?
This is a piece of aggression,
coordinated with multiple people,
two pushing up, ramping towards radio, take attention.
Hooksy swings through the smoke,
you got one more Yabi coming hot.
So you have a really nice trap and collapse on lobby.
However, the last time they did something along these lines,
Payne was able to bring it right back
and snatch away a win.
And they've clawed this to a two on three,
hooksy at four health,
and 45 seconds left on the clock.
Not happy about that noise cue on the ladder, but I don't think it's going to have any consequences.
Snow doesn't know that. Might feel a little bit nervous after the sound cue.
Oh.
Snow definitely feels the pressure.
This is the right floor to step out here with his teammate low beside him.
Snow goes to fight towards stairs, he drops down the vents, he's got the bomb on his back.
Hooks is already rotated over, safe now joining.
Hooks is going to hear this, five seconds on the clock.
He goes down, bomb down!
And now they can't even have a chance of planting.
Stout comes through with that D-Goal, lands it straight away and he'll get a rightful on the way out the door as well.
So as Strahler's reclaim the lead and the chance section lead at the half here with this final round coming up.
Yeah, that's actually a really important win for Strahler's.
Pain would have broken the money, which isn't anything crazy in terms of long-term consequences,
but would have put a Strahler's into basically just pistols for this last round.
So a good save for the situation. This time the lobby pressure works out perfectly.
Double kill from Hooksy. Yabby playing the bait roll, perfectly swinging out in response.
and dropping the bomb at the final timer.
And now Peria looks like he wants to step towards the high.
Big Azera getting spammed off the top, off the silo.
He gets slowed down into his jetty.
Oh, he's got Yabi holding the doorway.
VSM tries to leap out wall-bang through the coming game.
And then Yabi going down to 24.
It's chaos to start off this round.
Yeah, well, there it is.
Finally, final round of the half.
Pain was saving that upper exact for some kind,
that upper boss for a little uppercut right at the end
to try and surprise Astralis, but they were so ready.
So ready this time the Abbey stops him cold at the door stare was able to eliminate the outside prong of the attack and pain
after call it off
And I'm sure sauce her little like you just like wondering when is that upper bus going to come through in this half
Save the last round as trawlers after ready
Shutting down this attack of pain. It's gonna be a seven to five lead coming in for a straw
It's a much better than the office here on new
Save doing what he can but it's not gonna be enough for you takes the final kill of the half a half
Once again, led by a huge CT performance in Stara, Astralis with a two-round lead.
I
And there's the flash that's going to catch Chris out, they're going to push off the roof.
FBK gets one, but Chris is a straight-out sticker!
Two-star on the triple!
A fanatica not fun yet!
Can you believe it?
And that's more like it.
Astralis, 7-5 lead.
Bounceback performance when we saw against Tyloo yesterday that was flat
and they were getting overrun on the defense,
but here they stand tall up against Payne to take this lead as they switch sides.
It's Astralis' offense that's going to have to bring this one home
as Payne sets up for the defensive stand.
And we've got Dooley's on VSM and Snow for this pistol round, a flashbang on Big Yuzera,
and utility on Hooksy and Fozy, for what Astralis want to bring to the table.
I feel like Payne got more rounds than I was expecting, well if I looked at that T side
it felt really limp, and in fact they got 5 rounds out of it, I think some will be happy
because it didn't really look like they were going to grab 5.
Slow, slow start wasn't it?
Yeah, so let's see if they can win this pistol round, close this gap against Astralis immediately.
waiting for the door and you've got foosie setting himself up on T roof
Molotov in hand and they're gonna blast that door open period could be under
pressure yabbi jumping out to a clean headshot period
oh my brilliant hold from squeaky and that's one the round that's a massive
overperformance from one player at the door he doesn't even take a lick of
damage worth talking about he's down to 82 I mean that's a massive
yo respect for it's due all you can do if you're a straws is say fair play nice
shooting even takes on the first player jump and through is the distraction with
some speed bouncing off the roof of the doorway just drills him in the air oh
that's rough for a stroll is that's that pistol round being lost before you even
really get close to the site it's both pistol rounds being lost in this map
first roll so they did convert the second round in that first half so less
consequences just discussing this first one who pulls them out of the sky
converts on all the rest of them as well need to try that for reading yeah
Yeah, I need to get that second kill what Astralis didn't get a bomb plant and they've actually gone for the fire regardless
And then just go back for more
Oh my lord, okay, really happy that's actually perfect
Good opening kills and here we are into the action. That's actually what it's all okay. Were you fair enough?
Yeah, I didn't get the trade in the piss around but you come out swinging in the next you guys have three in the tech nine
That's the site taking that's the wrong one two four spies and now we have the question Jason
Is it better to win the pistol or the four-spy?
Yeah, that's a fair question.
Better to win the four-spy, I think. CT side's going to be in disarray.
Two four-spy wins. That's crazy.
Maybe they just downloaded the Tyloos strats.
Maybe they're just like, let's do it, they did to us.
Everyone get the jam young maids out.
Give me that mercury flash.
Well, well, well. Okay, so Strauss continuing to stay in the lead.
I mean, he was frustrating enough for Payne, who missed out on a good start here in the second half.
half. It's not a good start in the first half as well. It's going to be a huge step away for
pain if they go on to lose this map and maybe even the series is looking back on this and saying
two pistol round victories, two second round losses. And how far that just sets you back in both halves.
They are going to invest here to try and get it back. Just perfect flashbang work.
And no Nades, no Molotovs down at the choke points to slow that rush or at least make
it intimidating.
Astralis have their way with the pain defense and now look at it, four upgrades to M4s.
Look at this push.
Full pain, they've got players running through Lobby.
Yeah, team flash isn't a good look though.
Yeah, that Lobby crunch hasn't worked out the way they would have wanted it.
Take on information, at least, that no one from the Strollers is home. No one's challenging towards dinner.
Strollers going heavy outside.
Yeah, and showing utilities if they want to push and wrap around towards Heaven, right? Smoking off...
Locker room windows. Got to give them a lot of space to run up along the wall. Ryu's going to lead the way.
And I start clearing the garage at the moment. Safe sending some shots to that smoke in Hell.
And smoke is going to make Ryu a little bit uncomfortable.
And he's got eyes towards Heaven, so safe is this...
Oh, period on the T roof again, we've seen this play before.
He's come on up, Yabbi's gonna catch him though, he's read it, and he's ready.
Yeah, Knight's heads up play from Yabbi.
His responsibility is the flank, the whole way through, so good job from him.
Flash towards above Heaven, gonna pop safes in the open, taken down by Ryu.
Astralis putting this one together very nicely.
VSM is still underneath, and Big U's arrow is gonna come join up with him from Ramp Room as well.
So Ryu might have two players to find here in a second.
Yeah, drop it on down, he's gonna check that corner.
VSM pinned at the lockers, rear hears the steps,
but doesn't wanna venture through the window on low HP.
VSM in the meantime has ascended to the heavens.
And 25 seconds left as Astralis about to make
their final move, VSM's dropped down into the site.
His 5-7 could spoil the party here for Astralis,
but it doesn't even get the low HP player.
He misfires completely, hooks he running up the vent,
getting away from the MP9.
No, he's gonna try and chase it.
Another very cool round from Astralis.
Take control of outside.
You kind of leave a core set of three players in position.
Yabbi's watching the flank.
Hooks, he gets down secret.
He's pressuring the lower bombsite,
being a distraction, opening the door.
You have Ryu pressuring towards Heaven and Hell.
Defense is never able to piece together
where exactly Astralis was headed.
Couple kills at the end for Snow.
Not gonna change the conclusion of the round.
It's 9-6 for Astralis.
and now pain's gonna have to sit back on just pistols
all the obstacles that have cropped up in this game have just come in the way of pain
i miss out on the important rounds and
i mean when you have a point though like when you say it
like nine six
Despite losing both second rounds after winning the pistols, they do have a few more rounds than you might expect.
Stack over here towards ramp room, then caught up now, but the AK is just gonna establish superiority.
Good spray down from Hooksy at the end, three total for the captain, and now the lead is four.
You know, a few rounds away from taking this, this feels to me like it's the last chance for pain.
If you don't show anything here, probably Sroll just close this one up relatively quickly from this point.
Well, let's see if I mean, you never know, if they do something that's gonna actually just change the state of the game.
Someone pops off with a crazy 3k, 4k, big time clutch, and maybe you can kind of get Astralis back to being frustrated and distracted and take advantage of that.
Up in the hands of safe, no kits for the CT side.
It's gotta be a staunch defense. Retaking these bomb sites is gonna be difficult. Limited utility for the CT side, so it'll run low the longer this round goes on.
Stralis have used all five smokes. First, a smokeball outside of follow-up to show they want to cross secret, a lurk smoke to show they want to have access to vents, but they're going to hit ramp room.
It's safe, every now and re-use is going to be toppled over it.
Fuzzi's respawn quite quickly, going for the wallbang, so he'll be safe.
And they're going to get into the vents, a real chaotic situation, but because they're actually wins against Hoxie.
Now, a minute five seconds left, Starr scaling up into the V-Bomb site,
he's going to plant it now as teammate covering that Decon swing.
And now, Strawl is maybe a player town, but you've got the bomb planted
and you're getting yourself into pretty strong post-plant positions.
You have to go for this if you're paying, but look at the disadvantages.
Only one smoke, there's no kits, Peria's gonna come down vents and join up, a very difficult retake ahead of Payne.
Yeah, well I mentioned this feels like Payne's last chance to get something going,
your turf from Starr spots out the second player as well, but can't finish off Snow.
Yabby waits here with the double doors, and Peria gets caught, despite doing damage.
You need safe and Snow now to win this, how Fuzzi gets cleared.
You know exactly where Yabby is, but it's the time, they've gotta get on the deep fuse, and Yabby can't stop it.
So Payne do scramble together in time, but it's gonna be close.
They're gonna be close, they don't have a kit, and they're gonna hold it, and they just get it in the final possible second!
Alright, maybe that's it, maybe that's the ignition point for Payne.
A close, close catch that sends relief down the line of the Payne players and forces a timeout out of the team.
Perhaps just a chance to settle down and breathe, they stay alive a little bit longer.
Three rounds back, keeping Astralis away from getting a little bit closer to that map victory.
They don't look too perturbed, do they?
A little bit of a chit-chat smiles back and forth, rugged-talking tactics, Hootsy and Yabby telling jokes.
And for pain, it's all business over here.
They realize that has to be the turning point, right? This has to be the realm that comes their way.
That's Hootsy and Pigsy.
Yeah, I think that's what he's describing to Yabby right now, is how that actually all played out.
Snow. Good work, let's say, kid.
What a view, man.
Round 18 comes in as the time-out comes to a close.
Astralis chucking utility outside.
Another aggressive smoke towards the upper bomb site. Might be a fast round.
Fozy's not ready for Biguzaro's position though.
Yeah, good spot early on here for Biguzaro, but look at Scarra getting one towards me.
Biguzaro's snowed. Do get their kills.
and snows and started to smoke, currently eclipsed though and he will catch Jaby.
Good work. That's a big ol' shutdown and Payne have got to be fired up. Back to
backgrounds this one. A lot more convincing. Yeah this is not what you
want at all if you're Astralis. A big time clutch into a clean sweep. Only one
player goes down for Payne. A dominant defense. No access for Astralis. No
hope in the round. And now you're giving a Brazilian team a reason to cheer. A
A reason to get some energy and some excitement going.
Great round from Snow.
In this upper palm site working the smoke perfectly.
Big UZera as well, chiming in.
Shrouds are right on the edge of a buy.
And you got three players you can get a full buy out
and two that are kind of limping.
So try to figure out,
is this worth going for a purchase?
And they are indeed going for the buy.
We're gonna have Yabbi on the deagle,
Hooksy on a Mac 10,
and three players on AK 47s.
Oh, that's a risk.
Yeah, this is, right on the edge is correct.
A Deagle and a Mactam they are gonna come into this with.
Let's see what kind of attack to Cooksy calls up
during this time out.
But yeah, this is a big risk.
You're out of money after this
if you lose if you're Astralis here.
Essentially saying if we lose this round,
paying of a great chance to tie things up,
we'll be looking at 10-10 before we can buy again.
Kind of a win more sort of investment right now
for Astralis, see if they can elevate this lead.
Well, should Cole gonna be in a round like this?
What are you going to do with Hooksy and Yabby?
At the moment, Hooksy is playing support with that Maktan, nowhere close to the front lines.
It's going to be the utility bearer and the thrower of smokes.
He's going to try and activate Stare, who did get that early position towards Mann in
the last round.
He only gets the one kill and it's towards the A site.
Looks like he's going to turn in towards Mini or outside of the wrap.
The flash is up.
Stare gets through the smoke, but Stare's handled it.
Ryu, he's going to deal with Nalpigezera.
Who's coming through that smoke?
That's no quick reactions from Big Oozaro, period stops Yabbi, and it has not worked, the idea for Astralis is backfired, and thereby goes no work, they're out of cash, and this is going to be a tight game because of it.
Well, looks like he's just saying at this point, the only thing he can do that gives his team any kind of a benefit is a palm plant, the extra cash, but realizes he doesn't have the time for it, so sticks around, and so he's gone in with a no scope, right to the chest.
Alright, 10-10 it's going to be, because there's an eco coming up here for Astralis.
I'm not a huge fan of that kind of a play call and such a risky buy-round like that
Like if you're gonna if you're gonna buy right on the edge
I feel like calling a tactic where a lot of it is coming through smoke like I don't want to say gimmicky
But risky that that flashbang is gonna catch someone you're gonna get the kills coming through the smoke
Someone tries to force the way through smoke over to its quick door as well
Especially because Stan made that plan the last round. Yeah, thank you a similar player. We got into many so
Jambo that does not pay off for his jawless.
It feels like Paine had grabbed some control right at the perfect moment.
They've won two or three in a row to bring this within one.
This fourth round, if they're to secure it against three more Glocks and a Deagle, should be no problem.
We'll tie things up at ten.
They can hear Snow as well. It's getting so loud over there.
Seventeen kills him. He's a great map.
The tenacity Paine has shown to stick into this.
It's great to point that out too because snow for a lot of his time in this roster
So highly touted as a prospect coming out of Brazil
The bidding war when he was young to get on the teams multiple organizations chase and after a minute
A lot of us for the past year and a half of kind of inscrption or had been like okay
We're so waiting to see what everyone saw in him
Yeah, and reason some recent role changes that he's starting to take advantage of right now
And a great performance in an elimination game at the major to get his team right back into the opening map of
the series.
There you go, bigger zero AK-47 against two pistols that are coming out of the shadows
spotted.
He only gets the one.
Snow also getting another, so you're into a 4v2 and stairs also low on HP.
Say stepping into the open spot, second player as he did so, he actually went out for the
repeat and flew to the whales that day.
Never hit that shot.
Oh, never ever, but it doesn't really matter in the end.
Regardless, it is 10 to 10 to tie game again.
And the Strawlists once again have a purchase.
But I said a couple rounds ago
that felt like the last chance for paying.
It all feels like the last chance for a Strawlist.
Yeah, I mean, not the last,
but certainly let's see what they can,
let's see what they're gonna bring out in this one.
I mean, if you lose this,
Surely just, surely paint is right at all the line.
Got money but can be spent without talking about what's going wrong because I feel like
all the execution sounds good but somehow we're not winning the rounds and I don't understand how.
Alright so, it's a little bit confused. Riu falling prey, no chance for a trade. Bid you Zera grabbing another one through the smoke.
He's starting to just wreck this Astralis team. The offense is stalled out completely.
This is this is a listering face right now
The old classic for Astralis. It's just you come back into the buy to play die through smoke trying to cross outside
You know in a 3v5 paint have plenty of time to rotate the ball hasn't even been planted yet
Oh, this is not looking good. At least that flash by is pretty crap
So they got back on for them and it's cost BSM his life the awkward situation moving forward hooks
He goes for a second. He couldn't get it here for Astralis
So it's all foosie and yabby and the flank has even come around the back. Yabby's red it though.
Perfect the kill regardless, and now you've got foosie 1v3. He's got to save the AWP. He has to back away without AWP up.
This is now 11 to 10. Payne have fought their way into the lead of the game and you gotta say
up until the CT side run, it hasn't been looking good for Payne, but they've stated it long enough for the Tides to change.
Yeah, well now that you've rattled off 5 in a row and again,
I said that one moment that you need for this team is something to change the nature and it is that kind of clutch that they had.
It's that two on two performance and then a dominant round of any start building some momentum start to feel like the team's getting it
Start to feel like you're synced up with your teammates in the bomb sites
And now it's just now they're just winning now
They're just confident not slow them down during the plant they're executing the retake
And a straw list don't have a good feel for the game. They're getting ran over
Feel like a straw list felt composed for 19 rounds in this game, but the last two
feels like it's gotten away from them a sense of desperation and some of the
decision and some of the calls
outside smoke's up you can see that crossroads there you're really hoping he
can be the playmaker to open something up here for Astralis and he stepped out
he's got the head shot on safe, Peria trying to react on aggressive it towards
Yabbi and much better here from Astralis two opening kills that they must
convert. Got plenty of time to just chill and see if there's gonna be any kind
of a response. 48 seconds on the clock still fozy just now picking up the bomb.
Kevin Rapp is going to be covered by VSM, snows in the upper bomb site, Big Euzera sliding
here as well, so they want to stack this upper site, hoping prey that this is where
Astralis ends.
Starr is just called out to sound cue of someone dropping into the bomb site.
Oh, Starr, good headshots, he's the flank around the back, Big Euzera dropping stab.
VSM's got to kill two, all of a sudden the two beat two, Astralis have to win it, and
Infusion Hoaxing makes sure it goes that way, but even down to the wire pain making this competitive
Yeah, look how dangerous that is almost bringing it right back
But Astralis a great rebuttal and it's back to slowing the rounds down that time
It's not those gimmicky fast aggressive plays coming through smokes trying to drop off mini-roop trying to curve in towards mini
It's wrapping around and taking your time and giving stare a few beats a few moments to find a fight that he likes and
And the third and final tie-up from Payne.
A hard-fought comeback to tie things up and Astralis isn't going to relinquish this map without a fight.
Both teams have money.
VSM has picked up a second AWP, switching into the double-op setup.
Gonna be bringing that over towards Ramprood.
You can find from Stair that prompts Puria into an aggressive play that's cut down by Yabbi.
And Astralis, despite some struggles, despite a rebuttal from Payne in the round, they just play the numbers. Good trade game on the way in.
Crucial round victory for Astralis, but both teams have a strong buy, a double-op set-up for Payne.
Will this be success or the reckoning? We'll have to find out. It's safe.
It's gonna move up in towards hot aggressive position.
Look at it peel away with the advantage and it's stare at the front of the attack.
And that who opened up the last round for Astralis.
A tough challenge against the Brazilian Alper who's going in towards him
and safe has hunted down the opening kill.
Advantage pain.
Oh, Yabi's in a really nice position to find an equalizer.
Oh, the flashbang is perfect one tap cool and composed. There's one more to find here though
He's almost ready for it heaven peek as well got info right here's two players positions known
So Rio can come in looking for that kill at Tetris knowing the next fights towards heaven
But there's two players up there because there it goes forward hook see not able to get it
It's real is taking that frag and vs n sends one shot back so 2v2 and period the secret weapon coming around the back of main
It's a very good position to have and foosie unlikely to get away
He's pinned reuse gone foosie has to fight and it's this for the map most likely foosie towards heaven misses the shot
He's right on top of him and
VSM steps up with a crucial clutch went into the game
It's right down to the wire, but it's pain gaming who grab it first map points here on nuke
Look at Snowype at his boy uptoe for the big time clutch from VSM up on top of the silo
an awkward one for foezy to try and peek together.
Perally the whole way through, a missed Molotov towards Heaven.
If it had landed it would have been great, would have prevented that play from VSM with
the up, would have prevented him from standing in place and getting these kills.
Dude that's crazy how back and forth that round is.
And the small details that caused the round to go in the favor of Pain.
time out for Astralis both teams have burned all of them here in regulation.
Yappies, one tap, Compose, clean.
Great trade from Ryu as well coming in, but I'm so close for Fuzi.
I don't know, I couldn't tell if the Molotov just straight up missed or if it bounced off
a body of Vicky's here as he slid out.
Regardless, the same effect, that it doesn't stem the tide of the retake, and after leading
the majority of the way pretty much all of this map since round three Astralis has had
a lead and right at the end in round 23 Payne take it back and they've got one chance to
seal the map away from Astralis.
You don't have the excuse of one player missing completely as well on this map for Astralis
you don't have the excuse of not doing enough on your CT side.
Payne have just beaten you down the stretch and they could close this now on their favor
You've got snow ready at man. You open and chill so that snow's got both snow lands on top
And he looks to rest his case
This is a 4v3 in favor of pain gaming and they've got so much time to hold on
Astralis have to figure it out and they've got no utility. I'm so surprised to see Astralis go back to that
I feel like that play hasn't worked for them whatsoever
And as you mentioned no utility and you're gonna try and traverse this position towards ramp room safe as the all
save just gonna hold on in that ramp room there's no way for foezy to connect
with you as well he's outside on top silo but why the hell is anyone from
pain gonna be peeking any of those positions any peek that comes as well
it's gonna be a dry peek no flash is nothing how can a straw let's pull this
off well your upper defense is pretty set it's bold it's risky with the double
stack and without a mullet's off the straws can't really do anything about
at safe just think and take one shot and survive hold on she's the ball one shot
safe a center packet in the opening map a 13-11 win for Payne incredible
close from safe and right down to the line but it's Payne who's staying at the
tenacity pays off and once again it's some brilliant resilience and here in
stage two Astralis have now lost three straight nukes that might be their
undoing that causes them to head home from the Major early.
Indeed, three in a row for Astralis, but not in a good way.
Third time they play Nuke at this tournament, third time they end up on the losing side.
This time however, the game was slightly more competitive, definitely had some nerve,
definitely felt at some point that Astralis maybe had done enough in order to be playing.
maybe have done enough to get over that nuke, a lost sweet, they're currently
poising but at the end of the day Martin once again Astralis end up on the
losing side after a I wouldn't say lackluster T side but a T side that
didn't feel too inspirational. It's once again that T side that comes back to
fight them it happened in those best of ones it happens here again and it just
leaves me wondering why is it happening so often why is it so readable why is
it so easy to play against them why are the individuals are not showing up on
this map specifically on the east side, it is a lot of questions that I'm unable to answer
right now and I wonder how Astralis is actually going to play different maps because so far
we've had a lot of new data to work with, not anything else.
Peter, we spoke a bit about Astralis just before we went on here and the calling on
the T side as well. It felt like it was a lot of out of spawn calls, a lot of fast-paced
kind of strike wanting to hit that A bomb site, take advantage of that. A couple of
times they were successful with it, second round on the T side, rushing inside would
But it felt like they were trying to brute force their way into the bomb side.
When you're a player and you're playing for a team that is calling out a bomb stuff like that,
where you don't get to make your individual decisions, you don't get to beat the game,
you don't get a feel for it, how frustrating is it to just run in and hit a brick wall over and over and over?
Yeah, Hoekstra was extremely starved in this one.
He really wanted to hit that A bomb side with main splits over and over again.
And I don't know if he was expecting pain to make adjustments and, you know, play with the whole idea that now they're surely not going to be hitting A once more.
But they just constantly were just so cramped together.
And I think, you know, Hooksy seemingly in this game was frustrated with the fact that he felt like the A-Squish were actually getting probably, you know, they got to the point where they were allowed to execute.
They got the utility going, but it's just like sharpness whenever they hit the bomb sites.
It's like they would occasionally get the first kill, but whenever they had to get the second and the third one,
the Trace just weren't like effectively knocked.
And I think, I'm curious, and I want a little bit, because he was so stubborn going back to these aches all the time,
whereas the rounds where he would actually create a smoke wall outside of them, let's stay out, work his way through,
he actually got more occasions in the game where he would go out, fight an opening, and then would just play it slow,
then they forced paint into pushing lobby, they got the trade off of that,
And then they would work their way through the round in that case.
But I think Hoekse was maybe a little bit stressed out with the previous games in Nuke
that he didn't feel like the team is capable right now of playing.
The mid-round is good enough.
So he was probably going for more of a safer plan, saying,
guys, let's do a little bit more spawn calls, at least then everyone knows what to do.
Then hopefully that can get us over the finish line.
You mentioned Stan. We'll get back to him a little later.
First, I want to focus a bit on pain gaming here.
Obviously, they ended up winning.
And I think they did a good job, you know, playing on Nuke here under a lot of pressure.
But first off there were a couple of solid moments coming out of pain gaming
I know you pick out ground eight months and did you want to showcase?
Yeah, I think this comes back to Peria and the discussion we've had before the game actually started
He didn't have a like greatest games obviously, but I think his impact really showed in this round
Which was like a turning point in my opinion for pain coming into this he get an opening frag
Fuzzi actually here equalizes with the crafty boost by the way by pain
I haven't seen that in a long long time at Peria after that entry on Ram
He took so much space and just parked himself under that heaven position
When they decide to go back to lobby and clear Ryabi, his position re-activates again, just catches a foosie coming up a ladder.
He was actually aware of Rem this whole time, but because he parked himself in a position where he's just not visible from the windows,
it's such a good space taking from Piria that allows Big Zera to go back and hit the brakes, something that we haven't seen Astralis do once when it comes to mid-rounding.
And I generally think that Piria, as much as we maybe like to try his performance because he didn't have a good KD,
I can clearly see the impact whenever he plays on that T side by the amount of space he takes.
And like variety of course it allows for because you have to choose from how to end the route.
It's one of those players that regardless of getting the output, you know, as you said, creates a lot of space
and is not afraid to go for the duels, not afraid to play his, I guess, style of Counter Strike despite not being successful with the duels.
another player that has been under the loop for quite some time and you know
always is here to be heard is snow arguably the second loudest player
the tournament I think long since is having that title for now but you can
always hear him you know scream whenever they're running around this time around
Peter he was also screaming on the server snow having a strong performance in a
game where as Martin said period didn't have the best output because they were
safe you know it wasn't like anyone stood out in particular from pain outside
of snow I think snow is an interesting prospect to the fact that he's been in
lineup for a long time and I think the community probably also has been thinking why is Snow
even in his lineup.
You know he was brought into the team as a talent coming out of the Brazilian scene
and then he seemingly did decent in the beginning but dropped off a little bit.
Now he's way back you know maybe he's just growing up in this lineup you know he's learning
more he's getting more experience and there's clearly a reasoning to why he's in the team
because you know he's got to bring something outside of just screaming to the table that
he's still in this lineup and you know this was one of the showcases that he
can he can play at a high level and you know and we all know how important it
is to also have someone in the team that can bring up the mood you bring up the
hype it's it's not not the only thing you're supposed to be bringing but when
you can also bring performances like this then then it's a handshake that
that goes well. Yeah a player that got a lot of new roles within pain gaming and
a player that Big O'Serah put trust into a player that has repaid as well as you
said Peter I think the community notion is that it's no has been on the
Delivering for a long time. I'll just you know gently say that he's the highest rated player within pain gaming leading into the tournament
So it is getting better slowly, but surely I'm watching his little Chris for you
A little question I guess I hope and the question stare in this game
We spoke about him being the catalyst behind Astralis when he's playing well Astralis are doing well without stare
They're not gonna win in this game. He won seven out of 11 opening duels, right?
He was the only player I felt like Astralis you could see the clear impact coming in left right and center
So when Steyr is playing at this level, when he's finding that much impact, when he's playing a good game of Counter-Strike and you're still not winning, how concerning is that?
I think a lot of these good stats were coming from that early CT side of Astralis, which they honestly started pretty well.
But then there was a certain point where, I think even the Hooksley said it in the comms that we get to share is that, like, the players are not going for aggressive moves and he's just done sitting around and he wants some proactivity coming out.
And the players, star players supposedly doing these moves, they were not delivering.
So it was Hooksy actually that took charge and was like, okay, I'll do it.
He, we saw him a couple of times, push the smoke once outside.
He just completely died.
Then once in the door, he got double kill off of that.
So he was like playing, it felt like Stryce came with a game plan into this game.
And after a certain point, they just threw that game plan away and decided to do,
okay, we need to play a little bit differently.
And Hooksy was the one that becomes a playmaker in a sense.
So it's, it's kind of, yes, Stare did have a good game and he had a good stats,
But probably there were a couple of rounds where I expected even more from him.
Not necessarily from fagging output, but like the positioning.
He put himself in a spot where he delivers more impact and hooks he had to pick up those pieces in my opinion.
It's tough to be there winning the Stylers right now.
I'm not going to lie, when you win 7 opening duels and you still want more for him.
Because I agree, you know, there was definitely occasions where you could have gotten more for him.
Speaking of getting more out of your players, Fusi and his T-Site so far, Martin.
I know there's a particular stat that you want to bring up here.
So, ahead of this game, Fuzzi did play considerable amount of T-Sides on this tournament so far,
only two frags in those games, and those were one Tech9 and one P250.
No rifle kills whatsoever, and yes, we were having some discussions that they played a lot of Nuke,
where it's hard to be activated whatsoever, but you know, you need to be delivering more.
Here, actually on T-Side, we were noticing that, and he got more frags.
There were a couple of Eco frags, there were a couple of AWP kills finally.
Yeah, the, you know, I don't want to say impact frags. Like it didn't matter that much of how, you know, how big of a fragger he was in this game.
And Fuzi is one of the biggest letdowns actually for me. So far when I look at his strides line up in this tournament.
I find that incredible interesting. Obviously, Peter, having those kind of T-Stats at a tournament is no bueno.
But what if I told you moving into Overpass, which is as well as his map pick, starting on the T side, you know, doesn't necessarily sound too good.
to good but the last five times Fousi has played the map of Warpaths try guess his
average T side rating on that map. I will it's gonna be hard to guess but I
sure hope it's gonna be better than his. Give me a wild guess. He said some he
said 110. 149. Oh that is incredible. I found the best map in the map probably he
finds impact C T side he finds a lot of impact on the T side so we established
already that he's struggling on the T side so far in this tournament he's in
general struggling at this tournament but specifically an overpass which is the
next map that hopefully is gonna keep Astralis alive if you're in that camp
he's doing well how important is it to have an op presence on a map like
overpass probably the heaviest op map that you have that in terms of what you
can do because you can be so fluent you can constantly repossess yourself do
you have a lot of opportunities to you know be be on the B-pad side but also on
the A-side whether you want to be playing offensive you want to be aggressive
and you do have this aid duo that is extremely important for you to you know
kind of master because that is that is why the majority of the a control is
going to be happening and think you know for foosie to have at least a map where
he's comfortable like overpass I think that's gonna be very important for him
moving forward you know new kids maybe and not one out for him but he's gonna
have to step it up because having your oba not playing the best that that's
tough and if you turn into all past that's gonna be extremely crucial
Martin quickly your gut feeling is this game over?
yeah well first of all on the foosie point I just hope that he has he has
That's finally a good map, because if he doesn't and they go out, this is tournament to forget.
So, I do think that Pain is taking this.
Alright, Martin thinks it's over.
I'm inclined to perhaps agree that it's looking pretty dire for Astralis.
However, as we established already, Overpass is the next map up between Astralis and Pain Gaming.
It is the pick of Astralis, it is a map they need to win if they want to stay alive at IEM Knoll.
You're stating what we're talking about.
I had so many trades trading anything.
You're miles away.
I carried you.
Tell me it.
One round.
Hold on.
Let me pull up CS Stats.
Oh, wait.
My bad.
You suck.
Settle your debates, search your profile on CS Stats, and turn on tracking to see all your games.
The pounding heart of these four, each round a winner and candidate for the final round.
If you double-peak, you'll get your sugar!
And put that in the bagel!
If something's not sure to tell you, it's these are off-range.
And that's what I do when I have to check out events.
We are back!
My first major that I played was Shanghai in 224.
When we qualified to that major, I started crying a lot.
It was a very emotional moment in my career, and yeah, I was very happy.
I changed a lot as a player and as a person.
I was like a kid in that moment.
It's my, I think, for majoring in a role, I have to be normal.
I have to stay comfortable playing the major.
Of course, it's very good to play in majoring in Cologne, because I was watching SK Gaming
playing.
Of course, my biggest inspiration is Fallen.
When I was 13 years old, he was teaching me with some videos, and like, he was doing
that for me, and of course, he's my inspiration of all time.
For me, he's the goat.
And I love him, and I have a lot of respect for him.
I think the best highlight from Fallen for me is the one that he was playing against Na'Vi in Overpass.
And it's the Fallen stoplight I might.
And for me, this round was insane.
It's very good to represent that flag in that country, who is so big in Counter Strike.
I love Brazil. Every time that we qualify to the playoffs, I have a Brazilian flag with me, and I try the most to make them happy.
For me, it's my dream to put Brazil on the top again.
again. I work a lot to do that. It will be hard, but I will try my best for sure.
years at majors, so trying to replicate some of that.
And a long way to go for Payne to make that mark, rather.
But at least they're still alive here.
They're a map up in this elimination game versus Strolls.
And we now go to Overpass to see if the Strolls can bounce back
into the series.
One map down.
Now they go to their home ground, Jason.
Surely we see a better performance here.
Well, actually, I don't think the performance on Nuke
is even all that bad outside of maybe the final stretch.
Maybe those last six rounds of play where Payne kind of came
on.
Other than that, I think the Strolls played a pretty damn good Nuke.
So here, yeah, where I have them as the favorites,
statistically the favorites in terms of the map,
win records and experience,
it's all gonna lean towards Astralis.
So we'll see what they got if they can bounce back.
That had to have been a frustrating way for that map
to slip away from them,
because they were in the lead for like 20 rounds.
21 rounds they had to lead
before it was taken away from them right at the tail end.
That's gotta be crazy disappointing.
So yeah, bounce back,
otherwise they're eliminated and they're going home early.
Well, Kodi overpassed,
it's best if three try and bounce back into the tournament.
Yeah, I mean, I was very positive about Astralis,
Once I got to see them in their opening game against GameLegend, everyone was popping off.
It looked great.
It looked awesome.
It was just incredible.
So, it would be crazy to see the downfall since that point.
So now, it's all about surviving, lose this map, Astralis are out of the Column Major.
We've got Payne starting on the CT side, Astralis on the T side.
They've got plenty of utility.
And let's see how they can step up to the moment.
I keep my eyes on Snow in this game.
He had that wonderful performance back on Nuke.
the way for pain huge impactful player we just heard his words his goal
everything he's working for is put in Brazil back on top so he's looking to
build some legacy and you do that here at the majors a good performance in map
one to help his team stave off elimination a second map in which
they're absolutely gonna need him if they want to take this series two to
nothing third map would be mirage if we get there and early aggression here in
this pistol round from pain
That's a good start for the save, Piria also, getting a second kill here for Payne, but we've
got Yabbi fighting back, important to get both of those long picks.
Yeah, that's a critical pair of fights and kills for Yabbi to get, otherwise a firm advantage
for Payne in a 4 on 2.
Lovely response to take out the aggression, and now the map opens up, defense has to spread
thin, VSM takes a deep angle and monster tunnel to get an early spot, but he's very, very committed
to this play.
He really is all the way up, but...
