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Let's come as brought to you by Fanta lip-snacking deliciousness want to Fanta Nintendo switch
to Nvidia GeForce RTX game changer
Welcome to day 2 of the 2026 Overwatch World Cup finals coming to you live from beautiful
sunny Anaheim, California. We're at BlizzCon back where it all started. I'm Zoe and I'm
joined by my good friends, not colleagues, not coworkers. They're my actual besties.
That's a yeah, that's a little stop at Johnny. Let's stop at Johnny. But yeah, we're so happy to be back. We had a fantastic first day of action. Matt, have you ever had this combo before? I don't think so. No, no, maybe the last time. Yeah, it might be a little bit.
The only way we were getting silly out of bed this early is if it was all of us together.
Yeah, we promised to entertain her this morning.
I'm literally the first one up every morning, so I don't know what you guys are talking about.
That's crazy.
No, we have a lot of great matches coming our way, a lot of great performances on stage as well.
Of course, more panels and whatnot.
It's blissful. There's just so much going on.
The crowd is still just filling in, so we're going to get things started a little slower.
They're more quiet here, but we have a lot of things to discuss.
Yeah, I mean, the coffee line is long, right?
So we're going to let the Mozi on in here.
You know, get it kind of started because we have some sick games today, right?
We do, yeah.
And first, though, I want to kind of revisit yesterday and what happened.
It was a day of domination.
We saw a lot of very, well, dominant and one-sided performances.
And the energy was up in this room.
Let's talk a little bit about the matches and which teams really stood out to us.
Ash, what comes to mind first?
I think that's a good point.
Dude when it comes down to that
first match between KSA and
Spain, that's one I kind of
think back to seeing Spain
get so excited after winning
out on Route 66 with a what
three minute hold right a
couple meters left from
capping that point. That was
just insane to me. They
showed that KSA were able to
bleed. Yeah. And of course we
all predicted Sweden to take
I'm talking about Matt, don't know.
No, well obviously Sweden came to play.
They looked extremely dominant.
So did France.
They came with the same kind of energy
that we saw them rock up with in Busan.
And then of course the dominant finish to our day.
South Korea.
South Korea.
Yeah, completely dismantling.
Teen USA, Danny.
Like I was very surprised.
Like we all thought, you know, I'm sorry,
I want to applaud this to everybody.
I applauded some scrim bugs,
but it wasn't true.
Guys, never buy into the scrim bugs.
On top of that South Korea they were ready they were on fire and like they just like locked it in and that I feel like this
Is the South Korean team that we all know and love and I was just so excited to see them
I don't know if you guys saw there's a clip where I infected join one of the co-streams and he's like do you wear on fire bro?
I think we're gonna
That does not look awesome right now
Those age particularly well
Man, I do love how this took up though, because now we get that rematch from Korea and France.
It was France that took them down in Busan, so Korea wants their revenge so badly here as they definitely do.
And with their performance yesterday, you are expecting them to be bringing that heat into today here as well.
I do not think that we are going to see a Korea that's going to slow the roll.
They're going to continue to amp their way up and get into that Grand Final.
Yeah, I mean we've seen this before right where you know, South Korea will lose to a team and then they kind of see them yet again
They're gonna be out to try and embarrass friends today. Like they're not gonna try and just beat them
They're gonna try and like you know really just clown them
So I'm worried about friends because when Korea is that kind of yeah, when they're in that type of mindset
They're really difficult to beat but at the same time like France looked really good
They look really solid and and they you could tell that they're like oozing confidence, right?
Even on stage when I was talking with Kronos, we're like, yeah, no, we got it.
Like, we got it in the back, doesn't really matter if it's going to be USA or Korea that we're facing.
Like, we're ready for them.
That's the thing, right?
Like, you beat them once and they're not very long ago either, so like, surely you can just do it again, Ash.
Okay, wait, hold on, hold on, hold on, hold on, hold on.
Just do the same thing again, right?
Yeah, wait, you predicted it.
I just remembered.
Okay, I see what's happening.
All right, all right.
Do you see what's happening?
we're getting a little early into our predictions here, Danny. Okay, come on, overall. We're just
pre-baiting predictions. Actually, let's take a look. I actually want to talk a little bit about
the hero bands we had, because obviously heading into this very event, we talked about the patch
and how it might affect the hero bands and the performances of those individual teams,
with Demon having been so very dominant in Busan, and also, of course, the jetpack cat.
We now see Kirika at the very top of the leaderboard. Demon still considered a massive threat here as
as well. It hasn't changed that much. I mean, even when Kiri is banned, like Nerf, right?
And then like, we're still seeing her played a lot of the time. And then look, Jetpack
catch is kind of enables Demon and Cassidy to do a lot of things they wouldn't typically
be able to do. Very similar meta to Busan, which I think is a little bit surprising.
But I think the patch came in so late that teams, they had scrimmed, they had gotten
ready. They're not going to change up everything.
Yeah, I mean it's why throw the entire playbook out of the window we saw yesterday, right?
Teams like Franz still heavily riding on that demon look and he works so well for them.
It does look so good for them.
I mean again when we talked to Crocs, he was like this hero was made for me.
It's so good when it comes down to his play style and it works so perfectly and I feel like it's not just that.
It's the fact that the back line is so good at supporting him as well.
Well, I wish Zoe would have told Team USA not to throw out the playbook.
I mean they have Luke Amino who's like tremendous on Gypsy Cat. They didn't play it at all yesterday. They're like, oh, yeah
We have we have something else figured out obviously didn't work
But yeah, I mean France has been just kind of riding, you know, really
I mean crocs on the demon is unbelievable, but like FD got on yes really kind of empowers that as well, which
They're not changing the thing, you know exactly how they're gonna play today
Yeah, I mean again if it's working why change anything, but I'm sure they came prepared
Maybe have something else in the pocket as well and they have to bust it out today
We're playing it in a single elimination bracket first two three is still at the way to play
So, you know, they got to bring their a game on every single map now
We have a great day of action ahead of us starting with our semifinal between KSA and sweet and then afterwards
We're gonna get that awaited anticipated rematch between team fronts and South Korea and then it's gonna get loud in here
We have incredible performance on stage here at BlizzCon from Yaw Sobi and for everyone at home
You're unfortunately missing out on that, but don't you worry. You got a treat for you as well
We're gonna have some expanding overwatch lore for you at home
And I want everyone to stay in chat participate stay in game and participate as well because you can cheer for your
Conference and get drops on top of the drops you get for simply watching so
Drops on top of drops, drops on top of drops, drops on drops, literally all of them, all of them.
All of the drops are dropping, dropping in this particular area.
That was a great sentence Danny, thank you Matt.
You get great to speak, can you believe that, that's crazy.
But yeah, obviously we have the different conference skins here Matt, any favorites, any preferences?
I mean I'm a sucker for every skin.
I'm kind of a, I'm kind of a, yeah you know.
You're just a cosmetic star.
Yeah, they talk about those whales.
I mean, I'm out there.
I'm buying them all.
So I do like the EMEA colorway, though.
And I feel like I am one with the EMEA region at this point,
because I've casted it right now.
I feel like we're better.
No, we don't.
We don't.
I don't think so.
We're claiming you're out.
As a representative of EMEA, we will not claim my umbrella.
You're an America's guy, and that's OK, Bob.
OK, that's fine.
That's fine.
I love your confidence on that.
I'll say being an honorary Australian,
What's going on?
Hey, don't say that like you didn't shake my hand when I asked you to dab me up for context for context
Danny wanted Matt Morello to dab him up and Matt just gave him a really
They sealed the deal that day. It was beautiful to watch. I want to circle back to co-workers and friends
This is good. I like that full circle
Guys, let's talk about our... Are we considering players or coworkers?
No.
Kind of, right?
Yeah.
They're here frequently while we're working.
Yeah.
Okay, our distant co-workers.
That's what we're going to be chatting about right now.
Exactly.
Okay, we're getting a little parasocial now.
Those cousins that are not invited to the wedding, we're going to be chatting about them.
Let's talk about this first match.
Sweden came in hot yesterday.
Honestly, they looked flawless.
It didn't skip a beat.
may have underestimated them a little bit here, Ash.
And I don't know why, because we talk all year long
about just how people like Kevster
are completely taking over servers,
our on the top of their game.
Why didn't we believe this week?
I don't think it was so much that we didn't believe in Sweden
as much as how good Journey have looked,
how well they've grown together as a team.
Being very much so led by Aisnam,
who was unfortunately taken out by his teammate
in Kevster yesterday, who has been completely lights out,
It feels like Keppzer has not slowed down whatsoever.
He's been absolutely incredible.
I mean, this team is like really, I feel like, you know,
when you look at some of the teams obviously left,
I feel like they're a little bit of the underdog, right?
But they shouldn't be like, I think they have a real chance
to be KSA.
I mean, it's going to be a very difficult game,
but I, they've been really impressed with Sweden
from online to the groups.
And then now here at BlizzCon.
It might be because like it's a team
where people are quietly really, really good.
Not Kevster, Kevster is loud, he's very, very good.
The rest of it kind of goes under the radar.
We talked about the backline a little bit
with Skyline and Admiral yesterday.
Like, they're really, really incredible,
but we don't really talk about them that much.
Will, it's just dancing on stage like rocks, right?
So like, I mean, yeah, it's a team that's like all business,
right? They just kind of show up, they scrim,
they do their thing, and they come out
and have great performances.
I think Admiral's a great shout.
I mean, been a really strong player for a while now.
Kevster really gets a lot of the love on this team,
and like deservingly so.
but a lot of really talented players stop the bottom.
Absolutely. Now, of course, when we're talking all business,
we have to talk about KSA.
KSA, they're grinders, okay?
Like, they do not ease up.
They're not playing around.
They came here to lift that trophy once again, Danny.
Yeah, I mean, like we talked about yesterday,
they are still the superstars, right?
And also, they were the champions in 2023.
But we're talking, we're looking at course,
he is, I do agree with what everyone said,
like they, I think he is the best sit scan we have.
That's a hot take, Danny.
That's a hot day.
That's a hot day.
OK, guys, get him.
That was Matt Rallow.
He was getting it.
It's not the best hit that we have in the overall World Cup.
I believe, and on top of that, there's just all superstars,
and they have that synergy, right?
Yesterday against Banshee, they lost the map against it,
but I feel like that's probably more or so
because it was like their first match going in,
and also they were probably tweaking stuff.
And I do believe that this is still a very strong team.
Quartz has been the best hit scam for two years now.
maybe even more.
The one thing that I would be slightly worried about
if I was KSA is we haven't seen them play Dmon like at all.
They just kind of like, okay, well,
if you just keep Quartz alive, we're gonna win,
which is a pretty good strategy.
I mean, they won World Finals basically doing that.
But with how teams are playing the Dmon so aggressively,
the one thing about KSA is their backline
is really kind of untested, I would say.
We've seen them obviously play at a really high level,
but not in the OWCS, not playing competitively,
really that often. How can they hold up against the aggression of a team like
Sweden? Yeah, I mean so far they've not really been pushed at their say, right?
I mean they did lose them up against Spain. We expected to see a bit of a
cleaner performance, so maybe, maybe there is an in here for Sweden, but can
I say it, should still be considered the favorite. Let's look at our predictions
here, Dani. Javi, be all the way. There's still a little cortisol. TVNT is
waiting back and watching us, and I am fully channeling his energy. I'm going
I forgot what I thought honestly. I think it was 3-1-1. I'm giving that one map for Kevster because he said
He was like hey like when I interviewed him yesterday was like hey like you know they look a bit shaky
I think it's gonna be a good match. I am giving that one map for Kevster
But I think ultimately it's going to be KSA winning the match. Yeah, I went 3-1 KSA as well
I could see this being a game 5 though. I could see this series really. Oh, I did got a 3-2
I was like I knew I was either gonna go 3-1 or 3-2
but 3-2 KSA, I think this goes all the way to the distance.
I think Sweden is that good.
They are really good so far,
and unfortunately though,
I don't think they're good enough to take the match.
I did also go for KSA with this one, a 3-1 for me.
I'm with you, Danny.
Let's go.
All right, I think we're all aligned here.
I also had to go with KSA for this one.
It's just really hard to bet against them.
I, too, gave Sweden a map
because I think Kessler is just one of those players.
You can completely take over a server.
I was very very impressed with the synergy in that team, even though they're just thrown together and they don't have the pre-existing synergy
Felt like they were all on the same page, but KSA is also always on the same page
They work as a unit and as much as we're trying to find and in here for some critique
We'd like the backline being on test that overall they should be considered the favorite to win
But we'd love to be here and see Sweden prove us wrong now
We get our opinion of who we think is gonna come out on top on day one
We actually had an opportunity to chat to all the teams and hear who they think are the teams to watch out for
Who do you think is the one player that we should be watching this tournament outside of your team?
Kevster, because he's back on Flex DPS, I want to see how far he can take Sweden
especially in these big matches.
I think Luke Mino can play good.
He had a strong performance against us,
so I think he can shock like him.
I want to watch Luke Mino.
Yeah, Luke's hand on Cat especially.
We'll see how the cat changes.
Maybe Lapta. These days he usually plays Sitskin,
but this tournament he's playing with Quartz,
so he's going to play more of the Flex DPS,
but he's been really good on those as well,
so maybe he'll play for Lapta.
I'm kind of interested in Labda.
Now playing with Quartz, he's picking up the tracer and the she-on.
Labda was an extinuit of mine, and I was always impressed how fast this guy could learn new things.
Like, any high pressure situation,
third year hero at him, third year job at him, and he would figure it out.
I think any of the tanks at Crocs, Willis?
I would say Willis.
He's really good. He's been proving himself in other UCS.
He came back up recently. He's a really good player. He would go very far.
I think it's hard to not say Quartz.
Everyone already has their eyes on Quartz.
It's gonna be courts again.
you
you
you
you
you
Look no further than courts.
KSA are returning with the trophy.
The question is, will this team be able to take that trophy
from their grasp?
On the other side of the stage, after 3-0 in Germany,
Sweden are looking like a powerhouse once again.
Let's give it up for the team Rockin' Yellow and Blue
featuring the great hamster, T. Sweden!
What a run man put on.
What a showing they had through the stages during the number one seeded fall in
Jeff Short, Sweden, may be the toughest opponent for Tassay yet.
Can the underdogs pull off the improbable?
They're three maps away from moving on to a grand final.
The match is running.
The players are ahead to their stages.
And the fans are excited to take their seats.
Blizzard Arena makes a noise one more time as we get a first match of the day under Red.
Time Sweden graced that podium, Johnny, in third place. 2017 and standing across from them,
Team Saudi Arabia, just three years ago, 2023, held that trophy high and they're looking to do anything to defend it.
It's Grand Finals Day here at BISK on Overwatch World Cup 2026, but before we get there, we have to take part of the semi-finals.
And Sweden for them, it's been a long time coming here now. Like you said, 2017 was the last time.
I believe they beat up France in the third place match, that time around.
And of course now they get an opportunity to face off against Saudi Arabia,
the reigning champions here at the Overwatch World Cup.
And a stacked roster looking to repeat.
Two veterans on the Swedish side as well, Kevster and Abril leading the charge for...
not unknown rookies, but compared to how long Kevster and Abril have been around,
their tenure in the Overwatch scene.
It's very much them kind of leading the charge against Saudi Arabia, who have just been no surprise
dominant thus far, although had a small hiccup, I'd say, against Spain. Everybody thinking Saudi
Arabia, they're going to take this one 3-0, but Spain gave them a run for their money on that Route 66.
Yeah, if you're looking at the form of these teams and reviewing yesterday's matches, you might say
to yourself, well, Saudi Arabia, they struggle a little bit against Spain, and meanwhile,
Sweden just dominated Germany with a clean 3-0, which might make you believe that Sweden's got a pretty good chance in this one
But it has to be Saudi Arabia on paper favors. Just looked at the rosters themselves
Quartz, of course, one of the best hit scamp players in the entire game
Won the world championship last year with twisted minds in OWCS
And of course Lada has been a standout on the flex DPS role alongside him flexing over to those more
That tracer she on type of heroes rather than playing is typical hit scan
And I think this Saudi Arabia also on paper needs to be the favorites against we that despite yesterday's matches
Yeah, it will be the courts and Kevstar show that is the two players
I think that most people have scared off even in the interviews with the with Gavin that we saw a moment ago
South Korea were like there's two teams on there and then there's a single player
naming Kevster by name is the
Swedish kind of powerhouse that is going to lead them to victory.
Well, you saw it even in the gameplay itself.
Sweden, they play so patient compared to some of the other
Demon teams we've been seeing, like we talked about France,
and we don't talk about Spain going into this yesterday's matchup.
They're so aggressive with the Demon,
and because of Jetback Cat, you're allowed to be that aggressive
because, you know, you can always have someone helping you out, of course.
But Sweden, they take a bit more of a cautious approach.
By their time, they wait for Kevster to flank around on that tracer
and Sorrow been playing to Freya, which we haven't seen from a lot of other teams as well.
So this is a very patient Swedish team.
I'm just curious to guess to Saudi Arabia, Osir,
will they be able to get away with playing this flank heavy patient approach
over Saudi Arabia to dominate the point instead?
Yeah, that is their own look to the meta, which is,
I wouldn't say still evolving.
The patch changed a few things, but not anything substantial,
where it just knocks Cat out of the meta, knocks Demon out of the meta.
But is the Freya kind of the tipping point?
because Saudi Arabia, if they're seeing the Freyja being loaded into lobby,
it's like, sure, I mean, courts can play the Sojourn,
and that matchup normally goes Sojourn's way.
Very easy to pick the Freyja idea with a railgun.
Yeah, I can't wait to see the hits again, Jules,
because of that reason I learned,
both store-run Quartz,
they'll be kind of waiting for each other to peek a little bit.
We saw yesterday Quartz, he's so happy to just take these flank angles
to round the corners and look for a couple of headshots,
and then he finds that pick in the opening fight.
How many fights yesterday did Quartz just find a pick before the fight even took place?
And that's a five versus four scenario. You don't even want to take an engage at that point.
And so both Sorrow and Quartz will be looking out for each other in this hit-scan duel,
and obviously the ramifications will be significant.
Yeah, even the Cassidy too, to be fair, against the Freya.
You take that one. You don't even need to peek yourself a lot of the time.
You're waiting for her to updraft, and then you're just kind of standing chill and waiting to,
you know, double tap him in the head. All good.
lot of Swedish fans in the crowd already joining. Saw something with your jersey on a minute ago as well?
Yeah, I also reinforced jersey. Love to see it.
Yeah, a lot of Swedish fans making a trip over here to Los Angeles. It's a long flight.
It's a long flight indeed as we get ready for the first opening map. It's going to be Nepal.
Once more here. Tracer band from Saudi Arabia. That tells you everything you need to know.
Man, I just thinking back to the group stages in Busan where Kevser just rocks up,
instantly on Nepal, Sanctum gets three, it's like okay, maps done, job's done, all good,
Goheim 3-0, no problem, like Sweden looks so good and they will continue to look good too.
I think this is one of the strongest kind of amalgamations of Swedish roster that we've seen
since 2017 when they went down to France to finish them in third place in that podium.
Yeah and obviously we have to mention that Admerall is a big reason for that as well,
coming in as the main support player for this team and Admerall, needs to be mentioned,
is Estonian, but because of the breakthrough program here in the 2026 Overwatch World Cup,
if you have an underrepresented region, you're not really able to form a team within your country,
then you get the opportunity to play for a different country. And Admiral has been such a
perfect addition to this Swedish roster and been an amazing Jetpack Cat player that really
rounds out the squad. And it feels like it has to be said, Sweden, I don't want to say lucky,
but this is a perfect timing when it comes to the meta. They've really flourished in this
and just like that. Final day of BlizzCon here. One chance to find yourself in the
podium finish. A win guarantees you at least third with only four teams
remaining. Sweden looking to take down the Kings of the Overwatch World Cup.
Saudi Arabia they want to defend that Cup Johnny and earn themselves another
star on their jersey. They're looking to compete with the very finest. We talked
about South Korea as the clear-on favorites. You would say usually in
contention for that as well. But in recent years Saudi Arabia really
established themselves as one of the best nations in the entire community here.
Let's see what Saudi Arabia is going to cook up here. Removing that tracer is going
to mean that both squads will be less reliant on those flank angles. Kevster,
we've been seeing some Xi'an come out in scenarios like this one.
Rosaro on the M-Ray too.
Skyon no surprise.
Little Ana action on this map.
Serma Shed only even playing the Kira Ko pretty much as for the time being.
But with those Suzu nerfs,
Ana is definitely going to be a little bit more pronounced in these fights.
Yeah, definitely going to look out for those biotic grenades now.
Could have massive impact.
Already dispersed here. Socks, quads.
Get cleansed though.
That left end up winning the duel versus Kepster. Both of them kind of backing off now and this is something we saw Sweden do the other day too. Admiral Kepster on the flank.
But Kepster ends up going way too high up. But Wilderman on his face there is he ends up going down first.
Yeah, the knockback, just put him in a pretty awkward position and that's going to be the disengagement from Sweden. Four versus five, you don't want to take this engagement at all.
You want to wait for Kevster to wrap around that flank, Gaggle,
and then look to combine on that.
Soon on as well, they have to be aware here, of course.
Playing this fast in the third form is so lethal.
That is definitely a coup d'oeuvre you want to play around.
Okay, round two.
Kevster, Admiral, trying to do the same thing again.
The Skyl, doing the majority of the healing.
Look at the Atlantean, but Kevster already dead again.
Nano boost onto Willis.
There's a hard task here to open this up,
but that might just do it.
Cap Bastion down, a triple for Willis!
Okay, Sweden are online.
So very decisive engagement from Sardio Radia,
and they get rid of Kevster,
but that just leaves so much room for Willis
to operate in the front line,
and Demon is a very capable hero in this meta.
Sardio Radia already looking out for Kevster,
looking to take him down to star player early.
It's on the flank angle alive,
Abra not with him right now.
Just Quartz looking for a cheeky knave bounce.
Does it actually get a hit marker?
Oh, he's up using the arrow, a little nade to Skyle should be fine.
They're going to back off, but they're going to have granted themselves some space.
Even more so now with the rush.
A good sweep, but Winnis is ejected from the mech really early on into the fight.
And still, the large mass of Ziad in the front line means Swin cannot approach the backline of KSA,
giving them a free fight win here and the cap.
Yes, we don't really look at combined over the cap that from Admiral,
But the Unbreakable, the Unstoppable from Seat as he overran into the front lines there needs to follow Arabia
Could get away with a pretty clean engagement
Cage flight for Zia too and Socks has got Catnap. So this corridor of death now
So that will it's just trying to approach. It's gonna be rather nasty and there it is Cage goes down in the met history
Although Sorrow ends up getting nano tier
Straight blocks the old Sorrow machine and takes over the back and Sorrow takes over the end completely
KS is not really sure what they wanted to do in that fight. They ended up using the
cage but not expecting the tag team ult with the nano. Quartz has managed to do a little
bit of damage. And KS, they still control the point. Averil is going to sweep in, trying
to get that last bit of percent and Sock sends up going down. The supportive backbone of
Sweden capping the point. I'm going to be honest, Joss, I don't even know if that
nano onto Sorrow was intentional. It looked like maybe Skylar was trying to get it onto
Will is there, the cage fight from Seat came out, but it worked out, Zoro with that extra damage application,
this devastation with the override protocol. So up over to the Freya here now, so look out for those
bolts there to capitalize and secure a couple of kills. All right, they're gonna do the same thing
again, just use this artillery barrage, try and pick off Skyle, nice little tether on Seanna,
saves a lot, fight thrown in, now comes the spree, Zoro hit from downtown with that fight
in in Seattle. It's an easy pickings for the Malga, even in this close range.
Sweden needs to get a clean engagement here now. 82% force on Arabia. So much
else going to have this get to Russia. Sweden need to find a win condition.
No, some shares are going to want to win this early. Looks like Sweden are going to try
a different approach. But Kettering is going down early. Okay, it's a 4v5 this last fight.
The Russians are coming through and now Sweden have to make a decision. They've got to get in.
Admiral with the catnap on the point to trigger OT,
does manage to finish off Zox, but is there going to be a trade?
Another sleep as well.
It's going to hit the front line, but Sweden cannot capitalize on it.
Admiral got the touch, he got the pick on to Zox,
but it's not enough.
First round, to KSA.
KSA, they got some of the best vibes here at the Abortion World Cup.
All smiles, laughter after that opening round.
Got to say this approach from Saudi Arabia.
Can I favor them there on Sanctum?
You can play aggressive with the Mauga and combine with the Kirigas well
So you didn't build less room to operate here on Sanctum
With this all another time the same line of sight and when you do commit forward means that they usually see how it's going to be in rage
Ask me to go get the Surreal here
There's tons of damage here
It's just a nasty amount of damage with the mana of the Esurglide protocol that splashes crazy and even hits the
Direct on the cat too real nice stuff. It's difficult to catch a cat doing this guy
around. All right. Big wrap around here from Sweden once more. Forfeiting this high ground,
they want to take a slow approach here. Work the flank angles and see if they can find an opportunity.
Get an opening take. Will is under pressure. Yeah, Admiral is playing on the periphery too.
His style this time is going to team up with Kevster on another angle. Much better for the
honor in this spot obviously. Got the headshot perk too for the additional damage. Real nice
stuff. Now Zoro. This is the point where Sweden can take over the game with these bolts.
And this is the one of the big reasons to play the Freya against the Katbashnikov Johnny.
It's very easy to land those take games, but they do trade. Skyle down. Yeah, it doesn't look like
Sweden has had the cleanest fight here. They're going to Kat the point, but I'm sure they're
starting to read it. Pretty good opportunity here to get back into things. Seattle is slow.
He ends up popping someone to keep him alive there.
Kade Akoba drive in play still though.
He ends up going to the back despite him being what?
Sub-100 HP?
He has one.
He is dead, sure.
A teleport from Sermosh head, but yeah,
this fight is not exactly going the way of Sweden.
Just spite C out going down.
And it feels like Sweden had everything going for them.
They got the appropriate flank angles.
They invited their time.
They just couldn't get enough value,
so it couldn't hit the ball.
Kepster couldn't land those eliminations.
So it was a pretty good setup from Sweden, just not able to capitalize on it.
They're not going to give them the space.
It's phenomenal respect here.
They're just popping the rush. There's the wheels mode from Quartz 2.
It's going to be a hesitant push and even with the nano on Willis, it's just too much damage.
Good headshot from Sermon, she had crossed the point in this fight.
All but over now for Sweden.
Sorry, Rainbow, looking mighty comfortable here.
Oh, it's actually going to pop.
Labnus are going to do the same thing.
It's a barrel in the kitchen.
And Kevser just knocked on the head with a pan.
KSA kind of shocked, I think, there that Sweden invested so much.
Sweden will have to find something here that works for them again.
Like Skyle is having quite a difficult time finding cyclines here on this honor.
Obviously, Admiral will be really busy trying to help Willis in the front lines
on the demon but also take care of Yana. Make sure there's not too much pressure on to the
support.
Kili Raju is quite much. Merely a space creation tool at a time. Dead in there too. You see
of course can get an angle with this cat Bastion. Although Admiral might be in his sights. Again
kind of separated from the rest of the team now thanks to this cage. Ziaz ends up dying
short, Sermosh head now in trouble. Limit break is going to be good, but Labder and Siegel have already come up a kill.
It's just up to Willis now in the front line to try and hold it down for the rest of the team.
Another reach rig over overtime here as he dashes into the front line, but Labder is not going to give him the opportunity to get the kill.
He's all on his lonesome now.
Abra with the Catnap's got nothing left in the tank either. Barely going to get back to the point in time as KSA
starts off with a map win.
They're feeling real good seeing as you'd like no need to pay the demon.
Mauga has proven to be a pretty good hero to actually deal with demons.
Fights really well in that brawl and with Kemster not able to maneuver the tracer on the opening map.
Sweden struggling to set up the fights, struggling to combine and secure those picks instead.
It looked like Saudi Arabia really confident just playing the back and forth brawl with the Mauga,
with the turret form from the bastion and not feeling like there were under too much pressure at all in that opening map
Yeah, maybe that was
Maybe coming down to the tracer ban too from Saudi Arabia and not having Kevstar on that
I mean, that was huge. That was a really important ban
That was Delta in the opening map and that's going to free up Kevstar to play tracer for the rest of the series
Which will be a big boon here. So
Saudi Arabia, they can be quite comfortable to fight their up 1-0s already in this series
But because you dispersed that tracer band it was almost like a must-win map here
I think if you're Sweden, you gotta be pretty calm still
This people starts real fast. Yeah, I mean look at that only eight and six
I mean struggle straight across the board for Sweden that
So definitely what couldn't find their groove really I mean
It felt like they had a couple of good positional fights
But just like Willis in that final fight you have the limit break
But like what value are going to get with the limit break like Saudi Arabia is not going to present themselves in front of you with
That limit break in hand and so they're going to fly their bastion around
See the artist going to overrun all over the place and really make it difficult for students to get on top of things
It was really only that one fight where will it's got a 3k, but it was pretty clean for Sweden
Yeah
I mean look at this fight to the one in the previous clip
See I've got slept on bridge and willis is
getting de-mecked on the other side of the fight and the rest of the team cannot just run over the ad, like run over the
Malaga, the Malaga is going to sit there and basically stop on your head or like you know
just turn and just gun you down, like it's a really tough spot for Willis to be in. I spoke about how Kepster,
April, the veterans on the team need to kind of push the team forward, but if it's on Willis here to hold this down as you
normally do as a tank player, Johnny, you know all about that, it can be very tough when you're going up against a team
that they were so damn drilled and prepared for this for this one. Yeah it's so difficult if you
will it's to pick up on your timing to engage because sorry Arabia they're pretty cool down
reliant of course we talk about the bastion the turret form how important that is because of that
extra damage bastion is able to deal but also mauga relies a lot on obviously the unstoppable
when you use their overrun but also the cardiac overdrive helps so much with the sustain to keep
keep that Mauga alive. And you can't just simply biodecrenate the Mauga because
Sir Majed will always have that Susan hand ready to dispel that effect. And so
this Saudi Arabia team, they're really good at playing around both the third
form cooldown, but also the cardiac overdrive from the Mauga. And it makes it
real difficult for Sweden to find that opening like, okay, when do we do a
decisive engagement? We can set up positionally. But when do we actually
commit to a hard engagement? When is it favorable for us to go?
If you didn't take a peek on the screen already from under Sweden players, then you know that
now.
Flashpoint, could I have seen that one at all?
I mean, Flashpoint's been a bit of a rare pick so far.
Yeah, we've barely seen any Flashpoint whatsoever.
So, we're looking to roll things out here.
No Tracer band this time around.
This is going to utilize, yeah, for sure, going to utilize those flank angles.
And this also means you can probably protect that as well.
You don't really have to protect them for the tracer of course, but you can protect them the demon as well
Get rid of a tank perhaps and you're guaranteed to play both the demon and the tracer if you want to
See how cat reliant they feel here on Atlas
How do you feel if you're in the comms right now if your team's reading what you're trying about I
Think you're pretty calm still as the curicobank gets deployed. All right. It's going to be more of the
on approach it. I think if you're really calm if you're Sweden because you knew
that the opening map, obviously Saudi Arabia, they have the opening map pick, they
have the first hero band and they deployed that tracer band. So if I'm
Sweden, okay I'm looking to win map 2 and 3. I don't need to win the opening map, I
don't need to get ahead early in this series. If we can, we don't even have to
win the tracer band map, like we can win the later maps in this series, we still
got a really good chance. So I wouldn't feel too defeated if I'm Sweden
in the back stage. I've been talking about it a little bit in these tournaments as well,
It's so comfortable if you have something that works for you as Saudi Arabia decides to get rid of the demon here
In fact as the tank wasn't protect bad. It's so nice to just feel like okay. We want the first map
We know our composition works like we know the Mauga and the Kiriko works. We have a recipe for success
We're not scrambling to find something that works for us
We're feeling pressured at all to make a certain composition works because we know that we have what it takes already
ready to take down teams here and so that age you know they're comfortable
feeling you can see they're laughing they're having a good time on stage
they're not stealing the pressure of this semi-finals moment
when we added Merlux to the game next hero I mean there's the there's some
Merlux back on Hadamura remember that? Oh yeah that's true
So, I guess they're canon. They're canon? Yeah, that looks like canon in the Overwatch universe, of course, of course.
Alright, Alice is the map pick from Sweden.
And Janne, they can play Kepster on the Tracer.
This is what I think people really wanted to see. I think Kepster just farming on Tracer.
He was built in Sweden, so I have to play Overwatch, I mean, play one hero, except me, well.
Against the very best that Overwatch has ever produced.
and I'm expecting big things from Kevsey and I think the entirety of Sweden too, I mentioned
at the top look they have not had a podium finish since 2017.
Let's take a mathematician to say how many years that is.
Got a lot of rosters, a lot of different players representing Sweden throughout the years but
this roster in specific has really found something in the 2026 Overwatch World Cup.
the distance with USA in the group stage, just narrowly losing that one, but coming
into this tournament, don't take it from us.
The teams themselves, they talked about Sweden as a potential dark horse.
They talked about Kevster as one of the more mechanically skilled players in the entire
tournament that they fear to face, right?
And so Sweden, going down early in this series, but they definitely have what it takes to
make a comeback.
But this is where we need to see it, Jaws.
This is their first map pick.
This is their opportunity to play their style and their preference.
Now they really need to capitalize on this.
They're really putting a lot of eggs in that Tracer basket.
Now with Sermajed on the Arnav, but he's not exactly unfamiliar with the hero.
Let's just say that.
Pretty scary Arnav player.
He's a veteran.
Fucking hard to veteran and see an experience.
20-23 Overwatch League.
Oh, yeah.
Florida mayhem.
Sermajed has been there, done that.
TP out, Quartz on the cast.
Here we go.
Zianna Willis on at the diva.
No at Dmon, first point.
And of course both caps still in the mix.
And the players of Highlight here, it's going to be Ciad actually.
Another young prodigy here for Saudi Arabia, one of the best D.Va players in the world.
See what he can get the job done here against Anana, and a jetpack catback line for Sweden.
It's going to be tough, kind of one-to-one matchup as well if it's alright.
Against Quartz on their Cassidy.
All eyes on the tanks right now. What a great star hit 3. Zoro is gonna get one thrown to rate towards him
But luckily swooping to the rescue comes Avril but it's Kevster that goes down first again
But this time at the hands of quartz quartz is not going to miss when kevster does appear on that flank angle
Quartz is going to give him the toughest of times and so far Kevster just hasn't found it in
Then Quartz can basically babysit Sermajed.
Like sitting on top of your armor is going to be number one priority here for Quartz.
Well I guess number two if you think number one is just shooting the empty team.
Voidcapped by KSA.
Willis is going to force Ziad down to his level and now he's trying to trade places.
Sermajed now in trouble.
Matrix completely two.
No chance for a sleep dart but Quartz has found a double kill already up to Willis again
to be the speed head of the team.
It's a three on three.
Horses with a nice little head shot though,
but now has to deal with his matrix,
but has the backup, but there's no health on Willis.
A self-destruct to get the redacted.
Kepster gets two tapped.
Like, it doesn't matter how good you're on Taser
when you're facing a Cassidy like this.
He's shooting.
Oh, Sauron narrowly escapes to the slide,
but this is KSA's point, surely.
Kepster's dead.
I mean, that's the round.
They're gonna touch.
Ooh!
Catnap goes wide.
They do get another chance of victory here on this first point, but Willis is out of mech.
What do you involves? They're committing here.
They're involved here. I mean, Skyle gets busy with the nano.
Zoro gets a desuit, Shawbar a high noon, kills Willis, a good headshot, but from Zoro, but there's no touch.
Just narrowly missing out on the pointer.
What a movement! Obviously!
I mean, Admiral eventually takes care of the demon that is quartz.
So, Michets, in the 1v1, looking for something more, but yeah, you won that fight sure, Sweden. You didn't win the point.
Can't feel good about those frags after you missed out, stepping on to the point of contesting the objective there.
Sweden, they got a couple of things going for them in that fight, but it matters not.
Skynoon available here, let's see what sort of thing can get done with that.
But in this day and age, especially with the deep on the field, the defense matrix, I feel like teams are so good now at playing around with Skynoon.
It will be difficult for Sauroth to secure some value with it.
Yeah, so look at this Nano. Where is it going to be placed? Looks like Sia.
Definitely a preferable target. High noon for Sauroth. Sky noon, in fact.
No one in sight.
Willis, Salomec, ready. A bit of damage. Where's the follow-up? Nope, the healing just too damn good.
KSA's backbone living strong. And that is going to be camp.
I mean, this is just a Sauria rabie roster. That is one step ahead.
You can see that Willis is combining pretty well with Chabster, they're coordinating these dives.
Storo is having impact on this Cassidy.
But Sorya Arabia, they're just better.
Syod, tremendous D.Va player.
The proid, the nono there from Serma Jettin.
All that enhancement, means we get so much value.
Khorz is just hitting Hedgel's left and right.
This Sorya Arabia ulcer, just looks unstoppable.
Now time is ticking.
Ah, oh well, I mean the catnap can be quite devious on this point.
I think Willis is going to try and set up on at the point now.
Chase Ziadon, there comes the Sky Nune.
It's spotted Willis for the time being,
but just kind of on the pedestal now on this high ground.
Laptor's got the spree too, so Willis's met is just history.
And KSA, they managed to sleep Kadsda, hits the recall,
But he's so down low, Sox is going to go for the chase, but it might not even matter, the front line is just being demolished.
Sweden lose Zorro, and now KSA in point winning position.
Gonna try to go for one more touch here, the cadnap in phase.
What if they get the touch?
The surface is so damn good though, but can they follow other kills and go for a retouch?
Willis can't overexert himself here and overextend to chase that cat.
Admiral on the other hand doesn't have going down, kept a shot in the back of the head.
Quartz puts him to rest, it's the rest of Sweden they're gonna follow at this point.
That's gonna be two, I'm for KSA now, as Quartz just keeps dancing on him.
Sweden really struggling to find any kind of momentum in this series so far,
and this is where you need to take a moment if you're Sweden.
Just reflect on what's going wrong, what is working for us, what isn't working for us.
So far, Willis has been under so much pressure in this front line, has been setting up with Tepster sometimes in Coordinated, but
it feels like Willis is under so much pressure early on, loses the armour, and in the middle of these fights, Sweden lose their tank pair, they lose their make.
Skynin, Esai starting Zoppa, what a sleep as well! Good Matrix, good sleep, nothing is going wrong for KSA right now.
They're gonna clean up this one as well. Get the opening cap.
Two-0. Clean as you like so far on Atlas.
And they're very much looking like hands-on favourites here at the Overwatch World Cup.
Sweden, Dark Horse and everything. Who can step up big time?
We talked about Kevster as a star player, but hasn't come through so far.
You can see some big moments from him now.
Holds bomb in hand, no Kiriko on the field. What can he come up with?
Kevser needs to come alive with this tracer.
They have to hold the execution, the stink doesn't connect.
And still got recall, so can't get busy.
Unfortunately though, Willis is taking a large print of the damage here.
Kevser recalls the execution, but Sarmashen is down.
Self-destruct for Willis to try and find the remake, and now Quartz in Kevster's sights.
Sky, although on the flip side of things, ends up falling.
And their trading here are, Sweden, but not well enough.
Quartz is in the sky, hits the silver bullet on Zorro, and this is Sweden going down, more of a whimper than a roar coming into this series.
One final stagger onto Willis, going to be a terrible spawner, 85%. Kepster has to be the man to touch, going to a 4 vs 5 scenario.
What can we do?
Sky New reports to...
Slept out of the sky, okay. Kepster's on the point to get the touch. A lifeline here as Quartz ends up going down.
Nano on Cesaro, but hot pursuit is the ad right now, looking for the mark.
Sermosh yet falls and in fact, Kevster's still keeping this point alive.
A spree onto Abril is going to be good and there it is.
Lavda slays Kevster, Willis on the hazard.
It's just not enough.
Nothing is enough.
KSA finishing that one off with a 3-0.
I mean, that was brutal.
We talked about Saudi Arabia as the favourites going into that one, but okay, a 3-0, we're
putting a lot of respect on Team Sweden, the momentum they're coming in with, they dominated
Germany yesterday, they have one of the best damaged players in the game in Kevser, but
they don't have any answer whatsoever for what Saudi Arabia is bringing in this one.
There, Kevser just couldn't get it popping, it looked like, it was shut down at every
kind of angle, whether that's quartz, just two tapping him on the Cassidy, so I'm a jet
here in the sleep. Even hitting a bionade is normally good enough to force the tracer
to recall. And then after doing a little bit of heavy lifting there too, holding the executions,
just waiting for Kepster to kind of peak his head round, basically buying time for Ziad
to run over their frontline. I mean, Ziad 17 and 1 on that.
Exhaust 12-1 too, I mean
both are only coming up with a two deaths
But this is what I talked about this on the desk yesterday Goss
It's like yes, we didn't they were able to deploy this play style of theirs of really combining with chemistry and willies
And we saw that from kevsters POV a couple of times on this map where you're waiting in the wings
You're trying to set up this dive right, but then you jump in there and Saudi Arabia
They're so ready for it will is already half health on the neck once you get in there through the combined with chemistry
And it's just like Saudi Arabia. They just have a read on this playstyle of Sweden
And at this point you're thinking
You gotta try to change something up here if you are Sweden
Where are we allocating our resources? Who are we trying to dive right on trouble?
Because Kevster is not finding the value trying to look for these picks in the back line
Maybe you want to pay a little bit more attention to Seat in the front line. Maybe see what you can do against Quartz obviously
I am sure in Eirut, all of them I am sure in Eirut, I am in Hasseini, Hasseini
I mean on the flip side of things like a Sweden you can pray muted right now they
want at least that podium finish on it they want to release hell yeah at least
get that third place and of course we're sick we got some good ones this year
god damn I saw I'm not I saw some world of work of cost per se today yeah you
know you can sit like markers they're like moons and crosses yeah and they
have those so they walked around with like more of that yeah I love that.
Hoseplay is always so good at BlizzCon. One of the reasons to come honestly.
Yeah very happy across the board here.
Sweden now kind of attempting to lock in. Oh looks like it's gonna be root. Thank
Thank you for the brief cheat there.
That's a very fluid motion.
It's a great wave.
Here in the robot of the clubs for sure.
All right, Route 66, pick Sweden.
It's been kind of the go-to
between Junkertown and Australian Shambhali Monastery.
Yeah, it's really been a really good map for this matter, obviously.
If you're on a you have the long range sight lines a lot of great verticality big skybox if you did that cat as well
Yeah, it allows you to sit back. You can protect your supports
White a bit and Sweden obviously feeling comfortable picking this map now
Also, you get to avoid junker town potentially, which is a method. Sorry, baby. I look really good on
Especially with Sir Majed who's really flexible. We saw what he was capable of on the honor just now on Atlas
But this is a team that is now backs against the wall, not only down 0-2 in the series,
they need to find a little something special to try and get back into this series.
What will the answer be?
I felt like Saudi Arabia as well, probably went back, looked over the VOD, moved that
route against Spain.
I was a 3-1 series, Norma was really expecting me.
You know Spain really had a lot of gumption, a little spark.
They showed up in a big way.
And yeah, okay, all right.
It's just gonna happen at some point, man, come on.
It's undeniable, yeah, it's undeniable.
That leaves a moment to play.
So even if it wants to match solo on the fray,
I wouldn't be mad to see that either, to be honest with you.
But there's no other hits down to it.
You bastion to, but there's no other hits down.
It is quite as efficient as Kassadin's shutting down Tracer and Kassadin's going to have a bit more room to roam here.
Ana ban from Sotaria makes sense here, obviously we talked about the sightlines that...
You are able to take here on Route 36 though.
Ana makes sense here, probably going to be more careful play because of that.
Oh, 100.
Senyatta, we saw some Senyatta gameplay yesterday.
We did.
The Goat Symbols.
The Korea, they just came out with like a Senyatta, we don't make the defense.
What are they cooking?
What is Moon cooking?
What are they cooking?
I loved it, man.
It was great.
So, look.
Sinkball, like hovering on the Senjata, like twisted mines, like.
Dude, funny, Astro has been saying for a hot minute that Sink was the best flight support.
He's got his teammate, obviously, but still, they won the World Finals.
Look, he's saying he's the best in the world as well.
Like that.
Alright.
He's really got it.
He's got it.
Astro is probably speaking the truth.
2-0 for Saudi Arabia here.
in a extremely tough spot requiring a reverse sweep hoping praying maybe just
to get back in the series Kevser has looked in a little mute and the rest
of the Swedish team not like them on another page to each other just feels
like Saudi Arabia have kind of the ideas of how they want to topple Sweden they
are not playing Sweden's game they plan their own game they have played with the
can't come for so long. Sermige can play. Ana, Kiri, don't matter. And we know Quartz
is just the consistent hitscan pressure that you need in this kind of meta. You need to
just put casting. You need to be just hitting shots over and over and over and over again,
just protecting your backline. Making sure Zox has a more free time. Zed has a free time.
We know how consistent that would be too. Kings of consistency, I can't say.
This is just so impressive the variety we're seeing from Saudi Arabia.
They're so fluid in their hero picks, the way they play the game in meanwhile Sweden.
I mentioned of course very fortunate to come into this tournament, the Overwatch World Cup,
being really proficient at playing the demon, playing the jetpack cat approach.
But Saudi Arabia now playing spoiler, showcasing that they know how to deal with that playstyle.
And how are Sweden going to respond?
will they pick here in these dire moments?
Okay, here we go.
Kev's Tracer is alright. Now this is a comfort comp here, sweet.
It is indeed, and especially with that Kev's to be gone now, forced out of Arabia,
will he have some more opportunity to play that Tracer? That being said though, like,
who do you really harass here if you're Kev's there? Like, yeah, you can force out the teleport,
Asusia from Sir Majed towards going to be pretty unreachable here. Maybe a bit more of a favorable
duel against Labda, but Kevster's path here is coming to be quite difficult to fill.
And following up on the balls is nice. Labda taking little damage, little bite,
little dash, all good, Kevster's a great one already. He's safe. You can kind of just get back
to the point, no problems. Skars right behind him, same with Abru. Looking for Zorro to land a
take-a-shot and then Kevster move on forward. Looks like that's going to happen now. Quartz
And Sveta probably feeling like their hand is forced a little bit, feeling like once they're hovering around that payload, their health is being drained, their resources quickly fading and they have to go for that commit.
