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strictly like this one anymore, where you have open qualifiers, you have mass amounts of teams coming in,
and you really have to prove your value and worth to really get in the server and play against the world's best.
So the road and the trajectory to these moments here today, they count a lot.
I like to get inspired, Trace, and I hope a lot of the TOs out there, maybe the future TOs,
look at this format, look at this tournament, and feel a little bit inspired.
The last team's qualifier online brought back a lot of good memories.
I know it's perhaps not the cheapest way of running a tournament,
You know, having so many teams on site and so many PCs set up, etc, etc, Peter,
but it brought something extra to this tournament.
And then naturally a big-ass group stage into a single elimination bracket,
where 16 teams is part of it, where everything is at stake every single game.
I'm not gonna lie, you know, you can fold a lot of the teams from maybe not playing as well as you'd like, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah.
In terms of the raw format of this tournament, it's been a joy.
Yeah, it's just enjoyable and it's just something different, like, from what we're used to.
And I think that is also what is just a little bit interesting for the likes of Pausen,
hopefully also for the viewers, that you get to experience something a little bit different.
I've always liked the idea of having the installer where you just do a dive from the get go.
I think that's really cool, but now we do have the mono-sixth team where everything is,
it's like an expanded playoffs where you get a little bit more teams.
Some of the teams that's usually not there get to have a chance of playing the do-a-dive.
We're in from 16 playoffs to 16 team play, that's a really...
We've got a little bit more.
Let's keep marching.
Well, expansion is exactly what we're talking about,
because it's not just focused here on the counter-strike side, right?
There's a lot of games and what the Counter-Strike teams are doing here contributing to an overall bigger picture within the Esports World Cup championship rankings.
Jacob say that at least three times fast.
No I can't, but I can tell you that it's heating up in the top of the Esports Cup championship ranking right now.
As you can see, AGL and Falcons have kind of made a bit of a breakthrough.
I know there was some chess going on yesterday where Liquid, Magnus Carlson ended up winning, which put Liquid in top 11.
You know, before we started the Counter-Strike tournament, there were nowhere to be seen, but by the looks of it,
As far as I understand it, Peter, naturally AG and Team Falcons are in the running to win the entire thing.
Navi and Vitality still have a chance theoretically, but a lot of stuff has to grow in their direction if they want to claim that title.
Yeah, 100% and you know, we have to be looking at Falcons in this one, you know, since they, like, since AG don't, they don't have a representative account, that's right.
So the fact that Falcons can go in here, get far and win and also believe that they have their Rocket League team in the top four as well.
So there's also a chance to get some points there.
So, I mean, everything's shaving up to have a little rundown on those two.
But right now, you know, even though that AJL is in the top one,
I think it's about just giving it out and it's chasing them.
Offending champions as well, and let's not forget,
is it what, $7 million you win as a first prize in the Cup Championship?
So, I think it's pretty important for both Falcons and Army Vitality,
you name it, AJL, to do everything they can in order to make it.
Vitality, probably the only title considered remaining over there in PUBG Mobile,
but they did lose in core final of Rocket League
to the hometown team of Carmine Corp,
which do have a booth right here in front,
so I think they'd be looking at it all day.
Falcons, yeah, they're in the top four in Rocket League.
If they get into the Grand Final today,
they'll have to leapfrog AGAL going into the final week.
So like I said, a lot of motion all the way around.
You're really out here representing for your org,
not just your team in this moment,
like your org is a big picture,
which in the terms of the big picture of eSports
has to be a unique undertaking.
You've seen a lot of Counter Strike,
Maybe video games as a whole.
Yeah, I have.
I play a lot of video games myself,
so it's cool to see that so many titles nowadays
is represented at such a prestigious tournament.
There's no cycling tournament, is there?
No, that will get one one day.
OK.
Yeah, it's called the Tour de France.
They do it right down the street.
I know we're in Paris, we can't be too far from that, right?
That's true.
Can we just drop you off there one day?
That'd be great.
Of course, yeah.
I've never tried to compete at a tournament where you also
have something in line for the organization.
I think it brings in a little bit of extra,
Because you know, it is, you know, they're saying the place that pays out the prize pool.
So also plays place lap, pays out the salary.
There we go.
That would be conqueror for some reason.
There we go.
So, you know, a lot of land, you know, it's a way of, you know, giving back to your organization.
And you also know that it can help develop it.
So I'm going to question you guys on this.
We've seen quite a bit of counter-trade at this point.
Well, which opening day upset has aged best now that we've seen these teams in the full series?
Still, to me, the vitality loss against B8 is the biggest surprise of the tournament for me.
team spirit losing to Gigi how and the best of one at the time was a big
surprise but the way spirit have played so far you know even Donk saying
yesterday that we didn't deserve to win we didn't deserve to make the playoff I
think spirit is fighting some inner demons at the moment was for vitality
but we didn't know what to put you know V8 played well they really did they
deserve that victory and vitality on home turf well a little bit more left to
be decided in the playoffs and it's only a very small margin it's actually taken
my talent down the best of three yeah so I think that you know the fact that
It's going to be put in that pool of teams.
That's incredible, and that's what it is for the best of ones, right?
You can fumble, have a day off, but to have a day off in a whole series like Mattel,
that's a quick question.
I just love the way Apex took responsibility in the interview after saying that that's on me.
I made zero good calls, I made a lot of mistakes.
If anyone is to be blamed, it's me.
And he was right, he did play awfully in that game.
And I love the fact that you can take responsibility with that and then bounce back.
And we'll see Apex play later on today in a couple of moments, actually.
and I'm curious to see if you have something to say about that.
Well, I guess to me also ask the same questions.
You look over some of the recap from yesterday and our SDC Rewind,
which has mattered more so far.
And I do mean Elite Star Power or Five Man Systems in Fluid Effect.
It's always a combination, you know, but for Spirit's sake, I'd say the Elite Star Power,
you know, Dunk going off on Mirage against Big on that third deciding map,
also helping on Dust2, he kind of made sure they avoided disaster.
It was a close game on Mirage up until the point
or Spirit window up to the CT side and Junk just took over the game.
So, you know, normally I always side with the team aspect of things,
but when it comes to Team Spirit, I'm just Team Junk.
Yeah, for sure.
And on the sad side, you know, Dustin really made fun of it.
I think they showed a good enough level to actually make that a dance to me, right?
But with the top bracket, that just Dustin really did chase.
And now I just hope that Spirit, with a couple of days,
I will get a bit of a chance to bounce back, you know,
have some of those talks that maybe is needed for them to, you know,
perform better into the playoffs.
So, again, to pre the question,
Elite Star Power 5-Min system. What do you see more of here?
Well, I think honestly the only team that has stood out with both things is actually
for my liking since Falcons. I think they've had like the big mixture of things with both the team
but also in the big show-ups where it's been a little bit more for the likes of Spirit since
they make it. I think it is definitely something that proved to be the factor here. And for my
tell, I expected more team play wise from them but it's kind of been lacking on both ends from
on the last week when it comes to that team, you know, it's not, it's not really been the
size we show that we've seen and Rob's haven't really, you know, been in the factory as well.
So they seem to be like a little bit of both, but they have a chance of making up for this
later.
Let's jump into this. Here's our story of the day. It's been brought to you by Crunchyroll
and what that means is brudge match time, boys.
Oh, that's plenty of that's what it feels like.
Yeah, especially in that lower bracket, especially between some of the teams that knew each other
in and out. The first one I want to point out is the Australia's game taken on NIP for
good reason. I think both teams right now are officially labeled as Danish you know as the majority of the players within both teams are Danish.
Now a Danish organization or used to be a Danish powerhouse and Astralis going up against NIP who have brought a lot of the I guess failed Astralis players into their home you know and now they're trying to figure it out in Stav and Snappy who were also at Astralis at a certain point.
The one that never got was Schuss who were probably the one they should have gotten you know in a lot of the communications so I feel like if you're into Danish Counter Strike or Scandinavian Counter Strike that matchup is interesting and trust me these
players Peter they know each other well and there's no other team they would
rather beat in a game for the playoffs. Yeah I think it would have been more fun
if you go two years back. Let's say that this match could have happened like two
years ago when the whole drama thing was still up on you know on the high
rise you know. I do think that the players at this one have settled. I think
things are has calmed down a little bit. It's always like this fight you know
as well as an NLP over two organization that's go back in time with a lot of
history and a lot of success so regardless of that one you know it's
It's gonna be an interesting one and I think it's just very open. I I kind of want to side within a P
But you know a little bit of stars behind I also think it's gonna be interesting with that size
It's very interesting again
That's our last best three here on the day or the a stream mouse P vision in the middle and vision vitality as we've alluded to
And for now our favorite part where we tell you who's not here anymore because the brackets will illuminate exactly
Who that is there were some L's in the first rounds
There was a GG Howe that showed up to play against a Team Spirit in the best of one.
Again, first round, best of once. Everything there after a best of three.
Yeah, you know, speaking of the teams, we're not going to see any more.
Luminosity left a decent impression against Team Spirit, at least played very competitively on one map,
which is, I guess, better than they showed so far.
And then they made it losing to Aurora. No big surprise.
GG Howe, they won a best of one, but apart from that, didn't get to show too much.
And then as Peter said, I think Big is the one that stands out here.
I think they had to level to make the playoff a little bit hot down.
don't find the fact they have to play Spirit in the lower bracket, but they have also been sent home.
That's what I thought. If we could have this big Aurora game in that lower bracket qualifier for players,
I think that would have been a way more interesting matchup in terms of who's actually the better team moving toward, right?
So, yeah, that's what it is for Big X. Sometimes you just end up on the downside when some of the elite teams seem to be fumbling,
so they did have a very tough bracket. And I feel like as the tournament has progressed,
We've also come to the conclusion now that we've started to sort out the teams that you know are not good enough
I feel like we've so far have seen the majority of the teams that are good enough to make playoffs also made the best
Fair enough and for group a gamer legion g2 spirit and Aurora now or also the interesting case down there in the bottom
They did have to fight to that lower bracket and
Let's go ahead and switch that next group on Jacob. What do you think?
Root B is is no no no no no who D
Well, if you ask me, how would get to B? There we go.
I'd love to see it, love to see it. We also added some eliminations in this group, naturally.
Wildcat didn't leave too much of an impression, to be completely honest.
The biggest surprise and the biggest disappointment to me is 3D Max Peter.
The fact that 3D Max on home turf is not able to do any better, you know,
given the opposition they played. Yeah, it's okay to lose to Nami,
but losing 2-0 to Magic yesterday, getting eliminated before even standing a chance
standing a chance of making the playoff was a little bit disappointing.
And that's why you can't really be sleeping on magic, you know. It is one of those teams that
doesn't get them a lot of attention, but seemingly have started to make their way into making,
you know, tournaments where they can make an impression of themselves. And sure,
there's definitely a case that 3D Max should have taken on and beat Magic, and then that means
we would have this 9C 3D Max for a qualification for playoff. But just in hindsight, I mean...
I wouldn't change much.
No, but I haven't been impressed with 3D Max at all. It's always this
narrative that, hey, we're playing on home soil, this should give us like an addition,
you know, a little bit more to fight for, but the team is just not functioning right now.
The changes haven't really done anything good for them, and they just can't find any
stability at what serve, and that's also why they're eliminating my books.
Speaking of stability, Navi and Furia are making it into the playoffs without breaking too much
of a sweat. I know Navi had a close game to some degree against the Mongols, and you could
argue Furia as well up until the point of third map goes for both of them, actually, but they get
I get the job done, Trace, and I like that. I like when teams are getting the job done.
Yeah, we like that too, Jacob. Let's go ahead and just switch on into that next bracket real quick.
Mr. Production Man-Man-Man. Group B, it would be...
Yeah, and that's where the one team who showed no weaknesses so far,
Falkens have just made it through. We'd argue that the opposition hasn't been too hard either.
K27, well, that was a landslide. Should be a landslide. Same goes for Astralis.
They did play a very close map on the second one, but apart from that, I'm impressed by Falkens.
Yeah, what's your idea with FaZe? I think it's nice to see that they finally found a little bit of stability and a little bit of success moving forward now that they've made a clean path towards the players.
I think that's good that the game against Legacy looked like they were in control throughout the majority of maps, so a good comfort zone.
Yeah, I mean, I move forward for them and I'm actually excited to see what they can do once they make it to the players.
significantly better than I think we could have hoped for at this current
stage. They look solid as you said as well and I see them as depending on
the bracket draw you know and who they're facing that first round I wouldn't
be surprised that they can win a game in that playoff bracket as well. We saw it
a little bit during the blast bouncy you know they got to confirm here that
they're still playing well so I'm curious to see what they can do. For me it's
Nip and ex-Kabursky basically ex-Kabursky I mean he put up. Yeah it's
essentially what I'm looking at from the majority of that time and he had one
of the clearest individual takeover performances of the group so far. Look
We'll get into the last group that we've got right here, and I know it's a little close to your heart Peter
So I'm gonna let you take this one
I know B8 really kind of upset your friends of their vitality and that was not expected
Well, of course, they're my friends right, but you know, even if they're friends there still lose French friends
Oh, yeah, that's a good one right regardless of that
You know it was very disappointing to see that Vitaly couldn't make it count when they whenever they faced baby enough
Gotta give it to baby
No
It is a team that has had a bit of a swing when when they play their best they can upset the best teams in the world
and they definitely showed that and in their own words they they said they were looking really good coming into the tournament
So it's good to see that they continue to strive but regardless of that
Vitaly now have Linn Mission looking at them and you know it should be a matchup that they should be taking quite come
Just about as they write you have Vitaly Linn Mission
You have Maus P vision same group
I believe two teams that coming into the tournament were some of the favorites to win the trophy
Vitaly for good reason Maus because they won a trophy a couple of weeks ago at the Blast Bounty Tournament
beating Spirit in the best of five grand final
I mean they'll make it I'm sure but there's no guarantees
Look, to me, it's as simple as vitality fighting through to prevent VA from upset, from that upset
becoming an early exit, early on. I mean, that will haunt you going forward. LinVision arrived with
momentum because they, you know, they did just beat Tyloo. So that has happened. They got their
key crush yesterday. For LinVision, if there's a time, if there's a place, if there's a chance,
it might be right now. But for the side of vitality, just focusing in on some of the things
that we've seen or lack thereof. I know there were a lot of question marks around what they
provided when we first got here and then with that loss they didn't really help
answer any of the questions now did it. It was a blunder in that game versus V8.
I think Apex said it pretty well, he took responsibility, didn't call great,
Janku pulled up around on Inferno, I think the scoreline was 10-9. Vitality
walked into a pretty much free bombsite and Apex decides for whatever reason to
take a fight he never should have taken. Had he not done that I think they would
have won the game 2-0. We wouldn't be having this conversation. Vitality would be in the
player, they're still the favourites to win the trophy, right?
And that's how quickly it goes in Counter-Strike.
We're talking one or two rounds and all of a sudden they lose grasp of the game.
They moved into the third map on Dust2, which to me is the biggest issue for Vitality.
That used to be in 2026, their strongest map.
They almost were unbeatable on the map.
They only lost it was three times throughout the entirety of the year in 2026.
And now as of recently, they lost it three times in the span of a very short period.
So for Vitality and the map pool, it's becoming a question mark.
Overpass going on as well. That used to be a stronghold.
Train, they used to play that.
That also went out of the map pool half a year ago,
so I feel like they're getting challenged
on a lot of different fronts right now, Peter.
Yeah, and that's the whole story for me as well,
is that there is just like no excuse,
but there's just so many holes right now.
The map pool is a good angle,
but I also just feel like,
X-Las also said that in this interview,
like the excuses is not supposed to be there,
but they're just not hitting their shots,
and they're hesitating shots,
and they're not making like the right decisions
when they needed to.
And that's very, that's very odd looking at Vitality
when you think of how good they were just like three months ago.
Like this is the Vitality that all of a sudden actually bleeds.
And right now it's about figuring out how to double play.
Just to put it into context for people at home, you know,
this is based on the last three months.
Naturally, we had a break of a month.
So it's not that big of a sample size.
But if you're looking at Vitality's win rate
on the maps right now, they get to play cash.
You know, we don't know whether or not that's gonna be great.
The Dust 2, they've lost four on a road.
That's a 0% win rate.
You're looking at Anubis as well, three losses in a row on Anubis and they haven't played
ancient in the last three months either and that used to be the perma-ban for Vitality
as well.
So there's a big fat question mark when it comes to the map pool and where their strength
lies right now, especially considering that cash now is in the map pool.
Well speaking of the map pool, this was a vitality having lost to V8.
Do you think that any of those losses right there exposed enough for a lind vision to grab
on and say, hey, this might work against the vitality?
Absolutely not.
The issue there is that I don't see LinnVision having the quality to punish the mistakes that Vitality may or may not do.
I think B8 deserves a lot of credit because they were able to do it.
They played a good game on Counter-Strike, but it requires a certain level and a certain amount of experience there, I said,
in order to punish mistakes consistently.
And I do not see LinnVision doing that.
Peter, you and I recovered them in Austin when they were breaking through.
Ever since I became an Ironman, I liked the guys.
I think they're fun to speak to.
They play at different branches of Counter-Strike, but my God is it uninspiring to see the same mistakes being made over.
and over and over and over again who inspires you jake let's just get it you know who inspires you
not lin vision a guy called ty pogaccia pretty cool srovina cyclist not a cycling this time no no
yo this is the last podcast you're speaking danish or something like that all i'm saying is we've seen
lin vision make the same mistakes over and over and over and over at every single tournament they have
especially at international level i don't see that changing today well how about this jake of how about
from how about what how about from the vitality side a guy that's in the saddle that's actually
steering this horse around. Let's talk about some of these mistakes. How does he control
him? DePri, you know this man, probably better than Jacob. I have had to guess at least.
I've had my fights with this guy. Yeah, Apex is a phenomenal leader, both inside and outside
of the zero. That's for sure, right? But it's also the point and been that ever since his career
started, I think the Vitality, one of the hardest things that they can go against is himself. And
he's the lead man when it comes to fighting themselves because he's the ring him leader and
and he could get very frustrated, right?
He'd be extremely frustrated in his own performance.
That's going to take a toll on how he's gone.
He'd be calling, but it's also just like,
if he can't feel his players,
if his players not doing good enough,
he's very good at addressing it,
but sometimes it also, his emotion gets the worst of him, right?
He starts making too many mistakes.
He tries to do too many things individually,
and it just hurts the team.
And I actually thought that for the majority of when
we talked about how good Vitaliy was,
he just had everything on a control right,
but that's also easier said than done
when things are just working for you, then it's easy to control your emotions, right?
But once you're here and you're losing to Bay that you're not supposed to be losing to,
and right now the question mark is like, why are we not performing?
What has happened to our team in the last three months?
That's why I think the frustration sometimes comes into play with him.
And it's to me, he is one of the most, he's probably the second most important part of Vitality's success outside of the second.
I'm just not buying into the whole Vitality is in a crisis just yet.
Now if they lose to the admission, sure, we can open that conversation.
They lost an online game at the Major as well.
Yes, they didn't win the Major and surely that was disappointing,
but it wasn't like they played his poor counter strike.
They lost to a Falcons who played incredible well and did way better than anyone would have anticipated.
So in that regard, I'm not buying into the whole notion that Vitality is struggling as much as we can portray
at number 5 in VIS right now, well that's because they're not really playing too many
tournaments and didn't do well at the Cologne Major. VIS is very much in the very moment
ranking, so let's see at this tournament, let's see when they beat Lin Mission, which
they will, let's see when we get into the playoff, if we can start talking about a potential
crisis being in vitality, I'm just not buying into the fact that it's already here.
And there's a classic double down for you if you'd like it, Jensho, because I'm pretty
sure yesterday, last night, when we were signing off the show, I think you said it's Lin Vision
beat Vitality here. It wasn't just retirement. Oh, and it shaved his head. That was the other
one. Yeah. So do you want to double down on that? Do you want to go back to the clip?
Should we just face that now?
I'll heavily double down. You know, I don't see a world where a Lynne vision is beating
Vitality. And this is not to be disrespectful to Lynne vision. It's not to say that they
cannot play Counter Strike, but they can play Counter Strike at the level required to beat
Vitality. I've watched a lot of Lynne vision. I've covered them in a lot of different tournaments
and every single time I go in with them, I'm like, you have so much potential. You have
individual players that are interested but you make the same mistakes over and over and over.
Whatever they have in a match, Peter, they do everything in the power to throw it away.
And if you do that against Vitality, you will get smacked.
That's the whole story with these teams that come from the side. You know, they're from the
foundation region, right? You know, if they don't get tested on their daily basis, right, you know,
then how are they supposed to be improving, right? If they only get a call of chance once a couple
of years to try and go out and play against the best teams, then you don't get punished enough
for your mistakes, right? And if they get away with things in their own region,
You know, that's if they kind of they kind of bring that, you know, as as as an idea into the international games
And you know, it's just not gonna cut it. It will be the biggest surprise of the year as the word to do knock out
Vitality in the best of three before the play of an EWZ. It'll be the biggest surprise of the year
Yeah, especially when you come back with a shade head. So let's just go in here from flames right now on the vitality side
We got vitality up on stage once more
I want to start off flame to you by just recapping the series versus bait obviously
It was way more competitive than we thought, edging the way of Bay and that one.
What were your takeaways from that series?
Well, we didn't play our game in that game at all because maybe we were off individually
and that's something that can happen and it did happen and we won a lot of games like that.
But we just didn't do anything that we've prepped on and we took a step away from the game plan and stuff like that.
It was a really bad game for us. Probably the worst game we played together.
So, the takeaways was mostly like, guys, let's stick to what we know.
Let's just play, let's not try to overcomplicate or like do not enunciate in case,
like don't overplay and don't underplay in some sense.
And let's come to today much with just confidence in our game and do what we know.
I just want to quickly recap Dust2 because, I mean, it was once kind of tried and tested
map for you. Now you're on a format lost streak on there.
Is there anything specific about Dust2 that you feel like maybe teams have figured out
How about you, maybe you've lost, what's the status?
I think there are a few games that we lost, we like legit didn't play anything that we
do in practice.
In practice we are really good that's too still.
So I think we, it's because you had like a 36 win streak and now we have another record
actually, the small four it is.
But we want to get back to our level on it and I think we kind of have what it takes.
I think as well, obviously, other teams have started playing a bit differently,
and we've changed this, but some teams still play a bit different to other teams,
and we haven't played that good in those maps, I think, just because of that.
I think the first two games we lost on Dust2, we just played like shit,
and third and the fourth were Falcons and Bates.
Falcons, I think, it was such a close game, could have gone both ways,
and they destroyed us and I think we were not there yesterday so that doesn't help.
I think people obviously pick it up more against us now and that gives us an opportunity also
because it's a map that we understand how to play on but we need to punish them on it
and we haven't been doing that recently.
You see that as a situation versus LuneVision as well, just looking at the history of Vitali
versus Chinese teams, pretty much always goes in your favor, I believe you have to go back
to 2019, see the last time you lost to them, but I imagine there's a case of not underestimating
So, you've done your homework, I imagine. What have you noticed about them, Vision?
Well, I think the Chinese teams in the past, they played crazy CS.
They were individually, and they were very individual players.
They won the hatchets, they won those aim duels.
And I feel like nowadays, they're way more structured, they have way more plans,
and way more setting stone in our agreements, which in the past,
when I played in OG, we played Chinese teams, we prepped for the day after,
We knew it was going to be a fucking hard game and when you start prepping them nowadays, it's a bit more like they're playing CS that is more similar to what we play in day-to-day in Europe, in which in the past was fucking tough because you prepped for a whole different game.
one final question I do want to touch upon the roster situation. I'm not
questioning the decision at all with bringing in the stand-in given the
situation with Messi and Apex but I do wonder from your perspective you've
only got I believe three events before the VRS car off with this four five. Do
you think that adds more pressure for you guys to be performing when you do
have the four rosters together? It definitely has. I don't have the
pressure that's necessarily added because I think for me myself I don't care
we start stage 2 or stage 3 or stage 1 because I know that I'm so comfortable
once we get to the major with the full roster it's gonna be fine but it's
definitely there is a case here that we need to start like we need to do good
in the tournaments that we're all playing together the five of us because if we
get to the major and we haven't and we're not good on the VRS points it
means we're also not good in the achievements like we were not hitting
the semis we're not hitting those playoffs that we need and then the
confidence is really down so you know I'm sure that if we do good here and we
do good in the tournaments we've done and will, then when we get just like jail it's
gonna be a bit fun, but we're not gonna be less stressed because we know how good we
can perform with the team, but if we're not gonna do good with the five man roster, I
think it's gonna be, you know, it's gonna make all of us think too much maybe and go
into, it's gonna be tough, way tougher, so of course there is more significance to this
tournament, especially in Paris, Homssoil, or French, that we do good and also the
the rest of the season that we don't mess up in the tournament, we're a full roster.
But of course this season is like a bit tough because the prep stops, then you do it with
another player, the prep stops again, another player.
One of them is your IGL, which is one of the biggest game changers.
So of course we need to step up in those tournaments.
And there is this pressure that we need to step up because we don't have any opportunities
to make sure we go far.
Thank you so much, as always, to be honest, Insight Flames, that is vitality ready to
Take on LinVision as our first game today.
Vitality, LinVision, Elimination, if you can believe it.
This is a weird one in the road.
If you look at the pedigree, the side that Vitality has to offer over here,
this should be an interesting one, regardless considering stylistically.
This could very well be a mismatch.
I did hear a little bit snippet there, though.
He said they really dropped the bomb on Dust2.
They dropped the ball on Dust2.
I feel like that could be a problem.
I mean, that's going to be the interesting part right now.
Vitality had those two in the pocket for for the better vast majority of a year where they couldn't lose on the map Peter
It lost it four times in a row. It's gonna be the first map in this series as well
It's gonna be very telling to what kind of vitality is coming out in this match
If they can go in windows to and establish themselves on on a map they've been struggling on then
I think that speaks volume for what this series is it. I really feel like the first six rounds
It's almost gonna matter more to Vitality than it does to Lin mission because my talent needs to get away from the idea that
That last time was just a one-time off, but we could do better.
The mental part of the game right now is very important to them.
So if they get up to this start where LLM gets the ball rolling,
then Vitality can easily fall back into the same kind of vibe that they had against Baylor.
And that's not where they want to go.
We know where Jacob's hat lies in this really quickly.
Peter, who wins this game?
2-0, Vitality.
2-0, no fight, no contest, nothing, just as it lies.
They're too good in every single parameter, so that's what it is.
Yep, gotta watch out for the parameters, boys. Let's get into the game.
I've seen enough.
Looking at Dust 2 and Furno Anubis, limb vision. Vitality.
So vitality on one side of the stage then you got Lynn vision on the other somewhat of a David vs. Goliath and a whole lot of fans here for vitality.
in vision a little far from home and with a lot to do up against a rather intimidating name I
Think for them getting to play tyloo in that log rack around why so I will travel to the other side of the world to
Play against a domestic opponent and then we win that game and we get vitality
I think I suppose you can thank bait for that one
We are gonna get this one underway on dust to map number one of the series
Vitality the heavy favorites the hometown heroes and the crowd hoping that they can make it to the playoffs starting Wednesday next week
as mentioned to us to our opening map. This is that map once upon a time where
Vitality would have a record along the lines of 51 and now they've lost the last four on the trot.
They lost it every single time at the major. They've lost it here at EWC against Bate.
I don't think they're going to lose it here today against LinVision unless the dynasty truly is crumbling.
Yeah, okay, interesting. So what was your winningest of all maps now a lost streak on it?
people are picking it against them.
It's crazy to see LinVision of all teams opting for that.
I thought they could have tried to push this into obscure points in the map pool,
but they seem to think this is a weakness.
When you take a look at the teams who have beaten Vitality on this on the streak,
it's 9-Z, 13-11, it's Maus, 13-7.
It's Falcons, 13-11, and then Bait, the one that just stands up like a sore thumb, 13-4.
Yeah.
LinVision, they want to add their name to that tally.
Don't think anyone saw that one coming.
It was a huge three-mapper fair versus Bay that sends vitality to the lower bracket here at EWC
Course vitality one of those big organizations that are vying for that club championship as well
So expecting a good result here in Counter-Strike. I didn't do well in Rocket League
That's gonna cause those mishes down the stretch should be go some info here a pexy just spams away couple outs
It's young car
It's all a bit of a fake though isn't it the bombing up a tunnels coming back now is West Mellon
flash swing fight
And the fake should be found that means on site right now needs like for me
It's just messy gonna get surrounded here too many bodies star. He's got the bomb now spotted
He's just gonna survive and overrun by call me suit
Pull on four as that bomb gets planted by star
He got so quick on tons that very quick to this rotation or smoke now
Good patience on that. However, it's I want to starry Westman is tracking messy rops can tap two heads cleanly
And now you're looking for Zaka who's disconnected unable to stop that diffuse they're committing to it now
So 10 seconds until this round concludes and vitality starts off with the pistol
Yeah, that's just playing ahead there of the long utility not respecting and not playing behind in the flash forward the info there
The frag comes in and they know exactly what's up
The buy will follow with the bomb going down you'd expect Lynn vision to go in with a force
And have eyes on apex obviously very critical of his own performance and calls against bait
We'll see if today he can put a better foot forward as we're still seeing if I tidy can recover from
Okay, what's a shocking loss to bait tag on the cross drops down to half HP and zaka rim with the scout
There's a couple of glues. There's a couple of tech nines
Amelia has been the highest rate of play up all envisioned so far
But at the same time, it's a best of one and then a best of three against highly
which wasn't very competitive, surprisingly.
No one vying for any mid information currently.
My tally just playing an anti-force setup.
Two, three split, long control his days.
So it drops off, breaks his legs, and the flash comes through.
But that isn't the area when he feels like the pressure is about to amplify,
but they've been very, very restrained with their utility.
We smoke long doors to lend a hand to flames, these responsibilities and it will enable ZywOo to focus on this with Apex.
I was going to drop CT.
Attack 9 and CT, not the most threatening.
Oh, actually I say that. ZywOo goes down, he was fought off guard by the pacing on that and now Apex is lucky to get over run.
Nice double finds the head of Starrie, a necessary double kill out of Apex.
stops the threat of an immediate plant. Now, Zaka finds himself with a scout Gandalf.
At time becoming a problem now, 25. They're going to want to get this loss bonus, so they need to take the fights.
Yeah, well, they pick low. I think that's going to be Zaka's primary target.
He does land a bullet onto Flamesy, so three members low, but no casualties. It's just that one from West Melons Tech 9.
Yeah, when he drops into spawn, and it stays quiet, thinking, okay, are they turning this into a mid-to-be split?
That's just cutting noise. Westpillen comes through the smoke able to find that first but nothing follows. Good stuff from Apex and we'll keep an eye on him for and I'll just start things off as an eco.
Next for the visionaries.
A reminder that we have the Mongols taking on pain down the other end of the hall. Today six games over two streams.
Six more teams to be eliminated. Six more teams to be locked in. We've already got ten names.
Eight group winners.
And we're looking for eight runner-ups to make the 16-10 playoff bracket that draw will be happening at the end of the day
The schedule though will be coming tomorrow
It's messy. We'll find his first frag opening kill on to starry
And they should just be able to sweep this eco under the rug
the contrast really for Vitaliy right with that loss to bait obviously a three map series but
when they took on 100 thieves it was it was dominant was a very dominant affair of 13 to 4
on nuke and the bait result you've got players like MP on scissi i think scissi's definitely
one for the future of 16 year old orpah so the result was the upset of the tournament i guess
people could try and argue the spirit versus gg how but that was the best of one there's more
volatility in that, whereas the best of three, they showed class over three maps.
And just the third map being Dust2 and winning convincing that the Vytati had zero rounds in
that second half. And that's why everyone's screaming, they got what's going on. Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Some of the Vytali we know and love.
To Orphezaka, the same not to be said for Zywoo, what type of tone
is going to be set. I tell the lies, Zywoo does have his AWP.
We have the tunnels it goes looking for Robbs just hoping for an overextension
I want to clamp down I'm able to fight here. Here's the break
Didn't quite expose a me here on that catwalk
However running this corner will be yep a very quick end
You get Sinfon flames in apex's position
I'm gonna go mental up and already has his belt run by the m4 coming in towards Ross
Should just
Just going for a walk. Those are freebies right there. I
Don't know if there's any communication about where Rob's got that kill back turn working out a smoke gray screen the easiest kills
It rocks his life. Yeah
with over it
Just under I think the kind of player is like I I'd rather you were looking at me, you know
I'd rather you a I want a fair fight. I want some honor in these engagements because that was rather
Yeah
Like a days are cool. Are they allowed to say that becomes the question apex goes a looking he gets caught by zacka and
Thirty five seconds on the clock. They're just gonna sit back in T spawn and hope they can hold on to the open the AK
This is a very very rough start for Lynn vision
Dust2Inferna and Nuvus
Moving cash from this one was vitality
So they are gonna have to play as they did enjoy overpass
But a very long drawn out save they will be allowed the good graces to keep these guns
and we go again into the next with
At least the loss burn is brimming Amelia can get an AK out
West Mellon and Starr could be in with Galil's
This is casual. I'm sure Vitality aren't taking it that way. Yes. In fact, that you're in Paris,
which is where the office is. And well, you won that major year back in 2023.
We consider the best team in the world for a very long time. And coming into the start of this
season, this big debate, was it a fluke from Falcons? Are we going to expect more? Vitality,
Are they really starting to slide away off the top spot and spirit?
Well, they were they on the comeback trial.
There's a lot of conversations with the three big names at the moment.
Falcons have shown the best form so far at EWC.
Yeah, no doubt about that.
So you see wobbles from vitality, wobbles from spirit is is competitive.
Counter strike is this as this season unfolds.
We're going to see just how open of a playing field is it?
Yeah, the status quo could be shifting.
I think I would have preferred the full by shove from Lin vision this behind the saves because there was no loss burners given to the two players who saved so unless they can get the plant here next round is going to be more of the same.
Okay.
Zaka again, hoping for this jump spot early from Robs.
He's tried and started every round so far
on top of these bricks.
He's very confident in this position
to stop any of these contact walks out.
Where's someone who's gonna try it?
And Robs, oh, casual.
Catches Sue on the trade attempt.
And Zaka will turn the tail and get away with that AWP.
But already the round feels flat.
Already your opening gambit was to try
and catch Robs off guard.
This is three kills in five rounds, assuming no more added to the tally in this one, which still can change, but
So what are you gonna do with your off-date, Chad?
I don't know what the team's gonna do with their off-date. It's gonna be the practice, isn't it?
But obviously Eiffel Tower for sure, after Triumph, one of the Louvre
I think I saw that in Mr Bean once
I'm gonna get some action along.
That's a bit rough for a flamethrower, the nade.
A bit shy, just hits the corner there from Apex, the second one hits the mark.
Walk smoke, 30 seconds.
That's a bit of gymnastics, like Cirque du Soleil.
And that's how he's attacked him.
And he's lost the AWP, Starrie AK in the 1v4.
Walking on him, Apex wants to find this and oh, he hits the headshot, denies Starrie anything.
No plan as you discussed chat about the financial ramifications of that kind of partial.
If this is how the game continues, I'm not sure how we frame this one.
I think this is, uh, Vitality turning on a hiding as the crowd builds on a Sunday.
I'm on the side stages here until we move to the focal point next week, but this is a very very rough start.
At least I'm not just trying to walk into beat.
Fault spread.
Something that's making me laugh is just the fact that this round, when Zaka doesn't take the orb towards Tons for that early search,
Rops has been jiggling actively.
Like, it's like, this is what he was hoping for.
Yeah, I'm just looking at that buy as well, right? You've got Amelia who has an AK, but no head armour.
Zaka glass cannon with the AWP, so it's a buy, sure, but...
There's areas where it's less than ideal.
Okay, they're going through this. Sorry.
Woah, sat down by Zaiwu, good tracking on the swing.
And Robs will get that info regardless.
Saka unable to connect the shot onto DB anchor Flamesy.
Spotted by Amelia retreating from the long-door side.
Oh, I'm not quite sure what to say about this map so far.
There's another smoke on B. It's been dropped now with a 45-second mark.
That'll take us to about 25.
They're dawdling around. There's no reason for vitality to go aggressive with the man advantage.
I don't think they're concerned about anything right now posted back up on the line as I will again for another test
We have a flash
Nice shot finds flamesy and so I will
It doesn't get easier than that a nice try swing into the AWP that was able to find starry in seconds in the rounds
Yes, indeed. Yeah. Yes, indeed through the flames the flushes
is dropping in headshot. Seven seconds. No time to plant.
Oh, okay.
I'm not usually lost for words.
I'd be lying if I said the expectation coming in today wasn't a quick game.
Yeah.
But...
It's the manner in which these opening six have felt as though it was, you know, impossible.
Yeah, there is levels to this, but...
Oh
It was the two players walking out of the beat and smoke not looking at Rob's that
Emilius had a haircut handed to him by Zywoo
Is he going to do it again?
I think so.
What is going on?
He's still there, yeah.
I think it's more what isn't going on.
There you go.
Good maid though.
Really good maid.
And I tell you what, the 5-7 might be the best pistol for the airsoft.
I think it's more what isn't going on.
There you go.
Good job.
Good job.
Good job.
Good job.
Good job.
Good job.
for this he's still got 12 bullets ready to finish the job does find suit zackers 8 of the UP finds the
whoop they're not playing scared are they no i just trying to work out how nasty they'd want to be
in this situation because they're having box oh you could what you let them like rob the clock just
25. Yeah, that's quite generous.
Fortunately, Zach, it's with the fight.
Oh, okay.
It's quite short list of teams I imagine they've picked us to against by the way.
I'm having a tough time with this one. Okay.
Again, in case you are just joining us. Yeah.
This is Lendrigeon's pick. Yeah.
My Tadee on a format losing streak on Dust2.
two. That's still very surprised to see this is the choice today. Into lower tunnels is
Mezzi. Support from Apex and A comes in. And the opening kill for Merriman.
Oh, nearly had the second air. 12 HP on Sue. A bullet shy for Mezzi. We know that's one
of the B defenders. Do you want to try and head into Robson's territory? Currently seven
know. Mr. Cool. Yeah. And with the T smoke facilitating the cross, I was able to lend a hand as well.
Well, that's crazy, isn't it? I feel we should just start watching Xyro's POV without X-ray just
to see, like, look at this. Okay. Come on, boys. And another. This is the most actual game of
chemistry I've ever seen. It does feel casual, doesn't it? This is like a stroll in the park.
Yeah the birds are singing. The daisies are in bloom. I don't know if they bloom but I'm pretty
sure they do. Are we saving again, gentlemen? You're the bomb down on the pistol. That's about it.
There's not even been a moment of excitement in this game so far since then.
How's the opening kill department looking? They got one. Okay. From Westmellon.
Oh, yeah, that's right. Good to take nine. Exactly. And then they didn't get a single other kill within that round
Inferno up next
That is what they need to die right well yeah, no win the round. Oh
Flames he spoke to Masini
He's just okay. I think casuals were the words
I think that's going to be the
second time out called by
Lynn vision understandably
feeling like it's it's now or
never. We have got to wake up.
You pick this for a reason.
Perhaps you thought that that
loss against bait or these last
we said four loss. Yeah, four
dust to the road three times a
column one time here at WC. So
so that was enough for
Lynn vision to feel like, okay,
we've got a bit and I think they
It was a 13-8 loss for LinVision.
I think the conversation starts becoming,
okay, what can LinVision pick against Vitality?
Yeah, what is this? Fair enough. Fair enough.
That's probably where the conversation starts and stops,
but it's still a crazy gambit to pick into that
considering their record on this map.
Which is currently 51 and 9.
It's not as good as it once was.
I would like to just see LinVision taking some spawns
and trying to get into some fights
fights because yeah I don't know what they're doing here we go we're going out
long well there's some drums at least got some energy now out long apex with the
openness Dari on the trade here we go a little bit of rhythm
a little bit of run that's a chance but got caught running so we should be dead
behind the car one bullet through would do it two of them low sure that man
advanced for my daddy but for how long Sue's got the car Molly that should be
end of the womb. He hasn't got any extinguished but they've thrown it early.
Hey! Hey! You can hear that there's some dancing going on. There's literally some dancing going
I mean, the front of the pack
was like a full carnival costume.
Yeah, we brought some energy to start
us off here. All right. Here we go.
We're going towards be this time. We try
long. I really like your casting
style. I want to try and emulate it.
So I was an Aggie.
Oh, of course he is in the perfect
place to disrupt this. Oh, never
mind. Okay, I have to respect the
second smoke. Oh, he'll be there.
He'll be there. He'll be there.
second smoke. Oh he'll break it open and spot nothing. Oh I do like X-ray off. This
actually makes it more exciting. It does make it more exciting.
We get the mystery of all of this as well. Yeah actually oh my god yeah no
I know maybe the viewers don't love it. Just for one round. It can be split
everybody. Here we go. Five versus five. Really want to do it. There's a year
past opening and there's roms onto the suit. The secondary reveals itself. Easy
he pickings zaka walking to his demise a vitality of back guys confirm that we're actually having a party
the celebrate vitality returning to their absolute best form it was a very short break
i don't know whether to feel good or bad for the vitality fans of the building right now it's
like well they you want to see them win but like like this
Hmm
As entertainment value goes
This is Amelia
10-0 for our audio only listeners you wait to the final Chad, okay? I'm waiting. This is just us to this is a dust to exclusive
We're gonna be there very quickly. This is gonna be one of those stories. That's you know, it's got multiple chapters. Oh, this is the rope
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
Oh, of course.
They're taking shots from the jaw, the belly, the kidney.
They're up against the ropes.
And then, as they get a little too cocky,
they wind back a little too much.
And vision with Inferno.
Oh, hold on!
No apex.
Full on space, taking the opportunity.
Look at Vitality's reaction.
I'm just curious.
Look at that minimap sweeping through, pushing mid, clearing tunnels.
They're about to confirm and lock the door
You are committed to long as a squad you have that advantage, but can you leverage it?
It's accurate. That's a good start at the all paper to tell these longer sight lines
That means they should be able to scale up. They got plenty of smokes and they got plenty of time
That's the rotation joints on over now they cleared out
They know what this is going to be
They have a lot of you turn the CT side is what a block this to shrub this or stop this play here come in vision
Yeah, let's see vitalities protocols for this kind of maneuver the all-in lock
Robs eats the flash, but support from Flames. He takes an equalising frag onto Starry.
Zywu drops a smoke to ensure safety on the default box and will peek on out.
Emerges, finds Emilia, missed shot this time.
Nezzy's onto Westman and found the hit on the cross-ramp.
Now, Xuu a late arrival, put her through it all in the angle from Flames.
Overlook completely.
That's the first time we've seen Zac a find something on this long side.
Gonna flash from Robs and then fight.
Clean as you like clean as a whistle
Anyway, the Mongols versus pain on that
Secondary stream nuke inferno mirage if you want to put that one on simultaneously with ours
I think we might be done a whole lot quicker than they are
Later today mouse versus P vision and you versus 90 legacy versus MIBR and astronomers versus
NIP to round out your day to round out the group stage and to set ourselves up for a 1610 playoff bracket
Fun around to the half. Can they keep a spotless apex charging straight up middle?
And he's got the opener on to us. Double Zuck can't make it to triple, but it doesn't matter, Mezzy.
Just down Amelia.
Zuck up.
Just a kill.
And does, so...
Number 2v3 situation with a minute 30 on the clock.
And the Nade right down the gullet. Unlucky, Zuck up.
This is what the rounds felt like when I played Fnatic at I-Series.
This is exactly how the rounds fell
Nothing to do
For us either really yeah, I'll try and do some minimal casting
Hey
Open for business so many words. That was way much way too much
Wide open would have been better. Yes. That's good. Plaincy flank
Don't look it
Zaka.
Planting.
Planting?
Mollying.
Climb.
Dead.
Round.
Twelve.
Alright, sir.
The desk are back.
What are you, not time for lunch?
No.
Alright, Vitality, do it, so they deserve it.
actually for picking dust two and offering us that as you as they actually deserve that so let's go let's do it
Let's not let it slip
Do it for the fans. They've just added a stack more chairs
Yeah, they are they are literally adding more chairs
As we go this is the first time someone picks dust two against vitality in a best of three since i am crack out
These pcg lost
830
That was a hype game in the first half of these lost
The first half of that game, it was hype. The second half not so much. Just like this game.
The first half was hype. 12-0 for the second half. Let's find out.
Let's find out, shall we?
Alright, alright, alright.
That's my Matthew McConaughey impression.
Wow. It's my own Wilson.
Will they complete it, ladies and gentlemen? I'm sure the crowd's going to go absolutely wild.
or mild or sly old slightly wild
so so come on lad flamie
loses his head full in vision
oh nice quick flicking to Rob's we're cooking now
3v5 goes 3v4 he pegs got a lot to do
big sense a west man here we go they're gonna do it they're gonna get on the
ball they give us one round
I'm picked up by Zywoo and Zywoo and Mezzeek in combination to try and
All this one back in a contention have to deal with Amelia on bait if you're Amelia
All you need to do is not lose your head to the first bullet as I was B 250
Don't smoke from Mezzie. They'll be behind that. Oh
He's flubbed that completely never mind doors not smoked. He's lost it
That's a quick flick from Zaya where we can finish this he's looking locked in X has his two
He was that 30. No, I was gonna take it by four
Oooooohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh
See, you can see!
Who doesn't fail the timing!
OH! OH!
You can do it!
Just one bullet shy!
He gave me-
He gave it a really good go, though!
Leaving the analysts, we're getting excited about that one!
Woo-hoo-hoo!
That's all Nezzy's fault, don't worry.
Yeah, if he just landed that smoke...
That's what I'm saying.
Well, the 13-0 tonight.
That's what the headline will read.
Who knows how it was so good on the P250, did you?
No, no, no.
Never seen it before.
I've never seen it before.
I mean, so good, he could probably kill six people.
Alright, Flamesy, he's been given an AK-47 and he needs to find the opening incision.