Might just be the risk that pays off truly truly. You just tuck yourself up. Don't walk up the stairway
No, you you stay here. You stay right beside those wooden boards
I don't see this fence ruin things and let's see what's ruined. Yeah, but that's for sure right through it bullets in the barrettas
Were you coming over to try and join the sand? Here's those steps knows what's coming
Those aggressive against hook see and VSM not finishing everybody off
But he's basically won this round unless Ryu can somehow get to the side within 30 seconds
He's close to spawn so so much in a map to go here
Oh, and he's gonna drop down right into big user is waiting arms so much information
Good job from big user is shifting into the middle of the map to be able to hear everything
And he's telling snow exactly what he needs to up in heaven snow's got an h.e. grenade as well
Can't imagine there being a plant
Huge though
Long-range head shot from snow
And it will be the pistol for a pain VSM with the all-important double kill preventing a straws and getting anyone near that B bomb site
Yeah, good push. Good push, and Astralis lost track of it.
The rebuttal from Yabbi goes to waste. He forces back the aggressive play,
but VSM just ruins everything. Herksey trying to blind him for a re-u-turn in the corner. It doesn't work.
Astralis didn't do well with Pistor round in that first map, but what they did do was curve four spies.
True. They haven't gone for a four-spy here. They're going to be going for an eco.
This is the third Pistor round. They have lost up to three plays so far.
So crazy.
And as you mentioned, no chance of actually winning the second which they did both of on Nuke, so you don't even get that benefit.
Oh, that's... you know what?
We're gonna pretend we didn't see that.
I'm not.
That was too good.
Nice that they didn't take damage from it, right?
That's the view, Mom.
Everyone gets a little bit of back splash sometimes.
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Hate back splash.
Yeah, absolutely.
Love the MP7 though.
I'll be seven, it's pretty cool.
A couple of block shots ringing out from Hooksy.
Very stepped-surround as Hooksy turns his backs.
Nope, can't handle business.
Just slowly tapping away with those walk-poolers.
Fusian able to get the kill and now Ryu left over towards Monser.
And he'll be a push out from Biggis Arrow just to descend upon him
and take the second round for paint.
We'll wait to get the buy out here from Astralis, but so far so good from Pam.
I like that from VSM.
Min-Max and the percentages, right?
He could have easily taken that fight against an unarmored Glock.
He probably still have the advantage, even 40 HP, but not even wanting to risk some awkward dink
that takes the M4 out, forces a rebuy, forces teammates to scramble to pick it up.
Very small detail.
I just appreciate it.
Round three, first gun rounds.
Astralis with AKs, plenty of utility as well.
Looks he's going to try and get this T-side cookin' a little bit stronger than he was.
Back on Nuke as they fell flat down the tail end, down the stretch.
I'm moving up, it's superior.
He's got that opening kill, stared gone, and such an important play for Astralis.
Remove from the server in the first gun round, you've got Yabby trying to pull it back.
We know he loves to get aggressive on these B-plies.
He's gone up through shore, shut down eventually by snow, but it's a 3B3.
And the Stroll is very much committed to this B-bomb site now.
So does he have a great job of delaying this though and making it a little bit awkward?
The Stroll is can't find any comfort to step into the bomb site itself just yet.
So much utility down.
Still for Snow, right through that smoke.
Fusy, cut away from this attack.
You now have a very difficult round ahead of you because no bomb planted.
The Strolls actually have to go back and get that bomb picked up again.
And Hooksy, getting out of the barrels, proves impossible.
And you've now left Ryu 1v3. It's a clean headshot first because he's not ready for that reposition.
Safe was very swift to change up that spot and get into a position that was just going to be too difficult to flush out.
So, Astralis having to burn a timer already.
It's just actually, the run is just so perfectly played from Snow. Both of his teammates go down, he's scrambling to stay alive,
drops them all top, prevent them from scaling from sandbags, drops a smoke to prevent them from scaling into his position behind the bomb site.
And yeah, Astralis smokes it themselves and get in, but you can't actually get any safety.
You can't really get any control with that kind of utility wall up by Snow.
Then he stops the plant through the smoke. Couldn't have gone better.
Very impactful round from Snow.
One where both of his teammates fell pretty much at the same time.
And he was left all alone during an execute. Beautiful work.
Forcing the time out of Astralis as well.
And the Astralis money isn't really there for another investment into rifles, so they
descend to Tech 9's and Deagle's utility to make it dangerous.
Fosy's gonna save up for the AWP.
I mean that T-Side really went nowhere on Nuke, so I'm a little bit worried for Astralis.
It's really into the game, three down and very likely to be four down already.
shown any signs that that T-Sci is going to be online today very slow start so far
from Astralis where you and Hooksy moving up the steps by Blue Door
Stereophosie and Yabby gonna step towards Fountain and meet up with them in the
front of bathrooms Peria is playing long safe with the AWP playing
back towards the bomb site. Big Euzera kinda cheating back a little bit for a quick rotation.
There's a PC utility to take away the line of sight from safe. That'll prompt Big Euzera
to start shifting over at the moment.
Flash is the utility raining in.
She got some rounds towards this A-Side Stroll.
It's trying to get past safe scope.
It's going to prove pretty difficult for Hooksy, but
we'll hunt him down for the response.
Here he is, there, bigger Zera here with the truck.
strong spot for the rifling in-game leader and period comes out from long to
assistant in stopping the shots and getting on to the bomb side itself they
don't get that extra cash but they've got plenty because of the loss bonus so
it's going to be a good buy coming out regardless for Astralis and the AWP will
enter the hands of foosie. I know we talked a lot about Astralis being
favorites on this map statistically when you look at overpass 60% win rate
across five maps played in the last three months for Payne it's 33% win rate
over nine maps played over the last three months whatever you want to take
from that I'd say the eye test paint look really sharp right now and they
look really well coordinated and comfortable in these little two-man
teamwork situation setting up crossfires peeking off of each other they're
looking sharp
full bracket opening it's having a pure down-interconnector review is gonna
gonna start making his way up the stairway. Hooks is right beside him. Not really being
too secret about this, are they? Not quiet in their approach to the front of the bathroom.
Puri has got that sound cute.
Starting to fade though. Is he gonna play the fade?
I see. I mean, all the reasons in the world to be confident right now. Period. He's gonna
pay off for one, but Ryu to trade it.
I think he doesn't mind playing that smoke fade rather than falling back because Biggie's
airhead shifted over, so there's still another rifle about halfway up bathrooms at the divider.
And you've got this aggressive stance on short two, right, of VSM and Snow.
That fallback comes in down through the connector.
Well, Biggie Zera's not going to stand still.
He wants to go see what's happening at the moment, so he sees nothing towards long.
Going to start wrapping around.
Here's the footsteps going towards Blue Door.
There's the delay smoke from the B defenders, because they want to set up this flank,
and it's working perfectly.
Yeah, look at this.
Biggie Zera all the way down the stairs.
Ryu and Yabi right there for the taking.
And Biggie Zera grabs one, and puts the pressure on Ryu.
Now you look to say if he misses the shot, that one went right between the lights.
Fuzi trying to respawn. His trawlers need a kill here. They need to get into the site.
And they do it via flames.
You've got Fuzi with a kill of his own.
And Snow sending a grenade back.
Again, he's playing this very well.
Buying time, playing his life.
And the smoke covers him away.
He gets away with a kill.
Snow is unstoppable on this B site.
Six and zero.
Immortal Brazilian right now.
We've got Fuzi walking down,
running around and missing a shot.
Giving snow, his third kill, a 7 and 0 start from snow and this fall is CT so I continue for pain.
Yeah, he's telling the boys, no stress at the B bomb site, I'm not letting this one go away, I'm not letting them have control of it.
I'll keep this for us throughout the whole half. That is two incredible rounds from snow defending the bomb site.
Astralis has got to feel stumped, caught out, stalled out, not able to attack.
Perfect coordination with Bidjiezer's play over towards bathrooms to delay.
Why does he's making his move on the flank?
Snows make it all the right decisions and pain now up to a 5-0 lead.
I'm absolutely loving it right now.
It's snow and pain.
It's got to just feel like a desperate hole you found yourself in now.
If you're a straw this,
dig your way out of this for survival of the Major.
And for a team, we know that at times they struggle to keep the calms flowing,
to keep the mentality up.
We just watched them suffer that huge collapse after a clutch and a dominant start to a streak from pain back on Nuke.
Once they got control, Astralis never able to wrestle it back and now you start feeling like you're two steps behind with a flank like that from Biggie's era.
Period. Rifle shatter spotted.
And he's done this for a while to try to trade him out and he eventually will, but it's a two for one.
Rifle picked up here for Astralis. He's going to fall into reuse hands.
And he's under a minute on the clock.
How does that happen? You see pain position, VSM aggressively towards water, so if you
try and fall back down through connector, VSM's got you cut off.
Yeah, which also allows snow to shift over away from the B bomb site to the A bomb site
now to defend here. So three defenders at the site, everything covered.
VSM can even go for a flank right into the round here, so lots going for pain.
Saves of trouble.
There it is. Very much so.
He's gonna be dead no problem. Stout drops on the deagle, but Snow again reliable up towards the site takes his first death
The rounds one unless foosie can pull off
But the fight for VSM was always being set up and he does come back in
Late into the round for a sixth round in a row for pain
Look how cool it is though when pain is being proactive on the map, right?
VSM with that push allows him to get an extra defender over to the A bomb site and boy did they need it
They did not play that defense all that well
That was a little bit disorganized a few mistakes there two players playing behind dice boxes safe getting caught stuck in the open due to the Molotov
Picked off with ease bomb site player traded off if you don't have that extra player there around the nightmare
Yeah, second time on the T side as well for a straw. It's really burning them early because this is disaster mode right now
Works you're gonna be pleading with his team to get things online to switch on a
A big part of the Charles' success early in 2026 was the revelation of Fuzi right coming
into the team and reigniting the hope of the Charles' organization.
They've highlighted to start the day, he's been having a really tough tournament and hasn't
been able to get going on the first map or now here on the second.
Charles looked a lot more limp for that, you know, Starr is still playing well but he doesn't
have enough support around him.
Here goes Fuzzi, aggressive, and dead instantly.
Oh well, they're going fast. They're about to get shut down.
Again, all the answers. A perfect defense. B-Bomb site is closed.
Dude, you've burned two timeouts and you've come into this round and you've just got to be so deflating.
You just get absolutely nothing done.
Look at the moment, it might just be feeling like the slow tactics don't work, and now they're just scrambling for an answer.
And obviously, the fast tactic is getting absolutely annihilated.
Another double kill for Snow, 10-1, and they're at no doubt in Pain's mind that they're the better team and they're gonna take this series.
Yeah, just throwing the towel at this point. It's like, it's really sad to see us draw. It's going so flat on the T side of Overpass.
So kind of highlight your points. We'll get back to it. Teamcom's coming in.
Guys, we can call whatever the fuck, but we need to fucking step up in the situations.
Like, listen to what's being said, fucking take some responsibility to yourselves, and then fucking push when we need to push.
Like, we give them so much time to rotate and kill us.
Yeah, I think that's a lot of frustration with Voxy, feeling like the tactics are kind of there, getting you in positions, but we're missing the final step.
They're gonna try it again.
Deja Vu, mowed down by VSM, same nade, same spot, same kills.
Ah, misery.
Or a straw-less.
I'm gonna halotake for Snow, 12 kills, shutting them down, keeping the Pricer up.
How do you recover from back-to-back rounds like that?
that you did it for the third time out dude this is an absolute calamity to burn
three timeouts going into round nine of the first half other collapse other
collapse before a shawless that's just the signal if you're paying you know it
to they got no answers they got no clue this is their pissed this is the story
of the major for some teams you know you come in full of optimism and hope to
start stage two you find yourself a game against game and each and one of the
the better teams here in stage 12 we thought.
Right after the run in Atlanta, 3-0 start through stage 1.
Absolutely destroy Gimeli-Chin.
A loss super positive about his flawless.
And then they take losses to 9-Z, Tai Lu,
and now getting absolutely trounced by Pan.
And that is going to spell their elimination from the World Championships.
The map pool has betrayed them as well.
Typically a team happy to play Nuke,
they've lost three of them coming into here.
Has the favorite in terms of their win rate on the map.
getting absolutely trounced and ran over right now, eight to nothing.
But for pain, scary start to their tournament, they had two, that's the one losses and they're
really growing into the competition. Say this to you, you mentioned the period where Fosy joined
the roster and kind of reinvigorated it and introduced this new level of hope. This Astralis
lineup felt like it might be one to start getting back to some really dangerous Astralis lineups
in Astralis runs, here's gonna be Stair trying to clear up Fosy, excuse me, his period and gets dropped.
The best win this Astralis lineup had was that 2-0 over Spirit,
back at ESL Pro against Stockholm. Well, Fosy was a beast in that map, and now we haven't seen it.
He's not getting anything going on in this tournament, so really missing the alt presence.
I can't believe we're even missing the teamwork presence, the trading.
VSM is there for another one. This is getting a little bit chaotic, two on two with 55 seconds on the clock.
Well, a chance for a shot to win their first round.
Some of those kills offered up to them.
There's the light spotted. Can't do much.
Yeah, that's the bomb.
Just so much confidence oozing out of these pain players.
They're just swinging and taking fights.
Hooksies in a clutch with 35 seconds has to go back and rot some of that time.
Just to get that bomb back.
Even then, they realize he has to go that way.
So, VSM peeks out in nine rounds in a row for pain.
And listening into the calm side of that timer just feels like I mean it's
Rawls know they're losing this game. Yeah, and and none of them rising to the occasion and
Carrying away from the moment as you folks are clearly frustrated about it
But there's nothing you can do now. Yeah, I think at this point you just you just have no answers
Nothing fast as works. Nothing slow as work to get picked apart your outroaching. We've heard in that time out
Let's take some responsibility and some initiative
They're getting in a position and then we're letting them make the moves from there.
That was after that flank round towards the B bomb site, so it feels like they're getting
D when they go slow by the flank and fast, they're getting D at the point of attack and
it's happening again.
Man, it's just not competitive by any means.
At least they didn't commit everyone.
Yeah, true.
Well, it was one by one.
That's not better.
Yeah, I'll be out next.
Yes, I'm just mowing them down.
Another one from PSM.
snow has come out and you least step won't be fought other side of the map
walking through the bathrooms and just gonna walk to his demands to his doom
his period and that's the headshots that dad ten rounds in a row for pain you
can't get you can't get exited over a 13-0 loss at the major Jason you can well
maybe not any more than you brought it up you might have just heard you try to
have some mercy. We'll use the casters curse in this moment. Well just
fragging production isn't even there for Astralis. Realize the most at seven.
Fosy, Stare, and Yabbi type for three kills on the Astralis side. Huxy too. 18
kills in 10 rounds for Astralis. And Pain is just being so ruthless. Look at
them keeping it up. Flash him through the smoke. Why the hell not?
Here we are unleashed, walking towards stat, and an opening kill here for Astralis.
Flash doesn't go far enough around the corner to blind him, but the play was there.
So safe gonna look for the equalizer as the AWP wanders down the stairs off angle to deal with Ryu if he pushes forward towards Blue Door.
Off that opening kill Astralis, still looking a little tentative and nervous to start moving around the map, not wanting to give up the advantage that they just gained.
I had around a minute left on the clock.
One smoke, four flashes and an HE grenade on Astralis.
Even with the man advantage, that might be a problem down the stretch.
I think it kind of limits their options towards the A bomb site with that little utility.
I'll kill for Stralis who's he's still alive give me a chance.
That's true, that's true.
He is alive.
He's alive.
There's be bombsite seems to be impenetrable.
Snow has played an almost perfect half of Counter-Strike so far, 20 seconds left.
That bomb's coming back.
It's gone.
Not again!
Oh, Snow moves forward short as Stralis lost dead in the water, throwing the towel.
This is dominance on a level we haven't even seen yet.
This is just ridiculous.
Paying game can do nothing wrong,
and Astralis can do nothing right.
Into the open, yabby guys.
Snow once again holds on to this site.
No mercy, non-relenting, 11 rounds in a row.
17 and three for Snow.
An absolute beastly performance in this series.
This elimination series at the major,
and he is just making Astralis hurt every step of the way.
Some players falling back to the A bomb site
to try and join up with Stair who called it clear,
but never knew Biggie's air was aggressive in bathrooms.
Some players trying to move forward
to take out snow at the B bomb site.
Multiple different ideas across,
multiple players on Astralis.
Hooksie hands in his air as well.
Hands in the air, just questioning everything he's seeing at the moment.
You just know it's over. You just have to go through these final few rounds knowing that the event that you've been building to all season long that weeks of preparation went into is now over.
And you go through the motions in the server knowing there's nothing left.
You're not risen to the occasion.
Oh my god, okay, there we go, double-huff set up.
Piria felt like he was in trouble. Not even a little bit.
Twelve rounds to zero.
That's what awaits the next couple of seconds here.
Yeah, it comes out with a D. He got safe, then he stopped the bomb from getting to the connector.
Snow with another one. 18 kills in the half.
They haven't even gotten a bomb plant in this half.
Nope.
They haven't even gotten into the site with any kind of safety.
At any time they had an advantage at B, Snow destroyed them.
18 and 3, looking like he's going to add a 19th on top of it.
Fozie's aware of the possibility.
The snow is going to fall so Fuzi at least getting that going for them
Who's he giving a good try to get into the site some utilities still left it lands towards him
But he's about to be peaked and he's not looking in the right spot because our it goes up into the shop sure dominance from paying
They're going to eliminate Astralis 12 to 0 in the first half not a single T round shown
All right, let's go
I'm the one that I like
I'm the one that I like
This is what I'm going through and I like to keep going
I'm high like
I'm a Cheela Ali
I'm in the Ali while I'm in college
Shit
I'm not in my body
I don't sit quicker than when I'm in the body
I live on a bed like Kari
Where am I?
Bop, Monkari and all
Ain't nobody here, no one's there
No, Kitty Kitty, I'm a bro
It's a lick for you
I'm taking you, flipping I'm towing
If I say I'm money, you know I'm sure
If I say I'm money, you know I'm sure
So hard, easy, got to know cause you don't rip off
We're like truth, they don't cause you don't rip off
Running but they don't lie to my boss, I leave you my boss
Tell me when I'm coming like Key, you know
I might not climb on no I lay low
Key to key, girl to flow, blow it, keep up, blow it
I don't tip to it, don't lie to come
Kick back with a lot of fun, try ship them up
I won't rule, boy, I'll get done
Then I'll give them a number, the boss on opinion, mum
Tell me when I'm coming like Key, more like that
Tell me when I'm coming like Key, more like that
I left this money, no one got your mind-bones
I'm gon' like that
Tell me when I'm done with my life key
Oh, I'm high like that
Tell me when I'm done with my life key
I'm gon' high like that, I'm gonna roll it
Keep your feet, got the flow from all this
Keep your blood going, watch your man show
I left this money, no one got your mind-bones
I left this money, no one got your mind-bones
I'm a G like Ali, I'm an Ali while I'm in Kali, shit.
And I'm in my valley, I don't say quicker than whipping a rally.
Well, Payne is trying to establish themselves amongst the all-time Brazilian great teams
and players.
They have a chance here to establish some history at the CS2 majors.
Potentially the first 13-0 will have.
The first clean sweep we'll have at a Counter Strike 2 Major, we've seen it in other events,
seen it in CSGO, but not yet in CS2.
And it all comes down to this pistol.
Astralis could be on the receiving end of some very terrible Counter Strike history.
It's a laugh for your price situation as well, for who you can see there, just almost.
Some days you just don't got it.
You just hope it's not a day where you're going to get eliminated from the Major.
Well, it's happened.
So let's see.
Pan Gaming set out to the pistol round in search of a record breaking 13-0.
the CS2 major, one that will send Astralis packing utility at the ready as a pain arrive at the B-bomb site.
Stan, the first to step up his teammate starting the flight. Here comes Ryu, force forward,
Joe Barrett is into the double kill, they're into the site, pain, can they recover this?
Pirae is gonna kill back, Ryu's got three, trying to prevent this from happening,
getting at least one round for Astralis and the bomb's gone down.
and okay there we go no 13-0 to be had the record will still stand anybody can
grab it now but as so as have won the pistol all right we take those we take
those boys you can't go home 13-0 no we're not gonna limited like that you
know at a certain point during halftime that had to have been someone saying
that's all that matters is that we just get this pistol and now the long road
begins lovely stuff from Ryu just throwing caution to the wind because why
the hell not
Can you do a spouse?
Who's he with a kill down inside a connect with an old World Cup promo, wasn't it?
I believe that we will win for the USA national team. I think so. Yeah
Well, see I know soccer
Ugh, it's even in your country.
Ugh, it's even in your country like tomorrow.
It's gonna be a good time, I'm sure we're gonna be awesome.
Well.
As usual.
Especially at soccer.
Ugh, well it's there, long range for mass.
This is just a round where you are going to get it, Astralis, we'll take second round.
Well, I don't know, I'm not gonna put anything past them right now, quite right now.
The only thing worth talking about is Snow's Deagle.
Such a cool performance from Snow in this series. I've loved seeing it.
We've seen like, had that conversation earlier, we spent a lot of time kind of scratching our heads
like waiting for the potential we'd heard about with Snow to arrive
and we've seen some like isolated games here and there.
So I don't think he's found the level of consistency, but it's awesome seeing him pop off like this.
Especially the defensive stance he was having on the CT side where things are beauty.
The more performances you log like that, the more comfortable, the more confident you're
gonna get, and then maybe we do see that consistency spring up, so might actually live up to the
prophecy.
12-2, a 10-round lead, guns will be coming in at this round 3 for pain.
We have to hear this sound fucking tonic.
Wow.
The buyback is here.
And will this be the end?
I'll have to wait and see. AK-47s for paint.
And the T-side didn't look fantastic.
Over on Nuke.
It started slow, right? But it got there.
And again, like this is a team I think that gets better as we all, as we usually know with the South American teams,
the Brazilian teams in particular, just do better with momentum.
Do better when they have reasons to get loud and have,
wear the positive emotions on their sleeves. And I mean,
What more reason do you have than surviving elimination at the major and doing it in this
dominant of a fashion?
They are going to have so much momentum and confidence, it's going to take like 6, 7 dominant
rounds from Astralis to kind of slow that down and break that confidence that they're
going to carry forward.
Early grenade damage towards bigger Xero.
And he can't really be too cutesy with the calling in this round.
They've got two smokes and two flashes left, so it's kind of like smoke off heaven and
Let's rock and roll
They've got a good timing here as a third players over towards the a bomb site foes
He's staring hooks he stare getting closer to that fast flank said he still hasn't come in yet
Pay in charge begins
Into the B site
Stairs coming down the stairs now looking to eliminate the strongest as Ryu jumping up over the balance
Buria's got a kill stare gets one on his flank
He was close to a second here
has gone back on the low HP still willing to challenge hasn't got that kill
bomb not planted yet for pain stairs surely wins this engagement now at short
here's got one more head shot but still had to come up he turns around and
stairs got that too keep you a strawless alive for now and they're hoping to do
what big did in stage one right come back all the way yeah you know that was
right core breaking a showless there they got to do with themselves oh I
don't want to think about that yet time out from pain they just need to make
sure this doesn't spiral out of control. Gonna be a lot of emotional
management if there is any kind of a comeback, any kind of a run from Astralis
who's just playing one round at a time. Goldfish memory.
Plenty of chances left for pain. But it is perhaps the one area where Astralis
have the advantages. They are playing that like wounded animal back into the
corner. There's no reason for them to not take risks. There's no reason for them to
not be bold and gamble so pain is gonna see some things thrown at them that they
probably don't expect throughout this half as Astralis players realize it's
go big or go home
I'll come in into this round panel, now P250's, TEC-9T Eagle, not the best weapons at all,
but as a pack of players they move up and they haven't been spotted yet, they could get
pretty close to this A site.
I was going to say there's actually really nobody even close to spotting this so much,
be stared now that big is our steps into the danger point do they want to come
clear out or do they want to just leave them be and move forward now two
defenders at the bomb site as hooksy is shifted over
now foosies gonna start moving closer this is a
he's catch because I was about to set up some utility
now foosies sets himself up for a triple kill who's he's defended
alongside of him and now you've got safe we're nowhere to go nowhere to hide
coming up through the connector as well say tracks
P-250 stopped in its tracks by Yabbi, and a nice little sequence there for Fuzi.
One round is all pain required, and now they're back to a buy, and for the first time they're going to have to yelp out for safe as well.
Interesting little stretch around, interesting sequence there from Fuzi, who's shot to the top of the scoreboard for Astralis.
He believes that they will win.
Yeah, he does. They've warmed up that AWP just in case.
Gonna need a lot more than just fozy, Fraggin.
Fire in all cylinders to bring this one back.
So with a little bit more utility in this round, Payne starts venturing towards the A-bomb site, towards bathroom.
Stare is gonna be caught over towards party, just chilling.
Stepping out, oh no. Stare slides back in his chair as Big Azura annihilates him, walking through the smoke, opening kill for Payne.
No reason for Astralis to panic just yet. They're just executing the defense. Yabbi and Ryu pushing out of the monster tunnel as well, gaining some space.
Peria has no idea that's happened, so dangerous position for Ryu to be. And Yabbi over towards the blue door,
so B bomb site, access to it is closed in an early warning system. Meanwhile, you've got Hooksy aggressive out towards Long,
playing in front of the rock. He can turn that corner whenever, and if they don't clear him out, he can be such a nuisance.
On the one minute, on the clock, a second kill has come in for a pain.
Astralis fall to three players and they're about to fall out of the
competition out of the nature here in Cologne. Fuzi and Yabi, the last two
remaining members now Fuzi spotted and the season in 2026 that started with so
much optimism has come to a crushing defeat and end here in Cologne, Germany.
Sounds like we were all looking at this Astralis team early on and their first
few glimpses and how well they looked and how it seemed like there was a path
forward like this Astralis team come the major was gonna be strong was gonna be
challenging was gonna be dangerous for an upset but they're getting wiped out
now in a 0-2 start for pain and they've now made it to the final day of play in
stage two safe waits yabby his steps taking his last steps here at Golan at
the major as Astralis will bow out the four-time major winning organization
fall away. None of the Astralis players show up because it was a snow day. A 13-4 win here
on Overpass and Payne stay alive to the final day of play.
You're exactly right. A snow day indeed. What an incredible performance from the young player
on Payne that they've been waiting for him to drive and step up and deliver this kind
of an effort. Twenty kills on this map. Twenty-two back on Nuke. Forty-two total inside the series
And he was a huge difference maker.
Yeah, and Hooksy knows what it's like to win inside the Lancet.
He knows what it's like to walk to the front of that cathedral.
But for Hooksy, it is an exit in Stage 2 of the Major,
and an unbelievably heartbreaking way to go out.
What a performance from Pain Gaming,
who do Astralis a little bit dirty at Overpass.
Not only did they go up 12-0, they're playing with their fruit martins.
At the end of the day, I think we all knew what was coming.
winning, Astralis being eliminated from the Major. To me, it's not necessarily too big
of a surprise when you consider how Astralis have played so far, but for it to happen in
this fashion in a game where they're not even competitive.
Absolutely. I don't know what really was happening. I'm going to go on a limb here. I don't know
if this is even the hope-take, but what we've seen from Astralis might be, you know, probably
the second worst team of the Major if I take Gaming Gladiators in.
Yeah, they by far had the worst T-side, at least in the Major. Someone who's not having
a bad T-side is big with Zero. First and foremost congratulations for staying alive. I guess you're still in
contention to make it to the next stage and doing a good job against Trons.
Yeah, thank you guys. Yeah, I always said that the O2 team goes through 3-2, so let's see, let's see tomorrow.
So it's all part of the plan in the first stage, because we're going to lose the first two games and then we're going to reverse-repeat.
Speaking of the first two days, you know, we'll get to this. Why do you think you're playing so much better now than you were on day one?
Actually, on Overpass's city side, we had a very good game plan against them because they had a lot of players on B, a lot of picking short all the time, so it was kind of easy to counter that.
So, on Overpass it was that, and Nuke, you know, is a tough map because there's a lot of situations, 1v1, 2v2, that is so important, so we like a lot the map.
But we know that someday it's not the day on Nuke because Nuke for me is a map that you cannot say that because I would say that you cannot expect to win a lot of Nuke's in a row, but you did.
We've done it.
It's a long time ago, though.
Yeah, never mind.
I want to ask you about that new...
Was it a Polish pick in this specific series?
Because they played it a couple of times before, they were pretty bad at it.
So did you look into the account of the previous games?
Yeah, because Astrodis is the kind of team, in my opinion, that they play a lot around
the Steyr, you know, they like to put the Steyr in some place and play after that.
And for me, especially as a GL, it's easy to counter this kind of way to play, you know,
because if you kill the Steyr, you're almost in the run.
We were discussing it on Nuke, we were seeing a lot of a-hits from them and their D-Side
hasn't been that great.
Were you surprised and were you at the same time ready?
Because if they put Steyr somewhere in their default, they have to kind of like, when you
counter that they always resort to something different and that almost always are these
a hits a splits so your a players were kind of busy with that but you did really well
defending it is it hard to counter that because they have a lot of different variations actually
uh yes i know because uh yeah of course i mean it's difficult to to counter any strats on a
you know there's no spots to be there because they have mollies and yeah but at the same time
we knew all the execs and to be honest we got some spots that like end flashy and
these kind of things you know that the flashes were not blinding so yeah I think the game plan
also was good on Nuke but Nuke is a little bit more difficult map to counter you know.
Do you feel like the game today was easier than you would have expected? Was it easier to play
against Astralis and then some people might have been you thought about?
On over Pesias, on Okinawa.
Why do you think so? Just because you had a good game plan or?
Yeah, good plan. Because if you look like all the game plan for them, like on this side,
it's almost always the same. Like doing all the we call Australia's smokes that
were close to monster and Molly close to bearers.
Yeah, and we call Australia's Nades. So, for us it was kind of easy to counter.
I'm curious to ask you a little bit about your team because there's been a lot of players going in
and out and now you have a different roster here at the Major. Who's making the calls inside
a team so you want to change players? Because you've had DGT, you've had David Dayes. Where are
you guys at now? Are you happy with the roster now? What is it all about?
I'm the kind of guy that I'm always happy with the roster but at the same time I know
all the roster changes is just for improvement you know. No one do like a change for no reason
so I really believe that but at the same time I feel sad sometimes because they are very
good people, the old teammates but at the same time I know that sometimes it's not just better
for us but for them also like DGT is the proof right because he's playing very well on 9Z
and when we talked before with him I said exactly that bro I think is not the better thing for us
I think for you also because we try to respect the side but at the same time we have to separate
like the emotions with the reason, you know?
Speaking of changes, a player within your team that you get is Snow.
He's changed a bit of position and in this game, you know, firing on all cylinders.
I think a lot of people were maybe a bit surprised that you put so much stuck into Snow
and you get them. Can you try from your point of view to explain, you know,
what it is you see in Snow because clearly it's working now
whereas before it's been a little bit more up and down?
Yeah, Esno is a kind of guy that I would say that everyone was inside the team, you know,
because it's not just about the mood, of course, he has an insane mood all the time.
I was happy, I was smiling, and for me, as IGL especially, you have to, you need to
be a guy like him, because if I say anything for him, he just absorbs it all the time.
Nades or
Everything you can imagine it. So even things about life like about girls because I'm
Old guy and not that old but I give some advice for him like really have to do that
Because it's the kind of guy that I am I always giving advice for for the young guys and yeah
He is the like a little son, you know
Like that now see you've been able to turn around the ship we briefly spoke about you went oh two on day one
Now you find yourself in a 2-2 position
You're yet to lose a map in a best of three game so far in stage two naturally
It goes without saying that you still believe that you can make it to stage three and does that depend on the opposition as well
Or do you think right now pain is in a good enough condition that you can beat anyone who's who's going to you in that two-two game
anyone right now like I mean for me build tree is the kind of match that we
we want to face you know and I'll be wall be one because for me it's so
difficult to play bill one hours I don't know pain game has something with
best of one guys I don't know what it is but I know have something I
don't know why but I just believe that the build tree will play much better
Now naturally you have to wait a bit before you find out who you're playing because there's still a lot of games going on
But names like 90s in contention legacy potentially as well
I mean there's a lot of spicy teams, you know, maybe even G2 if they were to lose their game
Any of those teams that you would like to face, you know, 90 with every fun with GTT legacy with every fun domestically
Or would you rather avoid that?
To be honest, no
Yeah, maybe G2 because it's not so far marketing just because of that
All right, because how the American is if they
Potentially match up in in a weird way where they get to play not each other tomorrow and they make it to the stage three
That's also for the spots for the next picture, right? Yeah, that's another thing that you have to look for
It's a long play right a lot of brainpower there for for you big. So thank you. So yeah
But at the same time, if you both lose, oh yeah, that's a disaster, that's a disaster.
Yeah, yeah, that is on you.
Thank you so much for joining us, get some rest and get ready.
Unfortunately, from a heavy winner, we go to a rather sad loser.
We had to start catching up with Rooker after Astralis were eliminated.
The matchup was pain versus Astralis and unfortunately in this moment for Astralis,
it did not go their way.
And quite a few questions from here with Coach Rooker.
I appreciate you taking some words for us with us here at the end.
What happened in your mind? What happened here?
I think the whole tournament has been a little bit too many small mistakes
that we couldn't really recover from at crucial moments.
I think we have good reason on them in most of the rounds,
but we somehow just don't convert the situations we get.
I'm not exactly sure what happened on Overpass, because obviously I can see we are dying,
but not what's actually happening in the micro, but it obviously hurts when you get
this few T-Rounds as we've been doing this tournament, so it's probably a mix of us
not hitting our shots and misreading small individual adjustments here and there.
I did want to go back to Nuke and sort of talk about the splits that we saw there towards
the upper site.
To run them constantly, what was the inspiration for your guys' T-Side Nuke approach?
I think whenever you play good teams, there's always some mind games in terms of what they
predict we'll do and what we need to do to be one step ahead, so the main split was something
we identified that would be a good round against them, but I think they were a little bit lucky
with one of the rotations or smart, depending on how you look at it.
So I think the last time we do it, they're two inside main after we saw him in orange,
so we'll play by him, but I think the first time we do it, I think we have the chance
to win the round, just not converting the kills that makes the round go in your favor.
So we go on into overpass and I kind of have to ask a similar question here about that T side
and mostly stemming from the several timeouts, right?
So you guys have exhausted timeouts and then you go on to attack monster again.
What's the thought process there?
How does it transpire?
How does it come together?
Oh, it's like when you play to one team, as I said, when it also comes to Nuke that sometimes
you recall because they sometimes also want to be one step ahead saying okay they just
played this let's be heavy towards A so that's always one of the mind games coming into it.
But I do think we have the chances in the beginning of the half up until 5-0 we have
you know think a 3-3 pissed around we have a winnable force buy on A side we have a 3-3
where we're not on the same page on B side so I think it's just everything that could
go wrong when wrong this whole tournament for us so I just fucking sucks there's not
and more sales to it. One of the last ones I got here for you, I got two years in
the Charles jersey now as the coach. What can you you say as you guys look to
exit here in Cologne? Obviously we had higher expectations. We wanted to go
through to stage three as minimum and mesh up against like the best of the
best in the world. This was not the time to do it but yeah we're still a young
team and changed from Danish to international at the start of the year.
We set our expectations higher with the results we've had throughout the whole
season and yeah it's going out 1-3 at the Major but that's not all of the
draw this was in 20-26 so far. Thank you so much for your time.