So Kepster blinks into the background of Sorya right there, Willis quick to follow on the Diva as well, but Soro can't find the picture to the line of sight and Sveta just feels like their hand is forced a little bit.
Whoa, whoa, whoa!
How can that happen?
Look, headshot from the sky!
Quartz dies!
That is very unusual having the Bastions die that early and look at that!
Can you see it backing out?
That is a really damn good mindset there.
We know we lose the Bastions back all the way up.
We've got another chance to go in.
They can't just fling the Bastions back into the front line.
And Sweden can't get this cap for free.
Just too direct for a certain budget though.
You have to be aware of the turrets from Quartz here still.
Okay, Quartz has already used the tariff wall, so now maybe waiting on the rush.
Now they're gonna pop it on this high ground, take it one for free, although,
Sweden is jumping under the girls now.
There's the catnap, but the suju is good.
Sub-shut doesn't going down though, with socks managing to pick off sorrow with the catnap,
but it's all lagged during the kill feed here.
They're gonna let this point go for a little bit longer, but it's only Willis left alive.
And with a minute and thirty left, Johnny.
Dire straights for Sweden what a great spree that is by love that doesn't commit to it too early once we don't still
Has their matrix they still have their susu in hand instead wait for the fight to go on a little bit
And then all that damage from the spree love that capitalizes finds the pigs necessary and now Sweden
Just 80 seconds remaining here backs against the wall down o2 in this series. They need to come out
I like this swap up as well from Skyl. A lot more frontward damage and the window can clear out this high ground relatively easily.
There's the artillery barrage but there's like too much hit. Now will it's on an off angle.
Spots labbed her, hops on the bike. Skyl labbed her, end up training but you're now only down to Abra with the heals.
They are going to be pushing the point here, but a quick recon test comes in, Quartz dead
vote.
So a three on four on the point, and Kevster finally comes alive, wins the 1v1 duel.
And here is Sweden making a statement, not going down, not at least not yet.
Trading out the damage players, Opsalia Arabia, they're going to take that any day of the
week.
Skyline are over onto the spot, received a couple of buffs here in the midseason patch
just a few days ago but it's desperation for Sweden now as they look for
something that can work their way
what's on the M-Ray okay the easy defensive push in the KSA to get themselves
out of the cave oh well override protocol gets popped here from Zoro no
nano Boussali it is time to back him up a lot of those shots just getting each
straight up by Ziad. Good tracking, but Sermosh yet actually is the first to fall.
Once again, they're left without this Kiroko healing, on to Zox to try and sustain for the rest of the fight.
And Kevster again is in the kill feed. A two-minute time bank left for Sweden.
But KS is still with a chance to defend on second.
It's a really good override protocol from Sorrow, because at that point Saudi Arabia,
they find themselves in the middle of the battle field in Ziad, can't utilize the matrix to block the damage.
blocked the damage and they find themselves going down to extra damage now.
Sir, we're good. We've got Kitsina rushing the hand here. Adro, looks for an early cap now.
He's going to get one as well, and Korts has been taken out. No chance to come back here.
Stile. Is he going to be able to get lifted? Oh! The save from Adro. Okay.
Adro does end up falling short, but they've saved the back. Zox now harassing the Batiste.
Ends up picking up the kill, but the payload is still moving.
Not sure Zox is going to get there in time, but Ziad is going to challenge Kepster on the point.
And he could eat from the Neva too, as Quartzjo is back into this fight.
I think that's the third close one from Kepster so far in this game, and no value secured.
Ziad on top of things with the Matrix, once more here.
Minute remaining for Sweden now, as he looks to get it set up once more.
No real open, it's available either.
Need to find an opening somehow here, but so difficult in a position like this.
Just the payload is so down close as well, Kev's there, every opportunity, trying to just touch the point, but ends up losing his life.
There now with only one attack remaining here, 45 seconds left in the bank, two more casualties can be afforded.
And it's already a difficult composition to approach with.
Style obviously, this Baptiste is going to be one target force to get in there with the Divak.
Watch now, past this override protocol as well, set up comfortably on the high ground.
It's going to be a heroic effort here from Sweden if they're to find an advantage in this upcoming fight.
Double TPS ult as well for KSA, it's so damn scary. Quartz is going to open this one up.
Long range shot straight over to gas station and Zoro gets sniped instantly despite the lab being thrown out too.
Skull goes dangerously low in Seattle, big tracer and that's another one down.
Quartz on the high ground, just sniping. It's just so damn easy for him.
There's only a couple of seconds to go. There will be an overtime touch here.
Zorro, an override protocol, just sent to the wind and Sweden, no chance to get this second checkpoint.
KSA, a very familiar spot for them to be on a Route 66, but they're bringing a brand-new beast to this series.
So only really a couple of errors there for Saudi Arabia on that defense first of course
getting picked on the opening point allowing Sweden to secure that opening capture.
But from there on out I mean Saudi Arabia still so solid, Seattle doing so much work
in the front lines as Diva providing all the room necessary for course to shine.
But still, if you're Sweden, you gotta take this.
There's going to be no easy points at the Overwatch World Cup, probably not feeling
comfortable at all here having to defend this second point now to stay alive in this tournament.
So, you gotta be safe here from Admiral.
But you gotta find a way to win these kind of maps if you want to become the Overwatch
World Cup Champion.
That is so cool.
It's helpful now that it doesn't auto-tether when you're over a death plane, but still
really nice save from Admiral. They got the cat players out there though. Keeping that in mind.
No Tracer here for Capstone, actually was on the sick. Very standardised defense. Up to
Oshastan. I mean look. I think with how KSA looked to play, she's going to be forcing Willis to use
use that grass, push him off the high ground, and then take control from there.
Probably going to be the game plan, as soon as they clear out this forward hole.
It's going to be a real difficult defense for Sweden here.
One extra good thing I suppose about dealing out this passive ban here, is you don't have
to be worried about the sky and you can turn around this opening corner.
See a little bit, both back and forth, see I'm actually going to go down here, so it
to make your ultimate generation here for sweden will it
can't i far forward here cannot look thing for that opening contest of the payload to
see if you can contest the payload multiple times but will it clearly goes down pretty early there
and this is going to force swedish to withdraw as soon as sardio arabia get back to the fighter
yeah they don't lose anybody else and that's the most important thing here oh oh caps goes up
Oh, that's terrible news for Sweden.
Uh, although, Zock said they're going down, so actually,
not the worst spot to be in, if you're Sweden right now.
You've lost Kev to Shaw, but Zoro, alive and well, healthy, kind of.
And a DMG onto Ziat, so slowly, but surely, sweet.
They're grasping the hold of this game with their two hands.
They need a little bit more, though,
as despite some deteriorate, Willis taking down.
This is just going to be one last kind of contest here for Sweden.
And Willis, obviously going down just then, will be really difficult to get back in timer, so,
Saudi Arabia will be set up perfectly with this Bastion as well.
It's going to be a difficult contest for Sweden at all.
No, Kephs is going to be there on Tracer, so it's a little bit, no problem.
Not that they're slow.
In the south shot, there's the Catnap, they're going to try and track the Bastion off the high ground now,
but Kord says, yes sir, no problem.
I'll now shoot from down here, especially on this rush too.
Kevster's already found lab for those, so a tough spot now for Quartz.
A lot more heavy lifting required here, but Kevster gets another pick!
This is what you need. This is what you need from your saw plane.
Two picks from Kevster.
God, Kevster!
A fight from Sebastian there as well.
And now running right here against Saudi Arabia.
Two minutes away from the time back of Saudi Arabia, and Sweden stepping up to the plate
now.
at me. 145 now for KSA to attack this first point. Kephse's got both, Sora's got the
override protocol. Getting the pasta matrix, gonna be tough, but it's doable. Kephse's
gonna go in again. He's trying for somebody. There's the override protocol from Sora. He's
trawling the iron there slowly off course, but Lacta and Twillis is like a good cat now
from socks is going to make sure that mech is history.
Kepster, post bomb, they can get a pick once more.
They're going to get chased out, now fight goes in, sent to the back, Missouri gets a
kill on to Ziad, they're going to try and make their final stand here, that is dangerously
low but so is Kepster, still managed to pick up the kill though with two meters to go, they're
chasing down Quartz, minute left in the time bank here.
Can they stay alive? Contesting this payload with everything they've got.
Kevster's gonna have to come up with one more pick at least here.
They need to find something. They can't just keep sitting on the payload.
Kevster's trying his hardest here.
He's trying his hardest, Johnny.
The catnap comes in from Amru, doesn't find a single target.
Surely Ziat's Matrix is gonna run out at some point.
Skyo now down, unfortunately. Kevster with the post swap.
He's gonna connect that one, but Quartz, he gets a double with the artillery barrage.
God, even his nightmares crawl back under the covers.
As KSA, they're gonna cap this first point, with time left in the bank.
Palgro Sardar Arabia rallied together, avoid getting picked in a scenario like that,
kept the running riot on the tracer, and still Sweden can't find the opening pick
required to really hold firm on that defense.
Now, 2 minutes 30, they need to hold here, but already getting picked they are.
That's an unbelievable catnap from Zara there too.
Stunning a couple, and now forcing a reset while they get through the toughest point in point 2.
Like getting it past this giant stretch, taking this high ground control.
So we're just going to swap over to the Bastion here, looking to mimic what Saririb is doing so far.
But it's so difficult to get any kind of positioning here.
You want to poke away, see how the Willis doing a good job of stabbing Heigrond here.
At least Sorrow to get out of the bastion and now you can play the turret mode to cool down.
Already down to the right round is Willis though, is the bastionist and Sky High.
That's got the artillery point on the rocket perk here from Quartz.
It's Admiral Bites the Dust, same with Sorrow.
Slowly but surely here, Sweden are being pushed to their limits.
pushed ever closer to the jaws of the feet KSA are just walking all over them
the hero for Sweden the last man the last touch here for Kevster has to come
in he's gonna triple blink but Avril shut down Kevster 99% the post bomb but
they are shut out KSA brick by brick building their empire as they find
themselves yet again with a spot in the finals.
What a joyous moment for Saudi Arabia. The 2023 Overwatch World Cup champions
once more get the opportunity to defend their title in the grand final where
they will face either South Korea or France later today. It was a dominant
showing throughout. They came in ready today. They came in prepared for
everything that Sweden had to throw at them.
Another star on the jersey is wanted by KSA.
Korea have three, they are slowly catching up.
Sweden going down here, doesn't mean they're out just yet.
However, this is a KSA squad.
that. Honestly, Johnny, looking no different from 2023. A dominant showing a close grand
finals to be said. But still as good as ever. I mean, the mechanics, their team play, they're
morale, like the way they're just playing so confident, so happy. It's so very impressive.
And what a clean 3-0 for them. Like you say, team Sweden, they get another opportunity going
down to the third place match where they again will face the loser of South
Korea and France and you talked about going into this match nine years ago
2017 it was them picking down France in that third place match so still an
opportunity to fight for a medal but this moment to Saudi Arabia 302 I mean
Sweden they still got another opportunity here but everybody in the
bracket doesn't matter who you are are going to be scared a KSA a 3-0 victory
after only losing a single map yesterday I think they want to make a
statement Johnny they want to run this all the way to finals or maybe not even
drop them out there it's going to be looking like one of the craziest grand
finals in history too I think if Korea make it if they can defeat France of
course will be a will be a heck of a storyline too but yeah
Congratulations to them and Sweden with a chance at that podium Johnny.
Yeah, obviously when Saudi Arabia won in the 2023 edition, they then
reversed with China in the grand finals.
They didn't even get the opportunity to face South Korea in that edition.
So given that South Korea, they're three time champions 2016, 2017, 2018.
You know, it would be very glorious to Saudi Arabia to repeat getting
consecutive titles against an opponent like South Korea, but my proof
France, you never know.
You never know.
I mean, look, if France can do it once, they can do it again.
I know the crowd's been back in them a whole bunch as well.
Speaking about vibes being high to the French team.
Have you seen a happier French person in my life?
I don't think so.
Yeah, I mean, it's it's going to be a ridiculous one.
That's the next semi-finals coming up after this.
Although I think we've got a special word down on the stage with Danny.
Thanks, guys. I'm here with Sir Roger.
Let's go from team KSA 3-0 victory against Sweden
You guys did an amazing job and you guys are moving on to the finals so much. How do you feel right now?
I feel amazing to be honest. I appreciate everyone that came here to support us. I think thank you. Thank you
Very happy. Hopefully we can defend the champ. We win versus
Korea or France five
Korea Korea or France like who do you so much like want to like personally go up against three finals?
I want to meet Korea to be honest. I want to beat them any specific reason
They're just really good
It's gonna feel great to beat them. Yeah, I'm very excited and also quickly
I mean this one was you know, it was a blow. I feel like you guys are just too good
All right now KSA is looking very strong right now. How did you guys prepare for your match against sweet?
Did you guys do anything specific?
to be honest
The main thing we just fixed a lot of mistakes yesterday
Just to be on the same page listen
Play cool, and you know that's what we did today
And we won and you won that is correct, right?
I'm gonna let you go because I know you have to you know get ready for the finals. I'll surmise that everybody
Thank you so much. So we back to you
Thank you so much Danny and with that
We now have KSA as our first finalist of the Overwatch World Cup 2026.
Let's talk about how they got it done and have Matt and Ash joining me here to break it all down.
I mean this looked near flawless, it really was just onto Route 66 where Kessler tried to turn it up,
but unfortunately it was just not enough. The one-man Kessler show did unfortunately not cross the finish line.
I thought that was going to be a much closer series.
No with how Sweden looked yesterday
Coming in obviously, you know KSA is
Extremely strong, but I mean this is a statement game
It feels like right where KSA just kind of showing there a level ahead
Really right up there with South Korea Nino even kind of a coin flip on a day
We knows two of who's the best in the world at overwatch
I know we thought that it was going to be a little bit closer in some kind of regard here for this matchup
But at the same time after yesterday's result losing that one match to Spain
I think we also had that expectation that KSA we're gonna come into day two of blizz condo at the overwatch World Cup and
Absolutely look to clean things up. They were not gonna let Sweden make things close
And we saw that even on 66 where Sweden come out with that cast ban there as well really trying to target
I think what they were struggling with in the first two maps, but again courts
He's just too good on any of those hits.
He's just inevitable.
Like, final boss for sure.
But like, generally, I also just like to see that the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia,
that they really switch up too many things
if we're comparing what they're playing right now from Busan, right?
They're already playing into their strength.
Having Seod on their diva is just such a boon for them.
Keep it simple.
Exactly.
Keep it simple.
Win games.
Seod on diva or maga,
quartz on a hitscan,
all the supports stare at quartz.
And you end up winning a lot of games that way.
There's no reason to over complicate it.
No, there definitely isn't.
And overall, I think that not just that,
we haven't even seen TNT.
And Sermajed was talking about how few would probably
be the best D-Mon player ever.
So maybe they have some aces up their sleeves still.
But now landing in this grand final here,
they're right back where they were in 2023.
And they win every series in Busan 3.0.
They drop that game to Spain and then they 3.0 here.
I mean, they're on just like a tear through the entire Overwatch World Cup format, right?
Just dominating groups coming here, I mean, looking as good as ever.
They got a championship title to defend.
Appian Fire, too.
They want to bring Gold home once again.
And the teams that could be in their way are South Korea or France.
I love Surmajet's answer here, saying that really they want to face South Korea.
Being considered the best teams, especially South Korea is the banana for scale here.
If you take them down, then you're a really good team.
And that's what they're trying to prove here.
Of course, having France though,
you know, like throwing a bit of an upset already in Busan.
Big question is, can they do it again
and actually make it to the final?
I don't know.
I know why it is that.
Why do I always go to Busan when I'm like,
but Ash, because you know, I love to talk about France
and I also love to talk about South Korea.
I think overall though, when it comes down to
how South Korea we're looking in form yesterday,
I just don't think it's gonna be happening.
France just plays with such like a delusional confidence though.
I know.
Like where it's like you kind of start to buy into it and you believe a little bit.
And I mean, look, they're going to have a chance in this series.
It's not, I would be shocked if it's like just kind of a,
they're going to roll over and die.
And Chris is going to kind of run through them.
So, I mean, that would be a while that I mean,
France has had a historic like, you know,
really kind of space within Overwatch Esports for a while with some legendary players
There's just never really gotten close to winning an event like this, where this feels
like maybe the time to do it.
Hey, it's definitely possible.
You kind of call back to Busan, and it's not just the wind, but it's talking to Crocs,
hearing from the team, and the fact that he typed in chat and went, do you guys believe
in the reverse sweep?
And the fact that he's able to just continue to bring that energy, that's definitely their
secret power.
Because I want to believe, and it's probably not the case, but I'm just going to steer
drama for absolutely no reason.
I want to believe that France might be living rent-free in South Korea's head right now.
No, honestly, maybe a little bit of a way here.
I feel like we all want to believe, but we also always have to support South Korea because it will be delusional, not to.
And that much is coming up.
One of those two teams will find themselves in our grand finals facing off against our reigning champion, Team AKSA.
Who is it going to be? We'll find out after a short break.
So don't go anywhere
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Who do you think is the most aggressive team at Worscom?
I mean, I think it's France.
I think it would be France, wouldn't it?
I would say France.
Tournament, Falky.
France, sir.
France because of Drogs.
Because they're, of course, like leading the team as the tank.
Fronts, right?
Yeah.
Yeah.
Yeah, also fronts.
They have crocs.
Who has the best mechanics?
Okay, on three.
One, two, three, quartz.
Hello?
I thought you went there to say a team.
What about mechanics?
What do you think about?
No.
Saudi.
I'm Saudi.
I'm Saudi, honestly.
I don't know how to speak Saudi.
I don't know.
I don't know.
I don't know how to speak Saudi.
I'll teach you then.
I don't think so.
Yeah.
I would say Sweden or USA, maybe.
I think it's hard to deny that it should be South Korea.
Three, two, one.
South Korea.
South Korea.
Definitely not us.
Yeah, that's what I'm going to say.
Who's the most underrated kid?
I would say Sweden, personally.
I think they are really good.
Germany?
I mean, that's the B.L.S.?
Yeah.
It's not that team.
Maybe us.
I kind of want to say Sweden.
But I think there's actually a good chance that if any Saudi, they could win that for sure.
If your team doesn't win the World Cup, who do you think it will be?
Korea's highest probability, but both Saudi and US have a huge photo zone.
Saudi.
Saudi?
Yeah.
We'll go to Saudi.
Oh, it's Korea.
Korea.
Yeah, South Korea.
Korea.
I'll go with Charlie, right?
Yeah, I'll go with Charlie.
Team Sunday right now are the favourites to win for me.
I'm talking about the unpredictable maybe fans
that are going to win.
Man, I was absolutely ready to go.
Yeah, I'm probably sad.
Welcome back one and all.
This is day two of BlizzCon.
Day two of the 2026 Overwatch World Cup finals
coming to your life from sunny Anaheim in California.
and Matt and Ash are joining me for our second semifinal to determine which team will be
meeting the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and have ran a final to try and get that trophy out
of their hand.
They are the defending champion and a favorite to win it all, but you know, in this semifinal
we have a team that is kind of unexpected, I believe, for a lot of us.
I don't think we had France making it into the top, but they're coming so eager, so enthusiastic,
So confident, even you call it delusional confidence.
You gotta have a little bit of that.
That's true. That's true.
Yeah, they're coming into this hot and South Korea once revenge.
We're here for a revenge match, Ash.
I love a revenge matchup.
I think that it's gonna be such a fun one.
And we saw, again, Korea up against Team USA yesterday.
They were lights out.
That was a clinical match from them.
And we all expected it to be a much tighter affair.
and that tells you about the energy that Korea are bringing to the Overwatch World Cup here for the playoffs.
I mean, it wasn't like Team USA was throwing punches back, right?
I mean, it was completely unsided there.
But I look, I mean, South Korea always shows up and performs at Overwatch World Cup, right?
And you also think about like the last Overwatch World Cup we had, right?
Where Finland was able to take them down.
Like, this is like a little bit of like a redemption over the year.
The reverse sweep that France pulled off in Busan against Korea was unreal.
I mean, in Busan, like able to get it done, like, the last map though, like, they almost got full of help, France.
Like, it was like, it was like a really scary dire scenario.
So it wasn't like, you know, the last three maps were dominant in France's way.
Korea should still be pretty confident going into this game.
Yeah, and I'm sure they will be. Historically, of course, they are at the top of the leaderboard with their medals for the Overwatch World Cup.
KSA also having one of those medals from the 2023 France has never got the gold medal
So they beat the team to like win it all this time around
Yeah
Gold medal like any matter I think at this point they're almost playing with house money
I think they made it this far and they're so close to getting a medal and a blitz conash
It's so close for them. Just honestly, I feel like especially with what we've heard from this squad it to them
They believe it's just within touching distance, right? That's how much confidence that we continue to talk about they're bringing to the table
Overall this team France they're gonna look to definitely clap back. I feel like
What's insane about this matchup not just it being the rematch from the group stage is also the fact that both squads
France and South Korea have so much national pride standing behind them as well within those fans and
Crocs is for team France one of the players the player that's been definitely driving. Yeah, he's like the French infects it
I guess it's kind of crazy lots of aura on that stage and quite frankly both of these teams France and South Korea have been
Really really smooth in the quarterfinals like they really didn't give the opposition any opportunities to come into their respective matches
And France they play at such a fast pace
Nobody has been able to really punish that that's what you're looking to see if South Korea can do today
take the smile off of Crox's face because Crox, you know, just get, you know, air
dropped into the back line by FD God and just caused so many problems. And you see
a lot of these games that Crox will finish like they're like one death, two
to three deaths. Like you cannot allow that to happen when the tank gets dropped
into the back line. And that's who you got to look at for South Korea to make
that adjustment today. That's the crazy part, right? The fact that he's just
living in those situations. But again, FD God, it's not just like the positioning
for him. It's the amount of just overall impact that he's had in the server and the support
that that backline has been giving to Prox. I love the resurgence of FDGOT, if you will,
right? Because he's always been around. He's played for so many different teams. We've been
part of his journey for such a long time. To see him excel, like Jetpack gets released,
FDGOT picks it up, it plays into his sometimes maybe too fearless of a play style. But you know
It's working so well for them.
It really supports Crocs' aggression as well.
I don't even know if FDGod's that same type of player, though.
I think the knock on him early was so aggressive.
It was like, oh, man, what are we doing here?
But I think he's really kind of like toned that down.
And I think to your point, Ash, the Jetpack
really suits him well.
He's able to kind of get in there with Crocs,
also get Crocs out of trouble.
And FDGod's another player that just feels like stays alive
so long for Fran.
So those two players have really been kind of what's
led this team this far.
that success. Yeah, it is. And yeah, having a player with so much
veteran sees with so much experience on that cat who has just an incredible amount of map
awareness and game awareness and sense. That's what you want, right? On impactful heroes such as
the Jetpack cat. Now on the other side, of course, we're talking about a stacked roster for South
Korea like Front to Back, like they're all like absolutely in the top three of their respective
roles. It's really hard even though they got reverse swept. It is extremely difficult to go
against that team and consider them to underdog and literally any series they will be playing.
I mean, like a South Korea B team would probably be a top 2 team.
Exactly! Exactly!
There's so much talent coming out of Korea for Overwatch.
And, no, for me, I really love watching Simple playing.
I know a player who plays in EMEA and OWCS,
but I know seeing him play to Zen yesterday, some Zen Widow, that was like a throwback.
It really was. I feel like, I was talking to Jack yesterday about it,
He had told me that funny ashrow mentioned that he thinks that simple as the best Zen player in the world
So seeing and pull it out yesterday. I feel like that moment was when we knew that game was gonna be over
Yeah, I mean if you're looking like at each individual there's just so much good things you can say jumpin is an incredible
Flexible tank player and speaking of flexibility always have to talk about that stalker, right?
So Jen is gonna be in the starting lineup for them and he was the top performer yesterday in the two maps
said he played. Yeah, played a lot of Endete yesterday. Endete obviously gets a buff coming
into this event. So you see the numbers there for such an absolutely dominant out there.
But hey, don't sleep on Keo in number two. We were talking a little bit in the series
of me and Mitch casted. Keo does a really nice job of dealing with the aggression that
Jeff Patcant and a demon can kind of put in your face constantly. Like you see a lot of
times ash where like the it's so like, I mean, it's obviously he the moment the Cassie's
throwing the hinder and swen the demon is right in like the face.
There's nothing you do at that point.
He was able to actually just kind of like ditch the demon and pick that jet
pack hat out of the sky.
And Kyo's going to need to keep that performance up today if they're going to
have a chance.
He definitely does.
And I feel like that's also just so well synergized with the fact that you
have dip on the other side, alongside cross kind of getting in the face of the
other team so that he's able to kind of pull back and get into those positions
where he can be more comfortable.
Yeah, I think we're both like the DPS lineups in both of these teams.
It's going to be so much aggression, so much just go, go, go.
But France, we talked about the tempo they bring to a game.
They are going to be wanting to set the pace for this one map.
But will South Korea let them?
They can fall down 2-0 again.
I mean, if you fall down 2-0 here, if you are France, there's a good chance.
We're clearing off the stage pretty quick and we're kind of getting ready for our performance.
I think France needs to kind of keep that aggression up that they've been showing the entire time.
I look, they can fall back and play some things like the Orisa like we saw yesterday.
We see Crocs play like Maga, but it's not what has really gotten France here.
They need to play that really up tempo pace.
But South Korea knows that, right?
I wouldn't be surprised if we see Dmon bands, Jetpack cap bands, things in that, you know, overline.
I think that is the main thing, though, is this is a rematch from just a couple of weeks ago.
For the side of France, it was a situation where they really caught these teams off guard during the group stage,
especially South Korea, but they know what to expect this time around.
They do indeed. I mean, generally, like obviously there's just so much experience on both of these rosters.
Might not just be Overwatch World Cup experience, but general competitive experience.
I mean, FDGOT has been in so many Overwatch World Cup stages and in the qualifiers and group stages.
So I think that really is going to be a boost for both of these games.
There's so many professional games in general.
Actually, true, true.
He's been around for ages, where you look at the rest of France,
not really that much experience.
I know it was very on, you know, probably the second most ten-year player
on like France when you kind of think about it, you know,
in terms of their starting lineup, where a lot of,
but even a lot of first races on, you know, South Korea, right?
Like, Simple, like Team the World Cup, Sun Jun as well.
So really kind of a, you know, FD got it.
It's really weird to think about it,
because I feel like a few years ago,
Zoe and I were talking about him as a rookie
and then time just went like that.
And now he's the oldest 10-year player we have.
We talked about that for Team Germany as well, right?
But I assume that he's now the veteran,
but we literally just like praised him
as an up-and-coming star and rookie.
We met him two years ago.
Exactly, pretty much that.
But yeah, this is gonna be a good one.
Obviously, these players, they want to lift that trophy.
They want to get some medal into their hands.
And they get an opportunity to do just that enough.
single elimination brackets, everything on the line.
Let's chat predictions.
Matt, starting with you.
Are you believing?
Are you a believer?
I believe to an extent, but I went with Korea in this game.
I wanted to pick France.
I really, I thought they had a chance.
I'll get the move.
That's fine.
That's fine.
Look at them in the eyes when you say that.
Say it to their faces.
Yeah, yeah.
I mean, look, I picked Korea 3-1.
How do I think about that?
I would be thrilled to see a France win, right?
It's a country that has really had great overwatch players throughout its history.
Really kind of deserves a moment like this.
We are in Paris. The French fans are going crazy.
We have a team there where I would love to see them get it done here at BlizzCon, but Korea is too good.
Yeah, guys, you know, I normally love to vote for France,
but the Korean enemy has to go with Team Korea this time around.
overall I just think who asked you as well yeah I'm cool with the imbued guys
it is what it is my apologies team friends I do think that they can make it
a close matchup but overall when it comes down to South Korea how they looked
yesterday knowing what they're bringing into the sort of the energy as well they
Get that off the screen! Get that off the screen!
No, I mean, honestly, like, I wish with all my heart for France to take this one.
I really, really, really do.
Like, again, French and Overwatch go way back, sort of, for real.
But that doesn't matter in my sentence right now.
It's just, South Korea were playing lights out yesterday.
They're coming with a vengeance.
They want to get their revenge.
That, you know, they, France make them lose in front.
France make them lose in front of the home crowd.
They, they ain't letting that rest.
They ain't letting that rest if there's anything you know about Koreans is that they're very stubborn
Yeah, and they're very prideful speaking from personal
So you didn't give a map that's
You're off the desk next there, I just say you know
Now we we obviously expect a close match even though that may not be the score that we predicted
But like we hope for a close one because quite frankly yesterday
It was a little on the one-sided side of the spectrum, which was surprising.
I generally, like, looking at the matchups we had in the quarterfinals,
I low-key, I key, thought that we're going to have one actual, like, roll,
and everything else could be closed.
And the one thing that I predicted as a roll was KSA Spain,
and Spain was, in fact, the only team that fall back.
So, yeah, I guess our predictions mean nothing, anyway.
Yeah, the only thing competitive so far has been the rule set.
I mean, play the maps under the series have been all blowouts,
But I mean like I think if France gets off to a hot start, right?
I think they obviously have confidence momentum
Like I think they believe and that can start to really kind of infuse that team with a lot of confidence like move forward
But I find it hard-pressed that like South Korea is not going to be
Extremely prepared for the way that France plays the way they beat them in Busan
They've been hearing a lot of the talk about how they big have beat in Busan where I think they're gonna come out for blood
absolutely all right let's get this one started it is the rematch that we wanted
to see team France going up against South Korea
Welcome back BlizzCon, how are we feeling?
It's time for your second semi final as you find out who is moving on to play KSA later
on tonight.
Introducing first, please make some noise for the fan favorites they've done it once.
Why can't they do it twice?
Team France!
France has looked incredible out of play and at boots off there they were able to take care of business.
And as you all saw yesterday, they dismantled the Aussies.
France coming in as the underdog according to the polls, but if you're looking at recent history,
they should have the confidence they can do it again.
But my empty got on support the veteran is looking to lead this one to their first podium appearance team friends. Please take your seats
And now for the team we've all been waiting for they've done it three times
And they have won a bronze medal with the three golds.
Welcome back to the stage, the greatest team in World Cup history.
It's South Korea.
The best part of this is the team working in the confidence that Trump's with it.
According to soccer, he's gonna hand you a free rail.
So I believe him.
Do you wish to stop?
South Korea taking the seats.
It is time to get your second semi-final underway.
Ladies and gentlemen, one more time before we get your game.
Make some noise.
We are live in Anaheim once again.
against the rest of the world they've been perfect every hit France has taken has come
from South Korea every hit South Korea is taken in this World Cup has come from France
including humiliation on home soil today only one of these teams can make it to the
The other watch will count grand final.
And for fans of the Korean squad, I mean,
gold is the standard.
It's the expectation.
There's a ridiculous weight on the shoulders of this team.
But with three stars on the jersey,
they've proven that they can shoulder it,
that they can stand under the weight of that expectation
and rise to the occasion.
France, though, put up a stiff fight.
They're wanting aggression in the group stage.
It put Korea on their heels.
Still, a lot of people have been saying
That moment awoke something in this Korean squad,
showed what they needed to become
if they wanted to take gold here in Anaheim.
And so far, they have bloody swap.
They cut through Team USA is still hurting, personally.
It's a pretty impressive statement game to come back of.
And for France, they've made the top four twice now.
Every time they made the top four though,
South Korea made sure they went no further.
In 2017, they lost to South Korea in the semi-finals.
In 2019, it was down in that bronze medal match.
So this French team are reaching higher
than they've ever gone before,
and South Korea are simply stepping back into territory
they feel belongs to them.
It certainly did.
But it has been years since South Korea
have held aloft a World Cup trophy.
They are the most impressive dynasty
in the Overwatch World Cup, but that's ancient history.
New faces and a new mandate to get back to the top
starting on Samoa Jake and we did notice Sonjun is in the lineup here for South Korea.
We've already seen a bit of that vendetta play that frankly this was pretty devastating to a lot of teams have gone up against.
I think France at least are going to bring a very different look than we saw from Team USA yesterday who wanted to slow the game down.
For the French that does not seem to be the case whatsoever.
They constantly start fights first.
But will they be able to do the same against players like Sonjun and Jeonbin?
These guys have been leading the aggression and with ball and vendetta
It's a style that just about no one else in the World Cup would dare to play and yet these guys make it look unbeatable
It feels like we saw Tim your sale most crying and keep tempo with that cop
Only on on Samoa in their series. They realized that just wasn't reasonable wasn't possible
We did see Jim didn't play a couple of different tanks over the course of that map
But crucially that it was like a you know hazard was targeted by France when they played Samoa right?
they had a game plan they wanted to play the up tempo style and I'd suggest they
want to play the mirror but we know we talked about it. Jumbin doubled down on
that demon play to make sure that he wouldn't get caught off guard by that
pick again. She's been tweaked slightly still quite powerful does need Jetpack
Kanna I think to sort of really supercharge her mobility. Jetpack Kanna as well has had
some touches but it's still been highly played here at BlizzCon. Speaking of
these critical heroes for France. I can't help but be worried a little bit about the
band factor in a series like this. Korea has shown ridiculous flexibility in this opening
band. It strikes right at the heart of what has been so successful for Team France. Crocs
in the center, the thick of the fight, diving in on backlines, somehow getting away with
murder time and time again. Korea aren't going to have to face off against that key threat
at least in map one.
is going to be the second band. You've actually seen Cheyenne Tracia looks from this Zabre and
Rostric in this particular configuration, but it seems like France, while they're aware
that Song Joon can go over towards the vendetta, they don't seem too bothered by it. We've also
seen Crocs play a bunch of Marissa, a bunch of other looks here, certainly not by any means,
Tethered to that Vimon, and for the rest of the series, if he wants, he'll be able to play it.
The question is though, what do we see on this map, the first one in this series, because
Because winning control is massive.
If we go to five maps, you get that map selection for the decider if you win control.
The crucial map to win.
Also to set the tenor of the series.
For France, a win here to open the series, it's going to start to make this Korean squad
tremble just a bit, thinking, is it going to happen again?
Could we lose again in a shocking upset?
But Korea, though, I mean, a straightforward opening ban on the demon.
You know, it doesn't exactly take a genius, but it's a powerful ban.
It's been the bread and butter of war France.
I love the Xeon band in response though,
because yes, as good as the Vendetta can be,
there's no hits game that can keep up
with the pace that Xeon brings.
Sojourn is a close second maybe,
but honestly with the style that created yesterday,
I think Xeon is more important than the Vendetta
who could be replaced by a tracer.
I'm starting off on the sunny sands to open this series.
Simple was someone who's discussed pretty at length
by the Desk, right?
And someone on the Kiriko is probably one of the best
to do what we saw in Zemnjada briefly on Route 66 yesterday.
That was impressive.
Korea and France, when the medals come out,
France in the past have faltered.
They want to find their way into the top two in South Korea,
simply returning to what they believe is home.
BlizzCon, let's play some Overwatch.
Similar comps here, but Korea go with a lot more
individualism on the hitscan roll dip. It's going to have his work cut out for him. Not
easy to stay alive on Bastion against these two enemy DPS.
No ball is interesting though. German doesn't want to start in that way. Tartarier have
a different lead on this French outfit with Dimon Band. Tartarier opt into an Orisa mirror.
Korea also playing pretty long range hitscan here or just some long range pressure. Maybe
War of Attrition is what they're hoping to play into now. The jetpack cat of FD Gods
He's already making some moves, Stork is getting pressured down, the Siphon Blaster though, and Caps is very uncomfortably, and Crocs has to dive deep for that elimination, it's just a trade down in numbers between France.
War of Matrician, absolutely the right call, but Stalker forcing that desperation TP from Zeria, finishing the kill himself, it basically ends the fight in the opening moments.
Jundan untouched on a Risen, it's going to take first half.
Jumbinaus having to push up a little bit more. And that creates space for Saundra to play like this.
He's past the line of scrimmage in the middle part of the map. Get some early poke down.
It's hard to build towards a bowl of shot that could be highly disrupted to a backline.
Crocs is being ferried into the action now. Will be allowed to try and compete for these flank angles,
but he's already made by a javelin. As is Jumbin, knocked down onto the point.
And as spacey as for Crocs, my ability connected his backline.
Keo on the cast. He did crucial big headshot. Can you find more?
Stalker's on a break line of sight, Keo with a grenade downward to affect Junbin, but that's easily shrugged off by the Orisa.
Shonjun might be making his move now, no one's paying him any attention, Keo might be a little too late.
It's gonna be a Suzu drawn out which Junbin is gonna be very pleased about because there's nowhere for Keo to go.
Brantz just run down on the extremities and with three players down, the spike is done and dusted.
Strapping the capture flip though here is gonna mitigate South Korea's progress.
He's under the big problem right now for France. I don't think they feel like they have an answer to it
Especially again with these push-ups early in the fight by jumping
Tundra gets to sit on a flank angle find a lot of poker. Look at empty God's help
He needs to carry to double back to kill him up
And the Korean team sitting on a full bank of ultimates. It's gonna be a tough spot here
But you know for the top those guys grab one. He's on Jun doesn't have the ability to dump out the cheap and get away from that sky
Sky Noon and as simple as he disappears, Fox having to find the finishing blow and Kyo doesn't really have to move too far from this position.
It's simply clean up for you now for France. They get the opener Jake, but it's off the back of that Sky Noon.
They have to concoct a bit of a win condition and South Korea are still sitting on a lot of these ultimates banks.
Ton of discipline from Korea, not committing to a losing flight, still with a ton of ultimates to come back in for the retake,
for the retake, but France have bought themselves a new lease on light. Even economy is going
to come down to the ulti trade. Here it goes in the spotlight right now.
It's on to the switch off. Doesn't really want to contend anymore with this Cassidy
Cat combination. See if we're going down early. It's far too late. They're taking the tempo.
And take that first pick. Considering that it's simple, it really means that South Korea
have to take a sidebar for a second consecutive fight. Couple fights now where France find
the weaknesses not scared to get aggressive in their trademark style
working even against the Koreans for tending well for their future in this
match but a lot of overwatch left the play there's been a patient couple of
fights between South Korea still holding on to those ultimates
Kiyo, time to pull up, get another dead on, this could be dangerous
Stalker flaccid, Zerio's never to find the finisher and no one can contest this high ground
Sunjun has to go the long way to get up there and up in the air
Crock-Stitch popped, he has it fortified, the Terrasurge comes down so he shrugs in
off to jump in, caught out on the point, and France, a slow start, but now they're willing
to really caught up on this round. And every time we come to Kyo's camp, he has demanding
respect on this server in the company of legends, but perhaps building something, a new legend
for himself. And with the Sky Nune, this last fight looks scary now for Korea.
Stalker with an override protocol. But it was the Sky Nune that looked at things up for France
Previously there's a game just for stalker. He's got to get out of that line of sight very hastily, but Gio's gonna
Stalker walked into a trap of his own design now at 99% South Korea have to make a big play with their running out of options
Simple as fallen by the wayside now if you got trying to get back to safety then do it so
Do not I South Korea an easy pick up
It was a slow start for France this time you're up to the races early
crucial first round for France so many questions circling around this match
was it just a fluke in Busan is there any chance they could do it again and
with Croc's signature demon banned out here on Busan it really took Kyo going
to the next level in that first round stalker a rare negative scoreline for
him that's a shock to the system for Korea one then they'll need to adapt to
quickly but with Jun been hovering the wrecking ball everything could change in
second round. Dark Korea wanted that Orisa Mira. They're ultimately undone by the Cassidy.
Son Jun's got quite a varied hero pool, but sometimes simple is best. We'll see what the
look is now. The Bastien in tow. It looks a little bit more standard, a bit more classic.
France are going to reciprocate a similar look on their comp. So no tracer for the French
squad. Son Jun though will maintain that on South Korea and he sees they're already trying
to wrap around and link up with Jungbin.
Asians from France here, they know the threat of Jungbin's lob and he fights his time.
People getting dragged around here. Jungbin wants to try and pressure the Bastion.
Oh, that could be a dangerous proposition for Storker's having to take Dip down.
Well, he is entirely obsessed with the idea of getting rid of Jungbin.
Good exchange and good target acquisition, I think, for the Korean Bastion player.
Now we have an early South Korea take.
Great punish from Stalker and Choron.
And the French, they're getting cleaned up here, but this is just precious seconds,
slipping away from the round.
No possibility for France to bring this fight back.
Every extra second South Korea can buy is worth it.
See, Jun been there just taking beat before eliminating Xerion.
And again, pushing up.
It's a Malga switch here for Crocs.
A lot of players like the matchup here, into the wrecking ball, cage fight can be powerful, but with 30% already in the board for Korea, it's a long way back to get towards these ultimates.
France need to pull something out of their hat here.
Cage fight could be nuked out pretty quickly by Bastien in tank mode as well.
Easy artillery strike from Stalker, Pepperen at high ground, forcing France to drop down, and now Sunjin has to pressure them for their backline.
Kiyoto is sharp, but he's having a war to chase her away.
Skokor also under some degree of pressure, but deep as the trade-outs of both bastards have been handled.
It does self-susage for Serian desperation for the carries he carries to stay in the game.
But Sunjin will not be denied.
This pole-spot might be well apportioned on the bulky frame of the Malga,
but Cox has to be respected. South Korea give him some space,
and Afro to trip himself with, is eventually he's brought down.
Oh, Korea just looked different on these barcamps.
The aggression Junbin and Sanjin demanding so much respect that Stalker is getting all the space in the world and he just keeps finding dip.
I mean, constantly the first pick on this bastard.
Always pressure from Sanjin.
Junbin, he might want to try and catch them in the choke.
He's hitting on the line. Kyo is going to deploy that straight away.
He's hitting on the right hook out from Zerion.
And he's got Sanjin on the tracer. Kyo is downwind.
And that's the distraction of the Casterly already off the table.
It is a one-sided affair.
South Korea barrel in the front, they're trying to get their ducks in the roof.
Cage find out coming late in the fight for the helpers, he's not there for Crocs.
He is down, his legacy, the Cage will also be broken through.
We're looking at a fortified 100 to zero in our second round.
the stops.
Maria are wasting no time pulling out the stops, showing the style that has made them
a unique foe in this event.
So few players can play the wrecking ball on Junven's level.
Honestly, nobody can.
I mean, this guy is the best in the world.
I'm willing to go on record with that.
The wrecking ball, absurd at this level of play, and Sanjani slotting in so incredibly
well to this team.
Tracer was felt really massively in that round. Stalker a resurgence from him as
well. Getting a little bit more space and this time it was the French who looked
flat-footed. We asked the question what do France have outside of these demon
compositions. It looks like they're pretty heavily indexed into this
Orissa. Cassidy-Bastien combination but it doesn't cut it on our second round.
They're gonna run it back with this five. Jönbjen will move to the Malge. There'll
also be a reaper in the mix.
All full of grass in Korea trying to push the base, but Stalker's brought down.
So I'm just gonna have time to get to a relevant position at the start of this fight.
Perhaps here though, we can find some value.
Kira was brought down by the Hellfire shotguns, and Krox could be in danger,
but it's a fight he'll take any day of the week.
And Rieker gets torn to shreds.
This one could get tricky.
Respawn's gonna come back in.
France, they would love to grab this cap for free, but German's almost back.
That's Marga's pretty quick on his feet plus the jetpack can ferry him into the action.
Some poke here first though. Grenade's exchange as Stalker takes a glancing blow and Jimbin needs
an oil change here. A little bit more health before he commits. Getting actually peppered down on it.
Diff doesn't want to give him a chance to recover. Pushing in as Stalker's direction but this could
be an overreach here. Stalker finds that great connection but Diff attacks the Diff. Here's Jimbin
with the stomp. Been anti-climatic for the Marga. Zondre again finds that late fight involvement.
But it's too late to make a difference.
Fajr with two and a reform.
I mean, he's gonna go down here, but...
Oh, no way, okay!
Come down, that'd have been ridiculous.
Still a chance.
Powerplay, 14th career.
If they want to keep this fight going.
Terrasur, a cheer from Crocs.
Holding on to what you're thinking.
Gonna be stunned up initially.
Stalker has a lot of space here.
And he connects to the nice little Raga.
Headshot, Terran has to duck out of the fight as a result.
Here's the artillery strike.
Stalker dances amongst the shells.
And Keo is picked off.
Stalker doing the most at the moment.
DBA and he gets lots of map already.
Sondra ready to break it down.
Korg's already so low though, it just might not be necessary.
And we know South Korea love to bank these ults for a rainy day.
Sondra getting so much fun on the reaper here.
Truly a master class, pulling attention to himself.
And that's attention that the French just cannot spare.
Stalker, fight, kill after kill in that fight.
62, plays 7.
Tatlory here wants to dig in, settle in, cage fight could be instrumental but it's
something that Crocs can just walk out of. Needs to be better connected for
Jim Gidding, in he goes, cage fight before he gives it away, outside looking in.
Katnab catches the Bastion, cuts the DPS short, Pachorong can't over extend.
Jim Gidding's cage actually is destroyed pretty quickly so it does that
for himself, he's gotta be forced away.
Heads up, Javelin's been there for Crocs to take the Reaper out of pole
position and a comfortable flip back for the French.
Resilient front line and Crocs displaying true confidence here.
Seeing and getting that energy in the player cam it's going to be infectious
for team France and they're on the verge of a map win here.
Overclocked for stalker is really all I got the hang they had on.
A potential sky noon could stop that ship before it gets off dried up.
Here we go. Overclock time, but all of France's respect is in the CC.
So I'm just trying to get a light of sight, but Q-Map, you had to punish this stalker.
Try to hide!
And Chorong getting caught instead.
Jetpack, cap, the beating heart of this competition has been dealt with in an hour.
South Korea are down to four.
Perfect javelin there for Crocs.
Cap stalker out of the fight entirely.
He needs to go looking for a health pack.
Because Chorong's not going to be able to heal him.
Terror search now could be dangerous, but again,
there's respect in the game now.
Head sets off already.
Frantz stopped the series with a stifled win on Samoa.
Hugely consequential to take map 1 in a series such as this.
Momentum for a French team that loves to bring the pace.
The signature demon band should have been a dagger to the heart of this team,
but for Crocs, it's barely a scratch.
Not a risk of gameplay.