Okay, Zaka going down, makes life really miserable for Sue, especially with that late-long
arrival, he's committed to this ramp position, so he's got to time this perfectly fine precision.
That's why not there. Double is. Zywu puts him down. He got a 2-1-2 here.
Oh, he's going round the world. Okay, so last scene long. They're not going to be anticipating a flank. This is cheeky from Zywu in foe.
Oh, it's brutal. Objective robs is live. Survive. Zywu's on his way.
Then vision quick about this, though, so it might force Flancy's hand, and in fact Amelia's taking him down.
It's a bit awkward for Zywoo nails the headshot Amelia left in it a 13-1 to be booked in awkward plant for this one
Amelia not sticking it waiting for this headshot and provides it
Here they force again
One player stand alive diffuser will come through 12 to 2
He's getting everything the moves right now good pace on the retake from Lynn vision it didn't limit Zyra's options
Ropson able to get anything done there from goose
That's uh, yeah, they could definitely justify another force vitality just because they've been ragdolling them
But it looks like they're gonna tell the conservative approach
Guess they don't want to allow this to get out of control
So I would with the scout let's see if he hits them on the cross
Yep, yeah
Really attacked going out longest flames not scared of anything. It's a straight to pit
Oooh. You have no idea.
I have to acknowledge the possibility, surely.
It doesn't look like Sue's considered it. He was quick enough. Look at this.
Oh, clean headshot. Just has his head popped down onto West Mellon Team, distracted!
Zaka trapped on car. They don't have you till to force him out, but there is a body on the way towards shore.
It's Apex's deagle that will catch him exposed, and ooh, that's in again this one too.
attention drawn by a bullet
look in the wrong way and you could say the same for starry
put a ball on it
Bust two done
Linn vision have learned their lesson
they're gonna pick this into vitality regardless of that format lost streak
this is the absolute best teams in the world
and those score lines those teams they were playing
all different kettle of fish is nearly up
you have to give this one a go lad
it's the last round
heads on over all bullet rings out
and that'll be that
And it'll be that, Robs confirms it, 13-2 Vitality, one map to the good, one map away from the playoffs here at EWC.
Yeah, easy as you like it, LynVision Vitality. Well, so far, LynVision is a little bit deep.
Desired if you love great counter-strike or very competitive counter-strike,
LynVision not really bringing that to the table in the first map of Dust2.
E-Sports World Cup, Elimination Day.
going up the line here gentlemen, debris, you look like you've got a cheaty smirk on your face like a
a toe or so. I don't even know what to say at this point. I mean did the division get anything done
in this specific map? It didn't feel like they won the pistol right? That was probably the most
the most impressive part and they even almost lost that one to a side-to-side team clutch right?
It's just a big display of how big of a skill you get there between these two teams and that's not
Not only when it comes to team play, but definitely also when it comes to individuals.
The amount of times that lane vision was just hard off guard or like shot the side or didn't have the right rotation, I could keep going.
There were so many things that didn't end the way up with vision because my talent would just be better in so many ways.
Not often I'd do this, but I think we almost go to the duo and not analyzing this game.
You know, not trying to sound like we're the smart guys and we saw something you didn't and here's what happened and here's what not happened and here's what lane vision she had done.
Let's just be freaking honest, you know, this was a game where there was nothing
Lin Mission could have done in order to make it even more competitive.
We're looking at two teams who are operating at different levels, who are playing different games,
who are not to be compared in any way of any imagination.
I almost feel like if I were to try to bullshit my way into saying that maybe if they would have done this,
and if they would have prepared a little bit differently, then the output could have been closer.
But you saw what I saw. Everyone at home saw what I saw.
We just saw Vitality playing as they're supposed to play and a little mission who as I said coming into this game
Is the worst team and sorry worst teams though to be left in the tournament at least for another hour
But what's the human thing is like well when the game ended both teams started laughing like I think what's happening
How is it so easy like a hmm? How did this game end so fast and hopefully also on the side of it?
You just need to think about this probably better just get this one over
right? Yeah, that's just the notion of the game, you know, welcome to Saab Uflingsy, you would see
them having a field day, playing a bit of deathmatch, you know, finding a bit of that confidence,
and if you were to distract anything analytical from this game, it is that it is a confidence boost
of volatility, right? The easier they can win this game, the more some of those individuals can
find a bit of confidence, the better it's going to feel heading into the playoff, but in terms of
building any sort of storyline right here, it was a game of Counter-Strike with one team on the
to save on one team who's about to pack that back to the role.
Let's just pretend that Dust2 never happened,
which is kind of the idea that you want to go with.
We can almost pretend Inferno isn't going to happen.
Or, Jacob, I know you're known as an optimist in the community.
Or we could say, LynnVision are in the server
to play today on Inferno.
How, why, when?
You could say that.
You could.
But I would say, why do you think that?
Well, I mean, because they have to play it.
Eventually, they have to play it.
By the way, low ground forward, but we do
have some glimpse of chance here I suppose. I think round four is just just
one of those example of what didn't really go the way of the admission and
this is the first this is the first baron that put up you know it's it just
doesn't make sense to me like the first kill on Emilia I'm sure like it's just a
poor clear with all good mulcher but then turning the attention to be like
what is this like I hope I really hope that the little admission players expect
the smoke to have been different because call me shootish walks out and then
Sorry, Dustin, same thing. Like literally two seconds later, he walked out with his back turned to the guy who just killed his teammate.
And as I said, I think it's because they expect the smoke to be like the large one that you can actually edge out on both sides.
But I mean like, this really pains the picture of a team that is nothing.
Unlucky.
That's not unlucky. That's just bad.
Unlucky. Unlucky round. Unlucky scenario. You know, in another world, another day, Peter, in another round.
What a work, you know
This guy this guy after you guys know he is named Jacob pent Viniky Jacob
I would love to help you help us. Yeah
See any sort of glare glaring potential here going into inferno
Listen, if anything we can zoom out and we can maybe talk in vision as a whole as a team, you know
Sure, go ahead. Let's hear what you got. No, but a bit of the history right in Austin at the major they they broke through
We were interested by the way they're playing Counter-Strike
It's just a fact that they failed to develop from that point on.
They haven't done anything new.
Rusty changes on the horizon. I'm sure there is, you know.
But I would love them to try to do something to get back at the level that we've seen before.
Part of why I'm so disappointed in Lynvision is that I've seen them play much, much better.
I've seen a team do better. I've seen a team who at times were competitive against, not the likes of Atatolli,
but smaller European teams where they could go toe-to-toe, but I'm not seeing that vision anymore.
team that is getting worse and worse and worse and to me if I get worse and worse and worse every day
at least I try to do something to change that and change the outcome of that and that's where
my frustration lays right now. I don't feel the ambition from tournament to tournament,
whatever I cover them, I don't see anything changing, I don't see a different approach,
if anything it just gets worse and worse and worse. To me that's slightly disappointing.
It is and it brings me back to the thing that I thought of seeing in the pre-game to this one
You know, it is just tough when they play in the Asian region, right?
You know, the competition is just not there.
You know, we saw how they dealt with Tyloo yesterday.
And also the prior matchup when they faced Tyloo, they also smacked them.
You know, so they can play up to their own region and they can do fine there.
But once you turn your attention to Europe, the competition is just so much better.
It just kind of falls apart.
Let me pause you guys right there, because if you're running it back to Austin,
I'm pretty sure LinVision beat the Southpins there.
It is.
But the thing about that one is that at majors, there's just a little bit more on the line, right?
You know, on the bigger teams, like for Falcons or Vitality.
Sure, there's also a lot on the stake here for Vitality, but the major, I think they also just hit a strive where
Momentum was hitting them. They were overperforming to a certain degree that they were like playing at a higher level.
And they kind of rode that wave for like quite a while.
And then now they can't really find their way back. They can't really find the route.
And, you know, at this point, you know, I was very surprised they didn't try to make any
rust changes coming out for the major in Cologne, so whether they also had a pretty poor result,
whether they tried or not, whether they just couldn't get the piece that they wanted. I'm
not sure. I'm not actually aware of that. But still, as you said, Jacob, it's kind of weird that,
you know, they haven't really tried anything else. Hey, you guys, I think we've hit this nail right
on the head a couple of times here. Not a whole lot to really walk away from Dust 2 with. If Furno,
we're going to have to see where this one goes. Right now, Vitality very clearly in the driver's
seat of this vehicle and us are going to be driving into a brace. We can't get this next map
started. Inferno, we might need Anubis. Jacob seems to think not. At this point I'll be low key. I
agree. It's not looking too hot out there for one vision, but you are watching these sports World
Cup Club Championships in 2026 and we'll be right back after this.
Play is in our DNA, whenever we let it out, it becomes our superpower.
imagine an entire city being built to supercharges. Kadea City powered by play.
the
area
that's the offshot
gains the information of player position in
Yes, making his way up towards heaven, shifting around over to that Mustang corner.
Maybe he might have something a little later to do, but for the meantime, Mongols have
made their way progressively more and more outside.
Blitz jiggling around, thinking about it, he goes, Zara should spot something here.
He's calling it.
Yes, it's a great call too, finds one off towards Techno, reposition swings wide, does
some good damage, can't net the kill, but maybe enough. 9-10 spots out the foot of
VSM as he shifts over, he gets cleared by another of their bullets. Snow and Deereya find themselves
some kills as it starts trading out in pain! Or, out yet. They find another round on the
board, but it has to be perfection from here on out, just for overtime.
Four rounds, plenty of time for Mongols to play around to make sure they're able to secure this first map.
As Bites do eventually come through, Techno, while you tilt only a block, the woes of
being a support player.
Altov into Squeaky, Sop's long was for a moment, Snowdrop's down, he's not even amplifying
one, he said it's because Error and Baraya!
Nicely done all around and now it's just 9-10
Period big is there a vs. M all very very good to stop that flow very early on
That mongrel's money they're at the take this one on the chin
No, Bob. I'm just completely pushed them down the great play like you said
from big goes there and
Heria right there that's very down was
Fantastical that range get some through the smoke there double headshot makes everything just look far too easy
Mom was gonna be swinging into this one diggles and gloss with a single flash and it's gonna go straight to ramp initially
before safe
Let's casual stroll walking
We just didn't expect himself to get stuck in the fire
There's the push through but the rest of the team evades your position. Go outside.
Realistically, if you're the Mongols, I mean most you're expecting out of this round is a bomb plant. You could be quite happy with that.
9-10 hits a shot.
I think so.
I- something in me is just afraid for Big O'Zara.
I have to worry about...
...VSM instead.
Uh, yeah, Big O'Zara is actually more than comfortable to take that kind of fight.
My bad, just get 20 then.
Nade goes out.
Think Ragnar affected.
As they spot each other and run away, VSM chimes for one of his own Big O'Zara.
21 for him now.
New flat Katie and Techno
Quincy quietly drops, but he drops none the last period finds that one and it is nearly a flawless round
Five alive though for pain
But again two more in a row. They need just for that overtime to start up
Mongols
It's kind of now or never
Chains are starting to speed things up and it's not feeling as comfortable for this two sides if you're a Mongols
with the way at any moment.
Not quite all or nothing in this round, but
it's not converted.
That'll be difficult in the next area.
It wants to get so aggressive.
That's exactly what happens.
Lobby crunch from elsewhere.
Techno about face to readjust.
And via Sam with his teammate falling will
decide to turtle back.
the
chance to breathe for a moment
on those taking the pain route here
are walking up slowly map control
next to none but let's make sure they can always find something going as he has
been the consistency of this roster on map one snow he's gonna have to at least
find a tradeable kill and he does he finds one in that kind of outside lurk of
dark mysteria comes to a close in three 40 seconds let that bomb again going
outside maybe it goes and wraps towards a but I think it's a secret play and
they got speed this up time is not their friend right now I still something to
work with let's not able to spawn anyone he's backed up by 910 to make me worry
down secret 20 seconds left oh oh yes at some point of ESM standing on top of
the silo gonna come down to very last second how fast can you react if ESM
up top the DSM play spoiler and that's exactly what he misses the sprain I 10
able to come around from the back an absolute wonder and now elsewhere at
Lisa's straight it back to an even two on two.
Safe, pulls the AK out.
She drops down, he's being loud about it.
9-10 from behind and it leaves it all down
to the young Prodigy.
Snow experienced beyond his years,
but a clutch may be insurmountable.
Boxes way in, being quiet about it.
Does have the kit, a little bit more time to work with.
And it's gonna come down to an interesting,
He's gonna try to stick it, but 9-10 more than ready to deal with that.
Mongols do find themselves up a map against their opponent's map pick as we head forward to the next.
has left Jannani scratching our heads.
It was basically a 30-minute map.
Yeah, it was pretty quick.
I think that there's a couple of things
that need to be discussed with that one.
First and foremost, the Dust 2 choice.
It's not the first time that Lindrusion have done this
against Vitaliyo right to Chengdu nine months ago.
They did the same thing there,
and they also lost the first half on their T-side 12-0.
So, second time you've had a 12-0 half
in losing fashion against Vitaliyo.
Makes sense. It's tough to pick a map against these boys,
but the Chengdu version and the Vitaliyo version
of today are slightly different. We're looking to see if they can kick back into form. I lost
to Bait has put some real questions around the EWC campaign, but it's not just about
the map choice. It's not just saying, oh, Vitaly, one of the absolute best teams in
the world dominated the LNVG. Yeah, of course. But it's more in the fashion in which LNVG
in played. Yeah, they were walking through smokes, looking into walls. They didn't really
feel they had any pep in their step. They weren't using their long spawns. It just really
felt like an odd choice considering their approach to the game. We turn to Inferno now.
is going to be the choice of vitality. And I don't expect the game to be as one-sided
as what we just saw around Fold. I want to see LinnVision operating just a little bit
more team-based, if anything, right? Maybe with a little bit more aggression, because
when this team came onto our screen, some of the exciting parts was Amelia standing
on tables, them getting in your face, playing in Nugus, going aggressive, having some nice
set pieces. Dust2 didn't have any of that. Again, we are reminding ourselves that there
is a real contrast between the level of these two teams, but just the type of Counter-Strike
Linn vision played there. I'm having a very, very tough time being able to piece an understanding
together. We've seen many, many affairs in Counter-Strike
where the underdog packs a punch. They've got some gimmicks. They've got their own flavor
and they can push world-class teams to the, you know, to get the distance quite the opposite in map one
Let's see if inferno has a different flavor. It's a t-star for vitality and apex has got a full belt of utile
That's not in zywoo forward. We are seeing aggressions immediately from Amelia flashed in by zaka zywoo
Trying to take the site away from the man. He's actually won the round with two kills incredible
Another smoke another Molly they're gonna give this one a go they need to I like the fact that they're playing on the front foot
Lim vision they've rotated in quickly they're not worrying about lurks everybody's rotated over. Yes, I will however being in this borrowed corner
Zaka could easily overlook this
I will manage the angle doesn't track the head so Zach has provided removed the woo block smoke from apex the last piece of utility
He's holding on to it for as long as he can it likes to throw its CT
That's gonna channel them into him on ruins. He nearly lost his life there does hit the goosh
Zach is low as he threw the smoke in the apex is left. They know he's through they blocked each other
Right. No, they don't know. Oh no. He's timing this
Waiting for that 10 second diffuse to be nearly done and then runs off through the smoke and eyes. It's actually round winning
That's the stylish clutch from mr. Merryman
Starrie will survive
That's that's a not the pistol round on the tally there
So I was looking extremely sharp today
Again, the contrast of opponent, but you go back to Dust2 with X-Ray off for a lot of his spikes.
He just knew exactly what was going on.
End of that map, 18 and 8 almost clutched out on the pistol round with a P250.
But everybody was dominating with how easy that first map was.
So forced my back from Lindvision, gonna start at 3 over towards B.
Got Zac up, and Amelia to lock down A's. I was straight up towards logs.
I'll force smoke immediately.
And look at the H.E.s. You can see on the X-ray there's a bunch of them over towards me.
So they're gonna want to catch a timing on the scaling up banana if they can.
And like statues, I tell you they're waiting for any aggressions.
Middle, second, mid, boiler holes.
You name it.
They will be able to get his banana control.
On plenty.
He's got a different plan. So exchange a U-Tilt.
A deep molly, now a nade and probably a flash to follow.
Yes, I was going for him.
He's off the wall. Molly towards sandbags.
Up close, not cleared by Smellon finds him.
He's going to be off the profit off of the flashbang from Starrie.
So great output from their captain.
A jumping Mac 10 season.
Nafi's even noted that Robs is still present in the apartment.
So in a four versus two, you've already got the info.
We have the bomb and banana as well, but they're letting him pick it up.
Just a little bit of pressure there.
Has forced the rotation of Starrie.
Mezzie is going to pick the bomb up, can Robs? Shave one off.
Oh, Zach might catch the perfect timing here as Robs rounds the corner. Nothing. Fades into obscurity.
Now, audible on the retreat, and it's not ideal for a 5-7. They did hit the dink. He needs to live.
It's not easy when Amelia is hitting shots like that, burst to the face. Just Mezzie.
Second round conversions, huge fill in vision. The absence of the pistol, this one's even better.
Finding one, tracks Zaka on that flank, he's gonna give it everything it's worth, but he just doesn't have the time for anything other than a plant in that smoke.
He's got maybe one chance to fake and try and isolate, but now just gets run down.
Westman leaves with three kills, high impact in denial of B, and it's a massive round.
Not only do you lose out on that pistol, it's an unfortunate Mezzi overlook.
You walk past him in the smoke and he denied on the diffuse, but you've managed to wrestle back for control immediately.
Yeah, this was very well done from Westmarn because this exchange of U2 and banana right here is here chopping a change
You could have two of them with the U2 set so Westmellon bringing a shift
I'm putting them in a strong position right now to break Vitality's money. They'll force by back
It's take that heavy a Diggle and P250 to complement that and very very light on with the U2 so Limba's here
We're different forward on Inferno. This is already positive
This is a must convert considering the level of investment
I'm sure it's an all-in-sharp, but there's just not enough to go around.
Flash at the ready, popping through the smoke.
Deep smoke's gonna achieve nothing now.
A cheat will find its mark, flames you down to 65, progress slow.
I only have a handful of smokes down to work with, so very difficult to see if that's how to continue to turn map control.
Same staunch towards Sandbags, they want a fight for this.
Yeah, this half wall smoke will fade and the fight will go.
Starry's got the lineup for that flashback again, Westman will call for it.
Flash, connects onto Flamesy.
And oh, damn, Flamesy drive by, still super present and correct.
Lovely output from Sue, just a massacre on Banana.
up. Water ball. The press tab and realize it's Robs. This is a kill. Yeah, who is it?
He is so convinced he's going to be around there somewhere now that he gets up. Just
wants that headshot, wants that rifle, can't connect the bullet. There it is. You might
save this now because next time you're not going to have anything. It would probably
been his best interest. Curiously, look at Starrie's position already. He might be able
to take him down after time and this would actually be miserable for Ropp. So the further
he goes into what he thinks is a safe haven, potentially the closer he gets to Starrie,
line drawn in the sand. Ropp stays on these stairs, he should be safe if he is in too
far. Starrie might peek him, okay? So some decent damage, but then for save, then he's
going to have to be an eco behind this, which will have some pretty tough flow on effect.
So I wouldn't even mind a tactical timeout from X-Tas earlier. I know that this isn't
going to be a hefty looking Viber. It's a weird spot to be in.
Yeah.
So next round, everyone else is getting 2400 is the loss.
To action on Robs, Zywoo has been gifted that tech nine.
He's got some Cavalier around it and apex with a handful of flashes.
It shouldn't be able to make this interesting.
Westman and playing it aggressive and all we lost track.
Zywoo gets their head shot, that's awkward.
Keep it a rifle into Zywoo's hands, he's got Kevlar behind it.
Then he gets another one, because you peek on in, you give him what he wanted!
Listen to Zywoo, we've affected it on the pistol as well,
just decides he's gonna claim B for himself, two kills.
Round done.
Bomb being picked up T stairs now, Amelia and Starry.
And just consider themselves staying over towards A.
And they're waltzed into that empty bombsite and...
Alright, that's shades of dust too, coming back with just how easy it looked.
You have to factor a part of the play from LinnVision being their mentality up against
a team like Vitality.
It's not that I think they look scared, I just feel like they're not confident in any
of their choices.
Which as we know in Counter Strike can be is a condemnation. Yeah, you're screwed
If you don't have confidence or conviction in your fights, how many can flames he get ease?
You can take it all away if you wanted to wait to contain messy
apex
And I will clear it out boiler and holes so they know that they must be able to see apartment somewhere
Once spotted time to run at this. He's keeping both of them looking his way
Then he starts to strike
They lose it all
Wow, what did that?
Well, it was a saved M4 a dropped tech nine and a kevlar vest
That's it right the only real investment was that kevlar vest
Because the tech nine was carried through from Rob's now they've got themselves
reinforced and
Again, it's just too easy
Considering you find yourself in low bracket now as vitality
Hmm chance that you draw a tough opponent in that round of 16
Unlikely has started what's an aggression
Big surprise out
That's their only gun makes sense to not completely commit to the first five available
You'd expect more rounds for the Envision in this map as well because they're starting
on the CT side.
Yeah.
On the T side they looked ahead, there's chooks right, they were just drifting around
the map, it felt very disconnected.
On the CT side they should at least be able to put up the blue wall, you get a player
with a multi-kill.
Let me stay on board with this apartment set up.
Ops is on his way.
Zacharoon invests against, goes down.
Drops expect more.
He always expects more.
Starting his crawl now.
Oh, such a quick reaction! So ready!
Oh, and Sue's the third!
I think they're outside of the system there, haven't they, Westmallon?
That's a dink off on a flamethrower, dead meat to Apex.
4-5 staying alive.
And some players on the InvisioN invested then, and some players didn't.
The M4 count keeps growing, and so I'll add another one there.
Normally, you see this other way around with the AK, don't you?
Some people actually really like an M4 on the T side.
I don't think it'd be good for a bit of lurking if you're a lurker having a silenced M4.
four. It'd be quite nice. You don't immediately like announce your presence on that first
bullet. And normally you're not taking heads up jewels like an entry, right? You're trying
to catch people as they're rotating away. So Rops will like that then. So they do have
an orb and everyone else is essentially eco. Missed opportunity, not an easy shot to hit.
That one was for Flamesy though. And the flash could not be better. Zaka sent back towards
Oh my god. Oh my god.
Look, regardless of how out of it, Limvision looking,
Zywoo is hitting everything that moves.
He is looking extremely sharp today.
You know how you were saying Limvision lacked conviction?
Zywoo is conviction, that chase down.
It's such a... he's got it so dialed in, he knows exactly how much time he needs
in order to chase you down and to catch you just as you're rounding the corner.
I would love to know some of the thought process on this,
and it might just come down to all we were on eco, but you did have an all right, so the all shot goes off and then West Milan runs out banana
I'll build on this for people if you're going to have a hero AWP or hero rifle
You want to give that as many opportunities to find picks before the pistol players die, right?
You as a pistol player you can jump for the AWP or the rifle, but West Milan just run out on his own
It just feels it's just a stacker to be overrun like he was yeah, it's it's a
not team counter strike on display at the moment from Len vision as a school and we'll read 42. I'm curious if they even find the other have found the
AWP apex is juggling it
You wonder if I would even want sir. Yeah, he was great with it on dust to
Amelia's been waiting for this
He hears the juggler to logs does he make the play? Oh
Oh, I can't get something for his troubles on Tepmezzi there on the way out of the door.
He has enough money to drop an AWP however, so Zach will be able to get that again.
And everyone will have guns.
So we'll see a rifle round unfold after the economic war of attrition to kick things off
that was a very, very weird back and forth, broken over by a save-down 4 and a drop-tech
9.
on operating with his T-side AWP, there's no need.
Zaka posts up, middle flashed off the line immediately.
Something's pretty strong on B, but right now,
Apex is calling into what is looking like a bit of an APOP,
so pressure will be on Zaka long side.
How do you get the AWP off the line,
just a flashbang enough?
Yes, it is.
One flash in charge, and again, it's Zaka feeding this pressure.
Every time he pulls out that AWP,
it feels like he fires one shot or not even.
They've smoked. Hang on, with Amelia's contribution by notifying Robs' presence, it does remove
the potency of this pincer. Zawoo on the short side gonna pivot and actually take Robs'
place. I like this decision making out of Zywoo. Apex can now- Oh, I was gonna say Jiggle.
Zaka's punished him on the first one. They're gonna let Zywoo cook. Smoke will fade though.
Nezzy exposed. Clangy tagged. Nezzy frags Zywoo onto Zaka. There's Su from Library. Puts
it all onto Zywoo in the 1 vs 3 clutch, and that's the loudest rotation I've ever seen.
Where Smellon an Elephant.
1 vs 2 then for Zywoo, and they're gonna try and play their numbers together.
Try to flush them out, it's Soot standing on the line.
Zywoo gets the info on 1.
Yet to confirm that they're grouped up.
And it's to the plant here, they start their walk, start their crawl.
On the uncrack, does get the info, gets a dick, though.
Zywoo with a one tap!
That's stunning!
He's seeing stars!
And then he's getting me Zywoo!
Four in the round.
This man today, what has he had for breakfast?
This is getting out of control now.
That's a cross on in a chocolate show, I think, for Zywoo.
It's hot.
Ah, I hope we get to see it again.
The little tap as well.
Westwell and Regretten, those steps are funny.
All right, more of that please.
5-2, partial bite.
This is annihilation.
What's next?
Here we go.
X-ray off.
Pixel peak.
Apex waltz into the angle and the B-side is dead.
That easy
He's laughing
Grinning oh, it's it is scary if he keeps this level of aim up. Yeah, I wouldn't even want to say fall
Into the playoffs
Again, contrast to the opponent. I'm grounded in the reality that this isn't LinVision.
This is a team that they should have sweltering confidence against. They played in Chengdu
nine months ago. It was a 13-5, a 13-2. It's just 12-0 the first half of Dust2. But it's
still being a pleasure to watch, isn't it?
Yeah. The CTs are getting drilled.
more hard fought down the other end I do believe between pain and the mongols
they're at that's get their second map underway of inferno both streams be on
same map for the time being but I'll tell you this much I think we might be
finishing a whole lot earlier than them yeah no we're going for somewhat of a
speedrun but we didn't know that was one of the disciplines here at the
Sports World Cup hello welcome to awesome games don't click counts right to
edition. We didn't account for coach timeouts though. It's going to be, it's going to rock
the clock a little bit. I feel a bit for gum. What can gum say or do that would change
the outcome? Unfortunately not a lot. Some sort of incantation that makes them all play
like Zywoo. Sure? Black magic. I think they're only answered. Super powers would have to
on display. Well they are on display. Yeah they are.
I wonder if the Bay game was a wake up call or if Linn vision really just that far off
the pace. I think that are both. That was part. I feel you have to fight for some control
all that vision. Chicken roasted by the Incendiary. Remember he's
start again. Oh, he's fine. He left. He's edging the smoke! Genius! Maintain it for now,
Rally of flashes.
Plainsman needs some support.
Ouch.
Plainsy cops, 49 to the chest.
Westman, even worse than we're on the sandbags positions.
I was trying to catch him on the retreat,
but he'll stand his ground sandbags,
and we are seeing some additional nades being
juggled towards.
OK, next one back to spawn to pick these up.
And rotation from the division.
Gambling towards A.
Double HG towards sandbag.
Topper down to clear it out.
Zaka on the line, doing the pressure from the mid control U-Tilt.
Pressure everywhere, huh?
Well constructed T side, it looks like the A finish.
And the gamble is in the right place.
We got a B with mid.
Zaka's here, Starri on the edge of the smoke so he finds a shot.
No, he doesn't even get to.
There's Starri, now they can swim with backs turned, one and done.
Starri finds the difference maker and I double kill
still the apex run down the flash does everything starry needed apex force to look away and that's
a convincing one from them vision okay well that's a little read they call the bluff on
that extra utility turn over towards samberg the rotation is there and they're ready to fight
as mentioned the CT side should be able to get themself a couple more and that's that
that's a little start but there's so much cash you have to break through against vitality this is
after the buys apex has 8.4k he's the high end rops us up next to 6.6 so there are more buys
available. If the consecutive rounds can be posted, the Zyber will bring out the orb.
Smoke break for the Zyber peak. Westman's going for walks.
It's fading.
Just on the left.
It tucks in the large, scratches flames, the unprepared, processional, decious manoeuvre,
so it's one hell of a way for the captain to provide.
A little bit cumbersome there with the U2 juggling, maybe lost track of that smoke, but it's
a second short.
One mate!
Heee!
Alright, well, consecutive rounds looking likely now.
Again.
The stack.
Finds the right site.
Again, the stack. Finds the right site.
I'm in through the apartments on Apex.
Troll flashed to the AWP, nobody home, they're a bit more reserved this time.
It's not easy for Vitality to get anywhere close to a site given the current layer of the land.
It's the penultimate or last of the smoke, Zaka brought down by Mezzi, still took robs.
Trajectory of the nades indicate Amelia, short side.
Looks unwinnable for vitality.
It feels that way, but Amelia has given Mezzi another opportunity and he'll take it.
Puts us into the three on three and it does look like the bomb could go down to this angle
from Sue, a lovely off angle that Apex showing restraints.
Mezzi not clear it.
What?
Oh, Mezzi, a quad kill!
Like TanyaT needed a hero, the setup looks perfect.
And just one by one it all falls apart.
Mezzie tears Linn vision to shreds.
Now Milly are looking for answers there.
Gives them the wrong one.
And by Tanya will get up to their seventh.
Spelan just looking to hold onto this AK.
Will be giving the good graces to do so.
Hold up, you might have a bit of traction here.
is very low for now apex he's at and he's homework so everybody gonna group up
that's why I want to try and spam them he wants to retain that so obviously so
sorry a little bit light on in the vise here Westville will be able to drop
one to the AK or the focus we've got two rounds left in his first half of
play
they're going to be the most you know excited
chanting message
cover my really have
proud of them love is love love is love
soup
tend to an mp9 the rest will get the guns out
the more friction required five rounds possible on the ct side that would be the
recovery that would be somewhat part of the course
I smell him. Fancy his chance. It's fair play to him. He's not backing down from these engagements, albeit
It's a bit feast off man, and sometimes maybe good, sometimes maybe not
Oh, Zack is in trouble. Black Shanta raps is nice. Guess the info gets the damage inflicted
U-tail for Bracus Control. Just chaining his flashes to try and keep him off the line
as keeping attention drawn now, Sue. Changing utility.
around the half wall.
Attack!
Zywu's all but too low, Zaka removing the lurker, Mezzy.
Advantage, LinVision.
Looks good.
It looks great.
They partner up for this, they are going to be disruptive on this fight.
Nice find from Sue, Apex was not anticipating.
Someone just need to be close, he goes swinging in.
Good find from West Mellon, forced to fight.
Zaowoo won! Zaowoo 2 again!
Every time he wants it, he gets the double. Now look at the health of Robs and Zaowoo.
And Zaka also has a HE and an incendiary.
Oh, it's uncomfortable. That is if you...
Anticipated ruins.
Immediately a winnable 1v2.
Up against Vitality's closers.
And Zaowoo earned Robs.
He's not to know just how low they are and so just resides himself to the save unwilling to give it a look and it was a 2v2 a casual Zaka
Overlooking the possibility for such progress to be made by Rob. They can save in the little nook.
Yeah, but he's trying to deny that which this is more for stats. They have heaps of money for the final rounds.
It really means nothing but at least he retains the AWP.
So it can add a couple more kills to his tally there, Amelia, but all in all, it was always going to be Vitality fully strapped for this final round.
The first half, they've got their sights set on 9, there's the tag through the wall, but the AK worked it followed.
It must be so frustrating when you're trying to hold onto this base and you've got to get past, you know, that initial fight.
You've got to win out versus Flamesy and Apex's Flash, and if you do, there's a sideway there to finish what they started.
Yeah, his aim right now, obviously this is considered the coach, right, taken over from Simple's reign.
But just what we're seeing on display right now, the output is insane.
He's not missing a beat, winning clutches, hitting everything in the moves.
I think it's going to be pretty good.
It's not just because of the score, but it has a bit more coordinated than what we were
seeing on Dust2.
So it's not going to matter in the wash, is it?
No, and I fear for the two-sided, if it's anything like Dust2.
Oh, they've just made it themselves with a little bit of damage there.
Look at this!
Flamesy's parthing is very unorthodox.
Westmellon finding it free beyond to Messi's great.
He's actually walked past one.
There's no idea.
Okay, yeah, Flamesy does adjust by his suit trade on to Westmellon.
Didn't that lady get both on the famas?
Three kills from Westmellon in defense of his sight.
Eight four would make it a whole lot more aesthetically pleasing.
Sorry, Westmellon, I just want to say he's been very good.
He has.
He's been in... I know he doesn't have a lot of kills, but he's been involved in a lot of tone setting fights in banana.
But he has a back down from that, regardless of, you know, some of the outcomes.
I'll drop the very. I'll just go with good, actually. He's been good.
Yeah, he's been good.
Everyone's having a snap time in round 12.
Oh, raps.
Nice head shot to Zaka, an important trade from none other.
Lune West Malon, four kills to end it, and four rounds as we swap sides.
Okay, well it's something. It's better than nothing.
Yeah, better than Dust2.
We saw the pistols on Dust2. The vision need both here on Inferno.
You know what? That's an impossibility.
Ok, CT side now.
Okay, CT side now.
Alright, we got some info.
Any ones more than that, they want to take the fight.
Yeah, I'm not playing scared at all, are they?
There's a whole squad running at them, and...
Oh!
Starry was trying to line something up.
Waps lines are not real good, Hacker.
Oh!
And two more on top of that!
Amelia and Sue.
shit
Clean on this USP raps denied anymore, of course, it's West Mellon who is the shining beacon of light all in vision to put up a fight
You got Zywoo continuously searching and Westman and audible so this should be free a quick tap bomb delivered to his front door
There's a lot of assumptions made by Lynn vision a lot of these players right where they think okay
There's not gonna be anybody here. They've run in the giveaway the sound cue and it's an easy frag as mezzy will convert
That's gonna be the night that's gonna be both pistols
I'm not going down. This mean that Lin vision will have a pretty tough force by and that's
if they for the show or if they want to take up in the AKs out into the next either way.
This one is going one way and one way fast and the individuals of itali are just taking
turns in the spotlight right now.
Lezzie 4k, then Lezzie pistol clutch, they've always been going off the rick-dap.
And they will take the eco.
All up through second mid.
So we'll get a shooting gallery, takes the first with seven bullets, and to eight for the final three.
Wow.
Oh, where did the reload?
Four kills in the magazine.
truly a shooting gallery beautiful little eco-bash so I went to 20 frags 20 bullets all he needs
panin little vision we're hoping to take a pause in that one and take the round quite slow
the fight was brought to them and we're just seeing a bludgeoning right now three more rounds
what a clean close
This is where it gets really hard.
That's a perfect nade for that spot, double nade, and oh, they're all gone!
A magic trick!
Flames eat that is glamorous assisted
Danielle matters clear
Never a good feeling when your first gun round feels as impossible to win as the full eco
So operating in a 2v5 in the opening 20 seconds, bomb last.
And just Sue and Starry are going to try and find something in the other way in.
It is actually essentially a 2v2 on this B site, however, blocked for now.
You could actually cheat a rotation over towards B as well if you wanted.
as I was has this full mid control. The only other issue is going to be apps. So I think
the confidence with the extra util is that if I tell you have a real reason to move a
muscle, I'm going to save. Okay. Well, if I've got anything fun written down, I'm even having
a hard time being able to build a case of excitement. Other than the fact we're in Paris
when France is great that Vitaliy can play. That's the headline. That's the highlight.
So we're playing really well. The team looking very sharp. Absolutely. And you contrast that
to their opponent. I start going, okay, would they prefer to have a game to kind of shake
off the bait match, but then they're going to have a couple of days off anyway. And we
know that they're a different team when they get in the bigger environment and the stages.
That's where they tend to play some of their better counter strike. So when you're trying
way up all of these things. I think this is, this feels like an exhibition match.
Yes. You know, we'll roll out a lower ranked opponent so the hometown heroes can get a
beat down and look like the heroes. Obviously, this is not the, this is just how the bracket
shaked out, but this is over. I don't like to say that. It's Counter-Strike. It's MR-12.
come back as possible or at least you'd hope so at this level but one of those rare exceptions
where it truly is I mean just a beat down.
It's hard not to empathize or sympathize with uh lind vision when you put yourself in their shoes
on some of these t-side rounds it's like anywhere you go vitality you've got the advantage yeah
I think if you thought you were going to out strategize around maneuver vitality that would uh
You have to, and the quote unquote, play your own game, but you want to get into fights
that you're comfortable with.
You're not going to win playing a game that isn't yours.
Yeah, but also just look at this setup.
I mean, Robsi is never going to get nothing.
He's going to get something.
And then the rest of you are going to get swept under the rug by Mezzi and Zywu.
There's something, double from him, and then the rest of perfectly positioned to pick up
the slack.
Mezzi still remains on site, spots the bomb, dropping into site and tracking through that
smoke.
Zaka actually parting short side so Zaka on the way back in as he is looking to go around
the world here and he's timed it to perfection, he'll tap the head of Zaka, the twelfth secured.
Just one more round.
This is a bit of a palette cleanser for vitality.
Must be able to go down quickly without any stress.
Yeah, I'm sure, you know, the four crossed their mind this morning of like, oh, what if
this game's hard?
You know, what, what if they pick up that first map?
What if we lose all the pistols?
What if something goes horribly wrong?
I'm sure very quickly on Dust2 they put that, any of those intrusive thoughts to bed, but
uh, yeah, this has been nothing more than just a very casual day in the office for vitality.
Barely breaking a sweat.
Barely breaking into a jog.
There were some rounds where, you know, Okie kills when against them, or trades, feeling like they were starting to look good for the Envision, but then an individual of Vitality would manifest a miracle.
And Moe down, and it's like a heavy lead towards Banana for the fight, they've been getting a lot of Util in their base from this Apex Flamesy combo, and there's more of that as they've raved the flames.
I like this
Neely, a lot of early space. Apex however spots that information, holds onto his util
And it's gonna be a spot smoke with a flash and spam
It's just gonna have to be XQ, you have nowhere to go back if they look
You're just gonna XQ B, they're gonna try and pop
As he's here as well, holding a flash
Molly's gonna force the hand, and here they come
There you go, Apex trying to catch something on the cross
on the cross across the pool for one. That's where Smell has gone.
Flames you and Apex chipping. Starrie trying to find a way back into the site.
Invisioon going for that plant and Apex does not want to allow that to go down
uncontested. Incendiary unable to connect and flash through jumps up.
Oh! Not spotted! Awkward loses control on the dismount. It's zacked down to
robs, comes in, cleans up and it's a clutch for Starrie. Well, that key to be
He crossed by Vitality, pulls it off, survives to see another round of play.
Alright, there you go, Starry.
For the Sutton, Sutton, it's hard to say this guy's meant to beat the Starry of the team when
Hyper Counter-Strike on display is far from cohesive, but these are man who's had a couple of highlights.
They're not in this series, but over his career.
They extend the play, ever so slightly.
You win another, you will force Fantaida to have a conversation about their buy.
Assuming no saves.
This is New York.
I was off sharp.
Hard to brave that again, it's this time a bit more pace, a bit more pet.
This nades can be brutal, it's good to find him from Zaka.
And Amelia sees that as his cue, charges in, has his back turned, as Messi just smashes him!
Far too casual, LinVision, their time in Paris, cut short by Vitality.
The hometown heroes have brought a crowd, but it is a quick showing.
Dominant map, one.
Picking Dust2 against Vitality, the start of the end for LinVision.
Main takeaway from this game is that if Zy was in this form,
you're in good form. Yeah,
this is going to be up to the
desk to way up. You know, is
that just because the level of
opponent always is I would.
He's top tier level today. Just
to giving it a good go. Completely
trapped in banana. Can't go
back forward. They're
just running me. You know
it's done. You know it's over.
Let's finish this off and
Finish this off in their wheels.
I would demand to put the cherry on top.
Vitality will be in the playoffs of EWC.
Make them look just a little bit foolish
on the linvige and side.
Thank you very much, gentlemen.
And show a force, show a dominance
from the Vitality fans as well.
As they are certainly in attendance
all around us right now.
But you can see what started as a stressful event
here for Vitality has shaped up.
You kind of came together, good grief.
Yeah, it wasn't too much of a sweat here.
I think they, in every single tournament,
we're just a better team today.
You know, only, the lack of the limousine, only getting set around also kind of paints the picture of a very one-sided affair here and you know, it was, it was a mentality that came to play and a Saewoo in tough form and it's like whenever you go up against Saewoo and he plays this well, it's just going to be very hard to even break a sweat.
So overall, I mean, a very exciting performance for the lack of mentality and you can also tell by the people that came to watch him, you know, they expected them to make it through this game and now they have set themselves up for a playoffs and now this whole redemption act that Ethan has to talk about is still in lack of place.
Yeah, and Chad points to a good question, you know, and then on the cast, is this Saibou playing well?
Is it Martinique playing well? Is it more so the level of opposition?
As always, in a situation like this, Peter, I feel like there's a bit of both, you know, coming into play right here.
No doubt that their vision went on par with Martinique. No doubt that they couldn't put up a fight.
No doubt that we're talking about two teams operating at a different level.
But then again, you can't take anything away from Saibou. When he's playing like that, when he's in a flow state like that,
he's feeling himself like that, he's been his teammate.
There's probably very few players out there who's more dangerous than a Saibu, you know,
having a bit of fun in a Counter-Strike game.
So it's a bit of both, it's good for Vitality to get the job done and move into the play-off
with LinVision back to the drawing board.
Yeah, back to the drawing board is unfortunate.
I mean, I just, you know, and Peter, correct me from wrong here.
If you're LinVision, before you even got in the server today and you had drawn Vitality,
you're like, and shit.
Yeah, that is a pretty shitty look, right?
But then again, I do feel like LinVision hopefully came into the CERN3 thinking,
okay, but how did they lost the game?
They haven't been looking as dominant as they have maybe half a year ago,
even three months ago, coming into the Major.
There is a potential if they fumble and play,
just like if you can make a chance, you can just make a competitive, right?
But with the start and what happened on those two,
they didn't stand a chance, right?
But also, one thing is how much hell it plays.
But if you yourself and LinVision show up with the amount of mistakes and the lack of decision and just poor display of skill,
you're not going to make a count even against the Matel that would, let's just say, showed up today with our C-game.
So, I mean, this one was never in doubt. This one was always Matel's game.
Even with the CT pistol there from the side, from the side of LinVision, you're telling me, Jacob, you just never thought of it.
Absolutely not. I'll just make it short, because I know as well as you know this game was over, which is why we're going to hear from Apex in a small.
Clean rather and quick from the side of Vitality to secure the spot in the playoffs. I want to just start Apex where Chad actually posed a question saying,
was this more Vitality playing up to your game or was it more to do with the level of opposition on the other side of the server? What do you think in this one?
I think it went both ways. I don't think LinVision played really well, but I think we played good as well.
For us right now, it's more focusing on ourselves to get back to the best level we can show.
We really like threw the last one against Bates, that thing that can happen.
I said it was here, but now we want to have a redemption and be sure that we'll do good here for the French fans and for ourselves as well.
You've got plenty of them already supporting you here.
Just touching upon that Dust2 when I was speaking to Flamety before, he said the one obviously versus Bate,
probably one of the last Dust2s we've seen.
Obviously we know LymVision like to play it, but do you think maybe opposition are getting a little bit fooled by your last streak on edge?
Do you think it was a risk for them, obviously, to pick this?
I think even though we lost four in a row, we still have a crazy record on Dust2.
And I think, yeah, we didn't show up on a few games on Dust2 lately, I don't know why, but that's what happened.
And I think it's really important for us to get back to our Dust2 in general.
So it's always a tough task to pick it against Vitality,
even though last three months we played it four times
and we lost it four times as well.
But it's never an easy map for the opponent.
So we knew they would pick it.
And yeah, that went on our side this time.
Sturt just touched upon the club championship race
because unfortunately yesterday for Vitality
and Rocket League just eliminated in the quarterfinals.
Going to make your journey a little bit harder
to have that podium finish.
Is that put more pressure on the team?
I don't think we think about that,
But in general, I think we've been saving in CS for a long time.
We've been playing well.
I think we are so far the best section in Vitality.
So hopefully we're going to save the championship.
I don't know, I hope so for the club, but you know, it's we can't think that way.
Otherwise it's not it's not going to work.
We're just trying to think to focus about CS, how to play good.
And if we play good and we play at our level, we will go deep.
And that's what matters.
Final question, of course, we've got a lot of fans already showing up for you guys.
We're not even on the biggest stage here at UWC. Anything you want to say to them?
No, I can. I speak French. It's better.
No, but as usual, thank you all.
It's a little...
And his vitality locks into the top 16 at the very least here in Paris.
Yeah, funnily enough, he's talking about, you know, it's not something that
that really kind of bothers us saving saving face for the org in the big picture race.
Well, that's probably because they had a little bit of a saving face of their own at the very beginning of this tournament
a little bit more to think about and I can arise if you're the vitality side
It's a right mentality to have you know the the best thing vitalities counter strike division can do is focusing on himself and by doing that
They like you're them winning Peter is higher and if they win then the proper vitality would be happy as well
So thinking too much about what's going on and around them. It's one of those things as a player
You know it. I know it trace fur for that matters
Well, we all know it you know in a high performance environment the more noise you can shut down
You know and just focus on yourself and focus at the task ahead of you the better and there is just a lot of nice around the
Battles, why ancient TV credit sport?
True, I do know the nice around teams there right so the more they can leave out
I should say check off that is that is gonna be very important, you know
I'm also you know, I but how you always seem to be having a good time when they get to play in front of there
You know everyone's gonna be having a good time playing in their home crowd
I prefer they get the more chances of them getting to play in front of you know a pack steak and pack people
That's gonna let's go about trying to get your I mean you heard just the response there
I think he said what about 10 words? I didn't hear and then say too much to this crowd
They love them and in fact they might even have a little bit of a buff going forward with that, right?
