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Here I am, die, run, now wait and shine
Can I see this on the sky?
Hey, it's my superpower
I'm not a simple, simple, muddler
I'm a tough guy, I'm a tough guy
I'm a tough guy, I'm a tough guy
I'm a tough guy, I'm a tough guy
I'm a tough guy, I'm a tough guy
I can't see your face, I'm in a rampage
I can't change myself
Living as a plant, B as you plant
A, B, P, N, R, Champion, N, R, Champion
Brooklyn, I'm the first one
Tonight, two of us together
On the beach
I'll never fly
I'll never fly
I'll never fly
I'll never fly
I'll never fly
I'll never fly
Baby, it's my superpower
I can't, I can't fight
I do it in a shot
I can't, I swing it down the side
Baby, it's my superpower
This one never saw me coming
I keep down, I keep doing it, they lie
Love rules, love rules
Only girls can judge me
Only girls can judge me
Only girls can judge me
Only girls can judge me
If I never leave
I'll never fly
We're a separate fight
It's fine, I'll do it for you
I'll work it
My super power
Can't it run?
Run, do it in a shot
Can't I keep it down this time?
I've got the feeling
Come back to me
I've got the feeling
Come back to me
I got the feeling that I come back to me
I got the feeling that I come back to me
I got the city ladder, come back to me
I got the city ladder, come back to me
I got the city ladder, come back to me
you
you
you
you
you
you
you
you
you
you
you
you
you
you
you
you
you
you
you
you
you
you
you
You know I can't help it, you know I can't help it
I'm turning at you, not me
When I am in a spotlight, when you're cruising
You're over my emotions, I was foolish
But now you're in a spotlight, cannot shoot it
You're playing with my heart, you're playing with my heart
When I was a starlight
In the cool dead
In the cool alive emotions
I was foolish
In my eyes
Your body knows
A sense of victory
Sees when mind, mood, and gear ignite as one
Now, step into your zone
Designed to win
Wingman World while... Wingman World while wha...
Have a break. Have a KitKat.
Wingman World while wanting a well-won break.
Let's go!
Let Bill give you wings.
I
Let's go
I'll give it one more try, I don't know why, but I keep coming back every time I want to pull the money, I don't know why, it feels so right
Why am I playing with time?
My life is taken away
It's taken away
You mess your mind
It's not a second away
It's taken away
away
It's taken away
I
I can't take me down.
Welcome back to Berlin for the third week of VCT EMEA kickoff, where the stakes are climbing just as fast as Lover's Rock.
Today, we're going to be diving into the middle bracket as the region's full guard fights to keep their mass spots for Master Santiago alive.
It's a dream that they have to realize and you're as Ginny joined with mini and Billy and we're back on the comfy couches. Billy. Well, it's have you. Thank you. I'm happy to be back. I can't believe they let that guy Carol come on yesterday.
No.
Isn't it crazy, right?
It immediately came out with a high trunk as well.
I know. At least the better Scottish persons on the show today.
The audacity. That's what I'm going to say, right? Either way, yesterday was a pretty great in terms of the games that we were given. I think all coming through with that win against Pacific was really good to see.
really good to see, not just the fact that they were so confident, but also just like
the vibes afterwards that we had in the interview. But all in all, Billy, I'd like to start off
with you in terms of like whether the series lived up to your expectations because I know
like there's some specific love. Yeah, I was really sad. And I feel like you guys were
also kind of rooting for Pacific guests today because when Ginny had asked like,
oh, who do you think wins? Like you were both like, oh yeah, the expectations for
Pacific to win. But off came out swinging and we're able to finally find their first
when here in VCT since coming up from Ascension. So yeah, really, really great performance from that.
I wasn't rooting for anyone. I just say who I think is going in. I have no bias here.
Roll the clips. Roll the clips. I swear, you do know that this is a live broadcast where
there is a vibe of the broadcast. Look, I just thought that all we're going to lose because
they are two subs and I'm banking on them at stage one to be very good and they surprise me.
Well, we'll see whether all those stocks are going up. But for today's games, we are
pretty comfortably in that middle bracket. These teams still have to their lives to be playing with
are going to be starting things off with finality, finality against Navi. And then we have vitality
GX. Both games should be very promising because every single one of these teams has, of course,
had a chance to kind of go back, lick their wounds and figure out what didn't really work for
them last time around. Yeah, I think it's an interesting day because we're in that middle
bracket, but with we've got a lot of teams here that we probably expected to still be in
that upper bracket. We're even teams that are still maybe expected to make it to Santiago. So
So I think today it's gonna be just like really good games in my opinion.
Okay, I feel like that's my first little day, so we are blessed.
True winners are the viewers.
Okay!
I mean, I'll be honest, yesterday I felt like it was a little bit muddy at times.
Like, it was a lower bracket.
Today it doesn't feel like a middle bracket, it feels like an upper bracket to me.
So I expect the level of Valorant to increase a lot today.
Ooh, well, you know those memes of my expectations versus reality?
I truly hope that that is not the case today, but to start things off on a lighter note, we're going to be playing a little bit of a game.
I'm going to put you two to the test in regards to the deadliest duos that we have here in DCT kickoff or EMEA.
We're going to show you guys the duos and then you can only pick one.
So you need to play favorites.
I know that sounds great.
The monitor is straight ahead of you.
So I'm going to start off with you actually mini boaster crashes.
Versus who?
They're going to be going in Yampi and Durka, so you have to pick one.
I picked so bad. Both of us crashed. I don't care who they're up against. They've lost the map, Shay.
I'm not a fan of this duo at all. Both individually don't care about them, as a duo don't care about them.
You sound like a toxic ex, low pay.
Yeah, I hate that fake relationship. We all know who the real OG relationship is in that dynamic, you know.
All right, you just the new the new thing you'll be gone soon. It'd be fine, you know
Yeah, that's crazy
Love that really your turn. We have our flick list and then we have hero rock sick you got a pick one
Oh wait, I have to choose between who our own flick listen to hero and a rock sick
Wait
Let's do purple and miniboo and then hero and ruxik.
It has to be hero and ruxik for me.
I think that Turkish firepower that they're able to bring.
Purple and miniboo have been putting up good performances, but hero and ruxik for me here.
Okay, moving to the other side of this bracket, we have Larok and Lovers Rock and then Martina and Mini.
That's like Bobkin when you get that first round, you're playing against the arse and something.
The Rock Lovers Rock. Honestly, this is hard. I'm going to go with The Rock and The Lovers Rock, but that's just unfair, because that duo beats almost every other duo, Martina and Mini.
Well, you know, there is going to be the winner duo, so maybe that's their spot. Billy, we have Woot and Comeback, and then Aura and Fliklis.
Let's go Aura and Fliklis to become boys. I think that they've shown how synergized they are together, with the amount of time that they're playing together.
Me? Your turn. Your turn, your turn.
Oh my god, this side.
You gotta hero Raksik, or yanking, and Dirkah.
Ah, it's Dirkah.
Oh, that's difficult, you know.
Honestly, I feel like Hero and Rixxer could be playing their best followers together.
Ooh.
So I gotta go hero.
Yeah, but I really love the icon.
Okay, actually, I think Yampi and Dirkah, maybe not Deadly, it's true, but Iconic,
it's true.
Yeah, but it was his choice.
Yeah, the Devil's choice was so nice.
You better choose the rock and lovers rock or are on flick list. I have to
Go lower rock and lovers rock here. I think okay fair and now you guys have to play paper scissor to decide who gets to choose
The final duo unless you both agree that you're on rick's a really yeah, okay lovers rock
Okay, okay rock paper scissors go rock paper scissor go
Oh, what's that?
No, I'm gonna hit your face.
Sorry, I'm just kidding.
You just kidding.
You don't do this.
Who's your choice?
Yeah, wait.
Yeah, you choose.
I'm going to go for the Moroccan lover's rock.
OK, that's all right.
I think that's fair.
I mean, they really impressed us.
So can't complain here.
My opinion, maybe to get unlucky with that draw, though.
Yeah, that's unlucky.
You know what?
You can't say that when you're put out in a bracket.
It's just how the cookie crumbles.
You've got to beat everyone to get to the top.
True.
So it is what it is.
Anyway, it's first matchup that we have,
where you actually do have to wait if you want to continue your run here in VCC.
It's Navi against Fnatic and Navi specifically had a really good start
and then they wound up against gentlemates and then it was not a good start at the bar.
Yeah, I think that's fair. I think that Navi did look really good coming into it.
I think that in that game they kind of got owned.
It was a 2-0 and it wasn't that close in my opinion.
we had a Biss and Bind, 37th, 39th, but eyesight is so bad, I'm sorry.
Everybody get the glasses.
I don't even think those scores even represented the game fully either.
I do think that Mates had that kind of one-sided.
So to me, one thing I'm kind of looking out for is,
you know, we've got new leadership in Na'Vi.
What happens when they go into those closer games that are a bit more tough?
They don't have Angel inside the server anymore with that experience.
It's now on the shower as a leader to kind of pick the boys back up.
I don't know and shout well enough as a leader yet to know if that's gonna be a story that maintains itself or continues
I think as well it going up against gentle mates is probably being the first real test for this Navi roster without kickoff so far
I think if you were to look at the bracket
It had kind of maybe a more easier journey when you consider the teams that they've had to go up against so far
So yeah, I think it's definitely good that they take the loss now so that they can learn from it and hopefully implement
Those kind of mistakes that they made into their game against fanatic and learn from those
Yeah, and speaking of shallow as a leader specifically and how they've kind of taken it day by day and just a preparation going into this match
We had a chance to have a bit of a conversation with him ahead of it. So let's head over to see what you have to say
Shayla, thank you so much for taking a time ahead of your match against fanatic to join me for the interview
I would love to have a conversation about
Navi in the bigger picture of things because looking at the start of kickoff
you guys did really well against KC, then you have a 2-1 against Heretics, and then a 2-0 against
Gentlemates. What's going on here? Are the stonks going down? I don't know, we will see today
against Natik. Yeah, we just learned mistakes from Gentlemates' game. Maybe we were a bit relaxed
winning two previous games, and yeah, I hope we will be back today. Okay, I am looking forward
to it myself, but I think as well a lot of questions in regards to what can we expect
out of the performance from Navi because you talk about already having seen some of
the mistakes against Gentlemates, what is that going to look like today on the server?
In my opinion it will be like first two games, good teamplay, good firepower and maybe some
clutches from our good players like Ruxik or Hero. Gotta keep the entertainment value going
with the clutches, we do appreciate that. When it comes to the bigger picture for Navi and
just how you guys are looking to perform in this kickoff I think questions are also around
You know these newer teams when we're looking at gentlemen, it's coming in and look at BBL
They are currently in that upper final. You're now fighting in that middle bracket against
Fnatic as well, you know, the old guards are currently in question marks around them
How does it feel to be in that position as well? I
Mean in sport first of all, so it's fine. We just work with what we have and if in the middle bracket
So and it's not a we just our goal is to win and play next next next game
Absolutely.
Until qualification.
Until qualification, yes, that's what I want to hear.
From your position though, being in the server, being the player that leads everybody, what
is it that you've been focusing on since that Gentlemates match to make sure that today
is going to run smoothly?