On round 3 was Immaculate shutting down the early Bastion vibes,
pushing away Saundra's Reaper. Really phenomenal play here from the team
France frontline and that's a win that stifles momentum for Korea. We're coming
out of the back of a hugely dominant 3-0. It is just no shortage of heroes to run
it down with at the end of the day. The brightest spot for South Korea was when
they could play that Wrecking Ball unfettered. Interesting though, we are
all sad. Apparently no substitutions in the fine-fine year for a team South
Korea will keep an eye on it. It will be interesting to see them invest in another map here for
Son Jun keeping him around. But I think this tells much of the story. We took about Stalker,
struggles on that first map, really has a nice little bounce back and ultimately finishes
with a reasonable scoreline. But somehow, this French roster is built for Crocs to simply do as
he pleases, pops the damage scale, looks comfortable in that Orisa mirror. This round one come back
for France really set the stage for them to start off the series with a
competitive round but one in which you do bring it home. Reminds them that they
can win this series. They have won this same series before. Under the bright
lights though maybe never before against this particular opponent.
Saundra though, I'm not surprised he's staying in the server. He looked
phenomenal in these aggression. The Achilles heel though, fortune South
Korea has been that sometimes German is just getting poked down at range, Kyo and
Deb working together really well on this round three to just break the
front line in so many to set up. On top of that the Sky News uncontested from Kyo.
Yeah. Stalker doesn't go towards that look at all through the mouth and you
kind of wondering why I mean he's phenomenal on the heroes he does play
but that really does feel like a crucial strategy in this meta with how
powerful Cassidy can be under the assistance of the Jetpack Cat. It does
feel like there's not a lot of counterplay to it right now and it can almost win you the fight on
the spot. Now there was some discussion I think the South Korea was obviously very map dependent
how they make their substitutions. I have seen Sunjin and Jungbin both stand up so I mean he's
saying and Max are going to come into the lineup. King Franco happened to take advantage of this
moment also take stock of the situation because this is not a situation they thought they would
beat him. I think this stat line tells a lot of the story because Crox cannot play the way he
does without some serious healing throughput. And then with Kyrieko, the healing offer to travel
speed has been reduced so that max range right so it's a little bit harder to squeeze all the
juice out of that hero but Serian and FD God are both really set up to heal Crox as much as
It's just humanly possible to make sure he actually has the freedom to play in a way that other players would probably just consider awfully audacious.
I mean, it's not just being one and two, it's the margin of being the top healers.
I mean, these two are putting out a ridiculous stat line, and that's not just for Crocs, right?
That's letting Keo and Dip really turn the screws, get aggressive, keep that spear sharp.
And where the map went on the board, I mean, you got to put some respect on the name.
They are going up against some of the goats in children and simple, but it's their names on top of that leaderboard
Yeah, I'm gonna want to point out that graphic is not cumulative. It's healing per 10
So it's average over you know over all the time that they played so to have a lead of almost
10,000 healing per 10 is like a 33% increase over the next team's backline. He's absolutely insane
It's like it's a gift that gives back, you know, you you empower crocs. Let him go forward
He makes the space, you stay alive longer.
You do more healing.
Your uptime, obviously, is superior.
Speaks to the trust between this French team.
I often think when a team starts to get desperate,
they start to worry about whether they can win the right way.
Players look for hero plays.
They look to overcome and do something incredible,
which in fairness is sometimes called for.
But when a team is relaxed and confident,
players stay in their lanes, supporting one another,
the support role is often where that's expressed
most clearly pumping that many heals, it's farming a ton of ultimates, and we've seen
what Katnap and Katsune Rush can do. I think it's really a well-selected strategy in the
current meta for France. They're getting a lot of what they want to succeed with. And
Korea, take us to Route 66, where we got some spicy cons in that match yesterday against
USA.
Yeah, first time, and I thought at the time, the only time we'd see Widowmaker and Zamyadar
on defense on this map.
Clearly a blast from the past.
They are running a back right.
Again, I think we discussed this before coming on air, actually.
And you feel like it's a setup that requires the right conditions.
A Kiri and Tracer ban was what you felt like allowed South Korea to go for that,
given that Kiri would be a potentially better option for a back line,
and Tracer has the ability to pressure both the Widow and the Zinnyada.
So that also begs the question about what kind of bans we see coming into this game.
South Korea have subbed out the 2026 Champions Clash MVP in order to take a different look on this map as well and get Max back into the mix.
I mean it makes sense if you want to go for these greedy or back lines, if you want to look at the Widow and the Zen, maybe the Ana.
Max is an expert on the D.Va, slowing the game down, stymieing aggression.
And for France, that's been their signature look, but so far there's been really no teams that have been able to slow them down successfully.
successful. You can maybe match that pace, you can maybe take the brawl to them. We saw that in map one.
But trying to slow the game down is a risky proposition as we've seen throughout this event,
Mitch. You can get punished for that. You yield a lot of control to the enemy team. You rely on
perfect execution from the back line. France have proven twice that they can beat South
Korea or World Cup. But they're never proven is that they can actually beat them when there's
medals on the line. It's been the same story. They're winning groups. They look
honestly dominant there or when they get out onto the stage, be it a BlizzCon or
any other venue, they get beat. For Etty God, he experienced the 2019 situation,
beat South Korean groups and then the bronze match, they got swept. Same
scenario this year essentially, right? Now that there's a medal on the line. New
generation of French players though. Maybe here to chart a new course. This is
their time to set the record straight and right what they may feel is a wrong.
I mean, it's a nation that has punched above its weight historically in
Overwatch.
A lot of great historical players from France and now a team of five and a
lot of relative unknowns on this team.
Right.
We look at FD God as a really experienced player, but an event like this,
the performances they put together so far at the Overwatch World Cup have put
these players on the map.
I don't think there's a professional coach out there.
that isn't looking at a player like Crocs and taking him a lot more seriously than they might have
when he was pulling out the Roadhog 24-7.
Yeah, honestly, Crocs has been on some of these OWCS teams in the last couple of years,
but none of them would, I would say, be the most notable, right?
Do we remember New Age, the sixth, seventh place OWCS EMEA team from last year?
He's not the only player from that roster on the stage right now.
It's funny to me that like wall cup is really catapulted this player's stock profile and also that of his teammates
I think I don't need an introduction in
Paris
Place was full of French fans. They were cheering for a team that wasn't even there
They were cheering for the 52 and oh team peps that just played face-at-master and had a flawless run to make their way back towards
OWCS
The fandom is there the French apparently travel quite well drag because they've been quite raucous in that corner of the arena
We see you out there. I
I think that energy is being felt opening ban for France. It's gonna be the diva
So he's actually yielding ban control choosing to go second choosing to respond and while the diva ban
It does take away one of the most significant threats from max
If there's a lot of options in his pool that can replicate a similar effect
Korea ban the curicle they think that's maybe even more important, but for simple it doesn't have to be the zen
I mean, he was phenomenal on it and it's exciting to see a hero that we rarely see in current professional play
But by taking the Kirikou away it opens up a world of options
And as good as Xerion has been and the stats don't lie from him and FD God
The Kiri has been a linchpin of that. They really don't go away from the Kirikou a test for Xerion now
How can he perform against one of the goats in the Flex support role in contrast to the last time?
We saw South Korea on root CC6 tracer is also still available. That's someone then Keo
notably from the Gormand roster 1 dip versus 100 guerrillas. We'll be out at
you have a chance to run that tracer up in a potential mirror on this particular
map so that also is a factor and also might be invalidating for the Zen idea.
You might not want to bust that out when you've got the potential of being run
down by what we know is a world-class tracer player at this point. But this
lips the script and what we saw in Busan. In Busan South Korea started that
series strong. In fact they swept the first couple of maps pretty comfortably
It wasn't until we got to New York City, where France started to come online,
started to really find their footing, and then they slowly, it was slowly,
raced the series back into their control. They didn't start well at all in that game.
And frankly, they finished barely getting past South Korea on Shambhali Monastery.
It was a shocking upset, but it was a very, very close game. A game of very thin margins.
And that was a game where South Korea were like, yeah, we were just completely unprepared for the impact of the demo.
We, you know, at the time that we put in was allocated incorrectly to the wrong places.
We weren't prepared.
Noone says it was a wake-up call for the team.
They're not getting upset by France twice.
Not in that fashion anyway.
If France are going to beat them, they're going to now do it against the team that has full awareness of what they're capable of.
Excuses, Mitch, they aren't worth much on a stage like this.
A win puts you in gold medal contention.
A loss since you found the third, fourth match where you're fighting for scraps.
With this Korean squad, that would be unacceptable.
That's the standard that's expected of them by their fans.
By the country that sent them across the world to play here in Anaheim.
And for the French, it's hard not to feel like they're playing with the house cash here.
pretty much universally accepted as an underdog in this series, but seeing them on those player
camps on the French coach, I'm feeling pretty dang good. The confidence of Croc seems to have
spread to the team around him, building that energy. A map win makes it undeniable. There's
no reason you can't do it again here at the Overwatch World Cup. It was Max that was getting
set with his audio. Just maybe having
been explained to him how the headset
was intended to operate. We have ready
checks that are being undertaken now for
both sides. So it shouldn't be too far
away from jumping into this game. I think
France have made it pretty clear how they
want this map to play out. They do not
want to have to contend with that potent
mobility of D.Va if they're going to be
you know trying to play this demon. They
want to try and make the battle as
ground-born as possible. Not by standing
jetpack cats influence of course.
Route 66 was a bizarre showing for South Korean terms.
The cop that they picked was deadly effective.
They hold on first against team United States.
They have a retake behind this transcendence
that lets them get back into a strong defensive position
even though they slipped up in the previous fight.
So this team, not afraid to take risks
and if they make mistakes,
they usually can fix them on the fly.
That's what's so terrifying about them.
But France want to force them.
They want to force these areas
by playing that up tempo style.
But South Korea have thrown a two fifths
different roster at them now.
It's a huge pit stop for them.
They've retooled their look now,
with he saying in Max joining the fray.
This time though, for these two young players
coming in under much different circumstances, right?
Down 1-0, having to turn around the series
that has started in a way that you did not anticipate.
I think Korea coming into this match had to be confident,
had to be thinking, we've righted the shift,
we've fixed all of our wrongs.
And it balanced to their flexibility there,
covering a very different look.
One that could be a surprise between France.
South Korea said we'd learn a lot from that game in Busan.
But that doesn't mean France have just been sitting around
twiddling their thumbs for a couple of weeks.
They've also made their own advancements.
So now we're here to take the measure off them.
In verse three series,
our after-roof 66 with South Korea on the attack side
Crocs will get his demon mirror.
They test for Crocs here on the defense.
France, they look amazing when they can take the fight
to their opponent, but on Route 66 first,
can be hard to get aggressive.
In Korea, they look so ready when Crocs comes to those peaks.
Interesting that it's the max of the demon win
by all reports.
South Korea have had Jun been really starting that role
half, and both of them have had to pick it up to stay,
can't stay more at all.
And there it is, Storker takes the head, clean up deep shoulders.
Just snaps him off there, a critical shot to the vine without the tracer.
So hard to keep this part of his detention.
Objective marching forward and France straddling to avoid being routed here on the defense.
This is so huge for simple fans as well, Pucille is going to be chilling.
Safe in that backline, limited pressure there as Crocs couldn't quite get to him.
Kier, there's got a pretty safe angle to play from here.
Doesn't get the dynamite detonation, find some extra damage on Max, but Crocs will also be slept up.
Force was making himself back up and get back to work. Maxi with a bayonet, as he's trying to go quite deep, but Choron gets there with Kim, and Kia was dealt with. That Ash, as time goes on, could be a real threat. She's been dealt with, but Dip has re-returned to the fight.
Nano on line for Syriot. He's gonna pop in here both of the clutch. Krox empowered, but he's already low.
Korea still fighting mid, even in face of the ultimate. Krox was looking for a mega health pack
and couldn't get it. The nano ain't bad either, but he's looking for the bio basically straight away.
It means that the nano risk is no offensive value for France. And Korea get to keep dictating the tempo.
Stalker gonna feed Kira, takes his own medicine with a Sky Noon over the top there and he hinders Grenade
into the catnapping FDs. God, could have been a problem with Stalker. Just gets too deep there. That's dangerous!
Crocs are about to fight two eliminations out of that, and Saab Korea!
But Gikki missed it, just as they were hitting the fight!
Looked so good for Korea, I thought for sure they could dive in and get the clean up,
but Crocs had done so well in the fight's previous to have a laning break online,
and he just cuts them in twain here.
Now it's time for Korea to come back in.
Huge economy advantage, they've got to close out first point here.
Gioca another site spot.
This time, Bobby's deployed defensively, I'll suggest.
Jorong's down on a pulse, but no one doesn't seem to matter.
Frogs have come up in the Guts regardless.
The stalker out of the fight is essentially no coming back.
And Kyo's going to play it up for aggressively to make sure Max is staggered out.
Just long enough.
Long, starting to run dry.
But France have nothing left in the tank.
It was huge for them to catch Korya off guard in that last fight.
Actually gets a couple of key ultimates out.
But nonetheless, Korya coming back with a cat nap.
Satoriku's free, and even the limit break.
France has to somehow catch them off guard again.
Rangers fought for Zerion to be and he's so far forward there!
Still has to trade though, have to get to make sure that they didn't lose anything for nothing.
Trong and Zerion have to play back here. South Korea feel like that was a false start for them yet again.
So they'll just have Max play up on the corner and give France the chance to get Zerion back.
This branch of Gresh and they keep producing something for nothing.
I mean, you would have thought that would be impossible against this Solvort Korean team,
but France are doing the impossible so far.
Oh, coach comes for Keo. He's gonna get out of dodge pretty quickly.
His back's just descending at a rate of not, but he still comes at him.
Keo has to get 10 with everything. The Catnap even committed to make sure
that they could execute the Ash. Still a croc, nothing more than better.
Fies his way into the back line. The Suffolk Ricky's spring extracts Serion from the equation.
Franco are fighting on fumes, but that might be enough for them as Crocs
doesn't need a whole lot to get the party started.
Luma Break throwing out. He was hoping for a mega health pack there.
It just doesn't appear what he needs it to.
Can't quite catch, he's saying there is executed, and South Korea finally break through.
And DGOT gets one back, but with the cards so close to the finish,
surely the Koreans can get it over the line now, but France, a massive hold for them,
running the clock, nearly bone dry on this first point.
And now we reset the table.
LBL with a shorter time bank for South Korea.
My eyes are on the sky noon potential here for Stalker.
G.O. is switched over towards the Cassidy.
Neither casting nor you know ash has incredible mobility, but perhaps it feels like the great role combination might be what he needs to get on out
Follow somehow after you'll have to get behind that
Captus and avoid it and it may pull us like they used to Jake
Incredible dodge and now has to come up from Kyo in response though
Just holding the position of the car keeps moving forward the box over the top
But get it on this back line and Max gets the nano simple immediately jockies back knows he's gonna be under pressure after the fact
Dip just slips away though. Where is Max supposed to be?
There's no valid target room to find and the pulse bomb gets stuck now all of a sudden.
The tide to turn against the demon. Kiyos ever to roll away?
Can he avoid the questing blade of Max? It's he saying that's the real problem though.
Max will be topped up, returns to the carp of Crocs has been committing his own kind of
deviousness in the backlight of South Korea.
Fortunately, it just won't hold up against what we see.
The attack side here. Have the momentum. Crocs is knocked out of mech and eventually down.
Can't help but feel mentioned that this French squad, they just, they thrive in the chaos.
Korea are just trying to stabilize this match, play in the kind of controlled style that is
the signature of this country.
But the French team seem to have just figured something out about this matter.
Still, Korea stay on the test, one minute left, a crucial fight in a very difficult
retake for Team France.
Now, these are heavy tolls that South Korea are having to front to get into the map.
Sio, over the top, this could be huge for the defenders, just one pick, just one.
There it is! Soak it down!
Oh, he's right above Simple. A brilliant sleep dart.
Dazzling work.
But Kier's gonna pick himself back up and it looks like Croc's joined up with the miss.
There's still fight to be had. Max has had to double back.
This is very disruptive for the attackers. They're gonna have to regroup off this.
Just getting out of that door can sometimes be a challenge. French do it once better.
Diving in deep sleep is out Simple's in huge trouble.
Trouble. Oh what a shield coming there for Kroxen.
Nooo! There would be a flashbang coming.
He's able to stave it off comfortably.
This has to wreak his free.
What's an interesting decision for Nisa?
Tracer's a lot freer than he is now. He's going to come for the OT touch.
So relief. Okay.
Max falls back.
Tracer in the mix now for South Korea just to keep them going.
This is not how they envisioned this series happening.
France somehow look even stronger than they did on Busan.
It is a shocker in Anaheim right now.
The Korean squad have to be reeling.
The signature aggression from France, what brought them that reverse sweep, surely Korea
thought they'd solve the puzzle, reviewed the VODs, figured out just what they needed
to do, but clearly they're still looking for answers.
Crocs seemingly in total control of this match.
A winnable defense though for Korea, don't want to cut your chickens before they hatch
against the squad with this kind of firepower.
Two deaths for Crocs on defense.
A switch to Cassidy for Keo is on the money.
Couple of dead eyes, really even the playing field.
In fact, give France a chance to squeeze South Korea
for another map win.
Now we put South Korea in the ironic position
of having to reverse them to advance.
Tracking scenes here in the round.
A defense that feels freighted with meaning here
for South Korea.
You've got to stop the bleeding now.
cannot let France go up to zero here to put your team at risk of potentially
being out of gold medal contention. The drought has been too long for the
Koreans to let that happen. They need to fight back here and now and you have to
start to wonder will that pressure get to them? This is a very different defensive
look than we saw from South Korea against the United States. They don't
have the confidence to bring the widow stand in, not in a tracer world.
That's very much a standard composition.
Tracer-Castley, simple on the honor, and Kio is insisting Kio on this widow.
Pressure from Axe, I suppose, is going to deny that deep defensive setup.
No attempt of a risky spawn camp here for Korea, they choose to play the corner.
Two fights is all they'll have on this first point defense, they need to make each one
count.
It's a difficult point of return.
No easy solutions here, they've got to fight to crack.
They do have a high ground to play off of though, and Crox is using his launching power
to potentially get back behind the billboard.
They've begun with Crox in tow.
Now they're claimed to be the top of the girls.
And yes, Crox will be willing to fight for it,
but only if he can see the favour of his shield is cracked.
The mega health pack though, is available to him.
He's going to keep him in the fight for the time being,
now the longer the fight, the better he'll be.
He said, up with his head.
Croc's might lose his mech, but this might have been worth it.
Pressure on the back line now, severely mitigated for France.
He starts to get Zerio playing a bit more aggressively,
a bit more impactful, he gives these bios,
and yes, that exact thing gets dumped on simple.
Four up for France here still,
and Max might be forced to play safe for the time being.
He's Hank, a pick here would change everything.
He's here in trouble, he's slipped off by Max,
the limit break is online.
Korean's looking for the clutch, and Max, maybe he's done enough.
Max out of mech, but that's still not bad.
The issue is, is that he basically needs to buy these time to get the suit back.
He can't just charge off the map and have to walk all the way back into the frame.
He sinkles down.
I think he overextended there, into Chiyo's spot on that high ground, Jake.
Oh, this is terrifying. Power play for France.
Every ultimate in the tank, Korea need an absolute mastery to bring this one back.
Stalker forced to the low ground of Sky.
Noon comes in, and Stalker is picked off again.
There's no counterplay to it.
No way that a diva in the map.
Kyo's making the malicious use of the absence of defense matrix.
Maxi's trying to play on the point, trying to avail himself of the health pack for the time.
He just doesn't line up for him.
He's going to be forced out of that corner, carved out of that defensive position.
The Katnack comes alive in the draw, and it's a pretty timely pulse bomb.
It's shrunk up by Crocs.
He has the limit break to make sure he stays in there.
And a first defense that falls short of expectations.
A couple mistakes from South Korea here,
uncharacteristic of the pedigree of this team,
but we've been characterizing him as Wanton with his aggression.
But that was calculated.
He knows the reputation he's built for himself.
He's pulling massive aggression from the Koreans.
Pretty crucial 1v1 for Storkin' 1v1.
No one else on France could intervene.
A small window made extensive use of.
Now, it is that South Korea is settling
to these defensive positions,
And in theory, get Stalker set up on a safe high ground, close to the choke.
3 minutes 30 on the clock.
For France, that first gap is crucial, but where do you go from here?
It's just FDGOT's catnap.
Can't be hard to make use of sometimes in these attacking scenarios.
France are now fighting the shade.
They serve themselves with that high ground, but in the meantime, Max died speaking to the backlights.
There we are, a party gift to the biodecarré.
Might not be enough there, but Charles got a little bit too close to the sun.
Get down and bring it down and Max gets be suited and all of a sudden France bounce back after losing the first pick
That is wild stuff. Chorong just barrels too close to Max and gets caught. That's collateral
Korea they try to take the fight to the opposition, but France even losing one
They're ready for the counter punch great peel from Crox and that he got getting back into that front line brawl
and now
Only the slimmest of margins for Korea and they're up against the sky knew and it's been there a colleague
Achilles heel so far in this series.
Maybe the last fight of the map.
They're building into big banks themselves in terms of ultimates though.
Can they hold off for two and a half minutes?
Kyo starts this off with a sky noon.
It's more of a zoning one, I'll be honest, but Max has his shield poking straight away.
Goes for a limit break to try and stay in the fight.
Xerion under some pressure in the back, landing falls.
Did though, finds a polecloth connection on the stalker and the cast of the other game is huge.
Now with impunity, Kyo can go looking for these key targets.
Max though, what's the fight with Crox? He faked his a bit of Archie Farsi, but Crox bats out one to the mega.
Max will also regroup here. Both teams, gentlemen's agreeing to come back off to reset the light of scrimmaging though again.
Crox is chopping at the bit to get this fight done, but a pulse bomb might delay things.
Is that all on mine?
Whoa! It's hitting again! It's freeing!
The most disgusting sleep I've ever seen! Stopped the dead eye and it tracks!
We're talking about no counterplay, but clearly they've not met Xerion.
And with that disgusting display,
Frantz of Dunghouse, he's going to be out of the game.
You've been married with Xerion.
You're not going to fight for Black Death anymore.
Wow.
The question we were asking was, can they find a reverse sweep?
Can they do that again?
Maybe it'll just be the sweet this time, bitch.
A completely shocking turn of events.
Team France come out with the vengeance.
It's not just the croc show.
It's Kio showing up on map one.
Huge fights from him on the Cacity.
Xerion to close out Route 66 with one of the brightest individual moments we have seen in quite some time on the map.
He fires up that sleep dart and fights back behind the billboard and is greeted by a hit marker.
Probably the most impactful hit marker of his entire career.
Five damage, Mitch, but emotional damage.
Cannot be calculated.
Maximum. Cannot be calculated.
And this is a shell-shocked South Korea.
Sat there in the reality of what just got done to them.
There's war crimes.
Crocs with 12k damage.
Three deaths.
He dies once on the attack side.
It was great to see his perspective on that first attack on first point, taking bigger roles, but you know the aggression, if it was Watten, if it was Wilde, he would have been diving into that backline over extending, getting punished, but he just takes the peek.
He threatens the possibility that he might go too deep, pulls a massive response out of the South Korean team, and then he falls back and stays alive.
For me, watching this, this is not the sign of a player who knows only one style, has only one look.
To be honest, against South Korea, that would not take you far.
We discussed this in France's game against Australia yesterday.
It's that even if France play into a demon mirror, in every exchange, they're always eking out just a little bit more value.
Even when Max in Venice was being proactive, looking to be the one that starts the fight, he finds the first pick.
the first pick. He runs after Zerion, picks him up. Crox always seems to get more when he
himself heads to the opponent's backline. How do you win against that War of Attrisha when
six times out of ten Crox is getting more value than you in so many of these fights.
Max looks good there, I think he had the right idea going after the correct targets.
But there's a moment that when Chorong follows, Max Impus gets blown up by Dick instantly.
It's a really volatile game when you have to get past that in a mix.
The game conditions have been changing in a second.
Oh, never forget that.
I don't think I've ever seen a sleep dart like that before.
I don't think I'll ever see it again either.
That is a thing of beauty.
Reads the counter straight from Chorong.
Oh, it is silent.
They see that French team. They see what's going on.
And at this point we've got to admit Mitch we have been underselling the French
They are so much more than we thought they could be pulling up a shocking upset in Busan
But frankly it was easy to call that a fluke a one-off
Maybe the Koreans slipping up maybe with a bad metal read but here in at a high at the Overwatch World Cup
in a game that
Holds the fate of the gold medal in its hands
There can be no denying what the French have accomplished so far to zero
Perhaps we were blinded by history because when it's come to the BlizzCon arena,
South Korea have always found another gear, they've always stepped up and in
France's case specifically, they've always beaten them in those matches of
consequence, in those elimination games, the medal matches. Now if they want to
pull that off again, they will have to mirror, reciprocate the reverse sweep
that France dealt them in Busan and I'm gonna take a moment to be real. They
I don't look like the kind of team right now that can do that.
And Mitch, we talk a lot about the Korean substitutions,
the time it takes to get a new player in.
You know, as much as that stalls things out here on the broadcast,
for the players, it's a long time to sit and think.
And when you're winning, we talk about all the other team must be suffering,
wanting to get into that next match, not able to.
Now it's a self-inflicted ruin for the Koreans,
thinking about the state that they find themselves in.
As a player, that's almost the last thing you want to do in a spot like this.
You can't be thinking about the paths that came before, about the distance that is ahead of you.
Should a reverse sweep be possible?
It has to be one map at a time, one moment at a time.
You cannot get ahead of yourself against an opponent that is proving themselves undeniable now in Team France.
And while the players have to be fixated on this moment, this next map, we have to think about what's to come.
The wearer of this game moves into our grand final to take on the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
France versus Saudi Arabia in a final? I would have thought it impossible coming into this year
of the World Cup. These guys aren't just the fun whimsy team that likes to joke around and
you know, hand-random reverse sweeps to South Korea. They're the real deal. Some of these players,
not undiscovered, but definitely not thrust into the spotlight. The French scene as well,
So in Overwatch eSports, has that moment, has that individual players that have maybe
been able to step into Rosses, but as a collective, they've been like a good for top four team.
But in 2023, they got swept in groups. A horrific year for them.
Mitch, when I woke up this morning, I would have said, OK, France versus the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia,
that's not looking good for them. But as we said here, too well in the series,
I started to feel like that could be a competitive grand final.
The French have figured something out in this meta. They've made it their own, bending other teams to their will and
for Korea to ban Cassidy is remarkable.
So also though for the French banning jet-bag cap, a shock to me given how well
FDGOT has been performing, how good this style has been for them.
It does make the question about how you're supposed to derive
maximum value out of Demon, if we get it on this map. It would be ridiculous if
Croc simply opted into an Orissum era to try and win the series or something
similar. But the Castile Duthex been a problem. These Sky Dunes are virtually
uncannable, especially in games where D.Va's banned. Keo looks to be more
comfortable there. He did have a stint on the ash on Route 66 and you know it
looked like he struggled a little bit but that was because it was a jetpack cut
on the map, fairing the demon and taking the high ground.
That's not gonna be effective here.
So there might be a chance to run that back,
or do we just buy a Sojin mirror?
A lot of unknowns coming into this next map
with Kat off the field.
It feels like it changes everything.
That's why I'm so surprised to see it from Team France.
You know, you would have thought in a series like this,
you don't wanna change too much.
You kinda wanna keep the momentum rolling,
force Korea to be the team to respond
and change the narrative.
Have to imagine, Lucio is gonna come out
and as good as FD God is in the Lucio,
it is Chorong on the other side of the field.
It's a player with one of the greatest pedigrees ever
in the main support role as an individual,
as a leader of hugely successful teams
throughout many years of Overwatch,
incredible veterans for him.
I think it's a bit of a gift to the Koreans
to take Cat off the field here on Esperanza.
No cat, no Cassidy, no Sky Noon, high Jinx, no Nonsense, still.
He's brought to the kind of map where high ground is relatively scarce
outside of that neutral zone in the middle part of the map.
That begs the question, did France have the architecture to keep Crocs alive
with this ridiculous healing throughput that dwarfs that of other teams at this event?
And have him play the demon anyway?
Loves the two buttery.
Game's too good.
I see it over in three.
France have got other plans.
For Korea, I think they're going to be quite happy to pull out this look, especially in the support line.
I think they love to put their individualism on display.
But for the French, it's going to be all out of question.
Maybe more than we've even seen on the last two maps.
This comp has no breaks.
This comp also has pretty low healing throughput right tough to get bursty along crocs off. He takes a face ball of damage
It's difficult to remediate that in a pitch
Or off to the races anyway
Some centers a little break functions like a sound barrier
Crocs should need it. We've seen it used against pulse balls to keep him in neck
Come here though. Yeah, very very different look stalker on the ember
And his Arnawuyang promises good poke. Pretty high healing output.
The Fyonite attempted it from simple. Krox is already in trouble.
You can see how slowly that health bar is cooling back up.
Perhaps he could win these fights early.
They don't win, but this can't be a war of attrition.
Kyo gets one, but the cost is high. They lose Krox back and Syrian.
He's just clean up now for Korea.
Max recognizes there's no one who could stand in his way.
Again, a consequential first fight on a map where controlling this critical high ground is often decisive.
Even also when you've got Emra to abuse, like extensive use of that sustained damage output from a safe perch.
Yeah, she's gonna get pretty annoying. You've got a comp that, like I mentioned, doesn't do insane amounts of healing,
even less now, with Kiri's offensive speed being reduced, and you're constantly dealing with Chorong Poukenu down.
Falsely dealing with Embra, tearing strips off you at range.
France have got a position very carefully,
and stay out of line of sight for as long as possible before they engage.
Crocs exepided from that high ground, but again, just can't really hang at length with Max.
They will need to look elsewhere.
Is this push spot already made its way through the underpass?
Frontline trade almost not an option here.
Crocs struggling to stake in the mix.
Stalker taking the fight to him, and it's all Korea in the feed.
Yeah, looking good.
Pulse bomb there, unsuccessful for Depp and Zyriam knows the fight is essentially over.
They bottom like a quick exit now and be done with it.
So this is South Korea, they're looking at at least 60 meters off progress.
Potentially that checkpoint now in France cannot answer quickly.
We have a Sierra switch up in the Bacchio.
Mitch, I gotta be just keeping a bug with you.
This comp is terrible. What are they doing?
This, you know, playing range for simple intro run, these are some of the best players in the world.
And you're trying to gap close with the Lucio speed. It feels outdated to me.
Tira has had an increase in projectile speed.
Even if the damage of each shot has been reduced slightly overall it feels like a buff.
Max here, here with the right click, just Geo finds the risk there.
We're going to connect that.
Tile blast on the high ground though, and he's that chaser's area on down.
Also, look at the stun on Geo. They're all seeing two easy-to-be South Korea.
France have had one pick in this map.
Maybe more, but they've barely been on the left side of the kill feed.
I think you've got the right tallymage.
I mean, and this is wind in Korean sales here.
A team that was struggling in this series
gets a new lease on life.
And for the branch, I mean, you've got a lot of time
in the clock.
There's a chance to run this one back.
And you have gotten towards your support ultimates.
Really the link pin and the success of this style.
Three consecutive team fight wins,
and yet just a single adept there for Stalker.
Soundbarry is going to be employed now by France,
as there's a nano on Stalker inside this override protocol.
Big damage here from South Korea,
and it cuts through the overshoot.
Like hot knife through butter, stop the hip,
bams off the assailants and moves back to the push button.
As another dominant fight for South Korea,
Harold's disaster for France.
They're gonna clean this up or they should,
but they're even losing Crocs' mech suit,
Stalker staying alive late,
and they got massive push during the duration of the fight.
So for Korea, it's a back and forth trade,
but one in which the objective continues
to march forward for them.
But now, France, not used to this, this series, have to fight from behind.
They're staying on this sort of Sierra Juno look now.
Definitely this Cassidy Jetpack exclusion has made it look pretty uncomfortable on this
map.
That's a good pick, though, to make use of this.
He's had, blew a little bit too close to one of the most insane amours.
We've got in the French scene, he goes to repulse there and eventually accounts for
Max's face.
So this will be some free real estate now for France.
They're working their way slowly but surely back into Esperanto.
Gonna get some progress on the back.
The expenditure of ultimates from South Korea in the previous fight.
The cost is significant now.
Xerion holds onto the Kitsune Rush.
That crucial opening kill on, he's saying, actually traded with significance in a match that was looking dangerous.
Now William Pope continues to come down as Chorong is close to another title blast.
Proxl, looking to be attempting to fight for that high ground.
The healing throughput's a bit better for France now as Julo sustained that hook.
He's now looking for a chase, blood or blast.
Not gonna be effective in the end, he allows, he's saying to go a little bit deeper,
but a continued rush for Zerion might have been octalated with him against this kind of thing.
Max is down though, Crox might be soon to follow as the shield put on a cap for the pulse bomb.
Zerion is handled as Crox is ejected.
MVP performance from he's taking that fight.
It was looking so good for Team France, but he's a, just creates so much opportunity.
Korea retakes control, not only of middle map, but crucially of the high grounds that let simple and Chorong really show why this comp is so effective with Kat out of the mix.
Over to the soldier now, for Kyo.
Perhaps some more reliable mobility.
Instable potential off the rail gun.
But it's been mystery heroes for France for most of this map.
Still plenty to play.
Four and a half minutes.
Once again, Crocs as usual find themselves right at home.
Looking all good Max a nice little limit break connection
As he wants to search for the max cut and nano boost to keep them fighting fists
Don't reassert dominance of that overpass before looking once again for his opposite number
You're gonna play within this this could be a little bit tricky
It's gonna limit France to the locality of the orbital rain, but if you're not using to get Max out of bed
Slowly calling into the map once more, but it's a pretty expensive fight. We saw rush shoes just earlier right here
And outside of that, France are clean behind the ease.
The healing throughput of the Juno has honestly changed things quite significantly for France.
We talked about that to open the map now.
Crocs with more resources to work with, and we see a little bit more of what has put France at the top of that support leaderboard in the Heals per 10.
And the sustain is paying dividends, but there's a long way to go to make the comeback here on this map.
High ground out for France as they push for this first check point, get themselves into a butt scratch as Max is on the wrong end of a pulse form ejected from neck.
He says he doesn't want to be zoned but it might come a little bit too late.
Pulsar torpedoes!
That is a dirty slide off the pulse form, but it's too little and too late.
We've hit that checkpoint.
France are continuing to move into the map.
He's saying no, earns his key for killing the curico, takes all the bags out of this board with a crash in.
It's going to be hard for them to hold this position. They're trying to refuse to back down. It's a risky play, though.
Just one pick. That's all they're looking for. But Crox has had a lot of pressure. It's going to be now.
Kiyo up to the high ground. Can he draw a B on Max? He's going to charge straight at him. But Max has been enough for that he could chew.
And he got his down. Kiyo found Chorong as well. That is massive. Essentially a true for one. And yet it's not enough.
The joyride connects with Kiyo.
GTA virtually is peace saying now we'll be able to handle Crox.
There's some delay, but the bot will move back to the center of the map.
It's gonna be a wall that before France are full 5, ready to fight for it.
But this is progress.
Back to the Lucio for France, we'll have to see if this pays off.
Maybe offering a little bit more juice when it comes to the Gassune rush.
For France, they have to get desperate now though.
Korea in control with a significant pressure lead.
And honestly, another Nanna built by Simple, who's been in heal pot this game, 7k heals,
well ahead of anybody else in the server.
I don't know what Max sort of do, is he please just get it in here?
Oh my goodness!
He's saying just emerges in front of Xerion and he already had that right click held down
for the boys!
Chorong's been picked off now, Max desuaded despite the Nanna used in the fight, Simple
cannot keep his front man in the fray.
Respect to the three God the boob on stockers NATO is free actually critical
there I believe that keeps multiple players alive a tiny detail but it makes
all the difference in the world the French need to keep their numbers alive
this is gonna be there maybe their last best chance with 90 seconds on the clock
forward spawn reachieve though for France that's reinforcements that much
easier limo break on crosses strong is
Lanking on Woo-Yang. Yes, he's looking to try and work his way in from the side, Julien.
France are really struggling in this part of the map. Can't get a foothold.
Max's dealt with sure, but that was an acceptable loss for South Korea.
France get run, rush shot over, and Crocs may go be sad.
Julien just refuses to back down and take a defensive posture,
dominating the map control without Woo-Yang playing.
He's saying, finding so much, France need to get a cheeky fight out here.
Looks like Roxas with control! Absolutely dirty!
Kiyoko out by a royal guard and France are going to have to back away.
The sustained damage output has been extremely compromised
and they're going to have one more chance to make a clean sheet of South Korea.
He's saying he's been worth his weight in gold this series.
Now in this map coming alive with some miracle kills.
necessary given the resurgence of this wrench game.
Kiyo picked off yet again, no idea.
Lipper break here from Crocs.
He's got to capitalize.
Max under extreme pressure with the way it comes out.
From the woo-young here in Crocs, he's realizing, I think,
that he can't push any further forward.
He was deeply committed to fall away from this now,
but needs to be able to keep overtime going.
And that's just too dangerous.
Here's a title blast now for Hicks saying this could be
devastating and knocked out on Crocs.
After the sleep, Broke and Bailey play the game.
Hands off the keyboard, but not in the way Crocs normally would like.
As France crumbled here, the final hurdle proves to be just a little too high for them for the time being.
Weird comps on Esperanto in South Korea, capitalised, and Kana Vaneeksh out in this series.
Mitch, it's just one map.
It's just one map. There's a long way to go for the reverse sweep, but this is South Korea.
Players were talking they've been they've been real quiet on the camps in the post game in these last two and now
Now it's all possible one is infinitely more than zero
Grand determination on their faces
They're thinking about map 4 and
map 5 as well
This one may have started with a bit of a stop a bit of a roll from France
It feels like these have changed with this map win
the difficulty
With having to reverse with your opponent is that you eventually run out of
impactful bands or so it feels there's only so many axes that you can target the capacity look from
France have obviously made great use of those in this series, but obviously look check on a psychological level
This has got to feel good for South Korea Chorong as well with
Disgusting that a damage up on the course of this map
Chorong is right up there with match and stalker, undamaged. Just pure damage stat.
I mean, the Wu Yang giving so much done, those title blasts on He-Sang, allowing him to really have free reign.
So many clutches from He-Sang. I feel like you can't take this guy out anymore.
Like what he just showed on this map, he came alive from the team when, frankly, South Korea needed a hero.
They needed somebody to make the difference.
And for the French, I look at this, this is rough, this does not respond well to what
we are bringing.
The Lucio just can't quite close the distance on a map that is so long range.
We're going to look back on this ship, Pac-Catban, and if you're a French friend, you're going
to feel like that might have been a mistake.
You've got to least chore.
Let him move over towards his Wurrung here in fairness, it's about the pretty plays into
his kit, and yes, Wurrung needs to be constantly doing damage in order to empower his passive
but still, 7.6k is a little excessive. You can't get rid of that happen. And if you're trying to play, Alusio carry, he'll cop into that, where your opponent has a third DPS. Not remotely enough.
Just no margin for error. You know, once Krox takes that first burst of damage, it's hard to bring him back into the fight. That's been so successful for Team France.
team France. The French are going to take us to New
Junk City for map four. This is the best chance to close
off the series. If Korea can pick up another, the momentum
is fully left the French. You gotta win here. You gotta win
now. New Junk City was the inflection point in the series
between these teams in Busan. It was a third map up until then
South Korea had been taking France to task. Something
happened on new junk city it was a three to two in terms of flashpoint a very
close affair and I do think that moving over this map likely will necessitate
you guessed it from substitutions here from team South Korea makes sense to me
actually to be honest coming to new junk city feels like something like the
vendetta the saunas has been so comfortable on opportunities for
to have been to come in and play these aggressive frontliners they are
are theoretically quite strong on this map.
It's also scary to be pulling in players
when you're just trying to put together a reverse sweep.
But for South Korea, they've refused to back down
from this ideal that not only do they
have five incredible players, world-class talents, who
can charge towards that gold medal.
They have 10, 20, 30.
I mean, how many Korean players could really
be confidently standing on this stage more than just
about any other nation in the world?
That's an easy sell.
It feels like such an appropriate face-off for a semi-final.
Coming into this game, 46 maps have been played
between France and South Korea in their World Cup campaigns.
Every single map, obviously, lost by one another
is to the team in front of them.
It feels like a very appropriate conclusion,
a way to cap off this really strange rivalry.
Again, a rivalry that sort of existed in the sense
that South Korea win the medal games,
France beat them in groups, get our hopes up,
and then it faltered in the past.
But this series has started unlike any other from France.
They get off to the races early.
I want to throw it back to our desk, right?
So he is a Francophile.
So she loves France.
She is a 3.0 South Korea predictor.
Even though South Korea were beat with sweeps,
by France and Busan, the belief is that
these guys never underestimate opponent twice.
They never get beat down the same way twice.
And it was true today.
They got beat down even worse
at the start of the series.
So for them to come back is going to take a level of grit, a level of, honestly, psychological
solidity that in the past many South Korean teams haven't had to draw upon, haven't had
to display, and certainly not in their run in this tournament.
The world of overwatch has changed dramatically from all those years ago.
Here in this World Cup in 2026, so many more countries have fielded truly impressive competitive
rosters. Even nations for whom the professional scene isn't a common
expectation. Players have risen to the call of this moment. A lot of young guns
on Team France. A win here would, it's fair to say change their careers, change the
rest of their life perhaps. Certainly as it pertains to the Overwatch
universe. World Cup has been a huge turning point for many players over the
history of competitive Overwatch. Even the best coaches with the best scouts
can't always canvas the more far-flung regions of the world. Even France, even though it's pretty
ubiquitous in the world of Overwatch, we're still seeing a number of these players being thrust into
spotlights they'd never thought to command. But I mean, one of the examples I use all the time is
back in 2016, Team Thailand features a player called Mickey, who is very charismatic but also
incredible at the game. He ends up in that first cadre of Overwatch League players, makes a real
name for himself early on and if not for that World Cup performance if not for the chance
to show himself on the world stage that would never have happened and it's not the only one.
Damage mitigated per 10. Here's a leaderboard of which it's the Koreans taking the top slots.
I mean Max earning his subs in here. Junbin as well. Incredible blocking from them but look who's
just the hair behind you. How is he? Yeah, obviously this stat can be misleading because if you get,
I mean, if you get your cheese clapped, sometimes you're going to have a lot of damage mitigated
because you take a lot of damage in general. And the fact that Crocs is on this list, sorry,
I'm making this about the Frenchman, even though the South Koreans at the top of that list,
but having such an impressive damage mitigation number while also being able to be such a damage
as well. It's a tough balance to strike as a as a demon player. I mean it means
that you are striking the balance right go too far die quickly you're not gonna
have impressive stats in this regard. It's those players who pulled the
absolute maximum attention to themselves who lead the team taking those risks
perfectly calculated and yet staying alive to tell the tale. We've seen that
from Crocs many times in this tournament despite his incredible ability to find
those windows for aggression. He's also shown in this series, especially in those first two maps,
that he can make those reads with near perfect accuracy, backing down at just the right moment,
pulling just enough attention to himself, and yet somehow making it back to those trustworthy
supports. And the French open with the Maga Band. I love this. We've seen this be for the
Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, for Team USA. Be a go-to. A hero that, in theory, could have a good response
Do the demon and this time it's Korea's turn to ban out the cat really does call into question
the choices on that last map because now Korea I think they're they're very happy to be slowing
down the mobility for crocs we've seen how good him and fd god are together yeah a very curious
decision in that previous map it's after we are good to play a series with one more get packed cat
ban than they otherwise would have expected it's up to come before bands so frats are informed
that Junbin is coming back in. They can choose to target his hero Paul. A potent
tool considering that Junbin and Max are sucked out basically because of that
specialist status. But a targets band, a risk is always an option.
We've seen from Macha played on this map pretty extensively.
Dimon is still on the table. We saw Max play on Route 66. Like I said that all
the interviews that teams out to Rear Cave said Junbin's our Dimon guy.
You know, he after that loss, he extensively studied the hero, got in the lab, so to speak.
And he had three outings for FD God.
Wow, we talked about this a lot.
And yeah, at this point, there's not many people that can boast the same thing.
He has seen every era of French national overwatch.
In 2019, he beats out career in the group stage.
He got swept in the bronze match.
2023, France were a factor.
But they never really made the impact, not like this team could.
But the desk was there, we used to, we talked about FD God as a rookie, young, hot-handed, aggressive, all in.
We watched him grow up in this game. We watched him mature as a player,
and also now someone who takes on a leadership role, veteran voice on the team.
He's kind of seen it all.
It's a voice that's critically needed in a moment like this.
You came in with such incredible momentum and for an aggressive team,
That's the perfect kind of high to be riding towards a victory.
But when you get stopped in your tracks like what happened on map 3,
it takes a veteran presence to try to retain that confidence,
to try to rekindle the fire that brought you already and still so close to a series victory,
so close to an appearance in the gold medal match,
a high watermark for your nation, for the family assuredly watching with pride from home.
And yet the opponent sitting across the board, however the score, maybe favorite experience
for now, up against South Korea, you can take nothing for granted.
You must earn every single moment.
If you are joining us over at the PlayOverWatch channel, come join us at OverwatchUnscore
Esports or OWUnscore Esports to continue journeying along with us here as the PlayOverWatch channel
hitting over the quest watch in the interim stick with us of courses we are
just around the corner for what could be the final map in this series but the
jetpack cat band certainly raises questions it means that we don't see
the Sky Noons being abused as aggressively by Keo it also means that
Crocs has to do a little bit more legwork and I mean that literally to
actually get into the fray to find purchase on these backlines that does
mean that five will feature jetpack cat one way or another
It really calls the tank pick into question here.
Demon is available, but so far we've seen her so often in coordination with Jetpack Cap,
fitting in incredibly well to that style.
But how well does she function on a new young city without that vertical mobility,
which is really what she's missing in her kit,
like her critical weakness that is in some ways solved by the Cap.
Maybe a straightforward rush nearer here,
but for the Koreans I think they're going to be happy with anything
that forces the French out of their comfort zone,
that forces them to go deeper into the Euroboard
because in that regard, the veterans here in the Korean squad
has to give them the air.