Yeah, especially now that we are we're moving from this sitting, you know people watching at home
We've been playing it and one of the the smaller stages that either we see next week as far as I know where we move to a bigger stage
You know bigger crowd more support. So I think that's definitely gonna play a factor
And normally I'd also say, you know, some teams can't handle that kind of pressure,
but by the time they seem to thrive with that.
Yeah. Yeah. And well, thrive is not only agenda today for LynVision,
but they are going to tell us how they feel after that big L.
Yeah. Sadly, the end of the road for LynVision, I got call me Sue for a little bit of a debrief
after that one. Obviously, it goes without saying Vitality, a tough opponent.
So I just want to get your initial emotions. What's going through your head after that game?
We thought we were going to do better than last time. I and Chandu, we got two rounds and
still got two rounds this time so it was a kind of disappointment but of course there are better
team than us which is trying to do our best but we didn't take care of our details that well so
we just cannot even get funked down so we will find a better way to see how to solve that problem.
And then this is quite a broad question but when we look at LNVD, you guys are doing very well.
When it comes to international teams that's where the struggle is more. What is it about maybe some
some of the styles of these European teams that are a bit more tricky for you.
Yeah, again, the region that we are playing in Asia, right?
So the training environment is not that good as the EU region.
And also, if you want to cook and prepare, it costs lots of money, first of all.
So it's pretty hard for us to stay in Europe for a long time.
So every time that we went back to Asia for a competition
and also like stay there and continue practicing our skills and level will go down sometimes.
So yeah, it's a, it's like, it's like,
I mean, I imagine it's just a tough balance for you guys to be striking right?
Obviously looking forward, we've got a couple more events that LNVision are locked and loaded into.
We were just talking about it.
Blast Porto will be your next stop.
What is the goal there?
What do you think the bare minimum for LNVision should be for that next event?
As seen as this time, hopefully we're not going to get O2ed, at least win the team, you know?
And yeah, and for furthermore, we just stay here and still do like one more practice.
So we'll see how we will go for that tournament.
Yeah, that tournament has lots of strong opponent as well.
Yeah, I think it's going to be like a harder one than this.
for me. So thank you so much for your insight commiserations. Unfortunately, that is the end of
the road here for Limbazion at EWC. Eliminated. I hate to keep saying I mean Limbazion are done here
and that is the way that this could be crumbled and just like their key will crumble inevitably
if we. There's one cool thing about that, you know, that is that they're going to stay here
and practice in Europe. So hopefully that can help them to get more accustomed, maybe rediscover
some of that level we saw a year ago in Austin. But yeah, I guess staying in Europe is always
going to be a good thing for a team who's starting. It will help, but it's not going to solve the
issue that they have. And also, it's not like they're going to stay here for three months where
they could get like a ton of practice. It's going to be what is it like a couple of weeks
and a half until the tournament starts and then they're going to go and then hopefully they'll
win a game or two and then they'll fly back to China. And then we kind of repeat the cycle. And
It is just what it is for these type of teams from that region.
That they do have to get better practice and they just can't get in their own region.
If they keep going in their region, they will never get better.
They maybe get inflated thinking, hey, we have become better.
But once they turn in and let's engineer them, it's just mercenaries.
Yeah, and we're left to wonder many of things,
like which vitality we'll be getting in these brackets later on.
Yeah.
They're going to have to endure part of this group stage,
or this bracket stage draw that we're going to have later today.
So in case you don't know how this all works,
That's exactly how it shakes down at the end of the day.
We take the top seeds, put them against the bottom seeds,
and then the bracket makes itself.
I know that there's an actual way to explain that properly,
but we'll get there in due time.
We still have plenty of matches ahead of us.
Maus, P-Vision, Astralis, Nip, overall, though, guys,
that one, I don't think we can add anything else to.
I think that one's done.
Now, it's one of the games that just had to get out of the way,
because now we have some quality games to be completely honest.
I think Maus versus P-Vision,
that's a quality game of Counter Strike II teams
who could easily be the player of both of them, had they not lost the game,
has gone into the lower bracket and been in a tough group overall.
They have the level to be part of the top 16 teams.
And then, as we spoke about, Peter Astralis with NIP.
I don't expect a level of counter-strike to be as high as in the mouse game,
but the grudge mat going on right there, you know, former teammates,
Snappy, former Astralis members, Stown, you name it.
There's a lot of cool things going on.
Yeah, I'm very sad to see mouse continue and hopefully just continue off
of that winning bound.
You know, I think that is a team that just has been lacking,
you know the trophies to be lacking a bit of confidence of actually breaking through and actually being more of a semi-final contender than actually that being a trophy contender right so yeah that one's definitely in there but we also and I know that the whole project of JVN Pivish you know it's always a team we need to be looking out for because they have a very special play style and it is something that is not always easy to get around.
What about you guys is EWC play pickums have you guys thought about that or where do you sit on those currently to play I know you've been kind of hand jamming that back there.
Yeah, my predictions are like, crazy, that's good.
The predictums.
The predictums.
The predictums.
What do you gotta think about yours?
I mean, I'm yet to fail a prediction.
I've actually hit every single game so far, believe it or not.
Really?
Really.
Yeah.
He's that smart.
I mean, maybe not the B8 game.
But I break that out of the rule.
Did you?
Yeah.
Because I thought you said that B8 were closer to your skill level than Vitality.
Exactly.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Well, I knew that was Spirit, not even Vitality.
Regardless, yeah, I think we're about done in this moment.
If you guys are cool with that, I'm cool with that cool uncle. Let's go to go to the brakes and get the next game going
That's all it takes us going to a break so we can watch mouths take on para vision. Excuse me
TV strike for a short take up hemp veneke when ash e-sports. Thank you so much
We'll be right back after the break y'all don't go anywhere. It's the e-sports World Cup 2026
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Since last year, we changed a few players, Roland left the Azure role and Surtian took
it.
We decided to change JinHat.
PR came in serve him and we also promoted Salex into the main team.
Both of them bring really valuable aspects of the game.
So yeah, a lot of changes.
We look fresh.
We are a young team.
We have a lot of firepower still.
Yeah, we got to being Blast 1 to the last tournament.
I didn't say we expected it to win.
This is our first tournament as a new team and we went there to test it out how good we are.
We made it home with the trophy, which gave us a lot of confidence.
And also, I felt like we were getting better and better throughout the tournament.
We improved a lot and it was really nice to see the team shine.
time and I think it just shows our potential.
I wouldn't say we had a favorite, even if we won the last tournament.
We had a really strong team and we have different teams, the title contender teams,
but we just want to test ourselves.
That is the best team, we are quite the people on the street and... yeah.
You might notice the rock getting thrown up there and I do mean key because Apex and company
are definitely about to cross the key of lane vision.
Having just decimated them across two maps there really isn't much more to say about
that series but I can assure you if you go back and watch the bot it just looks like
a good time on the vitality side as I welcome you back on in to the eSports World Cup Club
championships. Right in front of us though, tons of counter strikes will be played. In
fact, this mouse PV game, these rankings, they're going to favor mouse, but the matchup
history does not make PV a theoretical underdog. James team have taken three of five listed
200, excuse me, 2026 head to head maps and arrive off a clean two over the 100 thieves.
So what I'm saying is we're about to have a fight.
Hey, but so mad after that big game, I think with the cross, the inhibitions keep his bare
hands, you need that whole machine but yeah made a statement, made a play-offs which they
absolutely had to do and yeah I think we'll see a much closer affair between Maus and P-Vision,
right? Like Maus off the back of that tournament but you can even hear from Torji, we don't consider
ourselves a contender for this event, we'll tell you that you know was completely unexpected
the win that came their way but still a big deal for a team that made the roster changes that
but it's still a very young team, all things considered,
and good for Spinks to pop off in that final
and earn his first MVP.
Yeah, and it was great to see that Spinks always wanted
to get that in the PM, but it was always like making
the breakthrough and actually doing so.
And I think this new look, Maus, is obviously had probably
the best start you could have wished for
in coming into a new season when you've changed players
and the whole identity around the team
still having to be solved.
And to me, it still leaves me with the same feeling
with what's happening with the old Mausure,
they've got some new blood right now,
but it's still, where is the superstar
that they need to have to bail them out with the matches?
Whenever they go up against Spirit,
Bot, Talon, and also Falcon,
it's the same kind of issue
that I still think revolves around the team,
but maybe this new blood can maybe get them
a little bit further ahead.
Where was this team exactly before this change?
And by that, I mean,
before Gimpat finds his way out of this team,
what was defining about the team of Maus then
and the Maus that we're getting now,
or they're trying to build into?
Always the bridesmaid, never the bride, really.
And I think that's why a lot of people were calling for changes at the start of the year,
right, like during that transfer period.
It didn't happen, and then you got more of the same from them, playoffs, playoffs, playoffs.
They were really in contention for a trophy, and that's why they made the change at actually
the worst possible time, like after the roster lock, when you really, you know, knew you're
going to have to have a substitute at the major.
They played a couple of events with two different players, just trying to figure it out coming
into this year.
I helped him on Zalex to remain a part of the squad and brought him PR from Gamer Legion
before that was Maus's Academy Team.
So he's back in the Red Jersey and after a rough period the last six months to a year
in Gamer Legion he lifts the trophy in his first event with Maus.
Yeah, that's quite impressive.
I must be feeling good that you've had a struggle in your past team and then you come
into Maus and then immediately you get the effect of, you know, I wouldn't say the honeymoon
but at least getting into a more stable team and a more successful team and it's it's a
I've always called up here
You know he was always the guy and the only reason that you would be looking out for he's had his ups and downs there
But he's been being pretty stable and I think it's rightfully so that he's also one of the guys to be promoted and coming
Coming into a better team and it's also just a little bit of flex this point from from the side of now
She know that they it's like what for out of five of the players now is from the Academy project, right?
Also cyclone coming for that so they keep showing that they're you know
They put effort into developing players and coaches and that just brings you know some comfort that they know their players and they
It's something that's been in you know in the system for a long time and PR
Could potentially be one of those stars that you're talking about right?
I know people might look at his stats or this year with game region be like what like why did they even get him?
But I think he was really hurt by the way game religion was playing especially on T side
Like it was a lot of anti-stradding and doing like gimmicky stuff and set calls
You know, there wasn't as much default and just letting the players
So sort of feel the game in the mid-round and make plays and and just play a slower default style
Which I think is what suits PR a lot more and he gets to play that way in miles
And I think there's gonna be an adjustment period perhaps a little bit
But I think you'll see him find some of that form in his that he had in his rookie year with gamer league
And I really feel like that the biggest one of the biggest talking points when you look at this new
Rebuild of mouse is also exertion taking up being a meeting over brawn right now brawn
You know was guy that they came in and wanted to try and become an Indian leader and had it
Let's be honest like an okay stint like it wasn't completely shit
But it wasn't you know didn't really get in the trophies either
Whereas now when you look at exertion the one thing that I have when I've looked at a search
Meaning England leader is that he still puts up a lot of friend power which is very important even more arguably that more arguably
Right and that is very important because he's been probably the most important piece for this mouse ever since you know
He was promoted to the team and it's very important to to feel out that he's still gonna be that important piece because if he
Was suddenly put an in game leader role and he would drop off in terms of his dragon power his in game leading being very aggressive
I think that could have been a problem, but luckily right now. It seems like he's thriving a lot in that role
I think there's just guys who are sort of destined for it
You know in a way just their character the personality
No exertion was a very vocal player even before especially on the CT side on T side in the mid rounds
he had those space taker positions where that's sort of in the job description as well. So,
the transition isn't as difficult for him as it might have been for some other players. It comes,
I guess, natural to some extent through here, even from his teammate. So, I think that's one of the
reasons why it hasn't affected him or it has affected his fragging in a positive way more than
anything else. So, if we just flip it over to the other side, and it kind of poises the question
for both. Which roster is capable of having a player show up when that star player isn't
showing up? And I mean exclusively for the P-Vision side too as well.
I think for P-Vision probably Jayme. Jayme and Flitter, the two veterans, right? And
obviously we heard even in the interview from Dustin, you know, talking about Slapstress
and how, you know, he needs, he's going to need time to develop. Like he has very good
mechanics but understanding of the maps and you know Tier 1 Counter Strike is
going to take a little while for him to get up to speed really but I really like
the flit addition you know obviously he was part of that outsiders lineup with
Jamon Dastan that won the Rio Major and he's also had a rough patch recently in
where to Spro spend a couple of time a couple months on the bench as well but
I think he's really a guy who's you know very capable with not a lot of
resources being sent his way, like being on his own on the side of the map,
and some of those lures are just taking space, like, very experienced, knows what to do,
and can help out Jame in some of these mid-round situations, right, where players need to take
initiative, and need to be vocal, and give good information, I think that's what Flit excels at.
And I don't think he's ever been shared with the community, Rob, and he was actually the guy
that we considered having in Vitality when we had to find a replacement for Misut.
Oh, we got Spinks, right? But he was one of those guys that we thought that had the capability of
being in a solid elite team and I think at that time he also proved that a lot
with what he showed in outside of also in his various pro time but then the last
year and a half has just been tough with like inconsistent rosters and a lot of
you know issues within the rosters and now I think this could hopefully be his
way back into becoming the player that he once was. And it's interesting because
these two teams are similar in the sense of they have a pretty high floor or
or that's the strength of the team, they don't make too many mistakes,
they have really solid fundamentals when it comes to team play,
when it comes to decision making,
you're not going to see either of these teams go for a 3v4 retake on B-bust 2, for example,
they maximized, they played the percentages,
and that's why I think we're going to have a close game in front of us.
So let me remind the viewers at home about EWC play-match pick-ums,
that's right, you can use the QR code that you'll see right here below me,
It's right below my face if you're not able to pick up your phone right now. That's okay, too
I'm sure it's just across the room perhaps on the charger or whatnot, but either way
Go ahead and get in there get that QR code and let us know who you think's gonna be grabbing this one by the horns
I'm trying to win it in this best of three and what is the last day of argue to the along group stage
I just want to do this before we jump right up into the vetoes next to him because I think that the pool splits pretty beautifully right here
Mirage and nuke out for mouths
P vision there. They're looking at a cypher ancient. They're not gonna
I think it shapes up nicely. Let's talk about leaders. Yeah, I mean, there's a couple of different ways the teams could take it
right
Dust has been something that people have picked against miles a lot so much so that they've actually gotten a little bit better on the map
Yeah, they haven't kind of had laid the time of tier one teams really beat spirit to that grab found
Which is their best win on dust too probably and for provision, you know, they can't take it too many places
Like it would have to be something like a dust as a pit
Mirage, you don't want to do it because Miles pick it sometimes. Agent could be another option for them, but perhaps they can get that as the decider.
Yeah, I think Dust2 just speaks in their favor, as you mentioned. Miles has had struggles on it before. They've locked in a couple of wins now, and they've been forced to play a little bit more.
I still think it's so early on for the PDG as well, looking at the team. It's still also just new players that need to be bringing in that it's still very uncertain to where the map collection goes.
We want to also play maps that probably already played, that's why to some extent we've seen
Miles actually being unwilling really to play cash, so I think if you're P-Vision you know
that's going to be their second ban, so you can kind of paint the picture of the veto
a little bit easier and Miles goes for Inferno here, yeah I think it was going to be either
that or Mirage from their side really, but seeing this one as something that perhaps
they can exploit P-Vision a bit more.
I think the P-Vision is happy about having Anshun Asturda, so I think it's, if they
They can outlast, does too. I think there's a chance that this could actually be like...
I'm not saying that I want to put Perias in as a favorite. Obviously since Maus has just had a good result,
and I still think they're the better team, but I wouldn't count J-Mao because I know what he can get out of,
at least likely, with these other players.
I don't think maps, honestly, are too big of a factor in this series, right?
Like, yeah, you can give a little bit of an edge to Perias, a little bit to Maus on Inferno,
but it's going to come down more to, like, who can make fewer mistakes,
Because they both made roster changes, right?
And who can play better as a team today?
Yeah, well, let's just sit back and watch, gentlemen.
Maus vs. P-Vision, Dust2, Inferno, Ancient.
And I got another game for you here at EWC26.
to win. Let's find out who
wants it more between mouse and
P vision. This mouse squad. They
come into EWC on the back of a
win at Blast bounty. So there
were expectations around them.
the team led squad for this spot
in the playoffs. Yeah, right?
Even though this group stage
has been forgiving in format,
despite the opening beer once
having to just win two games to
get to the playoffs, even if you
lose your opener, it's all fine.
We've still seen a lot of these
top squad struggle. No matter
where you put miles right now,
they are in a rebuilding period.
There's still a team that's coming
off the trophy. It's still a team
with expectations. The quarter
So to see them down here with all the other top teams, gonna have to really prove their
worth up against P vision.
We looked excellent when they took on a hundred thieves, but this is a different level.
Let's see what Jame is cooked in the kitchen.
Dershyn pushing up on B, finding those nades early and just decimating this pistol round.
Tears P vision, limb from limb.
I think that's already a great tone-setter, isn't it, right?
The Emissioners have been used to receiving a fair bit of respect,
getting the play there, slow rounds,
but Mao is immediately open with aggression.
And so if it wasn't clear enough,
this one's going to feel a little different to the other games
that Jayman and his boys have got to play throughout the tournament.
Definitely, but it's also surprising to see
vision caught off guard by, you know, spawn aggression. I think, you know, that immediately
set a good tone for miles, but it's not the kind of start we expect from this team. No
one covering all those names. Spinks doesn't want the knife. He just wants the round and
they're going to take it with five alive by the looks. This is up and coming. 18 year
old slacks of jazz can do something with a glock.
I'm not looking good. Absolutely love this pistol round and a mousetrap. What a disorientating
round. I like that they go and take all these forward positions. You're just walking around
the map getting shot in the back of the head in a 2v5. And so it is an instant state of
kind of uncomfortability and a little bit jarring for pVision. Yeah, now they have to sit back
and stay cold for three rounds right or two rounds not going to be forcing here
with no bomb plant no kills just gonna let this one bleed out
Calvonades.
Marathon, not a sprint as we often remind ourselves in these kind of games.
Oh, you're in trouble, insertion.
It's a good save, Julie's out but eventually dies.
2v4 with an M4.
It's okay that they go back. It's going to say exploitable on A, but nows don't let
that happen. They fight in the middle. So Torsi's AWP will be in play. Come this first gun round.
It comes as a surprise.
ground, made from exertion and follow up, and it's going to find some good chip damage
there on his yellow.
He actually cops two of them, and so all this utile right now has found its way onto his
health bar, putting him down to 26.
Is it cats or is it Mitsubi?
The age-old question here.
Looking like cats.
30 seconds reblock, uh-oh.
I'll have to go through this one, boys.
Just reclaim it as well.
Mal should know exactly what's happening.
I missed shot from Portia's orb, but he's trying to bait them into exertion.
Who certainly could get overlooked he actually goes early ends up going into both of these players and that's how it's way a double
This could give you a bomb plant here. Spinks might be floating around close by will Zway provide the cover
Zellex taking a lot of the attention Spinks gets out with one and it's left to Jane in this clutch
Conflict back in time. So Maus will contain it. Oh, I mean just a massive mistake for exertion there. I can't believe
It's a mouse still win the round very lucky is team bail them out
It also forces Toshi to repeat because he's swinging off his teammates contact and his teammate forces the contact
They're even holding Toshi. So, oh
The idea was great the execution not so nice, but still
Coming in on the late retake of the young guns to save this round
I think, you know, talking about Dust2 as a whole, it's been very interesting watching
this Maus squad develop.
This was kind of the problem point for the old version of this roster.
They were 5 and 11 on this map.
When it got re-added, I think you could actually track the kind of downfall of that old Maus
team to the fact that they had to start playing Dust2 again, right?
with the map pool changes and it was one that they could never really get their head around.
However, the moment you had exertion come in and this whole project changed and he took over,
it's gotten a damn sight better, the 8 and 4 on it.
So having a way better go on Dust2, it was one that even at the very first outing of the big change,
we saw them try and play a bunch in Astana and it's one that they have had good results on.
They definitely added some more shooters to this liner. That's for sure
I mean miles have always been plagued by the map vetoes or rather but a map pool
Just been killing them season after season all their good maps removed trained
They were peeking on it and do this at Instabang old Instabang
Yeah, re-added or force them to play that's not mouse fat. No, or at least they weren't but now
Now starting to find a hell of a lot more success here. That's why for P vision. This is no guarantee
This is no safe bet
Yeah, we saw it's hard to know what we're gonna get from previous updates we saw them just look
Incredible against 100 thieves right jame had two fantastic maps and new bus and dust two and it was a great series
Remember also gives me came out after and he sort of said like yeah
You could feel the fatigue from the grind we've been on these events have been attending
You know, it's a new team as well a new in-game leader. So
want to change is Mauser more stable even with their roster changes so this is
definitely gonna be a harder game for P vision to get into the playoff. It's
where also you've got to think about kind of the inexperience on someone like
Saxa Jazz right something that Dustin spoke about as well now he's a very
talented player but certainly lacking in the experience part even compared to the
old guys in this squad. That's that kind of set. At least they had the experience playing in at tier three for a while, got to grips with the game.
And so in a game that sends you to playoffs or sends you home, that pressure is going to be sky high. They do get out with a bomb plant here.
It's an AK for Zwei, Tech 9's in this post plant.
And now he's very slow on the approach.
is off in the case James the key here, but he's playing and they're waiting for it that patience for miles
They were really slow to reclaim it all that's when they still ready on long cat fight needs something massive doesn't look good here
Flip falls as well
Slacks he just yet to get a kill and they're offering him nothing
You're trying is the only thing on his side, but he loses that first fight with that mouse pick up a fourth round
It was a tight round
It was a close margin one or two kills there could have made the difference
but mouse do survive despite a very late to retake
good head on their shoulders there watching for that late long play
unfortunately for james just playing it felt like he waited long enough and i think on a normal
round he would have but because mouse was so slow to get back in a up front re clearing middle
and zershin giving up catwalk the timings are a little bit aloof
so james off now in play
And everyone from Maus has showed up so far in this game.
Too late to spew vision additions, he had to get a kill.
Gotta change now.
Don't often see a rifle on this boost.
Over the smoke? Why not?
He not to overstay their welcome.
So they dismantled that boost, but Toshi still has this mid-cross.
He's also shooting his AWP in middle while they're boosting, which I think makes you even less concerned about that possibility, but it wasn't shown.
Now stay active in the mid-ground, they repushed long, no one's home.
They go for the full flank here, lit the mid-smoke down, Mauser in a very strong position yet again.
is james gonna watch his back he just looked away and this could be well
time to jay but expecting to that is the question
no way hypervigilance I can't believe that ready for the double push through
the long doors it's also just the timing he catches it on right he just left
this position about a third I mean when you play the game the way jame does you
You know your timings.
Okay, into Torsche.
Speed up now.
Will be one step too far, but it's gonna give rise to his team getting out through the catwalk.
Torsche feeling like he has to fight for this, catches another, and now down to a three on three.
This Torsche AWP doing everything it can to keep Maus in this round.
Uh-oh.
Slaxeges is a long way from home.
Right now, you got a 3v2.
Make that a 3v1 in the bomb site.
Ziello just planted and hasn't got to move a muscle. He's stuck in place.
Backstabbed by Slaxeges. Does remove one from the pitcher.
They've lost PR.
Flash high.
PR now making footsteps. They know where both players are.
Slaxeges in position to play around this ball. Mates a swing from Ziello.
And nearly a transfer for PR. This Molly's big.
That's going to stop the deep use. They chase him down, but
Just survives the way he's got it with milliseconds remaining
He could not have timed that Molly push better to the last tick for health on the stick
That is a beautiful beautiful clutch. Oh
Jamie think you're the guy that knows time check out what course. He just did didn't pick up a smoke in that Molly
I feel like he did as well, he didn't even put it down.
Torsche, there was literally no other way to win the round there.
That's the guy willing to do anything to win, apparently.
Yeah, it's he makes up for the hills, but he's still believing.
Like, if not a mouse can even believe it.
They will rule on the edge of their seats.
They're thinking surely he hasn't got away with this.
I really thought he was going to burn there.
Respectable attempt, but more than an attempt.
A successful one.
Mouse 5-0.
Oh, that's a really bad round to lose, though. 5v3, Jame gets caught by Orphe long, they
speed up his way, doesn't crouch under the orb that they know is at long, and he gives
up a free kill. Couple of awkward moments here in this game for P-Vision. Maybe just
that 1v2, not able to take anyone with you.
I tell, James is still doing what he does best.
Also think, you know, we were touching on Saxeges
as this kind of young rookie player.
And quite frankly, if you're him,
I think you feel like you did everything right
in that 1v2 attempt.
You get the Molly on the bomb,
there's milliseconds on the round
and you still end up losing it.
But that's the level of perfection demanded
when you play versus these top squad.
had to shoot his way out, had to get that first kill and then he'd go to repeat torsion
defuse so...
Bit of a nightmare.
You just don't want him in his head at the start of this all important series.
But he's down one and five right now.
Oh my, Zershyn's got the tricks, that Molly put out by the smoke, he stands on the edge.
Sick little bit of Util.
Spinks was tagged on the cross, if you recall.
He's low on health at this B bomb site.
You'd love it if he could even get out of round with one.
It's a big chunk of damage, but no kills.
You feel like that's around, right?
How am I going to win this one?
Because you know they're tempted.
Yeah, this version of ours is certainly braver
than the previous rosters.
Oh, they're saving off that kill.
But they will write this off.
I mean, their money isn't...
It's good, but it can be broken.
But I just, just realizing the odds are still quite low on that B site.
James is going to hear them coming.
He's got no help here.
He grabs that AK to defend himself.
Too many targets there for PR and so P vision are in the game now.
The little B-pop that tag on the cross, very important, and explains by Passard makes him
essentially concede the B-side.
Are you assuring that you're on the board, but you know about this division side that
Jane likes to win in a big pitcher sense, right?
It probably feels like it shouldn't have to fall to him getting a tag on the cross to
set them up for that B-hit.
He's going to want a little bit more out of his entire team.
Because that round was all the Jane, right?
He's also the one that gets the B entry, not just the tag on the cross, but he stops
Spinks on that swing out from the platform.
Hey, if you want it done right.
He's probably thinking, you know, for now I got us, but eventually you guys have to
have me or else this is going nowhere fast.
Yeah.
quiet from everyone else. That's for sure.
Jame again. No connection.
Ooh, some clear of the top mid push, but it's just fear.
Got this smoke suicide at Molly top mid. They're really going to slow this
round down, huh? Maus don't play off this, but P-Vision now must consider everything.
See how long he's coming in pretty quick from lower.
He's not going to care about that green box position.
So cautious here. One minute fifteen. Now's a burnt good time off this clock with just two bits of utility.
Torsche is still in an aggressive position, so that's a 5G4.
I think they were spotted there coming out three middles across to the car for Spinks.
PR focused in at the tunnels, but only gets out with one.
Spinks still alive and still very much a threat here, doesn't even need the rotates.
Porsche picked two, I think over the smoke from CT, he got three kills in that round,
So, Torsche just saves them from outside of B.
And when Torsche's having a game like this,
it feels really rough because
people shouldn't like to do a lot of the slow rounds
where they kind of wait for the CTs
to kind of nestle back into their bomb sites
and then you get free room on Catwalk,
you get to do it all quietly.
You're seeing a lot of players just walking
into these allplines and Torsche with the game is happening.
He absolutely loves that.
Unless you tell you're using the quieter you're trying to be,
more kills for Torsche. Now there are no flashes, just two of this round here for P vision.
Expensive start to this game as
Maus are still not afraid of making plays as Alex in long doors deposits himself early so Maus
hitched their bets on B. I think it was just one of the notable changes very early on when
this Maus roster changed direction is how much more brazen they tried to be how much more
space they hope to take away in these games.
A game leader is a very aggressive player.
Yeah.
Okay, well, there's kind of no accounting for that one.
They did the Utah.
Toshi still gets the kill.
Oh, that's the bomb as well.
You're not getting out of there for free.
Push smoke for the search and the Toshi is not done.
He is hitting shots.
Wrist shaker.
Chain boost on the orb.
I don't know if you can see anything here, so forget about it.
You should just save this big green.
30 seconds and know where to go.
Just a clinical game out of mouths.
And even now, static in aggressive positions,
the kills will come to them.
It parked in P-Vision's driveway and they pulled the handbrake up.
This must be feeling like such a stressful game.
I just don't know how you even get back in.
Flitz got no kills.
Slaxo just has two.
Seattle has one.
Yeah, Jane came to play chess, but we got a guy playing Hungry Hungry Hungarian.
It's Torsche. Just absolutely wrecking him. Gobbling him up.
And he's in the right place again, lying into the tunnels. They never know where this AWP is going to appear.
You've seen it fighting your mid, you've seen it holding down the long side.
Hell, it's killed you on the mid-cross, from the crossroads.
And now it appears that this B bomb site...
It's real hard to flash him off the angle if you don't know where he is.
That was your chance to weaken this site, lurk smoke in, towards you pushing forward.
It's going to get one shot off before he survives.
I don't know, you feel like you want to cancel this now for P-Vision, but they've got nothing else to show, just tech nines around this orb, so it is still the best outcome in hitting P.
How's it put up the barricade?
P-Vision go back for it, but just a little bit later.
Flip feeling out in middle. It is clear.
With this AWP inside the B side, there is no safe haven.
James, I don't know anything you can, they're not close enough to hear that.
He's got to hit your shots with the Tec-9s.
Oh, Trader positions, Torsche trying to shore up the mid-defence, leaving PR to focus on
the tunnels.
One man's made it past him.
He's gonna catch Jane back turned on this repos
So now man up
But a gun gained for flit who got his first killer the game in this round
He's got to go on a bit of a tear here certainly feeling the pressure this boost throwing in as exertion looks for a kill
To really try and hit the balance of this one. Oh nothing spotted on that boost
I can't wait forever, mouse. For one by one, they just get cut apart on this post plan.
Tech 9's in the face and speaks on exits. Careful, don't give them anything. Flit will
get on the board with a 3K. Offer the Tech 9 into the AK and P-Vision do thwart mouse
But finally, on this B site, it's really hard to get back into there, isn't it?
And now it's no use at all to make them uncomfortable.
This is so awkward.
Yeah, it's rough, right?
Like, you understand why they made this swap.
Toshi trying to watch the lurk smoke with players coming through it on the orb feels
kind of brutal, but the timing just lets them down.
Yeah, it had to be earlier that they were in those positions.
PR just gets caught with a smoke push.
Of course, she has an AWP and a retake.
It's a forgivable round for Maus.
They have the leeway.
And they could continue to.
Break the money of provision in this round.
Even just the amount you're seeing James squad running out of money feels notable, right?
It's a team and a captain who always prioritized min-maxing every penny and it's not a team
you see get broken super easy.
Any squad that's ever played a team will tell you you're always ready for him to have an
all weirdest and wildest of moments because he's so good at managing the money but they've
been losing around so decisively.
few they picked up have been so costly that their money's just been in a bad spot all game long.
Do you need to win rounds at the end of the day? 40 seconds on this mid to be both players in
middle. Are you ready for sphinx as well? They pre-spam and they don't clear it and sphinx only
gets one. That's the round. The vision have done enough so it seems flicked. Yeah, you're not going
to know that one. It buys a few seconds. Provence planted and unless Jane concedes a kill here,
Mouse might just throw in the towel.
They only go investigating, but now their money is cause for concern.
So when every bit of Utah dropped into this site,
I screw it, Mouse ascending it.
Oh, smoke for the tunnels is good. That's gonna lock Jay now, Mason.
Alright, just a bit of posturing, seeing if they were given anything.
Actually, that felt winnable there, but yeah, Molly and Wendo put a ball through the door.
Mouse.
Don't like what they see on this B site.
It's clearly the only way into this game.
And hey, back to background on the Minterby.
Spinks held that shot, though.
two kills felt like you just got paranoid after they spammed the smoke right and so takes the one doesn't want to look like a fool trying to play for two but yeah I think it would have been the right move they had written it off that was two kills on a platter
they just had a little stressed out on that mid to be
well this is where the game can get stressful because we've been talking about miles dominating this map seven one up but
Very quickly, you can give P-Vision some room here, at the end of the half.
And now the mind game of Will They Won't They, on this mid-to-B, continues to be a factor for Maus.
I think that's nice about this, if you're James, you've caused such an obvious problem,
Maus almost have to address it, right? They kind of can't afford to play the mind game here to overlook this.
They are playing the mind games over, look at this.
That's a crazy call.
It's just anti-long rush at the start, I still think you're going to adjust to play around
the mid to be.
You know, it's not like P-Vision had been doing this instantly.
And see, yeah, two players over towards mid.
Ooh.
It's eager there for Torsi.
had a couple of rounds where he hasn't got to be involved, right?
So trying to force a fight, trying to get to play ends up on the receiving end of a JMAWP.
He's not just JMAWP, he's whittled you down now, right?
You feel like you'd won this game in the first half.
Suddenly, we're looking at a P vision that could get a very nice T side, given how this game started.
So, JMAWP whittling away at the voodoo doll.
The mouse now 4v5, they've at least hedged their bets correctly.
We are dead after one but it's the presence of exertion that third man over towards B
That proves to be super valuable
Like going back with the bomb James still here making a lot of noise
Flip really gonna be able to escape they hear that the tunnels have gone quiet
They still have sphinx out of the car, so it's two guns on out in middle
Let's look pretty rough around the edges in this game.
Very curious rotation.
James saving here at least he's trying to 10 seconds.
Did not feel like a realistic escape route with all of Maus here in middle.
Oh my god is he gonna fight?
Oh they can't, they find him off the time, they chase him down.
Oh, I mean, it's something right that even that's that spoke about in an interview with HLTV kind of saying, you know, it was great to get
Flip back in the squad he appreciates the
reuniting there but
And you know, he brings a good deal of experience. However, you know, if it spent time on the bench
He'd also kind of developed his own idea for how to play the games
That's that actually said it felt like he was a little behind on the matter
And so they do
Occasionally have like differing viewpoints differing opinions on how to approach the game and the philosophy behind it
I feel it has been made to look pretty uncomfortable here on dust to he's been the guy waltzing
into a lot of these torsion orbs.
And so let's see if Maus can actually deliver on this very strong CT side because we were
getting nervous.
The 7-1 lead couple in a row, 4P vision, but here they are looking to collect on the promise
are they good at first half super smart as well as such a towards a deep smoke and so they feel like they have a gap they feel
Like they have an exploitable position
They can peak the corner with that smoke and so they go through but he's already up and over on the blue bin
James got the bomb, but I'm not sure where you're going with this one as yellows out short known about by Torsi
It's probably just gonna repeat because that's the kind of game. He's playing
Flash goes high but Torsi caught by yellow who peaks after the fact
very successful CTSide under their belts to start this playoff progressing series 9-3
up on PB's map pick.
It was a cool idea along there, right, to boost into the deep smoke.
Really baited PB, it felt like Fouls had a very good idea of what they were up against
in this game from the pace setter in that pistol round, of course, she was some great
positional warping. And yeah, a couple of B hits in there, but not enough to really get
P vision in the game.
Klemikul here for Maus. Can they keep it so? And close out this game without a worry,
this P vision is mapping. Inferno up next, Asian decider.
I just want to swing into playoffs here. That's a great start.
Everyone on Mao's nose, they can make this a very easy time if they win this round.
Suddenly it feels like the game starts anew if you lose the pistol and...
What? Spinks?
A lurk out towards mid.
Sees a lot of bodies at least and that gives you real confidence to get this bomb down.
You got a bit of time now to get set up.
And you know this retake's coming in from short.
Still PR out in no man's land, hands away that first.
to get to fire a bullet. Slacks
the jazz in this pistol has been
a menace. What about you feel
it? And they're on it. There's
no stopping that door. She
full defuse coming. I slacks
the jazz. We see it like
yeah, he's had a couple of tough
maps and tough moments, but
there's a reason he got picked
up right. This guy was a bit of
a prospect. He's putting a 1.3
online. He's played like four
five lands in his career, all
local, smaller land. He's
career or local smaller lands,
but online is just beast
modding and playing hundreds of maps as well.
A lot of gameplay just not at this level.
So prospect, I think it's the right word.
We see a sign of it there in that
pistol some great shots.
Something that again in that interview,
that's done talked about right.
The idea that for Saxages,
he kind of doesn't want to rob him of
how new and exciting everything feels.
You know, he wants him to get to take it all in, saying it reminded him back when, you know...
Even these guys were on Avangar all those years ago.
Slaxeges really put under the microscope here, good for a double.
That's at least gonna keep P.B. interested in this retake, a three on three being asked for.
Just a b-site falters, M4 for Torsche.
I'm gonna back it up.
Well, let's have retrieved as well an exertion.
Gonna try and slow this one down by blocking the window.
I'm not sure.
Wait to get out, but unless there's a kit in the site, this one's done.
They've just lost to Glocks.
They're walking away.
That was a Hero Galil on Spinks.
It got the entry kill, and they win with Glocks and P250s.
That is the worst possible round to lose.
What a play for Spiggs. When you're on the full eco and Spiggs calls, don't worry, I
got this. Hero Galil. Do you actually believe it? One dry entry on a jiggly B player and
Slaxer just, he gets a nice double here, he even kills the armored player, but just overwhelmed by pistols.
If you PV, how doesn't that just hit you like a truck? Like those aren't the rounds you lose.
Oh.
You don't do that, you're not the team that give it away the pistols.
But Maus is definitely showing a difference right now in individuals, in experience.
Make sure you've got major winners on PV, you've also got three very young players,
one of which are his second top event.
I mean that guy's the only other guy performing, and I'm sure it's happened on the back of
a strong pistol and some eco kills there.
We haven't really had to talk about anyone else on this P-Vision squad.
Now, I just have so much momentum now.
And this is one of the maps where when we saw Xerxes take over in-game leading, we saw
them at Starna.
This is where he was putting up his best games.
Had some crazy maps.
Yeah, we said, you know, he couldn't do it forever, but he doesn't it doesn't feel like he needs to
Calling from the front here and searching for those entries. Oh
Into the CT smoke
Flitz falling for it
Kind of block the smoke but back to a session just surely has his kill
This is now is looking for the knockout blow
Oh, no, Utils felt so punishing.
Motherfucker, the burns are set up in half.
See, Rykler's a flash on his feet, he's just full turns.
Easy kill.
Sertia makes that look beautiful, and 4v1, save.
He vision even had the stack in play.
Does not matter, 11-4 and an absolute drubbing.
That's all time that's used for P vision.
It is just so hard to not be enamored with the kind of new DNA at the core of this mouse
team.
Just how different they look in the server.
It's a lot more direct.
It's a lot more in your face.
a lot more confident what a credit goes the way of exertion for how he's switched that
up within this team I think Cyclone too who clearly was in a very attached to the old
ways the kind of by the numbers methodical look surely he would be the first to admit
that he must like this direction for miles.
I mean, you could always feel him kind of setting up exertion
to be that future in game leader.
Always was the most vocal player,
but like he was calling a lot of stuff on T sites.
So not a huge shock to see it.
I think it's also why there's like no surprise to all she thrives here.
You hear a vocal this guy is and how much he likes to call his shots.
Suddenly gets a lot of room to do so. I mean it would be so provision to win around like this
I wouldn't it 4b mouse walking out mid to be they've got no smoke down either
In this type of game mad like sure on another day sure. Oh, they've killed Jane now. Do they read the stack?
That actually might be the perfect read from miles realizing that why is there?
the AWPer on this B site.
It's a main plate counter strike there.
It just walks right back into an MTA, only his way in position.
That might just be it.
Not much you can do here.
It's pretty good, but they've got the site.
I was always going to be a limit to what was where you could accomplish with that SMG.
And so one is enough.
Well, not enough, but that's all we get.
One is a kill.
We'll give him that.
Mouse have many a chance to bring this one home and run away with PD's map here.
I never count out, uh, you know, Jayman to come back or put vision on a late game recovery, but this is over.
This is feels over, doesn't it? There's absolutely no life from he vision.
And there's no like hero performance that maybe can inspire everyone else. Get you going.
Top to bottom. Silence.
And without PV player, I don't think, you know, you can ever really afford to have it like this way.
You just have multiple players who are kind of seeking that chance to warm into the game.
You can't afford to overthink or doubt anything in the James system.
And you don't really get those chances to like get hot hands, you know, with a sick sequence.
It's very slow rounds.
You saw that all throughout their T side.
And so you just feel like you're racing against a clock here that's rapidly ticking down,
that's rapidly running out of time.
This was your map pick and you have been systematically destroyed across the entire map.
James Orton, the last bastion of hope, four blind in the middle and stuck on the box as well but they don't punish.
James gets a shot off and he will connect it.
No need for that smoke and the B entry comes in with ease so even though Maus was set up
on their default with PR outside long, that's got a temp 2 on this B site.
Tony's yellow left, he's put his smoke down and Zersion's crossed on the mid smoke.
They don't know.
He can just hold rotations, his teammates have a 2B1 at B right now.
PR's going to come in as well.
It's not looking good here for B vision.
Even that bit of spam from PR has just kind of sold that they didn't have this mid control.
Oh, okay.
Position no, and that's it.
Entry comes in.
Mouse puts smokes down.
Car save here.
You can try the boost, but I think if you're mouse, you know they're looking for any edge
they can, right?
You're going to be mindful of this.
A little gimmick to try and snipe one from the ranks, make this retake feel achievable in any sense, but it's still 2v3.
Toughest retake in the game, you block through the doors.
And so Mao's victory is right there, they're just these two kills from it.
Nothing being offered for free, is gonna catch one.
Jane follows up, hold on, Spinks is gonna do this alone.
Time ticking away very quickly and Jane will get the kill hop on that defuse
But I don't think he's got this with no kid that might just decide it
Mows getting it done on dust 2 and they do so is dominantly at the first time of asking
That's pv's map pick going their way mouths now have inferno to look forward to those playoffs are well within their grasp
Yeah, Dust2 was supposed to be the coin flip. Both teams come in at 67% over nine maps and this was PV's map picks.
So, yikes, if you're starting from PV in this, or PVision I should say rather, in this series.
Malz showing dominant force there, Yanco, DePrey, myself being traced on it.
Yeah, so much for a close game, right?
So that's why it isn't anymore, you know, a clear and obvious punish to pick Dust2 against Malz, right?
They played it so much recently. Again, they also changed a couple of players, so it's not the same team and you know, we are full to think that they're going to struggle significantly on this map.
Especially against the likes of P-Vision, right, for them to change themselves. But still, even with all that said, I definitely expected more from P-Vision.
Honestly, I think if you look at the side of ours, there's only maybe like a couple of mistakes that haven't, but overall, throughout looking at the team day, they just played so well.
The matter of, you know, times they would just go in and like finish his work in hands.
Whenever Xersia came up with a mid-round call, they just made sense to what type of space they've already gotten.
And just, they also, the openings from the likes of Spinks, but also all the openings, they managed to find more torches, and then combined with a handful of really good gimmick plays that made them some advantage throughout the game,
The game was just a joy to watch, and it's nice to see that this team play of Maus is still there despite of the game.
Yeah, watching this Maus kind of constrict all over P-Vision in their CT side was pretty fun, to say the least.
They were running circles around them.
It's great.
You're watching the map, and Maus did three different things on the map already before P-Vision even kind of took cat control really in a way.
They were super proactive, they were getting a lot of information, they were getting their players in good positions.
So even when these hits were coming, even if they wouldn't perhaps lose the opening kill, which only happened a handful of times this game,
they were still in a good position to have someone on the flank, to have players ready, to have counter utility come in.
And yeah, they were just flowing miles on this map.
And just with all the things that exertion had, you know, him doing, you know, he...
Multiple times he would go out, maybe he would throw that beast mode split, and then either he would hide his barn and get in other good situations,
he would catch up with Cation, and then he would put himself in a favorable situation, then he would call around himself,
where he still got a lot of action, but it also made sense with the rotation that his team was doing with how they were going to be ending.
So, he continues to impress me in his new steps of being an in-game Leeman.
It's good to see that also Space continuing his form from what he showed all the time.
It's so crazy, because he was one of the main guys we criticized,
Xersion, while he was just a player, he would disappear in play-offs,
and his level would drop off against tier 1 teams, and then he moves to IGL,
and all of a sudden he's more consistent and puts up better numbers.
But obviously, still the matter of playing against tier 1 teams
and how it's going to look like then, but there's no reason to be too harsh early on
all these standing situations that they've had. Now they have their full man roster and it's going to take a little while to get
PR and Zalex up to speed in a way, but if exertion can, you know, stay similar to this level when it comes to those
playoff games down the line as well, it will be such a huge boon for this mouse team.
Yeah, and for a mouse team that had some question marks clearly about these changes, is this more long lines of what you expect for a VRS 19 so highly up there?
I think, you know, for me, this game, I could see both teams having an edge, right?
Maus, because they also made these changes that we talked about, maybe you don't want
to put too high of expectations on them, despite winning Bounty.
I think they're the favorite in this matchup, but they're sort of a shellacking.
You know, you feel like also to some extent, like, P-Rusion yet to really start playing
it on an individual level, too, with a really, really slow start as well in some of these
reactions.
So, they were just a little bit too slow, let a couple of rounds slip away, they really
shouldn't have.
Maybe we look at one of those slow rounds, I'm looking at around 14, a P-Vision save,
they seem to know how to do that or what.
Yeah, well it's actually a quick round in a way, it's just a hero Galil, yes, a hero
Galil, we have those nowadays on Spinks.
And a nice call for, I think it might have been him making the call, right, with the
best spawn, just sliding over, maybe this is something they saw in Prep, this is the
approach from P-Vision and he gets the insta kill on Zelo and then they just
overwhelm Slashers, right? He gets two kills but that's all he can do and the rest
of the team is setting up for a retake but this Nade really sort of in the
incendiary that they managed to pick up on Zelo really dissuaded them from going
for the retake and they just have to go and save it. It was such a gut punch
really because you know you could think maybe P-Vision can get rolling but it
wasn't the case. And then the round after, the round fifth, can we see again some of
I think it's good about exertion that he puts himself in that very position and gets so much work done
whereas his team plays around him and the small details is obviously him hiding in the smoke
and trying to find the timing, catching the rotation.