I can't play Copa, my secrets.
No, not even like a cop.
I will be very prepared against me.
So this is like, I will keep it to the secrets.
Okay, if you make your secrets close to your heart, I respect that, you know,
you got a man of secrets.
That's fine.
I mean, you're saying you're going up against Fnatic, the goal is obviously to win here.
Fnatic as well has had a little bit of ups and downs.
Do you think that makes them more scary, less scary?
Because we heard Bozer talk about how they're a team that likes to scale
and they like to have all these vault reviews.
Of course, they now have quite a bit on you as well.
Does that make you a little bit worried, not at all?
No, like we usually not underestimating enemies.
And it's Fnatic, you know, they can bounce back at any moment and win the tournament.
So yeah, we will come to this much full focus.
full prepared and we'll show our best today.
All right, well thank you so much for taking the time for the interview
and for not letting go of any of your secrets as well.
I do respect that.
Good luck on your game today against Fanatic
and we're going to be heading back over to you guys.
Thank you!
That was... we didn't get anything.
Can I show again?
He's like, no, I'm keeping my secrets close to the vest
and honestly, respect.
Okay, he doesn't want to give a...
He just needs to lie like Andrew needs to do.
Like Andrew needs to just lie, you know?
You know who actually didn't lie?
when Lulu spoke to him last week and she kind of touched upon the fact of like, okay, like, what's going wrong?
Why is it kind of like missing the mark?
And he just came out very honestly and goes, you know, the more games we play, we actually have a get that chance to scale
and we get to have the VODs and we get to prep a little bit.
And would you agree that this is potentially what we're seeing and what Fnatic really does need to succeed?
Yeah, I think something that we kind of discussed when we saw Fnatic play for the first time was that
was that they are a team that kind of need to warm up into things, especially at kick-off.
We've not really seen them have a successful start to the year since 2023,
like the extensions when we spoke about this previously.
So yeah, I think the longer that they get to...
I don't know why you're laughing.
Why are you laughing?
That's crazy.
I think the longer that they get to play throughout this kick-off bracket,
I honestly think the stronger that they end up becoming.
So that's going to be a real test for now.
Yeah, I will put some criticism though.
I don't think that they should be getting to this point
and then relying on VODs during the tournament, but they've had an off-season.
So like I don't think it's fully like yeah, and a good excuse. I do think it's the case
I absolutely agree. I think that they get involved today. They seem to improve that week
But at the same time, I don't know if last week was fully on the improvements in the strategy
Like they started the game on Corridor against the look and honestly, they should have been done quite heavy
Yeah, it was the heroics and madmen that were like it's a good thing to see in some respects because it did look like they're
Shooting as opposed to the game gets foot where they just look both a little bit shit
lost and didn't have the firepower. Last week at least they were coming at guns blazing and there was a bit of a ramp up in the strategy
playing a bit faster at times, so
Things are looking a little bit on the rise, but I don't think it's fully sold for the Banatik yet
Yeah, I think that's a big thing that you mentioned Germany is the fact that last week it did feel like on some of those runs
We were like relying on the rogues when they came to Banatik and of course the more games that they play they kick off you
They can't just keep relying on rogues from alpha, from crashes
So it's kind of clutch situations that they can't find themselves in yeah
And that's also something that again we heard both are such fun in the interview
But I think we can say worrying signs
But even the teams that we're seeing do well they do manage to kind of like rely on these heroics every now and then so yes
Of course, there's like a couple of question marks
But the truth of the matter is says Valorant it is a tactical shooter game
You've got to know how to shoot your gun anyway
Sometimes you got to come through with the aerobics
But alpha is a player that you highlighted Billy and that's another one that we're really gonna have to be looking at today
because he is like that spearhead when it comes to pulling up these rounds that you just have like wow
What just happened? I definitely think that he was a highlight in their game last week
And of course he's going up against another person that is hero who can very much be that
Individualistic player for Navi who's been able to pull off her own from the past
So yeah, I think going into today's game something that we need to keep an eye on is these two sentinels going up against one another
Who obviously have history between each other as well
Yeah, I think the heroes developed really well since his time of fantastic both of like I would describe it as more of a
sensual flex roll right now both of them are very sensual but also here last week
they tear on two maps. Alpha is being played in the Jewellers too so it's almost
like their flexibility is a really good sign. What I liked about Alpha as well
was his almost like leadership at some points last week like he felt locked in
in the server but also out of the server he feels a lot like he's taking a
lot that hype man duty and I think he's really embracing it it seems to
be a very good sign for Fnatic or a very good thing for Fnatic even. Yeah I think in
general like fanatic is in a great spot and of course navi is as well but this is kind of the
ultimate test because you already touch upon it really yourself when we're looking at the opponents
at navi has played heretics and kc they're already in that lower bracket general maze they're in
that upper final so that was their true test now fanatic is the second test where they really
get a chance to prove themselves both of these rosters still have a life to play with but
But the middle bracket of floor kickoff starts now.
I
the
All right teams are ready to go and so are we
Matfitos are up next because you know this is the best three
So you got to pick your your battleground or where you're comfortable going starting things off with you Billy in regards to what are you?
Hoping to see doesn't have to be like realistic
But like something you just really want to see today
I think before we even get into my people's I'm excited to see shall go up against bolster in this idea
Head-to-head, of course. Usually this would be considered as an L-classical back in the years of EMEA
So saying this is gonna be really exciting for me
I think looking at this map, Vito though, seeing Navi select Split into Fnatic feels a little bit dangerous
In the sense that both teams have had two wins and zero losses. It feels almost a bit risky
I don't know how you feel about it. Yeah, I think that Split historically has been a good map for Fnatic
Like these teams have a lot of history and they have those leadership there
The strategic leadership in Angel, Shao, and now Ghoster
And spit to me was a map that Fnatic would always kind of win, isn't that much up in my opinion?
So I think there is an interesting choice from Navi.
Navi do have a good ban in Coroto, like Fnatic were playing that a lot, so I think them having that permit ban is very good.
Fnatic going to Breeze, interesting. I expected maybe an abyss there, but we'll have to see.
Because last time they were playing Sage, I don't know if we're going to see that on the other side.
Yeah, I think that's a big point, right? I think for them to pick into Breeze today,
suggest that they've been doing a lot of prep work on it over the past week.
I'd like to see potentially a composition change come up from them because, of course, they
managed to get such a lead on the map, and then when they switched sites, they kind of
struggled and allowed Baby Alte to come back into it the last time that we saw them play
breeze.
In fact, the only time that we saw them play breeze.
For Navi though, we've not seen them play breeze.
Yeah, players are also getting ready in their Razor chairs, which are very important
as we're going to be heading into a best of three series.
I mean, the final map that we do have, however, is going to be Bind, which I'm
also interested to see how that one is going to play out because Navi's Bind
does not work.
But something interesting to me is that Angel on the podcast recently that Tom was saying
that Rooksik would be playing more Chamber if Rooksik liked it.
Angel seems to be really high on Chamber right now.
And these three maps, I think are maps in which we already know he's playing on Split.
Breeze could be a map he can play on there.
And then Split as well as a map where, sorry, the bind as well if they're struggling
could be an angle where he switches there.
So that's something I'm keeping my eye on is if Navi have kind of gone back
the table with some of the comps and maybe looking at chamber angle, I would quite enjoy
that to be honest with you. Yeah, I think when it comes to that chamber
angle, it's a big thing of comfort as well, throwing the comfort word around, but something
that we've seen from a lot of teams in kick-off so far, I'd say is that teams wanting to
tie their compositions into the meta, but then also having to move away from comfort,
and it's finding a balance there, I think in my opinion, of being able to play comfort
roles what your players thrive on, but also being able to have a good read on
the meta. So yeah, I think it really just comes down to what Rooksik feels most empowered
on. Yeah, I want to keep the conversation then like focused now on Split specifically,
because that is the first map that we're going to be looking at. And when we're looking
at Na'Vi, they've already played it against Heretics and KC. And again, kind of going
back to the point of like, this is a map that these are two teams that are already
in that lower bracket. So how much of a testament is that to their strength on this map?
Uh, what do you mean, sir? So the fact that they've played Split already against
that are currently in that lower bracket. Do we think that they are comfortable enough on this map to be able to take
Fnatic on it? Like do we think that it's a-
Yeah, I think that it's definitely viable. I think that
Personally, I think that Fnatic and that double-jewelist approach is slightly stronger. I don't think Chamber on this map is at strong point
I think that Chamber is breaking other maps. I don't think the operator is a bigger deal on this map in general
And so I don't think Rooksik is gonna find as- shouldn't find as much value
especially when he's got two Jules just like diving in his face like I think that this map kind of
Suits that explosivity a little bit more in my opinion so
My my bias apparently a towards the knife all the time, but I do think genuinely this kind of comp matchup
I prefer fanatics approach. I think that's fair
And I think it's our fear can come out swinging in the same way that he did in the last series last week then
Honestly fair enough
We kind of had heart home that we did want to see off your kind of flexing more into these kind of agents rather than just being on
That Sentinel role all the time
I think the cash as well on the vipers being such a bright spark for fanatic coming into this roster this year
He's had a really great performance
I think Navi though to give them the grace that they deserve when they came in to kick off with this roster
And with this composition for split, I think we were all kind of like taking a back like oh my gosh
This is really what Navi look like going into this year. This is very innovative for them
So, yeah, I'm intrigued to see how these two compositions go up against one another, but I just want to give Kudos to Nabi for that comment.
Yeah, I agree. I just think now they're playing against the bigger opponent. So what happens now is basically the question.
Yeah, absolutely agree. And that's already something we touched upon. But then also, fanatic side of things, you already said that you like their composition.
This is also a test for them in regards to how they're going to be performing, because they are now in this middle bracket as well.
But we're ready to head into our first map of the day. And our caster is ready for that as well. Mitch and Tom.
Thank you, Ginny. Yes, it's time to see who's going to take the cake between these two teams middle bracket stakes
Thank you. Lova Tom. We come into this matchup fanatic 5 and 1 in the partnership era up against this squad
But Boster versus Angel I guess kind of still on his in the heavens
He's watching from above and so is my land no
No, it's one of those matches where it's a grudge match between the Orcs, it's a grudge
match maybe between a couple of the players but ultimately it's about staying in that middle
bracket.
No one wants to have to make a lower bracket run, especially when there's three brackets.
Yeah, yeah, it's quite a long run once you get down there for now, well, Navi and
Fnatic, one of them is going to get pretty close to striking distance on a spot in
Santiago.
After this, the victor will need to win two series, 1-0-5 at the end.
The lower bracket still gives them a chance to bounce back.
Fnatic start out on Navi's pick, so they choose the side.
They will go for the defense where already you can see Navi
are putting the pressure on, but that guy only flew
under the radar for a moment, but here he takes him down
and boasts it, running in a little early,
gets cut down to size.
Kayak's got a huge challenge.
And good trades from Navi.
Set them up for a 3v2 post plant.
I like the mid-round call.