Always tough to do an interview like that after you clearly have you know as he's
also expressing disappointed yourself and disappointed from a performance
standpoint as well when you look at these results as well it doesn't make any
sense the way they were coming in fired up against Gamer Legion. I saw that game
on Ancient they were looking solid they were looking great they had a according
themselves a good preparation leading into the tournament and then from that game and
on what Martin it was just a disaster after disaster after disaster one thing is being
eliminated another one is being eliminated in this fashion did there's no real positive
to take away I think that this is a nightmare scenario coming from Astralis because not
only did they play bad they probably came into the tournament with a certain plan with
the game plan with with X amount of practice but they didn't show any of that which means
that all that practice kind of is lost data because they don't know now if they if they just you know
that preparation sucked or individually they suck something has to happen and there's not much to
take away from this other than back to the drawing board this was a nightmare catastrophe and as
Raga said in the interview despite them lifting a trophy this season this was not a successful
season this is not where astralis needs to be wants to be especially coming international
And that speaks a bit for the future, Peter, because I do agree with that sentiment as well,
that they actually did quite okay for a new international roster, especially in the beginning.
I think even on the world ranking, on the VS ranking, there are peaking in number four,
number five, which was kind of unheard of by doing somewhat decent in a lot of tournaments,
farming a lot of points. But when you consider the season as a whole, with the way the major is
ending, is this roster you see on your screen right now, those five players, are they going to
to stick together or do you think already by now that someone will be thinking we need
to change something?
The recovery of this event is going to be extremely important for the roster.
That's for sure.
I mean, when you have had a good upswing of results, even if you've decided to go international
and then you come here, then you make this kind of a poor result, it changes something.
I think you change a little bit of your belief in the roster.
I think that Rucker put it out there that there's still a young team and they've wowed
their lives now to become international, which I think is the right decision overall, right?
But it's, it's, this one's a heartbreaker. And you know, I think the next two, if not
three months is going to be very important. And if the results keeps going downwards,
as we've just seen now, then there's no doubt that that changes in the horizon because it's
like this was just, this was unacceptable on so many ways. And also, I think a lot of teams
actually have hurt themselves by having a relatively good season coming into the major and then
coming here with the expectation of you know making at least stay through hey
where's a we want to be showing to the best teams in the world that we can play
up up with you and then when they don't when they seem to be playing so poor
against the Lord rank teams that that's that's that's a that's a godbreaker right
I'm not gonna sugarcoat it I think they put themselves in an incredible tough
position also in what we spoke about coming into the game Martin now that
you've gone international you know the world is your oyster there's so many
potential players you can bring in you're not only necessarily looking at a
at Danish players anymore, so in terms of Astralis and keeping this fireman roster together,
I guess it's going to be tempting during the summer break to change something when there's
so many different players you potentially can bring in.
Is that speaking in favour of changes happening during the summer, you think?
Yeah, I think so, because when you look at the name like Hoekse, obviously a lot of players
probably admire him for his achievements back in G2 as well and what he managed to do with
that roster.
Now we have another statistic that, well, their T-sides on this major specifically were
atrocious, like one of the worst ever.
Probably the worst.
The worst.
I'm not sure how it compares with gaming mediators, but it's definitely up there.
And then you compare it with, okay, do I actually want to play, like, is this really
the guy that I want to be led by?
Obviously, this is so far small sample size, but nonetheless, it's a sample size that needs
to be taken into account, and it's going to affect your future negotiations.
I don't know, the contract situation is looking like with all these players, are they going to be benched, sold, let go?
I don't know, but whatever was happening today and basically past three days for Astralis,
paints a big picture that it might not be looking as bright as a lot of people hoped for when they went into an international project.
It's always incredible, difficult to play football manager with teams, obviously we don't know the inner workings,
we don't know what kind of budgets they're having, what kind of contracts are in place, etc.
What we do know now is that we have Astralis being eliminated from IEM Cologne,
and I can't help to think that we have sort of the same scenario going on with Gamer Legion.
Maybe to a less extent.
You can see it right here as well. Gamer Legion, you know,
I could be the biggest disappointment together with Astralis so far here in Stage 2.
Are they in a similar position, Peter,
where Gamer Legion and Astralis can almost mirror each other and be like,
oh, we had a pretty decent beginning to the season.
We had some upticks, but when we had to deliver,
when we had to peak at the Major,
both of them turned out to be not good for it.
Yeah, very similar actually. That's the resemblance of the two teams.
And I really just, as I mentioned before, think it hurt them that they've had a good season.
And then the major, when they're supposed to be living, that they don't really get to do that.
I think they play two different styles, right?
I think game of legion were a little bit, you know, that you can see the disconnection between the players.
But where in Astralis, there's like this stubbornness of preparation and trying to go back to the, you know,
they just kept going back to the same tactic all over again.
and they just threw themselves in the meek where in a time and time again, specifically in Overpass,
where that felt more like Hoeksy trying to really just put his game plan forward,
because that's what they've seen in preparation, that's what they're supposed to be working.
But they had a really hard time adapting, and I think that really cost him the life of this tournament.
And Hoeksy is an in-game player that demands a lot of his players, rightfully so.
I mean, he's been playing alongside some of the best players in the world and leading G2 to multiple titles as well.
So he also knows what what is needed to win trophies, right?
But it just has a way different like player like player material
The player material is just very different, right and that the is he demanding too much. I don't know
Maybe he's doing it in the wrong way
I'm not sure if he actually the way that he communicates in the in the in the pauses is in my book
It's needed of him to know rally his trooper and tell them that guys what we're doing when I was not good enough
But I'm also curious to see if it's actually pulling a bit of confidence out of these players as well
That could very well be the case.
I think it's time that we closed the chapter on Astralis that I am Cologne.
They will be going home eventually, whether that's going to happen today or tomorrow.
I'm not sure about the flights here from Cologne to Denmark,
but it's a fact that we don't get to see them play any more Counter Strike here.
However, there's more Counter Strike on the cards today, and there's a simultaneous game running right now.
I just quickly want your thoughts on that one sticker, right?
Because I love asking about your gut feeling.
MIBR playing Bait, similar scenario.
Loser will be eliminated.
It's 1-1, they're heading into a third map.
Your initial gut feeling about that one, MIBR or BAKE, who's going to survive today?
That's a great question.
For BATE, it's always about the mental game.
I feel like whenever they decide to have fun, they're going to be winning.
Whenever they decide to tilt, they're going to help.
I can help you.
They're playing Ancient?
Ancient?
Does that change anything?
I think BATE has chances on Ancient.
Honestly, they played good against FOOT.
It was 13-11, I believe, loss, but Ancient is one of those maps where I feel like BATE
is actually like, okay, we're just going to bring the fight to them and it allows them
to be a little bit more aggressive and until themselves buy a good round, buy a hero play.
I think that's a pretty comfortable pick, but anything can happen in these kind of games
that we're having right now in elimination games, as we have just seen literally on our
screens 20 minutes ago.
I think that's a wonderful segue to close out this segment.
Anything can happen when you're playing the Major, especially when you're in Cologne with
all the pressure.
Now coming up here on the A-Stream, we also have a bit of a banger game, Monty.
of the big surprises so far at this tournament. Taking on another one in Bet Boom, you know,
a team that I'm very curious to see play more Counter Strike. That's going to be interesting.
We'll jump into a quick break. We're going to switch a little bit of the personality on the
desk, but fear not, there's going to be plenty more Counter Strike coming your way throughout the day.
Oh, what does he do?
Oh, he's dead!
Oh, come on, come on, come on, come on, come on, come on!
Why is he in such good control as the game?
Why is he in such good control as the game?
The last fight. This is a good call.
Okay.
Brenner to be disruptive, swings on in, and just Alex can hit it.
NPL can.
There's another one that came from though, trying to profit from the chaos from Klim.
Leaping forward, elevated over the box around the smoke.
Spots one, removing Sizi. NPL for the trade attempt.
The three on two as the dust settles and the smokes fade.
What? Venoms just found NPL straight through.
through. Sentiel's flank. Yeah, there's two backs turn this could be round ending.
Kessie needs to live. Kessie's trying to draw attention. And a double spray. Comfortable
bait on the board. That was a very tough round for Bait there because I love the approach
from MRBR. Once you have that response time, the rotations, they can get there in time.
It's something that Navi a couple years ago were very good at. It's one through CT, one
through Donut, one through Temple. Next guy CT, next guy Donut. I mean, I don't know the
I heard a key word from G2, it's kind of, you know, I would imagine something like fiesta, like we're going, we're just going to go, everyone move, everyone cause the chaos around the smokes, comms become hectic, and you can profit.
And there was the two players from bait who were on the lurk, but MIBR just wanted to fight the side play, so the fact they were able to trade, they're trying and testing A once more this time off the rip.
Interesting, okay.
Smokes not great.
Copy and paste, you're right, you can actually play around that and Clem is investigating for that.
Exactly! Alex knows what's up.
There's a B-line right there.
Safe.
If you can.
This is already red.
Are they here? You're scampering away.
Okay.
Oh, I mean, this is one of those maps where you can condition like this.
Your first two gun rounds that you just called straight up agos.
We saw this from Gizmy's calling though.
The fact that he was able to single-handedly take that A space and get that flank in one of those key rounds.
I know we're doing some revisionist history right now,
But it was legacy who really didn't know how to plug the gaps.
It was all that we're losing to be executes.
They take a on timing and we're also having a tough time holding on to middle.
Maybe I'll find themself in a similar situation.
Then they can start to slather on the round, especially if you're doing these be heavy starts, right?
Like rounds go by, you're doing all your protocols.
You're laying you till at some point, you're going to stop throwing it.
At some point, you're going to maybe start an extra man.
Make a given over felons.
He can get his hands on it, but no, we'll just retain the M four.
So I keep 3M4s that'll give them something into round number five. You're not going to see any investment from Klim or Insani
Yeah, they saw that the donut smoke was a little bit skew if I know with the problem immediately so some sharp shooting
There's two kills. That's the highlight the call
That's what excites me
Again, are you kidding? Yes, there's this a mid-play. Well, yeah, they've done a little extra mid-play
Okay, 3M4's saved.
There's a boost.
Perfect start, isn't it?
That's how you help your M4s find an opening.
You act as a little stepping stool.
Well, they're not to know this,
but if they started executing towards me right now,
they would have been in.
Klim and LNZ are rotating back to deal with this.
And LNZ announcing the presence of U-Tilt.
So, his support network's still not on the way
to pushing, eh, mate?
Yeah, but he's got vision over this flame.
He can shoot through it.
Going in round the corner after the flashes wants to catch that perfect timing.
Waits for his teammates a little using those USBs to bait.
Double HE, essential, racks up the double, Brenno back with the same.
It's not out of the realm's impossibility that Venom Zera could do something.
I'm writing off Insani with his unarmored USB, but he could get a cave flank here.
Looks like Sizi's holding for it. Never mind, picks up an AK.
There's a world where he could just tap the head if he comes through.
I think damage, there's no key at the retake. You're almost in impossibility.
Yeah, there was a chance for Venom-Zera on the cave fight, but Insani's just gonna try and preserve.
Could've respawned bomb!
Yeah, well they are gonna have to try and get out of there, so Insani should have this one.
Alex goes down this time, and I mean, Sizi can take the safe haven towards CT spawn to get out of there, so...
Okay, we'll take the lead.
So you know, Venom, normally one of the bee holders, that helps inform the decision, sure, they were still tempered in how they get there.
Could use two usage, bash them on the way in even though Brenna got in the double but the trade worked
and they're just playing together in the post plant.
We get the job done.
So we've seen an A play with a mid lurk, we've seen an A rush
and now we've had Outmid to B.
Keep it up. Second timing out mid, fences all off the wall, path easy, kick in, it's
fully blind though. Rena finds one before Sizi sees to him and it's clear and traded
out as well, so just like battle battling in middle has resulted in advantage for Bait.
We know that it's both B defenders, LNZ and VenomZero are the last to arrive. And you've
dealt with the mid and the A hold. Again, on the B side of the map, this is the right
call right now. There's no smokes for the execute, just two mollies, a flash and a HE.
The spacing could be the deciding factor in this one.
You SISY's low HP to draw them in. These molotovs not going to get you far, so just
contacting up the ramp. Let's see how that spacing is. SISY's parting up close.
That turned easy for the first, and Alex trading.
It's exactly what the doctor ordered.
The lensie in the clutch, essential.
Perfect!
Just returns his glance towards the short side,
puts his process straight on the head of the Swede.
Might be a time I go into the next gunny.
It's got four-and-drop.
And this is that mid-fight, you know, you trade blows.
It looks problematic for a moment because
MPL and SZ were late.
They got flash coming through.
Kenzie looked like he got sold there a little bit, but good trade work from Sizi.
Sani with a Hero M4.
There are some light investments, lost bonus facilitating this, but it's two Mac 10s.
One for Kenzie, one for MPL. They would have had money for AK.
So this is an intentional investment.
And one that does mean that they can spring into action towards V.
Both gonna take these towards K.
Well, let's see how it goes.
Bet Boom vs. Monty in the server, live, uncut,
Beamus also back in the server, having spent a ton of time in it at one point
and now back in it with Monty. Let's talk a little bit about that history you got.
It's an interesting one with Mal's face. Talk to me about that, Tenure.
Well, it just happened all of a sudden, you know, I was a kid grinding
and then one day, Nico writes me on Twitter, he's like,
hey Beamus, are you free for this weekend? I said yeah
and then he told me to go team speak and he just tells me that they need to stand
in for a phase
And that's how my pro career started.
Just like that, my first pro team was FaZe.
It was a hard period. I had no experience.
I was put in the hard roles with player cycles there and Eco Rain.
It was very tough.
But yeah, to be honest, I wouldn't change anything
because I had a chance to play with so many great players.
And yeah, after that, I joined Maus.
I was in Maus for a few years.
I believe I learned the most during my Maus venture.
So yeah, that's how it started and that that's fascinating to be honest
That's quite the impressive resume just off the top not alone to mention that we're here today to talk about
How you can make that boom wait to qualify for stage three another day
So I guess the big question here has to be for Monty
What do you guys learn from big games long best of ones on Mirage versus G2?
What did we learn?
Well
Probably the best learning is that even if we're up 3-0 in overtime
We need to close the game, you know, you're up 18 15 we took three three rounds on T side and
Yeah, we just lost all of the runs on CT side. We couldn't close it
And yeah, I think the main thing to take is that we must close the game, you know, it's it's not over until it's over
But overall we were really happy how we showed up on Mirage. So
just
It just proved that our practice on it wasn't for nothing
Which is always very rewarding kind of nice even if you do kind of fumble sometimes and you know getting the best in OT
Back to Beppum today. What are you anticipating here? What do you think Beppum is gonna give you in the server?
I think they're gonna give us a good fight
They have really good players very good individual players have boom which has their IGL one of the greatest IGLs in the game
I believe I believe it's gonna be a war to be honest
And I hope it's going to be fun for the viewers and we'll leave it at that. Thank you very much for your time. Good luck. Thank you
Intel Extreme Masters Colonial Major 2026 is brought to you by ESL and partnership with
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And so...
Spira and Fur already locked into stage 3. Now it's time to find out who is next in line.
in line. Our first 2-1 match of the day begins with Bets, Boom and Monty, myself, for Espiz,
Yanko and Ash will be guiding you on through it. Now, before we dive into this matchup, Yanko,
I hate to say you're right, but you're right about Charlis. That intuition, you knew they were just
going to fumble this. Yeah, it didn't look good whatsoever, right? And it's always disappointing
Stiko was mentioning it. Like, you put a lot of effort, a lot of prep into it, and you have nothing
to show for it and not really a lot of that about you know was it our preparation that was bad
where we just bad on the day and didn't come you know ready to play in a way which is also really
disappointing for them but yeah absolutely atrocious not to win a single round on your
t-side on your own mapek then nuke they had a lot of faith in it the entire season hasn't panned out
so a lot of things going wrong yeah particularly with an organization with so much history come
come at the majors, but alas, we must move on to our pretty
didn't even shed a tear. Yeah, I kind of thought one out for
this boys. It's just been so long, right? It's just been too
long for poor to give enough. I would too. Honestly, uh,
Beb, let's talk about them and how they found themselves in
this position. Um, Ash, I think it is understandable when you
lose out a game to spirit to be starting off the stage. That's
totally fine. What about the recovery from them? I mean,
they've just looked solid. I feel like in every single game,
That's very well like was a day they got dunked on it was kind of a lucky for them in that aspect
But I feel like it just feels like every game is in their control. They seem confident
They seem to have communication going the vibe seem good
It's like a honeymoon period with real superstar players and show you and keep working stuff
We thought we bring a new guy in and it kind of just lifts the mood and everything
Yeah, it's always helps but they've only played one good team so far at the mage
And they've lost to them and they've lost to them. That was team spirit all these other guys
absolute trash. Outside of M80 they weren't trash in general, but they were trashed that game.
And also, their Vito was trashed because they went and played Dust 2 against Bad Booming the best of
one. I'm not sure what they were thinking. And that was an off day for M80, but everyone else,
and I know Spirit doesn't have their coach here. Maybe we need to take one of their players as well,
and even it out, right? Because this is absolutely absurd, you know, the run that they've had,
Donk obviously will you know get into it in the next stage that's when hopefully things will get a bit more difficult for you
You're not gonna defend your boys on game. He's just saying the trash ash. I think you did you have a good night's sleep
I don't know man. I mean I thought so last night. I don't think they will probably agree
Monty on the other side of things they've had some quite brawly series to go down
We were impressed with that what we saw from them rather the other day against legacy very tight
win there but a very tight loss versus G2 Ash. What did you take away from that one?
It was close. I think they had a chance to get that one. We talked about it again yesterday.
They had chances to close that one out. A bit of an experience. I think I've been kind of most
impressed with the UK guys as you'd expect with the two guys probably most struggling the most
recently. They've shown up to land. They're used to the screaming and everything. This is what we
know for you know i-series and Epicland. You're getting each of us faces. So they're doing well.
I think the opposition are playing against is respectable as well. Maybe it'd be bigger hardly
the top tier, but they're not exactly poor at the same time, so it's good results from them.
I think they're showing a good level. Could have taken down G2, which is a really strong squad
beating Legacy, who is definitely one of the favorites to make it into the next stage, sending
them in that 1-2 bracket. And I think, you know, just playing solid CS, individuals doing well,
no one is really lagging behind, right? People sort of doing their job. I think Rainwaker was
also creating those over times against G2. I mean taking a lot of initiative out of AAPS,
basically owning heavy god on that bombsite. So yeah, they've been an exciting team
to watch, but this will also be a big challenge for them. Did you ever get caught in a metal detector,
Ash? Did you ever get your keys in your pocket or something? I don't think I've ever seen anyone
ever get caught by metal detector. What did you ask? I didn't. Peer things. I'm not even going to ask.
either way, we talked about the UK guys, Azulu has caught your attention Ash, for what reason?
Well he was the guy coming into this, struggling the most probably with anyone at this stage,
he's kind of a little bit worried about him, but he's a very aggressive player. It's interesting to
see how he's going to translate coming in with no confidence into the major, and you can see he's
in everyone's faces as for sure, this is opening attempts on both sides. You're just behind that,
you know, you're playing pretty aggressively, but these things don't really matter so much
if you're not doing so well at them, so having this and feeding is pretty negative, but
we see here the success rate is having right now young absolutely incredible
competitors online stats in a weaker position big difference going on for some reason there
yeah big step up but can we get that previous graphic back up again for for ash here because
i really want to make sure so this is your top 10 best opening daggers in the world let's just
make that clear for the best players in the world or was it these are the most it's just listed by
order of attack. All right, glad to be here.
Yeah, I mean, Azuma, just in terms of the style he's opening things up. Do you like in him to
anybody? Is he got his own unique style? He would you kind of compare him to the most?
I don't know if I could really like into anyone, but what I would say is in all of these clips
you're going to see here, every single one of them is in an e-bar by-round or pistol against
pistol. And this is against legacy. Unfortunately, if you are from Brazil, you might want to mute
now, but the score in this for opening kills seven and one. And I don't know how much Azuma
I really loved that semi-final, when he played against Big, the German team, he also had 7-1, so maybe it's a bit of a meme-er, because I have a guest here,
Yankees against G2 with entry attempts, I'll give you a little hint over here.
Oh, not the 6-7.
Every segment, I ask.
6-7, so he's been on fire, I think it's the most interesting thing, because can you keep this going, having 30% attempts, but having 70% of you winning, incredible to keep that going.
Yeah, and it makes Gizmy's life so much easier, right, as well.
I mean, having an entry fragger, having success, you're calling from ahead,
you're putting the pressure on your opponents, right?
They have to do reactions as well.
And yeah, it just makes it much easier for him to call a game.
Perfect, Segway, into the Gizmy conversation.
Because when I was speaking to him on media day, we're doing a little feature.
I'm sure that we'll play at some point, but I was asking him,
which game leader does he aspire to be most like?
of course said apex and we can kind of see some similarities in terms of that reliance on the utility usage the actual damage
He gets across here as well. What have you taken away from this one? Ash?
So this is his utility damage in a game
We're going to check in a second against para vision 37.4 per round he was averaging and this is against bet boom
Who we're probably gonna see some just do today. They are the best with utility in the world
And this is him against the entire team in this game almost matching their output on our
This is a crazy one for sure. I'm gonna see this now. So it's a
I think there's ideologies around here dropping here to grenades nowadays. It's it's been in matter of a thing, you know and setting up some position
We saw the start of just to I think there's a lexie be was being dropped five heat you're gonna need to see just ball when first things happen
This is a game gonna play a little worried about the chip the whole like having dropping utility. Yeah, it was crazy
And I remember this game from from for league sort of like, what is he doing?
He's lining it up.
And then he's got some great lineups to be fair.
And this is, I think he kind of made this a metaphor for a little while.
So we'll see a set smoke grenade to go and drop this down at his feet.
And why has he got so much utility damage?
Well, you see now one at your grenade, boom, here comes the second one.
And this is why we said he's new in every body.
This is the majority of his utility in this damage in this game.
Sorry, it's kind of sets things off.
You can see how easy this for BMAS in the end.
He can jump around like this and then sort of knows he just needs to hit his
and he'll get the kill.
Yeah, we'll see, you're just softening things, I think, for Yellow in this game.
We talked about entry fragging.
For Zulu, he's gonna kind of set up for Yellow.
Maybe not so much, Junko.
Yeah, it's very difficult, right?
If you're an entry fragger, or, you know, just part of the map control group,
and this is what happens to you every single time,
like you're just going into these executes with 40 HP,
you know, it starts tanking your confidence.
And honestly, a little bit, it's in the back of a player's head,
is like, do they know everything we're doing?
everything we're doing because if it's happening round after round and it's
constant it can't just be random you know like they're seeing some tells on you
and that lowers the confidence of some of the players that are supposed to be
taking those initial fights and you know that's something that you've seen for
example after Donk initially broke out with Team Spirit is like what teams
okay now we really have to stop this guy somehow and then you started seeing on
on dust to all the time, just HE after HE after HE and just try to slow him down with any means necessary.
I feel like that's how Vitaliy got the better of them in Katowice there, right?
It was like literally tailor-made to be taken down, dog.
And the thing is, the HE you're going to do over like 20 damage, that M4 suddenly becomes an AK,
and you can just like even for Jello here, a couple of body shots right now,
like you have to clear angles as well. It's not usually the first place you look after a flick
across hell by that. So being an entry frag, I'm sure you work with some good ones down in the
in the jungle as well. It's nothing more tilting for them.
These people usually start to tell us as well, right?
And HE grades in the face every round.
Kind of win conditions.
Yeah, for guys who play in that map control group,
you know, I had Rain and Equi in that on face.
So they can just so many times finding good timings
and being able to be the tip of the spear.
But going up against Astralis in their heyday, right?
Like that was what their game plan was all about,
like just using utility to stop you, slow you down.
And they were the kings of introducing that sort of chip damage
and using like Acheese to just chip away at you in a way.
And it was super annoying to play again.
How does one become a master of that ash then?
Because it's one thing throwing, you can throw, you can molotov.
It's a whole other thing getting the optimum amount of damage on them, right?
Is it just preparation?
Is it watching your opponents' demos, knowing those tendencies?
How do you kind of become a bit of a master at that?
I think it's thinking about is important as well.
who saw one of the examples, he threw a Molotov down short, and he just waits for the Molotov
about to die, and he knows at that point, that's when the flashbang's coming in, that's
when the counter Molotov's coming in, throw a grenade there and he bounces afterwards.
That's kind of the default time. Also, when you're on short, for example, you know when
the X-Fox Molotov comes in, they're going to wait for a flashbang to peek you down there,
and you know there's a good time to throw it down, so just having that good awareness,
I think that's something that Apex is very good at. He knows what time his people want
to come into positions like Banana or any other. He knows exactly when, because he was
the entry fragger doing this for such a long time, having that experience comes in, but
when you get to watch someone like it, but you get a bit of a feeling eventually, he's checking
practice all the time, you're always looking pressing tab, checking utility damage every round,
picking yourself up, you get used to it, it just kind of comes a little bit over time.
I think it's also important like you do it in the broader scope of a game, like if you're playing
3B and sort of you want to invite your opponents to come on a map like Inferno, well then you don't
necessarily want to do a ton of damage with the Achees, right? But let's say if Apex is alone and
just wants to sort of slow them down and kind of dissuade them from funnel them into A.
Well, then you're really trying to use those HEs to do as much damage as you possibly can.
Very impressive stuff from Monty, particularly considering a full major rookies on the side of
them. For Batboom, only one in Dillardez. What's been your kind of takeaway in terms of temperature
checker so far from him, Janko? I think he just brings a lot of firepower to Batboom and it's
It's weird to talk about them because it is crazy to me sort of how good they have been
and consistent they have been over the past three months with all the stand-in situations,
right?
And you have to understand also this is not, oh, they're practicing with these players
and then he's just playing as a stand-in.
No, they're practicing with a different five and then last minute someone doesn't have
a visa or waiting for it, doesn't happen, whatever.
And then a different player steps in and that can be very annoying for everyone, mostly
for the in-game leader but for everyone really because you're spending this time in practice
piecing everything together only for things to go south but they've done such a great
job of sort of not caring about any of that just coming in, gaming, taking down vitality
in Atlanta and here they've looked pretty strong as well.
It's quite a steric approach, right? You've got to play with the cards that you've thinned
out unfortunately these are situations out of their control but are you equally impressed
Ash with what they've been able to deliver considering the kind of puzzle piece roster
they've had to put together at times?
For sure, what they're doing is pretty special, like being Vitality, having them run here,
it's really nice. I think for me as well, Dillard is, he's kind of in that bracket with
like Resol, and if you know his name or the guy with R3 on him, he's been kind of waiting
for a long time to get his opportunity. It's nice seeing him now on a team where he can
show himself. He's been having a lot of visa issues as well. That's why I've not been seeing
him. This is a dangerous team, 100%.
And one other thing that is kind of impressive to me about Bad Boom is with all these standing
situations in everything. Their map pool is kind of deep. I mean in the sense of they play all the
six maps outside of their perma-ban inferno like a fairly good amount. So sure they don't have equal
success rate on all of them but there are no slouches on these maps and I think for Monty and
this particular game like it overlaps a little bit. I'm just curious to see if Petpoom is going to
to go for that Dust 2 pick because they could get maybe Anubis as the decider or they just
go for Anubis maybe thinking it's going to get vetoed out otherwise.
Let's roll it. What do you suspect, Ash?
I think this is when I was looking at this one. There's different ways both teams could go because
both teams are going to have like overlap in where you want to pick them up but it doesn't feel
massively like a weakness. I want to see those two because I'm interested to see like this utility
standoff with their booktunes are very good with it and we saw the other day as well Betwee on that
CT side which is absolutely fantastic as an MAT I think it was a new pick coming in they've been
good so far destroyed game legion a couple of times on that one so that makes sense yeah it's
another one of their most played maps I was thinking for one thing perhaps something like ancient
would have been an option but they go for Mirage having that you know been against big and a good
would showing against G2 and in the end it is Dust2, so Bedboomb gets that if it comes
to it. But yeah, a bit different to what I expected. I thought if they picked Dust2,
maybe they would have gotten an Ubers, but seeing how Monty banned it regardless, that
was never going to be the case.
Is there a clear favourite for you in terms of this matchup considering Spotted Stage
3 on the line?
I think they've done well to be third Monty, I've been surprised, but I've been most
I mean, obviously spirit don't
count. We just turn they're not
here. We've been right up there
the whole time. I mean, they I'm
playing it. Maybe the strongest
positions didn't have a strong
depth in the way to play in the
play. But some solids actually
they're not relying on just
vibes and everything like the
look genuinely good. They do
indeed. It's time to get into
the action Monty versus Betboom
with a spot at stage three on
stage three and the loser has to keep on fighting going through to the dreaded final day of play.
That boom taking on Monty. Monty coming through is I think a real surprise here inside of
this stage. I know a lot of folks had them down 0 and 3. Maybe he didn't by the end of
day one. What would be extra time about generously gave. But look what I'm saying is this Monty
squad expectations were pretty low. I feel like they've kind of defied that thus far.
I think recently buyers playing a big factor here obviously some some disappointing results coming into the event
But this is even it's consistently upset top squads coming into the year or make games close
So don't count them out of a chance to get that stage three birth. However, that boom
ferocious all tournament long
grinding their way through this season with multiple rosters and
Multiple wins in their pockets
around through stage one without a problem looking to do the same and hey if Ash says the spirit we don't count them is here
And that boomer looking for the 3 oh run right now
V01 was a smashing the bet boom otherwise have looked unstoppable
Well, I've only got be must to get past here Afro is very far removed
That's well to get out with his double leaves Afro not in an impossible spot here little lobby flank taking place pretty quickly
I'm coming back to clear this and try to get rid of the man in their back line.
They flubbed the shot on Magnages.
Now he's got dual breadies to work with.
And Afro is put together very, very quickly where this last man is ready for the fight.
How many more chances is Zorty really going to give him?
Trying to get a time on this one, Afro, so he's playing with his food, another fake
But even with that kill he knows it's done bet booms pistol converted or taken it with ease in that clutch
Keeping your basic popping our I'm coming back to the a plant and Monty have nothing to show for it
So bet boom on this go-to map at this major
looking good
Talk about teams having new best mastered and what that could mean for the major especially with the front sets against top squad
I also think nuke is always going to staple the map for every top team every best team of the world has
Mastered this map has found huge win streaks on nuke across the years be it nip a straws or vitality
so bet boom
They have a very strong detail. They have a very deep pool
And that's going to help moving forward
A banged out gamer legion twice over on this map so far this major
It's Monty's first time since Astana.
Do you feel like Agnus Vito is one of the most threatened in this entire stage right now?
Having a new disc with such a good track record, having Nuke,
being able to play maps like Dust2 to a very high level,
banning Inferno, which not many teams are picking as of late. It's a handshake map.
You're entertainment value. You kind of love it. Yeah
Bepplin again similar rounds pressure map forces rotations back out up looking for gunfights here all getting blocked Monty
Get a little bit scary
Let the scout go first as the MP9 swings through the smoke corner thought by Azul on that smoke fade
They trade and dropping back side flammuses on for another double
He's looking up though and Afro has been given a chance another one V1 same players
different situations or he has not got the bomb. Yeah last time right you had
that to play around could just sit back in the lobby this time he's gonna have
to bring the fight to Afro. Will there be a chance at Afro's revenge? One shot
from the scout will do it. Gets on the right line in time. Afro collects. Oh
bad been really getting stuck in door holding heaven there every player
watching it and Azulu finding that perfect timing through the smoke. It's a messy round,
one that Flammas makes very interesting from back of the site, but didn't hear that last player drop.
Could have been the round saver. Flammas has certainly had a great tournament though.
Let's go, man!
You're going to get entribed after a force-by-win throws Batboom through a loop.
Throw a loot.
Second wall comes down outside. That's the last of it.
Util throne.
This map boom can cross. To multi-believe this they are
putting numbers on ramp right now but not leaning with the rotation so if
Bedboom silently get down here it's gonna it could be very
threatening because he was going to go down the vent
oh that's unlucky finding Dilides is a warning sign here for Monty
so we're playing this very safe and smart it's going to be able to back up into
beat as a second player here that that boom shouldn't be ready for.
Some easy done there.
It's now just the eco you've well and truly gained control over the early game of Nuke.
Not letting that boom back in after your four spy win.
So a nice little cash of rounds here to fall back on.
It's rough for that move to be in this position, nice to see them tested on this map.
coming in very confident. Already clearing Lobby.
Surprise from Rain Waker, they took good. Just lock that boom out if they won't waste their time here.
Main flood could be interesting with two guns in position.
Now three.
Oh, I'm held here for Azulu starting this map strong.
That's exactly what you want to see.
As you always had such a notable uptick in form at this major, usually you kind of get
players hitting their debut one and a lot of problems start to emerge, but that's not
been the case for this guy.
Someone I was keeping an eye on heading into this event, he had a string of kind of rough
performances thinking back to, it was Astana, he had their elimination series, he got five
kills in the entire thing.
the one that sent them out there, yeah, Owen 14 on one of the maps, you and I covered that
one and he just looked lost the whole time.
But maybe a nice wake up call coming into this major, he's looking renewed right now,
putting up a phenomenal performance for Monty.
Popped off yesterday against Legacy to get Monty into this qualification game, winning
our 1311 was top performer of that series as well. So integral here, this damage on
the cross again, lighting that room up, getting a little bit stuck in the mud here on these
teas.
Which hasn't made it as soon as he's already here and he sends a nasty message. What a
fake house or he hangs around. No intention to escape. Surprise, surprise. There's a second
That boom
Again caught off guard by these at one two stacks here from Monty
I think that one feels extra frustrating because it's the exact same bait and switch you ran into down at lower as is in your eco round
You kind of don't believe that Monty would have the foresight to run that again
Oh, they are just tracking him for players and lower with the bottom door open that gives it up and boom
which is looking for ghosts right now, but they're already in behind him.
Rain Waker, another double, and wow, Monty right now have no reason to doubt these secret smokes.
Batboom have crossed behind them every single time, and so Monty are meeting them there.
And I need to start seeing some depth on the seaside here for Batboom,
because Monty are cooling their bluff with these lower rotates.
I wanted to put like a bit of a number just on the AzooWoo step up. I know it's only been a
a handful of games, but big event ratings, and I'm talking Korea here for the guy, just
above the 0.8 rating, which is pretty rough, I think that goes without saying. But then
when you look at this major, 1.21, huge step up.
Three maps play, force burn. That's massive.
You just keep it up, right? I think that's why it's well worth keeping an eye on him,
because he's bringing so much to the table right now.
Especially considering how much doubt kind of surrounded the Monty team, as I said, coming
Fall Like Recency Biases is a team that, when they have time to prep and time to level up for an event, have looked really, really good.
Think about that. You know, matches we know of this year, one at one win, one loss, very close games with some prep time and, you know, series of exciting games that Monty provided here in these last few months.
This is sick.
Never seen this before, but it's the first time for anything, I guess.
Hold it down now.
I think it's a good time for one down trying to win the eco
But Monty never see so something for later perhaps gives me through this smoke has already just been a nightmare
It's the lads are they're doing
Ytl yeah the lads
That boomer have nowhere to go.
Crossed a clock down secret.
Oh rain waker here, little testiers you go running into a holding tec-9. I don't know, I'd say they're pretty big.
Yeah, pretty ballsy move.
Boomers flying with his food, but they're coming in on ramp right now.
Or at least they're trying. Boomers just managed to cross.
cross. This is all over the
shop. You won't be expecting
you are not ready to pay the
chance for this. You should
have a kill here. Just clean
one. Oh, it's off early.