But then even when he gets the kill, he doesn't just sit and spawn and just wait for the next one.
He actually helps the team gain more space and buys the guy off ramp
but even throws a flashbang for himself because he knows there's a guy waiting for him along.
So, it's all these details that he timed together that he still put the team in a good situation
while he also consistently put himself in a good position.
Okay, so we've got a map pick out of the way.
We look at the next map. We talk about Inferno.
He vision statistically pretty strong there in this matchup explicitly.
How do we begin to look at this picture when we've got it on starter in the first map?
You just have to wake up, you know.
True. Maybe this will help.
Yeah, I didn't even see necessarily.
I'm awake now, Trace, I'll tell you that.
But yeah, you just need to do better across the board.
In some of the reactions, they were too slow as a team.
They weren't really up to par to what Miles was putting on the table.
And yeah, you lose one more map here and you're eliminated from the tournament.
So there's no more room for a mistake.
I think it's weird because I don't really see what type of approach to the game style
they have right now on the PDG side whereas when I watched them and where I think they did the best
that was back in Rotterdam where they were being like very methodical and very like well thought
you know taking duels on their terms playing a lot together here just seemed like yeah Phil was
trying to get some space on Cabo he got eliminated by the up now okay I'm gonna try and walk out
mid-time and see if I can get something done like if the connections between the players was off
and I know that this is just early on and they're still building some sort of foundation but it's
It's not really good sample size for what you can expect of the team.
Sample size is, or rather there in the numbers that follow Spinks so far in this series.
Just one map in, where are we finding Littness Test?
Obviously, Spinks, it's just good to see the fact that he's continuing in his streams
of bounty where he won that MVP medal.
It's always like sometimes if you find a player that has always wanted to become the
star and he's always been the second star in all the teams that he's been playing in
And this one you could maybe argue that he is supposed to be the style with some of the situation that he can end up in right
But it's it's for me
You know also with him being a former team, you know
I know what he can bring to the table and it's it's good to see that he can do that a consistent little and I hope that
This new generation of mouth is gonna help me continuing that and he was very important in this matchup
And I hope that he's gonna continue doing so because they need that
Yeah, absolutely
And I think he was the main reason why they were able to take down spirit in their grand final like he was absolutely
absolutely lights out and goes without saying that if he can repeat those sort of performances like it will go a long way in
Miles going deep in tournaments. Yeah, it definitely can.
Yanko, I think we need to go to a break. Obviously they need to tune their drums up a little bit there and get things ready for this next map.
Of course, Inferno set up.
Key vision, a little bit of a non-starter there.
Miles currently running the board, but is it the little Miles that could?
We'll find out when we return.
watch in the Esports World Cup World Championships 26.
Play is in our DNA, whenever we let it out, it becomes our superpower.
imagine an entire city being built to supercharge it. Kadea City powered by play.
of performance and it's only gotten better. A 2.4, Katie, currently 24 and 10. He is everything
that 9Z hate to have to contest with positionary advantage, rifle advantage, aim advantage
currently right now too it's looking good for magic and the squats looking even better
I really hope that that's getting picked up me too dude they're having a party this is
absolute chaos making me dance at the esports world cup good chaos a thing of beauty all these
communities coming together genuinely it's something you have to uh be present to understand
Every community, every esport, all under one roof, all under one love.
Honestly at this point, come join, it's awesome.
Competition, of course, is important by the end of the day.
This is the beauty that brings us together, but either way, we need to see if Moon is able to continue to fire off shots.
Only leg on the first, as he's there for a follow-up, very nice for a double.
But, two in response for an IZ still makes this interesting.
Moon on scopes are the worst time and a slightly missed smoke port zone on a pushing spade.
Him and Moon combined, leaving just Max in with a mid-flight that stands no hope in succeeding.
That is 12.
That's map point and an important map point as we look at the narrative of the series.
Magic, they're just looking really strong.
There are some factors that could be worried about if you look at that scoreboard, but
the overall value that Magic currently have in this map is unmatched.
And you know, 9 Z's fall off in the second half just individually, it is very prevalent.
Sure, they are so great.
Play is in our DNA.
Whenever we let it out, it becomes our superpower.
Now imagine an entire city being built to supercharge it.
The Deer City, powered by play.
playoffs and they are their own map pick away from that goal. Inferno is where we've ended up.
Now for this Maus team, this one, not just a map they've been looking to play and get their
reps in on, but a bit of a punish. You haven't seen this version of PV play Inferno yet.
The track record before that was not great for the other versions of this roster. Had some
struggles it's safe to say couldn't find success when Hobbit was in the event before this one
and with the older versions of the roster they were on one hell of a lost streak so how disorientating
is this you go off a dust 2 bit of a home map for yourselves you go on a one now that you haven't
played in an official with this version of the lineup and that's where you've got to fight for
for your tournament life. Yeah, six losses in a row, 10 losses out of the last 13 played.
I mean, it's not looking good right now for P vision and considering the mouse are clearly
coming in hyper prepped with a lot of cool ideas, cool setups and also just great form
on their individuals. I think that's the most clear difference between these teams right
now. Didn't feel like anyone for P vision get activated couple of moments from James,
but ultimately all of his rifle is falling short of mouse. You just can't say the same
about them as a team that are buying the playoffs. They definitely had to work for it. Taking
on foots just the other day was not an easy game either. But this might just make up for
that match. If now is going to make it a clinical 2-0 victory, lock in a top 16 plays a couple
days off and come back here in Paris, it's bound to be a very competitive playoff.
I think that opening that would have been very frustrating for Jane. It felt like anytime
He did something to give an edge to PV someone on his squad was so willing and ready to give it away
And I think there's no worse feeling right when you're an AWPer or an IGL and he just happens to be both
So yeah questions around the form of the PV rifles for mouse
Everyone was turning up Torsche at a blinding start
And I wouldn't even really agree with the idea that he quieted down towards the end
I think it was more just it was on rails
He felt like he was winning taking a lot more fights looking to be kind of cheeky with it
And ultimately now as they go on to close that map super cleanly didn't require too much effort
Not like you were ever super nervous
they stopped
It's P vision squad from doing what they do best, which is these late in the day comebacks
Yeah, you wonder if you can really even assign that you know mantra to this team right now doing that obviously haven't proven it
You have pieces that you would yeah make that case. Oh, it's the thing. That's just attached to Jane really
But yeah, you get on this version of the squad have not proved that
Too early to tell and you know, I don't think this is should be a really
shocking result if the division go out here just because of the fact that we do have all
these unknowns or these question marks for its forms like suggestions experience all
these factors I think are really fair reasons why this paper is a match that's too hot to
handle and so it doesn't make me lose faith for this project that people are p vision
of building they you know we you may be doubted and before but look at the Budapest run into
the start of last season, the bounty victory, and the string of events that followed. I mean,
last time these two organizations played was back where Ecluge, where P-Vision managed
to beat Maus. Of course, both these old lineups in the semi-finals went on to play Vitality.
So I've got faith for the future of this squad, but the present is looking quite dire.
Well, let's find out.
Inferno up next.
Mouses pick playoffs found if they can take it
Everybody gets an aid I
Think mouses will be quite happy with the T side star being the guys to set the tone set the pace
That was exactly what they did on dust 2 with a very jarring
pistol round coming the way of PV.
It was aggression from the get-go on their CT side,
and it got them off to a hot start.
Oh, yeah, retake on B, good luck.
Yeah, I mean, you know, it's been a bit of a classic, right?
The Jane Gambles, I think this is the map where you see the highs and lows
of said gambles the most, with Flit holding on for a double.
He's at least put you in a great position to make this retake happen. Trust right exertion sends it and sphinx doesn't go for the trade
But then still reswing slates and they save it in banana
Yes, they can triple kill for Toshi in the blink of an eye and that 3d5
suddenly favored now as
P vision's
Advantage evaporates
All right, Toshi's got hot hands still it's safe to say
You thought Flit was gonna be the defining guy? We'll torch you one up soon.
Crikey.
Kind of the worst round. The worst way to lose that round, if your p-vision gets the two kills on what is still a very hard post-plan.
one and then one guy just drive by us you
I know a lot of the old inferno games with the old versions of the roster.
One of the big pitfalls would be these solo D-holds if you remember, so often just entrusting
it to one man.
Fleet was actually kind of from a bit of a similar school of thought in that BP squad.
Yeah, I would love something here, but the util just knocks him back off his perch.
Your two B players have both been softened up by this utility.
I think you are just saving looking for a unicorn round with Ten alive.
How many players are going to hide from the ruins here at the mouse?
How many can you fit?
Mouse clown car.
Hong Hong.
I do really enjoy how the bomb doesn't break armor anymore.
I think it's super, it doesn't really matter in this round, but for pistols it is super important.
super important to allow you to actually upgrade because it's just something if I
like you never control right like you always gonna take damage some damage
from the bomb and now you can still play in one of those you're close positions
but not get the unavoidable expense of having to upgrade your armor every time
It's just a nice change. I just like the new bomb in general.
No?
Nah man, that's three.
Preaching to the choir.
I just got lost in your eyes for a second here, that's all.
They are dreaming.
I was spamming these nades of close walk, bit of a repapse, you had to pay off.
So low B hold again, another appearance.
There's a gamble of four over the wards A, four PV.
Let's really try and make as much noise as we can.
Try and scare them away.
Look like two people.
It's pretty scary.
Look what you would do in a bear attack, but this is a mouse attack over the wards this
B-bomb site.
And it doesn't look like him puffing his chest up has worked.
A mouse trap at this B site.
Oh, okay.
Okay.
They lose Jame at the very first turn around the corner out of the ruins so he couldn't
complete his spam kill onto Spinks either, but will follow up with a bit of success.
Now the last man remaining, low HP on exertion, leaves it to Chance.
He had a kit as well, so he had a kit and that 1v1.
One more bullet, he wins that round.
That came down way too close, though I mouse felt they had already won it and sure, I guess
they do.
That was a single bullet away, a devastating retake, a really nice try for Flier, I think
he just thinks he has more time.
He just had to re-swing off that molly.
sure all laughs if a mouse out three a lot
division bring in guns
oh my
that's something now is what expecting right bit of aggression from flit
and a different look to this be hold on what mouse are anticipating they used to
a PB that gives him a lot of room, a lot of respect. Not often wants to go and fight for
that banana control. That's what Flit is bringing to the table. So instantly into a 3B5. Bombs
still slowly gaining space out towards banana.
Again, leaving it to the solo hole, four players reinforce this
A side of the map.
Right at least right as James left this four man stack. That's
when miles move in.
You know, they kill the B player. I think that might tend them
into this mid to B. Spinks is holding on.
Kill's going to come for him.
Jane gets spotted, but leg goes out.
Spinks is low.
They're going to commit to A now.
Avoid that on 25.
Crossfire up.
Our site player just gets to go on a tear.
Slacks the jazz, gets them back turned.
And this round is impossible for Spinks.
Low on health, low on time.
Going into a lost bomb site.
He just wants to play to evade.
This is enough to wait long.
The P-Vision to get on the board.
Right, hold for Saxon Chairs.
So he just full tucks in the pit there.
Felt like there was going to be the insurance policy, but not required.
Rubble up.
And of course, flick to start the round as well.
That is like, you know, potentially the only kind of scary thing here for Maus is how much
has changed.
Now that Flit is in this version of the roster, they saw the...
Come on, with Hobbit in and SlaxaJazz play one map here.
But are you anticipating that Jame hasn't changed things from his old squad with this
new one?
Flit's certainly setting a much more aggressive tone out towards the B side of the map than
we're used to seeing from PV.
Well now Miles is using more Util to get this car control, not punished before.
It does look into that flash and so you can just stay on this B site.
I was waiting for retake Util so they can do the same themselves.
But block it a minute.
Two smokes remain.
Now I was tempted by this A site, so Jame is here.
He sees the long execute, he knows where they're going.
What does he?
Bad!
Oh, we didn't expect that full send from Exertion and they just drop into the pit.
Oh man, it's not enough.
I can't believe Exertion just full runs a jade.
Are you really tempted?
I just on the team we're watching you'd say no but they certainly looked have a
bit of intrigue here grouping in top mid as they wrap into the apartments I
think it is just a save call hanging out close by alright thought you had his
Number you weren't already in your head
Flits at least looking a damn sight better than he did on dust to true
Jane really just expected a bit of respect there off to showing you up on the corner and yeah
Nobody's able to hold their own so they get strapped on from behind
It's a nice execute for a mouse. Full smokes are long, but only one player committing.
Money. Now again a question for a few visioners. They don't win this round, they are in the dirt.
Down to eco.
here. You know you're going into a stack. Oh, that's cool smoke.
So you look in or at least it's supposed to do that James blowing
it open lands a couple of tags on this spam from that off.
Flip dead after one. You want to believe that this is enough
with Jane here. They go up they go over player even makes it
by into the spawn. Now is battling through this B stack. And
with sphinx set up ready to cut down these rotates.
times are tough right now for PB wasn't ready for a second player late spawn
side however they give Torsche his weapon of choice onto the AWP now
one B1 to keep this lead building for Maus
Torsche closes in and this guy is not in a forgiving mood today Torsche with a
big clutch Maus keep making strides towards those playoffs these rounds are
looking so easy for miles right now. I mean, they're playing a great Torsche.
Four confidence, decisive move to hunt down Jamie and Coffins.
They do it together, picks up that orb, and
at Molly is not a threat. It just guarantees his location.
Walks straight to a CT and shoots away in the back.
Unfortunately, no kit for that round and now nothing for this.
Just James Hero orb.
On eco takes a deep line down banana where he vision of had some of their only kills
On this CT side flits even in front of the half wall could catch you up guard this
Mouse they want to fight back good name flits spotted
Jane want to die for this
Manages to escape at the skin of his teeth
He's still early in this round.
Now let's go searching elsewhere.
Even the AWP's not heading now.
Now James is certainly feeling a certain pressure to try and perform here.
Right knows that this half is where he's meant to have his impact on the AWP.
He was the one guy showing up on dust.
Well, that's far had a number of chances at moments on this AWP, cool gamble here, though.
They don't believe it.
It's a problem with having no eyes on the other end of the map.
You do feel susceptible to these kind of light fakes, just one smoke.
They try and rush this U-Tel on the long side, hope they can catch Maus in a bit of the chaos.
They cannot.
I should cover it for PR, I just missed the pre-aim but it just hits the shot so I can't do it.
It's just, I mean, again, it feels in a way akin to Dust 2 where even in unfavorable jewels,
Maus are winning them. And at a certain point, if you can't win your fights,
Yellow's just had a terrible series here. What are you meant to do?
James desperately trying to save this hope.
Mouse can allow it, they don't have a lot of money despite the 6-1 lead but because of
the 6-1 lead they're gonna run at him.
Just not enough chance here for James, multiple missed shots and Mouse punts him down.
Torsche exertion and spanks have as many kills right now as Yellow does in the entire series
so far. Six and 15 map one, yet to frag here in map two. And I think, you know, all teams,
I don't think you can name one. All teams need to struggle if you have multiple individuals
going missing. But I think it stands out so much more in these Jame Lode squads. It's
It's about being super methodical, having faith in each other to get yours in the round.
Without that, it starts to look really ugly, because you do just kind of feel like you're
Walking around losing fights and the game is just slipping away from you
I have a bit of pace here, I'm just feeling very confident, I mean even the fact that
you're able to kind of push Flit the top performer away from his stomping ground
which has been over towards B. I think that feels good for Maus. They can feel
that they're forcing more and more respect out of PV as time goes on. There
is this retake of Top Banana but it's not something that PV can stick to.
Right, they'll throw it in, they'll waste some time of Maus who have to now
re-clear this. The Maus don't even, you know, waste util in this endeavor. They
feel that they have the room, they walk right through and you're looking at
another one of these contact B hits blocked by the smoke they will have to
rethink it. Spinks leaves the option of going back open as he maintains this
presence out towards Old Mid. At least from how things are looking now is not
really showing any signs of coming back to join him. Now if they get a tell that
There's more players here. Maybe that changes
What speaks ready to that spoiler peak out mid 30 seconds they're gonna run back that's all this room
It's just Jane, but I guess you wouldn't want anyone else in this position
Couple of well play shots can win p vision this round
All right, there's the first for Jane
Oh, thank you.
Spinks' long lurk, and Spinks has done everything for Maus in this round.
From the opener, taking the space, and then rolling out the red carpet for this A-play at the final few seconds.
And you get it, right? Saxe just is trying to play smart. He's trying to play safe.
He's trying to, you know, not overpeak in that position.
Not expecting Spinks to be long, to be honest, but when James gets that shot off and reveals position,
I think we're in a bit of a
vision of you know like vicious
cycle as well in the mouse are
feeling so confident right like
you're seeing it in how they take
these positions. I think if this
was a way closer game, Spinks gets
that one kill hangs around the
priority is kind of on keeping
him alive so the bomb can join
him. But he's having a great
game. It feels like everything's
working. You know, you've got
PB doubt in themselves and so
he's deep up the long side.
You know, he's got a lot of
So he's deep up the long side, ready to be involved in that A here.
It's also just Maus put so many resources on taking B early, and PV know that.
So, of course, they're gambling B, they're pretty heavy B.
So perfect rotation call, off of Spinks' entry, and rough round
that he can even find Jame here as well, with no punish.
I think if we go back years, this used to be one of the best maps to watch
Jaymon for his reads for his gambles, but I think this was one of like the very first maps
He kind of lost touch on those reads and I think it is one of these maps where you see
PB look kind of ugly largely because they're they're trusting the intuition in these blind gambles
But that's what a lot of their CT side comes down to
And I can't imagine what it feels like when you are such a
kind of read focused IGR like Jame is, and you keep getting them wrong.
What does that do to your confidence in terms of the calls?
Because you are getting pulled around this map right now on Maus's say so.
Three players through CT and a B-stack.
Well it's getting sandwiched, they've got no idea.
It's crazy. When you see this position, fall a gun down. You've got two players on B and
you're holding them from CT spawn. They're not even looking at you.
Don't even have to plant the bomb in that round. You win it all just catching all the
PV at a position. This has to be the most disorientating and awkward CT side you maybe
have ever played. I just never seen this position. I look at your screen right now. When have
you ever seen this? A minute on the clock. They're in CT spawn, killing the B anchors.
Look at this. Look at this. Smile on mouse. They've never seen a round play out like that.
There's 3B in that round, Harry. I'm not even looking. Perfect read. Gap found. And playoffs
Five away!
Just a clinic here from mouse top to bottom, like dust too!
I mean, is that like Salah Boiler here?
Jayme is AWPing.
Flash is good, he's got to abandon.
More room for Maus in the middle.
Four players here.
He are trying to sell on B, Jayme waiting on his, one of his favorite lines.
So much paranoia, there's no where to look.
Every possible timing going against him, right?
He's on that line.
The second he unscopes, they hear it, they move in, exertion deep up the long side and
it's been these long crunches that have been a problem.
James is able to beat it out and goes on a tear with this AWP.
Leaving it just on PR. Bottom performer right now for Maus
hasn't really been a requirement in this game.
Does he really have a 1v4 in him?
Tap on that bomb, they're coming his way!
PR gets it so damn close!
But just beaten back by Flit, who doesn't let James' efforts go down in vain.
My goodness, Flit had to be Flit.
The one rifle that stepped up in this second map he had a troubling dust to but he was there from the beginning of Inferno
Stops that clutch that was happening there for PR straight up one before in this bomb site
With some excellent shots
But a bridge too far flick keeps a p-vision from complete embarrassment
and now they just throw their lives on the line straight down banana into the
setup. Double entry, round done.
Now choose not to jump the gun. They call it off in a three on five. Just get
get grouped and go again. There is almost no way it can stop you.
Now let's get a bit tricky.
Chain Maulping B, long smoke, the sphinx won't lurk.
I'm already thinking about the end of the round.
And there it is.
Can't get a read on this game.
The thought of cool miles, fall down.
the
the
the
the
Slaxa just takes one more but dies at the end and only one gun survives here.
So from bad to worse. Two rifles and AWP.
The last round of the CT side.
If you mouse you just feel like nothing's off the cards, right? Wherever you go you've
been winning. Stacks or not. Very hard to stop a team that feels this
fearless because it lets them do things like this. Hide three players in the long smoke.
Play on the fade. Now they have all this space out towards the long side. They wait for
the apps player Spinks just to cut down on that long control so much room and they pick PV apart one more
man down in the pit exertions be lining right for him dude I mean look at that round they peak short with two
they walk back the peak long with three to get spotted they walk back the peak short with three more Spinks gets
a kill because PV have no control no information they don't know where miles are going there's walking
around. It's just so suffocating. And that's the yellow with a
fragless half. Oh, man. Honestly, he was in a pretty good
runner form. Heading into this event had some good games and
the XC pro league where they they made the final. But here,
most kills you've seen from this guy in a series was 12, been
pretty underwhelming in this series right now. And the whole
thing he has six kills. But it's not really been a story of one
struggling the entire team have dropped off in this series hard to watch honestly
great to see miles look this strong but it's been a minute since I've seen a
the team get just as decimated as PV right now.
They look terrified.
Shrinking back.
And mouse, I mean, this has been multi-kills
against mouse in this entire game,
it feels like they are straight up winning
every duel, every trade.
Yeah, I think you could probably count them on one hand.
I
Had a couple of multi kills at a flit had the jame 3k on his orp. I can't think of anything else
Oh
Headshots, but maybe hiding out two more players at the sandbags and a third of the corner is the baits the mouse wanted
They fall back all do they is that like still here?
If...
There's a chance.
Spinks. Couple of misses.
Five shots left in this USP and they're closing in.
Ammo's running low and with it...
He'll fall.
Pros with two.
Nothing's impossible. Never give up.
Now, yeah, sometimes give up. But I don't know, Hugo, who's powered on by self-belief?
Why didn't he win it?
Just to save for Torsche.
They don't know when to force
because it's probably better
than winning the pistol at this point.
That's exactly what they did on Dust2, if you recall.
Fell down in the pistol round,
hit you with a one-hero gun.
What, the bomb?
Block round.
Oh, he would have had it, but the bomb explosion hit him.
It's worse than aim punch.
The ultimate aim punch.
to get his first killer the map here and it was an entry up through banana let's go
we're back
by scare me 5-7s. Terrifying.
I'm actually talking a lot, but it's alone. Calling a stack.
Throwing multiple maids. Oh look how many sets he has. There's another
a native coffins. He's gonna just throw everything he's got here on B, force him into this A-Play.
He really puts the fear in P-Vision and send them into this mid-hold. Mid-holds coming
to them. Oh! Right, a slacks of jazz left. And honestly there has been moments that felt
Honestly, there has been moments that felt a lot like this where it's just been a game of millimetres for PV
Saxegers is still holding they have two guns on the angle. They might even force that opener suddenly. They're in a good spot
Maybe though we smoke but you're not in a position to respect this
Pb come right through
Past exertion reinforcements starting to arrive PR first on the scene dead right away
I'm on a one by ones here for miles. I would have liked them to just go together. Could
have actually been winnable to be honest. There was some damage done, but we just had
three players go one by one by one. So no hope here for miles with less weaponry, but
look at the damage they've done, man. Bit of a wasted opportunity here.
What's she looking for guns on the way out, Jayme?
Four kills into this round.
Should be dead to bomb here.
Unless you know something I don't.
Seems like he does.
Zero damage.
Thought it was higher than zero.
I don't play this map.
Like if one guy was going to spend days after that update figuring out all the cheeky spots
to save in its james zero is crazy I thought it was going to be like 10.
It's a thick wall.
I don't know how thick.
How thick is your wall?
But thick enough.
Clearly.
Donk doesn't play this map.
Why the hell should I?
Donk doesn't play this map? Why the hell should I?
Well, it's to live by.
Let's go back. Long road back here for Beavision. Very long road.
Let's see if they can give us any reason to believe in it.
I don't want to nullify this by giving too much away at towards a Spinks court getting
aggressive push fours lx all the way down all the smoke but you see why they
heard it deleted he's gone and any hope dies with it
I mean the margin is certainly shrinking you've got a gum round now to go up against if you're
PV but win this one and suddenly you're getting this way out of mouse again.
Considering I thought this series was gonna just end in an instant TV have
never really looked in it they're actually in an interesting spot here
chance to close in on mouse you will not get many of these what did I say the
pistol Harry never give up that is what you said so in a way this one's on you
Flip? Very much down to fight. That's been his whole story, but trapped now between
two mollies.
Oh, didn't know this yellow is edging the smoke there. Very nice position. I'm able
to punish the repush here from PR. So, Mao's are in an uncomfortable spot where they need
need to make it gamble, then I'll leave a second player on this B site, or she still
holds middle hoping.
I'd like to think people would just walk it into B, but two players still outside of
the apartment.
Where are they going?
This is just a search from Zello.
He's going to put his life on the line here and investigate what this B site has.
He could walk through coffins.
Yo, holding for the kill, but he's backed into dark.
So much a weird move at least now you know the stacks there so you're going to try and get out towards a
Porsche's all though patrols and roams this half of the maps way able to put it down on an apps line
Yeah, I mean they're gonna win it says fine. I don't know why you wouldn't walk through coffins and just try and get behind the CT player
That you know is there
I think it just caught a little glimpse of him and felt like if you backed up further
you get that kill faster I guess.
You want to leave time for the option to rotate the bomb if needed.
Yeah, it makes an assumption that it's just that one player out towards CT to worry about
and that was not the case.
Still, it's around for PB and an important one of that.
We said this first rifle, you win it, suddenly the game starts to close up.
Well they've done that now.
Easy to write this off, but PB hidden.
It's a weird four-round game here.
And Mao's have been very gung-ho in trying to just end this decisively.
Now in a banana fight, shut them down there with a convincing set of kills, win the round.
But they've not been winning these engagements.
Flick getting these openers.
Yello actually being involved in a fair few of the banana fights too.
And so, Maus, finally burning a time out of their own.
It'd be a great time to show you're not those guys who get psyched out over the pressure,
Is it starting to close in?
Why have you done that?
That's the new team, Harry.
Same old mistakes?
Don't worry, it's not like they're up against a comeback squad or anything.
An auto has been conceded for all of this CT side.
Evasion take it again freely with just two molotovs.
Yeah, I think early doors right you'll wait a second
Flashing themselves back in they re-clear top banana taking it by force
There's not all the usual bells and whistles like this smoke. It's just a quick pop flash and a walk in
Get out of this things quick rotate that AK
two players moving over leaving just
surgeon here with the smoke trusting
himself four on a I like that change
from ours they're right no longer
risking the banana fight on kind of a
first timing one that PV you're ready
for going a little bit later make it
feel a bit more jarring and so now
with an advantage and see if that's the
edge at miles have been needing just
They are still working with less here.
Final bit of utils just come out over towards B.
And when Slaxagez removing one and leveling the playing field,
stress is still very much there for Maus.
BK is still on A, so Surtian's gonna have to go big mode here.
In the smoke, they're blocking as Yelo realizes.
Gets out entry, PR's not in the site, he threw the util down.
They know that.
Fifty seconds bomb makes it in, nothing he can do.
Or...
Nope, smoke shots won't connect.
And despite that advantage, PV walked it right back into B.
That's twice over, the desertionist put a 4 stack on A, said trust me, and got nothing done.
It has felt like, you know, just a 1 or 2 kills or even just staying alive could have been more valuable.
So I think it's, you know, the opening kill can make it feel a bit misleading in a sense
because Inferno 5D4 but with no UTEL and mostly pistols is like still a really tricky
spot to be in.
You're feeling a bit desperate.
You're trying to cool the gamble.
You've used all the UTEL you did have at that B bombsite and you're hoping that's enough.
There's a reason you're gambling despite a huge advantage on paper.
And round by round, from what was a 10-2 half,
new vision giving us some intrigue here in this tea side.
Oh, the Utah's punishing, but battling through.
PV, keep this one even in a 4 on 4.
Jayme is very, very low.
Flint might want to try and react here, but smoke falls in front of him.
So that's going to taper off this banana regression.
This is really the space that Maus are kind of looking for here, right?
Feeling like, like conceding it, they're giving PV these options to go back to the late B
takes with all the space with all the room. It's a staking it to a bit of a banana fight.
They'll know they'll get engagements here. Spinks holds on. Doesn't Renegon the banana
control. He's expecting another man, but can't seal the deal on foot.
Two low players, but PV now have the advantage. And they should hear that smoke connect as
well as Torsche comes through. They're realizing that A is the weakest site now, so Zalax, who
He does have full UTIL note, it's on his own.
Central 1v4 in the site.
But this UTIL can be high impact.
Jamin Flit, shot from death.
Smoke goes down to 25.
How much can cell X do?
You see the trajectory of that underhand.
You know he's in the site somewhere.
One kill for Zellex, low health on the next guy facing him, so, Ab's power is to drop
one in.
That was flit desperately hoping for a bomb plant, because time was low, thankfully Zwei
saves the day.
Look at Jayne.
Jayne low on health.
Another refield, looking for one kill before he departs.
PR's got him with the backstab.
It's Zwei left in this clutch, PV on a five round streak, hoping for the most of the
unlikely of comebacks and if they want it to stay flawless this way has to clutch big dead on that first turn around the corner and
Now is finally course correcting and breaking this streak
Oh, yeah, they're really feeling the pressure there the fact that flick goes to that Bob plot
He's just killed a teammate back at the pitside as smokes clearly fallen shorts
Cannot get any safe passage there needed to prioritize the kill but there was 10 seconds and jade was walking up arch
he wasn't offering any help. That was a disaster on that hit, considering it's just Alex, how much
value, how what man does. And that is Maus on the board, a little late, a little labored, but
early enough to close this game cleanly. And Sycra imposes to let him know, guys, this is your
opportunity, this is where you have to step up and win the game. Stop messing around.
It was a nice round opener as well, you know we see Mao's retaking banana?
I see money for PV.
No roof error.
I'm gonna force something over on A. It's been the least explored avenue of aggression
for now, as I think you can always feel pretty nerve-wracking to try and force too many fights
on that end of the map, but you know that PV are putting a lot of resources into this
banana control.
nothing giving a torchy on the back of that peak. It's a triple B lean at four
miles.
Certainly breathes sigh relief that ZLX is able to get the spot there, drop in the
utile and then just fall back. If he dies round gets very complicated.
slow burner of a midtake but you can't overreact to anything here if you're the mouse squad
sure you dismantled the triple b two players there smoke down if your pv you hear that
smoke in at top banana you know you've got a lot of free real estate here we go
be pop whole game on the line whole tournament lifeline on this play
watch out for PR exertion at first to play on the back of its second flash to
try and help the captain why not a third out from the spawn and exertion is good
for a double. Oh, Toshi. Massive. Get a lock on that spam as Sway reveals his position.
They've got Jane trapped at the car. Still here. That's nearly the collateral. James
threading needles here as he falls back that orb, continuing to put the hurt on Maus. And
they give Toshi a chance with that jiggle, but it's one to the dome. He's bored down
low and reluctantly has to just bow out of this 1v2.
He used to be a problem here for mouse they just can't seem to hold it down even when
Dershon actually gets a double kill this time when he's had trouble in the past on these
side hits.
It is still not enough to win out on that retake.
So it's getting uncomfortable now for miles.
And if you lose this round, you lose all your money with it.
PB suddenly nipping in your heels and trying to force that third map.
map in a game that felt done, a 10-2 opening off, a T-Sci from mouse that felt like they
could do no wrong, but old habits dying hard, struggling to close.
Oh, here's the change, deep banana smoke.
You know, a part of ours was really hoping PV would call their bluff on this and just
play right through it, but not the type of team they are.
Again, exertion calling for a heavy A-stack.
This has been an inferno game that has almost exclusively been B-focused.
I just expected that eventually that's gonna change.
That's the gamble.
Finally pay off for exertion.
Oh no.
Torsche full blind.
Zellex back stabbing the apartments
and this is starting to come unravel.
3v5.
V back into that orb.
And with Torsche delivering a fleet of kills,
Zellex finding his timing on the backstab.
It's only Jayme left.
This streak, this comeback, now called into question,
as P-Vision will need four in a row
to try and force through an overtime.
Really hurts.
It all comes out to that.
mis-timing in apartments, Porsche playing more aggressive than they were ready for.
And with 5v3 committing to the site here, it was never going to happen here for P vision.
And after the 1-4 cooling, it let exertion down so many times, you finally get rewarded for it.
And that is the one nice thing about having a first half that was so strong.
You know, you can flub three rounds for every one that you win. You've got the room to do so.
And so exertion was telling himself it's only a matter of time till this pays off
Well, he does that and now now has had four chances to close. That's just enough isn't it?
Everything it's a play with everything to play for on this T side
But one multi kill away from going home RP vision
Torsche locking down banana alone in this one. Zersh begins his rotation and I trust in Torsche in this position.
Jump spotted and back they go. Oopsy, that might be enough for P-Vision to cool it off.
She's going back to an APOP and now I still have numbers here.
Trying to keep the porch light on, another option open, but it's actually Zellex to give away an opening.
Push into the apartments, had his timing there in the last round, this time he gets the better of him.
They pull an extra player away from B.
30 seconds here.
4 PV and they're coming back with the bomb.
Smoke's gonna fade at 10 seconds, I kind of have to run through and I think that Penny is dropping out for Maus who
Hit nothing on this A site.
Rotate coming back for Torsche.
Can throw a high flash.
And PB just have to go through the smoke and in to the exertion
crosshair waiting for this.
Torsche, you've been catching one on the spam.
OK.
That's enough to keep this interesting.
Bombs going to go down with seconds to spare.
And James holds for that reaction.
Knows that Torsche is going to try and seek that window
to stop a bomb plant.
And that's the issue on these B retakes here for miles.
Every single time they've been put in this position,
they've gone one by one by one by one by one.
This one is no different.
So, downside of these solo B holds.
And P vision make the right call, they execute on it,
they get a 3v2 where mouse are just trying
to squeeze something out.
Now, I've got to get a thing here.
PR just kills on the way out to keep that money low,
but this is P vision living to fight for one more round.
So high risk call, the fact that they commit to it, when Flit hears that smoke come down
of 30 seconds but it all works out
I'll see you again trying to force one of these apex
and no one's running carelessly up mid when you've got to come back at this magnitude that
you're trying to attend.
Oh, that's so awkward.
Flash leaves Zelex blind and spanks.
Unable to trade.
Careful.
Exertion.
Falling back has a teammate here ready to support.
It's PR swinging only good for the first.
Don't have to rush this, P-Vision.
Two of you want to be, they know, but that bomb isn't there yet.
Of course, she's got inquisitive.
a lot of the map open here they could be anywhere after player unknown with a
whole minute left or she knows that for this squad he's up against that that's
an eternity they could go back they could go anywhere he's got a play to
deny the cross out to a and call with the pistol down there in lower why not
the orb doesn't the perfect position for it
Hey, side open. Are they gonna pull back to be though?
It seemed a bit
Careful, exertion gets his kill. He starts to rotate.
Mine games here at play.
And he's not in a bad timing either for this rush. He's gonna hear them coming up B2.
Oh, Miss Shot for Jane. Exertion, Nate goes in. Why am I worried?
There's a bit of chip damage. Can the captain do it? There's the first exertion
and those playoffs in his hands swings out brings him low, but can't get it done and
Flee just trust his aim again because it's felt like the only reliability in this map
Right just taking the fight heads up straight up into CT spawn
James jumped into the wall
What the hell is going on?
The vision are still winning these rounds like it or not. I did I gotta say you know sphinx in this trade work
has been really rough across this CT side.
He's actually had a number of chances
of that kind of round defining trades
from that missed Jame 1 round to go out towards.
Banana, if you remember, is double there out towards car.
Another swing and a miss on the trade out in the apartments.
These are really important equalizing kills.
Spinks keeps coming up short.
Either taking a couple of seconds too long to actually go it.
That one, he tries to play immediately.
Push down all the way through, Banana.
This is bold.
Xershin realizes he might have to do this himself and it's that pressure that
puts him on the receiving end of flit.
It's been a lot of this half, hasn't it?
Okay.
Still need a refrag.
Spinks is gonna get it. Dink comes in on Jame.
No commit to B now.
That was your chance to trade with the orb and it's missed.
Spinks gets the block and everyone gets to take a deep breath in this three on three.
Hopefully this can serve as a nice little reset for Spinks, because...
Power position on this smoke fade.
Just whittle, slacks the cares down, Nate goes in, his time's up. James gonna do this alone.
Torsche on this line, has it in his pocket and Maus, it is labored. It takes a while from the 10 to half, but they get the job done.
Playoffs secured.
A grueling battle on map 2, a very different story to how this series started.
That's right Hugo, I agree 100%
Just not really to come back, you could get all the way through and through from the side of P vision, but naturally
As things rocked up, and as my analysts do the same exact thing here
Cool stuff from the side of Malice
I mean, right now it looks like they gave just a little bit more breathing room inside of P-Vision here
on the second map of the series because there's quite contrast from the first.
Yeah, I think it was just they had a big lead and then sort of it was a matter of time before they were going to be able to close it out.
Although, in this particular round I was like, why did they even buy, you know, like instead of going for a half-buy and having to have everything for the final round,
but they knew something I didn't, were able to put the bullet, close it out, 13-10, and yeah, that was a super convincing series from ours,
which I think was important to bounce back obviously after the loss to Futh
and still make the playoffs.
I think not making the playoffs after winning Bounty would leave a sour taste.
Yeah, they never really felt like the win was in Jeopardy.
And I feel like Maus had a lot of good idea.
I think the connection between the players was very good.
Like whatever they made, I move on one side of the map.
It was just recent to do the right play on the other one.
And then just all the individuals having some phenomenon plays here and there.
So it's good to see that Maus is still picking up the form
and also just the fact that this type of game can always
be a little bit scary when you know it's a new team,
like you don't really know what type of team
you're going to be doing up against.
Like the identity of James' team has always been kind of
similar, but with new players, things might change.
And I think like for the advantage over the T-Sides
that the extra manager pulled out,
he caught P-Vision in some very uncomfortable situation.
You have situation where there were three guys in the spawn
and they had no idea.
And it just felt like P-Vision, who run the game, had a lot of issues to hold on to the map.
Yeah, it was a great game and it felt like Miles was getting an extra element to their T side with Xersha,
because they're doing some of these instinctive plays, like leads, contact plays,
based off of what he was able to call in previous rounds.
There were a few rounds in the mid-to-late part where they're finishing and they're finding the weaker side.
You know, three players were towards B, they go towards the wrong guy on A, so some good
leads in there from exertion as well.
Yeah, all around the first solid series from Miles.
And it doesn't seem as though there was a prolific struggle from the side of Miles in this series.
I mean, sometimes we can see them do have to do the bounce back from the ground floor.
But in this series, after map one, just how much of a tone setting, present setting was that?
You just feel that they were on the same pace throughout the entire game, and that's what really stood up to me.
even in the rounds where they had like a partial fire, shaped guns, they would all have a good idea how to approach these kind of rounds.
And it was never really up to the randomness.
It also just pieces into the team plan, the system that Cyclone has really tried to implement into the mouse team here.
And it just feels like a unit that has come up to a really good start and has started to believe a little bit more in one of the things that they didn't believe in the past season.
Yeah, it is time. Let's hear from Mouse. Thanks Freya, what do you got?
It is indeed, yes, congratulations to Maus, and obviously to Spinks joining me here, making
it through to the playoffs.
Let's be honest, it was two quite different maps, so let's start with the good on Dust
2.
Very decisive CT side from you, what were some of the reads you had on P-Vision there?
I don't know if it's reads on P-Vision, I think it was a great game, especially in terms
of communication, moving around, and the CT side does too, when the MVP is doing it.
It makes the map much easier. We worked on this map a lot. We were pretty shit on it
in the past. But we worked on it a lot and I'm happy to see the flowers blooming.
You're being a bit humble, Sphinx. You had a great first map too, no?
Yeah, I had some good rounds. Everyone had some good rounds. But yeah, I think it was
a full team effort. Everyone had their moment. I'm just happy to show some good us too because
we had a rough year with it.
And then we move on to that second map, where we have a 10-2, first half for you in Inferno.
CT side gets a little bit trickier there.
What was a P-vision doing to make that one bit harder for you to close out in a quick
fashion?
I think in general, Inferno is a map that fits Paris vision a bit.
It's a slow map and it's a playstyle, so it fits them pretty good.
And yeah, I think on our CT side, the sweet decent good job on banana as a T. And maybe
some rounds could go the other way around, but maybe we managed to have a good view from
the T side so we have some space to let them have some rounds.
It felt like they were just going B, after B, after B. Why do you think that was?
I just think Fleet is a great banana player. Let's follow with our other guy. It's also
pretty common, it's pretty meta to just fight banana again and again and again. And yeah,
it wasn't only on B, we also died on A a bit, we also fucked up on A sometimes, but I think
brought ourselves into some good situations and just because we were a bit slow and a bit slow
rotations it was a bit easy for them. Was that what I saw Sarkovo was calling a timeout? I want
to say it was like round 18, round 19, you guys were 11 to 8 up. He called a timeout. Was that what
he was telling you guys? It was being a bit slow to react? Also this, also slow to react and also
to think what we need to do, what we are doing and sometimes also just chill out. We still have
the lead, we have good economy now, we will buy everyone until the end. Let's see what
the players will bring up and let's go with it.
Top 16 secured at the very least for you. We've seen some of the other kind of bigger
names take. Let's call it the scenic roof going through the lower bracket and talking
about spirit, vitality as well in the same situation as you. Where are you placing Maus
in terms of that top 16 considering you just won a trophy in Malta?
Yeah, it was nice to leave the trophy finally, but of course we didn't play in Malta the
Other big teams like besides spirit. I think everyone looks a bit
shaky at times
Vitality qualified
Two ones spirit as well as as well. Thank you to the start of the season everyone getting the song back in a way
And yeah, well we are in this press month
I don't know, we'll see after the tournament.
Is it a bit of a proving ground?
Now I'm leading into that top 16 you said in Malta, you know, didn't have to face all
the top teams.
Do you think this is your chance to prove that, okay, we can take them down?
First of all, we have a thing from the coach that they always say, yeah, we can only beat
what's in front of us.
And that's what happened in Malta.
We beat whoever we faced.
That's it.
And, yeah, I don't know if it's a goal, we are still a new team.
I think we are just, let's see what we get.
I just wish to go to the A-Corina again, good experience, it's still the only way to go,
but once every time.
I'm sure there's some great memories, hopefully awaiting you once more in the A-Corina, thank
you so much, Spinks, that is Miles, the top 16 at the very least.
Yeah, to be honest with you, I don't really much care what Launder said about you, Spinks,
I think you're a right fellow.
And speaking of which, that's why we continue to move forward and look at exactly what he's
done here for this squad.
Yeah, you know, I think one of the most important things for the squad is that they have actually just started believing a little bit.
And I think that has haunted them a little bit with what they achieved, not last season, but also like last year, you know, so many second places and, you know, they may play us all in time again.
And from that given moment, you know, they probably have been thinking, when do we get better? Like, when do we actually move that extra step so we start...
I'll be going to the end of this.
And I remember, I texted Simix asking me, like, what's the plan?
Like, what are you going to do?
Like, are you going to try and find a player?
And he's like, yeah, but as, you know, as a coaching team, me and Saaco, our responsibility
is to keep the guys believing in the project.
And he did that for six months, and then they stopped believing, right?
And then they had to make these changes and then starting to see for the really rebel
bound to win.
And it's just good to see that there's a little bit more like, like, believe in the
team.
And I think that's also what's going to move them forward.
Well, let's keep it, let's keep the ball moving.
We've got some rounds to look after, and I'm looking at one of the earlier rounds in this game.
A bit of a misread or misplay, at least the Jame death.
What happened here? You got a count of five?
Yeah, at the recent round, you can see the buy isn't great for Maus.
It's a super important round for them to win.
Jame sees the smokes for Rat Pay, falls back.
He's going to fire off for shots here.
Exertion actually gets the angle on him.
But what I love here is a lot of players would like,
ah, Jiggle, worry about Jame sort of repeating with Yaw.
Exertion just sends it because he knows like if Jame is worried about him then his teammates will be able to get to trade and get the side
And if not, well, he'll be able to be a big factor in that split. You can see that he got Jame in the back
I didn't completely sort of didn't expect that whatsoever
And it was an easy round in the end for Maus where if they lose it they will have to eco and maybe we have a
Different result here on inferno. Just maybe we do impress you learn more about this result from the P vision side
You have to ask him for it
Yeah, Trius P-Vision might be pushing this one to a third. Ultimately, it does fall down on Inferno.
Dasan, commiserations, I just want to touch upon the T-Sides on that Inferno,
because it felt like you guys were putting the puzzle pieces together,
Flip was getting some grey openers on Banana.
What happened in those final moments that meant you couldn't push this one?
On the T-Side, I think at the end, even with Fat 5v4,
And we just don't need to rush things and just finish like late-time and cast
because the two players already was half HP, but this game was start on Dust2.
It was three big mistake rounds with no pistol rounds losing to eco,
then 5v3 losing and Dust2 too many mistakes.
But on Inferno I think it's three rounds not enough.
Maybe if it was five or four it will be better.
But generally, it's a pretty good result.
Maus is a hard team now, and we have more invites on this season.
And I understand that Clique needs a bit more time.
He didn't play half-year, and Slux is still young.
He even has no experience in Inferno.
And we need some time to play better.
And today Maus was better.
I think that's totally apt. I just want to leave with one question then.
What are the takeaways from this event?
What are you reading into this to move forward in the year?
For this tournament, we prepared like we worked a lot on cash.
We worked a lot on other maps and we didn't show today.
But generally, we came here. It's our first tournament.
We feel good, normal environment.
we have good opportunities and our goal is major. Nothing is a good event, nice feelings
and every opponent was very good here. No easy opponents. It was Maus, it was Hunter
Thieves and even Bait, Bait, winning Vitality now.