Put the pressure on getting your opponent's face
trying to overwhelm the players and not allow for that retake to be properly set up,
puts them into an advantageous position and with Ruxik
let's go off the screen
in an aggressive spot
he's gonna be able to hold the line, know that there's no flank coming either because of the trap
and it just leaves Philo jiggling, he's already seen everything, that's all they needed to know
There's some danger up close from Alpha.
That bandit, the fire rate, not even used there, the one tap clean to start this off.
Rourxig running out of those headhunters, shots down to two and no heads of beanfield.
They can take him out.
It's chased him all the way back to main.
Bopped some time, but time ticking for Cratchy's as the beef used not even half way, but
he gets it there.
He sticks it under his goals.
The time's surely turned.
The second on and he's won it!
The missed shot from the head hunter!
That could have defined it Tom!
Six HP and he's got it done!
That's a crazy red book clutch.
It's round one.
But that it couldn't split. It's always given me...
Well, it's given great moments, but also the Nightmare Flashbacks.
And that might be a Nightmare Flashback for Adrian.
He's kicking things off.
Round number one.
Should have been dead to right.
Even the second hit, once he got it half.
You kind of think that's a moment where Rooks could have waited a little bit longer, but you'd think I've got him dead to rights
There's no way he survives this
Crashies does damage getting called out by your teammates as well like six HP. No hassle that that's an easy kill, but oh
So many chances to close that out it felt like none of them connected at a big round for crash
She's
Immediately get out of there yet still
He's lit down to 20 HP, some decent damage to Headhunter, only needs the one shot as Boaster
goes down and Alphier still tied.
It looks like there could be a weakness to exploit towards that B site.
The major threat has gone though, that's the only problem.
That Headhunter, there's a reason that Angel was talking about wanting Ruxik more
and more on it.
We even heard from Ruxik himself in the interview saying that it's just kind of boring,
just click heads and I was like yeah it's not boring to watch and also like if you
win I don't think anybody cares how exciting you find it but I guess also
when you are probably the best controller maybe other than Kiko that played in
AMA last year maybe you don't want to be switching roles too much I can
understand that as well we'll see if that's a piece that will change of
course for for Navi of feeling out the map I'm sure they'd love to get an
additional orb as well, which is going right into the hands of Filu. However, getting anything
more done from here is going to be difficult.
Well, let's see. Pressure put on. Altar tag low. There is a chance. If they can take
this site, if they can deal it with Crashes, they will eventually, leaving it down to
a 1v2 snake bite. Perfect, yeah, that's it, done. Still, all in all, Tom. Great
damage coming out of this round if you're an avi fan.
Yeah, for sure. This was a couple of shotguns bought up alongside SMGs and a rifle, so it really isn't too bad.
Coming in with a showstopper for the next round for Fielder after picking up the Orbs and getting a kill and getting the plant and dying.
And he's done excellent work, so that's something that they can definitely look to put into this next round.
What will be up against the, I imagine, a fairly weak purchase from Fnatic other than the singular rifle.
We'll see how they decide to play that one out, but you'd be surprised if there's too
much investment in it.
Good signs early on for Navi, Villaloo, showstopper on line, I think if you were gonna put a big
investment into this round it would be too much of a risk.
That showstopper could turn the tide in their favor.
The question is, will it be used to entry up against the weaker by Fanatica saved as
a last port of call and disaster?
Nice and easy.
That's landed well, but those players are able to make a little distance behind it so.
End of the world, you have not enough to turn one player up towards the B site.
The rest of them ready to break out on A any second now.
Hagen needs to clear this close angle.
I'm getting a little bit nervous.
One, two, runs in, but it's a disappearing act.
Aloud's here on freebie.
We saw the stat a moment ago.
He's got the most kills so far in kickoff.
Which is surprising considering the performance that Alphia had, they're still left, yeah.
Chow is very far away from the rest of the team.
This is going to be the latest lurk of all time.
But luckily they're still going to have a 3v2 on the site.
Kind of looking at Vekhash though.
Chow's even taking his time.
Now they know that they're here.
Chow speeds up, he's heard the steps, knows there's a player going to screens,
eyes on sight now focused in Ruxik locked in on that angle waiting for them to
step forward and if they take too long it'll be depth fun behind snake bite
by his time Ruxik's off. Chimes in and a shell has completely whiffed!
That cash now has a chance surely not another fanatic clutch and this time it
will go to Navi in the end but wow a dramatic entrance from shell and an
immediate exit. I honestly if someone can download the replay of this, I want someone
to appear in the entire round from Sheldon. I'm just here lurking and here comes, I'm
just slow walking. No! Oh it looks like my ranked games. The funny thing is he is so unlucky
by the fact that Bec has just decided to stand on the right. I just gotta walk backwards
at full pace. Like not even shifting. Left, right, right, right, right, right, right, backwards.
But okay. It's worked remarkably well. Navi, maybe thanks to Shao. They end up with that round.
It's not great. They lost so many players and this is a good opportunity now for Fanatic to
almost completely reset them. Yeah, the showstop is still in play. But Nightful has been picked
up on the other side. Hero under pressure. Is that a phenomenal kickoff so far revealed
And that's an important man to clear. Also the lurker as well, so that's half the map that now has no Navi presence.
Navi, the credits put in. Do you now use the showstopper? Burst through. It looks like the dog's going to be the point of contact.
Showstopper active, fired out, and lands on Alphia. That guy ran for the hill, so having control given up, but down below, lurking, waiting.
waiting his boaster and he strikes at just the right moment.
Another blinded up, the spray was good.
Running and gunning as Fanatic set their sights on three
and lock it in moments later.
That's going to be a super painful round for Na'Vi.
Not only just that sectioning off, that's clearly just a plan.
Like they know that here is going to likely lurk on this side of the map.
You can clear them out, you can allow for early rotations.
But then even just, well, the positioning from Boster, but also the spams that were coming out from Vekage.
He did a lot of damage just through the edge of the smoke as they tried to cross him towards the site.
3-1, early reset. A one saving grace is that tour de force for Rooksik, but bear in mind, I'll be honest, when looking at the veto,
I thought this would end up as the third man.
Both teams, too. Oh, I didn't think anybody would be picking it.
If Fnatic were able to take their opponent's mattress, going into Breeze, we haven't seen Navi play yet.
And I believe so far it's been their second ban in the majority of series.
All signs pointing to Navi needing to find that success.
From this first map, at least to look a bit better.
And it could be from now. I mean, warning signs early as fanatic push up to four.
Assuming nothing crazy happens here with the pistols.
But that tour de force still gives them a chance as you said.
Small as it may be.
That last round it does feel like you know they did so well to fight back into be heaven trade out that show stopper for a kill perfect space
rare miss shot
Fila was a little ahead of the pack
Guess who's getting dropped early again?
Jumping around there, but yeah, although players have gotten close in the back of his martyrdom
Have been spotted by the reveal so
We're here to get out of here is gonna require a bit of luck or maybe that's a
distract I think just required rucksack to strike in the right moment he's here
already oh the guy excuse me oh I like it just a gal jail free cut allows him to
clear all of the site give information over doesn't risk it operate to going
into enemy hands and crash is really is just making sure his teammates can stay
safe. I think you might have been. Hey, he's got a good read. He's got a good read. But
a good recovery because that looked like it could have got out of control, especially
with Rooksic taking over mid control. That got a little bit dangerous, but I like the
fact that Gannick wasn't afraid to just go, okay, I'm going to burn my out here just
to make sure that I don't throw the round.
Well, he read that timing perfectly. I mean, five, we can, I think all agree, it'd
be waited five more seconds. That's done. He's dead.
But then you look at it, Brooks, it was just that little bit quicker around those corners.
Great move.
So much more stress in the coach.
Yeah, so much more.
Nice shot by Feelu.
That's a big shut down.
Look at the A site now.
I mean, for Crash, I almost expected him to start backing off the screens, but instead,
he stepped forward and he's looking for a fight.
He's got more of a fight than he wants it.
Oh no!
Yeah, that might be the screen going down.
Push through his own pit in mid.
Becash has managed to get rid of Shal. That's the look on the other side of the map gone.
And actually Alphayette has managed to clear out here at the same time.
This is very quickly turned into a winnable position, but Rooks impatiently waiting that operator picked up has cleared out Alphayette.
The back and forth ends with Navian in advantage.
They know the boasters on screens as well. The Becash was mid, could be wrapping behind them.
The Seeker last saw him there, so a lot of attention being put towards their backs,
but for now they get stacked up waiting for the wall to fall but they follow suit as Navi find themselves on two
All right, I think that opener was important by they're just getting rid of Kayak early
PeeLoo having a solid round
Oh, that's a lucky shower just caught with the smoke in hand
But yeah a bit of a back and forth even still there's gonna be the finances for
at least a decent investment here seems like Crashies might have a piece or two
missing gonna be left onto a Guardian so a chance for Navi to kick them while
they're down they do start to be careful though that operator is still in hand
this time it's going to be sectioned off by utility
oh there's the impoverished boaster you already have so much support close
by Alpha just one away from the showstopper but Navi they make all
that noise and start to shift backwards. They've got Rooksic embedded in good position close
up. They've waited for a mistake to be made. The smoke holds back. He still gives them
that opportunity. Yet they've lost feeler on that cross down on mid. The whole team's
swinging out. Oh, and Rooksic missing the shot. That is a costly start to this round.
And look at the players left on. What do they have to help them get into a site?
I think the flashes are
the only real hope here, but if they do get in the pit
could turn them around
Oh, anti flash from Booster
and then back edges are blinded by the time
that he makes it around the corner
they were so ready for that sky pot flash
I think that is one of the worries
when it comes to that sky flash
is if you know that that's your
opponent's main way of getting round angles
you can do exactly what Booster did there
I'll face backwards, you hold the angle, you get blinded
I spin and that's just, that's exactly
exactly what they needed to do to counter that flash.
And while from then onwards, what was they're going to do?
Run in, try and take the spike and use his pit?
Probably not.
That's just perfect play.
And I think this is what we come to expect from one
of the most experienced IGLs in the league.
To Hybar.
And very much is.
The man has been leading since, I think, since day one.
Certainly since they won a 7 FC way back.
And making those calls.
You see in that moment, we see those three players left
and go, OK, what do they have to entry?
That's already being called calm.
than processed on the side of Fnatic.
These are their tools.
This is how we beat them.
And the rounds closed out with ease as a result, five to two.
When you look at Navi right now, Tommy, you gotta wonder,
what are they missing?
They have two rounds on the board?
There are plenty more time to play with.
Yeah, I think first seat, we've
seen a lot of the sort of extremities being cleared out.
Like we saw Hera getting dropped.
We saw Xiao getting dropped.
I think Fnatic have done quite well
of the game. We've got a
lot of players that are
picking off those players.
He also had an incredible
start to the game. But speaking
of one of those extremities, we
got an incredibly fun matchup
today. Some of the highest rated
players in the tournament hero
has been. Flying like we talked
a lot last year about Rooksick
about him being one of the
best in here at times being
a little bit hit and miss. It's
been nothing that hits all the
man who was literally breaking records in terms of the numbers that he managed to get.
Clearly, you can see the energy just running through him, number one in damage per round.
And bear in mind, he may have played almost the most amount of rounds.
It doesn't matter.
That's how much damage he does every round.
Yeah, if anything, that's more impressive with a larger sample size to draw from.