I'm gonna recover his dead to
the heart now gives me hope
and a hold on. He may start to
arrive on rotation. Not down
yet. Only might even slow this
is just fallen off the mark.
Dilla does dig finds rain
waker up in the heavens and
now they know as who is here
as well. He does big damage and he just swings in on the back of it. So well recovered there.
Lots of ways that could have gone wrong for Monty. You're bedroom happy to get out with a bomb
plant. Feel like you had a chance in that round. Do a good chunk of damage as well.
Because you have to try and start to corral this CT money at some point. Feel for three players nearly
on Max cash. Feel for Magnet just because it's not the fact that he doesn't get the kill because
his teammates trade him. It's the fact that he loses the position. It's such a strong position to be
heaven there in that post plant boys I'm very proud how we present ourselves yeah
we do this we're gonna win the major yeah of that energy from kukafu hearing
the strain in his voice he has been shouting behind his team sometimes too
much trying to get him on the door line that much faster
Last round. Again, these rounds hurt for Betboom. That's I think the problem right now. These
are really annoying rounds to lose. A couple of clutches, a couple of close rounds. If
Magnetjes has any other gun, he probably gets that killed in heaven and then he can cut
off Rotate and suddenly Betboom are looking at an eco win. This gun round has to hit
for Betboom or Monty. I'm just going to start running away with the CT side. And hey, maybe
you know when the major anything's possible.
I mean, you know, I think especially before Vitality came along,
we always used to say when things are a bit more open with majors,
you just want to make sure you're kind of peaking in your form, right?
And sometimes you would have these squads just put on a really surprising run
where the stars all align, everyone showing up at the right time.
And it feels like that's kind of what's happening with Monty.
I think the thing that makes it that much harder is, you know,
This is a kind of lower down the rung, lower down the ranking squad.
Hang on a second, because, bet, boom.
Holding back the advantage, now heading to Bemis' bomb site.
He's all alone, rotate starts to arrive heaven-side, but the third man is a long way out of the action.
Need a bit of a hold here, Afro tries to swing out, Zorty will be there to punish.
I hope misses.
This is a fight Afro's really that interested in taking shouldn't be.
So he's gonna head on out of there. Finally, Bet Boom.
Break this streak of five. You said they needed to regain their
semblance of control sooner or else Monty we're gonna run away with the half.
Can this be a bit of a turning point for them?
that boom have found their answer. And it's not been the secret cross smokes. It is the
same thing that gave them over their rounds and they're close to what we want. So they
lost. It's this ramp control pressure early back into an a hit. This one just comes down
to awkward timing on the smoke fade and gives me getting caught changing position. I think
more Monty somewhat panicked on the comms. They're thinking that ramp here was coming
in, but it was just a boosted orb, there was no way Batboom could have sped up off of that
entry kill. And so, Kakauffe trying to keep him calm.
As obviously, that round has ramifications. Monty had been controlling the game, it can
change very quickly and safe to say, even though we're getting enamored by the Monty
run right now. This is a hard favorite.
Still money haven't let the allure of being the underdog get in the way in any
of their previous games taking G2 the distance in a very very long back and
forth B01 that they lost out on. Dominating the hometown heroes are big
in their opening game, and I think the most shocking of all, the regulation win over legacy.
All right, this one's a little louder, so what's the rotation going to look like?
Four players, three rather, running down secret. I thought that boom surely won't
commit to be fast. They're going to try and look for an entry elsewhere. It's the two great two
stand tall, and two ladders who fall. It's gone very wrong now. Afro follows up,
and Monty is just going through the motions and those motions are fantastic down the vent denied.
Bed boom looking for a 2 on 5.
Well, Ramkubber was meant to be there out of Rain Waker. He's mopped up right away.
And at this point, Bed Boom, they might just start believing they can pull this off. 2v5,
is it all going? Now down to just a 2v3 and everyone's a bit more tense all of a sudden for Monty.
I think the silence creep in, make them nervous.
The presence of Gizmy back here, Lobby's side that might get called upon.
That boom have time to work with here.
40 seconds.
Wonder what rooting they're going to go looking for in towards this top site.
Time is the biggest problem.
I don't think you can wrap heaven at this point.
so much to clear left for bedroom smoke eventually comes down gives me I want to
wait for his team here but he's the only guy who can actually stop this bomb
plant so close position to jump on it when he hears that tap
backside stick it's great call here while he keeps the pressure on the back
room get out after the bottom this retake is a miss careful watch out
Dillardez another miss shot they're getting closer full flashed out bedroom
are dancing with death. What's going on? That's the least likely way to kill him.
For Dilladez, you only get so many of those. These two orcas firing blanks.
What the hell is happening? That was one of the craziest rounds, wasn't it? I mean,
that was so in a ball for bad boom. Let's be honest here, boys. Dilladez with multiple shots off in
main got plays standing the open missing their all shots and not getting punished miss after a miss
dillard as second man crazy dash across miss feeling the pressure but god damn it was right there
Yeah.
I'm fucking without doing it, bro.
Monty will take the round. That was always meant to be theirs. That was 2v5.
Chance to break that booms money. And that would just be a disaster for this T side.
Okay.
Alright, let's take note of this. What's he doing? Just nading the door smoke?
I don't even know. Breaking glass?
Heaven flank, waiting. Magnetges will not make the same mistake this time. He wants
the box. Oh, gets out with three very well handled for
Magnajez. Learn his lesson after the tech nine fumble. And so
this time around trigger held. Waiting for it convincing round
at a bad boom. They get it across in the yard. He gets all
the way up through heaven. None the wiser were Monty and they
wait for Magnajez to spring that trap.
Nice to see him have the chance to connect these kills, gun for the job this time, as
once he was very scared about an A hit there, three players on the rafters or roof trying
to play anti flash.
Hey, you're a smart guy!
You're a smart guy!
And even though you've done so much damage to these guys coming through the door stuck back in the lobby
You're not gonna give this a go on numbers and numbers alone
Okay, and you would have loved that boost because it allows you to hunt rain waker and spawn he ten health
He could have peaked this but either way he's saving Monty gonna
Try and get out with their guns
That boot just has to run couple of them do low health
Might see this fight at the end of the round
Oh, wow. With this plant? I don't know. Let's see. Interesting excerpt from the comms there.
Boomitch essentially talking about throwing the game plan out of the window and loosening
up, changing things on the fly. And then you see an A rush like this. Now that one wasn't
strict ad lib tier by bet boom and a perfect call to put Monty on the back
foot because last round of the half coming up and a pet room can win this
one they break Monty's money for it suddenly they're back in the map
Well, you have to become less and less of a focal point in this game as time's gone
on.
A tiny bit of a return to it for Bedboom.
They've often not loved the Gizmy spam from the main position.
He's been getting away with good damage.
They're just fast wrapping, taking Main away.
They trade positions with Gizmy.
And Azumu gets sandwiched, does what he can, but it won't be enough.
Orph catching Afro out in the yard, and it all comes together beautifully.
Monty thought that was a change of direction.
They go hard looking for the yard fights,
and Gizmy peeling away from Main left a little window for that sneak throw on the smoke.
Hey, Mika was just thinking about saving, but now, with how late this plant is,
he's considering looking for a kill.
Something comes away. Who's to say no? Zorty will.
Shutting that last frag down, picking up the ult and putting Betboom in position to save this game.
This was a chance at Monty running away on the CT side 5-1 with Betboom's money on the line.
And look at the recovery we've seen on this T side.
Now they are favourites through even at the half.
So a very nice return to form here from Betboom who had to cancel the plan, had to cancel the secret control.
never worked for the Monty at full stack zombie every single time they went back.
But there's topside abuse, looking a lot more fruitful here for Beppu.
The thing is, is not like Monty are leaving his position open.
They keep putting three players on A.
They're going to start to make moves.
He commits.
They know it.
He walked away.
No! No! That's shocking!
What? That's too far!
Okay, yeah, yeah, yeah. That was a little bit crazy for Rain Waker.
He was low health, got out with one at least.
It could have been a 5v4.
You're certainly starting to feel a little bit twitchy here,
because there's always been gaps, and BedBoom have been very good at finding them.
I'm scared of B. I don't know if that's through vent or through outside.
Possibly the format.
The Afro tucked inside of garage.
It's botting nothing right now. There are timings available.
We've seen Magnetjes abuse those vanguards.
Top of the roof deals with Afro.
They just peek out into main.
Pop on ramp here. Gizmy against them all.
Oh, there's the lineups!
Gizmy's just collateraled M4.
And flip the script on this round. They know about a player yard, but a little lazy in that swing. Magnajez eyes on
20 seconds bomb going fast
Well frustrating here because boom it's likely gonna have to drop on in it's powerful post plant
I just don't see a world where Magnajez can get to back site the plant for him
And so you lose that potent position out towards heaven
Magnajez his Zulu gunning his way and with a quick turn
It with a stellar 4k that is a ridiculous recovery out of bed boom
They were lagging behind 5-1 down they end up splitting the half on their map pig
It was a hot scar for Monty here on Nuke, but bad boom, and more than recovered, going
on to split the half here on their map pick, now moving over to the CT side.
The manager's sits up top of the board, had some massive rounds down the stretch as well.
Leaving Monty always looking over their shoulder and never out of the round.
Monty have a tall task in front of them, but most of their players showing up in good form.
The only vulnerability that actually kept getting exploited, and on the rough end of some timings,
was Bemis in that first half, three and eight, everyone else sitting on ten.
10. It's impressive for Monty across the board. Everyone showing up in this high pressure match to
qualify to that third stage, but then run into the Russians and bedroom hitting headshots.
Flamas double kill on the ramp. Rain Waker felled as well. And Flamas is looking for quite the
highlight here to shut out Monty into the pistol. Easy done. No deaths. Flamas lives on one health
with three headshots. I like that quote from Kakafu coming in. You know, wasn't really like
hype up in the traditional sense just saying this is going to be a real fight
he loves the type of game that it is trying to keep the gang interested under
the belief that they can rise to the challenge of this head-to-head
that challenge is the right word because it's not going to come easy when you say
something like that it's not because you're stomping it's because you're
having to dig deep and Monty certainly will in this t-side now with a pistol
against them force by coming in with no quads and denial on the vent drop here
the rain waker. So initial plan is cancelled or not cancelled but denied here by Monty and look
at Bed Boom's rotation very quick but Boomich down the vent blocks him with a smoke and now the
plan is kaput. Got awareness here from Boomich too right? Gizmy was getting it fast as he physically
could to try and beat the timing on a rotate. At least gets that smoke out of the lower players
Are they going to reroute, come back up to the top of secret, right in, two magnagers,
second killer of the round, now his support.
So shut down here on this secret crossing.
What a show for managers right now. There's a couple of T rounds.
Showing out this force by with ease. Just killing that M-Play was so integral because
it not only tells Bed Boom where Monty are going, but it freed up Boom and charoté
down bang and stop the plan and he is shouting now bedroom at one step closer to taking them out
from five one down leading now and it's going to get better before it gets worse we got Monty Oniko
just great to see you that one flub flank with the tech nine but that did not deter him whatsoever
didn't have the gun for the job didn't let it get under his skin that is an rng fight to be honest
of that range like what can you do outside of that you know those flanks were so threatening
every time they came through how he's carrying this momentum with him into the second half
of play and no overextension out in the yard just a nice safe angle able to spot anyone crossing
in the middle of the game.
You can see that he's using.
Boom inches waiting in Maine,
and you know he'll be down a
fast rotate. You've got a double
ramp set up as well. Kind of an
added benefit to this is the
ability to pull a player down
towards be if you need to.
Also having two guns on in case
they rush.
This is a nice passive setup for
bet boom. Tell me Zorty just
cleared the triple boost on
roof. You see that?
quiet so he's scared of a deagle. That's still ridiculous. Never seen a player clear that.
It's very underused, but I will say Monty, I feel like I have seen them do that at TripleBoost
with them all. Shut down on ramp here, only glocks. So either way, where and what they're up against.
20 seconds, Kizmi's just gonna go.
Umich, no stranger to that trophy.
Clone winner all the way back in 2021.
Re-writing in his story with a young group of prominent players, and Magnus Gershwin is
on the tip of everyone's tongues right now in this stage.
Continues to be a threat, pushes outside, goes one for one as Azumu falls off.
But picking up that kill keeps Monty in this round and Afro might just escape the advantage.
What a shot from Flamas!
It's like a third bullet headshot.
Is Bombs on silo?
It is.
Oh no.
Afro had it, so little awkward here, you've got to waste a lot of time going up here to
get this back.
This round is cooked!
Flameless is not stopping, look at him go! Re-clear secret!
Nice shot from Rainwaker but doesn't last long and
B-Mass very quiet in this game, quiet, Flameless is looking to finish it.
Racing to side out of Flameless, not a triple kill from him.
Flameless even giving magragazes his T-bombing for position.
Nice!
Magna, magna, molyk, molyk, brate.
I mean, that was the rifle round you've been waiting for, when you were meant to try and
bring yourself back into the game.
Now on a force, they missed the timing on Flamme, several to dance around this box, gets
out with one, bomb does survive, makes it into lower, but not for long.
This has been very, very quick and concise for Betboum.
Hey, you just can't pull the wool over their eyes right now.
It's getting out of control rapidly in this T-side.
Yeah, I mean, you've had three kills in the entire T-side thus far.
I don't say that.
And considering everyone was showing up in the first half except B-mass,
it's a surprise to see here for Monty.
Just hit the wall here in the second half.
They are up to 9 rounds in a row for Bedboom.
Been a long time since you've won anything if you're Monty, and that 6-2 lead long forgotten
about.
Not just that this game changed, but that this game changed so quickly.
Got another buy now. Last time it was, I can put from the word go, really, losing multiple
players on that secret cross.
Alright, what do Monty actually want to do? Running the same round this time. Smokes
will come down. They have no early fights, so it's not disrupted initially by Beppin.
They're throw-holding for the same swing out of the secret stairs and
there's a player here, AWP of Zorty, lies in way on the angle, this time doesn't peek over,
just deals with Gizmy on the approach.
Very aggressive AWP position here for Zorty,
he's just keeping the pressure on and Zorty is barely falling back.
He's really desperately looking for a kill, but nothing is getting given to him.
That boom, shrinking into their positions in this advantage.
really solid understanding of what was going to come their way in this round.
They started double outside, right?
Magnetjes is being very, very loud.
Boomich is kind of likely to get overlooked as a result, right?
You think this player that's lobbing all the utile is the one out in the yard.
Boomich is lying and waiting.
Back garage goes completely unaccounted for.
So a triple yard setup, essentially, with that orb taking place out towards secret.
Can't blame Monti for falling for that, can you?
You can't blame for not clearing Boomich.
Now they have to. That's the whole round. Get this guy out of the corner.
And ideally, you can't let him get away with anything.
So a good catch there for B-Mass.
Really struggled in this game, but a death you just couldn't afford to give away.
You at least chased down the Triggerman out in the yard.
But your struggles are just beginning and there's no time left to win this.
So writing it off with just that one kill,
this has been a very, very rough key side out of Monty.
Just not been able to get anything going right pistol came down to a rush. They got shut down. They forced that was also a rush down secret
Magnet just
Famous let's him know
But yeah, everything they've tried has failed
some fast rounds early
Into a slow outside gun round that got shut down by aggressive
start for Betboom now they go for triple yard as you say and Monti just I feel
like this half has disappeared in an instant they've not even really had a
chance to run anything great resilience from Betboom 5-1 down now on a massive
streak yeah 10 in a row look at it close it with 11 straight rounds
Wow.
They're not picked for a reason here.
Go to against Gamelige.
I think it's so wild is that Monty haven't even ended up kills in total in this second half.
Two win around.
They're up to four.
No.
Is that...
No, it's not.
I mean, Flammas, he just waits for mages, doesn't he?
Think of Shanghai, that's when he broke on our screens.
led to getting his time wasted by VP,
out that boot giving him a new home.
Even if just temporary, he is going to put himself back on the map.
And I'm going to get a player down through the vents.
Thing that's awkward is Afro has this bomb again,
and he's a little bit late to cross,
but he will still make it down.
That's three players in at lower.
And with the Azulu lurk out in the yard,
an attempt, a cheeky one at that for Boomich
to give Chase down the vent behind them.
Without getting dealt with, there shouldn't be much left in this round for Betboum.
I want to see him try it because I feel like Flameless can't miss a shot right now.
He is just on the money.
How much do they value these AKs?
I guess that's what you're asking yourself.
Yeah, position's not great right now.
If Flameless went down ramp right there, if Dylan does get to kill soon, Flameless is
going to feel silly for leaving position.
But maybe they'll just never try it.
So Betboum back out.
They look to remove these guns on the save.
You would expect Flamas a ramp, so him grouping with Dilladez might be a surprise here to
Monty, and I think they're going to likely exit into these two AKs.
I told here for Afro, does that push them into Flamas, it's just what he wants.
Second player is ready, and so Monty, such an integral save to keep them in the game.
They keep enough, they keep the game going on.
Fast topside hit, it's late in the day, they come out, they go down, Dilladez with the double.
40 AWP still sits pretty up here in heaven, that Molly at least going to keep him off the line.
The advantage though belongs to Bedboom.
Bomb still yet to go down for Monty, getting remedied now.
And don't pull their smokes in.
It buys them a much needed bit of time here to try and get set up.
Magnet just remain as a smoke to lock off door.
Gizmy's opened onto Boombl4, now repositioning the lobby afro.
Wasn't even accounting for a late play out of Flamas, so that might be what does them in, it's only Gizmy and with no where left to hide, no where left to turn.
Batboom finished this one off quickly, not quite there promised, streak of 11 rounds, but not much resistance when all is said and done.
Slow to get going, Monty in great form to open, but it was Batboom that were able to hold it together on their pick on Nuke.
Their resilience and reliability here from Batboom all torn when Long, the only Blemish on their record, has been to Team Spirit and Mapio 1.
Otherwise, they've been banging their way through this major and they're still looking for a third stage birth map in their pocket in this series.
They're going to head to Mirage, which is Monty's, to see if they can do it in two, and Monty have got to get back to the drawing port.
That was a difficult game past the first five rounds.
Yeah, abundantly clear why Betboim ultimately
bought this map into the pool.
As Harry mentioned, great start from Monty in that first half,
but then we got onto the CT side of the bet, Brumianco,
and it's practically flawless from them.
One round drops at the tail end of things,
but it was pretty clear who was in the driver's seat.
Yeah, it was dicey at the beginning,
but they did a great job of making adjustments.
So on that T side, that gave them a lot of momentum
and then really on the CT side they just kept rolling after winning that.
Pistol never looked back. Flamos was on a tear really in that second half.
Yeah, I agree. Once again, just having a fantastic tournament.
Who's he waving at?
Aslo.
Aslo, Malticon going up from there.
There's a lot of Fortnite plumbers in there, so that's a lot of fun.
Yeah, great stuff for Becbeam to be opening up for this qualification series.
But Montia kind of lacked the adjustments in the tail end.
I think we should dive right into it because we've got a lot of meat and potatoes to be getting into.
Let's go right back to the beginning. Asher clear. Good game plan coming out of Monty to begin things off, right?
It seemed like we had a game plan, that's for sure. We're interested to see what happens in Mirage, because it seemed to me like
a heavy, heavy B focus was going on a lot of the half. So it is nice to refer when you go after a good start like this
and we highlighted a zoo before the game, which is what I'm going to show you now.
Just multi-killers impact, interesting to see how he keeps going for the rest of the series. He picks a good time in here.
I think maybe he can still polish his game a little bit after getting the 2K, which changed around here just by
It's just fade away jump round the corner rather than kind of it's like flashing or smoking or something in situation in the end
Just about get away with it. This is kind of the nightmare start. You don't really want to go off to on that T side and
Wanted a good job of kind of snowballing this into something else
I just seem to me like they were really heavily focusing on let's worry about stopping B and see if anything can happen from about
And can they even adjust in this moment? And it kind of showed that perhaps they have a little bit experience there in boomage
Yeah, the preparation worked well. It felt like for Monty because with all those outside smokes
They weren't expecting anything else rather than secret team to be you know, and they had
Multiple setups down there
Bedboom sort of doubled down on the on the course perhaps expecting Monty to change
But they didn't and you know that that's caused
Bedboom to really fall behind
But I think it was one of those half-bives that really gave them an inkling into what might work for them
I think the key thing was in this round. They didn't actually have a plan in this round. There's talked about having better communication
Magnus first finds a little gap in the in the spokes and they go on and they make kind of a mess of this. He doesn't have the best round of his career here
I think it's fair to say if only he had a deagle
They didn't win this round, but I think it kind of presented a blueprint perhaps for a weakness in the team
They didn't win this round, but I think it kind of presented a blueprint perhaps for a weakness later in the half
because this guy on the back of getting shut down heavily with our double D to ourselves quite often from Monty to work in really well.
Yeah, and that's what they sort of saw in terms of the focus from Monty not being necessarily on that rap.
It's like when the smokes outside come in, they're worried about secret, they may be worried about it just being a fake
And it being a ramp slash upper head. So down the line, they were like, okay, this seems like this is where the gap is
Doesn't seem like they're changing anything. They saw that earlier in the half because they go shut down while they're trying to kind of double call
so then some of these adjustments come in and and
That will be able to find success that happened immediately in the round off there, Ash
I believe so. I think it was the very next one where they kind of just decide, you know, let's not go
be so much it might even have been tender to it here so maybe bring worker did them a favor it just seems like in general
Monty kind of a bit uncomfortable without information there you understand they just go back gives me gets caught coming up the vent you
Can see again like four people live they had three people committed here to lower that move come back to a and they realize guys
Maybe a could be the future
Yeah, definitely and even in this one
Okay, you're doing some nice setups on Ram sort of expecting perhaps that aggression and you're shutting it down
And I think it was boom is sort of thinking okay
I need to win one round by kind of doing default and then I can whip out this call and sort of really in the reset round
Make sure we we get some momentum and then we can win consecutive rounds and that's a thing right
That's what I feel like they kind of unlocked coming into the second half of that first half
And that's what we saw about him kind of going on a streak right?
Yeah
And they were for me way better in this game because he started so poorly
I think we're five one down and which is nice to see like boom which making that adaptation going on
And I think he's might be this round here some redemption going on Magnus. Yes
Yeah, absolutely managing to snakes. We see they're completely unaware about and this is very strange
There's three defenders here and no one is watching have it
I don't know no one is even considering and you can see even the fourth player
I think coming down from from B or maybe he was in man
I'm not a hundred percent sure but that's just strange because that gap exists and the map has been so quiet
Right like even if you think you have it covered
As you would just say guys just someone just hold heaven like in you just let me just check heaven
But yeah, they were able to utilize that gap outside. I think even after this round
the next round boomage calls an a-pop so really just a great sort of example of
Momentum
Changes right like a pace changer
As well because boomage like you said they did that and then they flipped in an eight split as well
I think that he was understanding how Monty were trying to adapt and Monty were just always just a step behind
It felt like and I don't feel like they really thought so much about the overall picture
I'm better be like a boom which had him on the string and maybe they were in a bit of a lull from things going well
You know and then just
Got a bit complacent in a way
Obviously, but boom was going to adjust at some point and they just fell behind
Really in keeping up with that. Yeah, and it felt like obviously going into the second half as well
Everything coming up bet boom second map though. That is monsters pick that is going to be going down on mirage initial thoughts from this pick
Yanko
Yeah, I think it was going to be either this or ancient think ancient would have been slightly better because bad boom played at last just in
General and that's a map where it's more difficult to freestyle
Or a map like mirage. We saw it early on against spirits, you know, oh bad boom was very flamboyant
and Flamuz just taking duels out of those A apartment. So this can be scary for
Monti. I think here it's really important that your own point as a team that
your communication is on point because you can see that BedBoom is more than
willing to take these timings, take these aggressive duels, right? For other teams
who maybe play it more passive. So you have to be ready for that and you have
to be good with communicating what's open, where's the weak side of the defense.
Yeah, I think as well this this is a dangerous pick I think in the sense because it's not like Monty good on mirage
I just seen the bet we've lost three in a row there
But when you play against spirit, do you really count that one and also it's a scary amount to pick in when the individuals are pretty hot
And I think right now
But maybe all of them at the top of the career feels like in the individual sense
So I'm a little worried that this could be a strange pick and I'm interested to see what the preparation is here
Because it seems like Monty a very good preparation as we saw at the start talking about just to and maybe the rabbit
that they had so far in the tournament, give them a boost of confidence, beating big, having that
close game against G2, maybe out of that they come out feeling alright we understand this map on a
high level, we can always make the necessary adjustments even if the game plan doesn't work
initially but I agree it's a risky pick so they better have something good in store.
Statement end for Betboom on there, map choice of nuke time to see if they can do the same
on Monty's choice of Mirage, sounds like a little bit of a risk in this one, let's see if they can
and come up with a reward.
The best of Counter Strike 2 available now on shop.esl.com
I had so many trades tracking anything, your eyes are wide, Harry, tell me one round, hold
on, let me pull up CS stats.
Oh wait, my bad.
You suck.
Settle your debates, search your profile on CS stats, and turn on tracking to see all
your games as you can see here at the major every bit of security is important
that's right because this next matchup is a big one and when I talk about a big
one I'm talking about big boom right here what's up boom it came in how we
doing here buddy it's a it's a bet boom kind of day well we will see yeah we
most definitely will you guys had a good run in in Cologne so far so let's talk
about what you've done for this lineup and where your role is. I know that you
lead this crew, so can you tell us more about that?
Oh bro, you know it's normal things. We are just practicing every day and like
looking forward to on every match so that's all we're just trying to try hard.
This is the major. It is definitely the major and you're no stranger to majors.
You've been to majors, you played in colognes. What are some of your what's a
good memory for you. Oh you know it's every time good memory in Cologne and
tier one tournament still it's a great atmosphere you know a lot of players and
like I said before the major so I'm really happy to be here that's all.
Quite the career behind you and ahead of you. It looks like you guys have
figured it out over in Batboom how you want to approach the game. How do you
plan to approach the game versus Monty? Oh bro we didn't do something
special you know so we're just preparing like every day and every
opponent so the coach give me the plan so just stick to the plan and that's all
boom choose their best player where I don't know bro you don't rate him no
no it's not about the not right I just it's hard to say fair enough is there
anything you do want to say before we get this one started I hope so you will
we watch the great match guys. A short sweet to the point. Thank you Big Boom. I'll see you.
I'm very excited coming into the major in like a anxious and a good way.
Cologne will be my first major. Yeah just really really eager to play. Like when I look at my
career as a whole it's been a lot of ups and downs even since I got promoted to Monty in
the start of 2025. The best moment of my career probably is just qualifying for the major. I mean,
it's the biggest milestone I've had so far. We've been working very hard and have naturally had
results followed. But really to feel like at this moment for me to improve a lot as IGO,
it's like getting in the right mental space. So even before coming here, one thing I was doing was
almost rehearsing my way of speaking and calls. Yeah, I would like to leave Monty to a good result
here and at future tournaments and represent the UK well. The best advice I've ever gotten just
related to life is from my dad and it was just along the lines of that opportunities always come.
You just need to be constantly working hard so that when they do eventually come,
you're able to capitalise them on them and be prepared to win.
Yeah, I really like surprising people. I like finding gaps or like manipulating setups in
a certain way to make my next round cleaner or more efficient. That's generally the style.
Like for me, the main thing currently to prove is that like I can compete, basically. Obviously,
I can say, sit here and say things, but I haven't won anything yet. So really, I'm just waiting to
get a deep tournament run and I'm doing everything for that. The team's doing
everything for that as well. Every player is super passionate. At this point
basically winning any S-tier tournament would just be a great start. I want to
have a very successful career and then that would naturally mean quite a lot
of trophies but I'm still as I said quite early on so a career I can look
back and be proud on and say like yeah that was like a fulfilling time and I
did everything I could and that would also be very good for me. Yeah at some
At some point I believe I can win a major and I believe it will happen.
Who come in every day more confident in what I can do as an IGL, what I can do for my team
and how I can influence my teammates to do better themselves.
So I think at some point it's just got to happen.
Monty's major dreams may be put on hold as this young hungry pet boom squad proved themselves
yet again on Nuke, a dominant finish on their map pick, we head to Mirage and we head to stage 3.
Victor of this going all the way into the top 16 of the Intel Extreme Masters Cologne Major.
10 years on and Boomage back looking for a trophy after 5 years away from Narvi.
Quite a time for Betboom right now. All eyes on them as these rifleers stand. Paul Flamme has put
on a masterful CT side, Magnages, across the board, and Dilladez with less does more.
This is a bet boom. We buy all intents and purposes are looking for that 30 run spirit,
the only team that has been able to stop them so far.
Yeah, as we head to Mirage here for Monty question is, can they bounce back? They might
have had good results on this half. You know, the desk talking about it in between as well,
idea that they feel like they can play this one at a high level taking g2 the distance here in a tight ot loss
But it's bouncing back after getting destroyed in spite of an early lead on nuke that's kind of adding the uncertainty here
That boom in a good form questions around Monty can they recover?
But that's their map and we saw one hell of a game from Monty up against G2 on this very one.
Mirage coming in and a T side start with an execute into this A site gives me frozen.
Right through Palace.
De La Des, power position, dead first on those dual barrettas.
And so immediately a man down and starting to lose real estate trying to come through these smokes, get ahead of it.
Oh bet boom they end up playing right in the monty's hands
Can double out of a zoo who smoked deep out towards the spawn and flammies not able to capitalize around that gap in it
Boom, it's just gonna try join him, but an unlikely TV for here. You got post plans for Monty
Set up over towards the ramp players in the site able to just play a numbers game here
They'll hear the first step CT and that's all the info they need
that first step in the right direction of Monty and I set me so this is a team that accidentally
started on T side Mirage against big after failing to pick the side that didn't hold
them back they got seven rounds there they were able to weather the storm close out that
game pretty simply was a CT side of game against G2 one that they fell in multiple over times
but still took G2 the distance.
And so we're basically seeing what we're going to get from Monty right now,
but safe to say they've already exceeded expectations in this tournament.
Why stop now?
Oh shucks, that's all you got, that looked dead on.
Flamers though has picked a good timing on this, they were holding for him, that would
have come through.
He only gets out with one, that's the problem's just beginning, Magnajez at least denies that
bomb retrieval and gets rid of the short player, just coming in a little bit later, but Magnajez
Dead as that apps hit, links up over towards B.
Well recovered for Monty that certainly looked like it could have got out of control.
Very scary ground there.
I can't believe that scout gets obliterated by Azumu that quick.
Oh, that was all these chants.
The guys are very threatening here for that boom, but this still looks to be converted here.
That's Magnus has other ideas.
He's actually forced up in the background.
So still looking to be threatening for that boosted up triple.
It's time just to pull out a gimmick right here.
A rifle boosted on triple.
I like to be abandoned.
He looked like he was going to stick out there and try and go for the fight.
Really, the position you dreamed of instead, it's an early lean out towards
be a stack taking shape. Right as Monty looked to move in. Rifle's gonna be here in time.
How much can it do? Magnajez dead straight away. And if you want rifles on everyone in
the next, Boomage kind of needs to save that. Oopsie. Bad news buddy. Flank comes in. I
mean, Boomage, even when he first joined the team, was known for playing MP9s, Mac
10s on four by rounds anyway. Maybe they can just hand it over and make that his problem.
We'll see what Magnesias gets and whether it's what he wants. I would imagine so. Monty
3-0 start.
Here's we've left.
A bit of a trick. The nice thing about having a guy standing in, they take the hit.
Haha, poor Flammas. Well, he's going to be towards B jumping around, I guess.
Flamme certainly hasn't got his positions in this team. We've obviously seen him stand
in for Siren and for Dillardes and so he's kind of just been shuffled around and for
the most part trying to learn new positions but despite that has been such a standout
player for this team. Yeah, I would say it's a task almost reminiscent, not one for one,
the same as what you think of like Justin Katowice's savage having a sub in for two different
players. Rain and rocks all those years ago. I was in one tournament was in one tournament.
Admittedly, this one's been in two. That's why I say it's not one for one. But close enough,
two different players on this squad of back to back tournaments for Flammis.
Yeah.
I show just how versatile he can be.
Well, he's hot right now, getting burned alive in this B-Split.
And with the B-Split, seems to be the go-to game plan for Monty at the start of this game.
Next time of the month, it doesn't find anything, but it's already a lost round for Betboom.
Can't really justify giving this a look in.
Yeah.
What a dirty execute.
Three perfect Molotovs back-site.
site, bulk, and then the player in Edward gets burned out as well, so nowhere
that boomer is safe. Retreating into the mollies. Nice to see Monty
in the car at the start of this game. Nice shot.
But as we learned on Nuke, let's not count our chickens. After a few rounds in
the bag here for Monty. That boomer 5-1 down.
The nice thing about having a good mirage up your sleeve is you're never really gonna
struggle to get it in the VO. Something that might do them well. If you look for that next stage.
An early lead taken, but they were able to do the same thing back on Nuke.
It's not a matter of, you know, you're happy with the success early on in these first couple
of rounds, but you've got to keep it up.
No game is won in the first, you know, six rounds of play.
That's a lesson that Monty learned the hard way on that previous map.
It was 6-2 up.
up.
I managed one more round past that point.
He's an investment here for that big 29 roundies rifles.
on to the middle. There's no trouble getting there, that boom on. Threatening. Not yet.
who stopped just net free opening for a zoo plays in tandem with gizmy and with
rain waker winning his fight on the learn they've got boom it's boxed in a
connector another well handled round there it emits that attempted mid crunch
from bet boom Monty were more than ready for it they were hoping for it weren't
my god great shots out of gizmy triple kill supporting flash they don't get
ahead of themselves with the 4v2 they still flashed their corners
that boom were likely committing to middle with everybody
so Monty what could have just been a messy mid-round
Warp comes out for sortie again. That boom had everything this time.
The one limited.
But Monty have just been punching tickets on this T side and they're going to keep doing it. Quick A pop.
You just know you have the defense so worried about a number of different ideas, right?
The mid takes all these B splits. It's all been centered around the mid control and so A ends up being the gap.
Just a set piece to bring them into it.
You could argue a saviour as crazy as that sounds. You probably should think about it.
With the Azulu lurk finding one.
Man, you don't feel the safety of looking to go back with these rifles.
So you're going to try and scrap your way through.
They get two entries out towards the slow side.
Right here.
Azulu arriving late from his lurk all the way in through lower.
Smoke down on that bomb, but with Afro catching them on the cross.
give me still yet to play from the back of the site. There should be a safe round for Monty.
No worries here.
Walk gives me his first death. It's to the bomb. Betboom can't do it to him. 6-0 star.
What an explosive start. Monty making it look like mid control again. Just keeping it pretty
standard. A-pop is beautiful. Out through the palace smoke breaking the timing for Betboom.
getting completely caught off guard here is Boonich and look at how deep
Rainmaker gets that spawn controls while he just knives out on the entry, runs to
CT, puts a molly down, locks magnatures out the round so Montia playing very
confident right now they know they have Betboum right where they want them, they
know the CT's reactions and we're just seeing scrambled by after scrambled by
as Bebou have not won around yet.
Made a flash on Korn.
Azumu clears under.
Bebou with an unorthodox ramp set up, but...
Azumu's gonna stay mobile. He knows middle is lost.
As they take mid, they depart entirely. Even Azumu backs out of under.
Just going for the A execute again. Arm on T.
How paranoid a bet boom that is a question the whole map is quiet right now could be getting cruelled on in mid
I don't seem convinced or concerned still three players a wood bound
But we just have a smoke to block which maybe throws a spanner in the works here
So while time out and that entry provides a lot of room
Alright, Zorty AWP out towards spawn, not going to be getting smoked off here, we'll
have open sightlines.