Well, thank you so much for your thoughts as always, Dustan. Unfortunately, that is the
end of the road for P-Vision here in Paris.
Yeah, tough cut of the draw there. You heard some pretty good words as far as re-slotting
some of these players in where they want to fit them in with the game that they want to show.
Yeah, absolutely. They're going to take some time to get up to speed, start to test,
and even play in front of really, I think Dustin in his interview talking about their
he mostly likes the basic maps, your Dust2s, your Mirages, and what's not. So getting that
experience is going to be key for them to improve later on.
Yeah, the man is positive. That's the thing. I just saw it as a good opportunity for the team,
and it really felt like they didn't have any expectations coming in with the little practice
they've had in the first event together. I guess it's fair ride with what the opposition mean.
Could have faced, easier team could have faced worse, but I mean like it's a little bit of a
dream but there was some mistakes that need to be done, that's for sure. Yeah and you know some
of the individuals just weren't there to take Zelo. I know Jacob was talking about our level
compared to Bait but I'm not so sure about that but you get to bring in there for Zelo,
he's gonna get you a couple. Oh, he's gonna get you a couple and get him in, if you put him in
Right now, Trace, I think you're spot on.
I think there were some rough moments in there where,
if you're in that position, like, man, please,
please just let me find one.
They're just like, sometimes it's just not your day.
He was also the guy jiggling on dust,
in that drown where Spring's sliding.
Kills in with the Galil,
and you know, just have one of those days
every night that happens.
Let's look at round 18 real quick.
Jayne gets lost in the first plan a little bit.
Yeah, and it's one of those adaptations from Maus
that I just really liked.
You know, throughout their CT side,
they did end up giving for them a control lot,
And now they start to fight a little bit and that doesn't result in actually a conversion here for paravision
So they turn their attention around go back to the A bombsite and you know
Selects his left to his long to me like he doesn't love to just try and dump utility to conceal it
There's more people here, but in you know in in a true P vision fashion
You know it is just game playing very slow and that means that he's he's needed to force you go and find the bomb
It's seven seconds left and yes, it gets a double this and then the question mark here is even though that sway gets a bomb down here
We have James stuck in the corner with an all-brand.
He's just like walking around.
It would have been better if he would have stuck with the guy,
maybe staying a long, maybe holding mid-control.
But he doesn't add any pressure.
He doesn't do anything specifically,
and he just ends up going down.
And it's like he tried to over-cook a little bit
in this situation.
It's one of those situations where you, hopefully,
he would have stuck the team a little bit more.
Yeah, this is where you can see that they're just
somewhat disjointed, too.
Because when they're cheating the bomb site,
you know, Snapchat is sort of, where is he looking at?
I mean, the player has to be really side,
James covering long for him, and that's where he's aiming.
And also, he's the full HP player,
Flitz with the low HP probably should have just gone in first
to get the information on that.
One guy, you know, that's supposed to be in the A bomb set.
So those small things really started adding up.
Is this something where, yes, as we put a ribbon and bow
on the time P-Vision spent with us here at the EWC 26,
is this something where we can at least say,
okay, Flitz showed up?
That's pretty cool.
He was here today, he came to play.
We had a second Furno, I mean, a slow Dust 2, but a second Furno and lots of praise for him from Spinks too and how he approaches Banana and what he can do and I think that's what you would expect, that's what you would like for Flick to do on a consistent basis for this team and if he can, then yeah, it will prove to be a crucial part of the team.
That's why he was brought in to see, to get a little bit of that experience, right?
You know, they tried that with Hopped, but they also knew that Hopped probably was going to be something for the future.
So yeah, it's good to see Flip coming into this role with all the new guys.
And I think that's also just one of the things that I actually thought was really nice with P-Vision.
The beginning was that James picked up so many young talents to try and find the new one to bring into the fray.
And it worked for a while, but then he realized, OK, we're still making too many mistakes when it gets the most crucial.
That's why we need a little bit more balance.
And then Flick was probably the obvious one since they know what they can get off him also from the side of Dusty.
Yeah, I think also some of those deep runs were really more a testament to how poorly other teams were playing at the time.
But P-Version was good at really minimizing mistakes and then having solid fundamentals and not throwing away advantages.
And that's all it took for them to rise to number three in the VRS.
Well, it sure should get you very far, right?
Yeah.
You probably wouldn't win that many trophies.
And now that other teams have sort of gotten their stuff together and made some changes and made some improvements,
now that it's going to be really hard to sort of repeat some of those performances.
Which is, well, I guess for us to say goodbye to P-Vision, got close.
You had me in the first half, not gonna lie, you had me in the first half.
We say goodbye to them, Mowz move on in the playoffs.
Let's actually just kind of look at the brackets as they are, at least within Group C.
We still have D games being played, but for Group C,
It has unfolded quite much like this. Vitality, sending 100 thieves down to the realm of shadows,
where in which they also met another shadow.
Yeah, I think it's clear that it's actually pretty much all of the teams that we expected to go through.
Like, you know, Vitality was never really in doubt once they dropped the low off
road bracket that they would go on and just went against Limbish in a very one-sided game.
And just nice to see that Maus also made it. And I guess the biggest surprise to me maybe
is a space going through in the all bracket? Yeah, beating Vitality obviously, the surprise
package of the tournament, but ultimately you would have said that last spot is between them and
P-Vision probably with the caliber of teams, so definitely earned it and earned a high seat which
well with how many teams are in the lower bracket, at least they won't be able to get Vitality or
Maus, but you know a spirit is also going to be lurking in there. Yeah, Foot having beat Maus to
2-1 also, I think on paper probably looks like a stronger matchup from the mouse side.
Yeah, it was a close series. I'm happy that FOOT didn't regress too much because of the
player change and honestly, Xplow fits like a glove in that team.
Not just on the server, but out of the server with his temperament and personality, I think
he's a great fit for the team. So, looking forward to seeing FOOT in the playoffs.
Keys being crushed, something that makes you feel on the inside.
I mean, I said it before, I always wanted to try and do this.
I've never played at EWC, so I don't know how it feels.
But it must be nice, you know, to kind of...
Hey, this is the last key before we can make playoffs.
I'm going to crush the key, so...
I think... I like it more the fact that you get to pick...
When you win the event, you get to pick the three keys that you want down there.
So you can like...
It doesn't even have to be a team that you play.
No. Just pick the teams that, you know, you have a bit of a grudge against.
but looking over at group B yesterday, we had Furia and Navi take care of business
in advance to the playoffs. Mongols earlier today took out Payne for a spot as well
and 9Z and Magic are playing right now. Magic actually won the first map
and are 1-0 up in that series and we'll see if they can pull off an upset.
Pretty sure right now though in map 2, 7-4, yeah, 7-4 for 9Z.
So there's a little bit of a battle there. I say that they dropped two people in the score box.
Anyway, if you guys are cool with this, I'm cool with this.
We can continue to move the show on,
maybe get ourselves to a break,
set ourselves up for the last best of three here
on the A stream so that we can watch Astralis
play the ninjas in pajamas right here live
from Paris, France at the Esports World Cup Club
Championships 2026, yanko, hit it.
Well.
Play is in our DNA, whenever we let it out, it becomes our superpower.
imagine an entire city being built to supercharge it. Kdea City powered by play.
They're going to have free real estate over here.
Flash in. They're not going to be quiet about it.
Also, Peek should know at least the possibility of presence here.
Keep going for a made-of-clear while this is going on.
This is perfect. The CK Force is going to be here for when the hate comes in.
That is now a block smoke, we're at the cross for a moment, also one of the sites, right through the smoke, Max is 5'7, it's put to good work.
An absolute chaos as Magi's still gonna try to get on the bomb site, Max has slipped the defensive line.
Moon trade's back, but bombs still not planted, no one else on the site!
That's 9Z stealing one robbery in broad daylight!
That's a rough one, all awesome. Again, just real good utility.
To slow that walking push, that encroaching T side tied up ramp, a single smoke, divides them,
makes them think anything better, you get yourself a nice angle to work with from elevator,
and just goose in general, and they made it work, and it looked really good.
mitigating all the losses in 9-Z with the investment of a Scout and some Pistols.
Now one themselves around and they're back to a two-round lead.
Another technical pause.
As we look towards the performance of the players so far,
Tenty not losing a single step, 14-7, AW on the other hand, a bit more struggles
on this map than the previous five and six.
On the side of 9Z, Max Lee in the way, 12 and 7.
Each of, not too far behind, 8 and 7.
And I dip down from there.
This was kind of a worry, you know, if Tenzin A.W. Bolton performs you that spectacular level,
it was unknown about how the series would go. Obviously, it's still a close series.
series, but it still is having an excellent performance.
Yeah, it favors 9Z especially after the bonus round denial.
Right now it does seem like Denzi top in the server followed closely by Max12Kills, the
the team for both sides. Fairly lackluster in the way of supporting these guys. Each player having
that standout outlier for the most part that's being matched fairly closely. But somehow,
9-Z just squeaking out this two round lead is feeling a lot heavier on the shoulders of magic
than it might should be. Man's got his headset back on, so hopefully not too long before we get
get back into the action you'll find a well and again if this does go to a
third map third map would be Inferno which is a lot scarier for the side of
magic than it would be for 9z magic not a team that tends to try to be in that
direction too often you all 9z quite experienced on that 10 maps in the last
three months so I think that as you will we still got dust to settle and maybe
you won't even have to worry about a third I'm inferno
maybe not but if this economy for magic will be broken obviously the most they
have is $100 on trade aid collectively the team has $250 so not much left in
the bank to make progress if this round doesn't go their way and you know
obviously getting that bomb down would be nice.
Okay, very nice.
And maybe, maybe a chance through an explosive play.
That does seem what they're trying to set up towards Kat.
Smoke about to fade.
no plenty of delay utility
50 seconds on the clock. Well, this Nade might hurt.
This Nade's definitely gonna hurt if it gets thrown.
Yep, smoke down low. Lot less damage than maybe thought.
The double up doesn't feel too good either.
Because he drops down and out of hit comes Zane Moon.
That's a good way to open up.
But you got two players that can test for that long.
This is what we planned for chat and also Peek takes out Tenzi and
come down to a 4 on 4 Moon and AW.
He players the forehand down low, fade 8 out.
Iron next to find one of his own and
Now it's all towards me
Then I think this might be all she wrote here for this round and it is for a live somehow forward 9z with a
No loss retake
That's now into a three round
lead let's see how that bomb plant though
Something to be happy about going into the next
Although no matter how happy or doesn't stop the fact that you're still
very, very poor. Yeah. Nope, and it does seem like time's starting to run out to gather
money because 9-Z are kind of in line to hit double digits here, unless these Deagles can
really do something magnificent, but one already gets deleted straight into the round as well,
and it's two bodies out in the first 15 seconds, and maybe the hopes and the prayers that we
had to this maybe being around the
match can find have dwindled away to
just moon just moon and his trusty
deagle
let's see what you got nothing all right
10 to 6 double digits secured for the
South American side and now a buy back
from Magic. A very crucial point in this match, a very crucial point in this map.
Honestly, a very crucial point in this series.
Said earlier, the team relied too much on Tenzi and AW having astronomically amazing
performances and now I think these are the repercussions we're seeing here. Tenzi still
having a great great game but AW only being five and eight.
He's like the team still can't really pick up the pieces without them.
I mean the problem is that just there's no one
else on the team that's able to recover even fractually
compared to the performance that AW was able to put up.
Ray Day at least finds an entry, a very important entry.
It's the first time that he's had a player advantage in quite a long time.
Blocks mode comes out.
With a minileft, still plenty of time for the T's to wiggle the ray around the map.
But as Tenzi rotates over, you have to assume it's just going to end on A.
Lookin' like that, Magic kinda takin' that opposite route.
I saw 9z take a BBB and then B again.
Smoke for that cross now, going out.
Flash to fold off, just a little bit more.
Got Iron, finds that first kill at one state.
Oswald just not wanting to cross with only a four on four now and all the guns focused on that smoke Max finds one
a W going for the high ground for that Molly been a slow him it down enough to where he's not gonna
Wanna spray coming in but I have to time. Oh, this would be absolutely detrimental
This max swing he dies. Oh and moon gets the trade, but it doesn't really matter
Oh, there's no money on AW now. No at all. Yeah, no money no weapon
And with 90s option ultimate point
Crushing mean you got tech 9s a Mac 10 and an off well glass cannon at that it's
Oh, it's quite a lot of damage on a loot shop
So at least the op that saved over doing good work
But we'll be followed up by any of the pistols
Perhaps the SMG of
hospital
I've caught out max falls back
This is a bit of damage
We were there
For every click every clutch every respawn
We were there for the years of grind, and were here.
Now, the proud founding partner of EWC, powering the biggest event in gaming, shoulder to shoulder
with the world's best, making history.
This deserves a stage.
Lenovo Legion, reach your impossible.
Well, for our next and final matchup here on the A-Stream, we've got two historic names
with modern rosters and one playoff seat remaining.
Strauss-Patton, more time to prepare after Thouken's loss and, well, I guess from the
ninjas of the Jama side, arrived from a 2-0 elimination win over Betboom, powered by one
of the best performances we've seen all of it, long in the size of Kopersky.
The oldest looking 20-year-old, right?
Well, if you want to...
He looked like a killer in that game, Trace, and showed a lot of people why he's held in such high regard.
Well, let's do it this way. Because we're talking about identity, which of these teams has the clearer identity right now?
It has to be Astralis, you know.
They had the same lineup for the entire tier 2026, and even though it's them switching international at the start of the year,
that still gives them an edge in terms of team play, cohesion, just familiarity, you know,
being on the same page. They did make some changes to the staff, right, obviously bringing Neo in,
bringing a new performance coach as well, but even with all that, you feel like this is a game that
they should be winning. Yeah, they definitely should, right? It's also just a little bit in the
department of the player material. I'm also thinking in the off directions like BlueZero
It's found still being a very new guy that has picked up the off or see himself as an off or wherever
He has like some sort of like identity crisis. I don't know
And how did that one turn out for rolling right?
Yeah, no joke. I mean we do have a Danish Darby all since his content are all weird since it's considered
Yeah, it's not every day you get to see what would be hooksies there and y'all be going up against the likes of snappy
down and shush, but if you had to pick one or the other, Janko, let's just say.
Me and Mindymo?
Yeah, 3v3 fight, straight up.
In the server, in the server.
No, yeah, I was like, wait, I was trying to think which team is config on, but he was hired.
Yeah, I mean, it's interesting, we got those like the Danish IGLs going up against each other.
We also have a couple of coaches, you know, who used to play for a long time on a really high
level, exist behind an AP and NEO, behind Astralis, but yeah, it's been an inconsistent
season for Astralis, we've seen flashes, we've seen some really good games obviously at Crow League,
being Spirit in that quarterfinal, but then at Rivals struggling against Gamer Legion and the likes.
So yeah, they're just looking to find more consistency in the second half of the year.
One of my biggest concerns when I'm actually looking at Astralis is specifically their Metcool,
which is not really looking that great, right? They've picked up Katch, they haven't picked up
a win and does two yet. They have a scrubby one on the rock with one win and one loss and then when we look at their nuke
That used to be the map that they really like to pick you know that then but ever seems like the last three months
They've lost it one out of seven and there are four to five conversions sits at a
Listen, gentlemen, two percent. What two percent is the way five conversions
You know we said almost feels like it's the title right, but it's not that kind of sums up that if you lose the first
practice, then you have a 98% chance of losing. Yeah, I guess it's one of two things. Either
they're all in a lot, so when they lose, like the first guy around just falls apart, or they're
really struggling, you know, to come up with solutions if they lose that opening kill.
It is on the T side to just be frank, so we don't put them too much on the device.
I don't know. I look at, at least on the side of Astralis, I think there's always been this
sort of question mark around what sort of vibe Hooksy can bring to a team and keep alive within
the team within a weird confines of our weird community that we call home right there's always
some thread about Hooksy there's always something being said about how he's leaving and steering
this team how do you think it's going less far oh hi i think they have bigger problems than Hooksy's
vibes yeah you know like sure at times you can have like whether a player is taking it too far
with the criticism and what should the focus be but also on the flip side of that is if the players
are making mistakes all the time like what are you supposed to do as the leader like you need to
sort of get them in line call them out to some extent so yeah I think first they need to take
care of the counter strike before they can worry about all the vibes right in the team.
And we previously talked about also that Roca is now way removed and I think it helps,
I think that helps. I think there was an issue between him and Roca and maybe how they saw the
all the games we played. So Neo coming in is also going to help the team I think, but
I agree. There's more to it than just Hooksie. We know that he has issues sometimes fracking,
right? But Nabi also has that.
It's true. They definitely do. Speaking of when you are Hooksie moving around PSYGL,
they really...
It really is just a Danish thing.
No, because we...
Oh, okay.
Don't put me in that one.
Because I thought...
I'm very English, overall.
How about Hooksie manipulating Ryu and moving him around the map, the way he needs to?
I mean, like Rio is one of the guys that I didn't know too much about before he was actually picked up.
He had his time in Monten.
I think he started out really strong in the astrologers.
And I think he got a lot of love specifically in the Danish community because there was a lot of issues there
when people got very upset that they went away from this Danish lineup.
So I think he proved to me that he was really strong and obviously he does put up a good amount of frags
and a good KB on Nuke.
But I mean, Nuke is a map about the team.
It's not about the individual.
So it's just not enough.
And I still think Rio has a lot to bring to the team.
But if it's enough, I'm not sure.
But I'm more concerned with Fuse if I'm a player.
Yeah, I was going to say that's probably the bigger one
you keep an eye on, because we've shown flashes early on
in the year.
But lately, it's been really a liability for the team,
you know, from missing sitters to just struggling
to make the correct decision in some of these mid rounds, right?
And we know how important the Opers are in Counter-Strike forever.
And it doesn't matter what the meta is,
the Opers are always going to be a focal point of the team.
And, you know, you saw what he's capable of,
and, again, spirit in the game at pro league, right?
Completely shutting them down.
And so, like, Keeze needs to do that every single game.
But every now and again, you know, you need to be able to raise your floor,
and then it just hasn't been there for Fuzi.
On the other side, Nip went from losing 5-13 to legacy to sweeping Betboom, and I guess that would beg the question as to what changes.
You know, how does that go from such a shifting sample?
That is the issue with NIP, like you don't really know what NIP is going to be showing up.
Then they have a game against BetBP, sorry, where they looked really solid by, you know, where they get a lot of things done,
and thankfully, to Kazverski, Zaltje did a lot of good things in that game.
But, you know, it's a conflict at this point.
I feel like it's literally when you look at how Znabi approaches his defaults and his system.
And also that's what happened in Falkin.
Like, some games we would have ideas and we've had some really good game plans,
but it just requires so much of your players and they're not hitting their shot,
then you're not going to get anything out of the game plan.
And he doesn't have the star power to bail him out.
Yeah, I think we saw, you know, obviously you can't bank on Kasperzki having a game like that.
Not always.
time, but he is a super solid player and mechanically, you know, just incredibly sharp and incredibly
quick with that first bullet too. So yeah, the concerning thing is when he says, like
you mentioned, like, we don't know which NLP is going to show up, right? So that's obviously
a problem because when you have such huge volatility with your performance, how can
you count on anything? Like, how can you establish consistency? You cannot. So it's about figuring
out how to raise their floor, get like similar performances from the players so he can then
see what works, what doesn't work and how to keep building.
Let's go ahead and hear from Stown.
It is just about time for us to get into the server so we need to hear from him now.
Now while our second series of the day is still going on, I've managed to capture the
man of the hour in Stown and there's a reason for that because let's address the elephant
in the room.
We're going up versus form organization in Australia.
Can you tell me, first of all, the emotions that brings up for you?
I mean, it's going to be a fun game.
I mean, Flingen, especially against Järvi,
because I've been teaming with him for so many years,
so it's going to be fun playing against him.
We also, I mean, we're still really good friends.
Me and him, and Starr as well.
So it's not like a grudge match, I would say,
but it is definitely more like,
there's more emotions for sure, like you say,
and it's just going to be a fun game.
And one of us has to go to home today.
Yeah, of course, do or die time, fight literally
both squads on each side of the equation when you're preparing the game with
Snappy that I know it's in a different a different Astralis system now they've
gone international but how much kind of help can you offer him with maybe some
tendencies that your friends former teammates might be putting himself up?
Yeah I mean I think I know them obviously more than Snappy does right
and but then again I also think that they also changed up a little bit how
they play especially since when the since they went international right so I
I think I mean I can bring some stuff but overall it's just like preparing in
the other match I would say but obviously yeah it's fun to prepare against the guys.
It's quickly one of such a point your newish role there's been a couple of
months now you've been primary or per how well do you feel that you've adjusted
to this role? Well I think after a decent job I would say I mean I still think I
could do even better but I mean obviously time will help I think but I
I think it's been fun so far and I enjoy it and I think the team is also happy with it, so I'm excited to keep going.
And just final question touching upon that, what's been the most difficult thing about becoming the primary AWPer?
I mean, I have gotten that question before, I think it's hard to say what exactly is the most difficult thing I think in the beginning.
I think it's like when you miss some of the easy shots because obviously it is
Like the easiest weapon to kill with and away and also maybe that it is the best weapon in the game
So when you sometimes miss the easy shots then
Comparison when you arrive for example after a game when you sit in the bed at night and I want to sleep
It maybe you can think about us and maybe I spray you maybe with but it's a little bit different when you're like
It's all so that it's like a different mental thing. I would say but I don't know anything on that
So I'm gonna let you get your head back in the game because you had to order time between Astralis and AP going down very shortly
Ray I don't know about you, but it sounds like he's got his head in the op game almost a little too much there
Pace if you were thinking about miss Pays you'll never get to go to sleep. Yeah. Oh, I think you so much for that
I do still live in the purgatory that is losing to Frank. Y'all landed I in Beijing, but that's a totally different story
That's not here. That's not now
Now, what is here and now is the fact that we need to know our three maps.
Gentlemen in Astralis vs Nip on the last day of this stage of the event.
Yeah, and we see NIP getting rid of Dust2, now Anubis for Astralis, and this is where
you wonder, like, is NIP actually going to pick Nuke now, and yes, they are.
We mentioned Astralis in their track record on Nuke in the last three months, and yeah,
it's been a weakness for them, and on the flip side we see the Inferno pick for Astralis,
Snappy didn't play it for the longest time in his teams, but they picked it up with NIP this year, had some decent results on it
Early on a couple of wins, so we'll see if they can keep rolling against Astralis
This one is just like if you're if you're Astralis and you kind of know that you're gonna go play in New Grail
Because that's always the pick that they're not in decides to go for and I think they're a fair enough pick
Looking at the entire map from under win ratio
I think you could make sense that Astralis goes and this is what they pick up to map wins
So it's also maybe just like narrow down to what do we have to feel confident on and then obviously getting rid of
Antion and for the likes of an IP say it who's what are we playing?
Well, I think I should have been there for the last one because you know, it's the map the full teams is picked up
So let's play we do get to see it. Um, well, we made me well, I get ahead of ourselves. Nothing
Okay, so cash third map sweet new conferno cash
Guys, let's throw it out there now. What we could say our predictions of types
I really want to just be seeing, I want to see someone that can back up scat over here.
I want to see Fusey winning that hit to head with style because Fusey has regardless of
his results, had issues but I still want to see more of him.
I'm going with his father's NIP twin consistent.
Okay, EWC play, match pick-ums or predict-ums as I like to call them, there is a QR code,
you go ahead and just grab it right now.
Do it right now because it's time to play the game.
I feel like to play against the Astralis guys.
For this remaining spot.
The last one that we're going to get to cover over here on the A-Stream.
You can next thing you know, we're into the playoffs, bigger stage,
more crowd, more states, single elimination, round of 16.
A lot of money on the line.
Head to head, we haven't had since last year, or since down, joined NIP, and he's had some
great moments, hasn't he, on the AWP.
So excited to see what he can bring to the table today.
Heaven smoke on this Exocube, it lands quite shallow, maybe trying to make it look like
outside play but they're going for this top one.
Gabby, oh, I turned but won't come to matter.
All the kills, but Longin, NIP, Fuzzi does what he can
but he's getting sandwiched here, they're on either side of him.
Tenty.
And that leaves it just on Ryu.
Up the vent, good for one.
But Eskys Bersky right there and loaded ready to go.
Yeah, I like the nib just cool off the possibility of going for that plant in that hectic a hit
They realize like the kill's gonna come to us. Let's just wait for it
Is it a thing this is a head-to-head with
the
Only sweet on the side of the strollers and as many Danes in NIP
As that of the Astralis squad it's true is with see a Danish flag behind NIP, but why not?
It's actually no today Harry.
This guy is very clutched.
There was a period when he was in the Young Ninjas.
He went on a streak of 31 one-clutches, 31 from 1B1s to 1B4s in a row.
No lost clutch.
How do you do that?
No, that is crazy.
How do you do that?
It's got to be the record, but was broken of course coming into this main team, but
He still had a few strong maps in this short period of time.
This is sneaky for MIP.
They made it all down B. Four players in secret.
No one rotating yet for Astralis, but sooner MIP go, the better.
He was on his rotation.
There's the door open, and wow, he grabs the eagle, but with the lobby contained, bombs
should be going down
We get yabbi versus stown
Fuzi gets rid of no oh
And there's a follow-up from that Fuzi D eagle. This is ex Kaspersky though
So, I'm gonna count this guy out.
Full gold on the AK, got the drip.
As you have the metal to back it up.
There's the double.
Can't quite round out the clutch.
Yabi there to complete it.
An Astralis looking to steal on back,
straight away with this force.
Saved by the bell there.
Big D's from Fuzi and Yabi is such an important closer.
Chambers in lobby weren't ready for more than one.
Multiple players flanking hot there.
But despite Shersh finding Hoocsi, he still turns around after this kill and that's what opens up.
Even just a possibility of a retake.
Fuzi and Yabi make it a reality and that is a force by one for Astralis. Hoocsi gets hyped.
No rest for the wicked here.
And I appear on a force by.
He's above you.
Flashes in.
Fuzi arrives to support Riu and no issues here, holding onto the rampside, 5B3.
are closing in and the cover of Fuzzi gets eliminated. Maybe I'm just to fend for himself,
but it doesn't crumble under the full weight of NIP. I'm sick from the prefire on the lost
guy as well. I'm going to be keeping an eye on Fuzzi as well. In a tumultuous time I would
say, right? Really exciting prospect when he got into Astralis. We absolutely loved
the mileage you were getting out of him and and Ryu kind of the new duo in the squad right but
undoubtedly kind of hit a bit of a rough streak recently as I've been putting up the same crazy
numbers anywhere near as consistently thinking back to the time at the major it was a really rough
showing from him. But hopefully that was a bit of a focal point in the break. They want
a single mapper clone. It has been not much better since we've made it to the bounty semis,
of online games that they should have won and they did. But I think there's a lot more
expectation than what Astralis have been giving us in the last three months. Especially when
you consider you look back to like the door to this roster and I'm going to make you spirit
pro league and that's when we really took over this team. They destroyed spirit pro
in a playoff game. This is when we saw Fusey look his best in this roster, so trying to
recapture some of that for sure. And it's the strongest who have made big changes over
the break, but not necessarily in the playing side of things, bringing in Neo, his coach,
it in. Navi's psychological manager. Try to make a right turn. Performance coach. There
we go. Fuse has just got bursted there. The armorless snappy on this skill. Turns out the
the taps do of mileage and when you're at the mercy of stare
who's miles run out so
Astralis 3 to 1 conversions found but it come round right around the corner
for NIP
It's not gonna be no stranger to being one of the lesser weapon.
No stranger to Yuuki either.
I'm one of his favourite maps throughout his career.
Full ramp.
Nobody home.
luck a picked. That's moving into lower not as free as you might be expecting. Yabi been
here the whole time just waiting for his chance to strike. Snappy's gonna get his upgrade eventually
but it came at the cost of the entire team the one kill in the round on that wrap in this lower
take but now they know where he is and so feeling like he's trapped in a box here and that's because
he is foozy no messing that one up astralis still clean for one i love that rear opens the door
there for the abbey just forbates for him that no reason to check that side of control
just able to mow them down here on this b-hits too love just the amount of kind of
old boys who got their c across e w c open qualifier even now as we approach the end of the groups
Neo and Exist behind these teams.
Of course Snappy himself is one of the old boys too, although Van Exist.
36 years old.
I don't want to let that get in the way, snipeed dead first in this round.
This shot's for Fuzi, but shouldn't be too much of an issue, already got Ryu down here
at low, he's pretty alone in this endeavour, that's the one scary thing perhaps, they're
gonna get past him and that gives rise to a bomb plant for NIP.
players rampside on this replay. How do you win this, right? You need tech nines in your
face so Stam's got to do a heavy lifting here on the ramp. Ada Lam in backside, Stam, they're
surely going to clear this. Spins around but too many targets. 3 on 1 for Shush. Just waiting
in the door. They've got eyes on it as well. They won't play until they absolutely have
to skooze you up close but they could be on it and so that's when punished at 5-1
lead Astralis looking good.
This is NIP's map pick, gonna need some T-side rounds soon.
Yeah I think it's when I see you're telling yourself you can still get out of
this hall you know with just a small handful of rounds of remain threatening
You've seen kind of to no end for this Astralis squad some t-side woes for them on this map
We all kind of
But grudgingly remember that one EPL
Two zero around half. Yeah
You know that was some time ago. It's gone a bit better
They no longer get zero but CT undoubtedly where you put in your your best shift seven out of the last eight games on
New Castralis have lost, right? But I think that that's been something that's been pretty clear about EWC when you see these like massive
holes in a team's map Vita. A lot of them have looked improved for obvious reasons.
So I think some of the punished picks have actually not worked at this event in these BO3s.
I mean you also just think like after the major run that Astralis got, it was clear that a lot to get rebamped.
They lost to you.
over and over again and those P1s have to go threes.
I can this from Stairout in the yard.
Two kills deep already.
He's done a boatload of damage on a Snappy.
He's gonna try and escape and that is when Kaspersky closes in on him.
He'd like to say he's done more than enough in this round.
In the blink of an eye, down over 2v4,
Snappy's wounded and donning that AWP.
So, XKASBURSKY would have to do everything if you want to make this round happen.
The snappy clocked out of the back line and a real choke point set up over towards main.
They get funneled into those Astralis crossfires.
Yeah, you're just not seeing Astralis rotate too much.
They don't really feel the need to.
They haven't felt the threat of being.
They've given it up in multiple rounds and had no one lower and they've still won all
the retakes, right?
Just not really feeling any fear about this b-side, the yard smokes on, force it rotates, everyone's still hanging out outside
Instead is feeling good about that one after a lot of damage in the yard
Snappy is kind of at his best here when he gets you a little bit jittery, where he gets you a little bit nervous and
Calling some of those rotators too early, leaving a lot to the imagination, but yeah, you're dead on it, that's Raleigh sir, not budging
But they have their idea for how this game is playing and they are sticking to their guns
and other massive advantage.
Pressure never let off, outside his smoke will fade.
Stare can swing, but no one's ready for that repeat.
And so, trying to carve a way back into this round.
So, down in the door, get to make it.
Well, it may vary, but this is still a scary spot
for Astralis with damage done on a Fuzi.
And Ible's having to go take control over the yard
after Stare's death.
There was a little gap opened up out towards ramp, and so finally NIP have some holes to try and exploit here.
Ooh, rears dropped in, so they're going to push Lobby together here. They know about the ramp gap.
He checked it earlier, but this Lobby timing is awkward for notes.
Can he find the kill as they enter the heart? He's aware they can be here.
Does he go away? He's good shot for notes.
Mom is crawling into B, but as we've learned from this game, NIP can't really be certain about anything.
Again flanked as well. This is hesitation that buys Astralis time to rotate lower.
And you've got to cover this plant. Notice back on roof. Bomb going down. No playing very late,
but look at the timing of Yabbi. He's right there. Just here so quickly and so quietly.
Exkazbersky will get the spot. Ooh, follow up on the low HP Fuzi and Ryu,
who is holding for that late lobby player in note has to just abandon his post and come on round because they need him for this
Retake he's walked in
All the way down
It's burst you with the spot and now you've got him iced out in the open
NIP
One gap found out towards ramp and they do a hell of a lot with it
That's a kill in the yard forcing rotations out of a strahlus leaves an area of the map open for a moment
And it is immediately used against them.
That's a nice one to pull you back into this game if you're an IP.
Yeah, absolutely needed that round, didn't they?
Nice to see Note get a lot of value out of his luck.
He's just a thorn in their side, gets a kill, lives.
Doesn't offer a 2v2 that could maybe allow a Stralisthen to speed up on that V1 site.
So, good shot out of him and Exkysversky to guarantee that round for them.
Trying to break Astralis' money before the half is over.
A couple more gun rounds are going to be needed.
Straight out the door, denied, I mean this position has been locked out by Astralis.
It's both cool to make when you consider a shootout spammed out last round, doing the
same thing.
I'm never going to go back out for yard smokes.
You feel like you kind of have to put in or else you know Astralis is just going to take
their eyes off the yard.
That's certainly going to mean you face more of them later.
It's actually just a door smoke.
That's all I've got.
Got one more bit of utile birds.
Astralis don't even really have eyes outside.
They're allowed to see.
This is the worry, right? You kind of can afford to discount a little bit with none of these smokes down Fuzzi's left his position
He's just kind of roaming over towards heaven and hell. He'll be available way faster as a roti
Oh, Rio
Great position if he doesn't play it too early and as the AXE comes in his flank is gonna be mobile
They're not even looking double kill Rio drops to
And he lifts the tell the tale 5v2 nip nowhere to go
Oh, been cut off.
Disastrous round here.
Yeah, it just gets really hard, like you didn't have the UTIL to really do a lot there.
You lost the opening challenge out through door.
You're instantly in a bad spot.
you don't really feel like you have the resources to put appropriate pressure on
Astralis. That left a gap that Ryu went on to exploit and from that moment I did
the rounds over. No way of misdirecting that. Astralis kind of had a very keen
idea where an IP could be at any point in time in that round.
It's really burning through these timeouts in here.
to the right. It's a little
in this endeavor because this
tea side is getting shut down.
And we said, you know, as
Wallace, they've had their fair
share of struggles on this tea
half. You still don't want them
reaching double digits by the end
of this half. That suddenly puts
a lot of pressure on every single
round you play, starting with
single round you play starting with the pistol.
And the third round just makes a well the difference, meaning a pistol does not decide your fate on you.
Good damage there. Spam connecting on a Hoocseed.
And for these yard smokes a little bit later, this was what was missing last time they sat back in the lobby.
Hoocseed sees a player pathing with it. Break on that smoke and he gets one out in the open.
Another? Yes.
Third is too much, but job done.
Excellent shots.
That's kind of been the story for Astralis in a lot of these moments, right?
Just one player offering up two kills, and then you make the argument,
well, he's done his part in the round.
Just down to the rest of it, just kind of see it through.
Another random timing push here for Astralis.
They've done them so well, right? They've had three pushing ramp.
Now it's Yabbi in door.
does catch us nice shot locks out lobby you know both
the outside and Rio can just wind around on this fights not even expected
Rio has just been a force of nature in this game they have not played ramp at
all Strylers for the most part don't want this position and nip aren't doing
anything about it they've had a couple of walks down be it's led to one round
round, but by and large Ryu has just been a mobile terror on the CT side.
I would say this is kind of the ideal Astralis scoreline when you look at it, right?
Like Hootsy down bottom of the board, sort of where you want him.
You have stairs, your rock piece just looking solid and then Boosy and Ryu, like when they
first moved into this team and what made us rather so exciting putting a hole on it.
I'm just shocked they keep going in for door pressure because they've not got a single kill
at this position and...
Portious right? Just getting sent out to his desk every single time.
Oh another break on the smoke finds a kill.
5v3 and another round petering out in front of you.
The fact you've just been in so many of these positions 3v5 after losing two opening
I mean at this point no one needs to push right, just lock at 5v3, just get your shot
full off, ok a bit of a miss but not a problem with Ryu still in B, looking at him waiting,
full baiting.
Charles has had some very good unorthodox positions, they're getting baited in right
now with Buzi missing these shots and Yabi's only going to sell it further as you have
completely discounting Ryu in this position as a result.
has been the Joker in every round of this game right why don't secret coming up secret pushing
ramp hiding back ramp box be twice in dark just been great positional play from Ryu and I mean
it's not just it you know Astralis are allowing this isn't the plan they're putting him in these
positions they're noting the gaps and they're not letting these gaps be a problem even when you get
get control of the ramp.
Astralis no.
92 is just the perfect game for Astralis.
And again, dude, like another new position.
Just never know what to expect him.
And watch them go for garage control.
They just can't avoid it.
They're running into me through the smoke.
He's nice.
He is spamming from back garage, but that reload will cost him his life.
You'd like to think, there it is.
5v2.
Alright, you've done the hard part. You finally have an overwhelming advantage.
Just don't go giving this away.
I'm scared.
Hoopsy back of the site.
Fuzi ready to support in Heaven's side, and this 3v5 is happening!
Oh, dear.
2v5 down at 2v2 in the blink of an eye.
Hoopsy couldn't line up the double.
leaves it now on the shoulders of foosie event drop for stown just trying to
play for distance and ex-cousperity holding on for this rotation and IP they
narrowly get through with three on this T side recovering a 2v5 that was
getting away from them can't even really feel good about that sure you get
the round but every part of it terrifying and three rounds on your T
side I know a stars will have T side problems but this looks like a very
different Astralis today. Looks like a well-gamed Astralis. With good ideas, with good form,
and then an I.P. are just running into brick walls. This is not a cartoon, they're not
breaking through.
Now even if you've had your struggles on TFs, the idea that you can win a pistol and
That would be enough
It would put you on that finish line and all you'd have to do is cross it
Heavy need stacking towards the top site hoping for a main kill they try and flood over but shush has other ideas
Doesn't like how to do it ex dispersy door for his aggression and another but there's more players back here in the lobby
They will catch him. Oh no, completely unawares. 3v5.
He can adjust for this control. It's going back to aggression.
Pulburet is through the door. Stown thinks better of it.
That third player is reset. I think Snappy's realized he's pushed deep from where he was on yard.
Now he's starting to flank. It's a nice play, but it can leave you completely out of position
because of how long you need to walk. If Astralis plays soon,
Soon, Snappy's position has minimal value, only information now, they know Astralis are
about to walk out of air or walk out ramp.
Which one will it be?
Down inside of Hutt's, they crunch lobby together.
Hutt's taking great timing on that Hutt push, ends up behind them, but they make it down
the vent, it's a gamer cat and mouse, and the mouse is getting away, no with the spot,
dead on the ventrop. He said coming into this the note looks to be a clutch player. We need to
show that now. Runs the door right in a stare. Desperate times feeling like they call for desperate
measures. Leaves it to a fight and now it's just Snappy. Does have to do all these but they are
are toying with him. They are playing with their food.
Snaffy gone. Astralis with a pistol. And they can make this a very quick opening map.
Phil, this game's not meant to be here for NIP, doesn't it? Right? They hit all those
timings. It looks good. And what do Astralis do? They just drop down the vent. They just
take that free bombsite. Stam continues to walk behind them on good timing, but they're
ready. I mean, dude, if you're NIP, it feels like
Hoopsies in the team speak with you away that he's maneuvered his troops around every single player the NIP have tried to make
They still pushed in the 5v3 that is one thing Astralis didn't really do and they had their advantage
They locked in the rounds in this first half, so they did feed them a bit
Now Astralis wouldn't cop for them. He's gonna start charging that will cost them two legal shots connect from no
A ramp and a bird will do it nicely
One more man still to save him
No, it's heroics can't afford to be in vain. He gets three snappy with another
And it's left to stare in what was a 1v4. I mean they sort of trolled this 4v1 here. They've now split up
Skrzysztof Borski just trusting his timing
But Steyr looks back. He catches him look at the wrong way. I mean this they swang in they gave him the chance to win this round
And I think he just might
1v1, playing the patient game, hoping Shush comes to re-clear and look for a weapon.
He knows it's NIP massively on the back foot, Shush throwing into a 1v1 and he feels like
he never should have been in.
If there was any time, you're going to get caught by a position like this since now
and so he plays the patient game, waits for a swing, waits for a jiggle and he's got his
number.
Stare with a 1v4, keeps it in check for Astralis.
down is kicking himself as swinging through that Molly hell right notes fighting he is committed
styles trying to help him out but that gives him another one be one two more isolated fights
ex Kaspersky makes a play on his own I mean yeah it's you can see how it happens and it happens
so quickly but that's just fundamental mistakes here for NIP cost them the worst possible round
like that just that looks too easy for
step way too easy and often though does
this from that kill this round off even
Just extra spurs you walking up a load like
Best you ensure she is holding lobby. Yeah, hold a very hateable round really from an IP
You'd think of this score you you really try and secure that one
But here we go, it's just gonna run
one of them. Yeah, you tell yourself as you win this one, you've won the map. And so sure,
they lose these first few fights, but that has not been enough for NIP. Kaspersky lost
back in the lobby, but there's a player to deal with this. Boosie late on the lobby side.
Kaspersky goes looking for him, keeps his wits about him, washes out that late lurk. Lobby
side bomb now planted. Lying up! That's horrible! No, and Kaspersky gets skewed. Not meant to
B is it. 4B2 after losing a 4B1. And it's a strailess hunting format point. Hooksy
here's the footsteps, knows he's got him right where he wants him. He needs the
ace clutch if he's to pull this off. And Stown taps that bomb but Hooksy does not
Take the bait, goes out now, no kit for Stown, no round one.
Hoocsy with all the kills and the clutch to back it up.
Yeah, excellent shot for Hoocsy, and how often do you say that?
He shows up massive in this round, the Mac 10 lineup.
My God, it is meant to be for Astralis.
Four kills and a captain's clutch to put another round on the board.
Just back to back daylight robbery rounds from Astralis
NIP not in playoffs not with a game like this
Yeah, it would be one thing if you're just getting dominated
But you've actually been in multiple winning positions had multiple chances let every single one of them get away
The best thing they've done here is be a textbook example in how not to play these
man-advantage rounds.
It's been hard to watch.
This is what they're left with, collection of pistols, SMGs and a couple of rifles.
But next to no-util in this fornip, they're at the full mercy of whatever Strahlus are
trying to run. It's down. That's the AK dead first out in the yard. In the molly as well.
Oh, no steeple. Not again, right? They just hop away, but they can't escape the headshot.
Somehow that connects. 4v3. Counting nothing out here from Astralis. Look at stair. Scaling heaven.
Bomb is not resetting Lobby despite the control here from Nip.
Fuzzi is ready to go main. Give some time to Stare to get in position. He's playing
a patient. Now he's coming up through secret, so if they try and give too much time. Oh,
Stare's ready for that. Okay. Collateral through his teammate. Now
sees Ryu dead. Shush coming up the ladder. Stare's waiting for it. One more man out
through the door side. Kasperski wasn't spotted, and no, is going to hit this timing. Now
Now his Deagle's had to do so much in this game, but they're still demanding more.
It's on to the Khalil.
Oh, the turn!
Stare has a feeling!
And he wants those playoffs.
It's another attempt at the ace.
Swing out wide.
Stare's gone.
Poozie in this 1v1, and one bullet seals the deal.
There it is for Astralis.
They pick NIP apart.
They dominate them on Nip's map pick.
And Astralis now sit just a map away from those playoffs.
Yeah, dude. That's definitely so hard.
That is so sexy as I thought it was.
It was so hard right there.
I think that's maybe what, you know, was shouting out there, but yeah.
That's a complete dismantling of the enemy by Astralis on the enemy's mapping.
So let's look at it this way.
You're sitting back and watching this, you're watching Astralis kind of just dismantle Niv.
Break that down for me in the minutiae in terms of how did it all begin time around?
I think it all started, obviously on the T side for the P-Wastabi, really tried to work with what he did against PBT with playing with more layers and playing out in the yard, creating space for the players to create the round.
That didn't really succeed because they were a little shut down in pretty much everything they tried on that department of the map.
Then he reverted to going back playing a little bit more sense-tried, which has always been his kind of identity.
They had a chance at the pistol and then the second round they managed to throw away what
we fought against there.
I mean I guess what I'm going to give you is to tell this guy is just really, really
good.
He improved that in the last round.
Out of nothing he creates the round and just wins it off by trying to search.
All the clutches also went their way up by trying to search on the other side but regardless
of that you know NIP never really fought their foot in here.
Yes, they're absolutely the real deal, right?
I mean, a lot of players have really strong mechanics nowadays,
but what separates the really good ones is, you know,
the understanding of the game, the awareness,
the concentration, and in that final round,
he definitely showed all of that,
just being a thorn in an enemy side.
That's thorn, to say the least.
I mean, I didn't learn from a game like that.
These have a lot of something, just like,
it's magic people.
Yeah, just how much hurt you're feeling if you lose like that?
What was that?
How much hurt you're feeling if you lose like that?
I mean, it hurts more in the way that he does it, right?
He gets a flank in heaven, which is really good.
And then I think his reposition was really strong.
Then you see Note coming up the ladder, thinking, OK,
he got the play.
And then he turns around in that given second
when he's about to flank.
And it just haunts you, because you had the upper hand.
Like throughout the entire round, you had the upper hand.
And then you just falls apart by one guy
that just hits all the headshots and makes the right plays.
And I think it's not really what you want to be looking at it. You're in a few movies. I wouldn't be surprised if if someone who was dead said watch out one more
Haven't right now because the way the first guy played and also note was still alive. It was the ramp guy
But yeah, great round that
Astralis was able to put together in the end. Yeah, yeah, let's jump in and around
Early on things begin to start take a tumultuous turn and I do mean that shush is jump jump jumping around
Yeah, it's like really important obviously once you win the pistol to be able to convert win against this force by you can see
They go outside and IP right you're going to get down secret without any issues really whatsoever
The bomb is with them as well. It's just shush as the lobby player who's on the other side
They get the trail trade killer here real who's the ramp guy as well, right?
You can see the response from as far as was to push lobby and I don't get shush here like ramp guy dies
He kills the one player. Why is he like looking towards them? Why is he jumping around?