Yeah, the guy currently leading the kill record tied as well.
You have to say, Zeus is matched in the same map as well.
3 kills. That wasn't a regulation though. That was in a considerable number of overtimes.
Well that was if the Zuzu game was longer, right?
Yeah, it was the same map.
Oh, was it? They both did the same map.
They both got 33 kills on the same team.
It was on the last time that Zuzu also played an incredibly long game.
Yes, that was the year before.
This one...
So Zuzu's fault.
Basically.
If I could have ended up tied as well, it was just beautiful.
Same map, same kills.
Same record.
Fnatic 5 and 2, we've had a moment to rest, moment of reprieve for Navi, but they do come in here with very little to work with.
Again, even in these rounds, you have to think if you can get to the site, that Viper's pit can be your ally.
Make it much more difficult for those rifles, and especially the AWP to find the value that they want to with that investment.
Oh, if he pops it here, he could literally kill the entire team, but he's gonna get one
of them for free anyway.
Shadow tried to TP towards him, it's a Shadow stopper coming, no he's just jumping up to
try and dodge it.
To be honest at this point, we've already got two openers, one of them for free.
Yeah, I think that puts Shadow 0 and 8 at the moment, and you know, not a great
start.
I think we've had every facet of Valorant gameplay fail.
Cause they don't have a Yoru, he was just being the Yoru clone.
Yeah, I mean it almost worked exactly that.
He shot the clone, which is Shao, and then as a result, Nami got...
Yeah, but he didn't realize there's no real Shao to run behind.
That was his mistake.
He was like, wait, there's not going to be me as well.
There's no real Shao on the server right now.
Okay, that is rude.
Okay, he came behind some of the missed 10 bullets,
so I mean, what do you want me to say?
It's been really good, guys.
I really don't know what he was thinking,
but I guess the dog had cleared a lot of the rounds,
really, huh?
I'm not even kidding.
I'm trying, brother.
I'm trying to help.
I'm gonna be honest with you,
if the dog had cleared that corner,
he'd have known Alpha was there
because Alpha was in that corner.
Or he would have.
There, there.
Yeah.
Angel, Angel, I would love to now just take a time out
and bring him up here for a little try, Casual.
I think you'd be like something in G.
Yeah, actually, I made a mistake.
To be honest, this was also one of Angel's best maps for calling as well.
This is actually where Fielder is right now.
He used to just see Angel in here, no one stopped him.
No matter the age and the time of the round.
It could be three seconds in on Breach. Guess where he's going to be.
And I'm not talking defense. No, no, no.
He will have run, he will have jumped with his knife out across mid.
Still somehow survived.
Here we go, Alpha.
That's a little premature they baited that out really nicely selling work ascending rucksack in selling that fake and then
But he's out of there your show stoppers landed for nothing
And now they can put that pressure on later although some players go into words events
They're gonna make some noise and a bit of a distraction showers is just lost in this instance
But it almost works out for rucksack. He gets some damage done, but in the end it falls apart and I really there you have to
Wonder what was shout thinking?
So she was got one back
I still look at that Viper's pit, the kill on to Crashy would be enough, but bear in mind Crashy knows that, so he doesn't fight, he just gets to Jiggle Peak, runs back all the way, and with 30 seconds left, both fires are on opposite sides of the map, I think they're literally just feeling it out, but I'm hoping that there's some space, oh, I thought there was a chance, because again, maybe the kill on to Kayak could be enough, but again, you've got 15 seconds, he doesn't really have much of a reason to go peeking, and then when he does, Kayak's down!
quite good at shooting. So he's dropped the spike, Ero's now going to have to save and
I would say like I said he's been fantastic all the way through. He's been nullified so
far because either he's played the lurk and they've fought him or he's just not had the
impact in the round. They've not seen much from Ero so far.
I mean in this round I'm not sure what he's supposed to do because right away the whole
plan here was to make some contact in Vance it seemed like, leave Rooksick embedded and
when they go to push behind you on mid Rooksick gets a free pick and instead shout took his
knife out in the middle of mid and got shot in the head and then they didn't really need
to push behind you because they've got the pick and the guys in that would have fought
Vance for info don't need info because they got the info because they saw your knife
out walking in there.
So it's just a little shaky and honestly for Navi I don't think this is something
that worries me that much because I've seen Xiao play a lot. I've not seen him play like this a lot
but he just needs it. Why does that not work? Because it's just a flash of the pan, it's a
little shaky start but he can get there in the end and Althea, he doesn't need any sort of warmth at all.
Oh, Crispy starts around, of course it's a lower buy but
yeah I would go on the other side of the coin and say I'm actually very worried because
they're losing 7-2 and they're a map choice. Sure, yeah without a doubt.
And unless something drastic changes, it looks like it's going to be 8-2.
It's where every round that goes by, I'm like, well, that's the last round.
Sha's going to make one of those plays.
But it seems to be his new play style, at least in these rounds.
OK.
I shut down from hero.
Welcome.
The 3 versus 3 hit going down.
OK, Navi now have a real opportunity at converting this.
Rooksick.
I mean, he can get real close.
But there is a player watching him for now.
Boaster's up top.
The timing is key.
As that goes down, it's sociables double.
Shirley locks in the round win.
Yeah, they know exactly where Bolster is as well.
First one comes easy, but...
And he's got a man behind it, and, well, just as I comment about Hero not really being on board,
he comes in with a triple kill, takes over the round, and, well, Navi are back on the table once again.
He grabbed individually from him.
I think it's been so difficult for them to sort of close out crashes,
and the fact that he was able to clear him and then put the pit down,
That's the turning point of the round, that's what made it so much more difficult for Fnatic to get back in.
Obviously, the other thing that has me a little worried is the fact that versus Liquid and versus Foot, Fnatic were better on the attack.
And I'll be well so better on the defensive spot.
Sure, here we go.
Will Silver line him for us?
The 7-5 is still possible, look, there's plenty of time for Navi to get back into this as long as there's no more mistakes.
STP in the back lines, back to the scene of the crime, but will shall be a repeat offender as he moves out towards the ace side?
It's all open. It's been given up.
Or it can now be found that Rooks are dropping crashes. That's about as good a start as you could hope for.
Yeah, he's been a menace on the ace side. This time he avoided it. I think knowing that that showstopper was likely going to be coming in.
Now posted up in their post-bond positions.
It's going to be difficult. Still most of the utility available for Nardi to try and deny
over the top. Alpheia will have spotted the map behind him somehow. He's almost doing
tricks on top of Shao, and then quickly find a couple back in return. It's left all onto
Ruxik. He managed to kick it off, but they're already beginning that diffusel here, then
in the corner he needs to land the shot, and he won't be able to. That looked like
a tough, tough retake for Fnatic, but I'll be honest, in the end they make it look kind of easy.
They do, yeah, it looked like a frag movie from Kaiak's perspective. He was shooting bodies that
it already means taken out by a teammate from Alfa as well. They went for the fly-through before
guys. There we go. There he is. There we go. No, really, really nice stuff from Fnatic,
and I think for now, it's really heartbreaking. They kind of needed that 7-5. They want to
to be able to bounce back we know good half for both teams coming up sure but if
fanatic got this kind of playstyle locked out they're coming in swinging like this
the catch is 13 and 5 it's at the same for Kayak you know I just can't see them
slowing down in the same regard while Naby are looking a little bit lost
yo stoppers landed out of a vipers pit now and off strikes on the other side
and the advantages they don't compound too much thanks to Rooksic but where
Where do you go now? No control of the main, Viper's pit is up in B, they look for the A site and I can't believe Alfie is going to walk through the pit, he is right behind them, he missed them by a pixel, by a second, they're so...
But with that pick on the kayak...
I mean if Alpha gets this strike on the shower they're going to be stuck on site.
Oh he's low on HP.
Just look at how it's looking completely the wrong way.
You wouldn't expect anybody to be there that quickly.
And because of it, the advantage swings back.
Rooksick still with the Tour de Force available,
but low on HP, we need to see something
from Filo in this round.
They still don't necessarily know
where the other players are coming from.
Immediate usage of Util to clear that close angle,
forcing Rooksick back down to just two HP.
The shot, he gets nothing. It has to be a two HPA. So they already know how low this man is. It will be 9-3. It will be a dominant defensive half coming out of fanatic.
On Navi's map pick, yeah, things are off to a shaky start. But before we come back for the second half, let's hear from Crashy's on why he thinks Vecaz is underrated.
So the new iteration of Fnatic, I think people are actually sleeping on Bacauge, our newest player.
I don't think he's getting rated as highly as he should.
So I kind of like that we're being kind of underrated right now.
And I think it's always fun to go into a season having to prove yourself and all that.
Like it's a new year, not a new team, but like a new player.
But I think just as every new year comes, you always have to kind of prove yourself again.
So I'm just excited to prove the same old Fnatic.
Yeah, I think something we joke about is scaling, so I definitely think we're going
to be ramping up or scaling as we call it.
I think teams that start hot usually drop off, but I think historically with Fanatic and
especially Boaster, he's really scaling up as the year goes and as the season goes.
So I think we're just kind of used to that, and I think it'll probably be the same
as this year.
The Odin, yeah, we definitely got abused by it at Champs.
I think Brock used it to probably the highest potential it's ever been used.
It hasn't been nerfed yet, although I do think Riot has been making good changes with
the walls and stuff to not make them as wall bangable and stuff, but I definitely think
there should be either a price increase or something should be changed because I think
it's been a strong gun ever since the game has been out.
I was using it on the scent back in the day, so it's just always been a strong gun
and I think it probably could use a nerf.
So Goal is going to kick off.
Historically, we haven't been that good in kick off actually.
I don't think we've ever, especially if Fanatic, I don't think they've qualified
for the first LAN, and I've never qualified
for the first LAN of the year.
They've never qualified for a kickoff event.
I've never qualified for a kickoff event,
so I think the simple answer is just qualifying
for Chile, which is the first major LAN of the year.
I think that's everyone's goal right now.
Your body knows a sense of victory.
Seize when mind, movement, and gear ignite as one.
Now step into your zone, designed to win.
I mean listen, I get that he's salty from what happened at champs, but the Odin needs a nerf right
Countdown crashes. All right, slow your horses nine to three
Everything else he said
Talk about that guy
The red mist descendant should not have to
I've already said several root dm's to crash yourself and that was before he said that nine to three
Fnatic, looking for double digits in the pistol round and look, individuals are showing up for them right now.
Just looking for single digits.
Yeah. You know, and it's not like you got a monkey in all those kills.
A little silly, a bit of a silly, goofy performance from Shaolin that first half.
But, you know, there's always time to recover and no better time than right here and now.
Defensive side for Navi.
They're my pick.
To say that Fnatic are taking it slow is an understatement.
They are currently sat back in positions that the barriers wouldn't even stop them from getting to.
The most passive start to a pistol as they wait for Navi to make a move, seem nothing.
Send the decoy towards B, two sets of steps, third with the aura.
And then they freeze again, and Navi or sat back. I mean, at this point you've got Rooksich just
holding with the headhunter on A, his trap holding heaven, so there's no need to move.
All of this control given by this one character means you've got two players, B,
You know, two men, sociable is running back to grapid of info, and now has.