This is where he's going to make a difference, but with that first shot missing, position
of the AWP revealed, giving up the line.
Rifles try to come in to help him out, Magnajez getting ahead of this CTU tilt, flushed out,
Dilladez dead on the smoke push, another clean sweep for Monty.
back for Zorpe. He's Zorpe in a round that he doesn't look keen to attempt. Just don't want to go too
early on the hunt here and give away a kill that brings him back in for the round. Rainmaker doesn't
risk it early on, takes that peek a little bit later. That's a Zortee shut down, no save, no clutch
attempt, and domination across the charts for Monty on their map pick. What a frustrating game for
Batman where they probably feel like they know what's going on but they haven't been able to put a
to stop to it right now.
Boomage, giving up that entry kill
does kind of ruin the timing of that play.
Monti, we're going to wait for smoke out,
but in a 5v4, they just pop through with a flash.
So, fearless on Monti right now,
trading really, really well,
getting all these opening kills.
Find and leave the middle of the map open here.
No luck and need it.
Pepin would not have found a single opening frag
in this map right now.
We are seven rounds to the good for Monti.
I feel like Rainwaker has just been a real force of nature here, right?
The extremity player out towards A, been a mixture of rounds for him,
sometimes left to his own devices, sometimes in with the pack,
makes it kind of unpredictable.
You don't really know what it means when you see him in the kill feed.
And even though he started a lot of the rounds over here alone,
it's not been a pressure point for Betboom.
They've not been able to find early picks on him.
Just constantly leaving this backdoor open out towards A,
and even in the B hits, he's found a way to have good impact on these active lurk timings.
coming through the back line of Bet Boom. This is a really impressive tea
salad mirage right now for Monty. Let's see if they can keep it together.
It's running through your mind. Is that choke of nuke?
From a similar score line they still lost the map but this one does feel a
little more helpless for Bet Boom right now. I've not made these rounds
particularly close. So soon we're going to be faking this out. Some
mutual wards of beam on sight.
Very quickly back to under and this gives me replenishes window. Two
can make mid happen on this a-split.
Soich just has a lot of responsibility here with this orb.
He's trying to glance over at Khan, worried about ramp,
worried about Palace, gets eyes on the rampside just in time
and fires off for an opening.
Finally, a 5v4 for Bet Boom.
Oh, he's coming through.
Oh, Spanning connects on a Zulu.
Gizmy tries to go back to shore up the connector.
And they falls great to Boomich.
Looking good for a round here. Rain Waker tries. He might know recovering that one.
And so Betboom finally get on the board.
I wonder if that ignites something here for Betboom. For Monty, they can write it off.
What happens there? It's a smoke, sorry, a full blind kill on ramp from Zorty.
Good flashes from Monty don't matter. And then a smoke kill from the short players.
Betboom were pulled into the wrong positions by Monty. Their fate worked fine.
It's not like PetBoo had any info to believe otherwise.
But a couple of chance kills capitalized on Well.
And now Monty want to go back to something more standard.
Just again, this A execute, there's done it so well on this T side.
Another fight before for Monty.
I can still be alive here, break on that smoke and BMAS still collects one on the spam.
And now you're locked down by the Util.
Again, it's just written off before the round even really feels like it starts.
That ends in seconds.
Just never seen this many A executes go this well for a team, right?
Usually you expect someone to get a multi-kill, but if you just see from the start of the
around, the bedroom weren't expecting it, Zorty was wide on stairs, kind of over committed,
only barely survives as they pop out and yeah, double lock means the save has to happen if
you don't get the initial kills. No one's able to hold their own in this round.
Nice, boys. For this one, I stand up. You're doing very good job, boys. Let's go. Good
job. I like that we're communicating like this. Nice check. You got us.
I like if you know we kind of gleaned one thing from all these comms out of
Kacafu would say he has a lot of faith in Gizmi as the captain right just kind of
entrusting him to cool them through this game overriding it not trying to
point anything out here and change direction it's a winning formula right
now it's a pretty in broke don't fix it rainmaker again man just phenomenal on
these a lugs
Bomb is stuck.
The problem could be an issue.
Dillardez battling forward and that bomb caught swinging.
So now you've got to trade places.
Betboom owned the bomb in middle.
Monty might have the sight control.
As they go looking for that bomb,
the AWP of Magnajez picks them apart.
Alright, well, it was a great reaction for Rainmaker
after spotting a mid-control round from Betboom.
he does speed up how they get both kills but bomb locked behind boxes is the
round loser here for Monty. Unfortunate Afro boxed in but two players looking
his way and nothing Rainmaker do matters in that round. That boom just trying to
cling on to their CT side look for four rounds and a half.
Once again, a key making set plays.
Looks like a B-split in this one, but oh, it's in the right place.
Oh, just moves away.
No, oh, it's always had some rough misses here on that AWP.
They are going into a stack, which gives you a bit of hope for Betboom in spite of that
advantage.
As MagnetJazz holds on, stack ain't going nowhere.
Just down to these two.
For a B-Mass side-by-side.
No chance to get that bomb planted. You still got players to clear out from the site.
Important catch for B-Mass. Bought down low.
I know you tell to deny a bomb plant here.
to the left.
Push out for Dillardez getting
rid of B mass leaving it just
on this all.
This won't be easy for our
float.
Swing and a miss on that flick
and if he goes back around this
corner, he is a dead man.
Very quick to react there throwing
all their players on B after
spotting that cat rush shows
And Beppu no is coming.
Axi 3 strong.
Flamas is still hitting some nice shots on this A4.
But Beppu looking for scraps.
Make no mistake about it.
4 round CT side barrage.
Not a nice half.
Finally one final charge to get this go and T-side has just been full of ice around and
not to eco this entire game.
That's a nice double-edged tree again, but still it doesn't flamme as keep this round
with it tree.
Still, it's sort of how money you've been using Rain Waker.
Sometimes you just the red herring, bit of a misdirect.
BOMBS! OHHHHHH! ZOO has gone out and they're going to challenge Flamas! Down to the D-GALL they run at him!
Good catch for Magnajez, once again sitting up top of the board, it doesn't matter dead after he's won!
And so it's been a real scrap here, on that palace push, but Monty get out looking all the better for it!
it. Bombs on Gizmy's back. He's in the site. He's got Afro to try and cover the cross.
Tap open a beta peak. Just looking for that info. Where's Dilladez gotten to? And Afro
might just discover it. He heard it there on the Jolls. Cross doesn't matter. Combat
orb nails it for Afro. And Monty with a runaway T side. Well on their way to recovering in
in this series.
You make me feel like I'm losing control
I've never been so high
And just tell you
Just tell you
I've been changing
You're not making me feel like I'm losing control
I've never been so high
And just so you know
Just so you know
Just so you know
You're likely to feel like I was in control
I've never been so high
And just so you know
Just so you know
Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh
And I am tensioned tonight
You make me feel like I
Losing control
I'm like a pencil
I
And just starting
There's the flash that's going to catch creeps out, they're going to push on through,
FBK gets one of the creeps for the spade out, they get the triple, the finatic are not
done yet.
Can you believe it?
Monty's mirage is indeed monstrous, it's nine rounds on the T side of their pick up against
that boombacks against the wall after Nuke getting blown out of that first map and Monty
respond even more dominantly here on the second quite a game call by Gizmy and quite aim show
by Rainwaker popping off on his T-side. Can Monty just close it out is the question as we get to their defense.
Like a fast split brewing here down through the connector Magnegez left to his own devices over here rampside and he nails that opener
5v4
Blood's already been spilled. They don't know about a zoo who though false sense of security still he only gets out with one
So no worries bomb now planted
Had a whole segment talking about gizmies you till Nate does not find big damage
and an afro fighting a losing battle here out towards CT
So convincing shut down there magna jazz to get the round going the rest of the team follow through I
Guess you can't get ahead of yourself in this game. Can you because so quickly to these matches get close
I think you know for magna jazz and flamas maybe a bit of relief here finding themselves on the T side been the
He's showcasing some good moments here.
Magnigez second highest rated player of the tournament in behind Donk, or at least at
this stage.
Famous, just a spot or two behind, so can they be your firestarters on this T side?
Magnigez seems to think so.
ones over before you know it blink and it's done. So suddenly three rounds getting redeemed
here by Bed Boom.
Bed Boom has only lost a single map or major being to one of the heavyweight favourites
over qualified to stage 2 worst spirit
obviously they're trying to hand them their second health
as we're learning round on round
it's not easy
Pumich was having a lot of trouble in his positions on that CT side, a bit of a liability
on A in the first half, he's going to have to pull his team to victory here.
After a very well-called first half from Gizmy, Fax could back it up as well.
Flash to the middle, not even going out because Gizmy gets shut down and everybody falls,
404s with just a single frag, 4-monty. Game on, bye round now.
And a wide net cast on this round by Bat Boon, a couple of players over towards mid, lurking
the apartments and in palace and a lower tunnels player, so it certainly wanted a bit of control
that towards middle. Wonder if the presence of that Afro-Walt gets you thinking twice about it.
And indeed it will. They fully concede the effort to go and look for that
middle area going back through T-Spawn. They're hoping to link up with Flammis and find something
out here towards A. Maybe that's not the case. They're actually going to regroup and try to go
back to mid again late in the round. Yeah you expect players to be eyes off this
position. Afro certainly departed mid. It was still concerned about window
boost and the gaps that come with it but to see four players here in mid might
come as a bit of a surprise. Flammas is throwing an A execute right now too. Keep
on looking away from the connector but now this gap begins to get taken.
That boon can walk into jungle but still 30 seconds you feel like you have to
to hit this A-Side.
This was a move upstairs, Monty, three players in position.
What's Flammeis going to be able to get away with here?
No one actually looking out towards Palace, and so Rainweather just dead in the open.
It's a double for Azumu.
Spam connects, whittling him down low, native to finish the job.
He just gets away from it, and Azumu!
Meant to be dead, it's twice over!
finds a way to break through massive 4k and bailing out Monty as that split gets shut down.
He mentioned this major was his right now, how much he's been stepping up at this important event for Monty.
His first major coming off a string of struggling results as this British player, Azumu,
he eats two nades and the spam and he catches players not even looking at him.
Makes it look easy. Azumu holds solid on this A site.
And a round that was getting way too threatening for a 4v5.
What a stand-up round here to stop this streak from building from that boot.
I have the idea that they could have pushed a ramp, this feels a bit surprising seeing
two of them there on that aggressive push, ends in a stalemate.
Primus I think just thankful that he didn't die in that exchange and so you still get
to play this five on five.
Gonna regroup outside of A.
Maybe last time a feeling that they had too many players
on the mid-split component blocked even by their own util.
So this time, bit more standard.
Magnajez left to lurk on his lonesome.
Everyone else grouping.
Drain Waker's aggressive position down at ramp.
Good spell disaster.
That double kill leaves you in a great position
and with Beemus covering.
So many of these rounds have been full Bat-Boom. It's just over before it really gets going.
That's such a lazy cliff of Bat-Boom.
When they had already seen the ramp aggression, that is like the most standard off angle on
ramp. Everybody's using that.
They don't even think about it. So Bat-Boom just walk into a rifle, rain-maker, great
game from him.
He keeps it going in this gun round. This is a Bat-Boom who, I would say had a chance
to come back in this game, but now that is starting to dissipate in front of our eyes.
Magnetius saving.
And Monti is streaking to in a row.
And burning Betboom's bank account while they do.
Yeah, I think Rainwaker, what he's been able to do in this game has been so impressive.
Like, walking a very, very thin line on these plays out towards A in the first half.
Well, you have to be safe enough so as to not get exploited,
but then aggressive and involved enough to be putting pressure on being able to react.
Felt like he was really, really nicely kind of threading that needle.
And now CT side, just been a nuisance ever present, always involved.
Compare some of these rounds that you've had out of Monty,
where the A players are holding their own, they're putting up a fight
to what Betboom bought to the table, where very, very frequently,
In fact, more often than not, the guys actually on that A site just didn't get a kill,
and if your A players are dying with nothing, and those smokes are down, how are you ever supposed to win that round?
Multi-Stank, calm.
This is Beth who's feeling the desperation of the situation by an up-fold.
Getting a second hit here for himself, just swinging mid-try.
High in the confidence, but...
Where has it left them?
Zulu is committed, careful, down under, holds his own.
They surely got a flush amount of misposition, he's just dumping his days while he can, but...
Run ahead.
4v4, window boost available, third rifle, retrievable, pet boom.
Making the most of this round.
He's gonna try and go quickly here with the timing because even though Afro is moving in to try and cover this
Yeah, the Jazz already slipped the net. B-Mass keeps his wits about him
Wait here, here's the jump up that kill just falls right into his lap
Right where he needs to be on the perfect timing there
I'm kind of running out of ways to talk about just how one-sided these rounds have felt
Dillardes with an entry spot on the second player knows this is the only guy left in the bomb site that he's gonna worry about
And so if he ever wants to be in a position to win this clutch
Getting past gives me has to happen
And we can arriving out on short
Trying to cover his captain here is Dillardes
Crossboxed in goes into a crossfire Monty six chances to close on their map pig
This is quite the bounce back for a Monty dare. I speak too soon, but that boom have no money
It's really nice to see the Monty
This was a loseable game. I still feel and Monty have avoided any disaster on the CT side
losing a pistol forcing up losing that getting converted being put in a
difficult spots against a very
You know a team that has a lot of resilience in that we've seen that all tournament
But Monty looked good to close this out, there is just one AK in this round now for Bedboob, four pistol players.
An opportunity to earn it on Dust2, it won't get easier, I'll say that much.
Yeah, a map that Monty are capable of.
One of the things that's left me a little concerned as well was like Zorty's AWPing was automatic back on Nuke, man.
It felt like the guy just couldn't miss a bullet, but here, you've had a number of swings and misses,
You definitely want him getting reactivated by the time Dust2 rolls around.
A side hold was a huge chasm for Batu, both Zorty and Boomage struggle to do anything in that CT side.
Boomage, you've finished stage one as the top rated player.
Just a little A-pop here to try and get something at the tail end of this map.
Going in a rain waker's bomb site. They do well to nullify him with just one kill on the whole
Good flashes
Timing's brutal for Magnajez had an opportunity takes too long to nail it and Afro beats him to the punch
That's a feeling very claustrophobic here as you just get whittled down Dillardez is a dead man
He's making no secret about it Monty with one hell of a turn around and a team ace to snatch away
Their map pick that's more like it for Monty a hot star and one that they kept the pressure off from the word go
They didn't give bet boom away back in to their map pick
And so this one now going the distance does to where we look to end this good map for both squads
saw the desk earlier talking about some of the tricks that Monty liked to employ there and boom it's in the gang
Gonna be up for the task
That's the question we have on the tip of our tongue but before we dive into that let's wrap up
What was a very dominant map of Mirage from the side of Monty?
We question it yanko was a little bit of a risk to be picking into that boom after that first
I felt like there was no question why Monty chose this very clear fame pattern executed pretty well too
Yeah, I mean it was obvious that they have set rounds for the first couple of gun rounds
So it was really helpful that they would you know win pistol convert that
Just went for a B split heavy through B apps in the first gun round in the second one
It was this sort of a fake default go into an APOP two guys just walking out apps through the smoke
So I
Whether it was a case of seeing or I didn't ever play heavy towards B early on and then also that they're prone to staying around mid
if there's you know smokes being used that Molly behind boxes being extinguished so we can use
that to catch the anchor of guard but in any case it worked really really well at the start of
month. What stood out to you from what was your approach Ash? You seemed well prepared. I'm interested
to see if they have the same kind of good prep on Dust2 because how much prep can you do really
seriously? We saw the prep on Nuke they have a good idea what's going to kind of happen and here is
well on Tee Samaraj like you know you're going to pick Mirage but it's Dust2 so it's going to be
kind of difficult, but it seemed like it was doing a lot of confidence. It was a little
bit weird because it seemed like Beku were pretty fragile on that CT side, just getting
killed kind of everywhere.
It seems a bit weird after such a dominant first showing in this series as well. You
were pretty hot on the openers though. You kind of pointed our attention towards Azuru
before we dove into this series, but a lot of them going in. What's his favorite to open
up this map, right?
Yeah, it wasn't just him. The thing is with these entries, it felt like whenever the kills
happened, it was very rare that Beku actually ever just got to kill back or trade. And usually
on T side like the main thing is if you go first you get traded and if you don't if you get the
kill then you've kind of win the trades but there wasn't any trades at all there was lots of multi
kills it just felt like everyone weren't shooting back for a lot of this and it's had this coaching
time because it feels like well you've got to at least trade the first guy you expect to kill the
first guy most of the time right yanko yeah and i think it's also a case of uh bed boom not really
being active early on on their CT side so they didn't have a ton of info and it was Monty who
was dictating the pace right and where the fights were going to happen so they're going into these
fights with a lot of confidence right it's exactly what they've planned for and meanwhile
Bedboomb sort of playing in the dark and your spot on fray was very surprising to see because
they had such a streak to end a nuke very strong CT side as well so you would be expected and
to file over the map, but I think it's probably the economy playing a factor, right? Like it's
more difficult to go for those plays and be aggressive and you're 3-0 down and if you do it
and you get shut down, like it's back to pistols. Just more of a curiosity, Ash. If you were standing
behind Batboom in these situations where you're seeing the openers going in the favor of Monty
there, just not trading them back, would you have taken a timeout? Would you have said anything to
them? Like what do you think it's best to do in that kind of situation? I think the key thing is
let's try and play more together, let's focus on trading. Like sometimes if your individuals aren't
showing up well at least you can shoot in the body and trade the first guy and I feel like it was
kind of it was just too easy for them to be able to get heads up drills all the time and I mean
the zoo was looking fantastic in these openings but you've got to have some sort of reaction to it
I mean they clearly believed they were being very loud even when they won three rounds on city side
they were cheering loudly but it just felt like maybe not that confidence there three losses in
roe mirage as well it does matter to be fair like you need to feel good on the map maybe they don't
feel so good on the map. Maybe, maybe that's why. Yeah, it can be the case. It was just
surprising to see them not being more aggressive on the CT side. Then you think there's a way back
in the second half once they've been in cover of the pistol, but they can't really do anything in
the gut route. You could actually see Monty when they switched over to the CT side. They were
more aggressive. They were taking the extremities of the map, which at the very least allows you
to play with more information. You get earlier information even if they come to your side,
which buys time for the rotations too. So yeah, they just were the better team in this one.
As Ash pointed out, 83 rounds going the way of Bedboom in that first half,
you picked out one of the new anchor. What are you showing us?
Yeah, we talk a lot about aggression on the CT side. Well, it took all to round 10 for Bedboom
to really go for it, right? And you can see the early flashing from it, they find the kill.
Great job from Rainwaker, we mentioned him, like just doing this to G2, did the same thing to Bedbon,
find two kills, but still the bomb was stuck top mid, they were able to kill those two top mid players,
and then Magnus just mobs up with that AWP, right? And it was like, yeah, you guys needed that a little bit earlier,
and you needed a little bit more than that, because it's always, you know, it's easy to focus on the kills,
and yeah, sometimes it works out, sometimes it doesn't, but just you being the one knowing where
the fight is going to happen, where you want it to be. Let's say that in that round, it's not a
mid-fight and they do some fast sort of an A execute. Well, you will have a faster flank then
from top mid, right? Like it doesn't always have to be, oh, is that call going to win me the round
right then and there or give me like some good entries? It's also about positioning, formation,
timings, right? And then that's why, you know, we see very rarely nowadays teams play passive
on their CT side. Give me a sunny check, Ash. Is this guy right? Should that have been the
approach a bit more? I mean, you've got to have a change of approach when things aren't working
anywhere else. I say yes. I say yes. Change of approach is things that work in the way you want
to play, go out there, play more together. It worked. Keep it going. I think they kind of know now
what to expect more from Monty, right? They see the CT aggression when they play on the CT side,
Constantly going to get pushed. I'm interested to see what's going to happen if Monty don't get off to these starts of 6-1
6-1 now both maps. It's easy to play when you're 6-1 up with a can you win pistol?
Can you win the first buy runs? We've seen the well prepared for this as well. I think it's also you'd probably expect
Monty to be a bit better like in terms of prep
Maybe maybe a bit better tactically simply because all the changes that bad boom has to go through right with
Flamon standing in for different players playing different positions
But the fire power is on the side of bed-boom without a doubt, you know, they can hit that sort of flow state.
It feels like more easily everyone being, you know, speaking in their native language as well.
I think that helps a lot. So, yeah, I think it's more about just snapping out of it.
I don't know if they got complacent after how Nuke went and then we're just slow to get into Mirage,
but that was definitely a wake-up call going into Dust2.
just as a little side note because he came up in that kind of opener highlight that you brought up there yanko
Obviously not to fruition, but rain waker. I feel like his name was a little bit tarnished after the whole liquid experience
What's yours? Yeah. Well, yeah, exactly. What's what's your take on him Ash? Where has he been having the most impact?
I mean, he was a player who's around for a very long time in Bulgarian scene
It felt like he was inevitable
He's gonna come out of it never kind of didn't and it felt like the hype went away and then suddenly liquid went perfect
to get him. No one wants him. But it seems like he's got a roll like he's, he seems to
be alive a lot in these late rounds and what was kind of key in these rounds. They got
a lot of entry frags on T side but they closed them out really well. There's quite a few
3v3s in there and he's kind of, he's clearly the closer and the lurker on that T side and
he's always pretty consistent since I was something where they get very frustrated as
well and during attack pause, they lost a couple of rounds in a row. It's kind of key
for him just to be consistent and just be kind of annoying when we're seeing him on
Dust2 as well. That B lurk sneaking in there quite a lot, I think it was against one of
the top teams out there so he's doing a good job.
It's that Balkan mentality Ash, you wouldn't know about it but you just got a rage every
now and then.
I just have to be an asshole every now and then.
You know where I'm from, right?
But I think it's, yeah, what I like, I always like when players are decisive and fearless
like we saw in that one round from Mirage but there was a lot more of those against G2.
understanding that it's a good timing for you to try and take a fight and sure you can not take it
just play it super safe and you know no no no harm no foul but you can go for it and win the round
for your team and I think it's playing to win isn't it on the edge you need to play to win and they
feel on this map Monty would 100% play to win and I don't think that would work so much. What
have Monty got to do then considering they're starting CT side on Dust2 to put forward a winning
case for you Ash? I think it's a good start I think that's the key thing for them here I think
I think that if it comes up to out and out by rounds, I back Bet Boom to win and we saw like I've seen enough from Bet Boom and variation in the game, I think Bet Boom as well is very comfortable on this when individuals seem good.
I'm a little worried that maybe just structure and good tactical play. Is it going to be enough again if you just don't get off to a good start?
And I don't think the prep will be as good because naturally there's just so many hours in a day you can't prep fully for three maps.
would have known they're not picking just two and it's unlikely that Beboom will pick that
into them as well. I'm more still leaning towards Beboom. I think it's in if you're
Monty and Serenium City side you want to deny as much as you can Beboom the easy play you know
the easy when you probably want to shut down long early on make make sure they don't go for any of
those B expos like that you smoke B tunnels early like just use your utility even a bit earlier than
you know, it's ideal because perhaps as the longer the round goes on, that's when it's going to
become more difficult for Babbo, maybe for Boomish to organize everyone. Maybe someone forgets, you
know, what he needs to do or misses a piece of utility, right? Like make them work for it on their
T-side. Yeah, they're going to have to be doing exactly that for Monty. A compelling case put forward
on their map pick, but can that continue on that third and final decider? It's going to go down on
on Dust2 to see who makes it through to save three here in Cologne.
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He's getting the shot!
RUN!
RUN!
RUN!
RUN!
RUN!
RUN!
RUN!
RUN!
RUN!
RUN!
RUN!
RUN!
RUN!
RUN!
RUN!
RUN!
RUN!
RUN!
GOTTA GET SOME!
WE ARE FAST!
AAAAAAAHHHHH!
Close on the round come back.
Can we exit?
Let's go let's go let's go one.
Let's go!
Let's reach it in!
Let's reach it in!
Let's reach it!
Let's hold it.
I'm gonna do most combo guys.
Yeah
I'm coming to you
I'm coming to you
I'm coming to you
Nice
I'm going to kill him
I'm going to kill him
He's got an A, Spinks is low.
Hoping that the stress gets the better of the young gun, drops away.
Wonderful goal! This is his chance!
The fake plant spings.
Let me call the bluff!
No!
Come on, Igor!
Nice Igor!
Nice Igor!
Give me the f**k gold, I'm some of the big one.
Let's go boys, enjoy it!
We go again!
We're not done on the rush!
This is the delight we had hoped for!
This is the time they played very fast the first game.
I
Watch out! Watch out!
They're picking up the other one!
That's all!
I'm already going down on B, Bid and him and what can you do?
Apex is going to join the party!
Impossible to retake.
Through the flames!
A headshot from Bid!
He's unbelievable!
Sphinx hasn't finished off his meal and Apex goes down!
How are we doing this?
How is this reality to make a catch on the cross is perfect?
Running him down, spinks a clutch, it's his for the taking.
Ah!
Ah!
Ah!
Oh!
What are you doing?
There's a loop!
Oh, what the fuck you got?
Daylight rubbery in the process.
I can't believe the scenes that we're witnessing right now.
That retake was impossible.
Holy!
That means that we are witnessing right now!
That pre-take was impossible!
Holy!
Oh my god! It's human reactions!
We've gone the distance, ending up on Dust2, both teams winning their own map picks and
pretty decisively at that momentum, maybe sides with Monti coming into this third map
out of the back of a dominant win on Mirage.
And there's strangers to Dust2, no one is here with it left as the decider.
Welcome return to form for this month E-Squad after a streak of rounds against them to get
things going right at the dawn of the series.
Listen to me.
This is the best of three, map three.
The most important thing as we said outside is that our things are working.
It's all about us and what we do.
It's all about how we communicate and how we solve the puzzle together.
Okay?
Let's listen to each other.
And let's respond to each other. Yeah, this would be what's gonna win us the game. All right, so let's give everything here to fucking win the game
2026
Played here on bus to the east use fly to Monty and that boom brawl in the middle
This pet boom we get the double entry fast path into this a-side. I'm gonna go down
Agnes Jesford with the round right here right now, but he falls and so it's back on
Boomich can't afford to die here. Gets out with his and then some
High stress situation for Boomich multiple players coming his way round in the palm of his hand
Now it's just handed off on a gizmy. There's damage done, but in this one on three. It's just a numbers game really
And one where he doesn't feel comfortable playing. He's out of there
So bet boom pistol round to open things up and it's on the back of a stylish 3k from the captain
Montee 17 wins 8 losses, Betboom 18 wins 5 losses. Both these teams feeling very comfortable
going to have deep playbooks, going to have strong T sides.
This is the scariest way.
He gives me already bringing ideas in. He's got 2950 going to give that M4 over.
Giving Monty a chance of being tracked in here in the second round.
But all in all, across the series, conversions have been, for the most part, safe.
I liked all the tidbits we've heard from Monty's coach Kakafu, man, everything he's been saying,
it comes with a real air of belief in this team.
There's no stress from his side of things, and you're hoping that that kind of translates
across to the rest of the gang.
Very nice getting to hear a bit more from them.
Sound lucky.
One of the main questions we ask is, you know, what do certain coaches bring to the table?
The mass was slow to get going.
This hero rifle knocks one off their perch, but dipped in the fight, brought down low.
Change of mind for Batboom.
Gives me stegels.
What, Afro's now responded? Oh dear, this is getting away from them!
Look, it gives me go!
Aggression on short, we'll get punished!
Door opens into this A-play and with Beamer slow, he can't commit to longing this fight out.
Fresh going all the way around.
Come on, let's put that smoke down.
doesn't have to worry about the shadow takes an unorthodox position in the
post plant. Afro is searching for these kills. Boombitch is susceptible to the
scout. They're hiding out in plain sight. No kit. Gotta move quick. BMAS is up
through that CT spawn and Afro is not being quiet about this position either.
They know they've got to get these kills right now in this box site. Scout will
not connect as B-Mas knows this is a hopeless endeavor.
Betboom locking it in despite some well-placed pistol and scout shots it is not enough in
this round.
Betboom takes them down it is 2-0 lead in this third map.
getting an exciting look to this deciding map in the series.
I'm on a Monty who many doubted to even find wins in this stage, let alone be in with a chance of going to the next first major for four of these players.
I'm gonna go into the 5-7.
It's not too late to change your mind that move.
Honestly, very recorded.
Cancel that one.
They still have an innate advantage.
Jumping the gun into a B-stack.
might run a risk of extending this advantage here, missed the timing on
magniges getting out through mid and now the B hit taking shape, B-mass,
Anazulu, 5-7, been strong all across the major but not able to find anything there.
So again it might just be a case of crisis averted for this pet boom squad.
Hit that pink.
Yeah.
Oh, it's a little labored, but we'll get him eventually.
Shame to see that 5.7 not connect for a one headshot.
It's a very different round.
Suddenly there's guns loose.
Monty with pistols.
And the man with the cartridge off of the nade stack
made that very interesting bit of beppu.
Man, their protocolls in place very slow.
Not willing to jump the gun.
Could have made the brutal mistake of just walking into B, early in the round, and once
he would all eyes on tunnels, Beppu, do convert their pistol, cautiously.
And this one's anything but boomage, running down the cuts of middle, and lots of U-Till
keeps gizmy off catwalk, makes the support in CT, as we were getting pressure through
the middoors.
Beppu's default, not cheap, costs a lot of bulletiles, but they have that cat control
They push the orb off, traded back by Montes.
Yeah, good counter, Utile there, right?
Just there, stop all that cat control getting taken by Boomich.
It's the B site, you gotta start getting worried about here.
No one actually in the site itself could just get locked down by the Utile.
Fortunately, Rain Waker gets two fights ahead of that smoke.
Pull it to rain on through.
And Rain Waker's left Montee in a very good position.
We say this b-side's hard to retake while 5v2
Not meant to be easier than this
Backstab for Azulu, fast in through the tunnels and looking for the clean finish, Zorty gets iced out, trapped in the open
As Monty claim their first round as soon as the guns come out
You see a lot of b-hits where the smoke doesn't come down in the door before the entry comes out because most of the time
You're expecting players in the bomb site. You don't want to give away the
You know, you don't want to give the warning you're going for a B hit, let CTs rotate,
let them throw flashes, let them drop their molotovs, so Betboom try and break the timing
if they're in need to put Smoke up in Rainwaker's face.
But I can't believe he finds three kills there from the ramp.
That doesn't make any sense.
Beautiful shots from Rainwaker.
looks like a mistake from Bat Boom. There's method to the madness.
Oh my god, what a shutdown.
Bat Boom had Monty completely out of position.
And this is Monty's chance now to capitalize on all that damage they did across the first
few forces and ecos right? That thing might have a buy here but to say it's
perfect would be lying. Be massed no way. Just gets himself into that smoke.
Flammus was suspicious. Felt a little too easy getting out long for free like that.
Now they're picking up the pace. Flammus miles to follow up and Gizby's never even given a chance.
It was a lot you couldn't really account for there if you're Monty.
Did they run in to the long plow?
I don't know why farmers are so aware.
It's a great shag.
Beautiful fire pet shot.
Dillardez through the smoke.
It just falls into place there for Batboon.
It's not meant to be that easy.
But every kill they need with ease and hunting this final frag, Rainmaker ain't getting
out of this one.
Terrorists win.
That boom off to the races, 4-1.
One shot in the smoke revealed that player.
Dirty from Dillardaz.
Kizuru just high damage down middle.
Already on his last legs in.
This round is a weapon silently on cap this time.
This man just gets shot through and he fired a couple of bullets, that was all the warning
Magnetjes needs and they just speak up.
Yeah, now you hear all these split steps on short, you're gonna start scrambling bodies
surely.
Yeah, he's gonna save.
Wait.
Actually bit down on it, they're not gonna save and so as they walk away, they actually
end up over here towards B, right where this bomb was planning on heading.
This has to be a realisation for that boom.
and Magnetges have all this space, and they don't hear anyone.
Oh, bomb spotted.
Now's the time. If you do want to change your mind, this is where you go back.
Mid is a little uncertain. That's why they look so hesitant to do this.
They haven't had eyeballs on middle.
What a dodge.
Walked into the smoke, Azul does the same, and then he just shoots him in the back.
in the back. Emerson position here though just to ruin this round all three players for Monty trying
to scrap for this bomb out in middle great check for boomage and that should secure you safe passage
of this bomb. Just gonna move to hunt Afro down and make it punishing great awareness on vet boom
that they were about to play themselves they really don't ever get ahead of themselves in these
situations man you boarded up early on with the dodging of multiple stacks here nearly end up
walking into the save. That's just great awareness and great discipline to be able to halt the
call like that. I'm just shocked the way the Bat Boomer winning these rounds. It's a very,
very tricky position. Sure, some of them even favored, but you have to really be careful with
these calls. We were just putting them together. The back out of B twice now. The way the Boomer
clears top mid and checks for the long push. Anything that could have gone wrong doesn't
It's here for Betboom.
I'll get the stud, takes two with him, but that's still guns here for Monty, they will
happily gather.
Rain Waker, there's that 5-7.
Boom Edge, rescue maneuver.
You have info on everyone, right?
You know that no one's in the B site right now, and so Magnajez had a walkthrough for
free.
It's Rain Waker appearing in those lower tunnels that comes as a surprise.
Magnetjez though he's been hot all series long
Handed a 1v3 over at the B site
Let's see how he tries to play it has a Molotov to work with that can slow the role of this retake
It's very tunnels focused with only one man on the midside this position makes it very hard
He has to hit some
Holly as a car forces him out of the open they hear that tag backstab through the tunnels connects on a great timing
So no problems there for Monty, they don't give that 3D1 away.
And an eco win.
Yeah, I wonder what his read was there on clearing middle.
He checked it entirely so no one there still dumped all his util for the mid retakes.
So maybe thinking they were either already close.
Not sure.
Nice!
Caught out of position.
It is a Monty eco win, as you say.
Bash on long with pistols and flashes.
Give them guns.
Give them a round and a big chance now just to try and break back into the game again, right?
You're flush with cash one loss isn't gonna break the money here. What with you winning on pistols?
And so just a bit more to stay afloat with here huge opener for Afro who has been struggling at the start of dust
An early advantage a 5v4 that goes untrated
and a block on the long side you haven't played for this space they walk through
because no one ever holds this smoke they put it down and they trust it it wasn't
reflash for the check there Monty realizes a threat on block and B-Mass comes through to deal with it
doesn't close nice spray back for B-Mass that's old school B-Mass right there master of the
transfer the one player with major experience on this
Monty lineup.
He keeps them in this round in a big way or see something
but he hesitated. He took too long to take that shot.
Yeah, so he was brushing up on his anatomy thinking well,
if I can see that, head's got to be here.
too long to piece that one together and Afro just gets to bite down on a freebie
The Magnajez save not even a guarantee as Monty moved to hunt touched upon our winning that eco has set them up with a nice chunk of
James here
So trying to make this a punishing round loss for Beth Boone
Afro big triple opening frag bailing his teammate on car and the closer
So no problems here for Monty.
There's a gap of fear at the start of this game with 5-1 lead, but as we've learned from map 1 those foes are quick and Monty are back in this map.
Bad by indeed, just magnages on a hero AK.
I had a bit of pace behind it, speed of the cat, they've had the gap last time, it's had
a suit picked behind them but Magnus still sends it.