France are on the precipice of going further,
going deeper into a World Cup than ever before.
Team South Korea come here with the expectation
that they would be amongst these teams.
The expectation at stand amongst the podium
and has many of their fans thinking it was only right for them to stand at the top.
But France stand in their way with a one map difference.
New junk city beckons.
The Sight Root all began in Prussia when France slowly rested control of the series back into their favour.
Now they wish to use the map as a springboard into our grand final.
Chorong, here's performance from him on the previous map, rolling out with the Wooyoung
again. What can he produce from the support role for the French? They have to catch these
Koreans off guard. They have to take the fight to the opponent.
We have the Wooyoung again for Chorong. It's after we allow for them to be able to get
out of this player and hero combination on this barrage when they're going to lean into
it again. It carries its own vulnerabilities though.
France would look to exploit that if they can. They're on a curilucio background so
but it will be susceptible to sustained poke damage.
France want quick fights in and out,
punch in, punch out, honest work.
South Korea want to drag it out,
make it excruciating, and eventually win the war at Trishen.
Great rotation from Keith Rance,
but now jumping in onto the back of the line.
It's the branch who fight first blood.
And Jumbin, without a jet pack out in his own,
is his no man's land.
There's so much of that engagement,
and still the blade drinks blood.
Crocs now, de-suited,
We'll try to jump in down at this level.
The behind all of this, France are able to get
the first point cap.
The French in these closer quarters,
Lucio Kiri able to fight much more effectively.
A tough first point, 14 South Korea,
but this is a comp that scales well
into the surrounding points of the map.
So for team France, it feels like
he must win start for New Jung City.
Chorong here again,
Operating is a bit of a sole traitor on the map.
Crox is aware of Junbi, but doesn't see what a fighting is.
Who thinks there's something else?
A backliner?
Yep, he'd love to disrespect Junbi if he can,
but he doubles back and takes the fight.
Kyo, big damage, look at those health bars
on South Korea's Supper.
It's a limit break from Junbi that claims their D-Governor's
gonna take more than that.
Fortunately, Sojun delivers on the tracer,
finding his second kill off the fight.
Krasda down to Dik and Crox alone,
and Alasa needs some patching up.
more health here on Korea crocs making his final stance getting low you believe
it a little break it's true the fight don't think that get these suitable crocs
still is low on health that's still an issue France have also stalled out long
enough now that they need to win the fight to claim the flashpoint crocs is
ultimately de-suited it's a big commitment of an ultimate to keep
him relevant in the fight but it's Chorong falling empty got up to the
The last France to win the fightouts.
Sonjun was dangerous, but put to bed, and it's a 1-0 score line.
Both teams looking for the clutch.
It's Korea.
Come out the loser here on that first last point.
Now with some more space to work with though.
It's Hufford Test for Team France.
It's FD God's sound barrier that has to be perfectly played here.
Korea with few defensive points.
sound barrier that has to be perfectly played here. Korea with few defensive
tools if their backline is compromised.
Dropping on a pressure, who's gonna help the guy?
Sounder in out for France to let them go that much further.
Zorka stays off the tracer with some rail gunshot, but Junbin is completely besieged.
Nook, do you want to start the fight? Korea still want to commit to this, but that seems
inadvisable. Title blast knockdown, looking for RFC Goddard founded, but Sunjoon can't
stay in this fight.
career of spectators to start the next flush point two.
Brands fighting their footing back with some signature
aggression, showing that they may not need the cap to make
their style work.
And once again, what's range aggression? This time we catch
a soldier off guard. This configuration of South Korea
doesn't look comfortable. In fact, they look shaky. German's
positioning is looked at all this with the rest of South
Korea. And far from making that worse by being decisive, taking
fights and driving a wedge between the front and back lines. They're already half-weightable
with the second flashpoint.
Supposing out the series here feels more than possible now for the French.
Jürgen been trying to get in, pulling attention to himself, but Team France lays their focus
on this enemy backline.
They're doing this with a Kimi Lucio setup. It's beyond control now.
Satoriki's free, claims one at least. Kyo eventually brought down, but Stalkerello
mixes a big blow.
Ditch steps up to the plate, tries to pressure.
Empty God pass for them.
That's simple. The nanoboost for Jun been letting him go further than before.
But France have already gotten up to 94%.
They're okay with this exchange. In fact, they're trying to get Korea to commit more.
Oh, and the Russians. Syria going all in. They're in a great mess.
Well, France going for a wild budget with this one.
Korea, maybe they didn't see it coming, but the reaction solved so far.
Crocs is alive though. They've been out of getting him back to safety.
They've got to keep him up, and that's going to take time.
Crocs is still low.
Sunjoon finds Kiwoo across the map. It's an easy pick-off.
The healing resources of France are being tested to their very limits here.
It's hard enough to look at that. It's been a hubris from Team France.
That was a fight that they had no business retaking on.
They go for the rush. They go for the limit break. And in the end, what did they get?
They already had 99%. This doesn't move the needle for them.
It just drains the resources. For Korea, another gift, another chance,
back into this map and into the match overall.
Vital Blast for Chorong, then Zanjin can get deep here and find a big knockdown.
Might not be necessary though, because he already accounts for deep.
That is a straight up one versus one.
Zanjin getting comfortable on the server now.
Looking to turn the tables on the French.
Jumbin taking a bit of progression, but just holding space for his deadly supports in the backline.
That's two nanos built in two fights for simple Jumbin.
going to get it yet again gets his jab and is off to the races and to go once
the pressure show up in the back line he has the time of Boston so how I miss you
old FV gone back in the flesh still defies him with a railing down and
punishes that aggression parting gift predict one that he is eager to return
but that off to be the next fight Korea pick up a flash point in routine
France, any mistake is pastly.
It's a pretty enlightening exchange there
on that second flashpoint.
France have to bring the Juno into the mix.
They've also gone across the Bastion.
Pulsarcio, a rather deep, doesn't find connection.
Drobink's been forced to fight for space
in the Chokin' Keo now.
Gets in a wheels mode to stave off the demon.
Little suspicious of this Bastion,
good match up for the soldier and the back line supports from Korea.
Okay, liver break game, you, Zerion, staying safe off of that high ground as Crocs is gassed with a biotic grenade.
Franco over to back way, but it's been a flip for the point quite yet.
So the high ground is in his power form as otherwise it would be.
It's a safe place, sure, but it doesn't advance your game plan.
Crocs sees Jim Bin, some free poke here with a curved up shot, and out of the back line he goes.
Pressure is on, liver break, an option, and the rest of the game is still up, and it's interrupted.
Cooks put the slate that he met as K.O. falls to Sanjian's pulse bomb.
South Korea are putting the pieces together.
Aw, simple. Holding that slate though was amazing.
Why, they'd still lose a suit for a chunbin,
but in exchange they're getting some significant stagger to kill Sanjian,
even denies the escape from Syria with love and additional finer to FD God.
But Juno, a little too slippery and stalker oversteps the mark.
Finally an opening here for France.
The question of whether it could be exported or not remains.
Jumin's out of mech though for the foreseeable.
France have a window, but they've got to make use of it now.
He's spamming it up so fast.
He's giving me back into the suit with a fight.
Artillery strike.
Cold comfort in a fight such as this.
Kyo, focusing on the frontline pressure for now.
There's the wheels mode forced out by Jumin.
He doubles back to the rest of his team as Joron keeps the pressure on via this poke damage.
Tidal Blast also just spent this one for Jumin.
He goes for these, looking for the Bastion Kyo.
They're knocked, knocked over.
Joron keeps him standing.
Xerion's forced back.
Good step, not available by the looks of things,
and somehow he's still alive.
Still, Frost is struggling, bleeding out,
there's health bars are low,
an empty goal over the way, could be crucial.
Troll, though, eventually is found.
Front, bend, but they don't break,
and they'll get their chance
to get a second flashpoint themselves.
And in contrast to the previous flashpoint,
it's a phenomenal decision
regarding the ultimate economy.
They hold onto their DPS ult,
they've got to rush as well in tow.
Now it's time for the Koreans
to siege this defensive position for France.
Little low on tools.
Sanjoon's fourth one could be huge,
but it could just as easily go by the wayside.
Apillary barrage here for Kyo.
Grave, I'm trying to starve them out.
Draw these ultimates away from them.
Now they respect the artillery barrage here.
Let Kyo create that bit of space.
Holds onto each of those mortar shells.
Just long enough, the South Korea
have to give every extra bit of percentage.
Dip, pulse, you're gonna hit those.
Simply they're gonna fall back around the corner
on back, safety.
Jambini's in there like swim mail with a limit break to boot.
He'll swing and Keo will collapse.
Fraza down to three now.
Zerion does commit a continue rush to the fight
and Crox is going to go deep for the limit break of his own.
Suzy for Zerion trying to stay alive, but he is cut into.
Stalker's found by Crox.
He's going to come on back to the point now.
South Korea down to just four players,
but still very much in fighting shape.
Crox has been de-macked here.
There should be a simple task for South Korea
to get within striking distance
of their second map in this series.
Kyo's an issue, we'll be respected,
but eventually he'll capitulate too.
Simple, providing overwatch from range here
makes this fight nine on one of the four of the French
and Korea will close it out on the cusp now
of forcing a map five of threatening a storybook revash.
There's no way.
Reverse sweep or reverse sweep,
it's starting to feel like destiny.
Not even Shonda Rhimes would have dared
write this kind of storyline.
Here comes South Korea.
Pulse bomb.
We're being grasped for Songjin.
The front start with point priority here. You'll notice here that these demons trying to get towards backlines at the top of the map.
You're just going to find his way in at just a moment, but Cox has already struck gold.
Anyhow, he'll find another one. That backline had nothing to do.
The most powerful heroes ever to touch down in Overwatch.
Crop shows us how good she can be.
That's Song-jin! Headbutt's a bullet, mid-flight!
That's a big fine for Crocs.
Song-jin and Cho-won were able to stay alive in that position. They can continue providing a lot of resource.
Now Cho-won alone is just going to be run down by Crocs.
Give him an inch and he takes a mile.
Better enhance your Crocs. Looking comfortable.
That's a kilometer to you, sir.
Limber break here on deck.
And Krox will continue to take liberties. Jimbin might have to double back and respond with that deep opening.
Oh! One click. Felt like we were getting there.
Sutton spends the recall though. Will take a back seat for a moment.
But last now Sutton can go that much deeper. Pulse bomb should be an easy stick here.
But he finds himself in the open! And Kyo is able to find him!
Dear power, but got great use out of his pulse bomb.
Frantz now hightling towards that magic 100 to take us to a decided flashpoint.
Finding a bit of momentum now.
It's been the techspark.
Four crocs. Now he's getting low.
Can he punish fourth? The back to the sports he goes.
The bin? They're going to keep him in the back.
They've got a nanowim in the Ximple. Let's it go straight away.
There wasn't a limit break available to Jungbin,
but he's going to save that for a rainy day.
It might be about now, because Cox is having it again.
He's got him in the cookie jar, and no one can stop him.
No healing left for South Korea.
This seems impossible for them to avert.
They get a flip. It is just Jungbin.
sat on the points as his team was cut out from under him.
Sojourn now is coming back into the fight.
Keyleth was handled now.
Crox though quickly snapped into attention.
Friar's confessed in the point of Crox with a gun.
Sojourn down.
Djembe now forced a fight for this face.
He actually back-capped earlier.
Limber break comes through, but that overshilder's cut
through rather fast as well.
Five up for Friar's continued rush.
Now being committed to the five was there.
And the Crox is put to sleep.
Somehow amidst that ultimate, Djembe now can fight.
He can look for the back line.
Shilder's thrown up though, and he will be surrounded.
It's a de-suit. Franz in control of the point.
Crocs has to give up his mech as well,
but Xerion gets into the fray and deals with a de-suited.
It's Franz back in the game,
backward and striking distance,
as they snatch the Flashpoint away.
Korea's showing that you can battle them,
but they will not give up until the bitter end.
But it's come to that niche, a decisive Flashpoint.
What's called upon here for both teams,
for the French, a win here ends the series,
puts you in gold medal contention.
And for Korea, a fall to the third place match,
almost unimaginable for a team of their strength.
You'll start with the overclock here.
Kido, he's done it!
Chorong take it down, another brilliant start.
A dream beginning here for France.
One at the side of Flashpoint.
And Junbin is pursued by rail gun shots.
He'll be de-macked and forced to make a quick exit
to avoid the stagger.
This is still the perfect beginning for Team France, especially in a fight where they're still building up their support ultimates, it feels so free.
Pulse Bomb being titled blast, playmaking ultimates, which tracer can find more?
For the French though, the clock is now in their favor, holding out point control.
Jumping isolated, look at the benefit of the title blast, takes it to Crocs.
Stop knocked down though.
Dip gonna try and circle, find another post problem.
And now he's left out.
That is on the face indeed.
Chorong somehow stays alive.
As simple as just pumping him with those heals.
Fran's gonna have to give up a point here,
whichever way you slice it.
That was a brutal fight for them.
This map has been knife lawless from simple.
I mean, an honor performance for the ages.
And one that feels necessary,
given how close the match remains.
for Korea they need a win to stay alive here but in point control this honor
but we ain't can really dig their heels in and play the space comfortably
Chorong's having another map where he's putting out DPS level numbers in terms
of damage there's that man I put you in simple for building him constantly there's
just no escape you think how did you get out what a slide
dream in doesn't want to sort of pursue him but he gets the orbital ray out
that's a good result for France here's the fight
Now Stalker's able to jump away from the limber break, though his dip is dealt with yet again, having a dark spot here on this tracer.
And it might be too late to save the map now, but Francis Stalker is on that hook!
And it is up to his name!
Even Grock's kind of costume for long enough that South Korea have determined to give its maximum of a watch in this semi-final.
Korea, they split across the map, they know dip has to touch for this overtime, and he's already confound.
Game they can go! It'll be that hard, he in the round!
history has such a funny way of coming full circle this time to a little quicker than
we would have expected in Busan it was dominant South Korea into a reverse sweep by Franz and
In Anaheim, it is the exact opposite so far.
So you need to win three maps to win the reverse sweep.
South Korea though, have gotten themselves in position
to do the unthinkable.
I mean, what an embarrassment of riches
in the flex DPS department for Korea.
Ki Sang and Saundran going blow for blow,
band for band in this series,
putting up back to back, map wins.
brick by brick building towards a reverse sweep.
And to be the team coming into that map five with momentum,
yes, impactful bands may be off the field,
but it's undeniable the change
invites the emotional tenor for this Korean team.
As they look now, unthink for the win
rather than trying to escape that loss.
Jack, there is a certain pack of them in the room
that needs to be addressed.
Sondruun has the lowest depth on his team with 7. Has a great tracer game in general.
Dip dies 12 times on the tracer. Gets exploited. Ends up having a really tough map.
One of which he cannot express himself to the level we've seen over the course of the series.
The pulse bombs weren't hitting. In fairness, he didn't have the title, the title blast help.
And each strike was, gets caught out in the open, gets slept. It's just top level play from...
Plays like simple and troll that make it so difficult for them
Where a son turn gets to spread his legs spread his wings and cause a heck of a lot of headaches
Keo still firing on all cylinders this map
But I think it's only fair to talk about the challenges did based in that map
I mean son should found him first in the 1v1
way too many times in this map way too many opportunities created for a South Korean team that
needs little advantage to close out these fights and now the series the
pass and fades away there's only one more map left to play one that will
decide the fate of these teams every time we spoke with our French players in
the lead up to this tournament they were convinced it wasn't just bravado I'm
certain it wasn't just for show coming out of Busan they truly believe that
they would be the next team to hold the World Cup trophy loft but now now
Now the doubt starts to creep in.
All that bluff and bluster you've walked into the arena with,
there's been enough time for that to dissipate.
There's been enough of a drought since a map win.
You start to question whether this really
is the series belonging to you as you claimed it.
A hugely consequential decision right now
between these two young men.
Who will be the ones to carry the flag into a map five
that can either live on in vaunted memory
You're one that you remember all too often as you go to sleep.
South Korea, a 2026 defined by a reverse sweep loss in groups into a
failed reverse sweep at the World Cup itself. Well that would, I think that would
leave a scar that on a cold day would certainly twinge many years into the
future and it wouldn't be a Team South Korea series if it weren't wholesale
retolling the team in between every map. Looks like Son Jun and Jun Bin are stepping aside.
Team France, it is map five, but they will have map pick control. They will be able to set the
tenor with bans. However, the, I mean, banning against Korea, how much mileage does that really
give you, right? You will see Max coming in, knowing, okay, maybe you can attack that girl,
But the D.Va is protected now, crucially, right?
You use that for the win under 66.
Well worth it, right? You can't argue with a map win.
But on Ikebald, it's a very relevant pick.
One that could be highly consequential.
By the same token, is there any other map
where the Cassidy and the Cat can do more?
I think the Korea has to mirror that.
I really, we need to see a big game out of Stalker.
Because, you know, for me, has been the better Cassidy this series.
Stalker may be showing more depth down the stretch,
feeling very comfortable on options like the Emory and the Soldier.
But Kyo's Cassidy on the ice as it's more than those high notes.
He's producing kills of a singular variety, right?
Headshots out of the sky.
Those are few and far between for many other players,
not for Kyo in this series.
And he's been doing it honestly the whole time out here in Anaheim
in the matchup against Australia,
where Kappa was basically filling up 85% of his monitor for the whole game.
He was still able to find elimination,
still at least trade his life,
even when a demon was barreling straight towards him.
in France at the hold on, trying to land the plane, but all of a sudden things are getting a little shaky.
Still plenty of energy and the French contingent, though it's great to hear.
We're being reminded now exactly why no one wants to count South Korea out.
Exactly why our desk all felt that even though they were beat in Busan,
they would come back with a vengeance.
But I'm not sure if we expected them to have to dig so deep yet again.
This time they do it with the knowledge of they know exactly who this French team are
They faced it once they approach this game with respect
Maybe some degree of reverence leads appropriate for a top four stage at the World Cup
And they are having to use seven players to answer this tour de force this French outfit
So far these last couple of maps they've had the answers what I wanted to raise this again
I brought it up early in the series in order to reverse with your opponents
To win a map 5, you have to do it without access to bans that let you attack your enemy's
strengths.
You don't have a cap bet anymore.
You can't go after the demon.
Cassidy, forget about it.
Those aren't options.
So now France don't have to deal with the woes of trying to play a Lucio-Kiri backline
and struggle against poke comps, need to win fast fights, have to take bigger risks, have
less of a buffer to come back after taking big burst damage or losing a player.
We can't at least get to go out of this game one way or another playing what got them here in the first place without outside interference, without fans compromising their ability to play their game.
Conversely, I could say the same for the South Korea team. They got one chance. They put their best foot forward. They show us the very best of the undeniably best region in Overwatch ever since 2016.
Now you have to make their statement and say we still belong in the head of the table.
We belong in that top two game. We deserve a crack at Saudi Arabia.
A team that evaded them in 2023. They never really got to have that sort of grand finals
match up against them. In fact, they languished in a third, fourth place game where Finland went to town on them.
What is Moira's sideways? Don't ask too many questions.
Just take it as it comes.
This board is freighted with meaning, Jake.
We really need to see a drunkard queen come in on map 5.
I mean...
Well, Winston?
Nice to see you in Australia.
Can I tell you I've read?
Good to see you in Australia in the top four game.
I can't be the only one, man.
France made sure of that.
Both these teams were squeaky clean
against everybody else in the competition.
And again, they're pitted against the only team to take maps off them,
maps of them and they're doing it again.
So Hunter, he's one of the few members who doesn't come any now.
Who is called upon to show up in every map, who's been through the losses.
Now on the wins, on the way back to this map five.
Hard to imagine more pressure on a hitscene role that is star studded with
talent in this day and age.
I mean, what players can do at this level of competition, it beggars belief.
And for Stalker, he's called upon to show no less than perfection in this final map.
We've talked about this often, but for this Korean squad, the gold medal is the standard.
It is the expectation.
Those stars over the flag, they don't give those out for free.
Those are earned, blood, sweat, and tears.
And of course, over long periods of time, 10 years of Overwatch eSports, we're celebrating
that with the Widowmaker Mythic skin.
Certainly one of the most iconic heroes in that early era.
One of the heroes responsible for some of the most astounding moments in Overwatch eSports.
Perhaps though, that's what you can take it by honor.
I thought we saw a root 66, but hit that QR code and check out the Void Dancer at Widowmaker
skin.
Looks fantastic.
Great way to celebrate.
We've been doing this for ten years man. You as a player, then as a caster.
Ten years Mitch, a decade of our lives and I gotta be honest standing here today
wouldn't rather be anywhere else in the world right now.
It's around about a game we love, people we enjoy, but I beg you, if you come up and say hi
don't tell me you've been watching me since you were a kid.
I feel all the time. Lied at me. Lied at me. Just lie.
I like to think I've been doing this for two, three years. Max. Max.
The lines on my face tell me otherwise, but I like to think if you live and breathe e-sports, you haven't aged today since 2016.
I'll tell you that to your face. I'll lie to you if you want.
When you start castling Soldier 76, that's when you know you're in trouble.
So, I've got questions.
Why I've got one, really.
Who in this room thinks that France are going to go all the way and step into the grand final here in Anaheim?
Make some noise.
There's believers in the heartbreak, it could be done, and there's one thing more satisfying
than the reverse room, it's the heartbreaker to stifle that reverse suite, finish it in
the fifth, but who in this room feels like South Korea will return to the throne they
carved out in 2016, and he's South Korea fans in the room.
is a reason. They have been an institution in Overwatch eSports since its inception.
And the fans have turned up in force today. It's great to see we are moments away from our
Kiro Bands here in this last map of the series. We've come to a fork in the road. Only one of
these great teams walks out of this match into the grand final against the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
I can fold it. It will be our final battlefield at Ana, our first band. Gotta put some respect
on simple's name. That sleep on Crox's limit break in the last map.
Maria, they're going to respond by taking out the ERISA. Crox was masterful piloting
that. And it does limit some of your options on that first point where ERISA can really
close the gap, swing those corners with huge threat potential. Still, it feels like cold
comfort, right? We more or less know what to expect out of Team France. It's Team Korea
who need to show us the right adaptations to get us through. And I can wall the map
The twists and turns recently reworked.
Hard to think of a better battleground here
for these young players.
These newest generation of Overwatch talent
to show us just what they can do under the lights.
The path to the podium is fraught with pitfalls,
traps for the unwary, and South Korea,
if they want to make their way there yet again,
are gonna have to show us that they can beat
the best look from Team France.
They can beat the Cat Cassidy, the Daemon.
You name it.
France have access to their full suite of tools to try and deny, avert, stifle this reverse suite from South Korea.
Not a position. They often find themselves in.
That's what the scoreboard reads.
Arisa and Arnaband. South Korea set up a defense here with the diva in their composition.
Gonna try and play this defensively, but with the Bastion and the Cassidy, that is a monstrous
amount of DPS throughput for Crocs to have to worry about.
He's managed it well through the course of this series, but perhaps a new level of challenge,
and with Max on the other side, it won't be a comfortable mirror.
It'll be one in which France have to take the aggression.
They have to find the kills, because the clock in these long fights will be against them.
right away, right beside themselves to the bridge over the overpass.
They're lying south through the chance to push up under it, but they've got the flexibility
of Max, who cannot afford to fight Crocs for any length of time.
Another matchup team is going to win it.
And Zarian just naturally has been able to pluck Stalker out of the mix.
Now South Korea got no choice but to go forward.
No choice but to commit.
But this Bastion damage is stifled by the shield of the demon.
He's saying fight himself surrounded on all sides.
Deep on the vengedor of all things, hurdles forward into him.
A spam kill from Xerion, injects a breath of life into the French one.
They'll be happy to take breathing in deep now because a fast cap like that and I give up.
Here's a rarity, Korea gonna fight for it though, won't give it up for free.
Free damage though here, but Deep trying to card strips off Stalker.
But Stalker's gotten back into the fight, and empty goddess full of other ways.
It's Crocs though. It's always Crocs. Simple and stalker. Handled comfortably and Crocs will fall back to the point to be tucked up.
France will not be denied this first point.
Love the choice of depth to bring out the vendetta here.
Calling some question into Max's hero selection. The demon mirror is going to be the response.
where he's sitting on this Bastion, he's got to find damage, he's got to be able to
crack the shield of Crocs, he's been mitigating that damage so effectively
so far on this tournament. Dead Eyes has just been erred by Gio, he's gonna be used pretty
instantly to clear the rune, drawing instantly, dumped out the dream, he's
saying it's caught up somehow. Gio though he's gonna be the trade,
France go one for one, trying to get into the map, the Cassidy though is still
gonna be a problem for the high ground even in the absence of the Bastion.
But Croft is happy to get any attention. He's happy to draw Max down, fight him out of the bridge, out of line of sight of South Korea's back line.
Croft with a faster limit break, huge threat here, dip pushes far, pulls the attention of the team, but now it's Marcus turn to the noon over the top.
France mostly keep the hatches back, keep the heads out of the game, with Zerion Kant denied a second shot off the peacekeeper.
Keeper and stalker is free to do as he pleases now
Trade on both DPS have gone down here for Korea
Empty got it still in the game still able to keep it popped up
The cast being unattended for the time being as a cat that comes through and that big God catches simple out dangerous
But the fact this guy but he had help
Team backs him up and there goes the Kiri into the drink potentially key of four trucks with no escape
Get him, just get on the jump pad, if you're kidding.
Tomorrow, we just wrecked the map for him.
He made that change.
It's the wrong side of the bridge, and Croc knows exactly where he's brought his butt.
And he's back in the game of the bounce pad.
Huge fight for Team France, now barreling towards the end of second point.
Korea have to pull something out here, but it's looking so grim.
The Chokes are put on the sundering plate over the top.
Sparkle from behind, can he do something? No!
They're stumbling, faltering,
Stork kept trying to do it on himself in the backside,
but Dick comes in and cleans him out.
Max from the Mech is done,
and this is a monumental time-bake for France to leverage
in their campaign to get the map done
and get into that final.
Swat's gonna drip down the Brown now, Korea.
Third point, they have to make a final stand.
They need a better defense than this.
France with a ridiculous time-bake to work with,
but aren't the most difficult push of the map.
If you're not trying to stay safe to the back, that's really a tough one.
They could shoot their rush in play.
Derriott, cool under pressure, keeps the offer to coming.
And there is a cat never tempted.
He's saying get caught out, and it's not coming back from that.
Crush, double dicks.
The South Korea are a smear on the carpet.
One last chance on this defense.
Four minutes, you cannot allow the French a margin like this
in the first round of this ultimate map.
Cots playing close to the choke, in the face of Francis.
Sky News talk is trying to get up into the game,
protecting on the defense matrix.
That is stunning.
And of course, a fan in the hammer for a bit of flair.
Francis quickly repelled.
And they got time, Jake.
It would all serve.
And at the same time, there's a point, Mitch,
where I've seen those timetables drip down.
I've seen those five minutes bleed to nothing.
Nothing guaranteed here for the fence.
They've got to earn this.
The limit break for Crocs.
It's been massive so many times before
and the dip able to connect on the vendetta,
it could be huge.
Here's the can of barrage now.
It's very under some pressure,
but it's mumbling up to avoid the shrapnel.
There is a catnap though for Chorom.
You have to know you're walking into this, it's quite disruptive.
A knock back there is a pain drawn, trying to line up that ultimate.
The All of France respect the wheels mode, oh my goodness!
There comes Kiwet, essentially nowhere, and picks off Chorong.
This has got all the makings of a winning 5G from France, but they still have to stick to the landing.
So they're taking their time, conservative approach here, to the final stretch.
Big Alts coming up for Korea, they're digging their heels in, stalling for time.
With each second they come closer, he's decisively skidding over the top, and there's no deal to protect!
Stalker's building these ultimates very quickly and he's happy to dispense them with impunity.
Another big dead-eye kill on the Kios.
He's been waiting for his chance to build another carry.
Why are we committing ultimates here? This is so aggressive.
Stalker getting picked off. France want the win and want it now.
But it's going to take more than that.
Tori and Sympa are sitting back on these support ults and France have not been able to force them out yet.
Seeing this a couple of times in the series, a risky gamble clutch for the French.
They need to close it out now, but the bank is completely against them.
Korea holding to the corners here playing so slow can the new change anything
I'm talking about get a trade of castings, but he's that is an issue the backseat is still at large
He's Mr. Fixer, but this is more than just the DIY project
Me to get to the end of the map. It's always blown his mother in by the micro rockets in France. Well, I can be sent back to Lumbridge
This is so brutal, France, throwing away two key ultimates and the absolute streak through
the first 95% of the map, but here at the final hurdle, under the pressure, it's the
Koreans' worst day in McTaharl.
There's only 90 seconds left.
As usual, Cox hurdles forward.
This time takes forward, FAMASITY, Barkin, Fodor, Max, Stepan, forcing back, Sundering
blade as dip waits in the wings to make his grand entrance. Time continues to drip down.
Max trying to reposition Alistar. Sundering blade being called upon. He's
sitting! It found him! Tron picked up by Kyohochon. Diff over extend,
go dangerous in the stalker, but if he goes, have it a turn into a trade. 55 seconds on the clock
and Korea have got to do a bit by bit. They need a touch here from Max. The crocs is hunting.
Blood in the water and he's hungry. See simple. Two slashes get the Suzy for the Bastion damage is too much, but his shield has got a backup.
Dead Eye, Sky Moon again from Stalker finds one, but it's again an instant trade.
Cox is low, do we need help? He's deep hiding in the light. Suzy came in too late from Xerion, but the Kitsuna rush is in play.
Self-destruct, Liz will rune for a time and now Dim trying to get in there. Max takes a ton of downadaptory rematch, but there's no help for the Vendetta and Frans.
Again, a force to step back. This time will be the last time.
time and time again there above can this moment be different max pulled in but
saved by the rest of the team Korean now surging forward finding advantage
will they come to evict the French from this final castle 10 seconds from the
clock they choose to play it slow but simple squash how can you beat it if
the gods had to go over to lose you're here to get into the fight quickly enough
get through there I've got to be tough crocs nose it and still he commits
He'll be taken to task, Keelan McDaniel, a clean fight for South Korea, and a man to your mental for the defenders, holds the hauler back at the breach.
Oh, it's been a tale of great joy and great sorrow here for the French team.
One of the faster pushes through this first two-thirds of the map that I have ever seen
on Iconbomb.
One of the fastest possible, virtually untouched in these first cases of the map.
Oh, he was saved.
He was saved by FD God.
No, it was a bounce.
Yeah, able to dash over.
a bit of a dash over.
A bit of a Columb B maybe.
Get back out and it automatically latches you if you're over a pit.
It could have been a bit of both there, but either way, I'm asleep.
Oh man.
Can he ask some damage for he's staying here?
Stalker as well.
Putting up the numbers.
I mean, in those fights, it just feels like Max and Symbol could not go down.
Even able to find a ton of kills the other way, France, starting off some of those fights
so effectively, seemingly on the cusp of completing the map that they worked so hard for, but
Max just holds onto that self-destruct, backs into the corner.
Korea using that strategic depth that the Icon Wall 3rd Point spawned to great effect.
It's a place I've pounded myself all too many times before.
But for Korea to battle back and set that marker on the map, they have cleared the way
for a win condition.
There will be no draws today on map 5.
last chance to earn your way to the gold medal match for the French. It's got to start here on
first point. And they're sticking to this diva look. When the France tried to ban earlier in the
series, they're certainly aware of it. But at this point you are going to be exposed to your
opponent's best look one way or another. It's map five. Again much the same way that France
approached. You take that bridge control. He's looking for a bit of a fight. He might not be
ready for you to pop the Milsmoat instantly. He's saying, takes a face full as well. Both Jetpack
can have wisely pulled their charges out of the fight. Cops is having to get back just,
back around the corner, healed up. It's going to take a minute, and that minute is what Korea
want to make use of now. He's saying no, he's got to be careful, took big damage up in the sky,
but Crocs is trying to hold that space. Here's Dip, Milsmoat now. He's saying wisely plays that
The dip is blown to pieces.
Tucker gives his life, but it's well worth it.
The French now, round it on the retreat, staying alive to support.
As well as Crocs, there's a retake possibility here.
Dip on the Vendetta could make it a reality.
Max takes a bit of damage.
Crocs will eventually be allowed to get the touch, but he takes perhaps too much to keep himself in the game.
Still, France in this fight. 95% out counting on here.
They come up with something here.
simple and he's hanging out with the mature on out of the game they have done
it's trans fighting back in the final seconds and this is valuable time
they're bleeding off the clock we are 90 seconds into the round and South Korea
still haven't capped a the Rubik's fun vendetta to bring that one back some
critical kills from Kyo all of them critical to success and it has turned
what would have been a crippling loss on first point into one that is
respectable on a defense but can they win another yeah the ultimates are
completely stacked against them Korea have every advantage coming into this
next board
start with a cannon barrage here for he says sky noons for both cast cities
is every all got course that you cannot afford soccer fighting a second year
Kiosk and a lot more work to do if he's gonna salvage this fight he's hunting
looking for stalker just a little too slow this is the point of fight the
grenade connection so it stays alive amidst this in South Korea come
back to complete the job. He sanks Bastion, proving to be a real problem, putting out
so much damage throughout Crocs, struggling to show the trademark regression that has
brought France to this point. There's an array of damage now lined up against him, and Max,
playing his mobility with great effect. Playing like a demon, frankly, gets up on the high
ground, big knockdown there from that catnap, and it converts into two big eliminations.
Max, sure, he's throwing into the breeze, but the damage has already been done.
Truck's trying to hold this spice, but that backline is being so black and blue.
And it's a mere commitment of Ultimates from the French.
They throw both support Ultimates in, Korea route them.
Gonna take full control of this top castle now, moving the cart as much as they can in the interim.
But now, the Dedekin struggle is a lot of open space, open air on this point,
where he's thinking, put his deadly damage to work.
This D.va play is marvelous.
Max has ever hold his honor against Francis Comfort.
No other team really could answer, including them.
This time, those things seem a little different.
On this map, anything can happen.
Thundering Blade being held onto,
and it's probably in the best spot he could be,
but still, Subject just stored his pressure from below,
and now, above, as the skidon comes in,
ultimately unnecessary.
Kira's going to be brought down,
but Thundering Blade doesn't find any connection in the end.
Hampton got his low, barely alive, has to give up some of that higher ground space, but the Cardi is being contested.
Croxel's got no help, he's in deep trouble, trying to get away as the cannon barrage pursues him.
Eventually, he'll be dragged out into the center face, gentlemen.
The match would love them to stew in it a little longer.
Stagger hurts, double French players still out on the map. They choose to regroup to their teammates rather than fight on in desperation.
but desperation certainly the only way I can describe the French in this moment.
Korea, full map control, taking every position they want.
They look sloppy on the drop though.
Max gets low because of it.
Yeah, somehow I'm gonna stay alive.
He doesn't have a remake opportunity should be required.
And he's having to still fight elimination despite it.
That is marvelous.
Derian with a rush just one at a time to get to it at this rate.
And dead eye for king.
Oh!
That's the end of the game.
And the three pieces complete with simple's head rolling.
Again, it's individual heroics that keep frauds in the defensive effort, the slimmest
imagines that held South Korea off at the gates.
FD God and Kyo pairing together to keep them alive.
It's been these two who have put them in position here on the cost of potentially a gold medal
contest for Korea once again, the economy, in their advantage, and peace and opens up
onto the gas, it's dire strength for the French.
I felt so free for him.
Kido had teammates up there.
He's saying he would avoid getting taken down
by that catnap.
Dips have a fine stalker, but that doesn't fill enough
against this title wave of South Korean aggression.
Locking at the gates this time, they're not being denied.
They will breach into the final phase of the map
and fight for their spot on the podium.
He's sitting back in his catnip garage.
That's scary to play into in his next phase of the map.
He's under no pressure, flourishing here from the back line.
And France is trying to find every second they can,
every moment they can hold South Korea off.
They'll hope to make you stop.
And this is it, two minutes and 13 seconds for the map.
The expectations, the hopes, the dreams,
two nations now, hanging in the balance.
One to be disappointed, one to fight for the throne,
the ultimate prize at the Overwatch World Cup.
Here's that cannonball as we talked about earlier.
Dangerous now.
Look at those big hits coming in.
France have to withstand them for the time being
a scoreboard to come forward.
A skynoo could be a problem.
But Q's having to get back around the corner.
Oh, get out of here, both guys.
Here comes South Korea.
Crocs out in the open.
He's dancing here for a limit break and gets stalkered,
but he needs more than that.
He's not gonna cut it.
Now he doesn't wanna be staggered,
but he might not have the choice.
This is where South Korea's cold, calculating him calm.
I'm going to put the thumb screws on you, and they are close to the end of the map.
There's a dead Ikea for Keo, but it is mostly malifite.
And DC dot Max, though, is something you can work with, but Crocs is also looking to suffer the same fate.
They've done enough. One pick. The Diva is enough to have Korea turn tail for now.
Discipline the difference here. Max holds the self-destruct, chooses to save it for what was very likely the final fight.
Now the French, though, battle back into a position where there are many ultimates in play,
Dipp with this sundering blade in an enclosed space, could be devastating.
Korea has so many threats to worry about.
Snorkel though, no dead IPM, G.O. just uses.
It's gonna be a story of backline ultimates in this fight.
Catnip could be crucial, it comes to the consumer, rest of the start, things off.
He's saying, the white brick throne, pay the way forward to a grand final, perhaps.
Zerion taking down, Max ever to bring him out of the fight, and Dipp is going to be dragged away into the sun.
The answer, Max for the self-retreat.
Deep is done with, Crox is gonna touch, it's always Crox.
Comes forward now, simpler under some pressure, Stalker was low.
South Korea have to take a beat, Stalker is down, here comes Ranz,
forcing them away.
Truly last chance to lose now for South Korea.
Crox has to avoid overextending here.
He's laying by the door, this could be dangerous, Jake Keoh.
A flanking dead-eye, but he's got no options.
Now, they're doing the old-fashioned way, fight simple as a trade.
Don't carry, after he goes out of the mix and clocks and looks for the best in this could be risky, he's off the card right now Jake.
Dead eye here for Stalker, he's actually up to protect it.
Stalker, he's on the left side of his side.
Perilla is every moment of his school.
Revealed you down high, and Stalker's the only great champion back to the World Cup final.
The pressure of the Roman, opening up fissures in both teams, both squads pushed to the absolute
brink, but Korea, from the deep doldrums of a 0-2 start to a series, with that reverse
sweep in Busan playing in their mind, they somehow find determination to claw their way
way back through. A long three maps of battle. France contested every step of the way. But
it seems like destiny now. The gold medal match between the veterans, the legacy, South
Korea and the hottest new kid on the block. The current Overwatch World Cup champions,
the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. You don't want to miss that one.
rivalries on multiple levels to be played out in our grand final here in
Anaheim. South Korea never had the chance to face off against Saudi Arabia in a
match where they felt they could show what their nation was capable of. But here
in 2026 they will have it. And they reached that game in the most poetic
fashion possible and flipped into France when they themselves were forced to
enjoy on home soil in front of a home crowd in their own backyard. This is going to go
down as one of the most legendary World Cup series we've ever seen from insane sleep
darts from Xerion against the flying high noon to a wild scaffold at the end of Iconvolder
where the cart ultimately is left behind France, pure passion, pure instinct at the wheel in
those final moments of the South Korea with composure and with the caliber to
convert and find victory in sign stuff. Maybe another star to be placed on the
jerseys after this one. Well for Korea, Saudi Arabia, it will certainly be that.
And for the third-fourth match, two teams that need to write a sinking ship,
right, for both teams taking painful losses. Another huge test of a squad who
who can pick themselves back up after a crushing defeat of hopes squandered to
now come back into a third fourth and still show that you are here that your
country deserves a place on that podium a ton to fight for still for France and
Sweden. We head down to the stage with Danny Lim for some words from our
victims. Thank you very much Mitch. I am here joined by Toro from Team South Korea
after their victory. Ladies and gentlemen give it up for Toro and Team South Korea.
Amazing stuff!
So I know you guys wanted this victory, you know
The funny thing is you guys got reversed swept by France in Busan for the qualifiers and you guys reversed them today
So how do you feel?
It was definitely interesting because in my professional career, me getting reverse sweep was the first time for me and me getting a reverse sweep on the enemy team was definitely the first time as well.
So it was very fun to play and I just want to say Team France was definitely definitely a great team
And now you guys did get the victory. I feel like you guys really wanted this revenge
I feel like I talked to you guys yesterday too and you guys really wanted that revenge and you finally got it
How did you prepare for this match against France?
You said you wanted to win the French Cup and you wanted to succeed in the boxing match, but you finally did it. How did you prepare for this match?
I think we did a lot of research and talked a lot about the game, so I think we got this result.
We sort of used that as a counter and sort of came up with our own solution and also with that
We really wanted to focus on the bad picks and because we were successful in that
That's how we got our win against team France. All right, Chorong, one final match you guys are going up against KSA
Can team Korea do it? Can you guys win it all?
I'll make a very interesting match for you in the finals.
Please watch it.
France and we couldn't have scripted it any better. No I encourage played unreal
those last three maps than that final fight I mean we've been giving France
obviously so much props for how aggressive they play. You can go too far
it seems is that's that's one that'll stink for a while there for France.
you
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Welcome back everyone to the Overwatch World Cup finals here in beautiful Anaheim, California.
We're at Blizzcon Day 2 and we are getting ready to crown some champions here with us.
We have Jake, we have Ash and they will be setting the stage for our bronze medal match first.
absolute heartbreaker we just got to witness between France and South Korea
they played it so close but South Korea did the funniest thing and reverse
swept them in turn little revenge match there you got to cast it Jake how are
we feeling after that yeah I mean some beautiful textbook revenge storybook in
fact for South Korea that'll put them on towards the gold medal match but for
now it's a test of resilience who can stand tall enough to reassert themselves
to get back on that podium. There is still one medal remaining. It may be bronze for
both of these teams that have come so incredibly far this year with historic World Cup performances.
There's still a lot to fight for.
Yeah, now of course the big question heading into this is the mentality for both of these
teams because France just had to play and it's a heartbreaker. If you're playing a
serious disc close and you end up losing, based on some pretty egregious mistakes right
There are the very end when things get hectic now you have to recover you had a half-times worth show
Basically to get ready like leave that behind you and dip into this match Sweden
They got kind of flattened in their previous series of mentality wise Jake which side would you rather be on here?
you know I think as as
Painful as it is to suffer a reverse sweep in the end you still put up an incredible fight
that may feel a long way away from the French squad,
you know, having been so close to a chance of the gold medal match.
But the proof was in the pudding, right?
Kia was putting up huge numbers.
Crocs came together, the sport line was fantastic.
So for France, there's a lot of great things they can build on.
For Sweden, though, they've had some time to recover,
and that might be their advantage.
So it's kind of hard to say who's got the edge coming into this third four.
Yeah, Ash, if you're looking at Sweden's performance as far,
obviously, they've been great throughout the World Cup,
but KSA, they made them quiet real quick.
It was Kevstar, of course, trying once again to save the day in that last map,
fighting back, but it was not enough.
No, it wasn't. It's so hard to, I think, get a read,
heading into this matchup, considering the fact that for Sweden,
we didn't see as close of a game as we were expecting.
We thought that there would be a little bit more bite back,
but it was so clean out from KSA.
We knew that KSA were going to want to have a very clean sweep,
that 3-0 for Sweden.
The bounce back is going to be key.
And you also have to think about the Willys on Team Feb,
and he's going to be going up against his squad there
within Team Peps here versus France.
And I think we can play some mind games there.
He's going up against his fellow tank and Croc.
That's right.
Like, are they playing for the starting position on Team Peps
now in this one?
I don't know.
I'm just throwing it out there.
It will be really funny.
But if you're France, obviously, again, heartbreak.
I saw them outside.
They took that loss really, really hard.
Jake, what are you focusing on heading
into this match now because surely you're still gonna stick to your playbook with such a short turnaround.
Yeah, I think both teams have to stick to their guns, but honestly for team France,
they've got some things to worry about as strong as they were up against Korea.
I think Dip started the struggle down the stretch. Now he's going up against Kevster,
no reprieve on the flex DPS roll. From the support line, I think Admiral is going to be a key performer
for Sweden. The question for France is can they find their composure? Their composition,
their whole style relies on getting this perfect middle ground between incredible aggression
and the perfect moment to pull things back and keep things in control. Will you be able to
ride that line under this kind of emotional stress and pressure? Only the match can tell.
Those were the cracks that we were seeing in that last matchup up against South Korea. The fact
that that over aggression, you could see them desperately wanting to close out certain, not
even just maps, but points at times too, really rushing into things that are mental reset after
an emotional loss is going to be so important for France.
Absolutely. Now, I had a really hard time predicting this one. Not going to lie. I feel like, honestly,
there's a lot of great things we can say about both of these teams. Both have
some odds stacked against them. Jake is starting with you. If I go for predictions,
who did you take for this one? You know, I maybe have cooked a little bit on this one,
but I actually had to go with Team Sweden. I'm sure the French fans and the crowds aren't going to
be too happy to hear that. But ultimately, I think Sweden are the stronger team on paper.
and I think the French are gonna be reeling from that loss.
I'm worried about their ability to stay focused down the stretch.
And on the other side, I think the veterans of a player like Kevster
is gonna be worth its weight in gold in this kind of a crucial moment
fighting for a podium finish.
Did you hear that Ash?
Jake Overwatch got booed.
How does it feel?
Yeah, how does it feel to be one of us?
Oh, you know what? I'm no stranger.
I've been in this game a long time.
Fair enough, fair enough.
I am gonna have to oppose you though, Jake.
I'm gonna go with Team France on this one.
I think the emotions run high for this squad and they're going to want revenge after last game.
I am with you on this one. I went for Team France. I think they want to redeem themselves.
Little mistake there at the very end, but they played it so close against a team like South Korea.
Men, if they can play this one so close, they got this one in the back against Sweden.
I want to see a close match, but we will find out what these two teams bring to the table for the bronze medal match.
But before we get into the action, I'm hearing we have Gavin down on the floor with a very special guest who you have with you, Gavin.
Thank you, Zoe. I am here with Sally Amaki, the voice of Kiriko.
Hi, Anaheim is under my protection.
Inaka konnichiwa! I'm Sally Amaki. I'm so excited to be here.
How are you doing?