And we're 40 seconds on the clock, and you know, Fnatic are basically in spawn, no rotates from Naby.
Yeah, I feel like sociable did well there to hold the flash as long as he did.
I feel like that's why Fnatic were playing so deep, but instead throwing that in,
steps being made by those throwing the other side of the map, sociable's just walking back into the fence.
into the fence. I don't know what's going on. Like, no, we players today have just decided to,
I don't know, maybe twerk for opponents, just go in backwards every time.
I swear books to make noise in the heavens. I guess they're just forgetting the spots that
people have gone past. Like, maybe I'm wrong. Maybe he walked, but I could have sworn he made
steps have an odd beat.
The van he can chef up.
I'm hoping I'm wrong.
Because if he just walked it, fair enough, but also kind of not.
Honestly, on that stage, white noise in your ears, I'll even forgive missing a sound cue.
But if you give up mid and 20 seconds later, someone, you know, walks backwards,
like Michael Jackson, boom, walking into that angle, I can't forgive that.
That's a very tough one to get big mistake being made there and well hero tries he might
Double digits lab and for fanatic and Navi right now. I mean they time out
You know, I help we're coming out of a pistol, but the amount of gaps that they just exposed on the defense
I thought he ran before this. Thank you just before but yeah, he walked obviously from that point, but either way
Yeah
Shoot it me possible because also as you said they just got caught from somebody being backs
Literally not only shift walked vents on you they also should it's not like you could say well
But if they went behind me would have got them. No, you wouldn't you didn't
They're crazy strategy who needs mint. It's funny as well because angel
The guy
Yeah, it's sometimes it's hard not to laugh
And this is one of those times. I'll tell you that you laugh or they'll cry like I've learned from guys this year
You mean this? Yes?
You get early in the race, brother.
Just enjoy the ride.
Yeah.
Enjoy the ride.
And Navi, you're taking this on the ride right now.
I'll tell you that.
And this is a low by round.
That's what we expect.
Much of them in.
And 11 to 3.
I mean, you can already start to put the numbers together.
He's on the board!
Congratulations, Shao.
For the rest of the round.
Shao, PRB, here we go.
This could be his big route.
We can say Pi is on.
The 3-1-4.
Pi watches on.
3-1-4.
Is it, but is he 1?
He's one of thirteen.
Okay, there's room.
There's a real possibility.
I'm actually already okay.
Let's be serious about this.
There's damage coming in.
It's a 3D3.
And this is where Fnatic could take the foot off the gas.
They could let Navi back in.
Nice shot by Kai.
And that starts to put in more confidence.
Into the Fnatic side.
Hero up top.
Classic in hand.
64 HP and a 1D3.
I think it's safe to say he's not getting away with much.
And so 11 on the board for Fnatic.
Yeah, we got an engine there would have been crazy, but yeah 11 to 3 and for Navi at the moment
Oh, there's not a lot of hope that really isn't like this being their map pick
It's also being a map that coming in you highlighted before we start
That this could easily be in the middle ground that there's been good results with people
You know what I'll say your new IGL
You've got a map if for example they haven't played this a map that you haven't played that much
He picked it so it's still kind of hard to defend, but if you come in and show those kind of gaps that they did initially
I'll say okay. This this is just breathing room. We need to get used to we need to grow
And you've already played it you picked it then you make those mistakes in round one of the half
Well, Alphea has already rinsed sociable
We spoke about some of the closer games the fanatic have played the the loss that they took and the need to warm up
Looking pretty warm, maybe too warm, maybe cool down a bit guys, maybe save some of it
for the later matches, because, think of the fans, yeah, you know, people want to see this
version a little bit later on, people want to see you play all the best of Fight, well
that's not possible anymore, they want to see you play two of the best of Fight,
but right now, they are cooking, never mind, the comeback, Filu, that's all we wanted
to see, on the retake, they've managed to make it work, and with the way they
they entered into that site with sociable gang domed immediately. I was thinking we might
just be speedrunning to the finish, but they did well there.
That has felt like that's well, I don't know if they can chain around together as well,
but yeah, especially Alpha being able to dive in, you've got two duals there, you only
need the one. A clean opening, but from that point, and this is something that I wanted
to talk about coming into today before this game became a fiesta. The reality is
that, you know, when you look at this roster, when you look at some of the performances
that have been there over the last couple of games,
Fulu has left us wanting more at times.
And I think going back to last year,
you can say the same thing,
but he has shown a higher ceiling than I think we've seen.
And at moments, at times, there's sparks.
And I'm excited to see how he can go into this roster.
That round there from him, perhaps a confidence builder.
And for Navi, genuinely setting the goalposts,
you've probably lost this map.
It's a long way back.
But every single round you get is a reminder
that the first half was just a blip on the radar.
Yeah, for sure.
I think especially going into breeze,
the good thing they have is the fanatic
don't have any data,
don't have anything they can look at
because you haven't played it yet.
Well, I think the last time they will have played it,
the roster probably looked quite different.
The meta certainly did.
The captain's coming up.
Already getting the opener.
This is also the half where you kind of expect
Rooksik to have his impact.
Being able to have that defensive side operator.
Aggressive positioning, being taken, a lurk left in Vakash to try and catch any rotators,
but Fnatic always happy to sort of run that clock down a little bit low, start to play with the minds of the opponent.
The fact that I'm currently watching here, I watched the spawn, kind of says everything you need to know about how things have gone so far.
And even then you saw Rooksik, he's watching it as well, because he's worried that they've already slipped past the facts of the pistol round, I imagine, at play in front of us.
And for the man advantage, the last thing you want is to let the Moseyana behind you.
I like this containment from Navi.
There's not too much of a risk.
It's hard for Fnatic to punish players, except for the fact that one is down so close.
12 seconds back.
It's Kaiak's chance.
Mikaz has one already, but Mikaiak down the site.
Still has to be claimed.
A shot from Rooksik.
Four seconds.
Plank coming in.
They've got time.
But Rooksik just needs to interrupt that.
It's Filu from the top rope.
The take crush, he's down.
Nicely done by Navi, and that looked night and day to the rounds we've seen so far.
Yeah, again, I want to give credit to Sociable for how late he held onto the flash.
Like, he's been doing that quite a lot. We know that Fnatic like to play slow.
We know that a lot of the time you're going to have these very, very late hits,
so holding the flash to check if there's still someone within the site meant that
they could just sit back site, just sit and wait for them to make a mistake,
and it allows Rooksig to stay alive an awful long time.
Of course, you trust it. He will hit the shots when the time matters,
but this has always been the major criticism we've had of these fanatic attack sizes.
Sometimes they do just leave that clock way too late.
Missiles in hand, five players outside A, but they're taking the time, they're waiting,
did that see anyone? I mean obviously it got broken so one player further back but with
so many in the corners, it looked like they'd managed to sell a bit of a ruse. The problem
them here is that they go back now but you've already started putting numbers
towards middle fanatic though back to mid back to a
trying to take advantage of the lack of players but that flash has caught them
now the infos there rucksack on the moving and a clean shot with an easy
escape you see it's so difficult to deal with but having sociable as his backup
is definitely helping second flash through as well knowing there's no
Backash has managed to win the fight in mid-dome, however, anything more is going to be difficult to trap, slows.
The remaining players are fanatic to a whole boaster going back into middle, and he has managed to retrieve a rifle at least.
That was the kill that Backash got moments ago, the social blaze.
It's all clean! He's dropped that gun back to the floor, leading.
Rashes alone versus Rooksick, and well that wasn't a fair fight at all.
11 to 6, Navi, starting to climb back into this one a little.
Come on, Fanatic are gonna take themselves a pause.
Yeah, good to see that you're already putting that pressure
on your opponent.
Remember, this is the first time we're seeing Navi,
not just chain one round together.
It is a two, chain one round, kinda hard.
You got that third down on the back of it.
Oh man, some really swapping over into their favor,
which is the most important thing for me
is that we're seeing the discipline.
We're not seeing those overpeaks anymore.
We're not seeing massive gaps being left on the defensive side.
Like, it genuinely just looks like Navi started playing the game.
It's before they were scattered, they were individuals.
I genuinely think in that first defensive round,
they had less synergy than most ranked solo queue games.
But then, not in day, from round three or so onwards of this half.
That's all we needed to see.
And this is what I'm talking about as well
when we look at that first half for Shell.
Why I say, like, I'm not too worried about it,
because it's not that he was getting shut down individually.
It's not that his ideas weren't working.
He was doing kind of dumb things.
like he was making stupid mistakes and getting punished for it.
I just haven't seen Shao make silly mistakes like that consistently in the past.
And I've no reason to believe he suddenly forgot how to play the game.
So I think just for whatever reason, getting a little lost in the sauce.
But I, you know, if I see another two maps of that from him,
I'll be genuinely gobsmacked.
Yeah, even with the leadership stuff, I think he's still been able
to put up some pretty decent numbers.
So I'm guessing today, Percy, things have gone wrong,
but I think there's been more of a focus needed, especially on their attack
side to try and really make things work and because of that, things individually have
gone amiss. Let's see. This is the moment, Fnatic feel the need to put the brakes on,
take themselves a moment to try and get themselves back because three rounds in a row and even
having that advantage in their bonus round obviously weaker weapons but still had an
opportunity and Navi have definitely looked a lot stronger on this defensive side and
So when you look back to their game versus heretics, they had a nine three defensive half
So it's not like this is completely out of the realms of possibility
But it would be quite disappointing as especially with fanatic slowly building up all of those holes
So they already have themselves the the show stop a night for every other role is one or two orbs away
So you kind of sit there and go like okay, you should be able to cheese around here and there
there it is she's back lauren's in the building the tech falls up on the
screen and I see them standing besides shout and that could explain things that
could be why it is nice out upside down the whole time
here yeah like the reality is that this point on it's probably too far gone
Like for Navi, they're on a good side.
They put pressure on the fanatic.
They just got a timeout before this technical break.
But the thing is, for the defensive side,
like you've just got three in a row.
It needs to be a next to flawless resurgence from now.
One round is the only margin for error.
And even then, that will rob you
of victory here in regulation.
So it does feel like it's too far gone.
But if you can still manage to bring that little bit
of speed back into the game, bit of wind into your sails,
then it's going to be very easy to look back at that last half and go,
oh yeah, we made a lot of mistakes, that's why we lost,
and we cannot make those mistakes in the future.
So, future being Greece.
Yeah, I think as well, this is another good display coming out from Vekesh.
I think especially on the defensive side setups,
because a lot of the times when I see a new player come in,
I expect them to attack, it's like,
yeah, you're going to follow what the IGL's plan is,
and you're just going to go along with like,
okay, I've been told to watch this angle, then I'll go here.
And it's like I felt like on the defense it's more about like the crossfire he set up with boaster earlier in the game
Like those are all about just you having the right protocols in place and you knowing what to do in those moments
Well, the fact that he's 19 and 9 I think tells the story itself like he's been having a great game
Seems like he fits wonderfully into the system and the good thing for them is is like
The more reps he gets the better like I do think they're one of the teams that truly does benefit not just going through that
I think that's a good thing.