Like you should expect that reaction when Yard was so clear and you killed one player and now in this post plan
There's no crossfights. Everyone's playing one by one by one
You know and the foosie hits two really good shots with the deal
He had a good game and then it's first game of 1v3 that he just isn't able to finish and you lose the all-important second round
There's no business in D-winning like losing this one because with all the space you've gotten and you didn't take a single
Point of damage up until you get that first five like this should be in the books like
100% of the time and I think I agree with sure she's like it's like he's scared of what's
He should be aware that he's the one that's gonna get haunted down right you know with all the space that his teammate has the bomb
Is down he is the one to be targeted and it's just weird
You know, but that's one thing but I think the crossfire was probably the most crucial the mistakes here from from NIP
There are a couple of mistakes there, I'm sure there are a couple of mistakes.
Obviously that resets their economy and then I get it, they drop an AK for Kaspersky because he's playing so well to try and make something happen.
But you're spending a lot of resources at that point on, so when that doesn't work out, once you get to the gun round, again, someone has a Galil, someone has a Mach 10.
Maybe Snappy feels pressured to call something a bit more risky and then it becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy because you're just playing into the hand of a Stralis.
And you're making these rounds not as difficult for them to defend.
And you just throw this out of your hands.
Because let's say that they would have went secret.
And they had like a massive gamble of four players.
And they just get squeezed.
And they just lose down there.
Okay, they had a good read.
But this situation was like so much in their own hands.
That it kind of felt like a steal.
Yeah, a steal, a stare, perhaps.
A stare?
A step by round 14.
I'm pretty sure that's what we're talking about.
A stare, yet again.
He's just like the main character of a trial.
I think at this point I was actually I didn't like the call from Astralisks
of rushing Ram because rushing these type of rounds is sometimes kind of scary
when you don't really know what's happening and the staff finds himself in a
1v3 here and then he just plays it out, pays it. He literally wins around by just waiting, right?
I think node actually makes the first decision like the first mistake here by
getting a massive triple kill on Ram but then you know decides to go and fight
for that last one it's literally like either falling back or let him you know
was there at work his time and you know well played by step but the mistakes on
NIP was just again too big. Yeah that's why we talk about their inconsistencies
right like we when we saw that against BB team they were so good at the
decision-making you know individually they were sharper and here is just a
complete opposite right outside of Kasper's key not really much that we've
seen from the other players and then also this it happened multiple times
especially on the T side you obviously point out round two but you know just
Just a lack of awareness of where the opposing players might be.
If you're just dying, like getting killed on the side, players, the spacing isn't there.
Like these skills probably should be traded, right?
But just a lack of awareness is making it impossible.
Also like what you brought up yesterday, I believe, was when like what is the worst thing that he can...
Like what's the worst thing if you can stand this situation and like go away, let him work out the round.
You're like, just camp something, hold an angle, don't feed him the kills.
Because then he gets to be in the main character of the round.
Gentlemen, if we go into Inferno, and I tell you that it's something like Nip don't love this map, per se,
what are the odds Kaperski can bring one right out of the bag again and pull this right back around?
I think the weight might be too heavy for him to carry on his own, pretty sure, right?
Like, he would definitely need some help if NIP is going to come back into the series, but yeah,
it has to be almost a 180 compared to what we saw on Nuke, right?
in terms of playing as a team, in terms of just concentration levels for the players, you need to step up.
Yeah, it really just feels like there's a lack of communication, loss of awareness,
and also just a lack of, you know, maybe focusing in the right kind of moments, understanding the situation
instead of, you know, trying to be the hero of the round or whatever it be,
and it requires quite a mental reset because there was opportunities in the game, but they just threw it around.
Those 3v3s make or break games.
You know you're ideally sometimes gonna win you around by falling something's gonna lose you around by calling
But most of the time it's these post plans right and how you play in the mid-round
situational counter strike basically clutches most of the time, right?
And that just wasn't there whatsoever for for and I feel that we didn't even talk about the second time
The loss of Cali the 4 we won the 4 we to another 5 we to like it's like what's going on here, you know
One more question for you guys that you really have time for that
And I guess it just sims back to the big picture of this best of three the gravitas the weight of either advancing or going home
Which exit here would be harder to explain looking back at it
Astralis and if they were to lose, you know that would be a bigger
Shocker, right? We mentioned that they were together for longer, right?
The NFP has been going through some changes thawing the awful note that I still don't know if he's like
Standing in or is he the fifth?
I think he's the determinant of the team.
I don't know if I missed it, but that was clarified initially he was just supposed to be a stand-in,
but yeah, still some stuff there for NAP to figure out.
Yeah, I still think that Astralis had more experience as a squad to make it count against NAP.
And with NAP being such a coin flip, I also feel like it is kind of the serve for Astralis' move
regardless of how they have looked in the test.
Well, I know it makes you happy to watch Astralis do well.
At times it does.
Well, when they play like this, that's cool.
But I've also had my heart broken a couple of times.
So I'll put it like that.
And that was while you were on the team.
That too.
OK.
Yeah.
We're going to dive into more of that here in just a second.
But we do need to go to a break.
Turns out, Nip, want to try to play Inferno after all.
I don't know.
It seems as though they actually have to.
And that means that we go to a break,
we come back to Strauss, Nip, toe to toe, Inferno.
Who stays alive here at EWC 2026?
We're back.
The location is red mayor the chance to rotate back though oh oh or a double back buy as much
time as you can also we'll know what's up but at least no chance to contest the bomb
and they're gonna mean to CT you're gonna be right here right now all the angle taken
for Mosvall, but Marin hears this all.
Mosvall doesn't even clear the angle.
Goes back to the same spot that works prior.
And you know what?
If it ain't broke, don't fix it.
9-Z find themselves a third.
A very difficult half for them.
But not down and out.
We know what the squad can do.
Every round, round by round.
Sometimes you gotta look at the smaller picture
instead of the big, and right now the small picture
get more rounds.
Gonna point this out now, 10s.
And AW combined, 32 kills.
32 and 12.
They are combined.
I mean damage, both around 1500.
While everyone else is over for each of them through a half counter strike.
And I mean even if you look at the rest of that damage too across the board, you know,
700, 900, 1000 damage.
So which means the teammates are there.
are helping, they're softening up the targets with utility or anything else in between they
can, they're doing their part, they're helping and making this easier for this explosive
deal to do what they do best.
We're gonna have to see how this T side works out, also Pete already pushed down, came
to the main, able to double up for kills for themselves, make it one more, why not?
Already down, just state 8, tries to tap away on the apartments player, it really doesn't
It's a hopeless pursuit at this point.
Block runs out of bullets.
A quick, clean, efficient round for 9z.
Not a kill to fault.
And now this is the point where we need to see the mental of magic.
Obviously, very well on their CT side.
But if 9z, you know, they win this pistol,
they're going to have control of the early game.
Is that where magic bends?
Is that where magic folds?
It's hard to tell.
I mean, they seem strong right now,
but strong is also included when rifles are in play.
And if 9Z can just kind of hold that off
for at least a little bit,
maybe they can get a little more comfortable
in that position, whether it's financially or mentally.
You know, they seem kind of run down by this duo.
And hopefully we're seeing that shift a little bit here
as Freddy can leave his charge of attack nine.
It's gonna be Fonso Peak with a quick little double as Apple Mouse comes into play.
I got scared by the dink for a moment, but it is just Moon.
No bomb for him. He's about to walk.
Next to Luchov.
Tommy doesn't work in Luchov's favor.
Moon doesn't even realize the timing of it all.
At the end of the day, a done round already.
Pallied up to 9-5.
You got armor, you got some E-Tilt, you got a pistol, if they're not going to hunt you,
definitely try to save it.
I think no matter the outcome of this series, I'm sure by the end of this tournament, Moon,
excuse me, Magic, have plenty of new fans.
I'm one of them.
Is very exciting to watch so much potential so young only the jerseys were better looking
You know you don't like them
No, I didn't watch back the longest round possible
I mean hey, I mean try to do some more damage. I don't necessarily blame them
But at the same time that's probably not the best
But for money purposes to make everything all smooth and evened out might be a call there to maybe try and take away some rifles
And then just you know make it at least a little bit harder for the CT's
Right now magic up by four. They got some rounds to give but that's slowly starting to dwindle away at this point
They're down to glocks, diggles and a mixed mash of just guns
Stay there, get in the front of it.
Man, let's get a backstab, shot in the back of the head,
double up, on a Mars Vault.
Another round where magic doesn't really have much of a chance with anything going into it.
Killer 2 would be huge for them, but it's barely any damage even done.
Now the score gets closer and closer.
Three rounds being the difference.
A 6-9 lead, still in favor of magic.
No opto for moon this time around.
Just an AK.
Aw, spade 8 takes a gluel, and he's the only one with one.
Downside is...
Myron, he's got a... he's got his big green, his weapon of choice, and he's been actually pretty solid with it thus far.
Yeah, he has.
See if Luchaw is able to have the same success he helped me take in the previous half spade, and he broke down to 8.
Pushing through that Molotov.
Or is he play for sure doesn't that anything?
Man on angle at the right time a
W after the dynamic duo taking out of the round
That's just trying to go out on the site
Little to no headway being made state 8
It tries to do with max but low HP is almost impossible for him to get anything.
We were there for every click, every clutch, every respawn.
We were there for the years of grind and we're here now.
The proud founding partner of EWC, powering the biggest event in gaming, shoulder to shoulder
with the world's best, making history.
This deserves a stage.
Lenovo Legion.
Reach your impossible.
Play is in our DNA.
Whenever we let it out, it becomes our superpower.
Now, imagine an entire city being built to supercharges.
Kadea City, powered by play.
Astralis with a playoffs in their vision only a map away we head to Inferno and IP Shambolic
star to this series. So absolutely nothing back on Nuke. It's meant to be their go-to
to try and steal away a map in this series and set us up for a decided, but it could all be
decided here on Inferno. A map that's only recently entered NIP's playbook this season,
on the Astralis have a decent track record on with this roster in 2026. This is where it all ends
four men. As Astralis, can't really question the form after that first game. Looks like
a good day for them.
Yeah, it really did. I mean, everyone was showing up, right? You were getting everything
you want from the individuals of Astralis, and then it was all neatly tied together
by Hoogsy at the helm.
For an IP, I think the discussion would have gone something like this. We had a number
a good spot there lads we just can't give away this many man advantage rounds
and so the goal here tighten it up
because if not even a 4v2 feels safe then what does
yeah probably the worst 4v1 as well this quarterman back on you
He does get his smoke down as the Stravus get ready to execute, but no more utility to
stop this hit on the B site.
Push for Snappy gets denied, they've got no to contend with and you know his pistol is
no joke, his deagle back on hook, a force in nature.
off to the double and that leaves you in a 2v2 with the bomb planted.
I'll be seen on that cross and it's STOWN eyeing him up.
Stabby duo sword in half.
Oh, oh.
Now, Abby was found.
Stare fakes it out.
I'm trying to call the bluff, but can't do that forever and now I'm able to tap him from the pistol
Deepview's grabbed pistol picked up and I pee on the board didn't really believe himself
Did he take the steps but then change his mind? I mean, I was getting a bit worried when I saw that bomb plant position
That's for sure
Would have been nice to just see Gabby not peek at all and force him to come and clear him that round comes very close
Even Starr could have just waited a few more seconds and still cleared the bomb, but maybe
some fear of a kit in play. Big round for Stown. Had a poor first map, but the Orp is out now in
round two. Against the Force is a risky move. Just wants to get going, I'm sure. Didn't really
have the chance to last man didn't really see that all
They're going to end here as well.
Reclear immediate is nice, but walking down, no, right into kill.
That could have been an opening still.
Stare provides one on the other end of the map.
up getting here in time. They would have hidden the hurt a little before they make it to Axe
Kaspersky. That was really nice to just slow down there, wait for your team to scale in with you.
They're not out of the woods yet. Kaspersky pulling back. Stare trying to force this kill,
but lots of guns here in the church. Going back checking the flank. They've got to deal with this
assault main coffins. Fusy connects a deagle. It's a clutchable round now. No kits. Three
3 bullets in the AK as well.
And no time to get that reload off Fuzi, it's gotta be tapped, so that lets him down.
Oh, he didn't know. He did not know that was a 3 bullet AK.
Oh dear.
Definitely tell me the reaction he was caught off guard.
I mean, you kind of live and die by these decisions, they can't really shape the early
game.
It's Rush.
Super fast explosive up through the long side trying to hit NIP with something that you're
hoping they're not ready for, but shush, holding the line with the double.
Stown's AWP, giving it a chance to shine as well.
Feeling a bit of pressure now as they're on both sides here, but as his teammates arrive,
they take up the long side.
He deals with Shaw.
Okay, three doubles for Stown.
Very nice start to this game after a slow nuke.
This is huge from shish as well, because they were starting 3B, that was a good read from
Astralis but no entries come through to back up that play.
And while it's a map that Nipavoni just started playing this season and so don't necessarily
They have the track record of the history as a roster, because it's new, it might be
refreshing in a sense.
bring you ideas. Lovely timing. You can kill him there as well. What did Rior just do?
He's just got three kills including a teammate.
He just went bang, bang, bang.
Kind of insane.
Can it be the start of anything for Ryu?
Is a shot away from certain death?
If he gets a timing, anything is possible.
It's a bit coming down to luck here.
looking for a technical ace to win this. Three kills to his name already, two more in front of him.
That's a hard clear. Oh, I swear. I've seen him, but it goes both ways.
I want to see that again. I hope we have it because that sounded ridiculous.
See the big pitfall there with that double force bite
Crazy sequence rifles making their appearance late in the day for a Stralis
That's three nades seen out towards this B-Sate.
Mahooksy with an early warm-up kill onto Shush in that apps cross
Just getting into the piss in time.
They had the mollies ready to go on this.
I'm going to lob them in now, but Kaspersky's still good for his, and this mid-hold works
out Ryu, important double.
You know you've lost one member of the pack, note we're seeing roaming out here in mid.
As Ryu tries to give chase, now there's got to be one hell of a reroute, Snappy gets his.
you chasing this missing player?
Oh, timing just off the mark,
but looks to get it the second time around.
Riyu doing a hell of a lot for Astralis in Red Hot
since the D ground and with an AK here,
it's twice as hard, gets him on the board,
it's single-handedly.
Oh, kills for him.
I mean, Red Hot on Nuke as well.
Think of some of his positional playback on that map.
It's a really nice clutch.
note-checked his back twice and they couldn't find him as a annoying round
to lose for Nip who feel like they had the right setup, traded favorably on him,
and even had an idea as to where he was in the clutch but Ryu comes up with a
big round for a Skrullist early in this game.
Everybody would have been in a lot of trouble without that.
Yep, no fear of banana, lots of control here.
It's down open long now, and the straw is playing very slow, holding onto most of their utility.
Oh, Kaspersky hoping for a little avenue to try and peek around this molly going on
the back of a flash.
Now responding kind and that is one hell of a catch from Hoopsy.
From the back as well.
They're just gonna go jump on it.
No, it's only snappy here feels like maybe the most exploitable piece of this squad so you charge him down if you get him alone
Got to be safe
And yabby's waiting for that
Paul Paul get out for now, but the strollers they get given an entry and they run away with it
Sometimes jumping the corner is the worst thing you can do look at how it catches him off trying to escape there
that if Kaspersky just runs, he makes it, but Offers his head up over the logs.
And a frustrating round to lose.
They had the flash play, but there was a play close to them he was ready for.
Well, Ahusi's always been pretty surprisingly good at those kind of snappy-looking shots, too.
I don't mean that Kapthin is up against this.
It's alright, that's strong start for NIP, well, Stralis is quick to find their own way
into this T side.
See who's feeling determined now with back to back rounds.
And I sense that- oh, it might look to go back to some of these B-Plays, the Nades
find great damage.
Ooh!
Everyone ate some.
Let's get more where that came from.
We've harassed this top banana control so much that NIP kinda have to respect it they've
pulled no over as well.
It's down hoping to make an incision aggressive line on the AWP but a good one.
as Yabbi walking out into his crosshair.
Lots of clear here for Astralis as they reset.
45 on the clock.
I mean, this AWP has been the problem, right?
This AWP has been the...
...main issue.
And they are playing over towards it right now
with the save player going to the under-defended bomb site,
But this is where both the big guns are for NIP.
Third player now even padding out this side of the map.
And no seagulls just been in great form all day.
Sure, they'll get past him, but now you've got to get past down
and shush in this crossfire, and that is not happening.
Stound just deals and doubles, doesn't he? Another multi-kill on this AWP, forces Fuzzi save.
Loving what we're getting out of notes in this series, despite NIP's woes, but now they're picking up the slack.
Five rounds CT side already.
Also, you're seeing a bit of the downside, right, of making it so clear that you're leaning heavy into this banana control.
Stound just feels like he has a lot more freedom as a result, floating around there and made guess who on that aggressive line find Yabi.
Usually you kind of feel like presence of players out towards the apartments to threat
that you could just get killed on guys walking up kind of spooks you out of going for those
peaks in the mid-round, especially when he was all alone in a two-man hold with the
orb.
When you're seeing and hearing three or four players stuff and aren't well, it feels like
There's a lot more options open over on A.
Good return on investment on those mollies with stair-copping a bit of extra damage.
Three block out towards middle.
The Stranas are looking for this space. NIP more than ready for it.
Three players here ahead of the smokes. One guy even in reserve behind.
That's Snappy with the UTIL.
So a bit of a read here.
Three.
No getting aggressive.
and this one lives and dies on getting past the quad mid-hold bomb lost
yeah surprises drivers still commit so hard I mean pretty early they figured out
There were three there first play peek sees no close get spammed by snapping. Here's yours like that's insta triple mid hold
But Astralis, I guess feel pretty committed to that play push right into the stack
A nice variety of a set ups in the city side for me and they've
I've walked out banana all game long, Stralis don't feel like they want to play first timing
in banana either so, left to limited answers here, maybe a tech nine round where you feel
a bit more freedom to go fast, straight up through that molly chasing down an IVU, here
it coming, it won't over commit.
Stralis without a clean entry gonna have trouble getting into this bomb site
Just just pushed all the way down
Oh and he hears that deagle that was fighting ramp reload on banana and that is gonna signal him to push
He's got multiple players back turned
I'm just walking in yeah
And holding the shot as long as he can it gets out with a double that also removes the utile from the site here just
Layers of problems there with shush in their back line
This is more like it from NIP yeah, I'm not playing too scared
Would have been easy to doubt yourself on that play and just take the one free kill
But shush knows you can get a lot of money from that positions for Frank's on the plane
Beautiful stuff.
Straalus 4 buying now feels like they need to stand the bleeding in banana, they need
to take this control back and I think NIP know that as well because 3 players starting
B. Again the hell storm of NA, it's very deep molly down middle, forces you to commit.
Just to pre-smoke those mollies.
Here they go!
Flash is great, and it gets Hoocsy past that AK pushed up in banana.
Again, you feel like there's any one player here, so just gonna charge past Snappy while you can.
Yabbi's had some really awkward fights on these lurks in what should be powerful positions.
Yeah, so just shut the door there, turn the key, smoke mid-off, and...
The Stras don't really need this hunt that bad, they probably shouldn't go for it.
Rather keep their money in good standing, because it's been tough on this T side.
These last few rounds are integral.
Wonder if we see stout B in any of these rounds.
See it's just been consistent output when Astralis come his way.
I don't know why Kastra is going to stay hitting this B site for the remainder of the half
two rounds remain.
I think right now you're feeling that you need the kind of multi kill potential over
here on B.
down they're using him just as a solid piece to shore up this a defense while
he is about to get handed a very fast round tucks himself into the boiler he
hears players make it by up the long side down at the pistol though and that's
not enough for stout dead with nothing done one more player boiler side it's a
fast wrap from shush on who's he's got his number a decisive win out of
Astralis in this one. Yeah, Nip just with poor starting positions because Astralis ran that exact round earlier
But what happened? Shush was in Boiler
He got a double kill as they ran through the smoke and Stan was on the back of the A site with the AWP also got a double
So this time it's Boiler AWP and it's Shush in apps
Nip not in positions to stop that rush
You see how it was meant to look for Astralis? I like that they have the goal to call that
round back out again. Knowing that Nip will start 3B as they have in the majority of these
rounds, Hootze makes a nice call and Astralis execute it perfectly.
Yeah, just a solid read, right? And you know, like it's not too uncommon to see team start
3B for the very first few seconds then that rotate guy drops all his utile heads back to A once you see it's not a rush
And so if you want to exist in that window where you're hitting an undefended A site it has to be that fast
Great time for the pace change great time to repeat that call
And it shards to recover on the half for Astralis
This is slow goings out of the gate
Ah well.
What a credit to Hootsy for the Australian side.
He leads the way and open doors by some margin.
I've been six kills four of them being openers oh my goodness triple-nade
there's one way to get you'll be angry every time you guys they go you know
what one guy here it's snappy let's charge you look at snappy just sit down
in his chair man it's just been the same thing if because excursion is dead
the round is over on me they have full center every time you gotta respect it
Honestly, what a nade stack.
And so, Astralis, they were in the hole in this half,
but they have dug their way out in these last three rounds.
No way back in, you'd like to think the flash
gets the orb off the line,
but you still want to take space back.
We've got multiple players hiding in the back of the site.
Two mollies that don't do a thing as the flank comes in.
Stound, not long for this one,
And it's going to be five at the end of the half here for Astralis. A great recovery in what was a tricky start to their map pick.
Yeah, you're seeing frustration set in for Nip. Feeling like they let Astralis back into this half. It was 7-2 in their favor.
But that final three round streak suddenly gives Astralis something to hold on to.
I don't think it's a nice feeling either for Snappy and Co over on B.
Probably a mixture of frustration because Berski was on the receiving end of so many of these openers.
And then that feeling that you're being targeted, they're coming at your bombsite, they don't respect what you're able to bring to the table.
And why would they? I don't think you ever got a kill Ray, maybe you got one kill in a couple of these and never multi, never stop them.
Strong out defenses.
and the worry re-enters here to NIP who are on the brink of elimination.
Now Hoaxy's been a driving force in that first half, but this is where it's got to become
everyone else's game.
It's their turn to bridge that gap of firepower, because we had no weak link for Astralis on
map one. Can't afford to have anyone go quiet on your CT side of Inferno. It can start to
feel punishing real fast. Mid take for an IP. Gabby dead as he tries to swing in for a
fight there and a fast wrap through this long smoke. No one's even considering it right
now. Fuzzi won't get that spot out of the apartments. His players coming in short side
as well. The foosie door barrett is forced to be reckoned with.
They haven't even dealt with these pit players yet. Haven't dealt with the guys in apps. The
rotate's arriving. The sight's starting to feel like you're really boxed in and there is nowhere
safe to turn. There is nowhere left to run. Astralis clamped down on that A here. Yeah,
and if they don't chase anyone, they're just kind of AD-ing, looking for fights after those first
two deaths from the Julees. And that just gives time for Astralis to rotate in. And I love that
they keep the pressure on. Those two surviving players make sure they stay alive and then
everybody comes to motosmoke. Astralis clamp down on that a-hit on NIP despite the entry.
Go nowhere fast. Good vibes for Astralis. We're definitely on a road to recovery now.
Now, the force by without a pause is feeling desperate here for Nip.
Just means you gotta have something prepped, something planned, right?
Looking like a B-Plate, maybe they feel like this is the exploitable site and around like
this one and they will be ahead of all this U-Till, they already threw it.
Okay, scared?
Oh, can't believe he gets out with one there.
I'm lucky.
Still one more player.
Hootsy with the spam, puts the advantage in Astralis' favor.
Off for a lead take, but Hootsy stops it here,
feeling it right now.
Is the Astralis captain?
And you know, with no plant, you don't got to move yet.
These smokes have faded.
They know the bomb drop position too,
So, waiting for that next play.
Ryu's very scared of ruins,
but they both cross back into the site.
Bomb is okay, Ryu can need it.
But he is so concerned about the ruins,
and I think they might overlook Stown in this round.
If he doesn't peek out, they go to Ganondorf.
Nice swing.
And yeah, I think Ryu,
unless someone's got the comm,
he is scared of coffins, look at the plant position.
It looks like he's gonna misread this one entirely.
Good patience from Stown, doesn't give away his position until the round is right there
for the taking.
Yeah, Ryo had a clear image in his head of how the round was playing out, but that feeling
he had, that anxiety about the ruins proves not to be well founded.
It's a shame because he has the HE if he lobs that quad he wins.
So it's right there for the taking.
That was a horrible fight.
That's the roughest moment, right?
That's the round winner.
You get that 3v1 with the bomb down.
That's going to put a bit of pep in your step.
And there was a no-part force by wind here for Nip, so massive relief of tension.
Fall gamble out of Astralis. They are in the right place.
Four strong, at the A-bomb site.
Fuzi.
Oh goodness, wait a second, okay.
Me grinder on long, this need all doing even more damage, but still yet to get kills.
Fusy Puckstab being considered, but he still feels with his Ryu now joined in.
Low health for Snappy as he rounds the corner, will survive the crossing, but has to recross again to get this bomb.
No punish out of Ryu.
Alex not to go.
As simple as no ammo.
So that's giving them a bomb plant to play with the set up here is for stown to try and clutch this
And he's got great timing through boiler Ryu just might get shot in the side of the head. There's the spot
Goes the other way and it's real with the turn snapy at 5 HP can't do this
And so a strong this are swift with a reply their owner
So unlucky for stown as so unlucky gets a spot on the short player
But as soon as he goes out to clear him that's when the long guy comes back around and Ryu and foosie with five sevens
Shred in this round
Excellent work for Ryu to let Hoopsy cross as well
High risk high reward. Oh
And so yeah, whatever Nick do Astralis do right back to them
Low money forced by wind, back and forth we go.
Three galels here from there.
Onward.
Oh my goodness.
Yabbing?
Yabbing?
Yabbing?
Yabbing?
Yabbing?
up to wait they ran into him but they didn't think it was suspicious it's down
and Yabi were right next to one another but this whole play this whole kind of
element of surprise he has has come unraveled because his teammates in the
site are dead good dodge Holly at least stops that bomb plant buys you a few
more seconds that one's gonna burn another player out into the open and no
one guy's site shush now reveals his position as well smoking in the pit just
to try and lock him out of this round
Shush has gone spammed out by stare at long and ex Kaspersky needs a massive clutch can't do it
Stare delivers and Astralis are finally converting for with a bomb plant with one player surviving
I don't know you could make a very good case for another buy here
It feels like that kind of game right where we're just seeing really fast rounds in this second half
So why not if you've got another pocket strategy just throw it out there. I think
I think these are very winnable rounds for both teams.
Fuzi is getting some rough ends here, some rough fights.
Big shock from Stare to save that.
An NIV have a tricky decision to make, they're gonna use a timeout first.
It's gotta be tempting.
You see a timeout, I feel like if you're a Stralis you have to think this means they're buying.
Definitely ready for it.
I think I'm strong, so I probably appreciate this break as well, because this back and forth has been high stress.
But two rounds in a row, and they can absolutely destroy Nip here.
Who's he gets to don his orb? Doesn't have head armor?
I think that's a good thing, though. This rifle has been really ugly in the last three rounds.
You got that nice pistol, five, seven rounds, but the retake on ruins and right here in pits.
It's not ideal, so I'm gonna find some more comfort here in the CT side.
Get out there.
They don't fall by.
Spurski drops the AK to stown and he's gonna play to pick it up. Kevlar Glock.
Is this not scary for Stair?
Oh, I guess not. I guess it's not a tool.
Not scary, not one bit for Stair, with the glow-up he's had since getting onto this CT half.
Random spam through the smoke.
Hello.
And now you tell to try and help him out. Here's that tag. Stair was hoping to punish even more.
I'm too spotted.
The orb stays in place.
There's an AK handed over.
Oh, try walk into the orc. Lovely for Fuzi. Just what he's been waiting for.
And no, just needs a heroic moment here.
Snappy's on 13 health.
Just knowing that you don't have a flash to knock the orc off the line,
I kind of feel like you're walking to certain death there around the corner, but it was the only option they were left with and
So now for the first time Astralis are the ones moving into the lead 9 8 up that was after a
7 2 scoreline for NIP such PS was an entrance tower from stairs just over the top
Finds that AK player as well
I mean it does just feel good though right the fact that you you have a player like stare
who kind of in these crunch moments in these pivotal moments is rising at the occasion
and you've been doing that for a for a while in Astralis.
Yeah he's definitely the guy that if you were gonna poach an Astralis player it would
be him. He's not only has he done it in lesser roles but now in star positions still succeeding
and still standing out but in this round destroyed one more man of a sight and it's a bit of a
look like Astralis' T side just a double entry into B. Round fills to side it.
It's happy being in himself not so nice Hoopsy is it? I'd be in the one guy in this T side getting
targeted. Great fleet of openings out of Kaspersky. And even the hunt here at the close, NIP sent
three players to go and roam and remove these guns. You see how quick this was in the round
is? These Astralis players are dying with nearly full belts of Util. That was a real
high tempo at an NIP.
So the back and forth is back after three round absence.
NIP keep this game level.
As far as supporters get all the way back, but is it in vain?
Since we've seen from Nip on some of these low econ rounds, win or loss, they've managed
put themselves in decent positions.
You're less a weaponry.
What's Snappy got for us here?
He caught him a little off balance once, but can you do it again?
They'll be ready for a high tempo now. It's so early in age for my kidding banana.
of
ice
will ban would kill her
Look at the damage done.
Fuzi's not exactly healthy either, but...
At least with the orb.
There's not a lot of uter left in this round.
We've got three smokes on NIP.
They're filling force to be hit.
And the Abbey's holding some uter as well.
If he can hang around in this position.
Just ask to rotate out as NIP lay up this hit.
They shot from Boosie's orb.
I wonder if even just seeing the orb here gives you a bit of hesitation.
Maybe worrying that you're walking into a stack.
Reblocked a banana and they chose to respect it.
Didn't go with the room they had.
One smoke, one flash.
So this is what it's left to note at the front of the pack.
Boosie flashed back off the angle, trapped behind this smoke,
smoke but it starts to fade now. Won't even get to fire a shot on the orb. Stare. Just
needs to try and stay alive here if they do want to leave this to a retake.
Yeah, he's quick to join him. They keep Stare alive. They wait for Hoocsi on this flank.
There's a hard round for Astralis. Two flashes. One of them's all the way down to Banana so
They lob out this one, cough inside, and that's it in terms of assistance.
Stare off it up first, hoping a teammate can trade this.
Hooxie putting pressure on up the banana side.
It's Kaspersky that they can't seem to deal with.
Fight! They do.
And Hooxie comes in with a massive hat-trick.
Just a slow burning back stab from the Astralis captain.
And that's all it takes.
That first kill was excellent, right?
The only player who's really in a position to stop him,
who doesn't have to worry about anything else but banana,
and Hoopsy just knocks him out.
That was a 54.
It smoked down into a bomb plant.
Hoopsy steps up big.
I mean, he is topping the server.
He's just had so much impact in this game,
it feels mad. A number of opening kills. Some really important swing kills.
Hooxie really is the reason they're in this position. Don't get me wrong, Stairs had a glow up in the second half, but
Hooxie's been consistent throughout.
Who's again for potshots, but push back off P, it's an Emperor speeding up the pace,
they've been off of their own in middle, or one more Naked Me Disaster but that's
why Stown is barely standing in this round.
Oxy, aforementioned man in the right place. It's good spam to put Yabby low.
He's gonna get flashed for that repeat though and there is no support.
Through the smoke comes XKRuspersky. 4v4. Gotta hold down this site with no support.
Oxy, well, he's always wanting more. Swing there would have meant a lost round.
Ryu is hiding out.
Made some of the pit, Hoopsie still doesn't play yet, baits him into Ryu, it's the spammer's down on that AWP.
That's a Ryu, feeling a lot of pressure, just lining them up, knocking them down.
Didn't feel like the most necessary swing for Ryu, he had a really strong position, back site,
but walks right into the line they're holding.
Could have let that round breathe a little bit more, I think.
Important kill from Stown on the orb.
You had a really great start to this game, but obviously it hasn't had that T-side AWP.
Not many want it.
It gets that wallbang kill to Hoopsy that opens up A.
save and the strollers not exactly wealthy in this round.
We're gonna have to eco around this.
Let's say we want to get crazier, you could get 2M4s if Foozie drops some Rear Bies.
I think that's tempting actually.
I imagine it's happening, it's so late in the game, it's 10, 10, it won more or less in this game.
It's just all on the line, you know, you are all in it.
You have to give up that point if you lose this round, or you have to save something.
Well, here they go, all inning.
It's on this, it's on this. It's on this risk.
But now essentially the entire game rests.
I don't think Nipah's gonna be ready for it either.
Because of how back and forth this has been.
If they go rushing, it could be really dangerous.
But no, Nipah will hold a bit of a pace, the U2 will give it away.
Fuzi's AWP forcing that kill will give up a man advantage.
Still watching.
Oh!
That's nice work.
Double-made.
They knew what they wanted there.
Fuzi has just dropped off of a cliff.
Yeah, he's had a horrible map.
You see him headin' hands on the camera.
He was he was the guy who had to make the difference and now this all-in decision that astralis have made off to a horrible start
You feel like that one swing and a miss has cost you everything
I think you just have to triple save now stairs gonna lose be he's only got a five-cento D.
That's a job
What you go wrong though
The only way nip lose is if they overthink this situation, which they definitely could
after that kill comes in.
Because now you know you lost that timing, you're worried that the rotates have started
but they are just going to double pump this and go again.
It's the right call.
A lot is being demanded to stare here the whole round on his shoulders.
They were closing in on banana in case he was able to get one more but when that doesn't
happen save is called for Astralis. And who does he find the orphan? I'm sure they threw it on the map but
probably just gonna bodyguard here.
So now Astralis are in quite a predicament because they all end kind of off the back of the orphan.
If Fuzian saved that gun they would have saved this round they would have bought next but now
They've got a kind of give-away map points.
I hope that these rifles can get you through, but this has been a very B focused game.
It's time to get Fuzi off that site.
This is where Inferno can be really fun though.
late in the game when there's a lot of conditioning where you're now guessing whether there's
a triple B, do you want to pick up the pace or do Nip just go back to what's been working?
What about Quad B?
It's mind games and learn abouts.
It's there, hoping that HE can make his rival's jobs easier.
Pistol's gonna try and play on the flash.
Fitted damage done.
You see one of the rifles now as well in tow.
You get one. Yabi gets his out in top mid, but this bomb been retrieved. And so now
you're left looking. It's Hooxie tucked into a corner at the Sandbikes. Had a fantastic
game. Has the Astralis captain.
You get that rifle, couldn't he? They're walking away. Who knows what they'll recommit. They're
going to make sure no one pushes an extremity. And no Astralis have split one-one. And they
fancy their odds on a longer this goes the more shaky who's he's gonna get and
that is the perfect time to push it's gonna himself a rifle it's not gonna go
any further still this is on yabby I mean it's essentially a 1v3
inside no Molotov no need to flush him out of position would he and so you're
just hoping you can deal with him quickly. Yabi down here in the pit, dead at the first
swing. It's ex Kaspersky at one HP. Not a bullet. Oh, it's a good save. It's a very
good save. That's Hoogsy just feeling it, dude. Full ego peak in the three on one. All
right, Fuzzi, you try cool something for a round because you got a new offer. Hoogsy,
to get out with this AWP. And now, as Astralis now need overtime if they want to close this into.
I'd like it's a good save man, but if Fusey doesn't do anything with this AWP,
it's gonna feel rough, isn't it? Look at how much Astralis have put into making sure he
is set it up. Be it forcing around his AWP, be it saving this one again.
They're gonna get four rifles, but this is NIP coming back in this series.
Gotta be noted, this has been like, we've been talking about all the potential of Astralis here in these last few rounds as they made a comeback on the end of their T side, but NIP are right there, looking to drag us all the way to three maps.
Cash, Odds, Cider, a lot of unknowns come that third.
NIP are just right there for the taking two chances.
Oh, Nessie. Do they just jump on this? No, they go back and Stroll is no waiver. Nip
expector stack. Instead they're walking into it.
Oh, timing's rough for Fuzi. He's gonna try and force a fight, recommit to that, but
they're already up the short side running right in a rear. Covered not there from Yabi
out on long it takes boozy moving over to help him death with the AWP on that swing out why
Hoocsy 1v3 not happening bomb planted stown on the line and no reason to overpeak this no reason
to overthink this for nip molly forces one guy into the open but is it really going to take
their captain have to do all this to try and save the day stown's got his number nip claw it back
on Astralis's map pick and this one goes the distance. Cash representing a lot of unknowns.
It's all up in the air as NIP bounce back.
NIP with the bounce back and a response to what was ordinarily a not good first map.
Arguably probably not but just straight up yeah probably not a good first map.
Second map totally different story. Tightly contested down the wire and up to the point
where Strauss simply didn't have a response in the form that would give one to stop him.
And great for Anakita to show some resilience as well, right?
Winning four rounds in a row on T-side to close it out by the last six.
I believe, right, I think is incredibly important for them, right?
After what was really poor, showing on their own map picks to sort of keep the belief and then
and being able to extend the series is just a great feat for them.
At this point I just really had hope for us to have like just a small carnage
and we just like try and do the best we can for this one
because it's too different in a piece showing on you that they're not in turn.
I think it was a lot more compulsive, like you know, they, they,
I think Snobby just stuck with a lot of the death ball,
like he just went a lot, but then I forgot, but then I didn't forget.
Okay, we didn't really like try the everything things, and you know that worked out,
I thought, just a little bit disappointing in the final, I was like, I don't know, Fusey man,
one of these games where it just disappears, and there's so much resources going into getting the AWP so many of the rounds,
and most of the rounds he gets nothing done, like he didn't have the round where he would have the AWP saved,
or Banana actually goes like searching wide, and another attempt, he gets just overrun on the big bomb site.
It's like so much resource goes into him, and he just, the output is just not good enough, I think.
Yeah, that's the problem, right?
like the inconsistency and then it becomes a liability.
You know, it's always nice to have an opponent who goes for play, right?
Tries to find that, in fact, the problem is,
if you're constantly failing to convert those aggressive players,
you're not even bringing your team in a bad spot time and time again.
So, yeah, just one of those situations where
Astralis wasn't able to close it out on CT side.
And just to kind of provide context once again,
perhaps you're just joining us from around the world
wherever you find yourself. We are an elimination matchup on the very last day of this group.
Both of these very hard fought battles, but definitely one that you want to win in this
position, especially now that you've given it an actual battle, if you've decided in IP.
Yes, it's both teams have their lives on Jeopardy! It's about making play of right now.
With what Astralis showed on Nuke, it looked very dominant. It really didn't
look to me as a nuke that would turn up, but they turned on the heat on Inferno,
And I in it was it was also a shot at throwing away so in the round where they had the overhand and the
They even had to leave up, but it could really convert it
It was like they had it they had a tough time hustling out where in abuse ending and that's also kudos
You know just not below he switched it up between the sides
It wasn't just necessarily five man banana all the time, but it was also switching up
So he would take turns on hitting the bomb sites and and also he kept them boxed in and also played with information of not
Allowing a shot is going for the information place
And you know that sometimes also why Inferno is a hard match to play
He's like the team play also fizzled out for Astralis, you know some of those a hit a hits like they're not really
There's no setup like there's no
Agreement there's no protocol in place. It's like, okay, you're side. I'm pit
So I'm gonna have first contact then you're gonna play right there was a round where we were smoked inside
The stair was on the long like stairs fighting the news like swinging all the way from side to take the fight with the headshot guy
It's like these are not the fights that you want to be taking right and then probably something that
Astralis will have to look into moving forward. Okay, so we have round 14 B-pop on it
Yeah, it's one of the rounds that really gets me kind of I would say back to the game because they do have the lead here
But they convert in the second round is very important of his then is one of those very notorious
He pops that's now being so happy about doing and you know
There is completely caught off guard here. We have to rightfully advise him to try and salvage just like a little bit
He gets one kill lucky for him and then you look at their health bar and you tell him that Astralis has thinking
Well, it's still pretty good
Even also in the fact that Hoops gets two kills through the smoke and has Mercy just the only right thing here going through the smoke
But this is the kill that I'm like how does Fuzhi only deal one damage to catch Mercy when he swings?
And then Yabi gets another chance where he can first he swings
He doesn't track him and just well played last time, you know playing this unknown entity not showing his position
And that just evens it out to play if you like it's it's a 2v4 essentially
Where Kasperoski gets all the job done by just swinging with an M29 where Fuzi had the first chance
Completely blows and drops of all and then afterwards is Yapi as well
I mean, it's it's like all the people has get all the stuff done regardless of
of Jacky being called up by it.
Yeah, it's no surprise after what you just pointed out that those two are the lowest
rated players for Astralis on Inferno in this NIP game, right? Like Fuzi with only nine kills,
Gabi with 11, and you know they both had some opportunities to swing the rounds more in Astralis's
favor, just couldn't convert and in the end it is those like small things that make the difference.
So here's the situation gentlemen, we've got legacy in IVR about to start over on the B stream,
that is the last matchup over there for us.
Astralis, Nip, jumping into cash for a third map decider.
We're going to cash. We did get cash.
There's that going on.
Tell me how this starts to play out in the beginning.
It plays into the fact that it's the newest map in the map pool.
Who has put in the most time in this game, Matt?
We've seen it in Apeed already, and it hasn't been looking that great.
Astralis has played it three times, I believe.
One, two of them.
It's also just comes down to, I think, in this given matchup right now, who has looked the best?
And that's what I think is so hard about. That's the kind of play where you can always have a little bit of both of those and better.
So it is a matchup concept. So I do wish we could actually do that, but I mean, I still have my hopes for Astralis.
I still think as a team, they're taking way out for you. You can always say that.
I can always say that no one's going to come down, right? But yeah, I think Astralis is going to make it.
I think for me, it's a hate when I say this, but it's going to come down to who's weak links can step up more, right?
Like because Terry is having a great series, so it's Kaspersky, you know, but you have on one side Snappy and Shoosh hasn't done all too well.
And then on the other side, you have Fuzi on the second map, Yabi a little bit, Hooksy was okay on Inferno, but like those guys also need to step up, right?
You can't just rely on your star to carry all the way through.
So my appreciate your time. We do need to take a quick break before we go into cash,
but also allow me to tell you at home about our bracket draw that will be going on at the very conclusion
of all the games here within the CS2 stuff at eSports World Cup.
So yeah, let's go to that break.
Cash and friends, we're going to have to have it separate.
Nip and Astralis will be there on the other side.
You're watching eSports World Cup Club Championships.
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It's time your chair evolved.
This is Secret Lab Titan Evo.
ergonomically engineered for you.
Gamers, hybrid workers, artists,
making your every move.
Welcome to another edition of Chicken in the Box here with Astralis.
There was Stare, player one, player two.
Stare coming in very confident to this one.
He's obviously going to get to look inside his box
and discern whether or whether there is no chicken.
You want a chicken, that's the goal.
You've got to get it out of his hands.
Or maybe you already have it.
Who knows, we're going to have to find out.
Let's open the box.
I'll open the box.
I'll see.
I'll have a look.
OK.
What's your initial reaction?
I did tell you it was a script already.
So the shipwrecks won.
I think the one who knows.
But he's trying to throw me off right now.
I know he's speaking a lot.
So you've got the chicken?
No.
You don't have the chicken?
No.
Really?
You sure? Yeah, I was wrong.
So what's in the box?
If it's not a chicken.
Nothing in the box.
You sure?
I think so.
Hmm.
Shall I look again or...
Yeah, you can check it out.
Let me just make sure.
Can't tell.
That was a quick look, though.
It's like you don't want to, you know,
you don't want to show it if you know.
Because if you have the chicken, you feel me?
Hi, I don't feel it.
Like that was a really quick look, you know?
I can understand.
It's if you don't want to look, you know?
You don't want to give it away.
I saw it already, I have to double check it, I guess there is another, you know?
No, I really think it was a very fast one.
Like, you don't really see anything, you feel me?
Should I check again or?
Yeah, check again, okay.
You sure? No chicken.
Oh, no chicken.
I don't know, something's throwing me off here.
I don't see anything.
He's being a lot from the beginning, you know? It's where...
He's going to fire!
I think he was...
At the beginning he was a little bit, you know, like, he was trying to throw me off.
Now he's confused, you know, because I know what he's doing.
He's walking it back.
I didn't see any chicken in the box
What are you selling the truth though if you consider both options? I'm an honest man, you know
I'm a very honest man
That is a lie. That's why I'm going with I want to swap the chicken. Yeah
Are you sure? I am very sure
Stay you were correct you bluffed him out properly you swapped boxes you have the chicken the whole time
Tell me.
I was comfortable.
We'll come back better next time.
The game I guess.
Take hands and good luck in the tournament.
Chickens in the box.
Yep.
P250, a little bit of freedom with that smoke in place that he can't get peeked towards
Mini.
We got TRI coming up through secret stairs right away.
That's Insani that's going to be brought down.
I see a SP shot from ART.
Venom Zera removed.
So we're not looking at a 3v5 here for MIPR.
I'm gonna try and recover it and they've done well with one at least. Thank you
See the bomb that's important one and he slipped away try didn't pull the trigger. I like the trigger discipline though
It's not a confirmed kill. It's not gonna be an easy one
But who am I be ours clawing this back? It's been slow and quiet could find that's the spot and that's the bomb drops
And now you have the success of the glock kills, but having the upper bomb site no longer matters and damn arts
Hitting some bangers. Yeah, it really is and yeah having the bomb dropped in an unrecoverable position here felon's is going to also
So, we can the second round buy from Aviot.
So the plan is to have that smoke up, have them walk past the mini smoke and walk around
to wrap towards heaven with the cover of Insani's P250.
Art's move in secret is the exact checkmate for that and a hard timing for Insani to read
of when he's supposed to watch secret, when he's supposed to be covering.
And the round just unravels from there.
So, pissed around the side of Legacy.
Well, Lindsay just taking some fights. Eventually tries to get around it out, so try with two.
And from our as well, you're closed out by Nisim.