I mean here's great space right now.
Oh, firing off gives up his position, still good for the kill, question for Betboom is
will that bomb be able to join him right now?
It gets the space up through short, down to a retake here.
I loved the Magnus, didn't think twice about the space he'd taken, Dillardes de-connects
in the downtime.
This is a 4 on 3 post-plot with a hero gun as really the only item to write home about
Magnes
Is that one more kill could be enough and they set him up for it?
teammates will fall on short
He's still in position to do big damage. That is one hell of a round for Magnes
First kill entirely off his own back and past that point the team go to great lengths to set him up
and with good reason. He's had a series of monstrous 4ks in this series has
Magnajez and that is one that comes with resounding consequences for Monty.
It was low money, it was pistols, diggles and Magnajez's AK ahead of the timing
when Monty break the smoke thinking they've killed the cap player in Flamers.
Magnajez is already in. Gizmy's jumping out of his chair there out of fear.
He got completely caught off guard on the long corner.
that Magnetgez gives every single one.
A dig for Dillardes too.
Can't be overstated.
But Magnetgez takes all the glory in this round.
Oh, not high, off the top.
The door was tentatively peeking.
But the team's breaking.
Well, actually, that's all Monty has to go on.
Downtown.
Seem to have been getting very unlucky around these mid-doors multiple times now just a stray bullet from Zotti connecting to him through the doors.
And right as they start to shuffle a player down into CT, gives me taking that line, what would these smoke down?
down, paranoid about a mid to be split. Dillardez replenishing that UTIL really trying to sell
this. They've pulled that third player out of position.
And so you're looking at Afro here and saying, he's got to be the guy to get the job done
all upon the line. It's the only defense they have in the A bomb site.
Swing and a miss for the first one. And with each shot you miss, Betboom take more and
more control and maybe he could have gotten one or more off there but he
doesn't want to die. If nothing has to completely abandon ship and play for this
retake and look at Betboom give him nothing on long. Sure Monty can crawl
closer but we have one flash on Afro to make the difference in this round and if
it doesn't do something here with Monty they're gonna get locked out. There's the
final block. Molly goes down. Monty can still give this a go but they've got to
now. It's the flash. Peek on the back of it. Afro doing what he can, but it's too strong.
And the crossfires here, Betboom had a lot of time to get comfortable in those post plants.
And boy, do you feel that as you try and come through just a kill box set up over CT.
And this five players, from cats to default, every awkward headshot angle has a Betboom
fire on it. Afro gets out of the door, removes Ortiz, but Betboom don't need to worry about
money at this point in the game. They are fine. And so yeah, as Monty come up ramp,
not just eating that HE in the molly, but just too many targets, all with headshot advantage
on AKs. And Zorty connects very important kills after a quiet map of Mirage and a slow start to dust.
So now's a great time for Zordy to show up and my god he's got a head of the smoke on long.
There's no flash to get D nas in position there, but there is one up top middle, Rainbaker forcing this.
Aphra with his back, but if he gets flashed, how do you get out? Molly behind you, Aphra in trouble.
Decision to make. Do you hang around or do you try and escape while these two smokes are down in middle?
Oh, it just fades! That's really awkward, lucky to still be alive!
Oh my goodness, these orbs!
Two tags, no kills, Boomage has to take it now.
And yeah, you feel like long is the way because you've only seen pistols and you've only seen jiggles at the corner.
Once you don't have this position much longer and they're pushing the AWP on B
Just means you have to push mid and flank catwalk in this round. I just don't know how once he can win it
I think they should be considering these guns getting saved again
Flash for long corner magnetizes in the site
Oh, there was a gap on this Molly, for sure, and so Rainwaker's ahead of it.
Gonna try and take that timing, and what a timing it is!
There's the shutdown for Rainwaker!
What a possible round, they come into it with next to nothing, and in the blink of an eye, it's just Flammas left!
One gap on that molotov, and it proves to be the golden opportunity for Monty.
shut down with the pistols and those saved rifles and a chance to close in on
Betboom before this half is over. His time on Liquid did not count. Rain Waker
absolutely showing up in this series. He had a phenomenal barrage. Look at him go
in this highlight moment. The one rifle in the entire round just as Magnet
Jez did to Monty. He does right back to Betboom. He just rushed the molly on cat.
He just pushes right through as it pops feel a smooth for rain waker the only way that they could have won that round
And he makes it so Afro goes again to lower
But he's got a rifle by a side this time as soon as he's getting messy careful months. He don't get ahead of yourself
And he's been gifted openers like this
Gonna feel it possible to throw this one away. They know they've got Rainweaker dead to right.
Bemos, other side of the map will just be left out of the picture here.
Round one and lost on this fight for lower control.
And Soobette, boom, don't let the results of that last one get in their heads.
They're quick to course correct and end up locking in a strong T side campaign,
holding the lead here as they make their move towards stage three.
I'll be glad, giving you a piece of myself, I'll want you in my head
Caravans are the ones that keep running down
All I want is a regret
Caravans are the ones that keep running down
Let me die, let me out
I'm gonna die
Don't try to fight
I'm a broken heart
I'm gonna die
I'm gonna die
I give up, I give up, I give up, I give up, I give up, I give up
All I can describe the villain
This is full of part no reason
Same old games that last me up
The fear is too long and all fucked up
I can't stand the fire that flies and flies in the dust
You can't fight the fire that night, God damn it!
There's the flash, that's gonna catch groups out, they're gonna push off the roof
They're gonna get a rubber creep for the fight out, they're gonna get the triple!
That's fantastic, I'm not done yet!
Can you believe it?
Betboom are hungry for that third stage and maybe no one hungry of the Magnajez right now.
Guys had a phenomenal series and he's kept it up across all three maps.
Hitting hard come the turn of the third.
Top in the board as he's managed to do throughout.
A convincing T side half out of Betboom.
chances in there for Monty, chances that get away from them. Now it's all order.
Now to start with the pistol on their tee, on their tee side.
Now for trying to hype up the boys as Monty looked to pull quite a comeback out of their pockets.
Magnajez is pushing top middle. He's been spotted, so it gives me given flashes to pop him out of
Play sortie, he's struggled in this game and that will continue, even Magnus can't escape so
Monty do answer the call, they see what Beppu are up to and they don't let them get away with much.
Push on B, quick get chaotic for the Zulu, hold his own and Monty, what more advantage do you need
to win this pistol? 5v2, just go together.
Boomage here's this. Now is there in the right place? Around that corner, a lot of bodies.
Too many to deal with, or see you think? Boomage made it interesting for a moment, but numbers
are enough for Monty. Pistol round secured. Suddenly the hope reignited that you can get
back in the game. This has been such a back and forth series, hasn't it? But it's still
punctuated by two very one-sided maps. And so you wonder, is this where it really gets
close as both these teams vie for their deepest major run yet? For four players on Monty, it's
that first time. Be nice. It's been a five year break since Stockholm. We have both
a major winner and a Cologne winner in Boomich. It's team nowhere near the same success.
Every single player in the server today has something to prove.
I think the thing about Boomage as a leader, as a captain, is this is a guy who kind of
had no choice but to develop resilience.
What with the amount of times he's had to essentially rebuild himself from the ground
up.
Not just the na-fi days and that going awry, but even just on a personal level, the rebuilds
that this guy's had to go through to get to the where he is today.
And so you imagine that's something he's looked to instill across the troops in this team.
The finish for Monty under defended bombsite for that boom.
It's only Dillardez here won't get out with anything.
And the chairs manages one on the spam, but you're out of position.
And this B site is infamously hard to retake.
Yeah, you might just run this one back in the next
I wonder if we're gonna see a lot of be abusive for Monty in this half
But boom gone away with eight rounds and they barely touched this B bomb site
The Monty it feels like the
Way to give me your way into a second half
full tunnels here for Bethan scouted the car so I'm gonna try some fake steps away but
Monty are buying it they're gonna exit middle safe decision getting away from the threat
of this round because while Bethan would love to keep their guns Monty very much the same
him here. It's going to matter from the next gun. Whoa, look at that bomb. Armor is gone
here for Monty. Four players below 14 armor. And all of them except Rainwaker have re-bought.
Yeah, here's three Kevlar.
One bullet and he's gonna feel the aim punch like a ton of bricks.
Also, the guy right in the front of the pack.
When someone shoots him, he is just gonna die, he is just gonna get fully wiped in
three bullets. You almost want to get one d8. It'll feel better.
I don't matter here as they get up catwalk and Waker gives them the option to go for
the mid to B.
And they discount.
But that damage is already done the way of Monty, but boom, saved this force.
But they're going to have a tricky decision here if this is an A side hit.
Magnus just could break this one
One armor
Boomish slips the net gonna try and give chase up the catwalk
Mom goes down for Monty. This is around you should be interested in looking for something in if you're back food
This is one kill and are they really just gonna commit to the save
I think so, I think you just keep your armor for the most part, maybe you won't even upgrade
next round, but playing the long game is just not a winnable position.
Which would be nice, send in the deagle.
Mattness goes lucky.
I see they're losing Galel, but really, that boomer's just happy to get real guns in that next round.
Monty's still on bonus, converting their pistol.
Yeah, I can do the flip.
this first rifle around for Monty.
Well, this part about it, I guess,
is a Zulu just with the rundown middle.
Nets you some fast control out here towards short,
but that pace is kind of matched by Betboom
just playing reserved back in the bomb site.
Early anti-long rush setup.
When they don't get handed one,
they fall back into a more standard CT default.
It's just two players in a day,
which will be the guy shuffling at a position
if required to go down and keep an eye on middle.
They actually get some self stuck in place.
Good nade damage.
There's our CT smoking, so boom it shuffles on down.
I'm watching all this Utah out, I'm gonna re-block on short, it gives me my attempt to
drop down into CT, gonna go looking for a backstab perhaps, here he is, not required,
now owns this CT space but it's breaking through the B site, that's the goal, Magna
Jez up close, missed opportunity, falls to Dilladez now, buying time for his teammates
closing in on these backstabs and this is a big problem. 20 seconds left and you've got no ground left to run.
It's a desperate charge, forgives me, and Flammeis arrives on a perfect timing there on that backstab.
Got to shut down from Deladez. He's not only baiting for Magniges in a strong position,
but then he flicks back, deals with the Tunnels, lurks, and still holds his own in the B bomb site.
If he drops any of those kills and that is Monty with the bomb plants in a strong position
to win the round, then at least no game here off Bat Boom.
A guy in difficult spots does a lot and holds this one together here for Bat Boom.
reliable. I'm not running into money problems, I've got one more buy. But without it, I'm
just surging towards that third stage.
And it's been a real rifler's game thus far, right? Yet to have the Orbs truly step
up and dominate, you wonder if that could serve as a crucial way to try and get back
into this you ever can figure out a means to get their off on line first
so once he was quiet on Mirage and that's followed him into dust too
and Afro doesn't even get to don the big green in this rifle round fast play up
on a catwalk good space taken already flammus waiting with these maids but
Little open there as he tries to lob it in.
Here he gives me.
I saw you covering the cross. This could be his moment, we said.
Quiet in the tail end of this series, but an important kill there.
Byes Flamis, a few more seconds.
Not able to get anything from that extra time.
And Monty are actually getting tricky with this. They hear the rotates are taking the bomb out of there.
Gives me just hoping to buy you precious seconds.
out in this A site, you've got Rainwaker waiting in its CT, but Afro's got to get a move on here.
He doesn't believe it, holding the shot, Rainwaker lets him pass, going for the back.
He's going for the last guy, but that's more where that came from, and he whiffs that shot.
Afro took too long to get in position, so when he comes off the bomb, they will be biting.
Three players ready to fly through with that flash.
Afro four blind, it has gone so wrong for Monty, so pear shaped.
Bedboom pick up the retake and they are just confused.
What a fumble.
Man, I thought after I realized he had that room, he had to just run.
He had to get there quickly and rain waker.
a
Nothing from that position. He wanted to milk it for all its work
Yeah, like try to try to go for the play that would almost win you the round right getting out with the double would have been more than enough
And it's been a really solid series for the guy don't really have an issue with how he played it just
Fumbled the execution with that tech nine backstab let them get too far away
away. There's been a third player next to him. That could have gone even worse. But now within
their sails and they are charging for the finish line. That boom two opening kills Zorty.
As you said, quiet is indeed, but in his shot last round, he'll find the 5v4 here. Magnetjes
extends that advantage.
Magnetjes was the guy that Monty named, you know, called out by name saying he is hitting
hard, sure. But it was the rest of them. They were hoping to exploit not only if you had a bit of a
turn up from the rest of that boom.
Magnetjes is just keeping up appearances been red hot throughout the entire series.
Throughout this entire stage, honestly, only lagging behind Donk in the ratings.
Yeah, and he's more than Donk's friend. This guy is someone to keep your eyes on here at this major.
I've been magnificent.
That boom, two rounds away, seemingly one four by away if they win it here or now.
Stage 3 ushered into the top 16.
Team they're on such a heater you have to ask the question how far can they go?
Is stage 3 the limit? Could this be a playoff bound squad?
Getting held a very, very fast round here, no issue for Dillardez.
Throwing Gizmy.
Having to muster up something here, and this...
plate pounce for Gizmy out windowside.
Dillardez's time runs out.
Trying to still walking over, but...
this is not a round, you're gonna be attempting.
At least it shouldn't be.
Smoking Molly in the way.
to the right. He's going to
get to the right. So he will
depart. Honestly, that's really
well recovered for Monty. They
were put in a very bad
position. It's split getting
dealt with the first player out
through middle and the tunnels
both falling. Not the start you
want to that split. That's where
you've got to look at their
F*** your ass, it's weird.
That's not willing to go down quietly.
Yeah, 5v3 and...
...I want to catch the bankers and then trap those players in the B bomb site.
Gives me, does not rush this kill either.
Let's just team come in with a close.
After holding for the mid-pick, not giving away, Zorty does not want to concede an advantage.
With the money where it is, this round carries heavy weight.
Another missed shot for Zorty.
is ready in case they dart out middle.
See no long hits really in this game. I've been pulled off one or two, but...
I'm too absent. Go back to the cat.
Everyone's doing it. Boomage, holding multiple HEs, ready for this contact.
There's the Magnejes opening, if ever you've seen one, here comes this barrage of Util out of Boomich.
Flash is going high, let Magnejes move in, and once he's got eyes on you, it's a terrifying place to be.
A shutdown out of Magnejes.
Match in series point for Bedboom.
And they have multiple chances now to go waltzing into stage three.
how many stars will come from Spirit Academy? It's impossible to know at this point. There
are so many players signed, but yeah, this talents joined Bet Boom two years ago. He
has been grinding through multiple iterations of this roster and he is peaking right now
at the major.
Incredible rounds from Magnetjes.
Full blind just pre-fires as they come over the top of that box.
Another incredible multi-kill for this guy.
God, he's more likely to get four than one.
Straight up mid.
Impressive swing, just to try and end this now.
You know they've got out long.
You know it was the only option they had
and that they're gonna try and play with some pace here
to catch you on that timing after the mid-aggro
so quickly, Bepoomov.
All their guns in position to shut this one down.
Break on that smoke, perfect timing.
And they can feel it, Stage 3 is calling their name.
Not going to get ahead of themselves here with damage done.
They know this one's on a knife's edge, ready to come through this CT smoke at a moment's
notice.
And you might expect one guy out of Hail Mary with a flashbang.
Will you be ready for the whole damn team on the fate of this smoke?
Let's see what the first, first steps heard, but clawing it back is Betboom, Rainwaker
finished off and stage three awaits.
Magnajez with a phenomenal series.
You touched upon it where a lot of these Team Spirit Academy prodigy players went on to
get picked up by top squads.
Magnajez did not here to grind for this view, but peaking in time for the Major.
He has just put on a phenomenal series to take his team to stage three.
Yeah, not with a bang, but with a boom, going to squad into the top 16,
and they look to take on some of the top teams in the world.
I definitely think they have it in them to compete with the world's best.
This team is playing phenomenal right now, and even when the floor is struggling,
even when Zorty is missing, it doesn't seem to be a problem right now for Bedboom,
with a standing no less stand tall in this series,
and multi fall and have to fight for one more chance.
Fantastic stuff from Betfumas.
They seal that spot in stage three.
Individuals looking incredibly on point
and Magrige specifically looking red hot
throughout the entire duration of this series.
This is the deepest this organization
have ever made it at the CS2 majors.
Of course, that stage three does await them,
but one more team will indeed be sealing that spot.
Also later on today, that's going to be versus
G2 rather versus big that's gonna be our final game of the day
That does mean that we need to hear a little bit from nuts ahead of that matchup as well
But not before that we are gonna be diving into all things
We're also gonna be getting managers for a few words on up here, too. Yeah, go that was fantastic for coming out of him, right?
Yeah, definitely he led the way for his team on the decider, right? It always gets
Dicey, you don't want to end up in that to two brackets or an absolutely phenomenal performance against one
We can say congratulations to the man himself.
What's going through your head right now?
How happy are you to make it to stage three?
Thank you. I am really happy.
You were kind of man of the match in that one as well.
Individual form, looking great.
Why was that?
I don't know.
I think that was quite not hard to give.
I would say they beat us on Mirage.
I think our mentor was Biden Mirage because of easy nuke.
That's why we fucked up really hard.
third map coach said very good mental things and everything became good
team helps me a lot to
Show good individual so that's why any bad words from the coach after that
Come up. Maybe, you know just motivational. Yes
Motivationals some course some good
It's okay. Well, what is he kind of brought to the team because first came in at the start of the year. What's kind of changed?
I would say
The biggest difference between Railway and Fizz is its structure, obviously, because he has something that he wants to see in the team.
He is providing it to the players, and the players are learning and playing on the same page.
I think that's the main thing.
Obviously, he helped me a lot with my mental thing, because I had a problem that I want to win really, really much,
and it distracts me in important games.
I think I've fixed it and that's why I've become much better in the season, so it's helped me a lot and the team as well.
Do you feel this structure and what he was able to do alongside Boomage has been key to you finding success even with stand-ins and people standing in for different positions and you still look good, you still look as a team on the server?
Yeah, in my opinion that's the main part of our success, it doesn't matter that we're
playing every time like Migs, it's obviously sad that we can't get visas, but it is how
it is.
Anyway, we have our core, me, the leaders, Boomage especially, we know how to play, we
are also in Boomage, the main players, I mean in terms of structure, in terms of calls
and how the team plays. So I think it affects us really much and that's why we have success.
You said that you've improved your mental a lot recently.
But the managers that was on Spirit Academy compared to now, what do you think is the biggest difference?
Oh, Spirit Academy. I think I was really, really young.
I would say at some point better than you. To my teammates overall.
In the academy I had some default things.
When I came to Bedroom, especially Fierce,
he told me how I should play every game
and how my feeling should stay the same every game.
It doesn't matter which I play for first stage, second stage, first stage,
so I think that's the biggest difference.
All of that seems to have paid off massively.
There were probably a lot of different moments
moments you could have brought up Jan Kooten show young man who does be picked
out round nine what have you got sure yeah it was a little bit weird of the
first half you guys did okay in gun rounds struggled against pistols but
this round you had the bit of extra money went for the AK 4v5 I don't know
why that guy is giving you the fight but you just took matters into your own
hands and I think this was a key round for you guys to to be able to win that
first half I think this round that shows that team sacrifice a lot for me
because Flamos, I would say, died for me because he just ran on top, after saying
no and short, no and short, I'm killing like the guy in behind, then Zort jumping
for me, I'm killing long and like that's how team should work, so that's why I said
that team helps me, I think that's the good round.
Just one more question for me, stage three,
sealed for you for the first time in your career, your boy Donk already waiting there,
you excited to potentially go head to head against him again?
I think it's a very, very important experience for me because it's ThereseLan, it's a major,
I'm playing versus the best teams in the world, online, best of three. I think that's
the most important experience in my career, so I would try to do my best and take some lessons
from this. Yeah, I have a lot of questions, but I need to ask, how crazy is Flummas?
You mean inside the game or outside the game?
I think it helps a lot that he's screaming, he's helping the team to hold the good mood.
Often in the prog room he's playing some premium or some other games, he's screaming on the whole corridor.
So that's how crazy he is.
Ah, so it's you guys.
That's why we can't sleep.
I don't really care. It helps team a lot, so I think it's an important day.
Thank you so much, Magrids, for your time. Congratulations. We'll see you in stage 3.
Excellent stuff coming out of Betboom. Of course, for Monty, the job isn't over yet.
That job being avoiding elimination here, they will have one more opportunity.
What do you take away from this series, Janko?
Yeah, I think they had some good plans, really, but they just couldn't match up in the end to
BedBoom and sort of their firepower. We did preface a little bit, you know, after that match,
maybe it was BedBoom getting ahead of themselves, just feeling like, oh, after that nuke, these guys
are not that great, we'll just beat them, you know, no matter what, but as soon as you do that,
as usually when you enter the danger zone, right? So I think one team will still have their chances
depending on the opponent, right, in that two-two bracket, but, you know, they can't
allow to go down to their sort of C game, right? Like, they need to play on a high level
and then perhaps they can sneak through into stage three.
A danger zone. Where have I had that one before?
I don't know, Fred.
A little bit of a special, by the way, we do have a very special game to be rounding
out this evening's entertainment, another sports at stage three on the line that is
going to be between G2 and Big going down after this break.
The best of Counter-Strike 2
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Oh that's 3v3, I'll take the guys.
Right, he's close to me guys.
Guys, just honestly keep on trying to push.
You can push, you can push.
Go short, I'm at the left.
No one can be short yet really.
Yeah, go lower.
Long, long, long.
He's one of the non-demand.
I just carry for that, could be, could be.
Nice.
Nice, friend.
I'm behind Thomas.
Last is aggro.
Wait for us, guys.
Yeah, I'm...
Wait.
Should be car, should be car.
Molly car, Molly car, I see fast.
Yeah, Molly.
And careful in the smoke after Oscar
Get left side
Nice guys
In Thane Rain
In Thane DMS
Short as well
I can kill
You short
They smoke behind them
You hit them?
Yeah, on side too
On site
Let's play
Car
Wait, wait, guys, shoot
I'm still up
Long push
He's like car, top car, you're on ramp now.
I'm plowing him.
HIT!
NOOOOO!
HIT!
Fuck you, Zekman!
Let's go!
Do you work now?
I'm ready, I'm ready.
I'm ready, smoke.
I can't flash, I can't flash.
I'm flashing mid.
I give you one more.
I can't, I can't, I can't, I can't, I can't.
One guy is down.
Go, go, go, go!
Sets!
One is dead.
Dead short, dead short.
Wait for me, B.
like we can go
check check check
got the box
nice nice last is away
nice one too
after them
check
nice
nice yes
I'm here with nerds from G2
and surely
a fun day to be in G2 is that right
it is though
like we're gonna say good CS
We're gonna have fun, we're gonna show good mentality, we're gonna, you know, smile.
That's the most clean, like this is what we are playing CS.
You're a mentality kind of guy, I get that vibe from you all the time.
How do you do it? How do you keep going?
I don't know, like I'm normal as everyone, I feel like this way, for me, I just know how to
handle tournaments for me, whatever, and just move on, not good.
So you knew how to handle, well, you didn't handle the feet.
I know that sounds crazy, but foot, you didn't handle the feet, but you did try to handle
foot, you missed that opportunity for the 3-0 there.
So Nerds, what's your takeaway from that game against foot?
For me, it's like, I think we played good CS overall, maybe we were tired the last map,
it was a game, I can just excuse this.
For me, it's like whatever, we have another game, we moved on, we don't care about this,
It doesn't matter the way we win, at least we'll lose, just when you win it doesn't care how it is.
It is what it is.
It is what it is. Also specifically, how could you guys have even, assuming you went back and watched the demo,
how could you have potentially stopped Cravenie on Ancient?
I think I need to start Kill, like click on mouse one.
Yeah.
It is what it is.
It definitely is what it is. Hey today you're looking at Big on the other side of the aisle.
You know those guys familiar with some of them. You've played against them surely in practices. What's your take on playing them today?
I don't have much to say about them. I think like they are fine. They are decent. We're gonna win them under percent and move on to stage 3.
Stage 3 or bust?
Stage 3 for us is like 3-0 also put the pick-hams 3-0 for us in stage 3. Remember guys, remember.
Tell them that, tell them that. You need to put 3-0 for G2 in the pick-hams.
I'll just hit the you know and that's why mentality is important. Thank you for your time. Thank you very much
The Intel Extreme Masters Colonial Major 2026 is brought to you by ESL and partnership with Intel
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To finish the game, you need to have a hard time, but with a big shot.
Our final game of the day and a chance to be clinching a spot in Stage 3.
that's what we saw that boomed doing just moments ago and if you're keeping an eye on the B stream as well
9z also earning a spot there, but now it's between G2 and Big
So let's start with the former Yanco. How have G2 found themselves in this position? What are the results so far?
Yeah, we're 2-0 after day one right played a couple of
Mirages one comfortable win and then a close one versus Monty that triple overtime game
Lightwork of M18 the opener and then yeah last night against FOOT we had that three mapper
teams trading their own mapex and then unfortunately that ancient decider pretty deflating from
the side of G2 didn't seem like they were able to get anything going and for deservedly
booking a spot already in stage three. On the other side of things, big Ash, what have
you kind of made of their road through stage two? We had a couple of questions off to stage
one, right? They've been okay, I would say. Good wins against MBR and Payne. Payne have
looked a little bit better maybe than we perhaps would have thought. Yeah. Lost to Monty. Monty
look pretty good. I kind of
big still kind of in the lower
middle category at the moment.
We still don't know enough about
them. We're going to see again
today. How much we're going to
how much can they push G2 can
get to three maps and that would
be quite good for them right
now. Yes. We've seen results kind
of all over the top. If we're
looking at big client 32, though,
you picked out a potential
weakness. You've been looking at
the two sides. Ash, what's the
what's the story there?
It could be something that big
could perhaps exploit a little
bit. They've been struggling
with it so far. So this is the
So to say so far of the major. I mean, but do you haven't played the most maps to be fair? But they have played anubis so far as well runs over these the teams are kind of struggling a little bit on that T side list said about the Stralis the better thing.
It's kind of hard to win 3% of your 4B5 with their play to them for trying. But yeah, G2, it felt like they were getting perhaps exploited a little bit by foot and I dived into that to kind of see what could potentially be going wrong there.
Yeah, let's go straight into it. We do have a couple of examples from each of the maps that we saw that a new bus
I think we should be starting off on so what did you pick out?
Why have you chosen these grounds for us to look at what kind of light here is a foot kind of concede this area on water
They can try to take a little bit later than normal
They come with a nice little take mortar comes in a couple of flashbangs
And they're just kind of trying to overwhelm G2 whilst they're in the middle of their default and it felt like a consistent problem for them
I'm not just in this map, but across all the maps where they could kind of get pushed when the default was kind of ending
Or in the middle of it and the protocols of maybe out of the window
I see again here now come out take a first kill as we saw last time about three G2 try to react towards B
But what I really liked about full what they did is kind of show no respect and they're here together
So sure guys, let's just peek and fight you see together all the boys are coming at the same time
Planks blocks it and they come a fight scary
It's that second tempo aggression which can be difficult to deal with yeah the preemptive block from longs
That's the one weak spot in that whole push, so he knows that's the easy reaction, you just block it
and then even though G2 reacts immediately, it's still tough having to go through that smoke and
that was the great thing about food, just playing as a unit and then being together and being aggressive and at times...
They're strengths, you know, we know them as big gamers and just go out there and taking the fight to G2, they're not scared of that at all.
Yeah, and for G2, once that initial protocol doesn't really hit, like you catch them in the middle of it as they're
really in a way, and that's usually the hardest timing to adjust for, and it wasn't just a new best rise was a trend that continued on to the next map of the series.
Yes, it goes into the engine and so we see, there can be a bit of aggression down middle, perhaps you want to take this one.
Yeah, I think this one was like just early aggression, right? So they don't do it always at the same time and it's a difference, right?
Whether you go for the fight immediately or not, you can even notice now, the even was still on A because in their previous ancient game when they did this,
did this, they left A open. So now it's like they're accounting for the anti-strat. Oh,
they might want to do an A rush or something fast on A and having that extra player there
really helped a lot.
Yeah. And just what I love to see about them is it reminds me a lot of the Anup's example
where they're ready together and they're just going to kind of pick a trigger to go. And
here's the flashbang comes in, you understand this moment. They have an E in it, Gravaini
plays, Juggs plays, and just long to the same time. He's even setting up the spam. And even
though he's got barely in but his life, he comes through, completes the round. And it's
just the chaos that G2 really could not handle in these moments and it wasn't the only round
either we see again before doing that. A few rounds later in the half, foot were really
in their faces but again it wasn't the instant aggression that was a big problem and I think
this is where again G2 they're good at shutting this down, they know what to do, they're not
to deal with it on these defaults but this delayed aggression symmetry stays over in
middle, gets lucky with a double kill but this happens and instantly there's no hesitation
at all from Craveni, he comes out and exploits that gap which you can't really fill on a
normal to default because things are happening in the middle, he's picking a good timing
perhaps today big could look something that they can maybe exploit.
Yeah, it's the minor things as well, you know, there's a player spamming with an M4 through red.
So maybe you're not necessarily expecting that top to be right there.
Yes, he's a little bit fortunate to get a collateral there, but you know, for Benny again, no hesitation.
That's the thing. That was the thing about food. There's really no hesitation in those plays.
And that's why they work. Like those plays, a lot of times it's about timing in terms of you have to be decisive
When it comes to it, if you think, oh, do I go, do I not go, you probably lost your timing, and it's over.
So, foot is a unique team, like, that's going to be challenging for Big to try and replicate.
And that's the thing, right? Do they have the same level of individuals inside of there?
Because we see on foot, I guess, many would argue.
I don't think there's the same philosophy, I don't think. That's the difference.
And it's difficult to be like, hey, I saw Foot doing this.
Let's kind of throw our way out of the window and play more aggressive.
But I'm not sure that Big Play kind of similar at all on CT side.
And if they don't play this, are they going to be able to be disruptive enough
to maybe break apart G2 potentially weaker seasides.
That's a very good question, one that we'll be answering shortly, but before we get the maps,
Janko, going as expected so far?
Well, yeah, I think big with that seven map map pool between the ancient, the most played,
high spin rate map for the side of G2, G2 with their perma-ban of Nuuken, we see big with that
Inferno. I like that going up against G2, you go make it a more tactical, strategic map
map for G2 going to Mirage where they had success early on and maybe they saw big
Steaside at times and they were like, hey, there's not much going on there. Maybe we
can go for that. But their Steaside was pretty good though.
I should have liked this because I had big down to Bandus too and they risked that people
just don't like picking a new base. They lost the fort as well. It took their risk. I thought
this was a banker, ancient pick for them. Inferno is obviously given and the buff is
pretty good on Overpass.
This is going to be a very exciting one. We've got big, we've got G2 and we've got a spot
It stays three on the line. Yes, we do. G2 failed to make it yesterday, fall into major
debutante in foot and, well, in quite a fashion. A three mapper. It went the distance, it went
late and G2 are going to have to play into the night again as they take on B I G. That's big.
Germans in Germany, back in Cologne. Previous finalists from many years ago and big still with
They shouldn't even be here, Harry. Let's be honest. They were 12-0 down. The best showing of resilience
we've ever seen at a major front-back, brought a pack against NRG and made it through in that final day of the previous stage.
Well, now they're in for a shot and making it the distance into the top 16.
And that would just be such a turnaround from kind of a forgotten organization.
You have to go back a while now to when we were getting big routinely at top events.
They missed a couple of majors and that's what led in to this rebuild.
Around Greggs, around Blame F, going back to International after some time.
roots of this. The German lineup is the B pop for big. It is a shut down. Hunter gets
them all in a row. That's nice and easy. The kickstart G2 CT side. Big smile for Hunter.
Yeah, all the stars aligned for him there. They couldn't have made that easier for the
captain. He's the young star on this team. He showed up yesterday in a huge way. Had a
couple of great games of this major has Hunter and what a way to start it off
CT flash big fully blind cooked in the smoke just body blocking each other gives
Hunter a triple
Yeah take the USB off
Matter of fact drop me Juleys
Big 7 map pull is always exciting, it's going to give you so many options right being able
to just come into this series and go, yeah, oh you have a good ancient?
No, we're back here to play it for your opponent.
That being said, yesterday it didn't look like a good ancient, but Furt's obviously
very apt for that map.
I think maybe not as confident.
It's simply math calling a T side of Inferno. It does make me wonder what we're going to get here, Harry.
Yes, in the play, a handful of times already, a strong map for this big squad.
Winds over, thundered down under, back in stage one, and MIBR here.
So how about some reps on it at this major?
Yeah, but G2 aren't truck drivers or plumbers.
I didn't think about it like that, well it's considering.
So it might be an uphill battle here for big.
There will be some waiting in this series, temp your expectations, but don't wait for
long as 20 seconds big have to hit the site
I'm no worries there thanks and easy for some pious
was the full eco round the priority was just bringing the guns out fast as
possible for big
every time I make the plumber and truck driver joke I mean I just think of
Chad's bunch virtual resident plumber of the Australian scene also to my
knowledge TJP does drive a truck
I'm going to run up an honor here for big.
JDC gets double-naded.
Ideal here to start this round off.
Holding for this from heavy god.
As he slips in, they look away.
Oh, that was the golden position for Heavy God, but he's unable to get it.
Check for Favon, drawn in by the rifle, Hunter swings off it, B2, G2, turned big, to dust.
Oh, I'm a little ugly there for Favon, but able to recover.
Now it's just left on him, this bomb lost out in middle.
All the time it's forced to split these long players. Mattis has made it across into the safety of middle
Fabbin's even getting wrapped. Hunter has hit this timing. Fabbin is a dead man. So G2
Keeping the streak going three in a row now rifles dealt with down to pistols again for big
Hunter as well keeping the streak going of just excellent maps
I need to one to keep this one off one away to begin four kills in the gun round three kills in the pistol
Love to see it
Was plagued by some difficult maps individually
For events this year at the major hunts of giving it all
Oh, something faster here, Favon. Key entry. Again, besting heavy god in the apartments,
but it doesn't keep up. That success stopped with some pirates getting into the pit. Griggs
has been spotted on an island out here towards Ram. Not going to find a thing. Another clean
sweep around for G2. Just dealing a multi-kills triple for some pirates. Quad for Hunter. It's
coming up for G2 right now and Big just haven't got themselves in a nice position all game yet.
Plenty more rifle rounds to talk about. I think, you know, for a team like G2,
follow kind of big names. It's a household name in terms of organization.
The goal really is, you know, stage three, even then, I think you're looking beyond it. So I can
imagine the game versus foot yesterday, maybe lights a bit of a fire underneath them, especially
because while that was a three-map series, and G2 were competitive on the first two,
it really didn't end that way, did it?
For Able to just break them down, come the turn of that third map.
And I imagine that fires you off. I don't think you want to go from that 2-0 position
all the way down to the last day of play, especially when you're a big name like G2.
Some of the players on the team is hot, big names across the roster, so what to do here for G2?
Nerds being that latest acquisition from a G2 looking to level up with a hot swap for
Malves.
Nerds has brought more entry power to this team, taking more fights on the T side, even
more on the CT side.
And we know his peak can be nasty, very strong mechanical player.
I know, he's playing right up in front of this banana smoke.
Oh, no! That is ridiculous!
There's the ace!
You talk about how he can take control of the game,
well, there he is, 8 and 0.
And he's cool as ice at the end of it!