Yeah, obviously there's no doubt in my mind that there was like any way they went. Yeah, let's not win then go down.
I don't think any coach in their right mind would ever do that.
But to get more accustomed to those things and the more and more we've seen them play, having that crazy two map OT game with foot.
It's like you get through stuff like that and then you come into the next matches and he's looking better and better.
Even in the game, I think it was at Haven where they got battered.
he aced in one of the rounds. I think that was versus BBO, right? He genuinely looked
very, very good even in moments where things are going horrifically. So definitely looking
like a fantastic pickup right now. The question is just how far can they go with it? After
the extended break, the tack pause into tech break, we will see if this is the continuation
of the comeback for Navi or if Fanatic are going to put an end to this a little
quicker.
Well, the ultimate...
The ultimate economy is really starting to heat up coming into this round. In order to, in either direction,
there's a lot more tools to work with.
Every side can manage to steal that away. Now Ruxik...
gonna overstay his welcome on that angle.
Oh actually, yes, he goes back in.
They say, I thought he was gonna back off to A.
And they steal some info, but instead he sticks on that A main angle.
You then get the so they know no one's there. The flash goes out over towards B
You know there's players there. I mean this is a great
Early round for now be in terms of the map control they're holding and now they focus on a mid-fight spotting that it's clear
This is wonderful. I mean they put all the pieces together. They should be ready for this be hit. Yeah
Straight in the double all back side fries definitely gonna be check now
Not quite doing enough a lot of damage done, but feelings able to trade one back
But sociable! I didn't even know what happened!
He's just murdered everybody in front of his teammate's eyes.
And while Bec has, he's probably just wondering what on earth happened.
Where did everybody go?
Oh, wonderful work. That looked like it was two bullets, three kills for sociable.
One of them is certainly a collateral.
I'm going to wait to see this one in the replay.
And for Na'Vi, what a round as well.
They start a main control, flash and PC players there.
Flash out mid for a fight. No one there. You're ready for this hit and sure they even lose the opening shall going down
The showstopper not much you can do about it, but that's right there
The name
Nothing in the end couldn't even explode as a whole squad was taken down
I've got some sad news by the way the the pies off the pie
Now one of 15 if it wasn't for that damn show stop. Yeah
Yeah, he would have got two kills and then we could have seen fire.
Nice screenshot, well...
I don't think I might have too much.
This is a creepy play by Kayak, and he's spotted it.
They have vision, thankfully.
I genuinely think this might be one of the most irritating skies I've ever seen in my life.
Like, the amount of info that they are getting, and the timing, like, it's like he knows.
Like, social media flashes always go in just as they take the space.
Like it's not like he's just throwing them in at the beginning of every round or like even at the same timing
It just seems like he's waiting until the moment where he goes, okay
We don't have him for that. I'm gonna use it and it was the same in the last round catching everybody outside B
Okay, that's not pretty
Especially a risk like that you're up against pistols you push mid and now he's only given
and Van Lover to Alpha yet.
What could go wrong?
At least, I mean, unless Alpha drops that to someone else,
there shouldn't be any danger here.
Let's see if that ends up being the real story of the game.
The Wolf going down, gives Rooksick the angle,
and I think the Alpha's going to be dropped,
but Kayak managed to slip through and make it to the site.
So Shuffle, catches, crashes, the good flash up top of the cash
there to bail them out.
He'll be caught in the open though,
Leaving it up to an 8 HP kayak and not a snowball chance in hell.
This comeback from NAVI 18 that honestly didn't look like they were playing the game in that first half.
This is to be studied. 11 to 8.
Fnatic close to getting a taste of their own medicine.
Again?
Yeah, no, this defensive half really is looking stellar.
And even with like some, yeah, some really...
We don't need to slide down that much for the aggro positions.
I think as well sociable just being in that back line and then the rotation back in from the remaining two
Five rounds in a row. Oh
Angel sign to believe they can you can see it that damn smile
Please don't make that me
Why are you taking your phone out?
Mean make as I save as coffee
Aggressive stance I like this one though more than I like feel it out in the open against pistols
But you have more faith in
Ruxick in the shot with the top
It's more than you can get out of there. I did miss he misses but he gets out no punish for fanatic there
One in a hundred most is very lucky to be alive Ruxick doesn't miss often
But now you'll get to set up what that's saying
danger just a little bit later that Tour de Force is going to be a constant
threat in this round at least for now though Kayak should be getting some
free space to respond to it. I hadn't. I was about to say that Crashy says
about the other day. Well it's gonna be out there. Meal death at the hands of
sociable. A very different look to the man that was throwing Pop Flash at the moment ago and shout
there we go it's 3.15 instead. Not quite 5 but at least seeing a little bit of a
come back until Crashies drops him and Rooksic. Now this starts to get a little
bit dangerous. 30 seconds left.
It has to be boastered, it is something about this. They've still got the Cosmic
Rooks. Oh, Crashies. I'm gonna do it.
So much of a launch this. The 3k from the Odin is calling and the Blast X on the site,
boots on the ground and a big swing from the whole squad.
Oh, it was so close!
Fielu in the end somehow has to save the day!
Wow!
You got me excited for a second there, Boast here.
Oh my goodness.
It's so beautiful.
It's so beautiful.
I saw Fielu peek, I was like, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa.
Whoa!
Especially with the amount of time that was left.
Literally with us.
It was risky, but necessary trade.
Look at this.
Right at the last, I think it's 10 seconds left.
Angel's reactions are genuinely my favorite.
The eyes tell you everything you need to know about the round.
To now the difference.
How have we ended up here?
I don't know.
Really and truly how.
Fanatic slowing down and we saw this in a series that sent them here Tom.
The fact that, the team that we know, for the comebacks,
Starting slow and always managing to keep themselves in it. Will they face the comeback earlier on?
PBL right? It was indeed. He's back and it can be happening again an opening duel for Navi
Oh crashes. It's expected hero is always watching the spike down in their possession should be no real dangerous here
They've lost the B site, but
Okay, one for alpha. They don't know where Vakash is
Okay now they do a headshot and another connection, yet still rucksack.
Gun here.
Liz to tell the tale.
Yeah, and he's still healthier if the two of them.
There we go.
It's just pettiness.
He's turned the operator out of the map so they can't go retreating.
Okay, nice shots from Becash.
Maybe there is a little bit to this.
Alfie on a 1v2, 30 seconds.
Yeah, they're going to know roughly where he is.
They're definitely going to know where he is now.
crossfire should be one that's difficult to break down maybe has a chance versus
felu but he should be tucked into the angle just waiting for the swing on to
here or the second that swing comes through it's even expected
getting anything more it's gonna be difficult felu takes the fight brings
them to ten double digits not something I ever expected to be saying for an
RV but they're now one behind yeah I mean I could have seen it maybe on
breeze if they had a remarkable map but the fact is we're getting a second
timeout from Fnatic. I mean this squad was so far in the league. The fact that they were...
Well it was 11-3 right? That feels surreal. 11, 1, 2, 3. 11-3, thank you Tom.
I feel like there was an easier way to do that if just count the bottom ones but
no because I don't think they moved from 11. It's alright, we got time. I saw you, I saw you come along.
But the fact is for Fnatic to not close this game out is a heartbreak to have not already closed it out like at this point
Even if Navi lose this, I mean the conversation I was putting out there was sort of aimed at Fnatic end of 13 aiding it
Navi will go well guys we did suck like an unbelievable amount in that first half
It's fine. We would have won that if we play it right now we will win
Yeah
But half and 10? Yeah if they play it right now they will win
This is this is remarkable
And especially Tom, I what really perplexes me is those first two rounds in the defense they looked more
I mean the first yeah, especially they looked so lost the mistakes made there are usually when you see those it's like
Okay, we need like a map reset like we need to get out of here take a breath and then the team will play again, but
They did it so quickly. Yeah a few big rounds few hero plays everybody seems to have locked in
Well, we always said, if you get RUXIC, Social One Hero, firing, this team is dangerous.
And in the second half, that is exactly what we've got.
Sprinkle in a little bit of FELU and...
Toxin screen down.
This is now a very contentious and interesting map where we questioned the choice initially from NAVI.
As I'm saying, I thought you picked a map that's been very good for Fnatic as well.
Maybe you could have left it as a third.
They take the dub.
I don't think they're really going to care how they go there. If anything, it might give them a boost.
The lifeless pit from Navi will contain that mid-presence. Alpha's going walkabouts. This is risky.
There could be a double swing coming in and Xiao is drawing. Alpha's a nice shot though. What a correction.
But the double swing, it's too much. Xiao lines that shot.
And the trade out now for Fnatic.
Send them towards the A site where they'll look for the space.
The problem is what's waiting there.
They have got the wall to cross at least, but...
Brokzuk's given a chance here.
Yeah, gatecrackers was on the other side of the map.
And when Kayak had the...
the spike, I was thinking maybe they were gonna switch it up,
because I'm looking at the late lead coming through from Becash, but...
They're there. 25 seconds.
And they're gonna try and make the run all the way back,
but that's the bit I don't understand.
You might as well have left him with the spike.
He was pushing that bit forward up round making noise and look out look at no one's bad the success
Yeah, four players towards our three on a wouldn't be seconds left. It's about to fall
You can get not only a lot of control deep into where it's there spawn up into heaven
That vipers bit now rooting you out of this
That's gonna be damn difficult for Navi
We said that the comeback needed to be next to fall as they could lose one round
and keep themselves in it well. This well, very well, may be the round.
Still, they've got plenty of time. The Spam's not far away from catching crashes.
He's already gone. Rixic done well to clear.
It's the Viper that's going to be the tougher of the two, the one they need to remove.
And Kayak is acting as a bodyguard. Bo-ster. Well, it will be that Viper now drop,
but even still here, I was just looking to try and clear him out of the back lines
That wouldn't be easy and even once you've done it we're going to split into the 1v1 but the round is already done.
It is fanatic to take it. A brilliant call. A late fake that fooled Navi and that was enough to get them the round.
Now you said about fanatic, they always play slow. They always move that clock down. This time it works out slow.
They got in. I think 22 seconds they started wrapping back for me. They get in with a couple left to spare, pit up.
And again, look at how this ended.
A 1v2 player spread far, running the clock,
and the one in main had a star to work with.
So you would have had a grab while buying even more time.
It just took them too much time to rotate, clearing all that space in mid,
clearing all that space in spot time, and then clearing out the pit.
It's a lot to do, and it was just too much.
Now, Fnatic, two chances to close this out, and all that we need to do.
Kike is lucky to be alive.
You need to bounce back from that previous I love this from ruxi keeping the confidence in play shouts holding deep B main control
Nothing on a look how passive sociable is there?
But it's that mid control that could give Navi a like up
Yeah, you can see them feeling out the map our boasters walked into this angle before and
survived
By a hair's whip
You'd expect that something's going to have to go through to clear this.
Now they've already used one Prowler.
Is he really going to jiggle this again?
I wouldn't bet on this.
There you go.
That's exactly what I was expecting.
Forcing him back with the utility.
Even still, 45 seconds left on the clock and they're only just making their move.
This time, Xiao, I dare say will not be moving from this B main position.