I'm very good.
So, how has your BlizzCon been so far?
This is my first time. I see so many Kirito cosplayers and they gave me badges and ofuda and I feel so at home.
That's amazing. So, Kirito definitely has been all over the floor with our cosplayers.
As well as in the game, we've seen tons of Kiritos played in almost every map that it isn't banned.
Who has been your favorite Kirito player?
I gotta say, Kyle from Sweden.
He's been treating her well, don't boo.
The France fans are better, they don't like that very much.
Yeah, he's been treating her very well.
Okay, well, so we have the match coming up.
It's going to be France vs. Sweden.
Who do you think is going to win?
Who should I say?
France? Everywhere but France, yeah.
Okay, the France fans are definitely going to appreciate that.
Thank you so much, Sally. And we got to get this game started. So Zoe take it away
Thank you Gavin. Thank you, Sally. But the Frank Fons are ruthless. They're booing. Here we go
That's wild guys. That's why but you know what? I appreciate the relentless support you guys have for your team
Ash and I are with you and this one take the loan over there
But you might be the one gloating at the very end of it. The proof is in the pudding though
So one more time
Are you ready to get our bronze medal match started?
All right, so are we.
So let's see Sweden or France.
One of them is going to bring home a medal today.
very different scenarios in the semifinals and now we find ourselves in a third-place match
with a rematch from the 2017 Overwatch World Cup. That time it was Sweden coming out on top in
four-two fashion. France looking to claim the bronze medal here today. So I was going to do the
first map here as we dive into the game in just a moment. In the whole second, France, I mean look,
is Jake correct, Johnny? Is like the power and the energy that everything that went into that
map 5 series against Korea, is that going to be their downfall here? Because Sweden, they have a
relatively quick match against Saudi Arabia, being a 3-0, very different levels of temperament in
both series. France have definitely been the aggressor. They've made their reputation playing
this demon composition to a tee. But playing in a match to the very final teamfight, like they just
did against South Korea, it just drains the adrenaline. You just feel fatigued afterwards.
And similar to Jake, I worry about going into this match now.
Can you find that energy to once more, keep going aggressive,
to find those picks where you really need them?
Sweden, I think they've had some more time to prepare accordingly ahead of this matchup,
and that could be something they look to abuse now, that experience preparation.
Play has a lot to load already on the stage, and we see a Freyja band straight away.
France getting that away from Zora.
Yeah, this has been Sweden so far, this tournament.
patient play and then the fray out navigated by sorrow of course it's been a potent threat
landing a couple of boats together opening things up and then kept their following up
on the tracer in turn so that being removed especially a target ban towards sorrow hoping for
more capacity or bastion play for them. You can hear the french crash already
And that's still got to give you a ton of energy, the boost that France maybe need to
finish on that podium.
It was 2017 the last time the Swedes managed to make it there.
Beating out France like you mentioned in 2017, a tale of two teams with one ending chapter.
France or Sweden? Who is going to emerge? The heroine.
This is one that gets added to the resume. You build your legacy in Overwatch,
Esports, Kevster, a superstar household name. Can he look to claim that bronze medal
for him and his country here at the Overwatch World Cup? Crops, dip, can they step up?
big frown crowd in this one
Have they got the energy to continue I imagine they do
Kevster force a prequel very early
Then he got a half a clip off in chase still down
He means still super low for HP Manchester scurry away
But crocs turns his life towards or who is left?
I'm styling Avril playing so much attention to Kevster
They're trying to keep up their superstar trace that they forgot about the cast he weighing in the wings
as France take an early position on the point but we're still in this one pretty
neutral fight so far. Skyle with an incredible biotic grenade on top of
FDG. That's a critical blow. It's going to be France catching the point but
Sweden getting the picks required looking to turn this teamfight around
and become victorious. Skyle was doing the most thing. See how many tags he got just
people trying to look at the point, get some damage in. He was popping everybody.
Zora takes down FDGOT, and Kenny basically only just came back from spawn, and look,
Apple's all charged now compared to FDGOT.
70% already on the Crap map versus 44.
Yeah, it's going to be a duel between two very competent Jetback cat players, Adgro.
It's been a standout for Sweden so far, and a big reason why they've had the success.
Kevster, close call in hand here.
No characters on the battlefield, so can't be soothed.
Can he have an instant impact here?
Jib's going to try and do him one better, only 10% away.
Willis is getting bullied off the point now, just for all fun to assault from France.
He's going to get Lele for the time being.
Crocs, oh he's got the...
Well, little break up, here Willis.
And that post ball on top two, that means that Nano was basically useless for Sweden.
And now it's Crocs' turn to get in the mix.
A quick jump pad for Zoro.
Bumped his little head, that was a little unlucky from the Swede.
Only 40% percent gain from Sweden, not too bad on your first assault.
That was a heavy investment from France.
Yeah, France do a great job there of just absorbing all that pressure coming out from Sweden and dip them
combining with the pulse bomb on top of Willis.
That just kind of halts the frontline for Team Sweden, and France are able to turn with their own momentum.
Never break Willis coming up. Sky noon too from Zorro. We know how this chapter ends.
Oh, Serion. Chased down. Catnap comes in. Steals away Willis for the time being, but Zorro.
Nightingale shining armor. Takes care of the cat.
So far, there are really even between Sweden and France. These are two teams who have flourished, playing this team on composition.
First at the group stage in Busan. And now here in the playoffs as well, looking to wrap things up.
Well, it's here has a limit break, but really difficult to get the value immediately going to the point here actually on top of course looking for a pick early
What a sleep though. Uh-oh, Kyo getting shot on the side looking for the honor Skylar taking down for the post with FDGodden
Oh!
A little two for there for France. Should be a fairly easy cap now as Kyo is just dominating this frontline
Meanwhile, the fight though, is Admiral and Willis are trapped behind France, behind enemy lines.
Oh, okay, Admiral, he was cooking.
He got away too.
He did get away.
There's definitely something you can do in this meta, you can wait out for a little bit.
You can try to stall out and then look for a couple of combinations in the backline.
Not necessarily five man yet, so to speak, in these teamfights.
But that time, we can just get staggered a little bit and now,
Looking at a potential last fight scenario here for France. Crocs is building towards his limit break.
Mislead, good mate, though really quick. Like decisive aggression there from France.
Throwing Crocs in early and then putting Xerion in a ridiculously forward spot as the honor.
Yeah I mean this is the aggression we've been talking about and Crocs here finds the first
pick required. Sorrel here has to sky noon but needs to find a good angle for it. Here he goes.
Sky noon, swinging in, sleep dart misses, but that dead eye did not.
Xerion now down, Sweden go on the pursuit.
Wanna try and make a saga here come to life?
Crocs is on the point, currently pressuring Kevser, forces the Regal.
Has the limit break, sure, the sneak's gonna come in.
Oh, and FD gone, goes down!
Crocs dashes into the cat.
82% of building, Sweden in the lead almost.
Crocs then trying to peel away to try and reset.
But FD got killed in the process here. Kiyoto has to sky-dove. This is a great engagement tour for France.
Sweden knows this is coming, though.
Nano, Catnap, available, Willys backing out slowly. Skull deletes the shield and there's the nano-watcher's aura.
You mess with the best sometimes. You're gonna die like the rest.
Skull takes down Krog's FD god as well. This backline for Sweden. Hard carrying them right now.
Now, a disgusting round for the Swedes, as France take him to 99.
Yeah, that's right, the back line doing tremendous work for Sweden so far.
Doing a good job absorbing all this pressure from France, Kevster finding the upper hand against Dip, a few times there.
Just finding the smallest of edge means that they get away with the first round capture here on Samoa.
No crazy changes here for Sweden. Second round off the very first close close one teleports
out if on Tracer Kevster to match okay mirrors coming in and we see Kevster being dropped
I
There tries to hear on the teams have the potential to have a lot of impact in this one
Captain forces that we call early here drop dropping low
This is going to mean the retreat for France already in this one
That was a really good health pack camp there from Kev said dashes onto the health pack begging dip to come in
I mean look at it up and look at him. Oh determined to go for this one view on force the recall on dip and he says
You know what chops done chops good
downtown late from Skyl, now Zeryl and now Sweden in control.
Kevster securing that pick by the way after all that hard work.
Going to be Sweden to an early lead here and typically we'd say of course Kevster
is the favorite he is the superstar here for Sweden but they you know did
tremendous work against South Korea just moments ago here as well so this is
actually going to swap over to the Bastion here this is the competition we
all from South Korea doubling down pink both the Cassidy and the Bastion we've
seen this one all those yes teams like twisted mines as well giving them
options always important Kevster already really low forced recall early on
that's been the thorn in the side
no need over the top no problem for Diff's gonna get healed up in a moment
gonna get healed up in a moment anyone heels all right a free kill for Sweden
Hanada can just let me break straight on top of good sleep, but Kevser doesn't want better.
I mean Kevser is just running amok so far in this series.
He's free.
He's being the difference maker.
100%.
Oh, FB God.
Why he's trying?
He should be good.
He should be alright.
France desperate here to find a way back into this round now.
Plenty of ultimates available for them, but even if you go for a sky noon here,
Sorrow might even play like an anti-air sentry with their own dead-eye
So the skull on the cat Kyo's looking for a both cat
End up going down to dead eyes
But dip is gonna get a better all the front line in the fashion sorrow down should be a France cap
It's just interesting how this composition from class it just changes the dynamic of the game of course
student has to be so wary about that sky noon and all that aerial threat but
meanwhile dip in that turn for the bastion has so much damage out with
on the ground as well so willis has to have a lot of responsibility to try and
get on top of this bastion make life difficult for both hits camp players
It takes a small shot. I'd say a small one. He's at 100 HP.
Man, it boosts me. Oh, ho, ho, ho, ho, Kevster.
That looked like he was supposed to go on Willis, though.
Yeah. Johnny. That was a missed opportunity right there.
And Sweden has to reset. Keeps the percentage building here for France.
They can generate some more ultimates as well.
Serion has 48% here on the Ana, but we know how quickly
you can generate that in Ana boots.
And that will obviously be a critical tool here as well.
France's best hope here. There's really two great teamfights here. First, it needs to be Crocs getting Valley with this limit break.
I think I'm feeling some point first. This is really low on the side. A good cat map. Straight into the dash and CLA adept.
FD gots going to do hit the same though and straight into the trink. However, Swede has been...
Johnny, they do cap the point. So this thing a little bit of percentage away here from France.
As we see April, yeah, alright, straight into the water, 96% so that little bit of percentage
there is going to give them kind of another fight, maybe a half a one.
And crucially as well, if they capture the pointer with 96%, overtime needs to be triggered
right away from France.
But France, they got a good ultimate bank going now because Estigo secured so much value
already.
Limit Michael Ray, super early on from Willis there, oh the post from on dip, Kevster found
the bastion.
And now, he's gonna get taken down by Zerion, and unlikely kill feeds there are not entirely sure.
Kevser was expecting all that damage coming through from the Arnav, and now in front in a winning spot.
Skyrim on Aura! Again, Zoro takes down FD, got Keo, who's gonna do the same thing to Aura,
but Zoro, because he fell on the ground, kind of easy pickings for Dick, and now he boosts up,
where he chases down Kiyos, straight onto the health bag and now back to the point to
keep his team alive in this round. He's so damn low and 180 kills Dereon, gets the call,
gets it done. But Frantz is still holding the point.
Admiral can buy some time here, Soros back on the Shion, needs to be the digressmaker.
Admiral's in, the Shion is dead, it's up to Admiral to get yet another touch. Dip, lying
in wait waiting for the cat so once again go in for another one I mean it's
just too little too late for Sweden. France ties up on Samoa. I mean these
teams are neck and neck this is unbelievable and FD got with a critical
catnap there to buy France some extra time. Forced that final fight when they
had built up all those ultimate Sierra on finding that pick on the Kevster as
well, truly individual paymakers making sure that France get an opportunity here to stay
alive in this Samoa.
Making a look at the scoreboard early here.
Kevster always stands out 14 and 7, but it's a team effort from the rest of France.
What is the damage from Willis too?
12k.
I mean, he's doing a lot right now.
They're listening crocs or essentially doing the exact amount of impact.
Yeah, perfect.
They're just equaling each other.
It's crazy how well matched these two teams are.
They've even got change too coming into this.
A couple of days ago, like it wasn't that long ago.
Still just pumps out so much damage.
A big DPS.
Alright, we'll swing in from there.
No problem.
That's Oracle's down first, okay.
It's chance for Sweden to kind of react, but they've reacted a little bit too hastily. It feels like Willis dashes in, gets instantly naded.
Crocs, so good at finding early impact in these fights. Has developed sort of great sense on this demon to know when you can make a hard commitment, when you can really engage with the mobility the demon has to try and find those opening picks.
If you can get on top of Sorrow on that Cassidy, you should have a good time fighting an early pig.
And Crocs does so, time and time again.
Crass and FD got a little bit.
As soon as FD got felt pressure there, he ended up backing out way to the Bastion.
Although Willis is unfortunately quite low, so he can't manage to take any space.
And Crocs can take prime advantage of that.
Free real estate for him. Walk straight up and now Willis is out of mech.
I mean, Willis is getting dominated so far in this round.
Sebastian too fights in a row that there's just too much damage for him.
And when that front-laner is gone for Team Shooter, they just buckle.
I mean, Dip is playing like, well, Loone's tower defense,
he's sitting up on the side ground, just shooting Crocs as soon as he comes in.
Yeah, they've been uncompressed so far.
Yeah.
If you're Sweden here, you can't play the damage trade.
You need to look for these coordinated dives, and Ketster trying to get something going.
He recalled already. Doesn't seem to matter, though.
Confidence at an all-time maximum here for Ketster.
Keo dead, no Pogs bomb needed either I'd imagine, although DIP is naff now, it's still pretty scary on the wheels mode
All the bomb is dead, OH KILLS THEM! He gets dragged off the map!
DIP ends up getting the kill, the kill credit with the name
and Alfrant sitting at 70% while Sweden are forced to reset
Will is contesting here on this D.Va, I need to wait for the rest of the troops here
Sweden has a couple of ultimates, if they can just wait for their troops to get back in this one
Sky noon and the bride, I mean, come on, this isn't fair!
Basaro still takes down Kier when a D gone, despite Dip also using his ult.
Sorio, I mean, that's dirty work, you've done enough, you deserve a rest.
Leave the rest to Kepster.
But it's such a heavy position to be in France, 99%, and
Sweden have to be perfect from here on out if they want to get away with
a map win here on Samoa. Kevster and Willis now look at the combined Deva and the Tracer.
Can they find the picks required on the Keo, on the Xerion in that backline? They need
to be the first ones to land the opening frags.
Oh, I mean that.
Are you kidding?
Just cannot happen.
Mistake.
I mean, are you serious?
Crocs is painting a picture right now and it is a masterpiece.
France have already capped the point, I mean, that is it.
That is Crocs all day, every day.
Get to another one too, off the back of that.
Zorro down, FD got high in the sky,
dipping the 1v1 versus the tracer.
And unfortunately, Kevster has got the backup.
Scar takes him down, the sleeve dart on the Crocs.
I mean, surely, surely he's done enough
for France to win this fight.
He's so down low, the limit break,
Gims up missing Kevster, he dashes out the way.
This is Sweden's field thing alive here.
Looking to build this, Deadlight asks well for potential sky note.
France keeping things contested for now, but Frida's hopes restored until now!
Cross gets yet another, and FD got an ult in a minute too.
BoTB at down, and oh dear EV, FD got finds the mech of Willis.
He's trying to get out, FD got this to reload too.
Surely Scar can't be kept alive here.
Zoro is in his own little battle too.
It's a 1v1, v1, v1, v1 across this map.
France get the flip again.
Kevson can touch.
Stalling for the time being.
Meanwhile, the Jeffery Ketanon are getting back for Sweden.
Kandavine at time.
Didn't recall two.
Maybe this is a fight France don't want to win.
Full reset, full regroup.
They're still at 99%.
They're going to swing in.
Zorro gets the shot off.
Eventually kills Keo.
But they still have a long way to go.
How are Sweden still in this one?
Facing overtime, time and time again, and there's still in control of this objective.
Franstall, so many ultimates on the board here.
Sky noon, Nano boosts across the side as well.
Kio, oh it's just not even fair when the cast is Nano-tier.
Another shot in Skyle's life, that's all you really need, surely.
Willis is gonna try and go for a trade.
Serrion down, the cat comes in, the double flashbang does connect.
Avril, a little bit too slimy, slippery, gets out of the way.
Kevser with another touch, the self-destruct comes out for Willis,
but the baby Eva is dead.
The pulse bump on the mech, a crocs.
He does get ejected, sure.
Numbers still in favour for France, Avril.
Does land a nice little catnap, actually, on FDGOT.
They're gonna do it again.
Ends up killing crocs.
Surely they don't hold on yet another time.
Sweden refuses to go down.
They just find pick after pick, and once more they recap to the objective.
Sub-Sat!
A ridiculous round! I mean, this has got to be one of the longest rounds of control of all time.
But they used so many ultimates to get there.
Everything they got in the hopes of staying alive.
But this is last fight territory now.
Kepster recalls force early. Crocs with limit breaking in hand.
Who can make the difference? They may break a small dash away there from Winnis,
but he is vulnerable, susceptible now to Crocs.
He finds Wander, and the sword much more mightier than the pencil here.
Sweden, they're going to get a couple of picks of their own, and still in control.
Dip getting chased out. Kevster, couple of blinks left.
Get straight back to the point.
D-Vertus' scenario, Corkspine's a pick of the style.
FDGod's got the catnap as well.
Kevster goes down, the pulse bomb still connects.
Is that enough?
Is there another toucher?
A rugby ball.
Of all things, Willis gets back.
Zoro's in the fight as well.
A cabinet that FD got might be all they need.
They're going to drag the ball back into their net and score.
France are in control.
The Sky Noon, the final nail in the coffin.
Sky Olden is back on the Moira.
Surely this is it.
Surely France make this work.
It's Kevster versus Four.
But even the greatest can't get it done.
France finally get the job done at the very end going the distance on Samoa and it's laughter
from France recognizing how absurd of around that was what they finally get across the
finish line secure the 1-0 in this third place match. I mean that was so
impressive I feel you have to stay alive in the first place and give themselves a
chance to really hang on to that map but it felt like every single time it was an
uphill battle to start getting picked repeatedly France finding the openings
and then that that I from Keio it's a big difference maker I mean look at the
that's 17k damage from Willis. Krog sitting on a clean, cool 20k damage. Next closest
is Kyo, 16k on the cast as well. That map, Johnny, felt like this series France just
had versus Korea. It had the same energy, the same cost, the same kind of vibe. And
That was only three rounds.
They desperately just want one easy map.
Can we get a full hold going somewhere?
Can we get a full hold?
If we're France here, why does it always
have to go to distance?
And like you say, that might have been one of the longest
Samoans we've ever seen because of how Sweden so well
delayed the inevitable in that one.
No team leaving two dejected after that one,
trading back and forth both teams
having their moments in this one.
That goes well for the future here for Sweden. Don't feel like they have to win 1-0 immediately.
They get the preference of map choice now.
Even though they are the losers of the very first map.
They get to choose the first van as well. Who do they want to get rid of?
Some of these demon players are just so chaotic.
And the amount of like trading of the cacks as well in the sky.
It was a little silly, we got enough highlights for the to roll the whole thing if there was like...
Really nice from FD God and Ambrose. I mean you picked up on Ambrose at the start of the series.
I think the Desk was kind of chatting about it too. Ambrose Cat is just so good.
People have gotten better and better and better with the Cat, especially the Cat now.
I think Gephti God had the more impressive Cat in this one.
And I feel like Gephti God has just been so good at playmaking when it comes to this Gephti Cat.
Like it's a big reason why Frans are so successful.
Because obviously Crocs is thriving, kind of this really aggressive demon.
Finding the right opportunity to go in and get those picks.
But it's all built on the backbone of FD God.
Being such a great support player, managing the back line, managing the front line.
Putting both his demon and his cast to be in a good place to sleep.
Are you scared, Jo? Are you scared?
A small sense of frustration there. It felt like despite him letting it rip
Hey
Times of all people were doing battle cries war charts everything, right? That's just Francis in 2026, you know watch
It creates
Very motivating energy like the rest of the team can easily rally behind that feel comfortable
I love what Cox is doing for this team.
It's a Vibes guy, but he also is sick on tank, which helps.
I think with, like you said, having a leader like that really kind of pushing yourself
and pushing the rest of the team to really build up into something special.
And that has been the tale of France, throughout groups, reverse sweeping career and even in
that career game just now.
They're coming off a map 5 heater, and they're still putting up numbers.
They're still putting this level of energy in.
What's going on?
So happy for Kroxuas.
Found the right meta, the right hero that works for him so well.
A player we were kind of introduced to back in 2024 in OWCS.
Making it all the way through the open qualifiers to competing
in the greatest global war G-sports circuits.
And now here is fine found a home playing the demon for France and generated so much momentum for his team in this country
Sweden juicing is going to route 66 man. We're seeing a lot of root recently
I'm not complaining honestly like I've ever used it and
Sweden gets rid of the demon. I mean, I think that's a free
I mean Willis abandoned the demon there towards the end of Samoa, recognizing that Crocs is having so much impact and especially if you have to face the Cassidy and the Bastion composition like that level of coke, you saw Willis has to just go over towards the D-Vine stead, you can utilize the matrix to mitigate all of that damage coming in, you're better set up maybe to go for some of those dives combining with Kevster against a double hitscan composition.
as you just don't want crocs in your backline have the ability to go so
aggressive that it just did. France banning at the honor on the
flip side. Okay. I mean, any of that? I would say, what would you say? I'd say
this matchup, Syrian would favor the Kiriko, where Sweden favors the honor
a little bit more. Yeah. They're very competitive on either of those, but just
the slightest of difference I think France are more comfortable as displayed by this fan of course
playing the Kyrie though that's we don't have security look at their performance was great like
he was he was finding insane early picks on the Kyrie like ridiculous headshots yeah the Q9's
cost map to pick off like he sang a little bit like that's I mean they were taking it to the best
pairs in the world yeah that's crazy right oh yeah it's definitely a step up for both of these
these teams honestly. Some of them been playing in. Basic Masters trying to qualify for OWCS
to begin with. But both of these countries, they've really rallied together. They're making
so much progress playing this Demon competition. It's really worked out for either of them
and they find themselves here as two of the four best teams in the world.
a podium finish on the line as well taking that bronze medal that third place here
there's your boy cargo walking around making friends big man like so many of
us at this time yeah so I'm making enemies on the stage
No, no, no, it's all off.
Yeah, yeah.
It's all good games to have to, exactly.
Yeah, yeah.
So GG.
This one.
Small hijam.
All right.
France on defense first.
Sweden on the offense.
Come on.
Take a leaf out of Korea's book.
A little simple zen.
You know?
A little window maker.
I'm hoping.
Come on, Crocs.
Do it for me.
No, no, no.
Come on.
What are we doing?
No, no, no.
What are we doing?
play the hog. Come on. Everybody wants to see this. Come on. The roadhog. Okay, pigs
can fly. Here we go. Get ready for some roadhog action on Route 26 defense. He said in Korea
he would play a blizzcon and here it is. Here it is indeed, buying for a bronze medal.
to the left. The back rocks
brings out the revered road
over this. See if you can get
the job done. They're like, oh,
wait a minute. Hold on. He's
a voting. He was just the thumbs
up a motor around the corner.
No honor. Sorry, buddy. Yo,
okay. Whoa. Straight over the
top. We're getting a little
Come on, you're a little wide all good. No problem. Take a breather real quick
All right now. What do we do? He just stands up the game. He just said the patch doesn't come in yet
The new roadhogs not in yet. Nice. Oh
Catch the down
If you got is gonna get traded those Sally's area on you got a TV buddy
Unlucky you're good. I can hear himself though. Okay. Well, look just like in rank the road is still alive. That's for sure
Yeah, the support is dead for the roadhogs in life. Now. It's a matter of
How do we win this new fight?
It needs to be an opening pick.
See when I crouch at the roadhog around the corner,
and yeah, the life of a roadhog, sadly,
after the hook is unsuccessful.
Nice kill, Sonsoro.
This is gonna be a quick swap from Croc's side of magic,
but it was from Malatlas.
There it is.
We tried.
We can say after that we did try.
Going to be the Orisa here instead,
which has been the backup hero
for some of these tank players.
We obviously saw in the previous series
the crotch has pretty good performance on it.
France looking for the recon path here.
Keo could build this guy new.
Would be such a great tool now for France
to look to engage.
And they're straight in with it as well.
Every dipping under big girls.
Uh-oh!
And Keo straight down.
Oh, not quite.
Flashbang's good for one though.
Skyro calls, and you know what?
France might be able to hold this one.
Even that kill onto Keo shouldn't be too difficult here.
This is winnable actually for Sweden.
Three versus four scenario, but they got the matrix to get us to a new, if they could just buy enough time, they could re-engage here.
We're going straight over the top, that's got to get away, straight in the caves, my word, I'm surprised he didn't pull the trigger earlier on, and that is a lot of damage on Crocs.
Not until you build up, and yep, that'll be the cap.
That'll be the cap indeed, as we get this payload moving forward. Really good job, they're staying alive as a trio.
Utilizing the defense matrix from Willis they buy enough time and then go for Soros we engage all of France troops has to disperse hide away from that that I
So potent and now Sweden four ultimates on the board here. They get to set up accordingly
It's just like you said so many ults I
Think it's gonna be again up to FD got to really open this up with a cat nap
It's exactly what he's going to do for most white mists.
So now they're going to try and bandage that wound with a rush.
That space has been doing so much to deny Kevster of any space of damage.
And now Willis is separated from the team.
A self-destruct in the back pocket there, as Crocs tries to pick him out.
Unfortunately, a remake comes in.
And hopefully there's people in the momentum going here, really pushing deep and keo.
Usually, I can know all these things to get the pick onto Adminov.
It should be France cleaning up here.
What a kill on to Skar, they do lose Keo but still good, taxi's coming in.
Where did my Uber driver go?
Sweden gonna look for the re-engage here, having to put a lot of those also. Now you really have
to take your time here, you can see them navigating throughout this left side trying to put pressure
on towards the point. Willis going for a deep engage here, force the teleportation carry on.
This is also established for citizenry early on here and Sweden doing a good job at it.
nice it was done there on top but went really low well it's probably low most
the mech that's terrible news though really bad news and a pulse bump straight
on top of the dying mech is in a free kill onto the baby leader now they're
hoping to finish this route using any extra alts that's both support gone for
France though yeah Kios gonna have to be the light at the end of the tunnel for
France but looking pretty different right now takes a bike to the face
He's one HP!
He's got his eyes so desperate to heal this high ground.
Oh, and FD got guys!
The Sky Noon sent to the ground, sent to the grave.
Pio 10 feet under.
A Sweden take control of the point.
His crop is fell.
That was a really impressive fight from Team Sweden.
To establish that advantage, to begin with,
wrapping around, finding the picks onto the back line
in a scenario where they had no ultimates.
Ultimates and that means that they can capture this payload and now getting into the third point
They have so many ultimates available at their disposal. This is the perfect ultimates back out to them to try and capture a really difficult third point
Has it gaming now for Crocs?
All right now happy with the Eryssa and have been there as well
Get that Diva heavy engage basically Lord of Diva just get straight in there
And that's exactly what has happened.
Admiral, FDGOT, I'm gonna try and trade places here with these catnaps.
FDGOT Manchester's sneak Willis away, however,
self-destruct still in his back pocket.
Kepster down, 4v5 for France.
So, you're looking to hold on here, see if they can find an opening pick.
We're going to choose to withdraw here instead,
have to deploy a couple of ultimates there, and because of that,
France now able to set up more comfortably on the defense.
A lot more hazards than I thought we'd see, I'm going to be honest.
Both of these players are very happy playing the hazards. Then go to here, survive at least
time here. An honorable match up. Okay.
Those things being used on top of each other there,
Will is going extremely low. The rush is going to come in though to
kind of help him out in the frontline. The increased healing there coming through from
both Darion and Skyle. That increased attack speed as Zora moves around the payload.
Ah, and an easy kill with a dead eye.
Alright, now Krox is trying to get busy.
Trying to find an off angle to make it square.
There's the spree from Kepster though.
Picks off Serion and the payload can get on moving again.
Fran, so bad thing until the very end.
If they got in Krox, find them.
You gotta find this flank.
You gotta follow their picks.
They do get a pick.
Yeah, Q is already back.
Nice little silver bullet shot on Tizar.
And realistically now, we didn't have to play pretty cautious because we didn't, or France-Retter found that pick.
It's a great job by France there, finding that extra pick earns them this defensive positioning once more.
Now with Ole Miss, downfall coming in as well for Crocs, which is not far behind.
Here we go, trying to take an aggressive angle once again is a dip.
I mean, they're all pretty close to Oles. Downfall is going to come in.
Oh, catch, they get dominated. Keo gets two, sure.
But they've managed to trade. It's a three on three. Two Swedish supports still alive as Willis can only get sustained from one of them.
Gets walled in place. Gets up to the high ground though. No problem and leaps away to safety.
And now Swinnen is looking to push the gas pedal. They're looking to push the momentum, but as soon as they go too deep, Kiyo will look the capitalized.
Now it's going to try and swing in. Oh, the wall is kind of frustrating. Quick, break the wall!
Gereon does full though and oh!
Sundering blade there from Diff ends up killing two.
Sweden's struggling here on this third point came in with a good time-bang,
but these crucial swaps from Diff over onto this vendetta
procs onto the hazard has been so meaningful.
Time-windling down and Willis makes the swap over to the Mauga.
10 seconds to go. Cart at a reasonable distance here to get the touch. This is actually the
first to fall. Not expecting this Malga mentality coming through from Willis. And this backline
engagement here from FDGOT and DIP is going to get way late. FDGOT is going to be able
to get out. DIP too by the looks of things. But Sweden are pushing. DIP has to go for
a touch and Willis takes him down a high noon as well to make sure they can push forward
with immunity and this rush is good, but still Willis playing behind the payload.
Charge can come through at a moment's notice as well as no kills have been up here.
Scree into the backline a perfect by-section of the DPS.
Crocs is just so damn low and Dip on the Reaper gets one, sure,
but you're dealing with the Mauga.
Ain't no chance, ain't no way.
Xerion down, full cap for Sweden.
Well listen, Sweden get the job done with that last second Malga swap, finding a good
opportunity there to get a couple of kills onto France as they were pushing aggressive
in those dying moments.
I mean, that was how I involved the ended in the previous semifinals matchup for Team
France.
It's really live and die by the sword.
You just got to keep going aggressive and that time France again getting picked in those
Final stages means that Sweden clean things up in a five versus three scenario a single death for Willis as well on the tank
Do a great job of staying alive
24 and one
Not talking the damage me there Johnny you're talking about bronze damage. She was sitting at number three
But still yes staying alive on the tank there is
Just slow down the point and a quick swap suit to really make use of that last one like 15 seconds or so
switches to the market to deal with the hazard they pick the hazard boom momentum
shifted I mean Willis just essentially sat on the payload for most of that yeah
putting pressure on that payload but then the rest of the back line from
Sweden they withdraw they shy away from this very aggressive composition from
France but once they've been there has deployed a lot of those abilities once
Brooks finds himself into that backline and haven't got the picks required then
they are a little bit more exposed and that's when Sweden turn things around
capping things out on roof is a really good achievement by Sweden here they
should be favored now to establish this map with on roof 36 but they got to
maintain control now off this defense.
You need to do it again Johnny.
It'll hazard action, do a bit of data, it'll rock to the face.
We've been seeing a lot of teams do this early on from this payload try to buy some time
And then you can either choose if you want to get away like we listen
Admiral are doing right now
Be careful don't give it to him. Oh body shot bandit
Yeah, it doesn't quite find the headshot. He decides nice little dragon. Hold it. It's gonna push with his back in
Good, good, good.
Crocs now finds himself pretty deep here.
France, looking to round this corner.
That's a minute of the timers.
We done doing a good job just now.
Contesting the tailo.
Buying time here.
Looking to build ultimate.
Oh, Hexas is really low there.
Now it's Crocs' time to act.
He's actually spotting out Admiral, making the call.
Switching to Sigma.
Hasn't got the Jagged Wall not just yet,
Just yet, but Willis is in the corner, taking a lot of spike guard damage.
Slowly, but surely they march on forward.
Take the wall.
Now the rush is going to come in too, after he got way too close to the blender there.
There is a three versus five.
Yeah, that's not a rush you want to see.
Absolutely not.
I mean, he ripped that basically the same time Q went down.
Little unfortunate.
But it was almost like he was premeditated.
He was so close to building that T-Tooter rush, but once it came alive,
like the opportunity just wasn't there.
That's a crucial ultimate now from Serion and they can go forward again. They've got flux too.
Sweden feeling way comfortable here now five ultimates on the board.
Skynet is going to be one quick teleport going on dropping into the tunnel.
Oh he's got one there's the recall. Oh a little bit of damage. Not too great though as well as
this is going extremely low. Kind of a hard fight there for the Sigma in that small corridor. Ended
up using the flux as well. Skyle now down two, Zoro's still holding on. It's got the
heels to match, but I'm full.
you
you
you
you
you
That demon is so important to their style of playing, they like to be so aggressive.
And so this was Sweden's map to win.
Losers pick, you get the opportunity to pick the next map, you get the opportunity to remove
the first hero get that ban in and Sweden they were favored going into this one but now it's
France turn where do they take us next what heroes do they get rid of here now
yeah swithering shred back to the demon all right gonna be the demon here on out i imagine for
France as Sweden showcases that they can hang on pretty much every other tactic here now
They can hang on the SIG even the hazard too and that's the problem when these series go
really long.
Your time kind of runs out if the main thing that's getting you in is the map picks and
the bands.
You see how France kind of respond.
I think banning out Tracer is always going to be a high priority against Sweden too.
definitely like demon I'd say Tracer those two for either team is like
priority number one in the first couple of maps at least so we'll see what
France want to do Esperanza is the map it
this has been such a reliant map for them not in the previous series but when
they did beat Korea in the group stage this was a map they established
dominance on really good to play the demon with the jetback cat to
jump in between these big high grounds, then find an opportunity to get back into the enemy
backline.
I mean, I wonder if Sweden here, you can ban the cat Bastion too?
It is an interesting one because Sweden, they want to play the Ana like we discussed.
Yes.
And this is a great Ana map as Peronso, of course.
It's been almost like a reliant home for all Ana players.
I remember like Twilight on the Ultimates.
I would only come in for one map just come in for Esperanza. Make that your preferred play style
I did that. I know for sure. He's like, okay, Twilight come on in get on in
Get in the honor chair and go to town
But I'm curious to see how Sweden decide to navigate this one now with the second ban because they can pull off their style here
You're gonna have to essentially opt into the demon jewels, right?
maybe they feel like at this point they just have to play more of the diva
based on what we saw in Samoa earlier on they want to shy away from that way of
playing. Whoa that is a sick megan.
Yeah I think that's yeah I'm picking up what you're putting down Johnny. There we
go love it we say every cast just like the cosplayers are just so insane every
blizzcon to every single one of the cosplayers was so sick cross all titles
to there you go there's the tracer band from France
We're really not that scared of the rotom the jokes aside here with the rotom band
this tells you that Sweden are really comfortable playing the game they don't
feel the need to get rid of some meta hero they want to opt into this matchup
now against France even if the Tracer is removed here for Kevster. It's going to be
Xion now from Depp from Kevster which still the introduction of Xion here
maintains some pretty high tempo for the flexibius pair. A lot of opportunities
to have impact we just saw Kevster with some really well timed sprees of course
on Route 66 as all hope is not lost here for Sweden going into this as
France. But I still feel like it's still Sweden here on the back, but they're the ones who
have to deal with what is going to come their way. Yes, they just want to root you to six,
but they need to take down France playing their own game.
Man. Obstructing right this event, I'll tell you that. Putting in shifts, Johnny.
Drops all the animos. Shout out to the obstructing. Now this is what we kind of saw previously
from Tweed and Johnny. Even with another team playing the demon, Willis is like, okay,
I can still play D.Va, it's a very different style of play we saw on the first map of Samoa as we did once again on the Vendetta.
Kiriko for Skyl, Zarya, sorry, Skyl on the honor, Zarya on the Kiriko.
And this is Franz, very much knowing now what Sweden is going to throw their way.
They're expecting to D.Va to come out and Vendetta, such a great character with that sword to get up close and personal with that mix.
So it's just a matter of other patience now for Sweden. Recognizing France's composition
here. How did it deal with all this skin-bound aggression coming their way?
It is the double sword comp. The fury warrior comp, if you will, with Vendetta and Devon.
As he got down though, really early pick from Zoro. A beautiful look so far for Sweden.
We'll see if France can kind of settle the score. Looks like Div is going to make a mean
go over here but has to retreat in the end. And Sweden are edging forward here taking it to France
but they're still expecting this dive to come through at any given time. Oh dearie me. Pets are
going way too deep. Cute. Grips his head off and Frantz have managed to come back in this fight
even though SD God went down early. Yeah it's almost like France set a little bit of a trap there
the health bar dropped really low which kind of tempted Sweden to push on forward try to go for
engage but France they stay alive in that room they peel for each other and
then explode out of there with this getting that opening pace as you get
this opening high ground they're just way ahead when it comes to the ultimate
Serion already with Kitsuna rush ahead of the nullaboo that is a huge
discrepancy in all of us since you were taking so much damage and you lost
someone you're doing the only healing right
see if Willis can get on the point now
I'm gonna shove Drogs back into the rest of the team, but there's the only rush.
Sweden can't do anything here, they have to back off.
They gotta think better of it, and France earns some extra meterage, but
the Kitsune rush is spelled here. There's a big tool for France. Next up is Sky Nune.
So hard here. Sky Nune over top, you have to flee and it's just easy piggins.
Styledons. Now they have to deal with Kyo. Well, maybe not.
He's just been flown away, and Willys loses his life.
Another sharp shot there.
Checkpoint for France unlocked.
And France is starting to go away with the meteorite here.
They're starting to build a lot of progress.
And it all comes down to them essentially having the earliest ultimate back here.
So Sweden, look at the contest in this one.
The point of their life, none of them can swell up to Willis.
It's good on to D. God, at least you get one kill with it.
Zora's still gonna have to be fairly careful.
Nato on to Willis.
Takes care of her mother.
Still if your France in this spot, 0-1 close to 0 meters for Sweden.
You have checked with this early, only 3 minutes in.
Well that's a little unlucky for Willis, that's a very quick reset.
Going to take a little bit of time.
Still have a lot of mobility here and crocs down for France as well.
So both of these tanks should be able to get back to the next fight
by the grenades followed by the Susan from Syria here as both teams are looking to trace for a little bit.
a bit. Sweden's going to have the inferior positioning once more as France able to establish
this high ground.
Very subtle, Willis there too, because he didn't lose neck. They could have fought really
early. France had the priority to spawn there because they already kept check point. Straight
over the top.
Thunder and Bane here for Dim. Oh, straight through the wall. Looking for Zorai. Looking
for somebody. And Admiral. Sent off the edge. Thanks to that flashbang. And FD got takescara
Willis. I mean, this is a slaughter right now.
really running away with things as Admiral couldn't capitalize with that
Catnap and France now edging towards a hundred meters already on Esperanto just
four minutes in and they have a dead-eye they have to consider us they could
keep going dead-eye straight to back oh yeah what do you do there a hundred
meter advantage now at four minutes in you tell me how winnable this is for
Now Willis is dead. Sure we've lost Keo, but the bot is still moving.
124 meters. We're eventually gonna touch it if you sweet, but you got no tank.
Nate comes in, hits two, the bot is still going.
You have a question from France. They're just never going to waver.
You've got to keep pushing the bot here as Sweden now desperate to hold on.
They're gonna have to deploy the ultimate wheel early just to stay alive in this one.
Willis is alive. Hager backing off, crops lifted to safety, the nano boost.
You have to get kills with it. Oh, and the limit break is just dirty as well.
And therefore, the bodies, Sweden just being run over, as Dick places them in the guillotine,
and lets that blade slice them in twain, front, with a speed run win on Esperanza, Johnny.
And that is the joy in their faces that you want to see.
What a back and forth from both of these teams.
I mean, I can't believe how quick France just ran away with that one.
It felt like they had one wave of ultimates, and we were 60 meters, we didn't fight back
all in a bit, and then France essentially go from 60 meters to 135, just like that.
in five minutes just taking control of Esperanza and if I'm team Sweden I'm
taking a moment it was like what just happened? I think that happened like we
lost the opening engagement they had ultimate advantage and then I was over
didn't really have a chance to stand their ground on that defense the
aggression with the Kitsune rushes with the dead ice it was just too strong from
France and now up up to one here pretty early in this third-place match obviously
the stats aren't going to be pretty here for Sweden of course zero deaths for
Zerion too you smile in that one yeah just swing kind of crumbling in front
of France I think Kiyo 12-1 is the one that really stands out for me there yeah
I felt like every single sky knew you're getting that opening pick whether it's
Skylon, the honor or on cancer and it's a five versus four scenario like Sweden
Just keep have to retreat right and so it just makes it so we suffer France if you can reliably just get a pick with a
Sign there, but then you're gonna win the map
There's like a mini chapter in this story Johnny a tale of two fights
I'd say the mid fight where they got Sweden got baited in after they killed fd god baited into close quarters versus
the demon oh and of course the vendetta who is more than happy to fight you there
and then the second fight where Willis lost mech I think Zerion ended up
throwing a kunai at the very end hit the mech got the desuit Willis had to jump
off the edge and then France had forward sports so they got back to midfight
they got on high ground if Willis didn't lose mech there that is a very
different midpoint of the game.
It sounds weird to say, but I don't even think that Sweden
realistically have to change anything on the back of such a
dominant defeat on Esperanza, because their way of playing the
game has been to absorb that aggression, sit back, wait for
France to commit with that aggression, and then look to
capitalize on France's forward positioning.
But at that time, it just was the smallest of differences that
meant that France got those opening picks, and then France
And then France dominates from there on out.
So if I'm Sweden, I'm just looking to clean things up, the tiniest amount, and then I'm
looking to stay competitive throughout that map.
So no reason to abandon what you're doing just yet if you are Sweden.
You've proved on route 26 just how good you can be against a team like France.
And you banned the hog that last map too.
So you didn't exactly, I would say it's a bit more of a throwaway ban, so something to
reflect on now.
Could you have done something there to make life a little bit easier for yourself?
Maybe, yeah.
Well, that's reflecting on the past.
What has been.
Small break for the players.
Just quick little bartering break.
And how quick that was, I'm like, just get on with the fourth map.
Just a running back.
you
you
you
you
you
you
to get third place.
All smiles, no crowds, never.
Hey now.
I want to see some more Cuban from FDGOT too.
He's kind of a wizard with the Rubik's Cube.
We like him to series, what do we think?
I think they're enjoying it.
Yeah, it looks good.
Everybody's enjoying it, mate.
Especially the French right now.
Like I said, that French collective very loud in the front of the audience.
many flags are being waived right now.
Let's have a look.
Cassidy ban for Sweden. Okay, don't hate it at all.
This is kind of a ban I expected earlier on.
So now Kevster gets to play Free Tracer.
And a Malca ban for France.
Thinking maybe, you know what, Willis,
if you want to play something that maybe can counter the demon here,
get better on that, let's get better on a flash coin,
take Malca away.
Force to play the diva or the demon.
That's right. I like the way you think there, the Malca.
They're so good at dealing with D.Va if you don't want to opt into the mirror.
Probably going to mean here that Willis might have to shy over to something like a D.Va,
but I think at the same time that could be quite exposed to a Vendetta on this.
Yeah, that could actually be a matchup that maybe Willis doesn't want to take in this one,
to favor France. And so maybe at the end of the day you feel like, ah, well,
don't really want to play D.Va here. Maybe I do have to play D.Va after all.
And suddenly France, they found an end, they find something they can lean on,
maybe a matchup that is to their advantage right now.
But it's going to be both teams here having valuable bans deployed.
But as Casady gone, it's going to free up Kepster to operate freely on the tracer.
And given that he is such a superstar player on that hero,
it could be the opportunity to be the difference maker
for Sweden to get back into the series and tie it up.
Diggin' deep. You've had some rest at 3.0 from KSA. Long gone. Well, it looks like
we actually have a special guest with Danny. Let's check in with himself and Les Seraphim.
Jack and Johnny, thank you so much. Yes, we have a special guest. I just wanted them to
say hi to everyone.
Hi everybody, we're the Seraphim.
We're so excited to be back here after three years.
And we're really rooting for everybody who is playing today.
I heard there's been a lot of good games.
And we're also going to be performing tonight.
So please look forward.
Yep everybody, the Seraphim will be performing tonight.
And if you want to check it out, go check out their YouTube channel as well.
You can see it over there. Thank you. That's it.
Jack and Johnny, back to you.
Thank you very much. Thank you very much, Danny. And let Sarah Phim look forward to the performance a little bit later on. It's going to be a good time after some good overwatch. Perfect way to run at the night.
We're going to practice our dance moves.
Yeah, what should we do? What did you bust out on the floor?
I mean, I like the Winston a little bit, you know?
The Winston?
I've always been the Winston dance move.
I heard they moped you specifically doing the Winston one.
Yeah, you know
Not in front of cameras. No, not what I'm working
But at home at home. Yeah, I'm busting out the way stuff. Yeah, I heard Matt could do the worm very well
So we'll see if you will be uh
Busting that out on the stage. Yeah, we'll make a we'll make some kind of golf that you revealed. Yeah
Get it posted on the social
All right
Johnny here we go Atlas match points for France
I was going to keep doing it.
Just straight chilling.
Straight chilling on up this.
Very comfortable spot.
Until the point clips to your side of the map and then you're like, ah.
Nah, they're agnostic, they don't care about the fight going on.
They're just chilling.
It's all fun and games here, France.
France up to two.
Catch the Tracer, we're seeing their cat passions on either side.
And Willis force into this demon head to head.
Had a bit of a quiet moment here, but it's all action now.
We are going aggressive here.
Toto finds the opening, takes on to them here.
With their life on the line, they need to call themselves back into this series.
Let's see the look to open things up.
Oh my goodness, that was close.
They were sweet and kind of confused as to what was happening.
It doesn't end up getting slain, eventually.
Quick elimination there from Zara 2.
Drops down, there it is. Point cap.