I didn't like that wasn't a ludicrous display. Okay, onto the next round. I got bigger fish to fry
Boiled trout in banana big get wasted by nerters AK
What a sequence
Almost messed it up with that pre-spray on taps and turns back for the triple and a tech nine on the last man of blame
game. These multi kills for G2 are kicking off. Matt is in zero and zero right now. And
Hunter just walked down middle. They missed it. He has just walked all the way past multiple
players down bottom mid. I mean the last guy you expect to be the first death in this
round is JDC, isn't it? Alone over the wards ramp holding for banana regression. Look at
them go. Might end up being the first casualty for Big walking into a crossfire that you
were just not ready for and they still don't know about Hunter.
That should just smoke it. Honestly, really sell this
position. Hunter squeezing value and he does take the shot
before it's too late. Just leaves. 5 E3, you maybe want to
extract more, but you don't need to.
Big whole round is about clearing T spawn now and look at
blame F walking back to do so because Hunter could still be
here and it's just not the recipe to an upset round win is it right the fact
that you're sneaking around in spawn essentially worried looking over your
shoulder the hunter is still in your backline finally gonna get the all
clear but look at how much time this is wasted you just got to get a move on now
a bare minimum you want to be dying at the end of this round so time of the
essence just gonna be a group three man here
Sampayas 7-1, that's an early jiggle that forces Sharpey, he's going to support in this side and even Matt is on the board now.
There is no easy route to a round and there's only 10 seconds to die, so G2 will at least give you that.
A team ace, and a beautiful start to this game as G2 looked at a surge to that third stage.
Because you were hesitant, Harry, on saying aspirations may be high, I think it would be a bit of a failure to not see G2 in play or something.
That's their goal at the bare minimum.
Sure, new acquisition.
Still some
hot swaps being made here for G2, but
same old expectations.
Team that one of the few took a tier one trophy last year, took down Vitality and a B05.
We know when this team is peaking what they can be.
And while the conversation of last series was all about peaking for that major, something
that Pet Boom have clearly done.
Big have levelled up, beating better teams than we saw on their run to get here.
G2 absolutely need to seize the moment, seize this opportunity as the favourite in this
series and take a resounding win to find a Stage 3 birth.
The thing that's kind of brutal for big is they've been punching up all tournament long after the comeback you never you never
You know a will in the right this team off
but
On this journey they've kind of four squads to start respecting them
That's giving them a bit more room to play their game in this type of an environment
The last thing you two are gonna do is give you an ounce of respect
You've had four kills in the entire map thus far G2 are gonna be playing a very very aggressive look
Look, keen to get involved, keen to take gunfights, whatever prep you have, almost goes out the
window in this type of environment, because G2 are just playing off the rip counter strike.
JDC got burnt out, I thought he survived, got away from the Nade, and then another molly
hit to 0-7, here's just been vanquished by utility.
One man, one man in A, it's some pious on this AWP, reinforcements on their way over,
with that only being a tag some pious living on borrowed time here they close
in on him big could get their first round right here they have to it's the
opportunity to catch for Mattis can't chain together and make it a double
that one with a multi-kill trades off on of this AWP long sight lines for him
down here in the pit you ready for hunter so fast in through the apartments
had both kills right there on the platter and his gricks is getting
sandwich they're on both sides of him. Chance now it's Nertz and Wattle in this game thus far 10 and 0.
Gricks needs to deal in his first death of Inferno. Smoke fades and Gricks is feeling the pressure.
Shut down. It's a last second stick for Nertz down to the wire, but it looks like he's got it.
Still flawless for G2. Still flawless for Nertz. Oh, by the skin of his teeth there. Nertz squeezing
the final kill and the defuse out as the bomb blinks bright.
That is a shocking round win here from G2.
The cross into pit, high danger.
Taps and punished for it.
And great flank from Hunter.
He got all the info for Nertz to capitalize upon.
And boy, does he buzz a beat of a round,
but still big yet to break into this game.
So relieving to see this form out of Nertz
in that foot game yesterday come the turn of map three, he was absent. He ended it with two kills,
you know, like, and one of them was so inconsequential. It was on his way to a save.
He was nowhere to be found. I don't think he was 100% the reason why they lose that map. It felt
like everyone had kind of dropped off for G2, but he was certainly no help in trying to recover
things. So just great that he comes into today with a bit of a point to prove 11 and zero,
An ace already, now a clutch to his name as well.
And one of the whole dialogues you were having around G2 is, you know,
you know what this team is capable of when they're feeling it.
Safe to say they are right now.
Yeah, this is what G2 are a lot of fun to watch.
But I've always been close in this game.
Every time Bigger try to get up there,
I'm not even talking about the nerds' multi-kill.
I just mean the utility.
They've been dunking big with nades.
Now, oh, oh, think.
Oh, the Walmart nerds is dead.
He's got full span down low and Tabsum will capitalise. They hit that damage.
Sumpias pushed off the balcony.
One way to start off this round for Big, wallbang.
Going very far in their favour.
And so entry kill comes in.
Sumpias is pushed back to his site.
And Nerds is very low, so...
Big with another opportunity is G2 Gamble wrong.
Yeah, this should be there around
Money is sound for G2
I know you can always make the case to give around like this a look in but you're just gonna be so out of position
If nerds doesn't get anything through the smoke here. You should be saving just watch it. Okay. They're lucky to make it through the bomb
Here it feels like things are lining up, but big will make it through
damage would be nice put some pyres down banana with the orb
like I was just observing right now and like I don't really have a game right
now I really think we should not respect him so much as
absent calling to disrespect G2
This is a G2 where everyone is found a multi-kill.
I mean look, it's no secret, it's like getting that first round on the board when you've
been getting dumpstered.
That's the hard part.
This is a massive step in the right direction.
It has to be the start of something for big.
See Tabsin and Co trying to bring a bit of energy to this one.
That's right after he tells them to stop respecting G2 so much.
Nice shot man! Nice shot man!
Nice shot man!
Nice shot man!
Nice shot man!
Good spams!
Good spams!
This is by far the most established and threatening team
big of a to face on their run.
Maybe have been paying a little too much respect towards G2.
They're making a banana this time unscathed, that's because G2 are holding AIDS in this
B-bombsite.
We've done dunk top car.
Sooner they go the better, bigger rule here right now.
Nice first.
Mattis jumps into that one.
Let's go, both ways.
Big hedge there, bets, or other G2, poor third player towards B, but Big have walked right back middle looking to jump on this A execute.
It's a nice call right now, and G2 are prepared for it.
Sumpias has had some swings and misses.
Forward for the latter.
As they set their sights on his bombsite hunter.
Are you gonna come through this? Feels like he wants to.
Feels like he's thinking about it. Playmap has eyes on right now.
He waits for Sumpias to take contact and then closes in.
Perfect timing on that push. Doesn't quite get out with all the kills from it.
They've done plenty of damage.
Some pious now as this crossfire with heavy guard and a tentative big
Are able to blitz their way on through this bombsite after all Faber and Griggs need to go on a recovery mission now
It's nuts in their way and not quite the lineup. They'll deal him his first death of the game
And start chaining together some rounds on the back of it two in a row for big
I got terrifying sending favin first with all the health Griggs is low felt like they could have lined up there
but Gricks has not swing wide he keeps that angle tight,
traited out, but we all know what happened there.
Some players multiple missed shots on the short side,
just has to hit one of them to win the round.
Fights at G2 with a 1 couple of rounds ago,
but now we're getting a little bit cold,
letting Big into this game.
And you know Big are always going to bring that energy
and bring that belief because they've come back from worst.
7-0 down, believing in every round.
Oof, that's rough.
Pius Griggs makes it nice and easy for him there edging out around the corner
And so after the miss shots in that last round some pious looking to make up for it
Smoke drop, but they're gonna come through down on the back of the flashback heavy guard. What a save
Bails is all proud. I could have gotten so weird if that first player makes it in
Maybe if doesn't go but man if he did I
Could have been a kill some pious was caught basic views
Have you got used a lot of ammo?
If the fire follows up and with blame not swinging out with his teammate, condemns his
round, walks in back turn, heavy gove cleans up and some pyres does make up for his previous
round with three nice orb shots, winning the orb duel to Griggs, wide on that angle, and
and Greg's pre-aims too shallow.
So a 5v4 for Big.
That's not last long.
G-twistle surging ahead here on Big's map, Big.
Honestly, just a great round to return to form for some pious.
Willing to go tip the tat with big at every single step of that last round, because, yeah,
he said it was 5v4.
Jay, you see, they get the opening.
They did that same millisecond.
The all-for-some pious had pushed middle, so just at every turn, he was getting involved
here.
to set up Heavy God and an early advantage for G2 to feel real comfortable with.
With nerds being 12 and 1, they're not worried about leaving him alone at that B-side of the map.
They're just going for another set piece of looks like just sending it on this A-side,
not much has worked in this game right now.
They're just gonna start charging into the rifle back in pits.
He's fine, good damage.
With Sumpias now on the line at this cross and hitting every single shot required.
It's much easier these sightholds get when Sumpias is hitting.
My god, he had that one awkward round, but here's his multi-kill.
So many rounds on this AWP.
Fourth multi-kill of the map for Sumpias.
G2 ticking, every box you could want on this CT side of Inferno.
And they're on, point is it look good.
Mattis hasn't even been in requirement.
He's just watching the round counter tick up, telling the team good job boys.
They are coming towards his bomb site in this one.
Hunter regression all the way down through mid.
Looking for this banana skirmish.
It's not stopping the spillover.
No go giving this guy too many chances. He is red-hot.
I'll show why they felt the need to send it there on B.
Again, coming back and trying to disrespect G2, but through a smoke with the advantage when they kill Hunter on the flank, you know there's going to be lots of numbers there.
And so big. Go right into a death trap.
trap. That's really looking for another race. What is that? That's unreal half 15 and 2.
It's up in the charts, but everyone is showing up for this G2 squad. This is domination on
Big smart pig
It's just to be the only body, just to be the only body, just to be the only body.
I don't need to bother.
I don't want to bother.
Come and meet some money.
Yeah.
Get the fuck out of here.
I don't need to bother.
I don't want to bother.
Come and meet some money.
Just meet.
I don't need to bother.
Let's get the fuck out of here.
Let's get the fuck out of here.
Big being made to feel awfully small on their pick of Inferno, it's G2 commanding lead,
a runaway first half and not a weakness in sight.
Nerds with an ace with clutches to his name, multiple multi kills, out of some pious.
There is not a weak link for G2, the big this has been a failure to launch, maybe paying
a little too much respect to G2, tough this competition yet, it's left them in a bad way.
Really important, we need to stay positive, okay guys?
Yep.
We can still do the comeback, we've done it many times already, just need to show it again.
And then we're going to forget that comeback are they, neither will we, we just have to
hold on to it, a bit of belief here, coming into a pistol, but make no mistake, this one
looks dire. It's not just how big a losing, it's the fact that every single player of
G2 is playing out of their mind. Hunter walked, so nerds and some players could run in that
first half. G2 after showcasing some presence in the middle, go back to a B hit. Only one
bad home. JDC smoke spam. Not feeling happy here as he repositions. All alone, teammates
on a flank. How much time can JDC buy? First shot lands. The hunter's quick to get revenge,
get that trade and now goes back for the banana fight. Awkward little team flash. Bomb also
dropped up top. Second box right now. I can't get it. It's on the second box. It's gonna
fight their way out. Some players stunning shots in this. Already might just end the
deal. G2 steal the pistol right back. That delay in B by JDC smoke. Let's big get close,
but not close enough.
Talk about making up the mistakes if you know it's man. Like from going absent map three
when they really needed him yesterday on ancient to just an insane stat line here 17 and 2 in behind
him some pirates at 16 and 4 it's not supposed to feel this easy they're just laughing off every
round right now RG2 you can literally put the bomb out of the map I mean the guy that we were
kind of making light of in in Mattis what with that first half largely being used just to set up
It's a banana never really saw a lot of action. He's nearly outfragging all the guys on big
Won't be much time to change your fortune big to four spies in a row if one of them doesn't connect
You won't see an M4 in the CT side
G2 cracking their knuckles
Ready to waltz into a stack without a worry in the world.
Hedge bets for big, they have a stack in play over the waltz ace, so giving them a fighting
chance in this force by
already hanging behind
there's some 5-7 shots
connecting for Tabsuny
he's even gonna land this follow up dink
and there's a dead man, it's left to Nurtz
handing off to the top performer now
in this 1B2
doesn't know that Tabsun's
repositioned and that might be
the thing that wins big this round
Nurtz caught out in the open
great stuff from the
big veteran Tabsun with a 3K
K a stellar one at that under a lot of pressure out in the apartments. He makes that five seven sing
That's a banging shots there
Multiple kills dink of the third playmaps gets a jump shot back side with the FP nine a lot goes right here for big
but it's the stack that
Cuts through
Fourth player making all the difference here in this a bomb site
Big save themselves from an absolute
smash of a game can they really excel in this easy side with no room for error
I think this is a team now that will just be eternally chasing that high at the
O2 I come back and so look they've at least given themselves another chance
at that. Nice, we can even lose a round. Not this round. You can't lose this round. This
is the money maker. That's the thing. You've been held up by massive multi kills out of
Hunter, Nerds and some Piers, but these other guys still hit hard. Heavy Gods, Deagle turning
the tide of this one and then chained together nicely with that Nerds entry. B opened up.
That feels like it, Harry.
That feels like enough.
I've got a re-smoke.
Oof.
You just really don't want to admit defeat in this round if you're big.
Still pistols.
They're just in such good positions.
Trades are available here for G2.
Blemeth has a flash,
but is he really going to send his troops into a losing battle here?
Smoke down at top banana, at least locks heavy.
God, out of the round!
What?!
It was supposed to, anyway!
They wanted to go for this round, instead they lose their guns for nothing!
Oh, dear, everybody's dead! Make no mistake about this one, it's G2 onto map points!
I mean, big of gonna be thinking someone up there really doesn't want us to win this map!
What a crazy shot, I have you gone!
And it's Nurtz.
He got the tech 9 running entry into the solo B player again.
All right, all right, all right.
It's like a matter of time here.
Well, very bad.
to get to the underpass. It's
fully open. This is laughing. He
killed his teammate. He just
blocked him in and he doesn't
care. Because finally it's
matters. This chance for a
multi G two standing tall,
making a statement on Big's
map pick a 13 three victory
and that's the way he's got
the. Taps and stone faced.
Because he knows this one's over
G two will make it so 13 three
and absolute shell hacking
complete domination from G two
on Big's map. Big That sets him
up very well for redemption and
for a third stage entry. It's
G two moving to bears on the
and in charge on Inferno if you
thought that was them at picker
you'd be forgiven because big
despite everything they threw at
the wall, nothing seems to stick
ash. That's got to be incredibly
frustrating. Maybe we found out
finally what B. I. G stands for
band Inferno guys. Matt is at one
point this game. I think it was
zero zero this call with six zero
thing for his team. He was just
out there in the sun lounge
was big biggest test. However, it's like having a driving test. You start off, you don't put your
seatbelt on, you don't do where the ignition is to start your car. You run over the instructor's
door when you're crashing for a while. However, you can retake your driving test and it is a
best of three. So it's still a challenge. Is that from experience? Ash, that was incredible.
No comment. No comment. Yeah, of course, it is a best of three later on. We will be seeing if they
can bounce back at Omrage. But first, we're going to be talking a little bit about Nerds because,
oh my Lord, he sounded very confident in that interview already talking about putting them
3-0, stage 3. Now I see why, Yanco. Now I see why.
There's a reason why Mattis was 0-0 and the score was 7-0 for G2. That's because Nerds
was just killing everyone all the time, again and again. He didn't let any of the teammates
see the opponents. I mean, he was just a menace on that CT side in Banana, right? And we all know
when it comes to inferno how crucial of a part of the map Banana is. And you could see here,
JDC who was the point man for big on that T side. I mean had a rough time. When you're first
gone round you get two HEs and you die from two HEs. Just a bad feeling, you know, bad way to start
the game. He props to him, was taking some risks, still was being aggressive on the one round. He
tries to walk through a smoke because the nades are coming in from the B bomb site. He doesn't feel
anyone stopped banana but nerds was behind car. Got him there and yeah he just had a plunder of a
game nice yeah that happens unfortunately if you don't get banana and you
go shout give a guy has a day and you don't have a day then uh unfortunately
quite this so yeah this is unfortunately the part of inferno which
doesn't really like it if you click see the team see nurse picking a great time
here this is one of the frags the tournament for a bit so far insane
from him he just has all the mechanics it's nice to see him back in a new
environment and showing his skill again but yeah if inferno like this hits you
grenades or tricks everything was kind of working
Probably not style good. Maybe that was a bit of prep as well from being you know to disrespect that smoke
Maybe seeing that G2 likes to just utilize it to fake and maybe like one guy won't be I'm not sure
But they got punished for for trying that you know multiple times by by nerds and he had the be on lock
Be as closed as they it really was
It feels kind of bad for that JDC comparison though. Ash my god. He had a rough time that penultimate round as well
I love those graphics. Never seen one of those ashes to the head-to-head comparing stats like trophies and stuff
I've seen one of those. Yeah
Not in my favour
What's the CCT though?
The CCT
It's all I'm saying
Soon enough he might have to
Should we dive into some rounds gentlemen
We've got round 10 because this came immediately after you know big try to put some kind of comeback on the cards
They want two rounds back-to-back, and I want to give props to some pious.
The previous round he had a couple of bad misses in the bomb site.
What does he do? He goes for an aggressive peek in the following round, finds one kill, punishes Griggs,
who was trying to peek with the AWP. Big just wants to speed up towards that AWP bomb site,
but this time some pious doesn't miss. It's very important to have that mentality,
and I think him as a veteran player understands that you can't let...
I think he's gotten better at the mental in the last, let's say, year or so,
where you can't let one round affect you, you know, one bad round doesn't mean the next one has to be bad too.
So, came taking matters into his own hands a little bit and bouncing back with a 3K, you know,
just as big as I said, was starting to maybe get some confidence back, winning two gun rounds in a row,
like he shut it down and G2 didn't look back.
Easier said than done though, Ash, like obviously a great reason, a great result there, but I imagine,
you know, when you have a couple of whiffs in the rounds prior, you've...
You're probably feeling not so great, right? That's that's a crucial turning point. Yeah, but he knows his job
That's the most important thing. He knows that he is the all-player. He has to peak
He has to go for things and I think when you're a young player sometimes you can go a bit safe when you're not in the best game
Going too aggressive when you have a good game, but he knows the balance
He has to have an impact on the server
This is why we both had him as I play to watch when we talked about in the previous segment because we feel like
It's probably a little bit of an underrated piece in G2 and he's kind of got to find his role in the team full of aggressive
So I think he did a good job here being aggressive when he needs to be fine around of that first half
Ash, what did you read into? Well, I think this kind of sums up big a little bit
We were sat nearby and we had tabs and screaming pretty much one down merely one down middle just completely shouting us
It just feels strange for me
I think it's kind of example of how like not locked in here big word because usually what someone's pushing here
You spend to the other side or they either gonna throw a heavy util to block here or they're gonna push and join
And actually nuts did want to join he was kind of getting stopped and instead
just gets two of the easiest frags he's going to have ever on top of having a fantastic game.
So he's never going to miss out on those. I think normally Big would realise,
guys slow the round down, stop this mid aggression coming in, and then let's take Banana rather than
we'll just pretend the guy's not down there in our face and I spawn, let's carry on doing our own plan.
Yeah, but they already had them in the grinder by that point, you know, like it was just very
one-sided rounds and that's where some of the frustration, some of the stress also comes into
play for big way becomes higher to make those good decisions, right?
It takes good timing as well to do the push as well. You know the team's tilted and they're
not making good decisions. Go down there, rub it down the throat, it's a bit see if they
can handle it. We saw it often, but we didn't able to handle that episode.
I just want to get your initial take from the series, obviously not done yet, but you
know Hunter better than most. Yanko, in terms of how he handled these situations, how he's
handled stage two so far, what kind of grading would you give him?
Honestly, I'd give him and G2 A- probably because they lost the game to FOOT.
But some of the things that I saw, we pointed out the other day in that Monty game,
being down 18-15, having to win three rounds on T-side in overtime,
they showed poise, they showed confidence, they still had...
It didn't seem like they lost belief for a second that they were going to win that game.
And also yesterday, picking overpass, I think that was a bit surprising to me.
you know, Hunter hates the map, but you know, just sort of understand they've had success on it with this lineup.
And I think for a team like theirs, that is still going to be lacking in firepower compared to your spirit or your vitality,
being good on a map like Overpass or an UBIS, preferably both, is really important because you need to have that edge in the map.
So a combination of what I saw on the server and a little bit in terms of where they feel their map pool is,
I think it shows a lot of progress for this G2 lineup and then you're not that surprised
to see how much confidence they have on the server, but also in some of these interviews.
I know we had a couple of questions about the T-Side Ash, we didn't really get to see
all too much in that second half, but going into Mirage, that's G2's chosen ground, what
are the expectations for them in the second map of the series?
It's good thinking from G2, just win so fast you don't have to play T-Side Ash, you can
I'm actually I'm more intrigued about how big think this because I think them not banning dust to they thought for sure
It would be dust to their preparation and due to kind of maybe throwing a curve ball in where they've said actually we're prepared to play
Mirage let's play Mirage because they thought it would be a dust to ban
So interesting now a kind of what the prep's going to be a things could be maybe surprised for big and actually a little bit worried
That if that is the case it could be a quick blowout
But we're scanty now G2 becoming reliable at beating teams below them
It's just a question mark. Can they do it against these better teams we saw before the record was 3 and 14 so far and G2
You know played it in both best of ones Mirage. I think they still feel good on the map against foot
It's a different sort of a story like they really love Mirage. So
It would be a good sign for
G2 to see like the depth of their map pool being able to do it on on on multiple maps
Obviously is crucial going into the next stage seeing how it's going to be all best of threes in stage three
I'll be starting on the T side of things as well
They being that of G2 so we will get a guarantee to see a little bit more of that
Yanko, what do you want to see straight off the bat from G2 to make this one clean?
Honestly, I just want to see them not go off script too much and not to get over
Confident and do crazy things right like they have a lot of players who like to make plays
just make sure you know it's not three guys at the same time going for a play
keep it organized like even Hunter I know he's an IGL now but this is a map
where everyone remembers him and his window boosts and going for flanks so
they have a deep playbook like they can do a lot of different things here and
that's going to be challenging for Big to get a read I think playing from my
head like meaning that pistol so that you have a bit of a buffer if things
start going wrong I think it's really important for Big. I think as well like
He will have the experience. He knows that the series isn't won yet. It's played before. I mean, we played them a long time ago in the
Motor Armoury beat that they beat us 13-3. We won the next map 33 wanting to beat us
He will know that you win the map
It doesn't really matter what score they need to reset and come back and play properly and stick to their game kind of yeah
Things are incredibly challenging for big for the other side g2 things going swimmingly so far and hope on the horizon for them to close
This out cleanly. That is because they're my pick of mirage lays in wait after this break
You're dating every round talking about me.
I had so many trades trading in here.
Your eyes are wide.
I carried you.
Tell me one round.
Hold on.
Let me pull up CS stats.
stats.
Oh, wait, my bad.
You suck.
Settle your debates, search your profile on CS stats, and turn on tracking to see all
your games.
The dispatch is back and looking better than ever.
Oi! Get your move on, you know who we are!
This season it's bigger deliveries, bigger personalities, and bigger problems, featuring special guests.
Alex, what the hell is happening?
And of course, the team you know a lot of people.
Is this really necessary?
There it is!
The Dispatch, the all-new season, premieres February.
Nice! Let's go, let's go, let's go!
You want to do a scan it now?
Yeah, go for it
This is more like it from things first two kills with them guardian a car again
All of all have no idea this already made his way in it. He does get all the way towards CT spawn perhaps undetected
Maybe this has a chance to it. Who knows? Oh
Not only does he spot
Washa gets one more kill on this, Lightbrow's got the whole map to play with.
Washa, oh my god.
And that smoke is tantalizing!
Washa is going to clean out connector!
It's just Nico, Deneke, Deneke has to try and pull his mag, he's got the 88 and 47.
Stop! No, where can I go?
My body hurts!
Awesome!
Oh my god, what was that?
An ace is well to do it.
I'm bad boy.
It's ok guys.
It's ok guys.
Not over.
What can you learn?
Let's do only a few more rounds and then we can take the long run.
Let's just fight.
Alright, I got Tapsen over here from BIG. That's Berlin International Game for short, Tapsen
back in the server another day in the server. Tell me about BIG. Staying alive? Staying
alive, grateful to be here. And we're ready to prove hopefully more wins.
Let's talk about a little bit, obviously, in your own words, how you approached Inferno
on the T side against MIBR.
In my words, we just played our game, honestly.
I think also our game is based on relying, giving information to our in-game leader.
We did that part really well.
I think we did amazing course, we executed them really well.
I think we also shot very good in this game and we managed to close it out in the CT side
as well.
I'm really happy that we showed a really good Inferno because we didn't really show Inferno in the first stage,
and now we showed Inferno twice and I think we are able to play Inferno in a good level.
Staple of the pool, no doubt, for Big Clan. What are some of the hurdles?
What are some of the obstacles or some of the big problems you guys have had since you've been here in Cologne
that you feel like maybe you guys went and addressed and it made it better somehow?
I think in the very beginning it was definitely like of official games.
We haven't played official for one month, I think in total.
Now we are really grooved in.
I think we feel really comfortable being here.
We enjoy being here and yeah, we just play our game right now
and we just feel really confident in going into further games
because we also, as I said, we've been here for a long time,
I think longer than many other teams.
So we have played also way longer than other teams
here in this tournament, so we feel confident.
Nine years, nearly 2,100 maps.
We're almost there. You're getting close.
another shot at glory and clone they're gonna do it absolutely looking forward
to it gonna off gets these folks absolutely off gets off gets donka
Thank you. Thank you.
Well, G2 may have tripped and stumbled yesterday against Futscom.
The late game on Ancient, but right here against Big Clan.
They are standing tall, a map in their pocket.
domination against the Germans, and now he heads G2's map pick, but it is Mirage, Harry,
and I recall a very good game from Big on this map just days ago.
Yeah, I think we all do.
Don't know how well they're going to be able to tap into that though, after the very one-sided affair we just saw.
With this squad, you're willing to give them the benefit of the doubt.
No one was switched online for Big, that's their big issue, because G2 had everyone
firing on all cylinders from the moment the game started.
So now, heading into Mirage, I don't know,
there's a lot of variables for Big that they've got to reign in,
they've got to regain some control over.
It was not a single player really giving you any hope for Big Clan.
Absolutely not. Got to feel for JDC just eating grenades,
all teeside down on Inferno, still trying to keep a good face
and so are Big with their backs against the wall.
It might be another 2-2 day for Big tomorrow if they can't get through G2 here and now.
We just saw a nerd to master class back on Inferno, so eyes attuned to this T-side as G2 pulling with the A hit.
Alright, that's a nice way to get the ball rolling.
Play meft, all the retters on a ramp push.
Oh!
Tabson!
More like Tabson with that little double.
That was clean.
G2 don't know what I hit them.
How's Gats and Kim?
Who the hell are these guys?
That's not the same team we were up against just moments ago.
Hey NRG said the same thing.
Nice pistol from Big.
Coming through with a 5 alive round.
There they go.
I think I saw some traps in him.
I barely see that second man.
Hey!
Take bend, bro. It's a n-roll and I shot to honest.
That old school stack in the pistol while you talk things over.
One important thing guys, we really need to have the will in the duals.
If you understand what I mean, if you take a dual, just take it, there's nothing to lose,
we don't die in real life.
Very literal, but I like it for Tavson.
I think you could tell everyone was a bit tense in that last map, he was kind of remarking
it all throughout Inferno.
It's a lot of like jiggling and non-commitments and, yeah, big looks scared because every
time they walked into G2 they got multi-killed.
You know, dying real life, he said.
Alright, let's see what Fabin's got.
Chance just for the mow down here, and there he is with an ace!
That'll do.
Doesn't get a better feeling than that, does it?
That'll definitely do.
So the ace counter is at one per team.
You could say Ness was a little bit harder.
Better, better.
But Vavin still gets one.
Beautiful.
Ahhhh!
Nice, that's it.
Sick good, baby.
Ah, here's the guns.
Let's see just how much resistance big you're gonna offer up. It was on this CT side.
They made a real lasting impression here in Colots.
Oh, big leaf. That flash does keep Mattis alive.
Molly almost blocked in top middle. GT still wants to recommit two players coming in.
Hunter lurker lower.
Sometimes get a bit of a tonal whiplash when you go from a game where it feels like you can't do anything wrong.
There's something to getting more resistance, but maybe we're going to pick up where we left off, but a spam for Hunter.
You heard the Molly hit that player.
Tapsen feeling some pressure here as he's left all alone out here on the A-bomb site.
He's going to reposition, puts a bit of distance between himself and Palace and ramp and that's a good idea.
GT duo of their eyes set on A.
Every God can call the A anchor is back in CT right now.
Sure, there can be a player hidden in the site, but they know Tapsen is no longer a threat looking to play retake on the site.
They just run forward and Nerts keeps up his heroic performances on that previous map.
Brutal headshots, 2JDC taps and Nerts puts him down and this guy is not stopping after
Inferno.
Awkward retake now, because G2 have a time to get posted, they've got players in jungle,
pious doesn't need to hang around and take that fight. Nerds up next, one to the dome,
softens him up and blame that fool be there to punish. Tap on that bomb, you've got info on
both players but no smoke for it. Someone's going to get on that defuse soon if you do want to attempt
this and big head for the hills. Will and a give it a look in but they come to terms with that
being an impossible retake the moment they spot those post plans. I don't think there was even a
hit and play in that position so didn't feel like it was ever gonna go down with no utility to
block g2, no fights getting offered up, tucked back in jungle, g2 just play it safe and they let the
time bleed out, nice shot out of nerds. And just that step of Tapsin you can see the consequences,
right? g2 don't clear anything really, they don't check site, they don't look under balcony,
They're just gonna run towards connective with a short kill
Taps and gives heavy got the info and it's used against him
Now we're looking for a B-pop are we?
Favon, you ace this?
He's doing the smoke gets him behind them, but only out with the first just a roll over these two B site defenders
And a retake, you need a kill to try and bring you back into the fold, really.
BlameF hasn't even moved a muscle out of the connector.
Nothing presenting itself.
Big start to slink back.
Save call, two entries, relatively cleanly more than enough.
Another one provided by nerds.
Oh no!
Gotta run.
This room for two with the back of the van. G2 will escape.
JDC didn't get that molly out.
Switched off. We've seen so much switching off of nades in this tournament. Like there was a bug that was patched
And now it's players just being too keen to get their gun out
Understandably you want to be able to fight quicker, but I feel like I'm still seeing it every game
That Molly would have made a difference underneath the window in B to stop G2 from scaling as freely as they did regardless
G2?
Recovering well from the last pistol.
Dig with one more full bite and save it half at the end able set.
Oh, right, this is out there.
Alright, good trade back for Favon.
Make sure that JDC's death isn't entirely in vain and he's even hanging around looking
at all the timing on that Nadepole, hitting me worse than this shot for Griggs.
This is just handed a sheet of opening kills in middle.
Lother with nurses is aggressive,
and sure it's a good day for him, right?
His time to kill is super fast.
He's hitting instant headshots.
But when he's playing this aggro, he's a lot of fun.
Beautiful.
That's kind of the scary thing about this G2 squad, right?
There's just a number of players in here.
Sure can be a little streaky,
but all have that capability
of just stepping up and taking charge of the game.
Think back to Sampias and what he was capable of all the way back in, even going back to
the Mavi star.
Heavy guard, what he's done in this roster, how quickly he was turning heads.
You had MVP and anchor positions, tier one tournament, beating Vitality in a B05.
And then you're putting on just a life tournament there.
You added Nurtz, who in a way is like perfect for that formula.
And that's why it's so disappointing when they're not having that day, you know, like
when we have this crazy back and forth series against Foote, and then Ancient, nobody can
get a kill, nobody can hold their bombsite, nobody can find an entry.
So Streeki is the right word, but today is a good day for G2, and it does feel like a
Stage 3 progression is within reach. 10 rounds away now.
You're just telling yourself, like, if Nertz can keep his mindset wherever it is, at this moment in time, if he can keep bringing us the openers, if he can keep getting multi-kills in entry positions, there's kind of no way to mess this up.
Hell, look at him go, even at the spawn, so he took the AWP in this round.
I'm having a nice push but could lead to his early demise, have he got a still ratting
it back into... I'm here for the Flash Play off Gricks, finding Nerds in middle. Huge
first kill. If Favon hears this departure, he doesn't want the fight. Instead, he wants
the flank. Playing it for later, rotating players off of this bomb site. This is a really
nice call for Big. As long as they don't change their mind, G2, and go through Connector,
this is going to be a stacked B bomb site for Big, and Favon backstabbing. Will he go middle?
Opportunity for a lot here for Favon, but these are the hardest moments in Counter-Strike sometimes.
And we've just seen so many of these backstabs with today, and there's another example of it.
Not the end of the world, because it's really all about the stack that this info is allowed.
G2 realized that, they're going to bail up connector.
That's exactly... Favon would be better to have disconnected.
Now he has sold his team down the river.
Oh, they can save them!
But unable to transfer, Hunter with a key pickup and heavy guard still just causing chaos.
Did you lose Mattis over a day? Hold on a second, because that's what the bomb is.
Heavy God might be getting his right now, but Griggs is closing in, weapon of choice!
Hit that if he did! The round is big!
Oh dear, everything about that. I mean, Griggs has been disappointing in this series,
but that is back-to-back orbs for Griggs, where he has absolutely wasted it.
That was the round and the palm of his hand. One shot, one simple shot, he can't do it.
I mean we were we were impressed with Griggs come the end of stage one numerous times and off head to heads
He came out looking like the better guy, but even in that crazy comeback to get them here to stage two
He said as much in interviews. He was feeling a lot of pressure. He was making a lot of mistakes
He was feeling very very shaky
He knows that the step up is going to be harder for stage two so we can't afford to do that again
But as the pressure has gone up as the teams have got better
I think you're seeing a couple more cracks out of this
young AWP inside of the big squad.
Not to say he had no value in that game, but man,
that CT side of Mirage against NLG was not about Griggs.
It was about the Riflers.
It was about JDC.
It was about Favon and it was about Blame F,
but Griggs didn't really play into it too much
and he's definitely had a couple of awkward moments,
which you can expect from a young player
at his first major talking in a second or third language even.
And yeah, right now, having some trouble to adjust
the level of G2. Awkward for a fathom though, man. Wish he held that shot just a couple of seconds.
Could have squeezed the kill out of it and then departed.
Instead jumps the gun and gives G2 the way back into the round.
But yeah, shooting players in the back of the head in this game never feels easy.
Former G2 players, no.
Alright, opener for Tabson.
Have he got dealt with on his palace push?
Things well heat up for Tabson here though.
Had to get that smoke in, extinguishers but can't survive.
It's another entry from Nertz.
So controlled but spawn smoking so they have to take these fights.
Nertz is willing to do so.
I'm here.
I'm close.
One kill to take, denying that CT cross, maintaining the space, keeping the pressure on.
Now G2, they can't get this bomb down, those smokes fade, and all these angles open up.
All blame, risky move.
Pays off.
This wasn't much of a requirement back on Inferno, not coming into this second map with hot hands
like the rest of his team.