Just making sure they have the information and with how much middle control is still
currently on the board for them. They could quite easily have a couple of
players here in a matter of seconds. 30 seconds left. 30 seconds are still in
spawn. Noise being made by Vakash. It has kept players in this position. It's even
pulled them back from mid. That fight on mid that would have went to Ruxi, would have
at least had a challenge instead. He might be late to the party. No, he can't just
poster on the cross and Kayak as well. Navi, they are still drawing breath into
This game shall falling though, could give the plant away.
It could give Fnatic a fighting ground.
The Nade late, it will do damage,
it might even take him down.
But oh, barely surviving Alpha.
He's got himself a showstopper, it could end it here
and now Fnatic have been slow to start.
They're 11-3 up at this half.
It's been nothing but defeat.
And in the final hour, they have stepped up.
Navi hit double digits, but Fnatic reached 13.
Yeah, it was an incredibly long road back into the map.
And I'll be honest with you, it started to believe
that they were actually going to turn it around.
But a great call the round prior and some brilliance
from Alpha to get them into the site
was enough to take the map choice.
The fact is, though, they're going
to have to do a whole lot more going into the next one.
All right, Vikaj, I was going to ask you about the Viper.
But first I'm going to ask you, what was that?
I don't know. I have no clue to be honest.
We just like to get in comeback, but we actually closed the game.
Yay, about time.
But now I'm going to ask you about the Viper because it's looking better and better
with every single week that comes around.
How do you make sure that you continuously improve so comfortably in a competitive environment?
Yeah, so it's a new role. Viper is actually a hard role.
and I actually have the best IGN around me.
Jake is helping me a lot, some stuff, et cetera,
and I have good coaches, stuff also, he's working behind me.
And yeah, that's it.
All right, well, thank you so much.
And you're making it happen.
I'm gonna let you go, because I know you guys have another map to go.
And we'll be back after the break with the second map of the series.
I have to damp your first node one.
Roll your board now, here me roll
Watch me crank and rush me go!
Yeah, I didn't know he's an estimate soldier boy
You can see Rockstar
That one, hey, hey, I wanna be a Rockstar
Sorry about my post below, not Nickelback
Not Nickelback, I won!
Oh, tell me what you want
I'm gonna trade this life for fortune and fame
I'll even cut my head and change my name
Cuz we all just wanna be big rock stars
That's a banging song actually not I think about it
Your body knows a sense of victory sees when mind movement and gear ignite is one
Now, step into your zone, designed to win.
Red Bull gives you wings.
Red dog, don't have any respect for me
I'm not a man, I'm a man, I'm not a man, I'm not a man, I'm not a man
Bro, yeah, I'm a bitch
Want to have to lose here on the edge
I'll never fight, I'll never get away
I'm never fight, play or sacrifice
But I'm gonna find a power
Take my superpower, I'll give my head a fight
One, two, and a shot
Turn up, see this, I'm the star
Baby, it's my superpower
I'm a clown who's been hiding a word
I'm a tough guy, I'm a tough guy
Now I'm a tough guy, I'm a tough guy
I'm a tough guy, I'm a tough guy
I'm a tough guy, I'm a tough guy
I'm a tough guy, I'm a tough guy
Making us a plan B, you're the plan A
Was a pain of a champion into champion
Oh, yeah, I'm a bruise
Won't stop, too long
But here, on your knees
Hey, check it out forever
I'll never sleep, I'll never fly
When I sacrifice
When you're through the fire
Now I'm a pain, it's my super power
I can't get my head off and I'm too ready to shine
Can't I see that down to the sky?
Hey, it's my superpower
This world never's coming coming
I keep down and it's all daylight
No rules, no rules
Can we get more ruxik on chamber please?
I'm working on it.
It needs some work to be done.
I need to be convinced.
Hopefully, yes.
Alright, Mini. You've been hammering on a barter's chamber.
You got the chamber. You want more chamber?
Okay, this is the greed that they talk about.
Like I said, I think Split isn't even one of its best maps.
And he still popped off.
So on a map like Breeze, like...
It's the first time I, like, Angel as well, like, I agree with Angel, it's so weird.
He wants more chamber, I want more chamber, it feels a bit strange.
That is crazy to be fair from you. I think, yeah, that comeback that Navi were able to have, I think a big part of it.
Big, but I think bold-picking split into Fnatic for starters, which we kind of touched on,
but I think the operator on Rook's side was great, obviously the operator on the other side when we think about Kayak was also great.
So yeah, I think for me those were kind of like the big difference makers.
Yeah, I think it's really important as well, just the fact that the operator has been playing such a huge role in a lot of these maps.
And it's something we highlighted like last week where like, oh, the meta changes, can the teams capitalize off of it?
I mean, at this point, are you guys convinced that they can?
I mean, yeah, I mean, I think I was one of the guys basically saying that the operator is going to be really good in this map.
If you don't have as much utility to work with, I think as well in this matchup specifically,
Navi's composition didn't have as many tools to deal with Kayak's Operator
So I do think that this was maybe part of the game plan for that Fnatic coming into it
Obviously on the other side, like Rutik just has to buy one because he's chambered essentially
But yeah, I think they made a lot of sense from Fnatic here
Like what can that attack side composition do to get rid of the chamber? Not very much is the answer
They don't have Astra dissipates. They got a chamber who has to conduct in
So Kayak did a really good job this series setting the turn very early on
But yeah, and I had to head to Ruxi with 287 ACN.
If I got 287 ACS and lost the game, I'd be a little bit disappointed personally.
Yeah.
Not fuming, but...
I mean, it happens, but I think it's a great testament to Ruxiq individually and just
the impact that he can have on these games and how important those are as well.
But I think we also have to hear from the fanatic camp of things, because this was
looking a little bit of a whoa, so let's check in with their coach confession as well.
Last time you played Breeze, you had trouble on the attack side with the Sage cock. Can we expect a change in approach today?
In short? Yes, that's it. You'll have to wait until the second map to find out.
We don't want to wait until the second map. We want it now. But let's just note, that's good to hear, or exciting to hear, that we are going to see some changes on this Breeze composition, because that's what they played against VBL, if I remember correctly, and it did not go in their favourbility.
Yeah, well that's why we kind of like grabbed the attack side because it was the attack that they ended up struggling on and I think for us
We're looking at that stage that they played previously to see if Alphear is still gonna be playing that age
And I think that's the biggest, you know one that we have question marks around
It's playing on chamber or jet. I want to see Alpha on chamber or jet. Keep it simple
You should have asked that confession question to Mila and I'd be like hey
I'm gonna get more chamber
You're a chamber enthusiast, but I'm really looking forward to see the changes that we're gonna be seeing from the side of fanatic
Or if we're literally just getting teased and it's not going to happen
We'll get to that when we get any agents like but from Navi side of things that what are we expecting me the chamber here is looking
Great. Yeah, well, that's the thing like we've not seen a breeze come out from Navi
Just yet so we could just like sit here in theory captain's speculae
But why would we need to do that when agents like this right there and ready for us?
We're actually going to be seeing Rooksik play the Viper, which honestly, I'm not mad about Mini, I don't know how you feel about it.
No, he's good Viper. The thing that strikes me here is so should one Yoru.
Like that's the strange thing here. When you've got both Rooksik and Hero, Hero on Sova as well, like something feels a little bit off with the roles that we expect.
Hero and Rooksik are those are the players that we keep talking about, and they've been kind of put on that more reserved slot into this composition.
And then on the other side, Vikash on Jet! Okay?
You sound very happy, very excited.
Why is Alfa...
Alfa is playing into the whole Alfa being on this more reserved, sentimental anchor.
Not the KO, the jet.
You want to talk about it, Mini?
I don't know. He's not a player that I consider as a second-doer.
I think this was fine. He has played Jett in the past.
I think back to his Challenger days, he was playing.
So two years ago.
Yeah, I mean, before he joined Jett, I mean.
On a team with AlphaEar and AlphaEar has to play Viper.
AlphaEar is human right now.
He's like, I've got to play Viper.
Maybe you can ask him that.
We've got two other Judas in my team
that I've got to play Viper.
Ask him, I will be.
Yeah.
He won't be happy.
That's why the question that we're discussing later.
There's some eyes on how they coach this game and so should we.
Honestly, because these, they're taking up slots for what could be
other players in the team.
All right, well, I guess we're going
to have to wait and see how this
competition is going to play out.
But at least, you know, Fanatic's
coach keeping his promise.
It is going to be a little different,
a little surprising, no sage here,
but we're ready to head into our
second map of the series.
Breeze coming up next with Mitch and Tom.
Thank you very much.
Yes, a second map.
But do we get a third Fanatic
winning out the first pick?
It's a bad sign, Tom, after we got
out of the first half.
But now we had a hell of a resurgence.
Do you think they have what it takes to beat Fnatic here on Breeze?
To be honest, I'm too busy being bathed by like with Mini, what Mini was saying.
I like when you have Alphia who like say for example we saw him on play jet on a
BIS at times and was utterly insane on jet, he was also Turkish so it's just
like he is just good at jet naturally, he was born good at jet.
And then Bekacu just played a great Viper.
Really nice Viper, enjoyed the Viper a lot.
I don't know why they've done this. I'll be honest with you. Maybe I'm gonna be pleasantly surprised. I do trust Milan
But maybe the altitude of how tall he is has got to his head and he's getting a little bit of like lack of oxygen
And that's why he's put young the roles this way around on the other side of things
So should we're in an agro role exciting a lot like I love seeing him play like a chamber like getting him on an operator
And in your face
I think it's gonna be hard to deal with and he's got crazy aim
So I think that sociable Yoram Yoram might be the most exciting thing in this game
And then the combo on the other side is it's weird
It's weird
Well, yeah, I mean, yeah, the comp you say the combo fanatic side is weird that the choice of who's playing
Yes, exactly because the competition itself. I think the most people will be like well
I mean it seems like it could work. I don't see glaring issues
But yeah, because you know fear having that little bit of a switchup is strange
And I think we haven't seen, it's very difficult to find players that are that comfortable to
completely rejig their roles in between maps.
Like solid flexes like that are usually like maximum one per team.
But the vision, I don't see it.
It feels like it would make sense the other way around, but there has to be something.
Whether it's in scrims or maybe even a hunger.
Maybe McCage is like, dude, you see any shred on my bird?
Call me on jet.
Watch me.
Yeah, but I'd my argument the other way around would be do you think Alphia doesn't have that
Just watching play braze in the last man's life
Have you watched him play any?
Aggressive think they go that we've got a slight delay at the moment Alphia has client issues. It's perm on the wrong agent
That's that's what it is
like this. Yeah. Yeah. Wait a minute. I'm meant to be the
jet. That could be it. Yeah, I do doubt it, but that that
very well could be it. You know, for fanatic right now as
well, though, Tom, this is the it didn't actually happen in
the end. They come back on split. They didn't get fanatic,
but they were bloody close to it. Yeah. Come in now. Now,
V, you know, at least recency bias looking at that
second half is split. I'm going to hope that that's the team that we see stepping onto the
stage here because they looked a little bit confused and confounded at moments even in
that second half first two rounds. Jett was Vekash's most played agent at VCL France
last year across his VCL France and VCT career. So again, maybe he just has that hunger
of put me on Jett. Let me show you what I can do. It's not the doubt that he
It's the doubt that he complied about in the mouth, which I doubt that of most people.