So, I'll end up being the first round of play and obviously no bomb plant,
which means we're looking at a weak scenario here in the second round for him.
I'm not going to be fully co-acquollox and a 2-0 start for Legacy.
Getting the song, CT side of Nuke, fighting the pistol, having the second round is the ideal start here for legacy, the world in which they can snowball this at some point.
I think it's very interesting that you've decided to go international, but for one player for the rest of the project, I feel like that hasn't really been done before too often.
often like you don't see like a team go out there and like, okay, it's such a hindrance
not speaking our own language, but we're going to do it for one player and we're bringing
LNZ.
I mean, it's possible they haven't been able to find any good Brazilian options to step
into that role as the IGL, right?
There's that element of it too.
Yeah, going international, it's not an easy thing to pull off, especially if you're not
one of the top dogs of the region, right?
Fury pulled it off because you could go out and buy, well, I mean, they took the risk
on Malador, but you went on to find your kinder who at the time is socket dropping so far,
you had a huge reward potential there and everything panned out well but not
easy to kind of just make that happen out of a region. Gun rounds are live here
on Nuke. Round three. AK-47s out for MIBR. We're getting the door broken open. We're
getting a fast play from Breno. Yeah, straight in towards the Sun. Kibbitlato first.
The SMG working well. AQZ down. The two kills come in straight away here from MIBR.
Look at that. That is a dominant win as the aggressive relief play coming through
the ramp room gets shut down completely and try can't get anywhere near the
action so ends up being MIBR taking their first round win.
It almost looks like legacy kind of understood the potential for that kind of a call and
wanted to get the ramp push going so they could have the fast flank.
Lovely read, MIBR as well, just so well prepared for it.
Great utility work, phenomenal trading coming into the upper bomb site.
That second defender tucked against Hutt completely blinded for an easy kill.
And then everyone from MIBR was ready for that flank out of radio room.
to hunt down this last M4, but not a whole lot of money built up from IBR, so they'll
be, I think, content once they clear out ramp room to not go investigating too much further.
And their first round is on the board.
I think I was so happy with the way that it went, as well as your fourth play staying
up, you can start to build some money up straight away.
Let's give you a tough game.
And on the poor, the T side gun round, straight away and have a chance.
Got a bit of a streak because if you break the money here of legacy
Now it's a weak by coming up in the next one here
This other round pounds out some
Quick recalls the reaction for legacy trying to send two players to ramp room into the lobby and they get stopped by waiting players
Still a strong by here for the CT side AWP for tries off to a five and zero start. He's gonna be going up towards ramp
I'll say smoke's deployed from my PR and one player playing around them in Insane, but he's not going to be pushing all the way towards secret. He just wants to get some outside presence.
He's chilling for the moment. Tries off with the off angle. Everyone else on the MIBR are waiting for the smoke to fade. Now that it does, Trey wants a deeper angle.
Reaping up into his position. Now, easy shot for him.
Doesn't want to stick around for intel, just drops down immediately to the lower site.
Ramp room is lost, but so is Venom Zara.
He's going to be sad about that. No one close enough to get the jump on him for the angle of try and play as it was.
Sends down to safety.
Yeah, and I guess now, I might bear a decision to make.
Normally you'd want to try if they were going to have ramp room with all five players
or able to get the kill they'd want to meet downstairs with the outside player
player or turn him into a lurk now I think everyone's gonna have to activate
you have a flank for heaven you have a flight for many outside you need the
other two players to have some kind of strength and power hitting into the
supper bomb site to take attention away
40 seconds on the clock not a lot of time here for him I've got to work this
one Brenner trying to get into a group position at hell and Sonny into the
smoke Nissan is watching for this and Sonny goes into the open for him to get
that kill so you're alerted to look towards heaven and Lato click to that
headshot, second play is up next, it's Bruno going down to this in town and Dumau
able to clean up on NQZ. So two players stay alive for legacy, they get another
round win. Yeah really good hold but that's a nice attempt from MIBR to
find that kind of a situation. Everyone kind of working pretty well together.
You could see how that would have panned out if MIBR would have turned it in their favor.
This is how it started. Good hold from Lato behind the smoke swapping out as well.
Up in the rafters a really strong defensive position. Now thankfully in the
previous round at round four MIBR, or at round three MIBR got a clean win so they
can buy right back up and Insani's got a Mac 10? Look for something Pacy!
Well NIP able to course correct on the Astralis map pick they take Inferno and now we get
a little weird, a little wild. Maybe wonderful with it. Let's see. We're on cash as the decider
Hugo. Yeah, two games logged for NIP, three games logged for Astralis. What's funny is
the NIP have started both their games T side. Astralis both all three CT side and well,
but Astralis had great success in those opening halves, getting 11 rounds in one game, getting
nine rounds in another game. NIP have kind of trouble on their T half. I just sort of
lose a knife round as well so it feels like we're going to continue with this stats and
astralis get the favorite side at the same time.
Seeds are very T-sided cash games here at EWC so I wonder if an APN have been in the
lab and can bring out their best half yet when we found four and five rounds respectively
in their two games in this opening half it's going to need to be different today.
big and spirit rage on on this game on this man brother last night and he showed us just a kind
of genius t-side. What do Snappy and Hooksy have cooked up and can Fuzzi recover? I mean safe to say
he was the liability back on Inferno. A couple better rounds for him and you feel like this
series will be over and Astralis will be in playoffs instead. Nip still have a shot.
It's time to go.
the NIP individual started this series off slowly
and they've warmed into it now.
Now it's been impressive.
I had some highlight moments on both maps really.
It's down with his AWP,
great to see him finally get to use it
in the series on Inferno.
And boy, what an impression it made.
Hands down, the better or between him and Fuzzi,
it's not even a question, not even close.
Zero middle.
I think you kind of expect nades before a mid-take.
So the fact that nip have just snuck out,
as long as don't know, they hear the vent pop
and now they know this is a B-split coming in.
You see, good for his one.
Stare was trying to give him a bit of chase there
through the smoke.
You'll have to be getting active on this flank.
It's trapped.
And you've got three players pinned in at the bomb site.
starts to feel very small very claustrophobic shush not long for this world
and you were talking about it coming in yeah we've seen some
very T-sided games of cash here at EWC
for a strong list of their matches it's actually lent CT-sided
Yeah, really strong opening halves in all their games on this defensive side, so we haven't
really seen them tested on the T-Half, but let's see if we even need to.
This guy comes in here for Nib. Kaspersky on the AK.
In fact, rather than one time, Astros did start T-Siding up three rounds, they still made an OT.
He's peeking, you see?
But Hoopstein was waiting for this move.
It's optimistic.
They spot a Ryu.
He's trapped backside in support from the vents.
He needs to hunt down Ryu now if they want any chance of winning this round if Shish's
creeps under the shot.
Stare runs out from the CT smoke, it gives Rui a chance and he seizes the round.
Stare sacrifices himself for the greater good.
And Astralis stop that B-pop in its tracks.
Stare do that to the CT smoke both times, right? Just barreling through.
See a lot of squads really get bottlenecked behind that utility.
Stare doesn't seem to want to.
It's the best time to retake the site right before they have it.
Don't let them get in post-mast, don't let them put the bomb down.
Just keep the pressure on.
Stown returns a favour that Kaspersky gave him last map he had off an AK in this eco.
Insta-nade and main hurts.
I see no, I see a deagle.
he has my interest
and that rifle
dead as soon as it
tries a boost
sends down up see how he gets on
and honestly by himself a few more seconds on the molly ricochet around
gets him that kill.
Yeah, be strong position though.
They can't clear it with you till.
I'm gonna count to boost.
I mean, I'm gonna cancel that
because players out there,
you have to do a great job.
Two kills.
This town needs the ace.
They're flanking him as well.
Six shots left.
I need six shots.
Oh, I'm planting open, oh, no worries, who's he there?
They're gone.
Not ideal.
Money would have been nice, but they're going to get the buy anyway.
I get some more promising start from Fuzi, who certainly warrants being under a bit of
a microscope, a number of moments where, you know, his misses felt like they shaped up
that last game.
game. I don't know her. Yeah, both orpers armed and deadly. Sound attempts at mid-cross
a shot. Always a really nice way to get involved early.
Could have go. Insta main take.
I'm sorry.
Excuses.
Of course he boosted, but he was the guy watching main, and now he is nearby.
You'd sell out for this midtake just a blanket of fire.
Try and get you in.
Now he decides to go.
Here's them dropping over that boost.
Feels like he's got a window, and he is dead on in that.
Now they're stacking bait.
They know with no one aiming at a door where this bomb is going.
grabs the back kill and now if you know the jig is off they go in they're going
in to the belly of the beast
having shoots down in the back
with the flash keeping foosie wall bang kill there's just too many players here
for nip to handle this round
Just a great move out of Astralis really, right? A series of them.
But it's that instant main take that puts them on the track to success.
I knew what Nip were doing before Nip were even in position to do it.
Does feel like the most important part of the map, doesn't it, right?
Like not many mid control rounds on CT sides here at EWC, but loads of A main takes.
whether it be insta pushes or just in the mid round using that deep smoke to
cross left side every team has a different way to do it but same result
just choke holds the T's just gonna go for the pop here we got the backside
smokes or shush. Heaven and the orb cut off. Full retake for Astralis.
The molly. Time wasters. They've got another. Oh, what do you do? Molly's in the fire now.
So much so, Astros is doubting it, checking their flank, but smoke fades and Stound hits
a shot. This round's on. That's their own smoke, actually, putting out the molly that
would have stopped the plant but I can't believe Ryu has sat there and waited for one guy lurking
this whole time snappy dead in mid meant to be a guy causing chaos in the back line of
Astralis instead gets jumpscared and now it's just no good moments on the pistols but he's
got a foosie orc that legs him down low and they just run him down together
really nice to watch Astralis retake that site there after Ryu gets the kill just good spacing
Stegos over Toxic to clear forklift everyone's hot on the crates here Astralis don't let that get
too dangerous considering how much room you had they get so much of their time wasted by those mollies
Very round for Astralis. 5-0 start on Masino's T-side woes that we anticipated for NIP continue.
Yeah, differences. Both times we've seen them play it. It is these
T-Hubs where they've done a little better on the side of NIP.
Sure, they've been pretty dominant losses against them.
Who's he yet to die?
Another attempt at this A main that they come for the boost.
Why three players?
double-boosting. Hmm, I can leave him there. Ouch. Who's he dead? 4v5. Hugo's searching and
that box mode might stop the split for a moment but somehow survives back on
this site him and stare together thinking IP have got a different plan here
and so we do get to see the yabby boost on a not so great if they come up highway
They're just telling yourselves there's no way they come up here, highway, right?
And here they are, charging up, Yabby.
Oh, that's it!
Drops down!
Hootsie good for his as well, keeps this one even in a two on two.
It's down long range on the AWP.
Had a chance to stop stair on that crossing and he's actually gonna full commit to the
it to the back stab all the way through main with eyes on
you'd love it if one of these two hits this open up down gets his reposition out onto
the forklift and gun on in time.
kill eggs huge triple kill here stoners been up and down in this series but
perfect time to deliver nip around not too late in this half to come back
it was a really nice try to be happy to just have zero support as as far as went
to the beast
very slow margins on that shot but it's down tries to force an opening on that
smoke shot and just comes up short now one outside of B for NIP very heavy
presence towards this a bomb site again the Abbey here alone does have support
close by on highway. Frontside smoke for Yaffy just to make it very uncomfortable for them
to get on default. They can molly him but they can't see it. Oh, double-nade. Dunks NIP.
And now AWP opens sightline, missed shot. Yaffy's still here back site. Stairs drawing fire
for him. How do you get in here? Jump a shot by Hoopsy for trying out loud and no trick
shots will save me now. It's going to be Astralis locking down the A site. Love that
front side smoke on the execute. What are Nip meant to do?
Feels like right now you have to make the rounds a little fakie try and misdirect them
because whatever you've seen these set pieces out of NIP Astralis know exactly what to do to
disrupt it. Yeah. That's so much you tell. Right, that was a double HE doing over 100 damage.
Nade on the smoke to give Fuzi at least vision, and then front sight smoke to block nip.
So much utile here.
And we're going to go for a B-pop now.
These XX haven't been your friend, they haven't been working.
Double sight set up, but with Hootsie dead right away, that leaves just one guy home.
Ryu, he gets the double, we're burning in that molly.
He's dead after two.
I'm crossing in, Poozie.
I know.
Chance to stop it and they will look to give chase here through the smoke in CT.
I can get out as well.
Gabby hunted down, Snappy pushed his spawn and Stare needs to find his one on one pronto.
Player right below him, just crossed out.
And that smoke if anything is going to create more problems for Stare as I can play behind it
He's not getting given a single fight
Clearing the wrong side
Time is expiring and ex-couspurski here's the steps Stare gets back side
But wait a second no one can stop this but he doesn't even stick it could have won that I
Think he could have won that
Weird round, but the instant exit actually works out.
Back to the B take and they've got vents as well so Ryu.
Oh, they're over it.
It's clear.
No one even checked.
Oh, no!
That's rough for Ryu.
He will take it.
There's smokes everywhere.
This is such a mess again.
This is such a mess again.
This is such a mess again.
This is such a mess again.
We will take care of the smokes everywhere!
This is such a messy game!
This is such a messy game now!
So much UTIL, I mean Nipper just calling out of spawn.
And hey, it started to work. Back to backgrounds on B.
I love watching Saffy's cam when he gets killed, he just sinks in his seat, but hey,
the call worked, Nipper's still here, and not a lot of weapons saved here for Astralis,
So, it's gonna get better for Nip before it gets worse.
Considering they were getting kind of dominated here, they would take a chance to split the
half.
Money now gone in the Astralis camp, and so you'd like to think at a fourth round's right
around the corner.
Just this saved gun.
Oh, my shot.
Oh, that hurts for real, because he let like three guys pass, and then he just felt like
Like you had to take the shot and he actually revealed his position with that missed shot.
He walked behind him, there could have been something to that.
It's down here to banger.
Fast over the boost.
And again, more of this.
They're already on highway!
Oh look, this is why they're using three players so they can silent drop off, that's really cool.
You make noise if you come off the yellow box, but if you go off a teammate's head it's lower.
That's a nice idea for a straw.
It is sick, but XKASPERSKI is already up again.
So, cool trick, cool gimmick.
KASPERSKI don't care.
Yeah.
And then getting that rifle back.
That's up on top of the boost.
Trying to hand over the Deagle.
Player in main, Snappy still laughing out as they hit this B site.
It's a bit of a loaf of the shot, but no Deagles connect.
Backsite pistol for real.
Panicking.
It's gonna get knocked out by Shursh.
This is a crazy game of cash.
You know what?
It's worth it.
Nip.
Four rounds.
Three in a row.
I don't know how you call around this if you're a Stralis they were doing great at
shutting down these A-Hits but B is a bit of a problem now.
Yeah, I think if you're Astralis, it's pretty telling yourselves like, doesn't feel like
Bs as much of a problem as it is.
Like you had the real awkward situation in the one before you, and Boosie like chasing
through that CT smoke and what was actually an advantageous position for Astralis when
it was the eco-friendly P-troll.
They've kind of fumbled in two very important swing rounds on that B side of the map.
would love to see vent control on the CT side, get up on middle, either boost from here or just get close mid
because it's not like mid are coming out middle, with the exception of the last round.
Just keep going for this.
Pro semen control.
It's not a bad fight, but Exkyspersky is ready, he uncrouches as Yaddy goes wide.
So let's try, let's get the advantage.
Don't you open that door, no.
Oh, my goodness.
You get it.
Well, one door opens, that same door closes.
Oh, shush, just allowed to lurk out over here towards checkers.
And the devastating effect.
be ready for one more right every time it's in two sites smoke might change your
mind no first seriously
who's he's here not for long though
This game is cursed.
Winnable.
What can the Abbey do?
He's down on the line.
And so, NIP on one hell of a street.
They're running away with this.
They are.
Astralis are cooked.
Again, like, you kind of just feel like you fumbled around if you're Astralis.
I imagine that's how they're interpreting it.
They go, they get the opener from a nice move out on A.
It feels so hard to guide the main who steps, so reusing the open watching maybe he cross
checkers that's why he stepped.
Who's he just walks through the city smoke?
The rest is history.
Which like yeah that's like the most egregious one.
Yeah.
Don't matter like three times now.
Okay.
Like this position from Yabi.
If they open the door, he's covered.
And Yabi has been very dependable.
His bombsite has not been the issue.
He's gonna fight into the door,
straight places with no.
We've seen some fumbled moments over on B.
Yabi has not been making these same mistakes.
Okay, you can't lose this round. You're not allowed to. It's 5-3. Timing is good. Snappy,
frustrating death, but this round's over and a half will fall that way as well. Astralis
seven rounds, not a bad T-Sci for NIP considering how down they start, but I think Astralis,
they get to feel good about the end of their half there by winning that final round. It
It was a messy few in the middle.
Very strange cash game.
It's all in the line, this last half, elimination and going home or playoffs here in Paris.
There's this small cache of rounds that NIP are able to collect on their T side endeavor enough
To make it them with a shock win and I think it would be kind of shocking what with how this series started
It felt like NIP had to hit hard from the get-go kind of seemed like they needed to leave an impression on newton
They did not
Individuals were slow to get going they gave away a number of unadvantaged positions
then turning it around on Inferno and now the uncertainty of cash.
Aggression out towards B main.
Try and set a tone in this pistol.
Get him go.
It's down.
It'd be nice to see him make noise on his way back.
I feel like they're still going to be aware this is a possibility.
But no, I was hoping, yeah, he's just got the full flanker room.
It's just on a walk, he's rambling.
Oh, there's the spot. Stare was keeping eyes on.
Oh, everybody!
Good pick back up for Shush and that bomb is running towards B, which was left entirely open.
open.
She has to play this quick. That's a nice kill, but there's two players below heaven
stair trades. Smoke comes down. Big gap on this B site after notes push, and it's one
that NIP are going to regret. Through the smoke and snappy nails it. Can he stop that
plant? This jump goes back from main and he needs support. It's not coming in. Flank denied.
headshot it's ex Kaspersky with it all to do here in this one on two as Stounders walks
away ex Kaspersky plays and not on the same page in this 2v2 the bomb gets put down.
Absolutely no reason for Hoocsi to fight as that's down crosses yabby holds
And there you go
They swing it together nice bit of composure for yabby and Hoocsi restoring some order to the chaos that has been this cash game
Yeah, I think it's just it's you know a lot of situations you haven't played before a lot of new rounds
So unfamiliarity
It's a great cool first try to get back to B after getting that kill.
I didn't expect it to be that free.
But they exploit it.
The big question maybe is just like, if Snappy doesn't flop the jump,
I think it's such a different round.
Yeah.
Looks who starts feels rough, right?
Like you had him trapped back site.
That's what Strahles, the lead grows.
That's a force buy that comes in from NIP.
This round punctuates it with a little timeout.
Very heavy in middle.
Nice.
I see these we've seen in middle, it feels like.
Hit the pot.
All the makings of a B-split, isn't it? An NIP are learning this now too with aggression in towards a main
Shush alone here with a scout about to be at the full mercy of all five Astralis players.
Slow it down for a moment, waiting for this UTEL to come in, but not long enough for the Rotates to arrive.
Players one shot of all, but that smoke is huge, doesn't get a chance to react here.
probably should be saving this force by as Strylers have put themselves in the winning position.
Strylers looking composed on this T side. Not in a hurry.
The no-deagle. Still no worthy.
He's so good with it.
That's full at the end, but not before he's double.
Still, Astralis are licking their lips because it's just these saved weapons to worry about
Scout Famous Pistol.
That's what NIP have to go for in this next round.
You're eyeing up double digits.
I'm really only one rifle round away from feeling like you're on the finish line.
I haven't had to do too much either, round's kinda coming to you.
This one will be the same, but the triple key push is going to give it away, he sees
everybody there.
I'm really in the best positions to try and react to that info, so it's not like you're
instantly going to get pounced on over here in A.
I mean, the longer this goes, such a paranoid inducing spot for Snappy has to hold mid
at the same time.
There's almost no way to sit in this position without it looking a little ridiculous, right?
You have to bear everything in mind.
There we go.
They've abandoned him.
They're on your own.
There's no split on this B site.
Stare all right below him.
He's going to get the spot, but gun drop.
Snappy still just runs away.
They're pouncing on B.
Oh, trying to get the stack here quickly.
Stound with a follow-up.
And with multiple players peeking in and around these smokes, that one is a convincing shutout from NIP.
Bang on the scout there from Stown, he's going to get his AWP as well into this game.
Snappy just did so much for them in that position.
Here's the rotate to B, calls for the B-Stack, gets the mid-kill.
About everything you could have hoped from your captain.
and look where it's done.
Strollos with a couple of casualties at the end of the round.
Pire for notes.
Now we only have one AK in this fight.
Let me go rush it.
That's down.
Oh no.
Dead off to one.
D climbs in.
A site crumbles.
Got a safe barn here, but backside smoke is still going to limit this retake now for NIP.
Henry who gets a strong reposition in this site.
Three players all from the same place, Abby if he spammed could find these kills off the cross.
Waiting for his time to strike stare hits another reused position comes up with fruit and it's just shush.
It's got to walk away.
Four on one.
And only a single AK-47 but the pop on this A site works big entry for Abby.
Happy.
Stressful round to lose here for Nip.
All the hard work of winning the eco stripped away.
And they hand over an orb.
Final timeout burned.
This pressure sets in for NIP.
Eco win or not, they've ended up in the same place, opponent on double digits, Astralis
eyeing up those playoffs and this rifle round is the best chance you have to change that.
Come up short, money runs out and you're 11-6 down and all but guarantees Astralis.
series and playoff point. It's just been little, you know, normal flow in this game. It feels
like any round winnable or loseable. See a lot of choked rounds against lower economy,
a lot of pops on bomb sites. Feel like you're never out of the woods and that applies to
Astralis too even now at 10-6 as Orp comes in. It's decent enough by hitting him. Pop
through this smoke.
This first gear escapes from that holotop.
They've been made from checkers.
Oof, he is very low.
Just gets out.
Beep-pop.
Ready done.
Do you now overlook this second player?
Nah, you can't.
Can't even.
So much room.
Snappy steals himself away.
Around this smoke.
Yup, he's got smooth moves to come in past him.
And we touched on the money coming into this, how it just wouldn't be there for an IP.
They have to bow out of this round.
They have to go and save these guns.
I don't imagine you see a straw this hunt. I don't think it feels worth it
But anything that gets removed it just doesn't get to come back for NIP
I love that round for a stroller so right they go for the mid pop they force NIP out
They throw a deep highway smoke, which makes it look like they're just scaling up for an A-split.
NIPBLU is all infoed.
Just get boxed in at the back of B, and it's a 5E2 with no support available.
I think even if both those players get a killer piece, you're still done for in that post-bron.
This feels like the map of pocket strats.
And a straw list of long sleeves.
I'm looking very good now to take this series and go to the playoffs two rounds in a way.
Oh, a lovely shot.
Simple as that.
I can't say forever so I'm just gonna throw their life on the line.
It's a kill back in for XKRUSPERSKY.
Hey, this might have started as a bit of a desperate hail, Mary, but that opening kill goes a long way.
Snappy's gonna get a lot of time.
Oh, he's got it!
And this 3D5...
They're gonna give it a go.
Barreling in, it's another 4 Snappy!
Two players in a crossfire here.
And Stan slow as he approaches on this AWP.
He's running out for a dip.
And now they learn about this player under heaven. There is no attempting it for Stown. Astralis.
Match, series and playoff point. They have six chances of waltzing into those playoffs.
Definitely much more comfortable on this map. Right. Had ideas.
Shut down a lot of those A-plays in the first half. B was definitely a weakness.
NIP figured that out. I feel like too late in the game.
And now this T side just abusing the B side as NIP wants to look silly enough to get them over the line in this match.
Great map out of Yabi, great series out of Ryu.
The strollers are right there.
Oh, look at Yabbi go. Doesn't die in that. And Exkorspersky really trying to chase this
kill so stout that they're super dedicated to this. It's not just the one guy in mid,
A second player's now been brought down low.
So Astralis decide, you know what, we're done with middle.
Tucked tail and turn away.
They're grouping for this A here.
Well, they're not that done with middle.
I think back to the Astralis CT side, just how this A site was able to withstand every
hit that was leveled against them. Right now, Nip have two low players, two wounded
players, all in position, and a 5v4 to boot. I think they've done enough. Are you trying
Open the back door, miss shot from that boozy orb.
And a round that just peters out.
Two chances there to get away with a steal of a round.
Both players missed their shots and save us the right call here for Astralis.
NIP, one more before all is said and done.
Double warp taken as well.
Why not at this point in the game?
We've got nothing to lose.
one for each bombsite right honestly 5.0 for B but the U-Tour has been very impressive
in this game let's try to take a time out
Because they don't want this to get close, they don't want to feel any stress.
Still feels like the entire playbook's open.
Tried one midtake, didn't really pan out, put you on shaky footing to start the round
and it never recovered.
They just go back to what's been working, these set pieces.
How long can NIP stave this off?
I need five more to reach OT.
It's down all the way mid. We really just got spammed on that B push.
The strat is worth setting up for a B split, but it's going to make it a little bit more difficult
since she's now AWPing the fence. Pressure on this highway to fake out an A split again,
and it has drawn three players over, but this AWP is still a problem. All-missed chance for Fuzi.
That would have been the opener that should have sealed this game.
team. Now Nip get the chance to fight for this B-Side.
Zappy started this round with Smoke Spam to find the advantage, but no chance for him there.
Shush on this secondary orb, fighting to stay alive only gets out with one. The Rotates are arriving.
For Utill down, for Astralis, they get to move in with this bomb. It ends in a B side retake.
So, said Pawn, they have to come out together, but one by one through this smoke is a big problem.
So they get to reposition, here's Lote, announces position, and one by one they come crumbling down.
Nowhere to go for Stown. This is Astralis hunting down the final playoff spot.
We know it, Stal knows it. It is a matter of time. And Astralis do it in three, a very
difficult series when all is said and done. Inferno goes the distance, a comeback here
for NIP, but Astralis at the final hour showcased a strong cash, great defensive half, Stair
MVP, and they do go through to the playoffs clean.
Yeah, after their woes at the major this new season, it's back-to-back playoff outings for this Astralis squad.
Perenni...
Perenni, P. Hugo will just hit the cough button on his...
These guys right there, that was actually comedic by some...
Yeah, nonetheless, Astralis, getting it done here at the very end of the line, at least for the group stage.
You know, if you're in Astralis, if you're in Hooksie, you like this.
You like this a lot, not only just because you found success,
but because it was a good story.
Yes indeed, and a very important win for Astralis, right?
Like they're doing okay in the grand scheme of things when it comes to ERS, the next major and all that,
but as people pointed out, back-to-back playoffs to start the season, some consistency,
that has eluded them before, and also just being able to stay in it,
mentally not get too frustrated after how their own map pick went, I think goes a long way for this Astralis team.
And I think they could be very happy with this win.
I feel like throughout the series it was never really doubt who were the better team.
And I think that Astralis showed not only the resilience and the men's game coming out of a, let's say, like a tiny bit of a run in Bruno,
but also when it came to cash they looked in control and just like the better team for the majority of the men.
It's just always nice to see staff there.
So I think he's the guy that we should be mentioning, you know, in this match, but also throughout the tournament for Bob.
This guy just rocks on it right and you know, it's it's very rightfully so that he's also the guy to you know
Karelin model. Yeah, I agree rock solid one of magic since favorite players and
This game I feel like he had been close. I don't think an F. He was terrible
I think they in a couple of key rounds they had their opportunities, but those numbers so
One sided in a way that we brush over them
You know even in the second half you on cash yesterday lose pistol, but they managed to win that force and
And you know after that Astralis comes in with an A rush with pistols and sort of just you know
You lose that one round strong hand and off and that's where it is and nothing ends up
That was really the round that C2P was crossing them under a bit of a district guide
That's one of the issues with that scene is that if they would have won that one
It would be a 9-7 they could have brought a great but a full E2 on Astralis
That would be a chance that they could actually bounce back but you know I thought it really was the case
You can also feel after that round that specific note, I believe it was note that was called off my truck, I really really told it.
Tell me a little bit about how Cache played overall. I mean we've seen a couple reps of it now. How do we think it plays maybe in comparison to the old school way of watching Cache or perhaps even just what we have now?
I think it's, I asked Janke a question like really, what do you think it's going to be like? Is it a CT map or is it a T map? And I think I've seen both right so far through this tournament.
I saw how big they really demolished people on their T-sides when they just, you know,
spent a lot of their time really working mid and having these B-splits was really hard to, you know,
work around. But right now, I mean, it's it's left up for Brad, which I think it's
honestly more T-sided than a C-sided. Well, it's Hooksy-sided today, I can tell you that much,
and that's pretty much locked in. So what does Hooksy have to say after they win?
That is exactly my question indeed, Trace Astralis, locked and loaded into that top 16.
Congratulations Hooksy, I know it took the full three maps so let's tackle this one in a linear fashion.
We're watching the first map of Nuke. Looks like you guys can do no wrong. Did it feel like that in the server?
I mean like I feel like we could do everything wrong on T and then somehow win anyway and that
it was nice to close out the game fast in that way because you know if we lose those rounds maybe
it gets tight and then maybe it's the same as an inferno and we lose two zeroes but I don't even
I don't even want to think about it, but...
So, talk to me about that in Fono then.
Your pick into the series, what did NIP present that was a tricky few to deal with there?
I mean, I think on two sides we lost both forces.
We should have won the second time we forced for sure.
It was just, we didn't hit just, and then I had some bad calls,
but made up for it with some good kills, but yeah, I'll take that one on me.
We needed cash to settle the score between you guys.
Got a little bit chaotic at times.
I don't know if you've played and called a couple of caches now that's in the map pool.
How did this one compare to the other two you've played?
I think we've played pretty well, did some good pushes and retakes together and I mean
on the C side it was honestly pretty clean with the entry and like with the open stuff
and our execute B splitting.
It looked good.
I don't want to ask the typical interviewer, you know, how you feel in making it to play
else but it is important for you guys, right?
Because you're looking at those VRS points, you want to be making it up to the major and
as deep as possible, so in terms of making it to top 16, is this the limit for Astralis?
What is the bare minimum you want to achieve there?
No, it's not the limit. We can go the way we want, but I mean, it depends on who shows
up on the day if it's the good or the bad Astralis, but I think today was good, so we
will try to catch the momentum.
And I hear you're very excited to crush NRP's key. Is there anything personal there or you
just want to get your hands on it?
I mean, I know most of the guys over there have played with most of them, so at least some of them, so of course it's a bit more fun to beat them, so yeah, I'm super happy.
I won't keep you waiting then, congratulations, Hooksy. That is Astralis, Megan at the roots of Top 16.
Yeah, Astralis doing it, and for Hooksy, you know, a little bit of a sigh of relief.
It did take a little bit of an effort to get themselves here, the very finish line at the end of it all, but yeah, he says he's pretty familiar with Nip's game.
And for Nip, well, what game they had today, maybe left a little bit to be desired.
I mean, like, that's what happens if Kaczburski has a bad game point of view, right?
Kaczburski's not going to get a view.
It's like, don't have a bad game for spirit.
Yeah, that's what I mean.
Yeah, it was rough.
Unfortunately, they lose both pistols, deal with bad starts.
They did a good job of adjusting in the first half.
Spreading out around the map, they were getting flanked early on in that half.
Managed to find some solutions, but, you know,
If you do end up losing both pistols, then you have to take advantage of all the other opportunities that you have and on top of that you lose to that A rush
against pistols that proved too much to overcome for an AP on cash.
Let me shift the combo just a little bit here towards the coaching staff over at Nip.
Now I know that Nip have gone through some very turbulent times over the past couple of years for X amount of various reasons.
But the coaching staff over there and I
Richard I'm talking about exist himself. So this guy in terms of pedigree
He's done a lot of things in the earlier days of counter-trick. You've seen it
You guys were there times have changed right remember him saying don't pick cash against me
Like now and now different things are different
I was I had a small step with him in her work when he was actually my coach, you know
He's uh, he's he's quite different from from what I've tried in in likes of sonic obviously
He's a little bit more quiet. I don't think he's always the one that wants to like dictate the game
But it's more like I'm gonna say he's just only a vibe coach
But sometimes I missed a little bit he will like your power through and like this is what I want guys
Yeah, well look, it's only appropriate as they're on their way out of here. We're gonna hear from big rich right now
Yeah, sadly the end of the line here for NIP it
Do have exists sticking around for a couple of words after that one obviously a very long series for you guys
But I do just want to throw it back to your choice of new because it looked like a very cold stop to say the least for you guys
What was your perspective on that?
Yeah, I mean, I think maybe we focused a little bit too much on game plan instead of playing our game
I guess obviously they also had a pretty good game plan. They used the swung yard kill the center
They swung main kill the center again. I think we just died a little bit too much
And then on CT, I mean we I think we throw two
big advantages so obviously if we make that many mistakes we couldn't make the
conflict happen. I know it ends up in a loss ultimately anyway but what did you
say to the guys between Nuke and Inferno because I think we would have totally
understood if it was just a money amount of collapse from you guys but you showed
some resilience what were you saying to the boys between them? I mean obviously
we just have to reset but I think it was key to get them to communicate more
especially dead talk if you are in a big advantage 3-1 and 4-2 the guy who is dead
or the guys go there, they need to talk and tell them to play with a bit more discipline
or try to control them a little bit more. So yeah, communication was a big part of,
I think, why we managed to close out the Inferno.
I just wanted to ask a wider question in terms of your perspective, because the
desk touched upon it. Obviously, you've got quite a history with Cache back in the day.
Now it's come back into the map pool. How differently do you feel it's playing?
I don't think it's that different, quite similar strats, of course, with the Blitzes.
and it's a bit different when you can bliss smokes open right but it's pretty much the same
the only difference is the result I think we're 0-3 on it now so not our best map but the
Avalists I don't know we have to keep working on it try to find a new way of playing I think
at times maybe we're playing a bit too set on T side it could be a like-up experience
post plans are also pretty poor so yeah it's just like details that we need to work on
Just to round off, I know you guys have been on one hell of a grind to be trying to get as many
points as possible. Of course, all eyes on the major at the end of the year. What is next for NIP?
I think we have some online qualifiers and then we just need to try to qualify for another tier
tier one LAN and I think that's how we need to qualify to the major.
Well, thank you so much for your time. Is this connoisseurations one more? Sadly,
no longer here for the Ninjas in Paris.
Yeah, Unfortunate Realities, Freya also one of my favorite songs, all things considered.
I mean, this is exactly the interview that I was actually expecting out of Exist, and
mainly the thing that he talks about sometimes is that they're playing two set and you know,
it brings you right back to my Falcons time and that was not the greatest time of my life.
And you don't say.
The one team you didn't make, maybe you don't say because it's actually funny you said
that the Falcons did win the Rocket League tournament.
I don't care about Rocket League,
we're talking about something else.
I'm just saying, the Falcons won that
and I think you needed to know that, and now you know.
Well, it matters for the eSports World Cup
Cup Championship.
That has to be changed, right?
Because they're in direct contention with AGAL,
who they've now jumped over,
and AGAL doesn't have a Counter-Strike team.
So that's where the Falcons can in this tournament also
do their org as solid and maybe help them secure
Third championship in a row, 21 million combined.
Not bad, not bad.
But I don't think Dupree has won that much.
Not even.
But that's close.
That's close, gotta be getting up there.
But yeah, Dupree, you are spot on though.
I'm not gonna say that you're completely wrong.
Yeah, we're talking about Counter Strike over here.
So hold on the phone and the other stuff.
As far as we're clarifying.
His first key, not even server goes a long way.
Not very far in terms for Nick.
Yeah, they're at Herson, right?
He's their best player, with quite a mile in mind for it.
He opens up the maps, he also closes up the rounds.
He's the guy that you want to be turned into.
And with all due respect, he can only do so much, right?
I think he showed throughout this tournament
that he's definitely a player to be looking out for in the future.
And rightfully so, I think he had some very important rounds
and some very important maps.
And I know this one is going to stay a little bit right.
He didn't really show up with this one.
But all the other ones, he was the reason
and why they probably even got to the point of playing in Strylis, I mean.
And I just want to turn my attention again to playing 2 set,
and I think that has to do with Nabis' system, right?
He enjoys having a system where he has an X amount of tactics,
and there's a couple of variations, and if the default was the word for him,
that's what he changed his attention to, and if he can't get that to work,
then he can't really take that deep.
That's it, right? You know, he's running out of ideas.
Yeah, I think, I mean, the biggest issue for this NLP team has been stability, right?
for the roster ever since it was first assembled and there was changes every couple of months.
Your boy device played over there, even, at one point.
Yeah, it was played before.
And then, you know, like you do that, you change the coaching staff.
I think ultimately, like this whole snappy experience didn't turn out what you hoped it to be.
And I think come next transfer period, I think you need to look towards that, to leadership.
Like, also, I mean, it's 36 or something along those lines, right?
So if you're not delivering in terms of results, you would benefit from making the team younger,
doing someone else an opportunity and sort of getting into this new era, let's put it that way, of NIP CS.
And that is, you know, really the issue that it comes to NIP, you know, the repo hasn't just really
panned out the way they wanted it. I feel like they've been trying for so long, right?
And it's again one of those organizations that are also pretty, like, they've probably
a little bit for their past results, right?
You know, and it's just hard to kind of get through.
It is true.
And that, I mean, they did go international, right?
So there's that reality.
Sure, there's more.
NIP project itself.
Show me group A brackets, please.
Let's keep this party moving along.
Still got a big bracket draw here
for the tournament side of the playoffs.
So we have that going on still.
But for group A, it has come to an inclusion.
Yeah, no real shockers.
I mean, maybe the order in which the teams got there,
right spirit having to go through that forward bracket
after a best-of-one loss to GG Howe, Aurora, beating M.A.T. and GG Howe to make the playoffs
G2 through the upper bracket and big unfortunately, you know, had to go up against Spirit in that
final game after being dropped into the lower bracket by G2 and post-series, but couldn't
finish.
Yeah, it made it entertaining, Debris.
Yeah, I'm looking at Gamelin tonight, just to look at that one, you know, beating Luminosity
and GG Howe, then you're in the playoffs.
I mean, like, must be nice.
That's what I mean by, you know, they had a poor result at their major, so it's nice to go here and get a bit of a battle.
They've played terrible Counter-Strike, so let's see how they do.
That's what I mean.
Playoffs, baby.
Finally, it feels like there's been a lot of Counter-Strike up at this point.
Now show me that Group B if you don't mind on the other end of this telephone line.
That's the thing that's beauty right here.
It is indeed. The Falcons continuing to fly high.
Yeah, well, out of doubt, you know, the best team, I think the most stable team that we've seen in the tournament so far.
So I mean there's a lot on the line for that team not only for the club championship
But also, you know for the team continuing
Yeah, they campaign after the major for pricey
I wouldn't say surprised but happy to see face claims in this one
And then we're still having legacy and they might be up handling out for that last spot
Now that's why at least managed to principate against an IP so right now on legacy being up 1-0 against them
I'd be a that's a that's a big thing for me. Yeah, we'll see if I might bounce back on the on the second map and yeah
Falcos with how spirit and vitality have looked have
emerged as the main favorite it feels like for the trophy here but anyone like
to say the final words for the NIP key which will now be crushed so long rip
nip nip nip and say it what hooks he would say but say it in Danish so we
have no idea come yet noops yeah that sounds good okay yeah anyway yeah there
goes that key they're gonna go ahead and dismantle nip which is unfortunately
I mean we talk about Nip almost until we're blue in the face, but to have shown the performance
that Xpersky did the other night, and then have it kind of go out softly at the very
end.
I think it's rough for them because they don't have as many opportunities as some of
these other teams like we heard from Exist, so it would have been realized to have been
able to make the playoffs, get some extra points, make their lives easier down the line.
But unfortunately, this is the sort of team they need to beat to get into the playoffs.
It's not like they had vitality in front of them, or a falcon, right?
Like the Stras is a, should be a beatable team for MAP,
but in the end they just made, you know, some mistakes and crucial points in the game
that cost them the series.
And it's back to the grind for them, but, you know, looking at Crop C,
I think looking at the lower bracket, that's a pretty dangerous lower bracket
for both Maus and Matali, and that's probably going to haunt someone
once we get to the 16-year-olds, regardless of that.
Bait qualifying, I think Bait deserved that one after beating Matelty.
And then FOOT, still a team that I think is worth looking out for.
I think the X-Fallout edition has really, you know,
having a really good setback for them.
So I hope they will continue performing as they've done.
Yeah, and it's funny you should say draw
because we will be doing that here shortly.
So if you're joining us, it is an appropriate time.
We just go through a little bit more here.
Got a couple of paperwork and forms to fill out behind the scenes.
And then they're going to have that right out here for us to do the draw live
for the tournament playoffs itself.
Show me the D, the group D that is.
There it is, slowly merging, Navi.
Navi taking on the Mongols here also qualifying
and I think Fury also rightfully so.
We're there win against 9C despite being a little bit close,
also making it as one of the favorites
through the upper bracket.
And then quite surprisingly to me,
that Magic beat 9C.
I did not see that one coming.
And then lastly, Mongols taking out paint qualifying.
That's probably the biggest upset and as in terms of who's not in the playoffs 9z
Playoffs of the major right grand final of the XC tournament or in China losing to Paris vision in a best of five
So yeah, we'll see if magic can continue to surprise in the play that's already a huge win for them again
Also in terms of accruing the points and getting to that Singapore major
That's the crazy. I must have you're as you know
Some of the teams here at the VRS seem to be even the most important thing.
I know it's important to get fired on tournaments to create a result,
but it almost feels like the VRS is the most important for the long term, right?
Yeah, because there's two million in prize money, so you get that factor.
There's a lot of games because of the format, so you get the land-win component too.
And honestly, there's not that many tournaments from this point on,
in terms of accruing those points or teams that are not in the top 12 right
that are not in the invite time so for someone like magic huge step it is a
huge step just like it's been a huge step all day for me to ask you all at
home to use the QR code on the very bottom of my screen it's still there
it's a brand new one or it's the same one I don't really know I don't read QR
codes myself but if I did I would still try to get out my cell phone right now
from home just like you are and that is for you to get your pickums in there
we've got to know who you think is going to be winning the whole inch a lot
Around here in Paris. We've still got a ton of counter strike to go because the playoffs are just on the cusp
We're gonna be doing a bracket draw for that here really shortly, but first
Check this out
I
I think they funneled them towards this single rifle.
That's what they want.
This is the only chance they've got to have something significant in this round, the L&Z
who's actually done very well to get that first kill. So two miles will fall, and then you'll
draw back into the B site. So you're totally landing forward, smoke for the cross, you're
totally flying in as water with dark, and behind the fountain limiting some of the strong positions
that LNC could have been standing in. They know where that rifle is, it's playing all the way
back behind the coffins, but it's the distractions that appear from inside. They haven't checked the
new box, and they've come through with the kill on the USP, but it doesn't matter. The kills do
come through here, for like, so they get into the site, you'd imagine the AK is going to have
have an easy time to think of handling the pistols down banana.
If L and Z was alive, so I'd say there might be a little bit of a chance, but he's trying
to spam one down through the smoke, make it easier for the pistols.
Well, if nothing else, they have made them respect him, so they're gonna drop back,
and AK can be picked up again for NQZ, and Brenno's got one too, so if you slip away with
both of these AKs, that'll be amazing, but...
I mean, actually, I would tell both of them to stick around.
You're buying next round no matter what.
Yeah, the AKs are great, but take all these guns away from these guys.
Don't let them get out of here for free.
It's so painful losing all the AKs, losing all your rifles in a one round, so NQZ gonna try and do it at the tail end. Good find from Try.
Well prepared, he'll open up the escape route.
Three to two for Legacy as they gain the lead.
Remember this happened on Nuke too, we'll have to see how this one plays out.
But in the first half of Nuke as well, it was MIBR kinda grabbing like two, you know, cheesy rounds early on to keep things close, to keep them within reach, to keep them battling back, to keep Legacy honest, and then eventually Legacy just blew the scoreboard wide open.
We're kind of at that same stage right now, where I might be off the pistol in second round, keeping it close, not in a bad place whatsoever.
But there's a chance legacy just crack it open here.
Open the hands of NQZ, try as well on the T side.
Let's see, NQZ's AWP's out, so chance to show us what he's made of again, and we get to see from the last map.
It's a good aggressive start, I mean, that was some of the moves we got to see from him.
On Nuke, he was confident to go for these picks, try and challenge, and he's got us teaming the opening kill.
And that's what I wanted to see out of this defense, if he was going to have a good hold, is get that off working again.
And now that you have an opening kill, the thing that killed you on Nuke was legacy players finding a frag,
taking the space, and taking the initiative, and finding gaps in the defense.
Now you have the pick, so you're not going to see as many wild individual plays pressing the issue as much.
Standard brackets control for legacy, left mid is smoked off.
3-2 split on the defense, with Insani and LNZ at the B bomb site.
Art going through the motions wants to make the sounds the noises as if they want to take
Banana control to get the staging area for an execute here.
It's called NQZ and the CT spawn just a little bit further away from being able to help on this defense.
No, 30 on the clock.
The Red Mazzara in the site, running down in the pits.
And you'll hear those steps charging towards him, legacy gone for the final move here, round six for 20 seconds left.
Trying to get into the site, do you know?
The battering ram as he so often is, but the rotation has arrived for the CT Sonny's.
Try having to take him out of this.
He can't find Venom Zera, he just can't get to this.
The time that he's taking is allowing the rotation of Insani to arrive as well, but he gets that too!
And just enough time to think about the play, but LNT's not going for it, he's lost it!
He's lost it to time, tries right out of it, LNT was far away, and try does so well to get himself in a position where he could have clutched up, but he ends up playing himself.
That's an absolutely admirable effort, and I can't even fault him for the fake tap and plant.
You're thinking maybe the last retaker is going to be coming from that position.
You think he's going to be right there, and you might be able to lure him out into the open.