And this feels great if your team's feeding now.
You just took an absolute beating on Esperanza,
but you're already practicing action here.
And you got the third point cap going for you.
Now, to keep this up, can you mirror this aggression
coming out of the corner?
new, mirror-reversed aggression coming out of fast.
Crogs, he's going to look to get a grip on this one.
Man, they are just going at it right into some of Crogs.
His R-HB, respect the Bastions are at fault.
On either side, in fact.
Both of them in the middle.
Similar times, they're made around the corner.
Here's Crogs make their move.
And this feels like a team shooting we haven't seen so far.
This level of aggression, holding the corner,
always jousting in the front line.
Tester now, angling for the flank around,
looking for the backliners.
Rush as well, it's going to be deployed at the moment there.
Skyle just kind of setting up for it.
He's going to try and trade places right now.
And it's Jim Hendrick coming down to a false bomb.
Meanwhile, point, cat, 70% for Sweden, but France sneaking away.
I think he's got 80.
He's out of the point.
It's basically three players for the point right now, Johnny.
And there it is.
Nice, it was usually a telephone as well.
Oh, the living wreck is good, but Crocs de-mecked.
De-mecked, indeed.
And Sweden's are getting back into the fight.
having to deploy a couple of ultimates, 70% and counting.
Franzter earning the capture point.
It is going to mean that they probably
should get another fight going here as well as both Kiyo
and Effigort look to stall things out for now.
Sweden though, they want to pounce early,
they want to go aggressive themselves,
make things difficult for Franzter to establish the system.
They're trying to put a bit of pressure now.
Oh, Sorrow, good to do.
It's a really good two to one dip.
Actually Kepster goes down.
They were trying to combo there.
And with Kevster coming in with a flank, a nice combo again, the Katnap with the artillery
garage just did with the line up.
It's just such a nasty combo, you just can't move and it's just an instant kill on the
map.
Really nice stuff there from France.
And honestly a little bit of indecision there from Sweden, Kevster was deep in the backline
early and then the combination from Soro, but the Sousa was good enough for France.
But France able to get back into that fight and now 52%, they could very easily just secure
this initial point after sweeping the word the dominant one early on all right
let's have a look now Keo can play kind of not on an off-fangle surprising them
with the spree gonna send the Viking first because he's very revealed
they're gonna try and push in but they are hesitant to do stuff waiting for this
turret bomb to get offline first although a postman from Kedsa starts to fight off
well with a dash kill on to Sarah that should realistically be it although
With Willis out of mech, anything could happen, but Crocs is in a 1v4.
France, of course, will enclosing things out here rather. Kevster, with a great show on there, with the post-bomb.
But that needs to be the standard now. Kevster needs to be the impact player.
They spend time and time again for teaching them if they are to get back into this one.
Diff swaps over to the tracer, but it should not matter. Kevster.
He needs to be the one to sneak up on these flanks forced to recall early and create the win from this and sort of defeat them.
There's the rush out of the bridge. Before the point unlocks as well, so we can have a chance to get back in, although maybe not anymore.
Good front-load if you're damaged there, it's worth a smack, eject it, reset it.
Just getting a little bit caught there with all that damage coming out from France.
You could argue that it's an individual mistake that earns France a relatively easy fight just then.
And now again it's back to the drawing board for Sweden here as they have to joust in this positioning the tracer duel trying to find an advantage
A couple of ultimates online though, they can't deploy the consumer here
And FFD is always trying to drag someone away, being dragged in the wrong target completely, it's alright, end up taking him out of the sky
And Bennett can't map two from Sweden, remove the tank from the equation
That's more like it, Joss.
Kitsune Rush, you find the value, FD God trying to make a play with the catnap early, Rikmaxing
that.
You can't really stand up to the Kitsune Rush if you're friends, so you want to go for
an early start.
You want to try to find that thing.
It does not happen that time around and now it's waiting back in control.
I think if you have to find Zora, they kind of know where Bastion is.
Teleport Wraithing, so you can't really see him.
We're back in for Paul
I think if you have to find Zara they kind of know where the Bastion is
Teleport away from Zarya. It's going to keep him alive
Limit break, POTS on the point is Crocs
Guarding, holding that shield almost behind Willis to make sure he can't get any healing
Hevster gets one with a Pulse Orb, that was a nice Tuzu from Skyle
Can they actually finish this fight though?
By being really easy now without deep harassing the back line,
as Krop fends for himself.
FD gots going to join the party, and unfortunately for France,
a quick reset is in order, but they've at least got one more opportunity.
They need to recover their troops and try to go for one more contest here.
But it does feel like Sweden, they are in control for now.
They're doing a great job playing this competition we've seen so far.
A swing in and a quick hide away, no problem there.
Yeah, Willy is part of that shield on style so low, but they traded Kirikos in the chaos of it all.
He also got artillery strikes right on the point, and yeah, not too much damage there.
He's gonna buy Kroxom time maybe, but not enough time to get healed all the way back up again.
Tim now is gonna have to chew through a lot more than this tank in the frontline here to try and turn this one around.
Oh, and stick from Kepster's good. Disgusting work from the Tracer.
If he's just so difficult to take down, even chasing Dip away, and he's going to keep having
this level of impact.
He knows the touch is going to come in from there, looking for the tracer desperately,
forcing him to have to recall.
Another touch, another touch needed, Dip forced to recall, there it is, and here we go.
We have FD God with a catnap.
He needs to hit it, both support holds available, FD God keeping the point alive, Rush difficult
to fight on if he's Sweden, but 64% for Frasen.
They can't give up a little bit of time here.
Katnab comes in, Skyl has been stunned, dragged away,
but it is solo.
That ends up going down anyway.
A team that comes to win this,
and now one more fight here for Sweden.
But this is actually going to be difficult
to get back in time.
Kester doings his phone wave here,
but it has to be someone else who's such admirable.
Now needs to be the go-to
to just keep this overtime going.
Not just...
They just don't think they're gonna go for it at all.
Recognizing that there is bound men.
have to wait for their troops to spawn in France,
tie things up with that Rathas, get a feel like Sweden,
failing there to capitalize on a really good start
to that second point.
Crocs Willis square enough that once again,
we're starting out with a Baxiano.
It's gonna block a little bit of that damage
to the Cat, ends up getting swung in.
Skullpots that rush.
But the old Fated one ends up going down.
The Crocs are from Kempstra, it's gonna be good,
but even better, Suzu there from Serion.
Keeps the front line alive, and yeah, the pocket is just so nice.
Getting that position with the Bachelon, then pushing up and bare.
Ketchers forced to react, forced to try and go for a Pogsbomb, but Zerion has the answer.
France now in control of this third point.
They want to close things out here and now on off.
They secure that bronze medal for themselves.
They're linked towards it, gets to the right, which is devastating in all its own.
Okay, Coffinie and Cat Noises now as Apple drives Crocs over the edge
It's a good target. It's the perfect one
It's a good option to wait you are yet to leave it
I'll never hear you on how something to say about it. Okay, 25 HP because of the trace
He's a portray for the time of the storm
54%
Hey, no, I've seen crazy things. Yeah, we've seen a lot of crazy things from the Russians
You never know with some of those kunis.
Crafts with a really good ultimate back here.
Sweden look to draw on some of these ults laterally.
It's exactly what they're doing dip there.
They're trying to move in first to make France use ults.
Limmie break comes out from Wittesburg.
Look at that help bar.
Just gets absolutely deleted.
Send with the pilot too.
Sweden overplaying their hand.
Thinking they got a royal flush.
But it is France that have the ace up their sleeve for this fight.
But I still like the way Sweden played that though, because
the kids sooner or sooner gets deployed early for France,
while Sweden is dealing with a total few objectives.
And so actually, 70% of them counting here for France,
we then should have one good opportunity to get back into this one.
Oh, what do you want, the Skepster and Timmy?
Oh, with a name!
Just Bunk Skepster.
Uh-oh, that and that work wide. No problem. We'll ignore that one.
FD gone. Not in the shoot. As long as you get the next kill.
Kio ends up getting traded there as Zoro goes down.
Willis is making history in France. Looking good. They're looking clean.
That's another point down to their belt shotting.
One more to go. And France will have their first medal.
I don't know what's more. Come.
And it feels like after a slow start, it's been all France now on this demon composition.
This is how they made their name, their bread and butter in the 2026 Overwatch World Cup.
Crocs revitalized with Demon being released after God,
planning a place on this jetpack cab.
Now, looking to make the most out of it, to claim third place.
This is a brilliant spot for them to be in a good stitch as well.
Very low as to all right now.
Every kind of healing resources pumped into it.
Another Pogsman, but Kessler's done them one better.
They've ended up losing the Metzvul.
So Kessler's got a lot more weight now.
What he's showing is to try and clutch in this fight.
Looks like he can kill onto Seriana.
Leashville, stem the bleeding for now.
A well-timed two-night, forces to recall from Diff here now.
And Swede, they get control of the objective.
They have a continuous in-hand here.
Admiral with a catnap as well.
They have the tools available.
But they need to continue making place in the middle of the sale out here.
It's again, he's won, he wants a stepster, get it, it's so terrifying.
They'll rush, this engage no problem.
There's the first, re-engage.
You use yours, we use ours.
Better timing though for here for France, and a better position too.
Here comes the bastion of FD God.
It's just gonna drag Zorro into enemy territory, into no man's land, but Willis is already in this fight.
And he got an animal take to the skies, and now it's Willis and Krags just giving each other haymakers on the point.
But it's Willis's neck that is lost in the frame.
Sweden are up to 80 plus per cent, but Krags should get the cap.
It's a three versus three that deteriorates when Willis loses that neck.
But Sweden like to say they build all that percentage, which now means they're one teamfight away from at least tying things up here on Atlas.
But Brandon says a couple of teamfights away. Going to be an early on killers right here from Teal.
But if you just force an arrow in strong Sweden, there's no going to be any.
Dip has a full storm in hand here. Dip goes against Tyrako, gets the value, but this could make all the difference now if you're dead.
Turned into free ult charge there, that Bastion on.
Same looking for his pulse, sees the, here it goes.
Sees a lot of these, in fact, that Bastion might be the target.
Straight on the floor, that makes all good. Zora had to dodge out the way.
Straight into the waiting arms of Crocs.
And here we go, now Farn just pedaled to the middle. They want to take it to Sweden 4.
This could be the start of the year.
Straight onto the sky, 70 plus percent, Sweden need to reset.
Branskis continues to push momentum, 80% and counting, sweet enough.
They have to wait for the truth to get back, Adrol feeling like he has to contest
the point early before it gets back.
He's trying to go in there, and he got Jason, he's chasing him down.
97, 98, where?
He got it back!
Frantz threw it in four, and when Pen is put to paper,
France will be remembered as a band of unlikely heroes that pushed the world's best to their limits.
A third place spot, a place on the podium for their first ever medal in the Overwatch World Cup.
A heart-breaking end to Ikevali against South Korea.
But they find a reason to smile and be joyous here in their victory against Team Sweden.
In this historic tournament, the Overwatch World Cup, France, they scribe their name into
some medals here in Anaheim.
That's the claim, third place, that you've worked all tough.
Revenge from many moons ago, from 2017 Johnny, where Sweden stood on that podium.
But it is this time that France get there, a hard-bought effort for Sweden.
Many no quantities on either side of the stage
But Francis test of will test of strength test of might
Taking career to map flies a
Place well at
And with so much fan support behind them as well in the audience
That energy truly felt all that passion all that enthusiasm from the French overboard community
We're saluting at our podium place here.
Let's jump down to Zoe though. We can get some final words.
Thank you guys so much. And with that, France has earned their first ever Overwatch World Cup medal.
medal and what a feat, what an achievement in the fashion they did it because they coming
off of such a hard breaking semifinal, they somehow rallied within the time span of 20
minutes, locked back in and gave us such a dominant victory, Ash.
How incredible is that?
I cannot wait to eventually be able to talk to the players and hear what the conversations
were made.
You like to head into this third place matchup to be able to bring it to Sweden.
I think that overall, we continue to see the Dimon cook there for Crocs.
He's great at the Eryssa as well at the Hazard.
But when it came down to the bands that we saw,
the map that Sweden was able to pick up did come off of that Dimon band.
Yeah, you can tell for France just how much they rely on Crocs.
He's been a real superstar coming into his own Amious event.
I'm also really impressed that this French team
adapt some of the success that Korea had against them running the Bastion.
He pulled that up so much more often in this third-place match and it paid dividends.
He was able to show that flexibility going from the tracer to the vendetta to the bastion.
And for a player who he talked about potentially struggling down the stretch in that ROK match,
it's huge he's able to bring it back and go up against one of the best to ever do it in Kevster
and steam that test of time earning a first ever medal for France.
And making those kind of adaptations on such short notice,
that just goes to show how fearless France are in their approach.
to having those high-risk, high-reward plays.
Absolutely.
And again, I know we talk so much about Prox,
but it's because not only what he's putting into the server,
but the communication with his team.
He is that player that's able to just keep them strong
when they bring their energy back up when need be.
And I'm certain that he was a huge part of today's success.
Yeah, absolute heartbreak, of course,
for Sweden, that made it this far.
Also, somehow, we managed to put Johnny on both the games,
which we lost.
You have to cast also.
Sorry about that, Johnny,
You know what, still great to see Sweden in action here at BlizzCon.
Making it this far is already a massive achievement thing.
And we were talking about this backstage, but for players like Kevser,
who have been around for most of this incredible decade of Overwatch,
I mean, that is a ridiculous accomplishment.
The next generation of players are here.
They are monstrously effective, as we've seen throughout this tournament.
You know, young teams like those representing the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
have made their mark on Overwatch,
And it's a real testament to a player like Kevser, his mentality, his focus,
to stay with that level of competition year in, year out.
Summer Singh, he still hasn't hit his peak yet.
He's still showing better and better form.
And just a testament to his dedication,
what he's brought and delivered for the Swedish squad.
France, they got a bronze medal in their hands now.
That means we just have one match left.
And that is, of course, our grand finals.
Three-time champion, South Korea,
We'll be facing off against our current arraigning champions of the Overwatch World Cup.
Now, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, all of that is going to go down on this very stage in just a bit.
Short break before that, but we'll be right back. You don't want to miss it.
The 2026 Overwatch World Cup is brought to you by DHL.
All right, give us your thoughts on the defending champions KSA.
I think they're super strong team.
I think as a region they've just gotten better at watching them.
They're really insane right? I'm one of the best EPS in the world.
I just think when the cards are on the table, Quartz will just 1v9 every time.
I think that before the game, people didn't really care about me.
But after we won the game in the US, I think people will be like,
oh, I'm going to be on the team.
If people don't care about me, I'm going to be on the team.
I think I'm good at Saudi, but if we're good at it,
I think we'll be able to win.
I think they're always good, but I have a feeling they're not maybe as good as people think, but that's just my feeling.
I think they'll be stubborn.
I mean, compared to the rest of the tournaments, I mean it's like closer than it was in 2023.
2020-2030, Mada and the Pop Cup was like perfect for them.
Every other team has leveled up, but I think their power level is probably the same.
Symmetrius got nerfed like two days ago, they cannot play Yubi that much.
I mean, Yubi is kind of insane on other heroes, right?
But you're one among the best heroes he can play.
If Sari win again without Sumetra in the World Cup, I'll be super impressed.
I think they're still really, really good.
I think everyone thinks they're going to be first or second.
They're not going to knock her deep, that's for sure.
For sure, it's not unbeatable. Everything can happen at the long, so we'll see how it goes.
I don't know. I can't really say anything before they play because when they play unmatched, they're really different from the big screens.
I think we can do this year because Saudi Arabia has a lot of changes.
We have been in the country for 20 years, right?
We have good players, we have a lot of opportunities this year.
We have a lot of experience.
We have a lot of expectations.
We have a lot of opportunities.
We have a lot of experience.
Not only in the third place, but also in the game.
I'm not sure if I will be able to play on stage.
It's been a weekend for history books in the sixth Overwatch World Cup finals at BlizzCon.
Eight teams have entered the arena and now just two teams remain fighting for this trophy.
I am so extreme, none of the utmost pleasure of being your hostess.
We can join you on the desk to set the stage for our grand finals.
are my good friends Ash and Jake. Let's talk big picture about these two teams. Because this is
the clash of champions, right? We have of course the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the 2023 winners.
They were not really on anyone's radar back then, obviously have been a dominant region ever since.
And then on the other side, it's South Korea, who have just been a dominant force always.
For as long as we've been playing competitive Overwatch, Korea has been fielding
championship rosters and the Overwatch World Cup is no exception with a unique three stars on the journey.
They are the old kings of Overwatch, but Saudi Arabia have proven themselves making a huge mark on the map,
shocking everyone in 2023. But as the players themselves said, it's no longer a shock to see them in the grand finals.
They now have some of that expectation having sat across these stages in grand finals with many of the same opponents now playing for national pride.
So it's a moment of the old dynasty and potentially the usurpers trying to take over and assert that maybe Saudi Arabia is the next country
We have to be talking about when it comes to the greatest nation in Overwatch
Yeah, that is a lot of pressure on I feel like both teams here Ash because obviously for South Korea so much pride on the line
They do not want to be defeated by anyone any other region any other team
No, and they're looking to reclaim that throne right overall for South Korea again
It has been this redemption run ever since that upset up against team France and overall
They've been absolutely crushing it. We've seen them come to life
We've really seen how the swaps are working for this squad and I there
We're gonna be heading up against a KSA that also don't necessarily like to play into the meta
Yeah, I also love that we've seen swaps of course in terms of their roster from South Korea
But KSA never had to pull those cards out of the back. Jake. We've not really seen any stopping going on here
Yeah, Korea has been relying a lot more on the strategic depth of their roster being able to bring in different players play
Very different styles and in theory that should play to their strength in a series such as this
However, the Saudis haven't needed to push that deep
They haven't been pushed to the limit, been forced to show everything that they can feel.
And there are those threats weeding in the wings.
There's also just the raw force and power from this roster.
They exert their will on the match, what they want to play.
Well, it sure looks like the meta when it's these players piloting it.
You've got somebody like Quartz.
Just about anybody you ask is going to say he's the best player in the world.
It's always hard to pick just one, but lately that conversation has been quieter than ever.
It's easier than ever to use Quartz's name and maybe just end the conversation there.
I think a lot of the Korean players on the other side of the table are going to have something to say about that.
Yeah, they definitely will, especially when we've seen how good Sunjoon has been looking in the server.
But then not just that, it's that double hit scan that we see being pulled out on the side of South Korea here as well.
And it's going to be on soccer and he's saying to look to shut Quartz down.
Yeah, well, if we're looking here at the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia,
threw out their journey in the World Cup, they weren't really pushed that much, right?
I mean, South Korea just had to play their best so far.
They had to go the distance, whereas on the other side, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia had an absolutely flawless run in Busan,
and they kind of continued on that trajectory, on that trajectory rather, here at BlizzCon, only dropping one map to Spain.
And that one map that they dropped, they turned things around heading into today because they absolutely,
Unfortunately for Team Sweden obliterated them, knocking them down into that bronze-phrased
matchup that we just saw just earlier now before the break. So overall for this team game, say
this is a squad that again they're able to just continue on with that humility, continue with
that grind and take every single match so seriously their dominance really relies on that attitude.
And I think the key test for me from this Saudi squad is going to be the back line. You know,
We know Quartz, Ladd, Ziad, these are some of the elite players of the world right now,
often finding themselves in these kind of grand finals matches.
However, Zox and Majed, coming from a bit deeper down the roster,
they're going to be up against two of the greatest to ever do it on the other side of the field.
Chorong, it's simple, had to go lights out to be able to take down France,
and that's going to be really where a lot of my focus in this particular match is.
The tip of the spear, Quartz, he's going to be lighting up the kill feed.
You better believe it. However, getting down deep into these fights,
We've seen how scrappy things can get the lights are awful bright the crowd the energy here in the round
Does tend to change things in those crucial moments and for both of these squads?
It's another opportunity to prove why they are the last two remaining in the Overwatch World Cup
Now the question for me here is of course for South Korea being able to pull off a reverse sweep should probably
You know get a lot of teams hyped up
But if you're a South Korea that might also just shake your confidence because you let it get to that point like for them
usually it looks a lot cleaner than that. It definitely does but I think the
difference is though is going up against the team KSA you're not getting the same
attitude on the other side as with France who are able to really get into
their heads but don't forget the way that they won that series was the reverse
week they do still have that momentum on their side. That momentum they're gonna
need it you feel like you want to start strong but one of the things about
outcourts that makes him truly unique.
Why it's so easy to call him the best player in the world
and really not add a caveat to that is
he just doesn't have that game.
Every game he plays, the enemy team goes into it
with thinking they're gonna shut him down,
putting every resource they can
into slowing down his Cassidy soldier,
whatever he wants to pull out.
But seemingly no one can stop him.
That's gonna be what's asked of a player
like Stalker in particular.
The hitscan duel going to be a huge consequence
in a series such as this.
Yes, Star started roster as we always talk about even a quote on quote beating for South
Korea would be to any other team in the world at any given day, but the competition has
leveled up.
They've been playing it close.
This is not going to be an easy victory for South Korea.
Should they take it out?
It definitely won't be.
KSA are not coming to play for South Korea, though again, it's been that conversation
about the back line, but also, not just that,
it's those swaps between Genbin and Matt
and how that plays into the map pool that we'll be seeing.
Absolutely. Well, we'll find out very soon,
of course, our grand final will be played
in the first two, four formats,
so more opportunities to play a little strategic depth
into it. For predictions, let's hear.
I feel like I already know you're probably going
south for a year. I'd be shook if it wasn't the case,
but please, Jake.
You know, it's been a long time
since they've held the trophy here at the Overwatch World Cup.
And for a team for which anything but that trophy lift is a failure,
it's a ridiculous level of expectation to work under.
And yet, despite a challenging series against France,
I think this may be the year for Korea to reassert themselves
atop the world of Overwatch.
I'll take them in a 4-2.
I think this one is going to be a drawn-out battle, though.
And honestly, it's anybody's game to win.
Hey, Barana, I'm with you on that one.
I had to go with Korea on this.
I think even though KSA have looked so clean throughout their run, throughout the OWUC,
that fire is still lit underneath Korea.
They've got to do it for the fans back home.
Oh yeah, I couldn't agree more.
I mean, honestly, you can make such great points for both of these teams.
They have proven themselves time and time again over the last couple of years.
But I'm going to give this one to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
I generally felt like they got to sit back, they got to really, really cater their strategies.
I know how hard these players work and know how high their potential can reach.
And I feel like there's something in the air I think they're looking to at the second start to that journey.
So I went for a 4-2 series. I love this fight. I don't know what it is, but I'm loving it.
But yeah, I just hope for a close series. I want to see both these teams having to pull everything out of the back.
I want them to really see, truly testing each other.
And honestly, I think anything else would shock me, right?
With the pedigree that both of these teams have.
We mentioned, you know, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia,
for as good as they've been ever since that World Cup win,
shocking the world in 2023, they have never stopped working.
These players have never taken their success for granted,
and that's why they've continued to appear in Grand Final after Grand Final
in the professional scene.
These players, no stranger to pressure.
to pressure. I think they're going to absolutely force the best out of one another. This one
I fully expect it'll go the distance. It's the humble confidence that comes out from
the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia that really is that difference maker. It's just going to
be an insane series. Regardless, I cannot wait to get into it. And I cannot stress enough
how magical it is for these players to do that in front of the crowd here at BlizzCon,
which is such a historic event, it's such a historic venue really.
Being able to lift a trophy in front of these incredible people in here
have been supporting the players, the game, and Blizzard as a whole.
That is truly magical.
So this is going to mean the world to new players and veterans alike
to bring it on this stage here, Jake.
Yeah, you know, for me, I can really speak to that, you know,
that all of our journeys here today, this BlizzCon in 2026,
they all seem to intersect.
So many people have been here time and time again.
For others, maybe it's their first event
in competitive Overwatch or their first BlizzCon.
And yet it's amazing to see how quickly
the community comes back together.
Having moments like this where the world is all watching,
families from both teams certainly glued
to the screens at home.
This event, it's freighted with meaning.
More than a cash prize or a first place trophy
in the professional scene.
In this event, you're competing for your country,
your family, your friends, everyone who supported you
along the way. And for all these incredible people here in the round at
Anaheim, let me tell you your voice matters. Your energy in a series such as
this changes everything. This kind of pressure brings out the best and sometimes
the worst in players, right? It really pushes you to extremes. So make sure you
don't hesitate to give your energy to these players. Let them know what you're
feeling. That's right. I know this crowd can get very loud. You guys can get loud in
right? I'm like convinced-ish. All right, we're gonna try that again. BlizzCon, can you hear us?
All right, with that kind of energy, the crowd, the players rather, can hear you too. Ash, this has
been your first BlizzCon ever. What's your experience been like? It's been incredible thus far. It's
been such an honor to be able to join you guys on the desk for my first BlizzCon. And overall,
It's just been so exciting to see these teams compete for their national pride
I cannot wait to get into the grand final neither can I now you know what I always love about grandfiles like this
Yes, the home team is out, but in the end everyone in this room really just wants to see good
Competitive all will watch so eventually you don't really even choose a side anymore
You're just gonna you're gonna be cheering for sick place
You just want to see the players pop off no matter who they're playing for Jake
I mean after all these years
I feel like my heart is somehow with every player on this day
You know someone has to go home defeated with their head held low and yet
I just have so much love and admiration for all the players who come up on this stage to put their absolute best in front of
The entire world with everyone watching under the incredible scrutiny and pressure and yet they show us such beautiful things and really
Inspire us lead us to great heights in our own lives
So for me, a moment such as this is a really special one, one that I'll save her.
It is indeed.
I'm actually wondering, who's got the first place come?
Do we have any first timers? Hands up?
First place come? There's quite a lot of people actually.
Okay, love that?
Alright, alright, so I'm not a spectacled, you're not alone.
You're never alone.
We're all family here, we're all in this together.
It's really so magical to be here for the first time or for the tenth time.
It does not matter.
We're here, we came to play, we came to be entertained.
And I know that's what we're gonna get in our grand final.
So it's time to meet our teams.
Fuck it, please take it away.
Please, Conorita, please make some noise for your two models.
Yesterday, we started with the eight best teams on the planet Romani.
Tonight, we're down to the bottom two.
It's my honor to introduce first, it's your Iranian champion.
Please make some noise for the kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
KSA had looked so clean throughout this World Cup and of course is a previous meeting, the boys dominant through the slaying.
The support has been on point.
And this team knows that they are just one match away from lifting this push control once again.
Will the World Cup in 2026 belong to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia?
Only time will tell and only one team is left in their way.
Once again, give it up for KT!
Our next team, they have three golds and one bronze to their name, giving us for the best team to ever grace the World Cup.
It is South Korea!
They have to gun up the reverse sweep and they pulled off the big win.
Will they be able to do it again?
Now in the final fight against KSA, they are four match away from becoming
World Champion, ladies and gentlemen in the air.
Please make some noise one more time and give it up for your team.
We have a travel player who's around the world showcasing the greatest level of
overwatch, on our right is KSA, on my left is South Korea.
This is your BlizzCon 2026 overwatch World Cup 5.
Welcome to Day 2 of the 2026 Overwatch World Cup Final.
The ranking ten minutes clean, get it up for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia!
Is any team capable of ripping that trophy from their grasp?
We're not doing anything in the Kingdom, this was not a tunnel, it was a little lava, but I did.
I don't know what they're going to do. They're going to show them who the team is and what they're going to do.
I don't think they're going to be able to talk about the fight, but I don't think so.
the other refuses to let its rain end. Korea, Saudi Arabia, all that stands between them is this.
The 2026 Overwatch World Cup final. Yeah, KSA trying to be the only other country in the
Overwatch World Cups history to go back to back, right? South Korea has done it before and KSA
has been unbelievable throughout the entire tournament, right? I mean, they dropped one map
to spin a little bit earlier but other than that they've been perfect through the groups and here at Bluzcon.
And South Korea could not have had a different story at upset in Busan at the hands of France.
They had to fight that same foe to even be here. They had to enact the very same reverse sweep
that brought them humiliation on the home soil. These two teams have never played one another
in national Overwatch competition. They dodged each other in 2023. It wasn't the beers that
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia made that revelatory run straight to the top.
And so it feels like they should be unfamiliar with one another.
But these players at the club level have been going back and forth for years.
And KSA is not going to be phased by the moment, right?
I mean, these players, obviously a lot of them have been, you know,
kind of your OWCS world champions last year, a few of the players on this roster.
We've seen Ziad play in finals before.
No pressure, I think, is going to be felt on the KSA side.
I think for South Korea, there is going to be some pressure, right?
That is not an easy game against France that they are able to pull out in the final moments.
They've obviously taken care of Team USA in pretty dominant fashion,
but I even think the level from France to KSA is going to be a big jump in terms of competition.
Absolutely.
Even if the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia haven't been tested to the same degree,
you can see how clean they look.
They have, well, sped absolutely no expense, no mercy on any of their opponents.
They've got passed on their way here.
Let's no reason to doubt that they could potentially do the same disaster here.
I mean, look, if you have courts on your team, like for my money,
probably the best player here at this tournament, it's very difficult to beat.
They do a tremendous job keeping him alive, playing around him.
And I think obviously the supports, right?
That was like a lot of the talk with this KSA roster,
the really most unproven part of the team we've seen obviously
than play in the past, but not maybe at the top of the OWCS club level and not at events like EWC,
but here at BlizzCon, they always show up in a big way. It's a jet-pack-cat ban here for South Korea off the rip.
But that support line for KSA can rise to the occasion, and you can keep court standing.
He's good for two, it feels like every fight.
But for South Korea, this couldn't be a more different team to take on than France,
because the Tech like Seattle does not lean into the Demon.
The guy's D-Vera is incredible. He's got a pretty wide zero pool.
So many options in this KSA team. I no longer sort of Symmetra, Rush, Merchant, Stripe.
That was kind of like the, oh yeah, it's just like, just Sim, once Sim's out, everything will go back to normal.
That has not been the case.
They haven't had to play UD at any point.
No, I mean not at all, right? I mean they obviously could, but Sim not prevalent in the meta.
The ball ban is going to be tough. I know for creator of the woodthread, obviously.
You'd love to see him get some action on the Wrecking Ball early.
Yeah, on a map like Nepal, we've seen South Korea pitch Lee trying to get Wrecking Ball involved.
At least in some of the stages of these control maps.
And are certainly somewhere Wrecking Ball is quite potent.
Jetpack Cat targeted on the KSA side of things.
Don't think they're too worried.
No, but again, this is a team. This is only Redmond Roster.
They're kind of regional rivals, right?
Yes, they all have from that same country, but they're from top teams in EMEA.
in mind, GK, Al-Khadsir. These guys have been fighting each other on home soil for quite some time and come together for the sake of their nation.
Where's South Korea? Mostly, this crazy raccoon call, with Song-Jin, simple being the addition, simple a teammate, of course, of some of these twisted minds players.
A lot of history, a lot of familiarity despite the fact that these nations have never faced off.
And this is going to look much different from that France game, right?
KSE has not played any D-mon really when you compare it to a lot of the other teams.
They want to play a lot of D-ba. They want to play a lot of Maga. Those are the types of comps they kind of want to work in.
Moment's away now from seeing our first hovers.
The detection starts to build. It's been a long day for Team South Korea.
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia have dropped a single map on their entire journey here.
One to Spain. A slightly sloppy affair to be sure, but Spain were plucky.
They have talent.
Takariya needs to go further, need to do more.
Need to make these upstarts respect them.
And the legacy that Bat brings.
Of course, we'll be starting off on Village here, folks.
Out of the gates, BlizzCon arena.
Let's get loud for Overwatch World Cup, grand final!
So it'll be a Shion at Bastion here for KSA just trying to put a lot of damage down on to really jump in right you get that
Arisa off interesting. It's actually South Korea trying to come out run a Zimcombe
Symmetra now the range of her TP has been reduced and also the cooldown between
consecutive uses of the teleport has been increased by a quarter second but it
now that was not a long lasted comp right we get one try out of the spawn
switching over to the Shion as high ground control to KSA early on look at
the coach damage though Chorok stalker taking their hits as the train
approaches this short courseway on the higher ground and sometimes are even
picked off lap day so in some serious work the joyride claims his opposite
number can't you say with a speed ring again I look to try and take the fight
But you've got to respect those fighting chains.
Chorong's here on the Mizuki.
It's an interesting look for an interesting composition.
Well, it's really good against D.B.A., right?
Especially in those close-quarter scenarios
when you get onto the objective here.
It's KSA.
They get a little bit of percentage here.
It's going to be very difficult to play into Korea's comp, though.
Yeah, I don't think one of the policemen
to the point at this stage,
but Javelin kind of forced his hand.
Kitsune Russian out to the point.
It's a Keknai sanctuary in play, but he's out in Korea.
No, this isn't bad for KSA, though.
They back off the point.
They're going to have a horrible array here to fight as well.
Yeah, into the rush, mind you.
Junkman's gonna get taken down first.
Marjad was looking a little bit low, but in general, TSA,
looks squeaky clean early on.
It's the ability of Ziad to just feel like he can live forever, right?
Korea's comp is a comp that is pretty gnarly, very easy to play against.
They're able to get a kill, he backs up onto the point,
and then you just played it with the Orville array
with a player advantage, and he put that point right back pretty easily.
Got here, just gotta open up the account very quickly with the cannon barrage.
An early pick on a squishy or force a squish there before the fight begins could be extremely helpful.
In general though, it looks like it was shrugged off by enlarge.
Like the Bastion, of course trying to play it with that high ground,
but stalking down on that Cassidy, pretty impactful in that matchup against France.
And all those sky news were really crucial in terms of deciding if it's in fights.
Quartz gets the Susie, they have a back way around the corner because the DC on the D added will still be a self-destruct.
Almost preempted there by Jumping, but Stalker's down, not good.
Lost your Cassidy, we'll have to get to make use of the Sutteric, just for you until now.
Trice and Dive forward, but a Kekei Sanctuary, it's drawn out of South Korea and all the while, KSA maintain point control.
But that's fine for KSA, right? You have a player advantage, the Sanctuary gets dropped.
You're going to work your way back onto this objective with this Katsune Rush and you may not even need it.
Nice headshot there from Barjad across the point.
Manjid no bother, sees the Orisa coming, sees them already low as Ziyad had been pursuing them, 80% and counting him for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
And they're sitting on a Katsune rush to cap off the route.
This has been clean from KSA.
Stalker going to get staggered out there, going to jump off the side.
It's Junbin over the demon here.
They're even touching the worst way, I mean who's going to get there?
But Junbin has a touch at the very least.
Katoonimashira going to come at it immediately from KSA.
And they're looking to punish his overextension.
Sakurai Rinoi chose but to keep the round going.
Sontran's going to have most of that spree mitigated by the defense matrix.
The Laptic is taken down.
Junbin finds the mark here on Dimon.
Corso is ready. Again to go for wheels mode.
Sees the Shion coming his way and very quickly Sontran tries to exit stage right.
But he's not fast enough.
Kananvaraj late in the fight could be pretty powerful.
Little Zorin off the entrance to the point.
And Sybil got picked off.
That's free real estate for Quarrelson. Stalker is the next to fall with the wind down out of the game.
This is just the drags left for South Korea is the kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Stamp their authority
early on the series. No other team does that. South Korea, right? Makes it look that easy.
That is a great round from KSE, especially playing that even into like an recent Mizuki comp. And like
that's the most close quarter point, right? That's where like Mizuki can get those easy
binding chains onto Ziad and maybe you get some D-Max. KSA just deals with that, no problems.
You have Suzu, you have a healthy amount of healing with that. Do you know built into your
composition there? It's pretty hard. You mentioned how for Ziad it's well, I mean,
that'll tell you the whole story. It also helps in courts get to kill at the start of every fight.
I mean, it is every single fight. It's really impressive what he's able to do on the hit scan
and roll like historically speaking in terms of Overwatch eSports. Not many others like it.
Back under Bastion after a very strong first round. Don't get on the run much trickier.
A pick that sometimes can falter in the face of Bastion pressure. The timing will be everything.
Timing for the Nemesis 4. Timing for wheels mode. And lag has been noted trying to flank around
and you can see Korea's response trying to push on in.
Sancho with a whirlwind now, looking at Lapdus' direction.
Overhead swing, no connection, but Lapdus is still beaten up and forced to pull out.
I'm not going to be able to get rid of Sunjoon though.
You do end up losing Chorong and Forts finds Stalker yet again.
In South Korea, you cannot get the better of that hitscan battle.
This may not be one that goes for a long time.
It's a really nice shot by South Korea, right?
They push KSA all the way back to the choke,
The KSA able to survive in that area and now we get a little bit of interesting calm
I now you're gonna get sojourned with the fashion here lab
There's an unbelievable sojourn. I mean we rarely see them go double hitscan, but this is a really gnarly come
Yeah, the fact that I say half this possibility when they set up is pretty impressive
It's all a story all the time, but that means to be a fire player projectile
DPS to pick up that hitscan
I'm glad there's one of the better hitscans here.
Absolutely.
The problem is he sat next to court, so it's not hard to come out favourably in that comparison, but he's incredible.
29% in County. Rashes built for both carries.
Shouldn't have been settling in on the Demo now.
A bit of an analogue for Rob Mucher, but again, can't be pretty punishable.
Binding Chain tried to come in, this tech-eye sanctuary in play.
Zonja trying to surge ahead, but Ziad doesn't have a chance to get back in his mech.
The self-destruct creates a little bit of space and drives a wedge between South Korea's formation.
Formation, but Tali Rebri aren't confident coming forward without their diva in the game. No, that was a nice shot by South Korea
You drop that sanctuary you're able to have the Vindetta fight inside of it
Even with the self-destructs. They are not able to get back in max. A must-eater fight when they're
Docs there always got charged into by Jim Vim and that's Song Jin-Fooling. The Pulsar torpedoes find the mark
Yeah, that is a really nice
open and kill the orbital ray right around the corner catches them off guard a
little bit and even when South Korea which they get something going in their
favor it's just the next fight KSA comes back over the low ray I mean you just
take out one player just kind of barrel on down that you know difference is real
if you can keep her protected yeah and she is gonna be at a vomit that damage
out especially with a mini blast you can go full automatic well there's a lot of
damage for the Vendetta to try and fight into here right like the fashion alone is a lot but also now with a
Sojourn with like an overclock in the mix I mean the data has pretty decent
spreadability for a DPS but not infinite I mean it's going to be very difficult
to use Vendetta alive. This is the late career that kind of far-eyed but Marge had caught their
Sojourn. He wasn't even tempted to find that elimination. Zill Laptar has some work to do and he's good for it.
Zorka and Choron picked up on the point simple barely alive. Man the Sojourn with a flank angle
Turns the fight upside down.
That's their second hits, yeah.
That is the collat that comes in there.
And that might be it.
I mean, it looks like we are going to have Stalker getting back here with a dead eye.
Nobody else can touch.
And just like that, it is KSA up 1-0.
That combines 50% on both points here for Team South Korea.
That is not going to be enough against our reigning Overwatch World Cup champions.
Not by half.
Well, so many teams have ditched these comps
that KSA has played, right?
They've moved on to Dmon, a lot of Orisa we've seen.
And it's like, OK, we're just going to keep playing D-Boo.
D-Boo with a hitscan.
I don't know, maybe it's Tracer, maybe it's Shea.
And that time, it's double hitscan.
They seem to have just said, you know what?
It's almost like the teams I like South Korea use to have,
right?
We're like, oh, they can just kind of play what they're comfortable
and they just kind of beat everybody.
KSA kind of did an imitation of that now.
We've been discussing a lot about how teams respond to their opponents playing Demon after she charges in.
In Demon mirrors, usually both try to ignore each other and just hit each other's back lines.
Ziad has the option to double back pretty easily.
You can peel, you don't want to fight the Demon face to face, but you can certainly screen for your teammates.
I mean look, obviously Stalker playing Cassidy and the Bastion on the other side.
Bastion is just going to pump out way more damage, but like double the damage out of your hit skin player.
I mean, that's just like 15k over two rounds.
Yeah, it's not even a full three round match.
No, no, yeah, just absolute down there.
And you wonder why Ziad stays alive all the time,
because nobody's alive to do damage to him.
Well, I also see, you know, you're playing the Mizuki here
really trying to punish the greediness of the diva.
If that's not going to work, I think there's probably
a discussion here for some three of, like, OK,
are we like, we haven't seen them play in a lot recently,
right?
We're gonna get into like more rematcher type of compositions like some rush really like hyper aggressive type of
Compositions, I mean know that this up creating some play they just haven't been forced to here at the overwatch will come
I mean in a way I think the demon comps are like that with the absence of jetpack cat like they were
Ostensibly playing that much style. In fact, they even started the round with the rematcher, but against the bastion
Especially with quartz bombing that damage out
But it's still a problem. If you don't have a way to really access that backline, it's dicey.
But you imagine, you know, Saudi Arabia is eventually going to use a demon ban, right?
Like, they're not going to play it, right? So they may as well just kind of get rid of it.
Do you have a map in your pocket? And the demon ban is still waiting to be drawn upon.
Yeah, and I mean, even with what we saw, right? I mean, you could also get rid of the cat if you wanted on their side.
And I don't see how that goes. It looks like we got some players on stage.
It's my shock, potentially.
My shocky.
South Korea are making substitutions.
You've never seen them play. It's kind of like a hockey where they know that just a line change in between maps sometimes
But we'll see what subs they decide to make we've obviously seen it from the DPS lineup, right?
They have a he's saying on this roster as well working him in and then the big ones to look at right
It's like Max and Jun been I do think though like we're getting to the point in terms of Overwatch eSports where like those y'all can play
So many different tanks seeing the sub is kind of a read right of like what they want to do that could actually like it doesn't
Yeah, Saudi Arabia, unlike the band, right?
Like, they see Junbin here at the start, the maps to Nepal.
They have a great idea.
They want to play ball. Let's get rid of it, right?
The one slightly confusing part is that the whole narrative is that, you know, Junbin was the man up to play Demon to really dig into it.
But we've seen him from Max as well.
It feels like she's still that level of ubiquitous that both of the tank players need to sort of play out.
We know Junbin has maybe the more specialized ball, right?
The wrecking ball is there.
Max feels like a little bit more middle of the road.
The hero force between those tank players also is starting to overlap a fair piece with those exception.
I actually wouldn't even be surprised if we see South Korea potentially getting rid of D.Va in some capacity, right?
If you're playing a comp that's like D.Mon with Mizuki a decent amount of the time, I know even like a recent Mizuki on like close quarter areas,
like you're trying to punish that D.Va, they were not able to do so there.
So that would lead you to believe that even on maps that have better verticality than to Paul
You're gonna see even more success from Ziyad on that Diva
So I wouldn't be surprised to see South Korea go in that way at some point during the series
Still can't really get over the score line we saw from the previous map Zox didn't die at all
If that's a three-round game ports is that like you know 20 plus K damage
Yeah, quick maths puts them at 22 23 K
And I guess the trouble is that like Sondra was playing to vendetta
I kind of like it is like a pocket pick right so he's also been going for but he dies seven times like he
There's nothing in the Saudi Arabian combat strictly counters the vendetta either it just have you been dead is another here
Right, you think of vendetta against sim also against diva like tanks that also just really came in can't mitigate that damage
I know even say great kinetic rastos nothing against then dead is damage and even with all that z odd
It's able to just fly around the map.
But Ziad finished in the one death, right?
So not really able to kind of pick him off.
Going over to Neon Junction for the next map.
This is where you see a lot of like Ramatra play.
You see a lot of Sigma play.
We also see some Orisa here as well.
Yeah, Malga mixed in.
I think the Orisa component is pretty interesting,
seeing like defense side teams, Piedaphobia.
So if you're in South Korea, right?
I mean, you could get rid of D.Va.
Ziad's probably going to play Maga, and you can place him a recent, and our recent has actually been pretty successful in terms of like Maga matchups as a play.
I don't know how you feel about this, but I'm not sure if this is a map to Bandita.
I feel like given it, there is some verticality, but little on this map.
I feel like if you're someone like Ziad, you're probably opting into playing something a little bit more boots on the ground.
We're talking about it like, no, you wouldn't be thrilled to see Ziad on Remacha pretty nasty on that hero as well.
Not just kind of like a diva player, so to speak.
Yes, Kiropool and preferences, I think more importantly,
couldn't be more different from Crox's, for example.
Because South Korea had to go up against two very distinctly different challenges
with their two-piece tank line.
It does give a really big opportunity for KSA, right?
Like, what do you, you know, they can get rid of, you know, like,
Srymajad wouldn't mind playing Ana, right?
They could get rid of Kiri if they wanted.
There's possibility to do something like that.
So a lot of different options from KSA,
especially if South Korea is really worried
about that tank pool.
Like, South Korea, though, also,
you have to worry about Quartz, but like, you're not really,
you don't want to burn fans on like fanning,
it's hand DPS, like that doesn't really feel awesome.
So it'll actually be South Korea who gets rid of Kiri.
So we have seen like a South Korea play like Chorong
in these like Wu Yang compositions, Wu Yang plus Ana,
like really poke which could lead to like even like Sigma in the mix right? Sigma,
Guiyang, Ana, that starts to form a pretty nice composition for a map like this and
well, KSA they read that so they get rid of Sigma. Yeah I don't hate this at all I
think that Max coming in is a pretty big tell for this kind of look and Guiyang
has been very impactful against like the lower throughput healing backlines
where the poke damage kind of sticks for a while. There's a ton of ways that you
to sort of play around this.
Yes, and we'll see now with Sigma out of the games,
probably going to be Ramatra with some of those poke type
of supports coming in, or South Korea.
Honestly though, for KSA, you can play D.Va
and really try and punish that backline that maybe doesn't
have as much mobility.
Obviously, it's cool to see Layser from out there
the arena earlier on. The Les Seraphim skins are actually now out in-game and the new Overwatch
track sounds pretty awesome. So for those here, you can catch Les Seraphim's BlizzCon performance
during the closing ceremony and for those at home, you can catch it over on Les Seraphim's YouTube
channel. Always a cop these skips. I don't know about you bro, but especially with Demonlight,
just sort of getting into the game, like getting my hands on a Blink out skim there, always going
going to do that. Yeah, they do a sick job with this. Yeah, I'm looking forward to that
obviously performance here. So if you are not here in the building physically, they
serve from YouTube channel to check out that performance is where you want to be Matt.