Largely just in the sidecar.
Oh, Greg!
Another miss!
Makes up for it!
Those unpunished and so thankfully big and their attempt to course correct comes through
Greg's missed that and then gets taken down leading to a clutch
That would have really been the kicker of the confidence at this point in the game
But he does connect that second shot and integral kill to keep big in this map
leading
It's still here against G2 breaking that four-round streak final
I think he's got a lot of interest for me in this tournament.
It's Fabin been very, very fun to watch him play and starting to maybe even build a bit
of a case for himself.
Being a big game player in high pressure moments, this guy like really doesn't falter.
He's had some stinkers of stats that he'll go on to recover.
Just seems very, very hard to get in this guy's head at bare minimum.
Hell, even back on Inferno, like the one guy occasionally offering up multi-kills was
spavin
And so that level of kind of dependability is much appreciated by big
As they attempt this comeback and currently topping the charts. I like you calling him a big game player
I think that's the x-factor the big need
A couple of window smokes for G2
They're ready with this block on ramp, bomb coming in.
B-Player's swapping, putting you up in position, but...
So dependent on this hold in the bomb site, if these B-Players with low health and with an AWPer attempt to retake here.
Alright, Taps isn't getting groovy on the ramp smoke.
Oh, he saw the pin, he saw the nade go over the top, so he knows what to expect.
How many can he find?
This is such a weird clear for Hunter and Sumpias.
Don't know if he's going to be ready for taps in here.
Sumpias certainly wasn't trade back for Hunter,
but the rest of his team are just dead in an instant.
Sure.
And so no winning this one.
JDC puts his best foot forward in this round of massive 3K
to tie this game up.
That was out of nowhere.
Just so everyone get shut down on the palace side.
So G2's money vanquished.
Good block for playing.
And after G2, I don't know if they missed this in my last round or if it was blocked, I guess it was blocked.
Same thing happened.
You two maybe feel like they're missing their smokes now. Don't know the cause of this.
So out mid, JVC caught off guard and Blame has to spray, but that gives room for Nurtz to get his gun.
You want to be boosting window, don't you? Yeah, you do. Put that gun. Maybe try and take the space that you've just opened up.
Certainly thought about it. Hunter was rushing and linked up with Nurtz. They decide against it.
It's expecting a bit of a clampdown on mid from big by the looks.
How's that maid make contact with nerds, knows he's still around the lower tunnels.
It's a big don't scramble here, right? It's no mad dash to go fight a losing battle for this mid control.
They say to G2, you know what? You guys can have it.
Surprise this window boost gap has been open the whole round and no one has once looked over their shoulder
No, now they're starting to consider we just had bricks go back and check spawn favin check market
But she's who haven't gone for it still that paranoia persists
Favons on his own still want to consider this flank timing matters comes up connected that draws favin out of position and
G2 with a little lock up corn has gone a long way favin can still win this round. I
I really don't know if you're gonna expect him still being here. It's a 4v2 you got kills on the other end of the map
He's repositioned a dodge
Oh, what a check!
But a must-needed clear out of Hunter gets that
What could have been a thorn in their side just dealt with straight away before it becomes a problem?
He played that well, Favon, by walking around the bombsite. It weren't about to swing bench
Bench. Hunter looks over his shoulder and an unlikely check on the Tech 9. Saves him
from a bomb drop. What a gut punch of a round loss for Big. Yeah. Right. Finally starting
to stabilize you in two rounds back to back. Starting to make something in the CT side
after all. You just get slammed right back down a reality. Gotta give it to heavy god
for finding that opening deagle kill. Out middle is JDC on Katz. Blame through the August
I think I think you've noticed about a hunter here across this stage two run seems to be
The other end of the map, heavy god is causing you problems.
Feeling good right now.
Two massive openers in these last couple of rounds.
Just what G2 need.
Orbs still here for big.
Rex wanting to fight.
Wanted to go back in for one more shot.
Confident approach as Teemo stacked on the other side of the map.
So while it is risky, his push reaffirms the bigger in the right place.
This is their best bet to win this round,
and it is a must-win round.
Oh! Careful!
I need that smoke.
That's his up connector.
Oh, heavy God, just backing up into this double-pallet setup.
No, it's only good for the one entry. It's the...
walkout of Favon that leaves the little to be desired there, caught by the second player.
And now a smoke to block Rick's vision blame F struggles to get involved out from the spawn
And a backstab for matters seals his fate gricks tries to charge down the bomb plant
I can't get his bearings coming through that smoke g2 starting a chain together rounds on the back of their pistol win
Oh, I mean
you know last map it was about a couple of players just going absolutely giga and
and running over this game, but now it just feels like
a roleless counter-strike for G2. Anyone at any moment with any gun can deliver you around.
We're having everyone find entry kills, everyone clutch up.
G2, high to low.
Playing outstanding.
Not even broken for big, G2I up, the 7th round here, laser beam on blame F.
Just feels really tricky to get a solid read over this game if you're big, and even in
the rounds where they've had the info, something's happened to go wrong, and that just starts
to be so demoralizing, there's only so often you can have the stack in the right place
and still lose the round.
How about having the stack in the wrong place?
That looks like what's happening here.
Favon might change that with this aggression,
as is often the case,
that pushing through the apartments well timed.
And so the rotate going to come through ahead of this.
Blame F also armed with an AK.
Kind of meant to be the guy for the job here is Blame F.
I figure up and over here, he has to change position.
This is nice, but they can drop on him.
The power here is he's gonna hear pin pulls, so he knows this one's coming.
Triple smoke.
Kind of not even considering it needs the trade Mattis provides.
Stasis here.
Gets in place just in time, and time is a problem for G2.
They're trying to move quickly.
Will that lead to any clumsiness around these players?
No, it does not! JDC's heroic shutdown by Nerds,
who continues to just have a game of life back to back 12 and seven and whenever they need him
He's proven to be very very dependable all across the series. Yeah, do you think JDC can do something heroic?
Well nurse just comes flying out on that A site and finds himself a triple kill. What a crazy clear
And goes on to train two more players on smoke pushes
It all just lines up here for Nerds as G2I have a dominant T-side in this map.
They converted their pistol and then went quiet.
They lose Nerds and he's been the guy digging them out of a lot of bad situations.
The Gricks are finding its form, finding his voice.
Tabson's even managed one more.
So a 5v2, lower tunnels control that Greggs just commits to.
G2, the only gap they've been able to seize is Hunter all the way through short.
But a lot of angles to clear as he makes his way in a B, cognizant that they're in lower.
There's a spot, and it doesn't go both ways. Favon repositioning.
Hunter lets him go for as long as he can, but it's so biased.
He comes in through the apartments, has these two players from lower to deal with.
Gricks couldn't afford to miss that but a great round for the guy but he needed that third more than anything
Should be unwinnable for hunter. They've got the bomb
Time quickly turning against him and that b-side's been recaptured
Gricks doesn't need the assistance
Monstrous round from an orb that's been struggling gives big something to hold on to at halftime
Tell me one dumb CUMINATE KEY
I'm high like high but no I live
Key to key got the flow but no way
Key to up on it watch out my show
Life is my goal I'm not your my goal
Tell me one dumb CUMINATE KEY
Tell me one dumb CUMINATE KEY
CUMINATE KEY
CUMINATE KEY
CUMINATE KEY
CUMINATE KEY
I'm in the alley while I'm in college shit I'm not in my body as I sit quicker than
I'm whipping a rally I leave all my drugs like Karek
Where I'm about my kare, you know Ain't nobody here, you know it's dope
No, key to Kiji, I'm dope Living like a fool, you're taking me whip
And I'm towing, if I say I'm money, you know what I'm showin'
If I say I'm money, you know what I'm showin' Go on, Kiji, you got to go parkin'
Don't revive, you're like Jesus, don't fuck you, don't revive
You're like a slum lad, no more balls I leave you no ball
Tell me what I'm doin', I'm comin' like Kiji, no I'm high like Ivan, no I lay low
Kiji, Kiga, the flow blowin' the whip You can't walk for it, watch out, man, show it
I don't take to it, don't lie to come
Keep back with a lot of fun
Try shit for my boat, bro, boy, I got done
And I'll give them another bottle, so now pin your mum
Tell me one down, come on, like he's
All like that
Tell me one down, come on, like he's
All right, yeah
I like this man, no, I brush your mind, bro
All like that
Tell me one down, come on, like he's
All my mind, I go like that
Tell me one down, come on, like he's
All my mind, I go, no, I lay low
Be the key, cause I'm so cool, know it
Keep up, go it, watch your mind, shoot my life
This man knows I'm not your man, go
Tell me who you are
I like that
I got this man know I'm not your man
Tell me who I am till I teach
No, I'm not your man
I'm a Gila Ali, I'm an Ali while I'm in college. Shit. I'm not in my valley. I'm just a quicker than within' a body.
G2 they believe they've got a right to that third stage and they are just
arounds away from getting themselves there after falling down a foot yesterday. Redemption
on the cards for Nerds, a guy who went missing in the pivotal map of that series while he
is more than made up for it. Been the difference maker multiple times over and very much the
one that G2 rallied behind on this push for stage 3.
Big bullets again, okay? Good one, back drone. Good one, boys. Good one, the killings.
Every day, you need to have a game now, guys.
Seven, five.
They're still believing.
Any taps in moonlighting as a sports psychologist across this series, isn't he?
Yeah.
Trying to keep the squad in check. They lose Blame F to open this pistol. This limp B fake.
meant to give rise to an A-play but still a stack here. One player dealt with sure
Dolverette is up next. Hunter puts the fear in big. I've spoken away mixing talk for big
but they can climb over it in numerous directions. Hunter's with his back turned won't get
punished. This is still going to be an A-hit though. The difference is there's only one more smoke.
No flash. Nothing to stop Nert on this bench. But G2 really seemed to doubt it right now.
Now, smoke should pull their attention.
That's coming through.
He was willing to go through it once already.
Let's see if second time is the charm for nerds.
No, dead straight away.
It's Hunter clawing back kills over the top of the stairs.
And that was the bomb dropped.
That actually buys you a few more precious seconds for heavy guard to get in a CT and
lay waste.
Too big.
What a shut down from him. I mean you're not shy of pistol players on this G2 squad are you?
Hunter with a massive 3k back on the previous map in high spirits after his heavy god now with a
hulking 3k effort out towards the spawn. And that puts G2 in the fast lane.
They're cruising to the finish line. Big have forced up. This is looking desperate now. We know
So they're T sides having that with Troubles.
Oh, tick on the molly.
He gives a warm up for JDC.
He tries to crawl down, but he'll rest a bit, going for this B pounce.
Matt, this steals himself away.
Didn't like that first fight.
Hasn't get a fair the second time around.
Better help from some pious.
Nice.
No worries, JDC might have dealt with nerds in the back line.
It won't go any further than that. Heavy God, home's in.
And now an eco for Big to give double digits over to G2.
It feels like it's right there, doesn't it? Four rounds away for G2.
One of them being a full eco for Big with just the Eagles, in fact,
and G2 could smell stage three.
Absolutely felt destined to get there.
Felt like Foot was just a bump in the road.
First map, backed out up. Big have had a couple of moments in this match.
But for the most part, this has been G2's story.
I think it's one of the things that separates these very experienced squads from some of the fresher faces.
I think when a team like G2 loses that match at 2-0, it actually kicks them up a gear.
You know it lights a bit of a fire under you to go like okay, let's not repeat that again
Let's not squander the second chance we get we're only gonna lose one of these
Whereas you know you think about the amount of times over the years you've seen
More unproven squads in that 2 and 0 position they lose the first be a 3 and that's where they lose all the momentum with it
So just reassuring really is the only word 4g to
Easy does it here for nerds.
This has been a game on rails for him today, hasn't it?
Keeping up appearances on the second map.
And this is Big's best opportunity to make this series a fair fight.
Round 16, 4x.
G2 moments away from closing out the game.
set piece for big if you G2 you're imagining some type of a set cool is
what you're gonna get here right you don't want to squander the one rifle
and you might get to play on some drawn out default just looking to play five
guys coming in together follow you tell to try and set them up
Hunter, no way you get out with a double kill there!
Boxed into a corner, low health the whole time, a bigger offering of resistance.
Madison, Sumpias, two most quiet players here, left in it.
4G2, they lose Sumpias.
Madison... Oh! That's crazy!
Quick flick down and BlaineF gets deleted.
That is sickening!
And that was Biggs rifle round man. That's just brutal, isn't it? You're gonna come through with a partial
You got one more rifle round left in the tank
But that's gonna be now a flawless game really up against the match in series point for G2
That's this one doesn't pan out. I just heard blame it has an AK. It's his round. He gets the dink
He hit the headshot first, but doesn't matter galil and just gets bursted by the a1s
Mattis squeezes the final shot out and that might be Biggs final breath going from their
lungs 11-5 and the final timeout deployed as well by Biggs as they force up again just
trying to click on as a spiral in this series Inferno was a beating and mirage while for
a moment felt like there was potential some close rounds in the first half now it is starting
get one-sided because you can almost win rounds a big haven almost won this game
this is 11-5 and G2 are storming ahead JDC just got knifed by his teammate oh
no but made it top it rather not in the pack you walk through the con smoke
Sike, Nertz is there. Great grenade on B.
Oh, it's too easy for Hunter, just as players crossing.
Tagged up already at the hands of that Nade.
He's even mollied Mattis. He's trying to give bigger chance.
Ha!
IMF collects one, but rotators are arriving.
Nertz on a back stab is the ultimate failsafe in this round, really.
Just there to play insurance.
And he won't be a requirement as all the G2 pull-up, it's too much for Blame F.
G2 feeling absolutely meant to be in stage three right now, splitting the difference between the best teams and the rest.
Hunter showing up big time in this series as well, across both maps has put on a phenomenal game individually.
same as against foot yesterday although in vain and differences today. He has had a lot of stars showing up on his squad
This map with heavy-gold and nerds last map with some pious as well
And I think that's sick there as well
It's just like even though his stars are shining and it's making his life way easier hunter is still throwing his name into that conversation
conversation. You know, he's willing to match their firepower every step of the way. It's
nice to feel like you've got a captain who can hang with you up top of the board. I wouldn't
find it too shocking if, you know, G2 take this win and you don't even see some, like,
big outpouring of a celebration. This is a team who, as we were kind of alluding to coming
into the series. They feel like stage 3 is almost kind of the bare minimum. And so there's
still a lot more to do. But this is a very welcome return to form after getting beaten
up across a three map series yesterday by foot.
Final buy for Big Clan.
on gricks rifles for everyone an attempt to go about this mid-take
I like for G2 that, you know, if some pious here, right, came into this map on the off
the back of just a phenomenal inferno, felt like you couldn't do anything wrong, hit nearly
every shot required, but just very aware of his limits and how the game's changed. Doesn't risk
throwing away the advantage there, right? I was looking for the top mid-pick.
I didn't feel the need to force that. He's got a lot of faith in his rifles right now.
G2 not giving anything away for free off the top of this round.
That's just trying to squeeze a kill out the window, but smoke does come down bomb outside of B here
here for big faking on an A execute.
This might just work, but still,
we know one player from G2 could save them
from this situation.
So keep your eyes on V later as big puff up their chest.
35 seconds for this fake to draw a rotate.
Yeah, and if it's gonna draw them,
you need some entries.
You don't get the first.
You've opened up at least on a heavy guard.
Chance defined, Hunter pushed up Ramside.
And that is pulling players out of position.
This is a resource intensive fake
with three players committed to it.
And some players will get eyes on the apartment,
Spots the bomb moving out G2 begin their rotate they get away from Griggs
Chance at the backstab now free kill on some pious he knows
G2 look to come back and flush out this AWP
We get it quickly
Maybe you see them attempt this with Griggs finding another and Matt is arriving too late to the party Griggs has done more than enough
They've given him a couple of kills, but time so low
Matt, it's just commits to this save. Okay, it should just be fine here as big relief.
That's what they feel closing this round out. That got very, very scary hearing that old
file from Chor. Sometimes even pre-read. Someone's definitely making the call. Yo, watch out B.
It doesn't feel like a commitment. Looks over his shoulder. If he hits that shot, set up
a tag on Tapsen, suddenly G2 are poised to win the round. Great performance out of Griggs.
the half of the 4k comes in with this, cuts off rotates, saves his team who are pinned in by some
piracy's orb. When do you see an orb look like that? It is a very welcoming, you know, late game
act activation at a greek, especially because we were talking about him earlier on, how there's
been a couple of cracks showing, nice to see he's able to dial it back in. It also kind of begs the
question then, what would it look like if he was this switched on? Right off the rip, an opener
for Hunter, and Big just trying to pick up the pace on an A-Play going into a stack.
Heavy God out here alone as the smokes cut off his two teammates, and they will get past
it. Chance at the plant now, and post plant's taken towards CT.
Uncertainty of Hunter on which I don't want to retake from.
What like that was Heavy God's kill, so Big have managed to put himself in a great position.
That's a crazy swing that you are not accounting for, but there is more from it for Big.
If I haven't trade out, the highest gets given more and everybody relaxes a flank on the carts right now big have thrown away their advantage.
Will it cost them the round?
Is this an attempt at the last second stick here for Mattis?
It might be possible. He needs his kill right now.
Luckily Gricks is out in the middle of nowhere and it's enough to keep big in it.
Push out towards the spawn was a weird thing in that round, but honestly I think in a way
it actually did big a lot of favours.
It looked like G2 were going to take that really low and slow, lend time to Matt, it's
on his back stab, and so just kind of delaying it, forcing a bunch of players in awkward
fights out of the spawn, I think did a good thing for Big in the long run.
Yeah, it's just how White taps and goes alone, but luckily he gets that kill, so if
haven't had a trade-out eventually.
Gotta commend Big's resilience again, just staying in this up against 12.
12-5 down, not around on this T-side, they put back-to-back on the board
in tricky positions.
It's just a saved AWP for some pious and an uphill battle with G2.
I get like...
I shouldn't be getting a tall nervous, but there's just something about G2
Smiling looking at each other like we just need that one round. It's fine. Like that's silly, you know, we didn't get that one
It's all good. We have many more chances
There were another there was another team sitting in these seats that felt exactly the same
sure
Now I still think we're a ways from that happening, but there's no question at this score line the bigger believing again
But nowhere else to be
The difference is I think G2 could win rounds like this
Proved to do so many a time, look at the stack of the balcony, opposite position.
Careful boys, you cleared two, you don't know about the third man.
Mattis holds the shot.
Just kind of a survivor bias around Mattis.
There he is with one, good check for Blameth who got eyes on from the bench.
And the whole round was centered around Mattis getting a multi-kill without it.
Bigger in control. There is a fast flank for Hunter, but likewise JDC is hot on the heels of some pyres
Is he gonna go for the knife?
Ow, he can't like that! And so he'll take the kills instead. Griggs is there by his side and Big deal with a scary stack on eco
And honestly the rounds are getting cleaner and cleaner for Big. Sure
3 rounds in a row, another buy here for G2, another timeout for S.O.L.
A double take from Faven.
I
Think I've also been quite knowledgeable like when they're when their opponents are feeling stress
We heard it in there in their other mirage come back just the idea of you know timeouts being called now
They're feeling pressure trying to find some comfort in that you see
Then barely even required to speak here, it's been a lot of conversation between blame F. Tabsin and Griggs
Griggs may be trying to organize an opening move on this AWP, taps him with some words
of wisdom as he's been offering all across the series, trying to be that soothing voice
for Big Clan.
The guns come back out for G2, one of their four remaining chances to close.
Don't get either, so I can't let this go to a late round, so they keep getting these opening
kills that hasn't been enough before. Maybe Matty just throws himself in to finish it all.
Two kills for Matty's, they'll hunt him down, but his job is done. Inside the B site, Hunter
holds strong, and just like that big, they were celebrating success. Now they're suffering
in a two versus four.
Oh, no giving up yet, though.
They know about the bench play.
They've got no idea.
They've got no clue.
Nurtz, the guy that has been an absolute menace, all series
law stealing away.
And so G2 swam their way into stage three
without breaking a sweat.
It's a 2-0 over big.
Mirage pushes them to the limit a little more
than maybe they were ready for.
But all in all, a quick day in the office for this G2 squad.
Don't forget about it, Furno, how this series started.
G2 absolutely blaze through that game.
And man, this edition of Nerds, when he's on,
proves to be profitable for G2.
Proves them as a team to watch out for in that next stage.
Big are in trouble.
They're down in the 2-2 bucket, but they've been here before.
Can they break through in that final day of play?
Yeah, Big trying to push the comeback on the second map of Mirage,
but it's G2-0 to see them through to stage three.
And after an individual showing like that, Janko,
we can't really fault what G2 showed here in stage two.
Yeah, they definitely embraced the role of the favourite in this game
from the get-go you could tell it on the server as well, how they played.
It was fearless, it was in Big's face,
and just pick one to really find answers for it in this game.
I think it's actually less close than the scoreline look to it.
We were kind of ready to go on air thinking this game's over,
then just dragged out a little bit on the back of a tech pause
and it would be a mental reset.
But yeah, it's just kind of a blowout from G2, very impressive today.
It was indeed. We do have Hunter joining us up here on the desk.
Congratulations, stage three secured.
Ash was just saying the scoreline was maybe really not indicating
How dominant this game was in terms of that Mirage. Would you say the same? Was it easier than maybe it looked?
Really, first of all, I think, yeah, I mean, it wasn't that easy on the inside, I would say.
We won a lot of clutches in close situations. We didn't plan smooth CS, but since we were supposed to see to Cityside,
I think it was a bit smoother, but they were playing a bit weird as well. A lot of A hits, B hits, not defaults at all.
And we were expecting something else, I would say.
But yeah, overall good game for us and good Mirage, overall so far on this event, that's
something that I'm happy about and just hope that we'll continue Mirage way on stage 3.
Congrats on the win and stage 3.
I have to ask, what did they do to you man?
You picked Overpass yesterday.
You hate Overpass.
You bought in, you bought in fully.
Picking Mirage as well.
We came up a while ago and suddenly...
Yeah, I mean, in my career I haven't played Overpass almost at all.
And then last year when So came to the team, we decided to play Overpass.
When they switched it back, I don't know, instead of Anubis or whatever.
I don't remember what happened, but I know that we decided to play Overpass as a team
because we thought it would be a good fit for us.
And I think we were struggling a lot.
I needed some time as well, new role as an IGL, never played Overpass before.
But yeah, now I think we click together, it fits us as a team overall.
I think it's open map with a lot of defaults and I think the players in the team that I have,
they know how to take the space and good communication overall.
And yeah, I think our overpass is getting better and better.
We've won a lot of good teams on the map and yeah, let's see in stage three maybe we pick it again.
You said yourself that you've just changed the in-game leader not so long ago.
What was kind of the hardest part for you to make that change to in-game leader?
obviously we've saw coming as well. How kind of a founder so far?
Yeah, it feels like 10 years and not 10 months.
There's a lot of work behind me and I need a lot more experience.
I would say it's an IGL, even though I have a lot of experience as a player,
but it's really, really different role.
Yeah, I have a great coach behind me who is helping me a lot and my job is as well,
not only to call, but to shoot. And I think I did really well this event.
and I just hope that I will keep my form and keep shooting like I was doing back then when I wasn't IGL.
And yeah, it's not easy, a lot of work, a lot of adjustments, a lot of thinking,
not only about yourself but about the whole team and about the big picture and about the opponent.
But yeah, it's getting better. I think it fits me.
I feel sorry that I didn't take it earlier in my career when I had as well Niko and Mones in the team,
but no regrets.
Me too, man.
How it is.
I wanted to ask you, you missed Rio, unfortunately, right?
But you were talking about in an interview how, while you were watching the team play,
you saw some good things that you wanted to use when you were back on the team
and you had the full lineup playing a bit more freely.
Like, how has that adjustment been going for you guys?
Are you satisfied?
Pretty well.
I'm satisfied because when I watched them play Rio, I couldn't listen to voice comms.
I was waiting for the event to be done to listen to those voice comms
because the decisions that they were making together as a team and the moves they were doing, it was amazing.
Because before that event, it was most of the time waiting for my call.
What should I call? And it wasn't easy.
But yeah, then without me they all stepped up in different directions.
They all helped. Sampires was ideal in that event.
And I learned a lot just by watching them and I saw what my teammates are capable of more than just being their ideal all the time.
And then of course we adjusted a lot of things and I think it's getting better.
We are not on the level we want to be yet, I would say, but we are close.
I think for Stage 3 we'll just show an A-game of G2 and just looking forward.
Less pressure, I hope so as well.
I just wanted to ask as well because you maybe didn't have chance to watch the game back,
but what kind did you learn from the foot game yesterday that were kind of in your face a lot
and it was probably uncomfortable to play, right?
Yeah, to be honest I didn't watch. We came in the hotel after midnight, we just went to bed to sleep
and as soon as we woke up, we needed to prepare for the new game.
But definitely we'll watch the game and we'll try it the wrong, especially Anubis,
because we can expect something speaking Anubis against us, I think it's stage 3,
that will be obvious pick, and we need to fix our mistakes.
But I think they are a great team, they have great individuals in the team,
and they played well overall, but I think we had our chances as well to beat them.
The T-Sides are something that Ash was kind of picking up from that game yesterday versus Phillip.
But Janko, you picked out a T-side round from this Mirage.
Yeah, I have to ask you, is this intentional?
Be honest.
Be honest.
Or was this just sheer luck?
We're going to show you the eco that you guys won.
The missed smoke window.
Is it intentional or not?
You didn't know?
Because it's blame and blame.
He blocked it.
He blocked it.
We didn't see that he blocked it.
He played himself.
He played himself because he jumps out.
We thought maybe you guys knew this and you missed it on purpose.
So it was just lucky.
Yeah, but we expected him to be honest, to be around me to go for eco kills, so I'm saying he will be somewhere around and I will go across the smoke.
Be ready to pick off me, but it wasn't intentional to miss the smoke. I mean, he blocked it.
Yeah, we thought it was miss, but yeah, we were just wondering, that was the case. I mean, this was a big round for you guys to win one or two more after this, so yeah, almost.
Sometimes better to be lucky than good.
Hey, you make your own luck. You make your own luck, Janko.
Hunter, just one final question for me.
Just looking at your kind of record throughout CS2 majors.
It's been a while since we've seen you.
I actually made the playoffs the day before it was back in Shanghai.
Stage 3 has been the minimum for you guys, though.
Where's the goal set right now?
Stage 3 secured. What is the minimum for G2 going forward?
The first goal obviously was to secure Stage 3.
Now I think we are capable of going to playoffs.
And yeah, that's the next step for us.
We'll just try to secure playoffs and then in playoffs,
whatever happens, happens. I will be happy in whatever happens in the playoffs to be honest.
Anything you want to say to fans, maybe family watching at home as well?
Nothing, just thanks for support. Of course, I miss my kids, I miss my wife and the family,
but this is how it is. Thanks to my wife who is taking care of my kids while I'm traveling,
playing and everything. And yeah, see you on stage three.
The extra MVP, of course, coming out this one. Thank you so much, Hunter. Congratulations.
We will indeed be seeing him in stage three. Yes, that's due to lockdown loaded into that next stage
of the major. That has been the minimum that G2 have achieved for quite some time. And it was the
minimum that we were expecting. Let's be honest, Janko obviously, Spirit, another one of those
heavy favourites, but G2 as well. This is what we were expecting from them.
They're just playing for the chess player. You know, if you're 3-0, you have to play vitality.
This way, we'll get like maybe G2 Falcons in the opening game. You know what we all want to see
or something like that. I have no idea. But no, they legit look as they look the best they have
with this lineup and probably the best they've looked in a while. I think they are the third best
team of the stage behind Spirit and Foot and we'll see them now in stage three again being full
best of three from the get-go. That's where your map will also get tested. Hunter was very aware of
Anubis and how some teams might pick it against them. So that's where we really see these teams
get tested on different maps and that's where you have to have a deep map pool if you are going to
be in those playoffs. That is certainly going to be the question moving on forward. I'm just
taking a glance on the laptop to see the score of the other game going on simultaneously. That's
an elimination series between MAT and Legacy. Who was it that won the first map? It was Legacy
the 1, the first map 13 to 8 and it looks like there are only three rounds away on Inferno
of eliminating a major. So if you want to catch up on the action over there, head on over to the
B stream but we're going to take a look at exactly what the Swiss bracket is saying as stage two is
slowly but surely coming to a close. I don't think, I mean maybe 90, I didn't get you to take on that
one earlier, Janko. That's probably the biggest surprise. You didn't put it in the pick-ups there.
I pulled in my pick-ups, yes. At 0-3. That kind of game.
That's all right.
We had Game of Legends 3-0, you know, thinking,
ah, now they're not the favorite anymore.
They'll remember how to play good CS.
They were actually terrible this whole tournament,
and just fortunate that in Stage 1,
they were playing worse teams
that couldn't necessarily capitalize on that.
But yeah, they are the biggest disappointment,
for sure, of Stage 2 for me.
I know Astralis still has a name,
but they've been in poor form leading up to this tournament.
I was hopeful maybe MIPR could surprise
could surprise, but that loss to Big in the best of one, I think was really, you know,
something they couldn't afford to happen to themselves. So, yeah, still some teams in the
mix, Tyloo still has a chance. Yeah. Paying gaming against all odds, seemingly, and, you know,
teams like Monty, Bate and Big also being in that two-two bracket. Yeah, we don't know what the
matchups for tomorrow are going to be just Joe if 20 to the B stream action concludes for that. But I feel like it's probably going to be quite
Broly tomorrow. You see that kind of mix of team names. Obviously, everybody is going to be putting blood 20 is into making it to save
through. Right. A lot of pressure again tomorrow. This is where the games are less tactical and becomes a bit of a brawl again. I
think the team that I'm kind of maybe the most impressed with relative to what we expect is probably bait. Actually, I think they've
been brawling their way through and actually shooting pretty hard when they won that game against game leading the day felt like
came down to lots of individual moments where they just kind of had no chance and they're just
outfragging them, which was kind of surprising and a good win again for them today. So seeing them
around there, still nice and also 9-Z going through. Ashting Luchov is a really good player,
had a really good map in the second one as well. They could do some damage, I feel like,
Nancy. It could beat someone maybe they're not expecting to do it in the next stage.
Final question and the most important question, are our pick-ums dead? I've just
not even bothered to look at mine if I'm being honest. I'm doing okay. Am I doing okay? I mean,
It depends on the draw tomorrow. You have a chance have a chance and that's all that matters. I know actually surprisingly good
It's for once. That's nice
You also have a chance. You have a chance. It's the same. We're on the same. Let's go. I feel smart already
It's between legacy Bay if they get drawn together. It's over. It's over. It's absolutely over
It's kind of already over for you, Yanco. It's a shame you can't read, right? You really don't know where you're putting those teams
Yeah, it's just uh, you know
You know, flip over coin sometimes for who you're going to put between two teams, you
know, putting the wrong ones.
It's all just warm up to stage three.
That's where I really get started.
You know, that's what really sort of gets me going.
You know, I'm not super motivated for stages one and two.
The prospect of that silver coin, that's what really gets you going.
Hey, hey, hey, hey.
Silver's a new start.
We're begging for a silver coin with those predictions.
Oh, gosh.
Zero, correct.
It's a good effort.
It's actually a non-right.
It's actually, I think it's quite hard to do.
that's kind of impressive in a
really horrible way, I guess,
gentlemen. Thank you so much.
If you want more kind of strike
obviously, as we said, be
stream action. Looks like it's
a little tied up 10% between
M 80 and legacy. So head on over
there or we'll see you tomorrow
for the final day of stage 2 of
here at the Intel Extreme
Masters Kalo.
Opera catches fight, and now it's a battle of these songs and just not a whip!
Show me my body, I'll show me, I'll show me, baby girl!
Flash the door open, period. To the other pressure, Yabbi jumping out through a clean headshot, period.
Guff, what are you doing? Brilliant hole from Squeaky, and that's one the round.
ridiculous
The sweetest thing in the world, I shall give up!
The Intel Extreme Masters clone major 2026 is brought to you by ESL in partnership with
Intel
Acer Predator
DHL
Checks
And, Zoe
I will not let you go!
There is no stopping him!
He is inevitable!
The King of Counter-Strike!
I had so many trades trading and if you're not the one I carried you tell me one round
Hold on. Let me pull up CS stats.
Oh, wait. My bad.
You suck!
Settle your debates, search your profile on CS stats, and turn on tracking to see all your games.
The pounding of all of Easton!
Easton, we're here to cut you, Easton!
Now you double-peak, you're getting a shot at!
You're playing for us!
Something special to tell you is deep enough to relax as I'm doing how to...
Calvator! We are back!
Those two saved guns set them up for five rifles in the final round of regulation with slacks wide out-middle
and not just content with a peek, but he's out deep and then tucked back in.
But what do they see with that?
Is mid presence a reason enough for legacy to keep the pressure up on the B site?
Slacks is sprinting over here to be that third defender.
They're already putting so much pressure here.
Minute 25, they haven't taken any damage.
CT utility is coming out frantically.
They're boosting Lake off, that's one player less inside of the bomb site.
I mean, this is going to be a full, full exec.
They're not even here to clear this.
Oh, Slax gets a kill in the corner.
Catching Doomow out.
Mad Advantage made possible off of that one.
We've seen M80 in multiple overtimes on Inferno.
I think it's a good move from Lake, but it's not M80 actually.
It's not Legacy abandoning this game plan.
And he just feels he has to come back and check Arch in case there's a lurker.
And this is with Lake who has previously boosted up, now gone, over towards the Arch side instead.
Swisher to put the smoke down, can an AWP behind this thin pillar deliver.
Swisher's on the cross as the clock hits 30 seconds, daunting task to get through this smoke.
The full commitment swing is coming.
Legacy will still commit to this, and it's gonna be Lake with the supportive flash this time.
It pops in a little bit, slacks from the depths of that site, delivers.
Tons of damage off of Swisher and so legacy trying to face into the B bomb site instead find themselves in this
Unwinnable now 1v5
Clean sweep and m80 erected defense that was nowhere to be found one round prior
Overtime needed a bounce back from slacks in this game on CT side
He had a very poor first half and a 4k of off impact is definitely his biggest round so far
They get what they've gotten, like four out of five times, and that's a legacy running
through a smoke at the top of a banana.
Now they may not carry scar tissue, but we'll have to see if they learn any lessons.
hopefully also learned from the M80 camp three full over times versus bait in
stage one of the major and we slowly watch them lose their minds and crumble
well now JBA given a chance to shine on brackets at the gate here of OT and it's
a quick double kill to his name totally melted them down where they're coming
in oh no sin walks right into his death fire not deep enough yeah hangs on to
the line he hears those feet shuffling within the A site my goodness that was
just poor awareness wasn't it this is sort of a done position and all he was
doing was going to get an upgrade I mean surely there's no way legacy come back
into this but you can see everyone's still very active
what a flagacy had be this is not Ben Swisher's best map and yet he sits over
there alone for the moment just having dropped his final smoke grenade flash
into brackets, no peek on the left side, but Slax leans forward, Lotto's gone wide, and
a missed off shot, covered by Nissam. Now you've got damage, fire's going to kill it.
They kill everybody on A. All three kills, a slow squeeze, and it's M80 to step forward.
No, it's a total disaster. One off shot gets missed, Sin walks into his death because he
thinks he's mollied all the boiler. That was completely of his own volition.
It is heads in hands as a 5 vs 3 for M80 and overtime evaporates.
That is a total self-sabotage round.
A complete failure here could have had the lead.
The biggest blowout round.