Low HP as well, Trif. Might have felt like that was his best chance.
Tied up at three.
Here we are again. MIPR just barely hanging on.
Fingernails gripping tightly onto Inferno, tightly onto their life in this tournament at the Esports World Cup.
Try just running up to his top middle, oh there's the chance, he just couldn't connect it.
Almost got it back.
Yeah he did.
But this is the attitude now, do you want to take that space?
Look how fast you've got mid and brackets control.
I was going to start moving back, but Tri's moving forward.
Smoke will block out the apartments for the time being.
There's the beat from NQZ, not going to work out, Breno had to trade, he goes back again.
Good reposition, couldn't quite take the kill though.
The Venom Zera tries to rotate towards Moto, but he's caught in the open.
Lato moves through the smoke. The risk's being taken here, paying off for legacy.
And forcing away the MIBR defense. So that's going to be legacy up to 4-3, claiming the lead of the game again.
And no one in Sony is, and he doesn't feel like this when it's possible.
Isn't possible just yet, and it won't be, because Nelson rips his head off,
and legacy looking for some high-fives here. It's right. Is there a back in the lead again?
Yeah, really good find. I don't think MIBR ever thought for a second that that positioning from tries off so early on in the round was going to lead to a timing hit in a minute and 20 seconds at this bombsite.
There was no real intensity, there was no urgency in the rotation back from the triple B start.
I think they thought that was just going to be a pick attempt and then it would fall until like a slower pace round as they've seen throughout this half.
You might be onto something with them kind of working in these pace changes that clearly aren't there yet when they go slower, but you can see when they go faster, man.
The players just know exactly what to do.
And that's that rhythm. Right now in Furno's their jam because there's about to be a 5-3 lead. No issues from IBR being presented. They don't have anything worth talking about.
And then the job right is Rubrano. He's on the adventure, but we'll take one. He's a second to really get this one going.
It's a dink. They see the aggressive plays and they've got Venom's arrows number here.
That stack leaves B, they start to drift back towards the A site.
I might actually beat this play if Legacy continue moving forward.
No banana control for Legacy, they'd have to move back into it and get it late in the round.
Looks like they want to use most of the clock and let these, uh...
MIBR players who don't have any weapons kind of get nervous with the timing of everything
See if they can bait out some peaks some
Aggressive plays it's coming right now
Let's try skill towards top mid and if you see finished off or see do now run up through short
I'm trying to clear out the final two here, he's already sprung away behind that truck,
he better take it up by USP, just hold the phone right through.
I hold the phone right through.
Oh yep, the USP could have burned though, and that's gonna be about the nose, that could
have been where he is, so Lato primes himself and gets ready for the kill.
Right, five to three, the pistol round goes the way of, or I should say eco round, goes
the way of legacies, so now we buy back up, NQZ with the AWP, M4s being snatched for the
rest of the MIBR defense, literally five, probably made this round feel a little bit
scarier to legacy than it actually was probably made him a little bit nervous to see what was coming next
Every round has just had like a little moment of fear, right? It's never been clean. It's never been
comfortable for either squad. Four of the last five in the favor of his legacy offense
They're cooking right now boost up with the AWP over the top of the smoke
And this was not worry when we got to refer now once the gun round started
MIBR fine at the start get the pistol early rounds, but as soon as you see legacy get onto the guns and how comfortable
They are on this very map
Sorry to see them show their class
You know I'm gonna be challenging this B bomb site setup. There's four players here
They might just go with this but I mean at least for the moment what they want to do
They like applying this much pressure early because it's forcing out the utility earlier than MIBR would like which means late round
The stockpile is gonna be softened up and depleted for a re-execute
Yeah, they're going back, because there was a bomb still in the T-star, so they slowed out for a moment.
And because you got that kind of control and applied that much pressure, now MLB has to be nervous this entire round that a hit is going to come in.
LNZ has one more smoke to chuck out. That'll delay things a little bit further, depending on the timing of it.
So right around the 30 second mark, if Legacy want to finish at the B bomb site, that's when that smoke fades.
3 defenders at this bombsite as well and without them even investigating this round
now, without them taking brackets control or showing any presence there, it's gonna be
a hard fought battle to break in.
Advantage of utility to legacy.
L and Z trying to disrupt the CT smoke, it's gonna play through it.
It's through players here so let's see what MIBR can do with 20 seconds left.
You don't have a huge amount of time to clear this if you're legacy and this can work massively
in the favor of MIBR.
Do not always find a way to charge through but his teammates are not following it up just yet
And then all of a sudden they do this in the try where the impact kills right at the end to put that bomb down
With just enough time and NQZ alongside Breno have to try and retake this
But try has got the deep position the deep angle all the way down towards CT spawn
Yeah, that's just giving it up as I say so
But at this point my PR are not really looking all that likely to attempt this because they don't have a kit nor enough utility
Well, they're not going to risk in use the actual see me. He's the one being the most aggressive coming from banana
They are sliding and this is way too much a kid dropped inside the bomb site that they can pick up on the way
There's there's no time for this
They're just losing their weapons is just throwing away their guns and Bruno didn't get to your can't have the runaway here
That's going to be a strange decision there from LIPR at the end of the round
Yeah, all that all that attempted retake really accomplished for you was losing the AWP
The AWP moved in died and then you can't recover it. So that's a weapon you don't have moving forward
forward. Add scratcher there from M-I-B-R.
Yeah, I think that's why you get a timeout, because you're making decisions like that.
You've got to get everybody back on the same page a little breather, because you're not
making the right decision in crucial points.
Yeah, potentially they just lost some focus and maybe felt like it's a round where they
could be a little bit more patient with things. Either way, time to talk things over, because
as we kind of foreshadowed it, it is feeling very similar to Nuke all of a sudden. Six
of the last seven rounds in the favor of Legacy, three in a row.
And MIBR's ability to stand toe to toe with this Legacy squad seems to be slipping as time
goes on.
Look at this late round trades coming in, one of them threw the smoke as well.
This layers of Legacy players streaming in on the execute, constantly with the information
that their teammates have passed over to them.
12 kills on try, 10 on Nissen, the only two players in double digits inside the server. Zero kills on Art.
But he's got 6 T rounds on the board.
You know what? I think he's fine.
He's doing okay.
I think he's happy. But you'll get his couple of impact kills at some point this half. You got that feeling about it.
It is. Giving us that Kerrigan look right now.
Here we go, Brenna over the top.
Legans are able to close this with a statement wing.
I think it could be really interesting to talk about what they can do going into the round of 16, into the playoffs, at the event, because they are a super fun team to watch.
This is dangerous.
Well, AK is holding the angle. Venom Zara is right here at the doorway, and there isn't a little bit of a trap set up, but you can break that apart with your tool. You can force them into the fights, and luckily that grenade comes up from this end.
I don't think they saw LNG though. They're going to think Boiler is clear, good find.
Yeah, two more able to make sure LNZ's out of there, so NQZ and Insani left.
In a 2v2, it's still a doable round to roll with some from RBR, so you're starting to slowly pull that bomb away.
And again, it's that same story we've been talking about all in Furno.
Even though Legacy are winning these rounds, there's always moments where RBR make it difficult for them.
Yeah, I mean, there's been some real, real tough rounds that Legacy have had to grind themselves back into.
That smoke doesn't cover mid, so NQZ's gonna get spotted but not caught.
I'm going to be coming back at Insani and he does have the Deagle ready to go.
Smoked off, Coughan's getting smoked now, Legacy not missing any details.
NQZ's rotating over in case this Deagle makes something happen.
Oh, it does.
That is a sharp start, isn't it?
Two mouths, head shredded off the top, but try.
Good position, slightly elevated on top of first oranges, able to respond to Insani.
NQZ, we talked about his 1v2s on Nuke, a couple of them where he stepped up. They really need this one and they're just gonna deny even that chance.
And there you go. Art gets his kill.
I was gonna say, the only way he wins this one is if they really screw something up.
As if Art just never peeks and he's able to spray him both down behind the box, but that bait and switch is so hard to deal with in a 1v2.
It's up to a four-round lead now. Legacy have taken complete control.
Guns coming back in for MIBR. Two more rounds in this half for them to scrape together whatever they can.
The last couple of rounds, I mean, the scoreline was 93 and the first half of Nuke and Maburra
managed to bring it back to the final round of regulation.
Possibility that we see that very scoreline again here.
So, some of the apartments, no scope away, NQZ fully committed the pistols out, it's absolute chaos, but it's all coming up legacy because they thrive in chaos.
Another round victory, gonna be found here, absolutely no way into the round for MIPR.
Now you're just getting completely outmatched by legacy and it comes back to what we were saying, kicking off this game today.
We were saying that there is a real possibility to come to the server and we watch legacy blow them out of the water.
Yep, and it's happening as we speak.
Got all the answers, dictating the entire map.
Showing some classier legacy over their countrymen.
Extended to five, and this I'm gonna try
and hunt down these M4s.
And yeah, unfortunately for MIBR,
the story just continues still.
Although, I like that we've seen a couple of things
that we can at least latch onto positively, obviously.
It's hard to get super hype about it,
with the score lines being the way they are.
There's still plenty of progress for this MRVR team to make over time.
So the potential for a comeback when we switch sides is just hard to build that confidence after we saw the T side on Nuke ineffective.
And now this CT side, which was strong on Nuke, is just getting overrocked constantly.
Last round of this first half try 15 and 4 what a happy sadness in 12 and 5
Not too far behind at all
Okay, well that's something you were highlighting as well from the first half of nuke
It felt like I might be I had a number of close round losses that one of those go to the favorite could have been a different story
I think the same scenario here on inferno in the first half a different feeling like there were some there's been some close round
Like there's been there's been some close rounds. You're right earlier on in this half that they could have won maybe some rounds
But I think more than anything it's like on nuke some of those close rounds were like gun rounds here
It's like they've had some five seven rounds. They've made a little bit sketchy
USP stacks. Yeah, I'll come in into a competitive spot
I started the game saying that oh I hope that my PRs be defense can be strong once the guns come out because the big problem is
Dealing with the aggressiveness that legacy gonna throw at you and it just didn't really stand it part of it as they've played
most of this half like really passive back into the bomb site. You've never
really seen them pushed out towards sandbags, pushed out towards cars, so
there's been like no real, no real attempt to dissuade legacy from attempting
to take banana. Like there's never been like a round where they just killed
three and it's like okay well now legacy has to try and break into A to
soften up this kind of a stack. So I think if you talk to legacy I think you
know guys like Dumau, guys like Art, with that kind of clear freedom and banana
throughout this half they're gonna say that's the most fun we've had on Inferno
quite some time when you don't have to worry about it I'm aren't really didn't
have to worry I'm nine through again like see hoping they can just close it
out from this point not allow that come back to come through they do so into the
playoff they should go they'll knock out my PR stay in the east boys world cup
there's the double-puncher art okay he waited to the end he got his first
multi-kill right there. Lovely, that's the thing of beauty. Three kills for Art in the
half, nine rounds for Art on the scoreboard, three for MIBR, and yeah, Legacy just looking
like they're just going to march to this victory and send MIBR packing and take their spot
in the playoffs. Try has 17 kills and four deaths, and this one has 13 kills and five
deaths.
Great showing for Legacy too when you talk about, I mean we mentioned it just very briefly
during the veto process, the last time we saw these guys play, I mean they look great
in their opening game here at EWC.
Faze stepped into the server
and kind of embarrassed him a little bit.
It was like a nice wake up call bucket
of cold water onto the face.
Yeah.
And then they've come in here
and they've kind of helped us wage any of the doubts
that we might have had lingering from that phase match.
Well, I'm looking forward to going to that draft segment
of the show right now and figuring out what games
you've got for the playoffs.
Thank you.
It's an interesting tournament so far
because some of the big names in Counter Strike,
I've looked pretty weak at times.
There's some shakiness at the top.
Yeah, and that does open up a cool conversation
when it comes to play also potential upsets.
Yeah, I mean, I guess two of the teams
you'd point out was the shaky so far, vitality and spirit.
I think not the shaky, yes,
but shaky considering what we expect from them.
Shaky compared to the standard, right?
The usual standard that we've been used to
for such a long time.
I think both teams you'd say
would have a good chance of lifting the trophy.
Well, MIBR is creeping close to the step up the mid ramp.
Try with an off angle towards Boiler, Nissan and Art playing double pit.
Visitim, spots two, jumping.
Might not get away, Art's got a defending hold on back, but he's dead now.
Good shot for the one. Oh! Another!
Yeah, well again, these kills are brilliant from Try, but the responses are there for MIPR.
They're going to walk in with a couple, and that's the site taken.
So, this run is so important here for MIPR.
Obviously, if they have any chance of coming back into this in legacy,
they've got a lot of utility available for LATZO.
But getting back into this A-side in the pistol round just seems so tough.
Especially with dualies, I don't know how you're going to do it.
And no kit as well, so it's got to be fast.
I might not even try, I might just look for some exit kills,
for some extra money moving forward into the next rounds.
Keep the armor preserved, keep the utility preserved.
I want to start running.
They're coming through the archway and Doom Owl is going to be finished off by LNZ.
So right now 9-4, I mean, this is the beginning of the LPR comeback that we've seen on Nuke.
It's going to take a special T-side calling out of LNZ here.
And we're going to see immediately, legacy actually forced by him.
We know how chaotic the rounds have been so far in Inferno, we've seen a lot of those
in the first half.
Wouldn't be surprised if we get a real tough round coming up here from our PR straight away
Feels like a bold force by though from legacy
You're kind of putting a little bit of extra of your lead into the pot in the middle
You know in case you lose this rounds extra round you off to sit back
So it's gonna help that might be our close the gap quickly
Good information for art off the pop flash
Another one as well the keep hold of top banana
Really nice control for Art and Dumal. They're gonna stay paired up at the B bomb site with
half wall smoked off. Dumal has another one to replenish it. And if they wanted to take
a risk they could just bail out at this point, drop another smoke, one player leaves. But
now the move from MIBR up mid, and the rotation now will be late coming in from Dumal. So
So this hold at the A bomb site itself better be spectacular.
It's all quiet now, but we know it's about to erupt.
Try ripped off the balcony.
Lato in the side, 5'7", rattles through the chest.
Nissan also getting one of his own.
Who likes being peppered from below and above?
ends up being a situation for this and we just can't handle. So the force by has
not worked out here for legacy, they're gonna have to back away with the tail
tucked between their legs and it does open up that chance for my PR to get a
really strong start of this here in the second half. That's really well managed
from my PR as well. I think it would have been simple to panic. I wouldn't even
surprise me to see them panic a little bit in that situation when the wrap
around the bomb site is taken away from them by the CC smoke but just leaving a
lurker, re-smoking library and falling all the way back around with the rifle
stay in composed, makes that for a nice easy closeout, and Legacy do lose out on that kind
of a second round force by instead of waiting for the third.
So they'll save next, and MRBR have a chance to get up to six, before Legacy can buy back
into the rounds.
It kills me, I do really want to get those kills actually, MRBR lose every single member.
Ooh, this is interesting, okay, this might change a lot moving forward.
i don't think legacy is going to take this round to force out that the way
way too much but he's taking some money away from him so there's an element
of where you might want to continue applying pressure because you know
they've lost so much
all of this is gonna this is going to be divisive okay so arts picked up as a
alone and four
and his thought process is that a little extra punch in this weapon to get a
couple extra kills
still hurt the second on the maybe i still around away
and he spotted
to go for art he's just smashed that one he's goes back in though and now we've
got a stock the classic it is the classic
we can't just take the advantage we gotta we gotta go for a little bit more
that was so easy let me get another one
and handed that one right back and that's where the household was when
Jason
yes indeed
well the question becomes now
MIBR handle the previous round really really well. Legacy have the wrong read on this. They think after perhaps spotting the M4 at the A bomb site
MIBR might shuttle themselves across the map to the other side and attack B, but they're dead wrong.
Arch through Palace. Defense has vacated the premises. So an easy sixth round for MIBR.
And Dumal will be left to save the M4. So no harm no foul into investing in bringing that weapon into this round. They don't lose it.
I mean, again, it's just a slow build up to actually when the second half truly starts,
which is when Legacy get a full buy.
She's coming up soon.
But, it might be a loving how quickly they're closing the gap again.
Yeah, and I mean, this isn't, I'm not ready to get to call this a sort of a comeback.
I mean, they are closing the gap really nicely, but you know, you haven't gotten, as you mentioned,
it's the gun rounds yet.
That's where we're going to see if you can actually overcome the defense when it's got all the weapons to fight back
But a really nice start everything you could hope for
Or players surviving here not bad you're building up some of that money that you lost in the previous rounds
This is Art and then being a hero and then being zero should have away
So unfortunately, I'm not able to make much of that
Here we go into the gun rounds for legacy all gonna come up for try is on a heater here on inferno
I'm gonna try and keep that heat going that spark as he looks down middle
And flames towards his face and we'll have to peel away. Yeah, no one's swinging wide on mid
Venom's there over in Boiler, Nissen right around the corner, Flashbang is out.
Nobody spotted just yet, very mid-centric defense.
Two at the corner, one boosted up, one underneath the balcony as well.
Nissen is in front of the flame, so he doesn't have to give up his position.
He can maintain this right against the wall.
Venom's there on... He's going to win that engagement though.
Two mouths stepping out into the open, a crazy play, and it's nowhere to help from at all.
Luckily, Art was there, but you've got information.
Three players are stacked towards top mid.
This gets hard now though, because the defense is the one who has to panic.
It's the defense moving around the map and reacting to what MIBR has shown.
I think...okay, Art slips into the bomb site.
I thought they might just go save.
Once again, though, LNZ with the perfect call.
Bringing his team against the weakness on the defense, and yeah, Art is going to slip back.
And he just says, this isn't worth me sticking around.
This round isn't worth us fighting for.
And yet, again, legacy.
You have to back away and concede.
Four in a row for MIBR now to start this second half.
4 very convincing rounds to start this second half.
Yeah and if you're in a legacy you're just like how can we not just close these out there.
It's again you're letting your opponent back into the game again.
You might be able to prevail still, you might be able to still pull this off towards the
end but when you do this when you get into the playoffs, if a situation you're playing
against a better team, you let them in and you have a big lead and they are going to
to punish you. And MIBR could still punish them here on inferno, it's yet to be seen.
At one step at a time, MIBR closed the gap to just two. I think that's when you highlight
the fact that you did throw a little bit more of your lead in there when you were going for the force bomb.
Yeah, it closes the gap really, really quickly, doesn't it? And I mean, also, you had them in that second round
with eliminating all of them in a victory. You took all the weapons away. You made the economy very, very weak,
weak but you've kind of let them off the hook in that regard as well with the
back-to-back clean wins for them four players surviving in each of them so now
you don't even have that real that thread to kind of latch on to we reinvest
the losing bonus was fully built up for the legacy side three weapons saved one
bought one dropped over we get underway in round 17 but like I see yet to get
started on the CT side
I'll give it in the space and banana, I like to see it not challenging it, I'm gonna try
and play with the AWP around Long, he's a big switch as well between him and R2, he's
Hooked in the cubby.
Decent grenades here.
Landing right on top of LNZ.
He's down to 41 health off the back of that UTIL being thrown out by Legacy.
Yeah, really good chip damage for sure.
Soffins him up for later.
They have to cross this AWP still.
Four smokes available.
For MIBR's attack.
And Sony's gonna be a little bit of a fake element over towards the B bomb site.
Throwing a CT smoke.
Try's gonna get aggressive with that Molotov and COILER and gets destroyed.
LNZ knows exactly what's coming.
Yeah, it's a really good opening kill, and that's the AWP gone.
And now two defenders here.
And no longer do you have this strong crossfire that Art had to bait.
Switch, rather, you already have the AWP taking the first shot, then running past, focusing on that,
and then you have Art standing behind.
He's now isolated, stuck in this corner, having to worry about crossing into the open,
and he gets spotted as he does so.
30 seconds left, Nissan's on his own, he's isolated, trying to step up with just an A1S.
His teammate smoked away.
This one gets one, second headshot, but not enough damage to bring down the victim, and Art steps out instead.
And a lot of damage done to the balcony player, and spraying through his Dumau.
So good work for Art and Dumau, and that has put really difficult situation in front of MIB on.
I can't believe they've even given himself a chance to win this. A great chance at that. You do have a Molotov on Lato.
That looks like it's gonna go into the bomb site. Oh no, towards the pit.
Parton then QZ, burns out a two, it's up against the back wall, dropped.
Now Brenno's all on his lonesome inside of the pit, he's low HP, you've got three players, you're just going to swarm him surely.
One player gets onto the site, gonna get on that defuse, Brenno hasn't been checked yet, he could spam the box, but he's not going for it.
Brenno not looking for it, he's right away, now where's the body, blood, two mol steps in as that defuse comes through last second on the clock as well.
Legacy pull it through, and it's Art who does so much there, from a position you just don't expect him to get anything done from.
Yeah, I mean, that's not a fight you love taking whatsoever.
If you're R, you feel like you're dead any second
when you're taking those engagements.
He gets away with one, a quick kill down on the ground,
down in towards pit, critical, the damage, the dink,
and then the smoke pops, and it's hard to find him.
But that damage opens everyone up to make that retake much,
much easier.
And finally, a round on the board.
It took them five rounds, but they've arrived here.
10 to 7.
Three round lead for Legacy's CT side.
Yeah, try getting across.
So we're seeing NQZ making the same play earlier in that first half.
NQZ able to take a kill from it, not this time for a try.
Now we're seeing the grenade, but we're seeing how effective the utility was on CELNC in the last round.
We're gonna do it again.
It's the one going over the wall.
A lot of sound cues outside the B bombsite though, pulls Art over in rotation for support.
And as he slides into the V-bomb site, MIVR dip away, showing mid control, but defense
not reacting, ART still convinced this is going to finish at this bomb site, Plank far back
second CT with the support of flashbang. Tricey's nobody as the smoke breaks open.
So Legacy convinced now that the P-Bomb site is the final play.
Two Malo up on top of the crosshairs, he smoked away. There's a good shot from front of trying
to charge in. Two Malo steps up, sprays away. It's a very committed position and a very
committed spray that only results in the one kill. And that does leave that P-Bomb site
very weak indeed. There's no one home. Arms trying to slow them, trying to delay them.
teammates are planted safely inside of the A site. They will not move away from this.
It's going to be a legacy save call and MIBR battling through the B bomb site, which we
talked about being such a strength for legacy, didn't look that way then.
You know, both these teams have been playing pretty relatively passive CT sites from what
I'm used to seeing at the B bomb site. Well, at least in Legacy's case, right? Like, I feel
like Legacy's that team we know, Dumau's going to be battling. And some of that probably comes
down to the fact they've played each other, you know, four, this is their fifth series they've
played this year, including there's a best of one mixed in there as well on top.
So they played each other so many times, stylistically,
trying to shake things up, trying to make the opposition a little bit confused.
But the decision to play banana passively round after round is just given.
Both teams such a strong staging area for a set piece.
Money for both teams.
So legacy buy back into the rounds.
Two round lead, 10-8.
And this is cool, because, you know, we left Nuke saying,
man, LLNZ and MIBR had some cool ideas on that T-side.
A few of them didn't pan out, but they looked really int,
they looked like they were the smart play,
the right call, it just didn't actually fall in their favor.
Here on Inferno, it's the same thing,
except this time they're winning the rounds.
No one went wrong when MIPR tied up the score, so two rounds away from doing that.
I'll see if they can do it now.
Got some legacy, still just hanging in there, getting enough money to buy and coming out
looking like they've got a chance at it, but there's burst through the middle for MIPR.
A couple of players already up through top mid.
It's just two though, so I mean it's a little bit more strength behind this fake, a little
bit more concern in the legacy defense as they feel the pressure.
Flashbang's gonna come over, Dumow's gonna have to back away, drops the smoke, sticks
around at the half wall, they're gonna have to barrel through it.
If they want to get into the B bomb site they have to come through.
Dumow, okay, there we go, that's more like it, gets two headshots from the spray.
Alright, trying to get back to safety while crossing that smoke, Bull is starting to come
through, Panix a little bit, but he's able to find a comfortable spot to hide in.
45 seconds, the last-ditch effort, the attempt to get into the site is felt, and it's just
Bruno stepping us to his inevitable doom. 11 rounds to it, that's more like it from
Legacy.
Yeah, there we go for Dumau and Lato, and that time you could see a little bit more
willingness to fight for that half-wall control, to just have a presence, to just be a nuisance,
slow it down, throw some obstacles in their path, and successful as they prevent MIVR
getting a clean look at the people on site. 11 to 8. This time MBR, this comeback, as you
mentioned just now, haven't been able to actually tie it up the way they were on Nuke. They've
gotten close, but legacy not letting them get to that point just yet.
Maybe lured in by the fact that they haven't encountered any defense in that part of the map.
nobody really looking right whatsoever as that smoke is broken open but it was a
desperate situation. Once Lotto gets the kill on the other side of the map and
that smoke drops down from Dumau, that's your timing if you don't hit it you lose.
So forced into that play through the smoke to their death and now a three
round deficit.
Money running low as well for MIBR. Running out of cash and a runway in this
series. Elimination just two rounds away. Oh try. 19 HP, there's Nyssen. Could
headshot on to veteran Zera. Opening kill here for legacy. Searching from that
point for playoff qualification point. Uh-oh. Brando's in the smoke. Two players
on the other side of that smoke. And his teammates making their way up banana. Oh
there's the break. Yeah, just comes in. Brando's gonna be spotted. Couldn't even
and get a chance against Art.
And Doomouse keeping his head down,
away from those flashes that eventually are gonna be coming
over the top, still very effective, him blinding him,
and he's gonna go back into the open,
blind again, running through the smoke.
And Sany making the hero play,
and a second kill on Doomouse,
really opened this up in Sany fighting Cal Ct spawn,
but eventually Lato, able to wrap around the back
and put an end to Insani's antics,
and ask NQZ once again to step up with a clutch.
The ball is not planted, he's gonna give it a go and post that down on the ground.
Now steps into the next fight, but Lato's picked it up and legacy at series point.
Really good job from Lato, I love the work from Art as well, breaking the smoke over
on wrap side, not letting his teammate rotate away, not letting them sit there without the
information of what's going on inside that smoke.
And good work on the rotation over, legacy, closing things out convincingly at the tail
end just like the first map in this series.
Three of the last four in their favor.
And that round win takes so much money away from MIBR.
They've got a Galil, an AK-47, three tech 9s to fight with.
And what is potentially their last round at the Esports World Cup here in Paris.
So, it's a brutal way to have to qualify by knocking out the team from your own country, but it happens so often
the South American squads
Like you see the team that
We have more promise once they get into the deeper stages of the tournament
Showing their class right now against MIB odd
Tri-weights inside of the library about to silence Brunel
I don't know, he just moves off and gets towards the archway instead.
Actually, he's going all the way to B.
He's going all the way to B.
Yeah, they're very, very quiet.
Is he going to tell an avi-ball?
Now try, should look, but has he realized they're already in the passageway?
He has to worry about that.
They have to go back and get the bomb.
Lato dealing with Insani.
They step forward again.
The bomb is loose once more on the ground.
Brenno has got down speedway.
That will allow a kill, but the element of surprise now gone.
Lato backs into the corner, trying to get away with it on the right foot, and he will.
Legacy shall move forward into the playoffs, into the top 16 of the event.
Unfortunately, they have to knock out MIBR on the way there,
but they're going to be very happy with the performance they showed today.
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Well, here we go. We're gonna be doing a little bit of a playoff racket draw. I say we, because
The whole world is watching and also these two gentlemen here am I right? We got Moses. I've got Dinko
This is our first time we're gonna go here at EWC pretty cool guys having a good time
It's been a minute since I've been on a trip. That's for you trace. Yeah, welcome back
Who's that more you or me welcome back you? It's been a minute. It's been a while. Yeah, welcome back man
It's been a while. Thank you so much for having me over here on the A stream
I thought it really does look feel like the whole world is here
Like you've got every player. Yes suddenly appeared over that. I don't really know what's gonna happen
So I'm kind of the long for the ride here. It's gonna be a real surprise and I'll take it some good surprises, too
Now I would ask either of you guys if you want to take a stab at explaining what's going on here
We can do that if you'd like no, I'm good. I you're welcome
I think you have it written down on that sheet of paper. I do right here
And I have it in the most variety way I could possibly put it right in an explain like I'm five sort of variety the ELI five
All right, so 16 teams are left. We started with
if 32. Yeah, 32. Right. Cool. So we've got 16 teams left. That means we've got eight
matches we're going to be making out. That means the round of 16, pot one will be qualified
through the upper side, pot two qualified and survive the lower side. One pot, wait,
one pot, one team draws, one pot. There's like a nursery run that you're busting out
on your trades. Yeah, it is. Then a single elimination. So that is a nightmare once we
get there. Perfect. Essentially one pot is going to have all the good teams, right? Yeah.
It should do but it doesn't because we have some weird upsets that kicked off the tournament
So team spirit and vitality are straight. Yeah, mon to that is gonna be super
That's the most interesting part about this is how does that shake up the bracket?
I with those two teams taking those upset losses and kind of finishing differently than what we expected
Where's that gonna shake up the matches going into that round of 16 that round to 8?
How does it mess with the brackets playing into the grand final?
And those are all just because of the good old be a ones in the very beginning for the most part or do you
Think it would have been g how yeah gg how really did make an effort to make it interesting right? Hey, don't forget bait
They also didn't ever forget me. Yeah, that's the ones also the break
I think there's a big factor as well if something seems obviously didn't have a break
I always seen phase who just had to play every single tournament to make it here
So made it and it paid off. Yeah looking really sharp though
I mean the consequences of that like yeah, it's a tough road and it's frustrating and you want to have that break
You want to get that time off or you can see the level of their play looks so much sharper than what I expected to see them coming in
Straight away, so obviously the time that they've had grinding is has done good work for the team and looking strong going into these playoffs
Let's do it this way. We've got our qualified teams. I did tell you 16
So perhaps we can look at them visually to help you all understand home or follow along even if you're here with us tonight
The group winners and the group runner ups now we did talk about names that don't normally look like this in these positions
Yeah, it's team spirit over there in the group runner ups as we alluded to it's a it's vitality down there as well
To some extent I think like they some of it's like legacy even to me a little bit surprising
But I like seeing magic in there
They played some good counter strike Falcons off of their major championship
coming in and following that up and getting through to the playoffs at the top as well.
So yeah, there's some cool results and again, it's just what is this bracket going to play out, right?
Like, we felt like we knew who were the trophy contenders coming into this event
and it's all gotten shaken up.
You get a weird matchup. You get the likes of Game of Legends versus Vitality
and it actually could work out coming in as a second seed.
Interestingly, it could work out for these teams like Spirit and Vitality.
It could get a matchup that makes sense for them.
But I think for the group winners, the only real surprises there are the likes of Game
Illusion and B8 coming through and they're going to end up being higher seats.
I think the best looking team so far is Falcons and the highest level team and coming off
the back of the major and then FaZe Clan from the game, who got the seed look really good?
They look sharp.
They look really, really good at overtaking legacy and I'm just excited to see what they're
going to look like come to playoffs.
But same with like coming into this event and those questions about like foot with their
roster change, what they looked like last year where they're going to miss a step.
That's an ICNM mouse as well.
I think they're worth stopping and talking about making it through to the playoffs also more experience exertion at the helm of that team and
Hasn't dropped off the way I would have I would I kind of thought it might they've actually looked much stronger than I expected
So I like seeing this run in the playoffs
I like see what they're gonna be able to do against the best teams
You know it because it is these sports World Cup Club championships and the fact that we did have such a
Crazy draw right there the Falcons could stack up between a spirit mouse vitality right out of the gate, which is pretty scary stuff
So let's just see how this movie
plays out chat. Let's get it going.
Thanks, Trace. All right, I'm here to tell you through the process of this bracket draw. I've got to the Keymaster Jacob here to select the balls. And as Trace mentioned, we have two seed pools closest to me of the group winners. And on the other side, we have the group runners on both teams consist of eight teams, two from each group as to how they progress to this point.
We got the group winners punched the ticket exclusively through the upper bracket or group runners up had to progress through the lower bracket.
lower bracket. Now at random, we will draw eight group winners and place them into the
bracket from one to eight top to bottom. And we will then draw from the group runners up pool
to establish the round of 16 matches. An important note before we draw, a lower bracket team cannot
be matched against an upper bracket team from the same group. So we've established that. Let's get
this one underway. You've already looked at the teams. Mr. Keymaster Jacob, could you please draw
the first ball. The first team
to populate match number one.
Will be. G two e sports. Okay
first. Winners team to populate
the bracket now for match number
two. The next team to populate
will be. Furia. Okay so G two
and fury at both in the top half
We go after team number three.
See that one foot e-sports. So G2
Furia and foot all in the upper half of the bracket
Next team selected is
Gamer legion, okay, that's the top half of the bracket populated. Let's get into the other side
Next team selected will be
Na'Vi, Nadas Vinciya. Okay, and we'll populate match number five. We've got G2, Furia, Fort, Gamelige, Na'Vi, three teams remain.
Next team will be team Falcons. Two more names to draw.
next team selected is.
base clan. And that leaves us
with one final team to pull out
of the hat. The final team of
the group winners. The high
seeds will be bait e sports.
Okay, so we populated the.
team. Now the team Falcons,
face clan and bait. And as
mentioned, we are going to
select the next balls in a
moment. We just need to
populate the bracket before we
draw. I get key master Jacob
to shake this up. But just to
remind people before we draw
them group runners up for
looking like excuse me. That's
my page in the mix here. The
It's a good matchup. It's a
good matchup. For group B. It's
legacy in Astralis for group C.
It's fine. Tati and mouse and
for group D. It's Mongols and
magic again. I just want to draw
to people's attention. A lower
bracket team cannot be matched
against an upper bracket team
from the same group. In the
case that gets drawn, it'll be
placed into the next available
matchup. And if it works out in
the scenario where we have a
certain set of teams, exactly
to determine our first matchup.
First team selected will be Aurora Gaming.
Now, Aurora also heralded from Group A.
They are not able to play against G2 Esports,
which means they will take on Furia.
So, Furia versus Aurora, the opening match there.
Furia, obviously running through as the highest hit,
Aurora battling through that lower bracket
after the upset loss to Big.
So, we'll draw our next team in a moment
to see who we'll be taking on G2.
Let's grab our next ball, please, Jacob.
Next team selected is...
Astralis. Astralis coming from Group B,
which means they can match up against G2.
So G2 versus Astralis will play into the winner
of Furia versus Aurora.
Astralis taking down MIP of the last game today
to secure themselves a spot here in the playoffs at EWC 2026.
And G2 making light work of that group stage to lock themselves in through the upper brackets.
Alright, we can draw our next ball to determine who's going to be taking on foot.
Remember, it cannot be a team from Group C.
Next team selected will be...
Magic from Group D. So we'll have Magic taking on foot.
Magic today, upsetting 9z, probably the biggest emission from the group so far to the playoffs.
That leaves in this upper half of the bracket.
Game Allegiant will draw to see who they'll be playing.
Game Allegiant will be taking on.
Maus and Group C.
So, Game Allegiant versus Maus.
That leaves us with G2
versus Astralis, Fueria versus Aurora,
Foot versus Magic and Game Allegiant versus Maus
for the top portion of the bracket.
We can start populating the lower half.
Let's select the next ball, please
This stuff is the Mongols from group D. They cannot play against Navi
Which means they will be taking on team Falcons. It'll be Falcons versus the Mongols
Have three more matches to populate right now three more teams to select Navi phase and bait looking for their opponents
from group D, FaZe from group B, and Bait from group C.
I'm going to throw this one over the desk.
Yeah, okay, some cool matchups out of the game.
Falcons, Mongols, we just established that one.
Gamer Legion, Miles, I'm also looking for a G2 Astralis
and Furia Aurora, thinka.
I'm worrying about the other shots, the bracket,
that there was, that haven't been drawn yet.
That's the big ones, right?
We're still waiting on Vitality and Spirit to come out,
and the likes of Na'Vi and Bait are going to be looking at that
at that as a game that is very worrying face still that way for the opponent. So that's
the scariest part. I actually think that foot versus magic game is actually just going to
be fireworks. That is just going to be fragging. It's just going to be in your face trying
to take every fight. That's going to be a fun match to watch. I would definitely put
a little leaf on that one to tune in for that. Whatever that one gets scheduled. I like
you to a straw. I think fury Aurora is going to be an interesting test for Aurora and fury
the shaking is some of the we've seen but Aurora with the new roster coming in a good
test for them early on against a strong team that was just in a major finals.
We're going to hear from the Falcons and Mongols here shortly to my knowledge
Absolutely that I do feel like we're in a situation where the Falcons may or may not get tested by the mongols
Yeah, that's one of those games where I mean they could they could show and just blow it out
But you know what mongols have shown us so much resilience of all through all these roster changes
They're still being able to somehow muster up good games and being able to stand up against some of the top teams
And I'm gonna at least give them the benefit of the doubt and see what they look like when they roll into the game that day
But yeah, you don't want to be drawn the reigning major champs when you when you get your first game with the playoffs in the round
16. That's not an easy match for the Mongols to take on. Yeah, they at least won't have to play
Vitality once we get to that stage already obviously played them in the group stages got the win
So you won't get that rematch yet
So that means you know you're looking at other squads you're looking at face potentially get a vitality now the vitality
That's an opportunity in this series and then obviously spirit still up for grass there for base
So your reward for being a good team could end up being having to play spirit in the first round of playoffs
I think that G2 game for me is a lot of fun because I like this G2 roster, I want to see
where it goes, but when we casted them on the opening day, I believe it was the Rinkle
who played excellent, so all the conversation about him stepping in for some pious, Rinkle
looked really good for this squad.
Let's hear from the players right now and let's hear those reactions.
Yeah, lots of excitement when we're looking at this draw, not least because of course
we've got Falcons taking on the Mongols, Techno, do you remember the last time you played up
against Falcons?
I think it's on future Dastana maybe.
It was sweat rematch and we were winning I think, and we lost unfortunately in that time.
And I'm happy to face them again.
And after that they became major winners. It's really nice to play with them.
What about you Kerrigan? What are you making if this is your first matchup in the playoffs?
I think whatever happened in the draw I think it's always gonna be tough.
Another thing, Mongols is a dangerous team because of the two new players.
We know out of that region, they brought a lot of great players up the last two years,
so it's going to be interesting because last time we played it was in Stanna, and like I said,
they were pushing our limits in the beginning, and hopefully we can maybe control the game a
little bit more this time. Just one final note, obviously we're looking at the club championships
as well. A lot's been changing as of late when we're looking over at Rocket League. How much
pressure is there on your shoulders now to kind of keep the form up for Falcons? I think the
pressure is more on ourselves we want to prove that what we did in the major we can replicate that
we didn't do it beginning of the season and so we're here to show what we're capable of and
so far so good and what mong is going to be a tough task and hopefully we're gonna play with
and take it from there. Gentlemen thank you so much I'll let you have a little fist bump before
we do indeed be heading things back to Chad Spandvirtual. Hello hello hello all right three
three more teams. This side of
the bracket is looking awfully
stacked. Let's draw an
export, please and determine
the next matchup. Vitality
spirit yet to come out. Next
team selected will be legacy.
That means they can take on
now V so legacy versus now V
winner of that will play into
Falcons versus the Mongols who
just heard from there in a
quick little interview. So
the last two teams to be drawn and I think well that
puts us in at one position in one position only but we'll draw it to make sure we've got the right names in the hat as
Next team out will be team spirit
and I believe that means they will have to take on bait as
Vitality are not able to take on bait again in the round of X 16
so that would mean the final match we have his phase clan at taking on vitality and
And that does mean that we have Falcons, Vitality and Spirit all on the same side of the brackets.
And this is turned out, let's just double check, make sure.
During the final ball, and of course, it will be Team Vitality taking on FaZe Clan to round this out.
So from top to bottom, we've got G2 vs. Astralis, Furiot vs. Aurora, Foot vs. Magic, Gameligen vs. Maus.
And then to populate the lower half of the bracket in those final matches
We were just going over that Navi legacy Falcons Mongols phase vitality bait team spirit and we'll throw this one back to the desk
Thank you very much to our key master and the gatekeeper of Chad Birchell the gatekeeper of the bracket
Yes, that's his nickname. This is middle name. Yeah middle name. Okay, that's a yeah, okay
So regardless cool match at virtual. Yeah, really cool matchups
I think space obviously feeling rough about the fact they've got vitalities straight away in the round the 16
They are playing really well. I was hoping they'd see some great potential
But if you're if your face you haven't really played against a great opponent yet
You play against good teams you should certainly have but now you're going up against team vitality in a playoff environment
This is the true test of the new guys. Yeah, it really is you couldn't get a bigger one than this
I mean what a hard thing to draw on your first one, but you know what?
I think with the way they're playing right now
I think Swiss has got almost be relishing this opportunity
I think he's got to be looking at it feeling confident with how his guys are and looking over on the other side just have
drop a match during the group stage,
kind of look in your chops here and say,
you know what, if I'm going to get an opportunity,
now is the best time for it.
Well, well done, Bet.
You beat Vitality in the group stage.
It's a massive wish, but you get into the playoffs.
Now you've got Team Spirit.
But you cannot possibly tell me that you feel
like Bet doesn't have a chance of that match.
Really?
Again, Spirit with getting upset as well in the group stage,
and we've seen some of those struggles, the tough match
that they had to qualify through.
And you have a young team, Bet, that shoots really hard,
getting them into the server.
And that can easily be an upset.
I think that's a pretty scary prospect for Spirit
coming into this, not playing their best counter strike.
Yeah, it sets us up, I mean, just all across the board.
I am low key thankful.
We didn't touch on, sorry, what,
Na'Vi legacy as well is like a sneaky banger.
Like, that could be really cool.
Legacy trying to mix more tactical gameplay in,
Na'Vi as that tactical mastermind team,
but then you have legacy that has like this brute force,
like just fragging in your face style to it.
There's some contrast in that
that can make you excited counter strike.
Yeah, you're absolutely right.
So I just got jacked up for a second.
No, I saw that, man.
That was crazy.
you got anything you want to get jacked up to?
Yeah, but I thought it was me.
Yeah, let's head down to the stage.
I'm pretty sure Twist, Flames, Freyja, what's up?
Some good energy going on down here.
Twist, Flames, Twist from FaZe and Vitality.
Respectively, we're looking at this matchup head to head.
We'll talk about the bracket in just a second,
but what do you make of these FaZe guys?
Do you remember the last time you played against him?
and then before that, the major I believe. Yeah, of course, I remember phase. It doesn't remember playing against phase. And I'm excited.
Are you excited to face Vitality? I mean, they haven't looked so sharp. Maybe I shouldn't say this so loud. But what do you think of them?
I mean, we would have picked them anyway.
I'll let that one hand right there. Looking at your side of the bracket though. I mean, we've got like a spirit, obviously. So has Vitality got Falcons on the bottom side, Flamesy.
So this one's going to be tough to get through, no?
Yeah, for sure. I think we obviously need to step up the game because we've been playing like shit
The last few games we did
But yeah, if you want to win one of the biggest events you gotta win everyone
So it doesn't matter who you get the early or later
It's just kind of striking everybody's competitive nowadays
First you're taking on the ultimate captain on here flames you pointed out. You're the one that's come back to represent face time
You leave him by example here. Yeah, of course
I'm looking forward to the game like you just said you have to play everyone anyway if you want to win the event and
And yeah, looking forward to a true test gentlemen. I'll let you shake hands and we will throw this one back over to the desk
To lovely lads can I kind of call my
Yeah, I mean, you know personally. Yeah, I think so I like to think so at least not maybe too personally
But I would say that in the server those are two fun guys to have in sir
I think this this storyline is full of personal story lines as well, right?
I mean vitality run touchable for such a long time doesn't feel like that is the case right now phase are getting confident
building, building, and obviously I'm just excited to see, you know, a chance
provides how he actually lose to FaZe for once. Like a couple of weeks ago, a
couple of months ago, you would never say this is possible at this time, but now
it is actually a real possibility that FaZe can give him a very tough time.
Yeah, I mean, that's obviously going to be the marquee matchup of this round of 16.
That is the one you look at and you're just like, oh my god, what a game that can be.
I think as well for FaZe, you know, you look at Swiss and the way he's evolved as
an IGL, we saw him call a lot of plays for himself, call a lot of plays for his
young players as well. This will be a good test if you can maintain that faith in your
kind of young rookies if they're going to deliver for you against one of the best teams
in the world and a team that has been the best for a long time. That's going to be a
test for Twisted Fate. That trust can maintain throughout the entire series.
Are we kind of thankful that we didn't end up... Sorry, we're getting heckled by players.
This was worse. Are we kind of happy that we didn't get this vitality spirit sort of
thing happening? I mean, it might very well still happen, but...
It could happen there obviously being in the both losers on that side of the bracket
at least could match up with each other in the round of 16, but can match up with each
other in the next game.
It's definitely possible.
In fact, that's the most likely outcome, but it's obvious that one side of the bracket
is a lot weaker than the other, but I think the other side of the bracket, although it
may not have the biggest names, I think it has a lot of interesting matches that will
still keep us very entertained as we move through.
Yeah, it's kind of like the bracket is like a halved to make it so all the teams have
of a certain experience level or a certain level inside the server or like in the same
half of it so it's going to be really really grueling. I mean even if you want to add Navi
in there because it'd be Falcons Vitality Spear would say the teams that would likely
to win the trophy but Navi would be like that kind of like AT or team that you'd also have.
That's a ridiculous half of the bracket trace.
It is. I've got just nine minutes after 10 o'clock on the 16th of August gentlemen.
I think we call it right here. It's been a long day of some counter strikes.
You have nine minutes? That's 39 minutes.
Yeah, so nine minutes after 30.
Oh yeah. I gotcha.
Anyway, from Alabama, what's your excuse?
Let's call it there.
I hope you all enjoyed the show today.
Tons of counter strikes still to go,
but that does mean the playoffs are set.
The brackets are all there.
So let's call it right then and there.
Good night, everybody.
We'll see you on the other side.