You're a big capable guy. I see you copy that every day of the week. Sure. Yeah. I heard
audible labs for the crowd behind us there is they don't they don't believe that at all.
But just waiting to get this one kicked off where KSA looks dominant is ever there in
map number one on Nepal.
The Sigma Band comes in.
You also have a Kiri Band, right?
So that would lead you to believe for South Korea to play some Woo Young on a composition.
But it's going to give an opportunity for Ziad on the diva to kind of run just wild on.
point out that obviously this South Korean roster is one we haven't seen before in World Cup.
But for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, courts, Labda and Marjad were all present in 2023. Relative
unknowns at the time, with I'd say the exception, obviously Marjad had been around our teams,
courts had also started to surface, but it was really early days, you know, for a lot of those
Saudi players. They turn up here and they're acting like champions, right? This isn't like just some
Cinderella defending her miracle the guys have been playing like they are still very much those champions from 2023
Oh, they won the last World Cup right there were a burst sweep there at the end
They don't have to play against South Korea and it's uh, you know people always always wonder
I go what would happen that game right?
Uh, but South Korea doesn't even finished up three at our last overwatch World Cup right Finland is able to get the
I mean, they hit the mental boomage in the goal,
and the bronze medal map.
Yeah.
Ah-ha, those sick contacts.
The cosplay here at BlizzCon is always super impressive.
Everybody does a sick job.
Putting together a fit, it's kind of
repping their favorite hero.
And it's not just the work that, for me,
goes into these fantastic pieces.
It's also the logistics, like transporting it, getting it on.
All of it, it's a huge undertaking.
Yeah, we just need to finish product training.
Genuinely is art. So huge shout out to everybody showing us the fruits of your labor there and the cosplay sense on your huge fan of it
At the special bit of flavor to everything here at BlizzCon
The Unjunction though beckons
And you're wondering like why these teams never played each other
Just Saudi Arabia didn't make the main stage in 2019. They're just not a competitive nation in 2023
South Korea lost to China who then fell to Saudi Arabia. So they dodged each other
But they know each other, there's familiarity here in spades.
How do you feel about South Korea trying to play a D-bar head to head?
We have turned these pigeons into...
We need to blow up one of those pigeons to be a hero in there.
There's a massive pigeon.
Oh, it blew up in that set.
Okay, yeah, that's it.
Yes.
Jaws would like the pigeons to be blown up.
I for one, embrace our new AD and overlords.
The question though, gameplay related, was how I feel about Max and Ladiva, I feel like
this is a fallback from a potential Sigma.
I'm a big believer in giving the people what they want.
I'm gonna try to see if they stay on it.
So, I mean this South Korea comp is something that you would, I could believe the KSA team
would be playing.
It'll be a Juno Mizuki here with Symmetra.
A lot of space created with this comp here for Korea.
Nice shot there from Stalker up to the high ground.
Almost takes out Lada.
KSA though have the ability, the mechanism to get up there
with the jetpack, got in courses,
still getting first kills, every single fight.
Alongside death and taxes is one of the most reliable
factors in this series.
I also think, if you're South Korea, right?
You know, a lot of these comps, like,
at the Xeon, KSA has seen every permutation
to try and play, like, think about it.
Like they never move off of D.Va, like they've seen every type of like D.Va counter you possibly can and know how to play against it so well.
Protocols are there for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, again they're keeping for the higher ground, but not everybody on Korea actually taking it.
KSA forced it back away, they've given up almost two ticks here, and eventually they're gonna have to put something on the line.
Put some skin in the game.
Once he's ready for it, perhaps even calling for it. Over the top he goes, quick skynone,
simple is in trouble. There's half the little skulls all appearing. That's a couple little
two-piece for Quartz. Make it four. Included the DMEC of course, a max. Yeah, he might
just be him. I mean, some people may have been in denial for a while. I think he's been
the best hit scan for two, maybe three years at this point has been that good. I mean,
Now you have Catnap, you have a Nano here to potentially go on as the odd, you have your
spree.
Hey, I see.
I'm gonna put together a pretty good defense to this farm, you get another fight here for
South Korea with a loss.
You're in a race car.
How does Lapidus knock on the front door like that and get an insta elimination?
Nano moves there with huge relief, Joy rides forward into a spree to make it inescapable.
This is wild. South Korea bringing out the sim here in the finals like a KSA special really
the kind of country they really really use the Symmetra at a high level. Catnap that
connects with you, a biogrenade in the mix as well.
That knockdown was massive at least four people hit by the Catnap knockdown. Korea
punished for playing so close together but it's because of this is all but a way they're
going to make use of it. Causes everybody to get the drop on stalker. Now searching forward
It's Max close to a self-destruct, a remake opportunity, and a wall here for Heesang could turn the fight on its head.
Stalker's going to come back on the Vangetta as well, as we are going to get below a minute on the clock here rather quickly.
KSA just trying to survive and keep this contested through this wall.
It's going to be very difficult to do so, it'll be Ziyadu Gassan gets a touch.
Tynote again, you're going to dance this wall, quarters in the right spot.
He acted dive in the sanctuary no other choice, but unfortunately comes up with nothing simple deals with him and eventually South Korea
Get to move our payload
Let's see how long they stay on this with the vendetta in the mix so a very aggressive comp here
From South Korea, but you can see people have been dead in save some of that mobility
playing the vendetta around that sim
Also now is the odd making the change over to the Zarya, the hero that Ziyad is really good at.
But we haven't seen Zarya really at all at this tournament.
Now it does feel strictly to try and limit Max's potential here.
I guess the vertical mobility is less important on this phase of the map. You are sort of grinding into this choke.
still I'm surprised you see he had off out of the diva matchup it could be the binding
chain is starting to get a bit frustrating something you can't really mitigate effectively
as diva this is a better work feels like a little bit of a gambits yeah dangerously low
though lot of damage trying to occupy this space nano here maybe it's for the Zarya is
He's gonna try and hit him when it's up to Ricky Spree here.
Jedi first though. Cut through that orbital ray.
It's gonna be mitigated by the defense matrix. Ziato gets he's down and he's fully charged.
Ready to hit the ground running and it's just nowhere for simple to go.
Quick retort here for KSA and advance to the orbital ray play.
And now you're gonna have a graph, right? You're gonna have the ability to get like a grab off here.
You have spree as well. You can double bubble the spree a lot of good utility here or KSA as
Below two minutes yet again here
South Korea though Mitch they're gonna have a lot of ultimates to work with
Max
We'll need a mini-gauge just coming from search. Here's the spree and the bubble as you called it
Land of the is happy with what he gets here, which is not a whole lot. The symbol is in play
That's an odd place for a crap to go. I won't lie. Good response there for he's not now
Now, here comes the second wave of attack for South Korea.
Stoker trying to push up.
Overclock at the ready, but KSA doing a good job of playing out of that line of sight
while the cart is not yet threatening a cap.
Now, though, it is.
Ziad needs to get a touch.
He's likely a big force to really ration out these bubbles.
He's got none left, and Chorong just bursts him down.
Nice binding chain catch on the cap as well.
We didn't miss that. Chorong notches up three.
In the sanctuary, so impactful for South Korea.
They have a comeback and fight inside of it, right?
With that D.Va and the Sim, the Mizuki as well.
Nobody from KSA really wants to take that brawl inside of that sanctuary.
It's been really important, it's going to be a huge ultimate here towards the end of this map as well.
on the low key, Matt. Chorong is putting out more damage. Right now. Then Saunshun is a
rather... then he sank, pardon me. Absolutely pumping it out. You're all locked here on
this music, kid. He's not getting picked off there by Kothra, that's half the issue.
For that sim utility, Max is going to get popped, the self-destruct means he can remake
in a pinch. Zippel there with an orbital ray, but it's something that Dead Eye can certainly
punish. Yeah the Nano wants to ziyad it's just Max cannot stand there and fight
him toe-to-toe on the diva that's why we're gonna see a Zarya mirror matchup
here TP up to the high ground gonna get stalker a nice vantage point set him up
with a position to maybe make a play there's a lot of ground game here by
South Korea they're gonna orbital right so okay with the body could I now
cause it's got a pretty good hurt to this one simple has to get behind that
small pillar, a little peek here and there, a TP away, Quartz responds and
simple gets caught out still. The risky play to drop down into the purview of his
opponent Zaya. Docks need safety, back up to the higher ground he goes but South
Korea start look pretty menacing now this card is inches away, two meters Zia very
very low a spring, gonna be thrown in here by Labrador to try and stem the bleed.
There's Docks over the top, one for one but it's Zia that goes down, Marger's
got to keep this going, stalker might have fallen but the Kekai sanctuary should
Get him home, last resistance of course, and then South Korea!
Post up three checkpoints.
Great adjustments from South Korea.
Now we were talking about the Mizuki in map number one.
They run it here in our second map.
They went some sim and diva.
The Nezari swapp at the end from Max was huge.
They finished with some time in the bank as well.
a huge bounce back there after map number one again. This is a tough map to finish with the best of times
Yeah, we saw Zia the one that made that switch over to the Zyre and Max was happy to reciprocate
felt comfortable for him to play into that matchup especially with this like a he's saying wall that appeared to block off that that
Graviton search
Doron also is able to do a bunch of damage here in this round. It's also interesting move KSA's line up in right now
They don't really want to match a sim, right? Like KSA would probably be fine taking a sim mirror here
But the UD obviously not in the game right? Labda. You're really gonna consider
much of a Symmetra player
Rion defense a lot stalker playing ash so we see more ash here
Creeping into the meta just a little bit. I think this would be you know
Obviously the known Mizuki on the other side, right?
But I think if they do play Mizuki again, I would love to see KSA train play some Maga.
I think that would be a really good alternative.
Looks like we'll get to Ziad Maga here on offense.
30 seconds is the leftover time bank for South Korea.
It's a buffer to give you some level of confidence.
But that all depends on how fast KSA are able to get into this map.
Are we getting sorry you're D.V. here from Ziad?
It's going to be D.Va.
I think he finally feels more comfortable playing the D.V. here with no
Mizuki on the other side. You also without Symmetra
Might feel like we need to be able to access the high ground. You're upon us playing Ash
So you know the stalker is gonna be looking for a very safe spot to Ron can sort of get him perched up there
D.V.
This time though first it'll be crossing upstairs
Stalking off the side by the grenade joy riders wall is gonna whiz past
What's his kind of commitment in this position and fished out by the cat defense matrix very well employed here by Zad to prevent the loss of the Bastion that eventually courts will succumb.
Yeah, one tick for KSA, but great defense there from South Korea.
The dynamite takes just onto that bastard up in the high ground.
it up on the high ground. Forts dropped down. Docs able to keep him alive. Probably longer
than anticipated, but nice follow up there by Max. Stocker already building up towards
his bob.
Dianne, close up on that corner. Bob can be thrown into one of these corners here on
Salker's left. It's pretty good at contesting this space. Salker also thinks about these
side rooms. Dynamite obviously is going to give him a bit of an edge here, and that's
It's going to be a bomb instead of thrown out in.
Bob is actually in a really scary spot, forcing KSZ to come forward.
And so they will.
S1mple just gets rolled over instantly.
And S4rker lacks the mobility to avoid the purview of Ziyan.
One tick and change and counting.
As all of South Korea have to fight their time for a regroup briefly.
Katnaps going to be at the ready for Chorong,
but no, they feel like the fight is already over.
Yeah, the nano there from South Korea doesn't get much.
stalker now over the Cassidy will match courts. I think these console make you
started to you know move in a way that favors KSA. We'll see I like this from
South Korea though. I think you have to play aggressive up on this quarter. You
cannot allow this payload. Like this are really strong chugaburra to hold on
defense here. I like the decision to play at this moment.
Oh my god that is just a neutral elimination on an honor of all things.
headshot randomly on He-San, drops him low, somebody's got to stop this guy.
Max eventually does, but the damage might already have been done.
Yeah, I mean Max is going to get staggered here.
Well, they're actually going to kill him because they want to move that payload on forward,
but I mean Quartz is able to just peek around the corner to tap the Ana like that.
That's a position that's fairly safe, right, where S1mple is playing.
I mean, he's got an even front of him defense matrix there.
It just, Quartz is able to connect these shots so fast in quick succession.
Now you have the opportunity for Sky Noon here to potentially get this second checkpoint.
Just bringing the hands of Heesun.
No need to make use of it until there's a commitment though from KSA. This might resemble one though.
Sky Noon on the top, Quartz getting shot out by Simple and a defense matrix to the rescue.
Tough for Cassie to get value in that kind of matchup.
Laptor ends up falling to the Sartoriki's free, but in general KSA trading up and Ziad has an opportunity to go after simple
It's gonna take more than that though to get rid of that star player
Eventually a selfless right remit gets him back to business. I mean they go all in to get rid of quartz
They finally get him, but Ziad gets three on the other side, right?
It's like what do you do of your max, right?
You either peel for your backline and then eventually quartz takes everybody out. You go after him and Ziad
just dominates the other end. A free available here. Nice angle here.
Defense matrix again crucial there for Ziad, but simple celebrity draw or beat on LAMTA.
Back to the high ground for Ziad now. Give this out here, Revy. You know this fight is
essentially done. I think they'd like to avoid the stagger on the debuff. Ziad
desperately trying to fall here, finally does. So will Sir Majed. Doc's trying to save
him here with a lifeline, gonna be able to get him out. Two minutes and counting here for KSA.
The defense has been pretty good here for South Korea underneath this bridge. Last couple fights
really solid. That pick for simple I think is the beginning and the end of that last engagement. KSA.
Chorong here with the catnap could be huge. Just finding anything with this,
resulting in an early kickoff would be massive. Gord's cast the sky. Noon is taking down already
And the fight is done. Juro and Galsmak use that ultimate at the end and it's easy enough for Zox to be dragged out and picked off.
This is a very important time bank bleed for South Korea.
A sick biogranade there from Simple that connects with three players.
And at that point, I think KSA just decides, okay, it's time to go again.
Now, you mentioned the Sky Noon.
Max has been a really nice job on the D.Va, trying to get a lot of natural cover here as well, with South Korea to hide.
Quartz looking for more of that neutral pressure.
Train of course to defend to me, for example, before they use it.
I think that's worked. Max, I think he's out of juice at this point.
Quartz is out of options in terms of targets.
In the midst of it, he sends out a peek lab to off.
Quartz was just not relevant, not dropped in a position to succeed.
There's too many ways to break line of sight for the defenders here.
I mean, Max and the supports here for South Korea played this so well at this moment.
Raleigh just looking at one more fight here to be able to get a map win.
Magics are getting very slim.
There is an annabuse who's going to be deployed straight away.
It's Buziado. He's previously been hit with a biodecranate,
so he dropped slow early in the fight.
Defense makes it's going to be important to get that space,
but Max is doing the same thing to the back land of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
Quartz finds a right click connection on the Heesum though.
No, Max needs to get back in mech. He has to survive this moment. But no, Siaz able to run him down
Sox though is struggling the last heal elective for Saudi Arabia with 22 seconds on the clock to stalk a jock
He's back. He knows Siaz is low video also understands. There's probably a remake opportunity for the diva and that stalker firing back
It's who's better. It's a two-player bio there that comes in from simple connects with court and he just gets deleted
last chance to loon and not a lot to work with on the smelvin oily red KSA have
to come forward and look for some pressure
skorka backs up good tic gamut here on zox but it's the out again falling I'm
not gonna say it the she on play for he sung has been remarkable zox gets
picked off and now just the final moments for KSA they realize they have
pulled up short on neon junction
Maxon he said come on Ian it looks like a completely different ballgame
Simple was unreal on the honor as well
Time and time again on the defensive side of things when he has some space to work with Ray with the odds
I kind of breathing down his neck
Coming up with some big kills, but then also two three player bio grenades on the way in
Obviously with no carry throughout that one no way to cleanse those off really punishing see that big difference Mike
Or even though someone like Ziyan is having a coup so that defense matrix to eat many of those projectiles simple simply plays around those windows
Those when he can hit a big anti-heal and that's huge when you see out is waiting hoping for a nano boost from his honor
Much less value provided if he is doused in the anti-heal
It's your blade
Absolutely stunning in that game winning a lot of these peripheral tools against laughter
but also these big sprees that are either drawing out key defensive ultimates just rolling over the top
You know the vendetta and we saw in map number one
It's a pretty good idea from South Korea vendetta is a pretty good hero right now
But it's one that KSA they know how to play against like vendetta
Bebe comes at one
I know they play against it with so much sim play right so they have a good idea how to kind of counter that in
Action is you go take a look at some of the stats here
I mean he's saying from then this game Stalker really came alive in terms of that hitscan
I mean if you see that number kind of creep up against courts, you know and above it
You're gonna see South Korea win a lot of maps today
Stalker is the one piece one of the one pieces at least on this roster that doesn't get rotated out
For other DPS players. There's a good reason for that. This guy is so consistent so solid and dependable
Who better to go up against someone like Quartz, who this TS18 certainly is built around enabling?
Like Stalker's role on this career roster might not look the same, but his output over the course of the Unjunction now.
It was comparable, if not better, than what Quartz was able to put out.
And I wonder if your KSA, where do you want to take this series? Obviously, I know a long one here.
our first of four, if you're thinking about,
like, if you wanna play like some diva comps, right?
Like we've seen them, obviously,
historically go over and play like a,
maybe we, they play new junk and get rid of like a,
the Zuki, right?
And, you know, try and play that.
That would be one pathway, I think, for KSA,
is obviously it'll be their map pick.
Miskie, he's definitely posed issues for cores, for example.
He's dead eyes, he's forced to drop into him from the jetpack cat.
It does virtually, you know, answer the threat of Sky Noon.
It's kind of something we were discussing in the previous series, like what's the counterplay
to this?
You can't have your honor always sleep dart an airborne Cassidy during ultimate to cancel
it.
Okay, so we'll be new to there.
So we'll be new to New York City.
This is kind of what I was talking about.
This is a map that KSA, the players on KSA, been pretty popular from them in the past
in other tournaments with their teams.
So, I'm curious if you decide to get rid of Mizuki here, really unlocks the honor on the D.Va.
That is a hero that don't think KSA is going to mess with or out it.
And then also, like, look, if you get rid of Mizuki, maybe they ban D.Va.
You can just play Moga comps all day for King of the Saudi Arabia.
I think they'd be happy enough with that substitution here on the South Korea side of the stage.
Or in fact...
How many are we going to come out here?
Perhaps a bio break. You can't tell. Again, generally they're more transient than air molecules.
Or people got up and they have subs, so they are going to play a full string. We know that.
It's just who's coming in so I think John been going to come in here, right?
New junk is this going to be Marga
Yeah, it's really sad is pretty pretty recent in Ramatra. You pushed on this map. I
Also again, there's switch of tank play here through South Korea doesn't imply anything about whether or not
They want to play demon as we've seen both of them pilot that role with you know a decent amount of confidence
So yeah, not really about it.
You know, this Kymus out of your average team,
very traditional in their approach.
I think if they could still get away with playing
Lucio Keery, they would try it.
Yeah, nothing too complicated from them.
And it's a lot like when you watch courts play, right?
Like not, you know, the craziest kind of plays
and things like that, right?
But just so consistent.
Game over game, map over map.
They just have it drilled in so well.
I looked at the stage actually,
I think it's just courts.
Sitting up there, I know you got the player sub it in
and then you got courts up there as everybody on KSA,
they're taking a lap.
Courts probably just getting into the game training.
I like the rest of these Philistines on the stage.
Courts understands that staying seated,
being locked in is the most conducive
to maintaining that flow state.
But yeah, you don't know where to be.
It's funny how this guy just always finds his way back
to the biggest stages.
2025, OWCS champion in finals at the champions clash, midseason championship this year.
He's never far from the spotlight.
Probably the best hit scamp player in the world.
I feel like there's not a lot of debate about that in this era, but in this matchup, Stalker
is giving as good as he gets, so I don't blame thoughts for wanting to double down.
But if we keep seeing these music-y-based compositions as support designed to punish
specifically hitscans during the duration of Keklai Sanctuary, it might be hard for
Kors to assert his typical brand of dominance over the game.
Yeah, without a doubt, you see there our trophy.
South Korea has raised that three times.
We've been there for all of them.
Johnny put the other graphic for the first BlizzCon up, we looked on the talent announcement.
Yeah.
much younger there. Yeah, you've met people here who have said I watch you when I was
kids and they're they're full adults now. Yep. Yep. It's a bit of sweet revelation.
You aged worse than me. Well, that's because I had children. Instead of working with one,
I created two. Yeah, yes. A test piloted with me. And you know, this is pretty cool.
as you're waiting for the players to get back on stage.
I, you know, when we talk about the bands here,
four new Junk City, right?
I also think the reason why you go here
is because on the escort pool,
I think KSA feels fine, whether it's Root or Shambali.
That's gonna be the pick there.
Unless you get like, hey, we're gonna get jumping
and play some ball and get crazy here
and play the new Junker Town.
But I think KSA, most teams feel confident.
Either it's just Root or Shambali.
So take your pick here out of the flash points,
because what would be a really nasty scenario
for KSE to deal with is an Atlas pick from South Korea,
where they can't ban the wrecking ball,
and then Jun Bin just goes absolutely bonkers.
Now, it's a tough start in a series for South Korea,
but they looked a lot more joyful
at the end of that second map.
Let's listen to their comms and see what their vibe is like.
All right, I'll concede that did sound like more of a relief side than a cry of
tribulation. Yeah, I think they knew they had that one locked up at that point.
Nothing really to worry about in that final fight. So everybody from both
teams getting back on stage here, getting all situated is, looked like at least we
We have a Jungbin coming in.
I believe we also have Sunjin coming in, as well.
That's Sunjin there.
So that'll be coming in here for Heesang.
Interesting, like, NewJunkCity, right?
We do see Sunbin dead out, like, but you mentioned, I mean,
Heesang was awesome on the Sheehan and that map.
Yeah.
And also, with this configuration,
we also know Sunjin is like a really proficient trace
of player, right?
So you don't lose out on a ton of potential
terms of the DPS combos that you can put forward. I do think that like Vendetta
here can be pretty nice. I just don't really know specifically what the Vendetta
would want to be tied at. I mean, Shian would be an interesting band for KSA as
well. I get into like a little bit of a tracer head-to-head so curious where we
go in terms of the bands. A lot of options here for KSA is it feels like
we're kind of due for a long series. A lot of these games here whether it was
in Busan or early on and they have been kind of roles.
They think it's been mostly because these two teams have really kind of solidified
that they are just levels above everybody else.
I mean, in fairness, if you're a South Korea player, you've been embroiled in all the five
mappers.
Yeah, right.
You've been involved in all of those very long series.
It's been a long day for them.
They had a break.
We had a bronze medal match to sort of resolve.
It's still...
They had a concert?
Yeah.
Can't forget about that.
So both of these teams, I haven't had to play today, it's just that Saudi Arabia played three maps to South Korea's five in very high stakes high pressure scenario.
It felt like more of a warm up for the Saudis.
Sometimes that's like an adrenaline dump, right? Like you just kind of had that moment and then you have a little bit of a break and it's like, you know, hard to kind of get back into the flow of the game.
But obviously South Korea, these players as well, veterans of the game played in the biggest moments.
I mean, this is a battle of dominance versus resilience.
Saudi Arabia arrived almost untouched to this game.
Korea got here after scaring elimination in the face
for multiple maps and somehow surviving it.
Couldn't have dreamed up more different contexts,
more different paths into this game for these two teams.
And there's never any debate over what is better,
to get maximum Overwatch, get more maps out of the way.
But I feel like you'd rather be fresh
coming into a potential first to four match.
You'd rather be comfy, right?
You'd rather be the team that has been really
kind of consistent through the groups,
through the online, to the groups, then here in person,
then kind of getting here, you know,
grinding it out, the five map affair
from France where you're down to, oh,
and you have to battle all the way back there
for South Korea earlier today.
Ah. Okay, so I thought it would be like,
I know a Shion fan, Mizuki Shion of Indetta, something along those lines.
This also ends up protecting a lot of the hitscan, right?
Cassidy now available here.
It'll be Moga.
So this is kind of the other hero here in Ziad's wheelhouse.
So really I think it's Ziad.
So maybe we end up with a little bit of a mantra here.
I mean, I think Ziad's gonna play the horse, no?
Run it down, Arisa.
Yeah, that would be a good chat.
I mean, Arisa first yard is a hero we saw him play a lot last year, right, when Arisa was in the meta a decent amount.
But Dettor is a little difficult for D.Va, though, to deal with, because D.Va likes those huge burst damage windows, generally speaking.
He doesn't have that sort of displacement that you maybe need to interrupt Dettor. She's trying to execute a combo.
So that might be why we see that banster. Sonja, though, might go over to Tracer.
I feel like that's a pretty reasonable look on this map, more likely I feel than Xiong.
Zatgaria though they fought back in this series, a strong showing on Neon Junction shows that they still have it in them.
Trying to reclaim the promise legs.
This feels like a huge map, swing map in this series potentially.
Yeah, I feel like it is giving inflection points.
Cause like, you know, the push pool, right, it seems like everybody's kind of aligned on like what map to go towards and like what they want to play.
Pigeons, ducks, Shora, rubber ducks.
It's our avian?
Yeah, we cheer.
Then Escort, a lot of teams have decided that they would like to play.
got around the game in the tanks early it'll be the diva here's going up
against John been on the demon in this is a support line out of something about
our last map we see it now with the honor with the William a lot of poke
damage here from South Korea it goes up against the composition that's a
little better at healing they're like a lucio carry that we saw from France but
still it's super annoying Jorong is gonna be able to pump out a ton of damage
he also did some music earlier.
And simple spiotic grenades are going to be important.
Marge has to hold his Su-Su back from probably just that.
Laptor already doused with it.
Recovering note, over the top,
he shots from stalker,
been very good at stuff,
of course, to get where he needs to be,
but he still finds Chorong one way or another.
I mean, they dropped Quartz into the back line,
like you would think he's playing Reaper,
but Sunja able to punish him,
Siyan out of that,
this should be South Korea
who's able to get control of this Flashpoint first.
Nice shot there from Stalker.
Tucked Zots out of the sky.
Still more fight here from KSA,
but feels like inevitable for South Korea
to take this first Flashpoint and control with it.
We're just gonna watch the sidelines here for Stalker,
who's aware that Quartz is gonna be looking for him
a lot of the times,
which over to the Bastion now,
but Stalker really clinical in that previous fight
and didn't have a lot of pressure on him.
It feels like Laptor never got into a spot
to command the attention of any of the back runners.
Well, I think you go Bastion here.
The Bastion is like a pretty good,
you know, obviously, you know,
Demon extremely strong,
but can actually just kind of burn that Demon shield out,
then give an opportunity to follow up
with some serious damage.
Nanoboost available here already.
You like his likely to jump in?
Live at break two, man.
Really good start here for South Korea.
And none of us necessary.
With Simaajir going down the start of the fight,
Stalker has gone from strength to strength
in these last couple of maps. In the end South Korea can sit on so many of these
ultimates. The resistance from KSA honestly has been minimal.
KSA has been playing a lot of these comps so you see now the entire time and
has not been bullied back or pressured. Now you're certain to see South Korea
though get in a groove. It's gonna be this first flash point. Most likely going
South Korea, it's gonna be a touch here at the final moments from lab though
But this is not a great set of our KSA they're gonna back out
Concede our first flash point. Yeah, that's results at the point there. I think just a stall
But you can see how impactful first picks are on this map in this game mode, especially
Usually they're to the tune of about 40% this could snow off pretty quick though limit break over clocks free here
You now get a second checkpoint
There's a little break, comes on down.
Not the most impressive though,
it's KS11 pushing behind this continued rush,
but there's Corker yet again, another first pick.
Matt, you might have invoked a curse
when you said that every single fight of that first map,
it was Corks getting a pick.
Corks doing just that on the soldier, stay ultra safe.
Corks doesn't have that same capacity on the Bastion.
Let me try and fight this here.
Ah, he gets on, gets a touch.
He does that self-destruct, he's going to use it.
He's a spree now coming out from Sondre, but it's gonna be cut short.
Quartz has the damage to deal with him, cutting up use there by Sox.
Unclear what the result was.
And I think it up has been done now to get KSA back into this game to some degree.
Jorn, no fighting. Quartz, Lampta dragged him off the back.
Evens things up. KSA down at 4.
South Korea still waiting on Resports to come back through, but this Nano has been sat on by Simple.
Then this is not good enough reason to make use of it yet.
KSA, they can battle back into that fight and catch them off guard and get an early kill, but nothing after that.
South Korea, also able to hold onto that Nano like you mentioned.
You're going to be able to drop it on the jump and drop it into the back line.
And there he goes, striking in the midst of the fight, sliding down the ease of the roof.
Meanwhile, they get in Stalker, just doing the work.
The guy never sleeps, never stops, never falters.
And he's very well matched up against the Bastion, it's not easy for Cords to find success in that head-to-head.
The Railguns, the both damage output is a bit much, gonna break here, look at the left up.
Shion, and nowhere to go.
And Dimon has been such an issue for KSA to deal with here.
Junbin, he will fall, but before he does ends up with two or three in the fight.
Just like that, it is a KSA map pick that South Korea is dominating here at the moment.
It took a while.
It took a while.
They have the on the Cassidy as well, so just, they think the answer here is not a tank matchup,
it's just damage output.
Just raw damage to deal with this D-Mart.
Stalker has been delivering.
Putting his team into 5v4 more often than not in the beginning of these engagements.
Here's the rush though from Archie.
It's a lot of damage, but not before he gets rid of Lantern. Quartz has also fallen to Sonjun.
That is Saudi Arabia starting off the fight with a Katsune Rush and coming up with very little.
Ziyad, there might have been a double environmental. It's unclear. Big pick offs though.
Now KSA in a 3v3.
Jumping out of mech, now taken down. That could have been ugly. Ziyad just saved the fight.
That's how you see they want to play that's D.Va. Ziyad takes the bird where you can just kind of fly on through extend that
Takes out two players there
The moment where it looked like it was gonna be South three who gets control of that point first yet again run away with this map
Hero play from Ziyad
Now at least give KSE a fighting chance at this
Like that calls to be looking for simple here. The vulnerability on that can get caught out inside this
Artillery strikes him, yeah. That's the pick on simple. That's what you want.
You're using the lifeline of the cat to try and get a sightline here for Stalker
and you don't have anything to get the yarn out of the way.
Yeah, that's the trouble. I don't need a little bit of extra help in situations like that.
So without that massive healing throughput, KSA are able to roll over the top. Stalker gets caught out.
She's the war of attrition in the end. Saudi Arabia are heavily favourited.
Finally, showing us some pluck here in this game,
Quartz gets him a first pick in one of the more strange ways.
Pretty difficult, right?
Jumping obviously wants to get here,
and we've seen him obviously go for the back line for Quartz.
This is just a lot of damage with that fashion.
Gonna be the Nano there onto the Dmon.
They do finally deal with Quartz.
Not a moment too soon while they're at Saudi Arabia,
threatening to take the map away.
Lapda fly over to get a slip.
Oh, we've seen that happen a lot.
Simple is that guy.
And so Lapda's going to be run down,
trying to save us out of Korea, to have themselves
a flashpoint flip.
And the DPS will back up.
What Simple puts out.
Simple has had himself a series so far.
Beautiful bio grenades, a nasty sleep there on the sky
noon coming in from Lapda.
Play advantage in terms of support ultimates here for KSA, he set up Katsune Rush.
You don't really have a lot of heroes who really love the benefits of the Katsune Rush,
really just the Cassidy here, and obviously some extra support output.
Sots with a flyover, gotta be a rush here from Sir Marge, last time that open mid-ish it didn't go so well for the KSA.
A big little bit of break, catches on the minion KSA, but they just burst, jump in, straight out of his mech.
Laptose down this way towards that major perk that ranked the King hard.
It's almost like the animation of the limit break just gives an opportunity where Jungman doesn't have his shield available and they just mow him down.
Ziad also taking the perk on D.Va that has the tighter spread, right? So some extra damage from the D.Va, Cassidy, and Bastion.
Even with that over health of D.Maw, not going to be able to survive that.
And so this game gets a little tight a little closer. This is South Korea threatened to run away with New Jump City
Lambda on the Cassidy
So it gives them two options for players right now. You can actually use Sky Nude if you use the Bastion before
So it can just blow simple up in a heartbeat like that. That's reasonable
Zox doesn't have anywhere to go. They risk over caught up on the terrain
Saunchen's able to get him with a spree and we're jumping finding an elimination
We're in a straight-up 2v2.
Junbin is healthy and the point is ready to fight.
And Seat doesn't have the ability to hang.
Still, self-destruct is going to buy some space in a remix.
Deva Kortz is coming back in wheels mode.
This force is Junbin to keep his head down for the most part.
They have to let Saudi Arabia take the first flip.
And Junbin gets de-mecked after the fact.
And you see there, I mean, just the raw damage output.
From Bastion and Cassidy, Junbin cannot survive that.
Puts up the shield.
Ray tries to get around that corner.
Maybe see do you get the kill on this the odd is the odd trying to rematch
Just gets the lead it there does not start out great
I mean KSA's odds gets killed early on but South Korea story game managed in that one. It's our artillery
Simple is screaming help me first. Well, then I found him anyway
Well, he launches you get the launch right into any of the lifeline ends up breaking his launch in this guy
Six of one half a dozen of the other
The very thing that got him out of trouble from the Bastion ultimate put him right in the crosshairs for the dead eye
The end if you do and don't this would be a crazy comeback, right?
This look like a map that South Korea was just gonna run through KSA KSA one bite away here
Jumping is playing solo right now. This is quite dangerous. You might be trying to bait something in decent catch it with that
Liber breaking court
It's failed safe off angle here for stalker to play from and his back line just sets up on the point
Sunjoon's getting a flip happening right now, with Laptor going down, but looks like the
bizarre gamut for Jumbin and the loss of Mech has played off.
Yeah, even though you lose Jumbin's Mech early on, you could see what we were talking about
before, right, when he limits the breaks, he just dies in sleep, he doesn't have the
ability to put that shield up right after coming out of that animation.
The limit break happens, sure you get that damage and some over health, but this mode
down by players up KSA they do get quartz which is quite fortunate that's an
opportunity to turn the tide to your Mitch coming on through that goes with
anything yeah no catch Doc's trying to ambush that three without one of our
singles nanoboos could be the decider jumping charges forward doesn't get
access to the key targets though he is perfect damaging the direction of this
Cassidy though that begins a health pack stays alive a little bit longer but see
He's picked off on the privilege.
How is he alive? I mean, he's got healed.
Majed was there. Not good enough for Gunga.
Good enough for me. I mean, he's got a
Nano with a damage reduction.
Everybody in his face. Surinche doing a great job.
Keep the Lava off, and you see Lava
wants to pay that off.
Some shots as they move back on into the point.
Skynoon gonna be available here for KSA.
Atelier Barrage once again at the ready for
Quartz-Sumgent. Looking to get in good early damage
on Majed, another South-South-Reachers free.
Even a grenade! Nice response from Laptop.
Catches Zondred out, lead way through, and the damage is good enough.
Corsus getting hammered while he sets his ultimate off. He has to be careful.
But look at Junbid. Stalking his way up, over towards the point. Speaking of which,
the man with the name is picked up by Corsus Grenade.
Jorong, with his eyes scratched out, here comes Saudi Arabia, folks!
We're going to a decider.
I find the adjustment from KSA so fascinating.
They say it's not a tank issue, we just need to just pummel more damage into the Dmon, and it has paid off.
Also the benefits of having two players who can kind of play a lot of hitscan at a high level.
It's going to be KSA here who gets control of the objective first.
They're going to be able to kind of set up here, take the fight of their own terms with this Kitsune rush.
Stalker hasn't been able to find quite as many of those first picks as we saw earlier.
It'll overclock like that much easier.
Good response there for market.
Instantly cleanses off a bionade that caught on multiple Saudi Arabian players.
This is also a DC day to have a South Korea.
They've lost stalker.
Ladder strikes true with the peacekeeper.
And now has to avoid this limit break.
Backing up, backing up.
He has a damage airport.
Once again, jump in his D-metre before he can find a kill.
Can you just see how much damage jump in is taking?
Typically when you see a limit breaking, you're chasing down that Cassidy.
You're able to get that kill with B6 support there from KSA, then also Ziyan going really kind of all in on damage in terms of perks on the D.Va, obviously the Bastion damage as well, Curie contributing too.
Junkman is very difficult to keep alive. It's also really difficult to close the gap on that D.Va without that shield in play.
It's going to be a reverse sweep in terms of flashpoints on this map here for KSA.
pretty insane bounce back here.
They found the answer all half day.
Simple strikes first.
It's Lampdum, the one that gets picked off.
Simple with a nano-centred over the jump in
and he'll be happy to fight here with Ziad.
Ziad's hoping to self-destruct,
could fail him out here, but that seems unlikely.
Forces jump in back.
Ziad eventually is cleft into
and a clean South Korea take
off the back of a pretty sick pick by Simple.
Yeah, nano boost used as well.
Nano to Junbin, Chorong launches him off into the sky over to the high ground and
simple finds one right after that. Sky noon here, 4KSA and another Kitsune rush.
Four server dead, doing a great job keeping some of these hitscans alive.
There's a ton of pressure from Sunjun and Junbin. We're down for the spree.
Sunjun is going to look to Joyride in and try and blow them up. No Nano though
to make the Chion Nye unkillable though. Bionate on a three, that's pretty good.
Laptop doesn't get the Suzu, he doesn't get the cleanse,
still is able to shake it off and get back to fighting fit,
but not before quads is taken down.
Simple is the conductor on this train,
the puppet master in these fights,
and apparently the executioner himself.
Zax tries to go there with the catnap, gets taken out.
You're gonna have one more fight here
for control of this point and this map.
KSA, who's gonna be the one to get the touch?
It's gonna be Forts here on the tracer.
The legend records Tracer comes out to play.
He gets the touch, but this is less than ideal.
Lattemite will fall in, so he does.
Jokes wanted to get there, drawing another plans.
Had the catnap to seal the deal.
And with Ziad being cleared off the point,
a rookie mid-map for South Korea resolves.
And they'll go ahead in the series.
Got a little bit scary there for South Korea towards the end, but they clutch up when it
mattered most.
Symbol like a 2-3 player bio, and the fight that allows him to flip that point really
plays tremendous throughout this series, even in the map, man.
I mean, just down to the wire between these two teams.
Nice adjustment from KSA as well.
South Korea, it's too good.
I've got to be said, I think the Dmon difference there,
I'm feeling it on that map.
Jumping, bomb, it's out damage over much of this encounter.
18.8k.
You see that, obviously, he ain't built the same weight.
Well, you play Dmon, it's not really his role.
But he doesn't have a lot of ways to mitigate the Dmon's impact.
And even though my job was operating like a literal
heal pot out there, it still wasn't enough.
I feel like they would have played Maga there if it was available.
I think that's kind of what they would have went for, but the great read there by South
Korea gets rid of one of Ziad's best heroes on a map that you want to play a lot of rush,
right?
These like Maga-based compositions on New Jump City, they just take that option away.
Crota Roots 2, it's a very different strategy in terms of bans and in terms of cops.
The South Korea are against this Saudi Arabia opponent, then it was against France.
They are very prepared coming into this game.
They've got some great ideas.
Stalker kind of sets things up, right?
A big part of what allows South Korea
to get those first two flash points.
And then it's simple that steps into the fray.
Big bios.
Ones that couldn't be fully cleansed by Marched, right?
Suzu has had its range reduced to like 4.5 to 4 meters.
Now that's pretty significant in situations like this.
So Laptop was still anti-heal after the Suzu came down.
3 player bios are going to win you a fight more often than not.
Jumping was pretty sick though.
Looking more comfortable and maybe KSA getting punished here for having that more traditional approach to composition building and also, yeah, the mount event strips him of that potential answer.
Now I think if you're KSA, what is the response? You don't have a Demon fan available.
I believe that was used early on in the series, but where do you decide to go in terms of that?
Are you going to play like a root, which is like pretty good in terms of like diva type of play?
That where you want to go? I mean, that's probably, you know, if I was up there, I would probably say we're going to go root 66.
Really good for long range hitscan. Really good for diva. I would probably say that would be the one to go.
It doesn't mean that Warama is guaranteed to see. He's not going to come back into the lineup.
Group 66 is the KSA pick.
What's that?
God forbid coach.
Mr. X, you don't have too much of an edge.
So we've actually seen this map twice in South Korea, sort of here in Recency,
and the approaches were very different on both occasions.
I do not think that this is the opponent that gets the Winner Makers Gen treatment, necessarily.
Have we seen an honor band from KSM? Not yes. I also think it's the kind of band you
make. The problem is it's quite telegraphed. You're trying to play Margaret.
Yeah, I guess. Especially like in Little Fury. It leaves like a hit scam band
available, which would be like you could see maybe South Korea would get rid of
Bastion at that point, right? Trying to play like Kat Bastion up in the sky a lot.
But we did see simple pull out some Zenyatta on this map in the past, but it could be a
really risky one, especially if they want to force Diva on the other side.
It's just kind of half the trouble, is that KSA really, really want to put Quartz on
the bastion.
And what we saw on Junction was like Quartz really able to just open up by intensity,
but a couple of Cassidy headshots and we're off to the races.
It seems like they're just falling back to a double hit scan look, right?
Like Labda played the sheen early on, but then since then, we've seen Labda start to dabble back
into maybe some of the Cassidy soldier type of things with Quartz on a Bastion, just maybe raw
damage output, but I don't know, man. I think some of these maps are going to have to figure out a way.
If you're going to allow Demon, and Demon's going to be played, and like Junben's going to be in,
and you're going to have to figure out a way to play against it.
What do you think?
Like, an Aresa matchup into it?
Just like, Aresa just spam damage, right?
Just like, kind of constantly trying
to displace the demon in a way.
But the demon has pretty good matchups into everybody.
But the same can be said for Moga.
Moga, I was on a note with the Rack and Appli and Smelius.
It's like, Moga, it feels like sometimes people don't play Maka
not because her board are playing Maga, not because Maga is bad.
Where it's like, Maga has pretty decent matchups into like almost every tank.
Yeah, I think the one issue is obviously Erisa could walk out of cage fight pretty comfortably.
Also like sometimes the soldier and comms can like break that cage fight early.
However, we had also seen like Shion used to punish cage fight, like just like, you know, everyone sort of grouped up very closely.
Now, Heesang's going to come in here.
This actually forms part of a question I had is,
do you guys feel like they can take a tracer mirror
and find success against Heesang?
I mean, Liden's pretty good on tracer.
Heesang, though, is like, I think maybe a little bit above.
You would want to see a Shion mirror, right?
I mean, that's kind of what you would ideally
like to see it get into where you feel like maybe that's where
Labda can shine the most. But last time we saw he saying in the
lineup, obviously, he was able to get the better of him. So we
also have Max coming back in here. So feels like every now we
got changes coming in here for South Korea.
It's literally every map. At this point. And again, it's back
and forth, chop and change, unplug your peripherals. Have the
next player plug them in make sure your audio is working on the upside is that
South Korea are getting very good at making substitutions getting their players
to sit and frankly Max and Judman also are staying pretty warm not on the bench
for more than one map does this eventually backfire though right good
like you're in you're out you're in you're out I mean the Max obviously
leading in terms of tank damage here.
Wait, what?
A damage mitigator, so this damage mitigator.
Yeah, per 10.
But look at the difference between first and second.
Yeah, what happened there?
Yeah, what happened there?
I mean, that is astounding, frankly.
Normally, you have good mitigation numbers
if you're getting pummeled.
Hawke knows all about that.
Down there is sixth place.
But was Max in a ton in the France series
and trying to recall?
Every other map, there was a substitution Matthew.
Okay, so buzz.
Three of the five.
So yeah, I mean, that's probably where it comes
from a lot of that game against France, so.
Damage to be together per 10 is to start
that isn't always super illustrative
until it's a difference of like 20 K.
Until it's like a 50% difference.
At that point, you start to wonder what the source of it is.
I was over here trying to get a half.
Craig.
I think with the overwatch World Cup merch is awesome always good. I mean always like our event merch is really kind of stepped up
To another level. I feel like I know the current cosplays have been out in full force feels like I know
I'm you know, I don't have stats on it, but it feels like that's like the number one go-to hero at this point
Yeah, see you gotta watch out man if you don't have those numbers we didn't have the census data
It's pretty out there to make a claim like that
However, I am inclined to agree
Lots of carry cosplay. I've seen a lot of the pool party cosplay as well. Very
appropriate time of the year for that no doubt about it. It's been rather warm here
in Anaheim. Okay, Jack's sure he's in the crowd right now. I did it right today, right?
Yeah, they're good. I filled for the Browns but that's football. Okay, so he's saying
Max coming on in. The map is Route 66, another KSA pick. We're discussing like a little bit
what do we see in terms of ban. Interesting enough, we haven't seen like, so here's the part where
it's like a little tricky, right? If KSA wants to play diva, you know, that's a ban that potentially
South Korea could use, right? Now get rid of the diva, but see what KSA decides to do coming in here.
I dare you to address this. It's a plushie, the Jetpack Cat plushie available now as,
you know, you're a big plushie collector. Right, my shrine does need another edition,
kind of called, see the U2's collab there, so it's self Jetpack Cat plushie available now.
It does not come with the capacity to save you from the bastion artillery strikes though. Sorry
You're gonna have to ask your teammate nicely for that
Hit the QR code and check it out. Just we're talking about the fantastic merchandise that walk up Jack Gray
See the patches around as well with the different teams
Different regions. I think my broadcast talent is wearing that instead. I mean this wardrobe never got cheaper for us
Yeah, you know, you know, yeah, the different whoever won the last series is the jersey they're looking for
I'm going to get some sheet pops out there after French fans spoon us a little bit earlier, but that's all good.
Us is stretching it. I think you're pretty good against them.
I did.
Riley?
You did.
That's correct.
So our Saudi Arabian compatriots now returning to the stage and joining us. Listen, if your opponents are going to make substitutions every map, then make these off the time. I agree.
We are focusing up for a route 66 that promises to be pretty enlightening
because we've seen a difference out Korea on this map every time they played
it this weekend. It's a must win for KSA right? Like obviously the last World
Cup final they're able to pull off a crazy reverse sweep but feels like you
lose this. There is so much momentum. Is this a Banna deferral here from KSA?
So yeah, possibly it is South Korea
Getting rid of the Cassidy here
Missouki, okay, I thought this would have happened on the previous map or one of the other maps
But it is a Missouki band here been really nice from Chorong. We've seen him play that
You know with other tournaments as well really good against Eva
This Cassidy band from South Korea is not so much to target courts specifically is to get the sky known combo out of the game
It's such a volatile thing to throw into the mix.
It's limited, I would say. Now, limited counterplay.
I mean, you're trying to play for Sky Noon against your opponents who are always playing D.Va.
You feel like you're not favored.
You feel like your opponents actually do have a bit more of the capacity to
limit the ability of that just to take over the game.
So, is this cat-bashing here with D.Va for KSA?
There's Lab to play, Tracer, Shion, right?
I think that would probably be the thing you kind of look at.
One thing we're seeing from Stalker on Neon Junction as well is that Ash,
you've seen it defensively on this map, look okay.
The pretty reason why I think even France were trying to bust that out.
Keo, you know, was able to set up on big girls defensively, have decent sight lines.
There was the issue of being pressurized down by the demon,
who I think is a bit of a nightmare for Ash.
One weakness for this KSA damage dealer duo,
they're really kind of the only one when you really think about it.
Like there's nobody who has the ability to play, you know, you would think like a Vendetta or a Genji or something along those lines
right like that's not really kind of
Quartz at all and not really labda. I mean it's like those two players in this year of Overwatch have much
More overlapping hero pools than perhaps they did three years ago, right? Right, so you're in trouble if
No, you're seeing a ton of Vendetta on the other there's no way to match that right lab does not gonna play this in
I mean, I know if you saw some it will probably be you be in the game
Or if they wanted to play something like that whether it be similar or tracer it would probably be you be so yeah
I mean it feels like it's she on and then
Maybe another hitscan if you want to go like a double hitscan long range
I mean both of these teams have extended rosters right the big difference between Saudi Arabia and South Korea is that
That's actually utilizing theirs right TV and team UV haven't seen any play here for this Saudi roster
They really wanted to stay very focused very streamlined in their approach to the game play to the strengths of
Diat-Cyrruple, played at a diva as much as they possibly can.
Docs also was, I would say, one of the least known faces on this team.
But it's honestly really impressive.
It's pretty good.
The greatness out of E-League in the past was on Alcatrazia this year,
actually sort of won out over Marjit for that support slot on the team,
and has been a player who's developed really impressively.
Can say the same for Zard, right?
He has garnered a little bit more of that fame obviously on GK,
who are always a contender in EMEA and international tournaments. He's had a fantastic year as well.
But you know, despite having three players up there in 2023, there's still an infusion of
new blood into the Saudi Arabian campaign to be back-to-back World Cup champions.
You know, when you get to this level as well with these two teams so strong,
they're just as little things in terms of hero pool. Maybe what kind of ends up deciding this is
South Korea, obviously, a deep roster able to kind of
flip back and forth between maps and how they would like to play.
I think of the entire Saudi roster, not really another look like that.
So, Saudi Arabia, a lot on the line.
Obviously, two more maps for South Korea to be your champions,
but feels like South Korea is not going to take KSA lightly at all,
going to allow them to get back into this series. It may get control of this map.
So this is Zox, just as we were referring to previously, newer face on the scene,
part of the Alcatrazia roster, and obviously been pretty impressed with
what he's been called upon to produce. Now he's not been the main carry player,
outlootsing Marjad, sort of in that role a lot of the time, but obviously you need
to fall back on the lab with Jetpack, Capplay, and Zox has certainly been the
right call for this team. Route 66 back in, folks, just around the corner. It's our escort map
in this pool. South Korea threatening to get further out in front. And we said,
we felt that New Junk City was an inflection point, a potential turning point in the series.
In so far as Dave appoints South Korea, sure, but in the end, it was a close affair.
Very close. Down to the wire, I mean, starts off dominant for South Korea and then KSE
battles back just not good enough in the end okay well the South Korea here on
defense and just like we talked about a little bit before simple on the Zen Zen
widow
okay two years out of the jake era of overwatches the courts in a wheel duel
though okay so the thinking behind me is I believe is that South Korea don't
expect Tracy here from Saudi Arabia because tracer is going to be a
problem for both Zen and Widow. Zen and Widow are kind of the same in terms of what their
weaknesses are and where their strengths lie, where their strongest in the game. Long sight
lines, plenty of space in the back line. Simple running it back is probably one of the best
Zen Yata players in the world since the era where Joenak struck fear in the hearts of
everybody. Unlucky enough to go up against the New York Excelsior.
in a miss there from stalker but makes with a shot onto Ziad. Interesting enough there will be
Quartz here on Sojourn. So Sojourn Shion for KSA. Max taking a lot of damage, starts to back up,
get to this corner. And stalker doubling back actually earlier than I would have expected.
Feels like something is brewing for Saudi Arabia and he's not wrong. He sank takes a big hit there
from Quartz who's not upset that Cassidy is banned. He's sojourned, he's also freakish.
Not many people get doughed by Max and hit slide and go forward, but
something Quartz is willing to do is nice pressure there by the diva. Zimbal does end up
falling here early on, so it's just your cat from support a lot. It's flexible, people that
goes after the Zenyatta find success there. T-hole positioning down for Storker trying to stay safe
as he can. Perhaps this is too passive. Not a lot to shoot at right now for the Widowmaker
to score for a game that looks to re-position. Not really been able to find anything looking
for every different type of sight line, but KSA has given it nothing to find. You see kind
of playing up in that high ground trying to beat players around the corner at big early
girls. Max is going to get de-mechs here Mitch, this is brutal. Now it feels like the beginning
of the end now for this defensive setup for South Korea and luckily the end of this composition
as well. PSA push through and it starts with just trading right you've got the
sport advantage take this in out you've got to be slow to get back into the fight
and a D suit there on max is huge. Interesting. Are they going to ditch
Hitscan completely in go? That's a big sun mat. Yeah I mean you're gonna get Ziyan but Ziyan's gonna self destroy. He's gonna be able to get back out.
They're gonna play so they're gonna play a Shion tracer here ditch Hitscan all
together to keep the Zen in your necks. I think that's because he's close to
transcendence. Simple might just want to make use of this now. There's no honor to
ruin the day with a viotic grenade, so you know you're getting full value out
of this ultimate. You actually launch the Zen, which
transcendence like into the fight there with the cow. So true. Keep an eye for that
quartz here now with that overclock in play and he's gone. He's just gone. Simple,
Blows him up and then hits Q almost in a celebratory fashion
Overclock
So huge here from ports and ultimately see time and time again
He's able to get a few kills which just gets taken out by by right clicks here from simple gonna escort that Zen back up to that
High ground here's the problem simple might not die until he has another transcendence. Yeah, so why would he switch?
Can KSA put some pressure down on his backline Zem? They still don't have a tracer, Zox had to do it last time.
This time I think that's asking too much from your jetpack cat, he's busy trying to save his teammates.
Jorah they're going to get taken down by Ziad, here comes that Satsuri Kusprey and yes he's saying.
Fights the battle against damage fall off and wins, but not before and after the Ziad comes after him himself.
Trains here with the Divas, Max and Ziad both getting very active amidst this fight.
KSA will have to find the right winner for this Kinsure Ned Rashid, the Pulse Bomb, or down Ziad.
Yeah, that's going to teammate Ziad, send him back to spawn in South Korea.
I love the way they've decided to play this defense, really aggressive at that door because he gives his Inyata so much extra space to operate from.
Lata has not really been able to get in there with that spree, it's not really that his impact belt on this map just yet.
Lapta always looking for a flank angle, but it's kind of dangerous to go alone, especially
because Zen can blow you up at a moment's notice.
Here's the rush, this is going to give KSA a lot more space to work with, and note that
Lapta is now moving up the map.
The wrap around towards the bottom of your screen, and Sinful has finally fallen, Quartz
strikes at the heart of his South Korean formation, but Sinful has no sense of why
would he switch?
That's the question we raised earlier.
Majek down though, here comes Lapta trying to alter with this screen.
Sang is blown over by in the middle of things. Yeah only so much defense matrix
for the diva of South Korea. There's a nice shot keeping He Sang and
Shorong alive for as long as possible. Glad to also holding the last burst of
that spree towards the very end. How does KSA decide to play this here bitch, right?
You have Catmath right? Maybe you can catch one, drag him out. The simple's got this
Transcendence. It's got to be good for a retake. It might not be needed here though,
as they have carried Simple into the fray. Here's a Transcendence there. Discord orb
still persisting on Quartz, and that's going to give the assist help with the elimination.
Simple though indeed, Trouble, it eventually falls off the map. Zox would have come for him
anyway. Self-destruct thrown in. Wisely, Chauron dumps Altitude to get below that
sight line, but eventually he's brought down either way. Here comes Max though. Still Hale,
Hardian ready to fight the Ziyad. Let's this fight end. Yeah, Nuri had to jump off the
side. They are not able to fight that. This overclock needs to be massive from Quartz.
Nothing with the last one. And with time on the clock, it might be the only big ultimate
they get for the rest of this round. Here comes Storker looking for Quartz now. Very
low as a soldier look at the double back from Seattle he saves his teammate
course now plays to the low ground a sort of ideal sideline but he still uses it
to get the elimination perhaps a little overheat there and overcooked for South
Korea oh he just needs a pixel that's all he requires and so the defenders will
have to regroup now belatedly though if they can't get max out in time
Laptop did fall self-destructive for Max to make sure he isn't staggered out back
back in the mech he goes, Margett has fallen out, Saudi Arabia starting to fumble a little
bit on this offensive endeavor, they're gonna have to regroup properly now, one more time
on the attack side.
Yeah, I mean, Max able to use that self-destruct, get back in, Mech, and Ysang comes back and
finds two, right off the spawn, gets simple up on the high ground here on Xen.
Ooh, back into the dangerous there, simple thing, a lot of damage up on that high ground,
seconds left here for KSA's offense. Looks like soccer are going to flank here with a pulse bomb as well.
They don't know he's here yet but they're about to find out. Discord all fair on course. Too much room to handle.
All eyes from South Korea on the hitscan player. Toro, a part and gift to Slash at Seat now as it's all Korea in the kill feed.
Seat won't get a chance to remake and that's all she wrote on his KSA attack side.
He sang on Sheehan, really making his impact felt yet again here.
You just haven't seen that kind of match from Lada on the other side.
The court's obviously under a ton of pressure.
You're going to need your Sheehan, that other DPS to come up in a big way.
It hasn't happened so far. I think it contextualizes the question I asked at the start of this map
Is there a world where there's a tracer mirror that KSA can win out in?
They don't seem to think so. They tried left on the she-on here while the damage was good dying six times and
Putting a limited amount of pressure on simple in that back line
It's not conducive to success here on this map against the South Korea composition
so a win condition here at map number four pretty clearly set up by South Korea and
Looking for their fourth World Cup gold medal. They have set things up rather nicely. They can move away from that Zen Comp now. They don't need to lean into it as much.
Might be a sim T.P. to get them going here, but they can fall back to brass tacks, the fundamentals, and probably get there.
It would be a bit of an odd one, but I wouldn't even mind the CKSA try like
Bastion sojourn like put lab down the sewage like we saw a little bit earlier. I mean
Doesn't feel as good as maybe having a Cassie in the mix, but if the she-ons not working and maybe we need to move off it
I also think it gives you more pressure on the enemy cat
Tojo mail gun pretty pointing some scenarios. Look here on the soldier
no true we're gonna get more changes here I think yeah we're gonna get a lot of
you see okay so I'll be in the tracers she on yet again I think going up this
bastion getting at the same time from different angles gonna be important but
neither of those DPS has the ability to traverse up to that high ground easily
they need to use the stairs like me immortals already though Max has tried
to carve out a foothold on top of the girls so he's got the deep plane around
this mega health pack is really important.
And decent amount of space created here for South Korea.
If the Suzy's you already out, that's going to be pretty dangerous here.
If South Korea decides to flash, but so patient here, Mitch,
trying to move on forward, but ports on the high ground deals with Choron.
It's still about stalker of my opinion.
This tracer has to do more than just mill around,
force the Suzy's here and there.
Max has done well to deal with the bastions,
but even with the line share of the damage out of the equation for the defenders,
And put the numbers.
First fight goes in favor of KSA.
Sports a lot of that artillery.
Use that up on the high ground and serve a jet.
Keeping pace with S1mple here in terms of Katsune Rush.
It just feels like South Korea's got a lot of payload progress for free.
Thawker throws out that pulse bomb, just trying to catch the out of the flyback.
Spectacular. It's always Bruce who'd go off of the D.Va with that,
but he knew the defense matrix wouldn't be a factor.
to do the rush here for both sides, about to be built, Korea getting ready for one big push for the checkpoint.
Latta's gone down, so that might have been simplified dramatically.
Here's the defense matrix coming into play, Cortes much of that wheels mode, limited in output.
And he has to deal with, now in his face, a very angry Max.
Ziad can't actually get the neck off the edge there, maybe Chorong was too paid by that, it's unclear.
The margin and Cortes are down and he's sent, just throws the spree in.
And that's more than enough.
clinical here from South Korea first checkpoint taken over four minutes into
the time bank they do not even need to get that second objective you see where
that mark is on your screen it feels like KSA crumbling a little bit
oh they got left up yep all the money out of the way laughter is a long way
from home doesn't quite have the footwear to click your seals together
Rice still gets back to safety trying here trying to just play under the lip of
that balcony they'll get picked up randomly by Quartz is emerging over the
top in the toe of socks it's he just half close South Korea right are getting
a third map in this series it's gonna be a South Korea spirit start the fight
off a lot of most of it again cut short by this defense matrix it's why both of
these teams are reaching for the diva in this matchup Stalker's got a post bump
Good get again, the last one was speculative and unsuccessful.
This one just might have to hit.
They're gonna get him up to the high ground, oh, almost.
Bit of a misstep.
Yeah, he's just a ledge there.
Lamperson still gives up the space,
but it could have been an elimination on the she-on.
And Stalker down to get a foothold.
You can hear wheels moan for the Bats due now expiring.
Lamperson again with the target on his back,
just like that previous half.
But South Korea getting a ton of space here, bitch.
right slowly inching the way up the map.
So if he gets in there, the pulse bomb doesn't get to the elimination,
but he does serve his purpose.
Now rushing the high ground, you're gonna see Max try and drop down.
There's this daydress for Saudi Arabia.
Quartz has already felled. Max doubles down.
And he'll go after Zox.
He knows where his breath is butted.
And the card is hurtling towards that final checkpoint.
Saudi Arabia are in disarray.
In the doldrums.
So yeah, definitely trying to commit to buy some time.
some space, but he's just a player, not a quantum physicist.
Let me ask you for too much from the man, less than a meter left in the map.
A D suit here for Max, but he has the self-destructs,
because the insurance policy to make him nice and comfortable.
That'll do it for Route 66.
And South Korea, a one step from reclaiming what once was undeniably theirs.
trying to reclaim it in dominant fashion.
KSA came out and they threw a haymaker in map number one.
South Korea looks as good as ever there.
You see Max get up.
Wonder if we'll see Jungbin here for our next map.
I believe we saw Heesang get up as well.
So, Sungjin could come back in here as well.
An immense amount of pressure now on KSA.
the absolute perfect from here on out.
Not exactly a reverse sweep, but as close as you can get.
What a story here for South Korea starting to emerge.
Come in as the hot favorite in their group,
in Busan, upset, shock upset, against France.
Get reverse swept.
Can you tend death there for Labdus?
Kind of what I'm looking at, right?
Like, you need that shield to kind of be consistently
in that fight, using as like a quasi-blanker slash hit scan.
You lose him a few extra times you end up losing that damage output battle.
I wonder like do you just, can you get rid of the Shion at this point, right?
Just get a tracer head to head. Can you get rid of the Shion?
Maybe you're worried about the point Vendetta.
Does not seem comfy here for KSE at least in this matchup.
That's a decision you make I think after you see a substitution.
If he's done stays in, maybe your fears about Vendetta coming out are overblown a little.
But what's the what's the alternative? I mean, we want to have to play a tracer matchup
You want them to hope so and comes in they already banned for dinner in the first bat
That's not available. They see so and come in they can't really do anything about the potential for that here at a rear
America again, that is sick being able to kind of save simple in that way from Choron
But yeah, like you mentioned right like some of these bands. It's now putting you in a really awkward spot
I mean, you're gonna see the subs, right?
I believe we have push is our map here that we'll go to.
We haven't seen push yet.
Esperanza, right?
I probably believe it's like a Coliseo as well.
Yeah, Esperanza is certainly going to go to for our teams here at the World Cup.
Yeah, it's like the map that you can play a ton of demon on, right?
I mean, Shion's pretty good here.
here, Tracer, Cassidy will be available here, but KSA feels like they're searching for answers
at this time. Our last look at Demon here for South Korea was pretty flattering for them,
but they were just able to turn around and show us. It's a pretty insane deeper plate for Max.
Two deaths over the course of the entire map. A very healthy amount of, you know, damage being
thrown in. But yeah, just great damage mitigation. Fantastic peel. The defense matrix has been
very important not only to shut down the Cassidy play, but also to the Sprees here from the Shios.
And Saudi Arabia would have had hoped here to shore up their claim for a dynasty.
Yeah. Right. Take more championship and make it kind of obvious that they come here in 2026
and pick up another one. And South Korea are reminding us of why everyone thought they would win
in every game they've played so far. All right. I mean, KSE, they win the last one, watch while
Cup, puts in minds mostly KSA wins over OWCS World Finals right so they were
really looking at like you know three of our biggest events we have back-to-back
now they'll need to complete an epic comeback here Esperanza nothing too
surprising here but would be nasty on the other side of this right we reset the
map there's the opportunity to go like Atlas play ball here I mean
Not really much, I think it would be like Alice, like all, you jump in here and fly.
Just early today, this afternoon a team was 0-2 against France.
Yeah, right.
And now they're on the precipice of getting it all.
Yeah, one map away there.
And those maps against France were down to the wire, all of them, from being out.
Now one map away on the other side of the coin, right from being your Overwatch World Cup Champions, yet again.
We do know the map and I talked a little bit about what potentially the band is.
You actually see the lobby there.
I actually believe, I wonder if we're actually going to knock it subs here from South Korea
and we're going to have Hee-Sing stay in alongside Max.
So, looking down to the stage, that looks like to be the case.
Yep, I'm seeing Hee-Sung set.
And I think that's probably the right choice here.
Shion's been so effective.
Shion's been great.
It probably does, you know, it plays into the deeper a little bit more, but he can pick
up the tracer, right?
He's got the tracer also.
He's looked very, very good.
Yeah.
Bandit, get her out.
KSA, just don't have an answer to a tracer mirror, but this does mean they're opting
into a Shion fight.
Shion here, yeah.
A Shion mirror matchup here.
just South Korea get rid of here. I was gonna say is it diva? It is finally diva. Oh man.
Just what a time to stick a dagger in the back of how you say. I decide to map to go after it.
Probably their most definitive hero, the one that has been the key part of the fight. I will say
Today, if they end up going towards a Moga, maybe that's also a little bit easier for
a lap that could have a play around, right?
I know Moga plays pretty well with Shea.
Maybe that is the option they decide to go to is, you know, coach of KSA talking to the
entire squad.
They're going to dial in some of these mistakes, some of the errors on some of the maps.
They also think a little bit different, right?
They say they haven't really been challenged like this at all
in the Overwatch World Cup, their first real test.
It feels like this game.
I mean, they made Sweden look pretty poor earlier.
This feels like, obviously, that next level.
That's been close.
They've been very close, but obviously, South Korea
getting the best of them the most.
I think that New York City map, the one you called out
potential inflection point. That was a pretty heartbreaking I think for Saudi
Arabia to lose out on and they didn't have an answer to the Zen Cup really in
Route 66. South Korea somehow still have some looks
in reserve to throw, take their opponents by surprise and it's clear that
well in advance of this match they had already theorized that it will be Saudi
Arabia standing in between Dem and a fourth championship. So they did the
print, they did the homework, feel like they had some comps that are well curated
they're going after this slight awkwardness in the courts and left to
hero Paul Overlap.
Which is animal lovers here. Yeah. Whether they are you know breathing or not.
It's turned out whether dinner or not.
Away we go to the Street to Miss Baratsa for what might be the final map in this series.
It's going to be a Sigma look here for South Korea.
And typically these Sigma looks would be with like a, you know, a Mizuki in the mix, right?
But I think knowing that it's going to be Moga on the other side,
the Mizuki doesn't really play great into that, right?
Moga, unstoppable, when charging, and just get right through the chain.
Korea do have the honor
Which I against the cardiac overdrive is gonna be powerful, but it's always something you cleanse off a creation cannot stop now
The one he is charging the max doesn't always have a good way to divert the potential for the stop that will come at him
I like KSE though going towards that capacity bashing
It's not working with that she on just drop it is a lot of damage change for both times
Such a good answer there for Max. Get the shield up. It's dangerous to go for that first sort of flyover as the Bastion.
Because if you're unsuccessful, then you're already overextended and a little vulnerable.
Good answer for Max to get involved. Might have been a kinetic grasp committed to that fight as well.
Quartz getting closer towards that Artillery. It's he's having a nice lead on the flank here. Working with Shoron.
He could be a problem. Look at his defensive and court drops him down simple is able to draw a bead on the bastion and help
He's sung out
Again tough to bounce back from now if you're KSA and see how it's taking far too much damage for his liking
There's not an easy target here with this artillery strike frankly, but it gives you a bit more durability as he's up
Zox dangerously low has to get added dodge. It's gonna be South Korea taking the lead here
Simple, under no pressure means you're able to just farm, nano, and rain,
put some extra damage down, take out ports.
Good blocks, just one catch is two inside of it.
Gonna watch out for that malget damage, but it's good pressure.
Put on your opponent's frontline.
Lapda look at classic here on the Cassidy.
Has to go shoot in this game and finds Max amid the windows.
We talked a little bit earlier, right about how a double hit scan look could look for KSA.
They go to it here now, with tournament lives on the line.
So I'm just going to go back, potentially here.
It looks like for a second he's going to pick up some players off the spawn,
but I think Ziad is going to get back into the action fast enough.
The lead will be taken here by KSA.
I think at this point you just already know that you're a double hitscan team from here on out.
You try and make it work.
He's got to get some man over there.
This is very dangerous for Ziad,
but he knows he's got nowhere to run.
Although this is very dangerous for Zia, but he knows he's got nowhere to run, hit by the accretion, knocked out into the street like he's been ejected from a restaurant.
And this will be another opportunity for South Korea to extend this margin.
A lot of kills here on the exit. You will actually get an extension here. Now get the lead.
For South Korea, this is so awkward for Quartz to be stuck in this type of position, but because Quartz gets that kill on a max on the exit, South Korea, they get the lead and they back out. They know Ziyac's charging back off the spawn.
Both teams want to try and make use of the high ground as extensively as possible.
Zox here, just popping up and down, looking to challenge it. Quartz trying to push himself up there himself, but it's dangerous.
He's looking for a barrage now, looking for simple.
It's one hit, just a classic blow though on that Ana.
And here comes the reciprocation from South Korea.
Bladder almost falls there, didn't have a raw.
Good interruption for Katnap, but Zed's taking too much damage already.
The Bionade makes it impossible to fight back.
Ana again, the antithesis to Zed's happiness.
What I would want to see here, I think from KSA, maybe go over and play Ramatra.
Play Ramatra here, do you play it?
Okay, she on Cassidy, they'll continue here with the Maga.
I think the Ramatra has a decent matchup into what we're seeing on the Korea side.
Ramatra obviously, it was a mainstay for a while, not really as much in this tournament at all.
But, so close to KZ, you have to stay on the Maga for now.
Checkpoint on the line, Ziad charges in, it's out for Ria, back up.
They've got high ground again to abuse and Fax is playing from a tight little pocket there.
His son's going after Ziad, Kate's fight is just not going to cut it here.
But for this guy, Sok's trying to pressure down, but his son is killing.
At least he was until he blew himself apart.
Now KSA trying to fight back, they've got a foothold in this fight
and they've given Max enough reason to turn tail.
Yeah, they finally get a fight win and half of the game off the clock
They'll continue to play the Moga
We talked about that a little bit earlier
You could go around here, but the Moga plays pretty well with Shion
Now you have kind of like a duo right who you're gonna get past that six shield put a lot of pressure on the back line
Strong combination inside of this Kitsune rush. It's gonna come down
Big damage on Choron already so I think quite a nuisance data was that back line
Here comes the accretion, might as well have got you away from it.
The artillery strike with a lot of damage down on the Kiri, and Salka might have something to add to the tally.
They got away from them.
KSA did the checkpoint in South Korea, can't contest the bot.
And that seems acceptable here for South Korea, perhaps until right about now.
Big dead eye, and if I clean up means that KSA do more than just get a butt scratch, they are well ahead.
Nice job by KSA to flip the map there because Sunae rush is kind of back South Korea up into their own show even with
Some big damage coming down from their Bastion
Not good enough to deter KSA. They put that map they take the point they've moved through the show
Now they've got themselves a pretty nice lead. Yeah, next row 75 on top of extra 23 meters in that last engagement
That's a nice bio though. You want a clean fight, William?
You're still going to get it when Laptor is coming at you.
That is an insane crack back there for Chorong.
It is a screen shield that he just scratches.
Yeah.
Please about.
I mean, you see what they're trying to do, right?
I mean, Seod, you're not playing that aggressive
into a bash in wheels mode, unless you know you got some damage
coming from another angle.
Max has to stop there.
The rest of his team aren't with him.
So he gets the bot back to parody.
The nice forward sport.
Okay, close this one.
Uncontested sightline.
He has overextended into a bionade again.
South Korea taking a leaf out of USA's book here and giving KSA enough rope to trip themselves
with Z-Ad just that on the running.
I think KSA got a little bit too over aggressive there.
I actually think they thought that Max was going to be an easy kill on that exit.
You'd already use grass, shield is gone, and then they try and get aggressive over the
high ground.
They could not be any more wrong, right?
You know, to keep Max alive.
They have to give a bot scratch here.
Yeah.
There's the checkpoint picked up.
And potential at that for a stone ball
is that for your Rebek four ultimates.
Well, it's going to allow us sort of a chance
to get this Xune rush rather quickly.
Artillery here from Hisei.
Doesn't come up with much.
Precision already up.
What?
What?
Oh, then what?
Are you kidding me?
Dawg is able to find two quick kills to start off the fight.
There's nothing Seattle can do to access him.
He is chilling, lit up like a Christmas tree on the side of the road.
And KSAR are flattening it all of a sudden in the blink of an eye.
They've given up their lead.
You have to have so much congruent in your sojourn.
At this moment of the tournament in this game,
to Nano Overclock slide around the corner,
I believe he's gonna come up with the goods and Stalker delivers there under two minutes as well.
It's getting so dangerous for KSA.
No way!
The Stalker comes in, puts it erupted and again, exposed by the BioName.
Marge is able to fight back though because it looks like Max is in a compromising spot throughout that engagement.
Stalker eventually falls.
Here's the ad getting knocked around, but Chorong off the map finds his elimination on Laptic, drags him out of the ocean.
But KSA is gonna charge the fight back into the map now once more.
The flocks that Max tries to use gets hit with a cage, but back to an unreal accretion connection as Quartz is flying through the sky.
Bitch, this is last chance for me, man.
Minute 20 on the clock.
You have control of the bot moving into enemy territory. You have to be good from here.
That's actually a connection on Max. Can they finish him off?
Simple is down the quartz finally gets a bit of his revenge.
Looks like Max was able to extricate himself from that situation.
Gonna get his wightful hands on in that window, connect it grass to eliminate the effectiveness of these projectiles.
The lad is coming back up on a spree, and he'll have to use it nice and quick.
And we've been highlighting why the right on the soldier really needs to come alive.
This spree could be that moment.
Pressuring the back left. What?! Cool, it doesn't have a roll to get away from that!
Oh, nice set up there for Yeesang, lad. They'll only get one upper back in that spree!
It's South Korea! They're gonna hold them off!
Saudi Arabia have one last chance in this map in this series and Lava goes
forward there with the spree uses the first dash the second dash trying to
track that player believe it was stalker he actually dashes into the tree
connects with the tree he doesn't keep his momentum going forward I end up
wasting that spree on the flank last chance Saloon
For KSA, a second consecutive World Cup title would be amazing, but right now that is almost unthinkable.
They are up against it. South Korea looking to reposition here. KSA, barrel forward now.
This is the Korea team in disarray. They've got to regroup, but they've got the high ground to abuse.
First up, it's pressuring that backline. Margit is down. Feels like the beginning of the end now.
Only jetpack cat to lean off for that healing. The Quartz has to make the hero play.
The Jedi finds nothing up in the sky. Max will run him down.
He sang was taken down in the midst of that, but Latta's got nowhere to go.
Eight years after their nation, Latvia got it.
The crowd comes home.
South Korea are the kings of the Overwatch world once again.
The versatility of this roster is so good.
able to answer anything that was thrown their way.
The dynasty that defy the mirror has found its way back to the summit.
South Korea against the odds.
It took a reverse sweep.
A bounce back from a devastating result.
And here they stand.
The Overwatch World Cup Champions.
a lot can change in eight years especially in this beautiful game it's
material it's fickle that's actually over the fourth star on the patch and
shown us the spirit of this nation in the Overwatch world never dies like in
changing a few hours. There wasn't that way getting eliminated by France in the
70s down 2-0 and they are just lights out from that point on the rest of the day.
KSA obviously a tremendous performance throughout this tournament but it is
South Korea's world in Overwatch yet again. And it's a roster built from that
crazy raccoon core but with acknowledgments both to EMEA, simple
sporting of the fold, acknowledgement to North America,
Sonjoon is brought into the team and really finds his role, especially in those first maps.
But you've got two incredible tank players, especially he's lying in different areas.
This team has it all.
And they've shown us just what it takes to become champions.
To get Reverse Sweep, then to Reverse Sweep.
To dig ever deeper.
There's layers to this.
There's levels to the kind of resilience that the South Korean roster have had to show.
A young sport, a new face to come back to reclaim the title.
But the more things change, it turns out, the more they say the same.
Mitch Leslie Mapparello on the call, a pleasure as always.
Please come and love you and head down to the stage.
Chris Bucket to get some words from our champions.
Congratulations to South Korea!
Chris Bucket here with Danny Lim, and Danny, they have done it again.
A fourth gold medal now going in the trophy case along with this World Cup trophy.
That's right, Bucket. Let's do a quick interview for Team South Korea.
Let's go with Joon Bin, please.
Come over here this side. Come over this side.
Like Bucket said, this is the fourth time South Korea won.
It took a long eight years for you guys to bring it back home.
How are you feeling right now?
Congratulations on your victory today. You've won the 4th trophy in a year.
Please tell us your thoughts.
I think I've talked a lot with the guys while preparing for the national team.
I think I'm in a good mood.
Max, you were representing team South Korea, your home country, and you guys have finally done it.
Max, do you have anything you want to say to your fans, to your teammates or to your coaches?
What do you want to say?
Now, you've become the representative of South Korea and you've become a player and you've become a winner.
Please say a word.
First of all, as the representative of South Korea,
I feel like I have to win this.
I'm so happy that we're all here with our kids
and that we won the national championship.
Saudi Arabia is not that bad.
Definitely representing our home country.
We knew that we had to get this win.
We had to bring the trophy home.
It really feels great to win.
and also KSA isn't that great.
That is what Max said.
Very well deserved.
Let's do one final question.
Lastly, the last question.
Please come here.
You guys got here, you won because of your abilities,
but also because there are so many team South Korean fans
that are watching all over the world.
Do you have anything you want to say to your fans?
I'm sure we've won by our own means, but in my opinion,
I think we've won because of the fans here and the fans who cheer for Korea.
Mr. Cho, please say a word to the fans.
I'd like to say a word to the fans as well.
First of all, I'd like to thank WDG, Nexon, and Crazy Raccoon for helping us.
And the fans who came from far away, thank you so much.
Thank you.
and to crown our MVP of BlizzCon in the World Cup 2026.
Please welcome to the stage the two top Grammy winner,
T-Pain.
Oh, oh, oh, what, what's happening?
Oh, oh, yay.
Yeah!
Ladies and gentlemen, give it up for South Korea!
How's everybody doing tonight? Congratulations, guys.
It's really good to see a group of guys that can show you just how bad you are at a game.
And I am here to give you guys the MVP of the night.
Ladies and gentlemen, your MVP of the night is Sempo.
Get up here, buddy, get up here, buddy, get up here, buddy.
Congratulations, Sempo MVP of the night.
It is time to raise that trophy.
Let's get her done.
Bring it out one more time.
The World Cup trophy for South Korea, T-Pain in the building, amazing to have you with us.
Come on, America's favorite gamer.
Hazel!
And the best team on the planet for Overwatch, South Korea!
Zephul, can you tell us a few words about MVP?
It's my first time to be an MVP in an event like this, so I'm happy.
I'm happy to win as a Korean representative.
It's my first time becoming an MVP in such a big tournament and it really feels great
to get this win as well as Team South Korea.
Thank you.
Amazing stuff here on the stage, T-Pain, thank you for joining us, any final words for the
people here at BlizzCon?
Hey man, thank you guys for the community, thank you for being so accepting, thank you
guys for being so cool all the time.
I'm in game out game. You already know IRL anytime you guys see me. It's all love all the time
Thank you so much blizzard entertainment. Thank you everybody for coming
Thank you for crashing the party here on the main stage for now. We got to go back to the desk throughout this baby
Oh
Thank you so much pocket. Thank you so much pocket. Thank you so much daddy
Thank you so much cheap pain never thought those words are gonna leave my mouth anytime soon
But yeah, we have our gold medalist winners South Korea bringing it home again after so many years
They're back at the top last time they were able to lift that trophy on that this stage was in 2018
And what a way to do it. This was an incredible grand final
This was the performance we needed we wanted to see from them to really cement themselves at the top once more and for a lot
of these players, it's a new generation of Korean stars looking at a young guy like simple
to come really out of nowhere blasting onto the scene. Huge success with Twisted Minds
now to represent Korea to earn this MVP. It is so well deserved. He carved his own path
through this tournament. I mean, whether it was the Kiri, the Anna and the Zen was a unique
feature of his play. The team always had the trust and for a young player, that's an incredible
accolade and to hold that trophy must feel amazing. I mean he you heard it from
simple himself the fact that it meant so much to get that MVP at an event of this
caliber and for Korea as well to reclaim the dynasty that they built at OWC
the first three years that this competition was happening. Absolutely I
love to see of course a support player getting the MVP honors it's really hard
to shine, or has been in the past, although I have to say in this meta, in this year specifically,
it was the backline that really stood out for so many of those teams. They were kind of the backbone and the front bone and the mid bone.
I thought about it basically because you needed those solid performances in order to get your team across the finish line, Jake.
Crucial difference maker is not just the ability to play what others expect you to play,
but in this era of Overwatch to be an innovator, to go beyond, to say to your team that I believe like this will work,
I have the faith in my abilities to set a new course to chart a new meta and this green squad has done exactly that through this
whole tournament
adapting to the modern meta
It's a young team a team that is poised to maybe continue on to further and greater things another win after all these years
Begs the question of is this the beginning of a new run a new streak for South Korea in the
Don't drop him.
Don't drop him.
See, that's some deep bonding, trust exercises happening on stage.
I have to look away.
I'm going to get a little scared here.
The mom instinct is coming through.
But, yeah, honestly, I feel like obviously seeing South Korea back on top, that's iconic.
It feels like back in the days where that has always been the case.
But we have to talk about how much the competition has leveled up.
This year, Overwatch World Cup treated us to so many great surprises, so many new faces
faces from so many different countries across the globe that had an opportunity to shine and stand out for us.
There absolutely were so many of those moments. Again, Overwatch World Cup, it's been an opportunity to have players that we don't get to see
on the big stage all that often, that don't get those opportunities to have that kind of exposure.
And we've seen George growth from those players here as well. And it's been so impressive to see.
We've seen also the upsets that have happened across the board, but the stories write themselves looking at this bracket
Having Korea have that reverse sweep up against France after what happened in Busan and then now to have the dominant performance
That they just we just witnessed here in the grand finals
Yeah, what an incredible story this was this bracket particularly for them first up in the quarterfinals
They have to go up against the hometown heroes
They have to go up against Team USA and they managed to do it so well in a convincing 3-0 victory.
They move into the semifinals and this is where things got really, really tough for them.
They were truly tested this time around, Jake.
Yeah, and this is serious, you know, it was going long and with the Saudis opening up strong,
it looked a little bit scary at times, 14 South Korea, but they kept the faith, they kept the hope.
It feels like it really came together on Newjung City, able to match and at times outplay,
even in this hard hitscan setup that has been really a comfort zone for the Saudis in recent history.
It absolutely has been, especially when you have the fact that with the swaps that we see coming in,
very much so the identity that this Korean roster has swapping in their team, swapping in their DPS,
also being able to pull out that double hitscan within Heesang and soccer there,
then you also have Sanjin feel to throw in the Vendetta, whatever it may be on that flex DPS,
when you need him to absolutely the team has showed resilience and tenacity throughout this
tournament and that started already really in busan in the group stage again it was not an easy
right for them to get here yeah maybe a better road that they take it this way that they have to go
the long way they have to find the weaknesses break them over and over again coming back
stronger and stronger each time as matt said a lot can change in a couple hours i mean recently
They were down 0-2 against France on the verge of elimination.
And then to come back in this series against a foe that really barely anyone has been able to scratch.
And somehow, someway, they look dominant. It is not close. 4-1, the final score line in this one.
And as Braun says, long and difficult as it was, as close as it was at times,
it really felt like this Korean squad had found their heart, found their confidence
and their composure in those final moments.
It really is that.
I think that wake up call there from Busan.
These terrifying things, honestly,
even heading into next season as well, right?
For Korea to feel reinvigorated.
And also, you think about the teams back home,
watching this squad representing them and their country.
They are going to want to show up more than ever.
Absolutely.
They will be having a target on their back,
as is always the case, when you end up coming first in the Overwatch World Cup.
Obviously, S1mple has received the MVP honors here today,
but which player other than S1mple stood out to you,
and that doesn't just have to be from Team South Korea.
It can be any player who wants to start.
You got someone in mind? Do you look like it?
You know, in the group stages, I noticed Zorro as a player
who really impressed me playing the USA very close from Team Sweden.
I've got to think about Akku on the cat from Team Germany.
She was a bit of a breakthrough this year,
not expecting her without having much O2BCS experience,
but she really played fantastic on this big stage,
which I think a lot of coaches love to see somebody
who can play well under the bright lights.
I mean, the entirety of Kingdom of Saudi Arabia,
Team Korea, these are superstar squads, right?
There's no unknown superstars coming out of these rosters,
but maybe the supports on the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
have to earn their respect.
We were asking questions,
and these players are a little bit out of that
very top competitive echelon,
but they prove that they can stand tall
with their countrymen and really put up strong performances through the cup.
I think for myself, we've talked so much about France and we always highlight Crocs and FD God,
but it has to be Q who's been so impressive to me because the hitscan player isn't being able to
hang with some of the best of the best. That was such a different speaker for that team.
It really truly was. I think there are so many moments, so many moments for a lot of the known
players and unknown players to really have a moment in the light here on this stage, improve
themselves and I'm sure that a lot of teams who are looking forward to the OWCS
stage three perhaps or beyond that you know this is the opportunity to scout
players this is where people really shine because there's just so much
pressure in those mixed teams that are just formed for this occasion as you
said like that's what coaches are looking for. Yeah it's definitely a
moment where you know you certainly all the players who just played on this
grand final stage are gonna remember this moment whether they come away with
the win or the loss maybe the losers remember things a little bit more
clearly when it comes to that next OWCS event when you can expect to see those players
facing off once again on stages with incredible stakes. So this certainly isn't the last word
in competitive Overwatch, but it's a beautiful moment in the calendar just to mark how far we've
come. I mean, 10 years of competitive Overwatch, almost unbelievable to think it's been that long.
Yeah, some of these players grew up with this, right? So that's kind of crazy. And of course,
Once again, since South Korea taking the crown at the very end of it,
they now get to add the fourth star to their jersey.
Are we running out of space soon or where are we going?
Where do you put the fourth star?
I mean, we didn't ask those questions, but here in year 10, they're stacking them up.
I mean, this team is just head and shoulders above the rest of the world.
An unbelievable history, but it's no surprise to any long-time fan
of professional overwatch Korea just produces star studded roster after star
studded roster if anything it's impressive that other teams have been able to compete
so well these last few years. It really is a statement of how close the competition has
been getting about how the other regions have been able to close that gap and start to stack up
in this new age of overwatch. Yeah and while this feels like business as usual South Korea on top
I do have to talk about how incredible it is that we do get to see a team getting their first medal.
It may not be gold, but still I think what France produced in this Overwatch World Cup
has to be praised, has to be talked about. It absolutely is something that we need to discuss
because overall for Team France, you could see how much heart they had up on that stage.
And it's you saw the heartbreak even not being able to get to that grand final from France when they did booth and to be
able to now at very least to get that medal here is huge for a nation who has been such a big part of
o w w c. I love that you shut it up. Keo asked because I really have the same feeling watching backstage like this
guy is here to compete on a big stage in front of some of the biggest names that Overwatch has to offer and he's
able to come up with the goods. That is a rare thing, especially on the hit scan roll,
an unforgiving place to find yourself, especially in the current meta with all of its treks
and complexities working around your jetpack cab. Keo was fantastic. Also Crocs, I mean,
there has to be a household name now after this, like this puts him on the map in competitive
professional overwatch in a way, I think much more than we've ever seen before in his relatively
short career.
Yeah, I'm just so excited because we get to see these players compete again very soon,
of course in the OWCS stage three now the team peps has qualified again so we're
going to see crocs in action once more and you know it just really makes me
excited to see these teams going back to their respective teams and competing
in a different environment all once more of course hopefully leading up to yet
another Overwatch World Cup at BlizzCon next year. Of course we would
definitely love to see it again this is an event that brings everyone together
whether you're an esports fan or just a fan of supporting your country
It develops new fans and also welcomes in the ones who have been here since the beginning.
Meshing into a really lovely family here.
It's been so great, I think, just being here at BlizzCon.
Getting to witness it all in person.
I couldn't agree more.
And now we've yapped for a long time.
It is now the moment we've all been waiting for.
And that is, of course, our medal ceremony on stage.
So let's send it down to Puckett.
Thank you so much, Zoe.
It's the moment a lot of you've been waiting for.
for it. Thank you for everybody who stuck around the Blizzard arena to see these gentlemen crown.
Bring it out first, our bronze medalist. Give it up for team France.
France ultimately fell short of their goal at this event, but they do place on the podium
for the first time in World Cup history and look at the smile on FD God's face.
It's all smiles for the Fred squad.
They're going to be walking away with some medals.
Give it up for him one more time.
Danny Lim taking away.
Thank you, Pockett.
Team France, congratulations.
I just have one question.
This was your first podium finish.
You guys placed third, getting the bronze medal.
That is not a small feat.
I feel like that's something that you guys
should be proud of, Crocs.
Do you have anything you want to say?
I want to shout out to the fans.
They were loud as fuck.
Thanks, everybody, for supporting us.
And next year, or in two years, we're coming back with the same roster, we're gonna win it all.
They're gonna win it all. I love it. The confidence for France is growing, and we've seen it all year long.
Congratulations, gentlemen, on your Brahms medal here at World Cup 2026.
We're gonna let you get your medals, take a great picture here in the front.
In the meantime, Chad, what did you think of the performance from France this week at Dany Lim? It was incredible.
It was incredible.
Wasn't it incredible, FGOT?
Did you have a lot of fun at BlizzCon?
Yeah, it's so much fun.
Sorry, it's the best I've ever played,
and I'm so happy right now.
Next time, is France going to win it all next time?
Next World Cup?
Yeah, next time.
Next time we do it at least a second.
It's like a second and a second and a first, so we hope,
yeah.
Gentlemen, I'll let you come down the stage
here in front of Nate.
In the meantime, Blizzard Arena, please make some noise
for the next team coming out to the stage,
grabbing a silver medal after the last gold.
It is KSA, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
[?].
[?].
[?].
Horns and lab-dug crew put on such a show for us
throughout this World Cup from the group stages
to the BlizzCon Arena.
Ultimately, they're felt by South Korea, but a silver medal is nothing to stop that.
Congratulations, gentlemen.
And please award the medals as Danny Lim begins the interview.
Labda, quick question.
I mean, I know you guys wanted to win it all.
Thank you.
I feel like, you know, everyone wants to win it all, but you guys were just a little bit short.
You guys play second, but I feel like that's still something that you guys should be very, very proud of.
What was your favorite moment in the Overwatch World Cup?
I mean, of course, it's last time we went 23, so yeah, I think World Cup 2023, it was like the best moment.
We couldn't win today, but I promise you guys we'll win it all next time.
Thank you.
the
Fernando passed it out the awards our silver medalists putting on a show for us all and we
Expect to see them on the stage again. I have a feeling surmised. It was awesome to see you out here
Is there a smile somewhere on that face?
Can you hear me my guy
It's great to see you playing again. Is there a smile on that face? I
I didn't hear you, sorry.
All good. How do you feel about KSI's performance this week?
How do you feel about KSI's performance?
First of all, I want to thank all my teammates and the coaching staff, everyone who walked behind the scene.
We wouldn't get second place without them.
I want to thank the fans too.
Thank you guys.
Can I say it in Arabic?
God bless you guys. Thank you for your support.
Thank you for your support.
World Cup Champion, South Korea!
Song Chun, Stocker, Jun Bin, Simpho, Chorong, Max, Heesong, everybody playing their part throughout this tournament.
Amazing coaching has always, Havan has been there since day number one of the Overwatch scene.
He is still raising trophies in 2026.
Danny, it is incredible to see everything that has happened here.
And we have just one more thing to do.
That is, of course, is to award the gold medal.
Liz Khan, as they receive their medals,
one more time in the arena before security kicks us out.
Give it up for South Korea!
And as the final three medals are presented, do me a favor in the middle.
We need you to lift this trophy in three, two, one.
to the podium today as well. None of this, of course, would be possible without our amazing stuff
and our sponsors. They're a huge thank you to them. A broadcast comes to an end here,
but the show isn't over yet. On behalf of all of us, thank you for watching and enjoy the rest of your
You bless con!
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