Maybe other than Little Rock.
Update boots to fill.
Fanatic attack side start.
Hero has embedded himself in elbow and they do not know.
Not an eye cast in his direction.
And a double tap looking for more as Alpha falls.
And Hero eventually removed from the round but his impact.
Oh, it's not going anywhere.
Fanatic two men behind and no ground really to speak of.
Traded out for those losses.
This one's going to be a difficult fight back and opportunity,
but searchable not going to overplay his hand,
especially when they've got Rooksic locked in on the other side of the map.
Although he's going to walk about again and opportunity,
but the shot's just not connecting.
I think for either of Brashy's 35 seconds up and coming on the clock a full retreat giving
time for Crashy's and there you go, there you go, got there in the end, few extra shots
to both sociable and Ruxik now under pressure a chance to turn this back into a 2v2 if
they can isolate this man and that is a big if.
the problem. Navi are closing in like a net Rooksik with a phenomenal shot and a second
to add to the tally. Nicely done. Navi find themselves the pistol under their belt and
a great start from Hiro. That push up into elbow played to perfection.
Really nice. Fantastic start to the map round. This is the duo we talked about with Navi.
This Rooksick and Hero duo has become one of the best we have in EMEA. Yeah, as you
can see, that was quite a while ago. 643 days. Where were you 643 days ago Tom? Probably
probably come and take that match
well, fanatic not looking likely to take this one all down to the pistols
giving a bit of a map exploration from them
yeah, kaiak almost got a kill somehow
that's a decent bit of damage done, but no weapons on the floor for now
and even if there was one as long as she was close enough by
to pick it up although he is on the B site
the potential for some damage
Ah.
Ah, potential stop.
Very nice stop.
Grabbing with an in-zone flawless here in round number two.
And in the next one, the game really begins.
Rifles out for Fnatic.
The thing is though with so many people surviving, Tom, you're going to have no issue in terms
of investments.
Yeah.
I think genuinely the thing that most excites me going in is how social was going to be
on that defensive sniper.
I think that he is incredible at this sort of role.
It's one of the sort of almost extra pressures
that are put onto someone like Filu
when you kind of look at social wrong go.
If I put him on Filu's roles, does he do a better job?
Because at times this guy has just popped off
when given the sniper rifle,
when given the opportunity to be aggressive.
And that's exactly why you have him on this agent.
A swap up of weaponry and planes.
Shower left with the judge and feeling given the rightful of more rooksick.
Plane at the back of the piece.
Oh, it is.
Oh, great.
It's hard to watch, like, to divert your eyes.
Oh, goodness.
Poster gets there in the end.
A very valuable pick for Fnatic.
Remember, this is a round they come into with advantages stacked up in their favor.
Navi has so many weaknesses.
this isn't despite damage on DeFilo. They're still in a 4 versus 3.
Fanatica completely spread out. The other problem is that they got the info on a player close on a
playing on that corner on the left. Not the one that Shawazon, the drone didn't see him,
and the judge sitting in that corner now strikes. The element of surprise.
There we go.
By his side, as FeeLoo gets the double, now Vee finds a 3-0 start.
Oh, Fanatic's map pick.
Not looking quite as good, at least in the opening rounds.
Nah, it's a win your bonus, especially when you had some gaps.
This is sort of the difference.
I feel like, although Alan works in slightly more aggressive roles, you put him on a ViP,
you have his utility around him and he just plays as confidently, still takes those
same risks.
you're just a lot less likely to have that level of expectation.
The fact that both of those early fights are going in the direction of that deadly duo.
Not a great sign for Fnatic, of course. This was the half versus BBL that they severely
struggled on. That attack side was what, two and ten after a nine three defensive half,
ended up losing the map because of it. This time they have at least started off with a pick
on to sociable but it's the rest of the players that have the rifles and in fact
there's already a pincer coming in on the mid
oh careful well the spike's still inside main but they're looking for that fight
drawing eyes rucksack down means they're rotating in crossing by this
angle the shells currently all were boaster lurks and weights shot landing
And from afar puts him to a sliver of health and that should be an easy clean up for Boser.
Feelew the last man standing, he's been detected, he's been hurt and the rifle's being recovered
across the board.
This is far from an easy recovery on the round.
Two, three, now under his belt but the ace will be denied and it's early stages.
Three to one on the board.
Somehow this is the round of Phenatic fight back into.
Of course it is.
Yeah, just able to win some of those early fights.
I think getting rid of sociable immediately left a pretty big gap and then just being able to swarm on to the players on this side of the map.
I think the Marshall also got multiple packs out from Becashia.
It may be a part of their attack side is going to involve him having that jet operator.
Maybe that's the same on the defense as well.
Freeing up Kayak to be a little bit more aggressive.
I'm intrigued as to the reasoning but...
At least very aggressive early star out from Velu and it's a one-for-one trade.
Did they keep pushing on that though?
I mean, look at the position Rooksic's gone for.
You get social posted.
No, like the operator in there.
No, is it?
Like fighting that window is not a great spot.
I think he was just going there for a moment because the angle's being held by sociable.
So he clears that.
If someone's in the window, they should peek soon.
They don't.
So he goes back.
The one that has to hold that control he's already sent his decoy out and it was broken now
He goes walking forward. They don't expect that
Frankly foolish move a lot of the time from sociable, but that's exactly why it works
Yeah, he's the we saw it in the last map with the sky flashes. He's very good with timing and you see it again
The perfect moment to repeat looking for...
EEEH!
OH MY GOD!
That was greedy!
That was greedy!
Felt more than he could chew!
Not sure about that one.
Although, there is a word he hits that shot.
It looked close!
It was very, very close.
Boasting out with an operator.
Oh, we've seen this man do this many a time.
A rotation already in from Rooksik,
but he is somewhat isolated.
Doesn't want to gift the game away.
Doesn't want to give that 2v2 over 2 fanatic.
He's waiting for support.
Nice shot by Boester, okay. Back to even footing.
The smoke up. Oh! Another player spotted as well.
Valuable information. It's only Rooksic who's unknown,
but he's wrapping around.
And Alpha finding that shot to 0-1-1 after the pig.
Rooksic's position now revealed.
Alpha, you're ready and waiting for the jump up.
An execution that awaited Rooksic puts Fnatic up to 2.
Catching back up now. It was a thrifty round followed by this.
They're just one away.
Hey, that was going to be a little bit more frustrating.
You get these early advantages.
I think Sociable Deftly was a bit too greedy.
It is the reason you put him on this role,
is because you want him to get aggressive.
You want him to take space, but then a lovely shot
if I most run that operator.
I've got a mirror!
Ah!
You're peeking again!
Go!
Psst!
Psst!
The difference as well in warm-ups from those teams,
honestly, like, Navi were sat down there, locked in,
tech check and making sure everything's working. Fanatic, I think they went through like the
Spotify top 100. They were singing away. Oh, it was scribbling away up here earlier on.
The Vibe's always immaculate on that side of the stage, regardless of the score. For
now, it's serving them well. Climbing back into this game, one away from Navi and an
opening pick with sociable punished on that mid aggression. It's Navi they're
left with really the ball in their court to make a move they don't have info
they're clear now there's no one there but luckily today there are three players
two way so they're super close to this be hit a lot more presents from the
defense should be here than expected I'm just sure being used very grassy
position already but that has to be taken up by Teelew a good flash to make
I think that a little bit easier in Hero caught on the cross.
Leave Shower alone.
One versus four, I don't think there's any reason or rhyme to attempt this.
Gun here.
Especially with economy so poor for Na'Vi at this stage.
Much more direct approach from Fnatic.
And these are the sort of rounds that I feel like I enjoy.
You have these slow, almost captivating rounds for Fnatic that can cause them issues at times.
But when they throw that spanner in, the faster paced round, a lot of teams get caught off-guard.
And while the Hunters fury to clear out Rooksic, that B site looks a lot friendlier.
You know, for now V, the thing that's surprising is the fact that there were three players so close by to this B site.
Like you had two that were just re-clearing the window.
As the first wall went up, and as the utility came through,
Filu makes the back-side Filu as well. He's on a bit of a tear of the game.
I think Hero is there as well. The Hunter's Fury of his own sent into this round is a response.
Weren't they able to get anything from it?
And this is the problem, like having...
Thinking about that execute, about Fnatic playing a faster round.
Well, it doesn't get much better than having three players ready to greet them.
And yet all that resulted in was yeah, there were more defenders there
But there were more bodies when the exec was done
Fnatic still finding favor
now looking for the lead
they'll be on a
Very patchy by
That's the only rifle they have yeah shot connected by rick seek those is almost gonna
push them back into position showers aggression
punished immediately and the net being thrown out by Fnatic is done well to
put a stop a lot of what this defensive side wants to do like you've got
yourself a neon yoru the expectation is you're gonna have aggression you're
gonna consistently try and push and pressure the map and I think in some
of the earlier rounds Fnatic fell victim to that but as they go along
they've been back to a better and catching some of these risky
position forcing players out. Thing is the rotation as you said is coming because
of that delay. I'm sociable. Already one down and a second as well. Yeah,
Fielu's the guy to get the second kill. That was your B player by the way. They
now rotated in for the double kill but space taken back elsewhere. This
shouldn't be around that comes this close either way. There's no weapons
recovered for Navi. They came in with weaknesses but a stack towards A and
and Neon rotate on the other side.
And basically the entire squad was here.
Now, you kind of expect the Vipers pit
to go down on B if you're Navi.
You think that Alpha's probably close.
You saw the orb go on Crashies.
Both site is the most likely scenario, but a missed shot.
That's it.
Oh, now the advantage gone.
They need to at least take this to a 2v3.
Navi can just run the numbers game.
Crashies, they know roughly where Alpha's
going to be coming from.
And he's already gonna be cleared out by Rooksic. It leaves just one standing.
Well, it's a bit more labor than he would have hoped for.
A big round out from Navi. The gamble rotation early that caught Fanatic off guard.
That's it. In the early stages around, they did really well to sort of clear all of these aggressive dangers.
But just some wonderful shots hit by sociable. I think he got an insta-kill and then it was a...
This one, I think one of the players was like 1 HP, the Filu, I did not kill him, but
a very good round from him and then Filu stepping up with a rifle as well, which is kind of what we wanted to see from this guy.
12 and 3 right now.
It was the only rifle they had, bit of a risky early stance pushing up B main, but again, the fact that the only rifle they had was on B.
Everyone else was A, and when the exec came in, because of a delay from Snakebite, when the exec came in,
The second and third kills went to the B site player, who had ran, sprinted all the way back around, again the benefits of having your neon alongside your yoru, not the only benefits, not even the main benefits, but faster rotations on the defensive side.
And here that translates to a round win for Navi, and the lead staying in their favor, rather going back to it after the tie up earlier on.
Now the B-side of the threat, Cosmic Divide in, Dash in as well from Vikajin.
And that back-side hold from Ruxik doesn't last very long. Crumbling across the border, Navi.
Really nice execute.
One of the sorts of things you've almost felt was a necessity was Ruxik being able to hold the line on this B-side.
We've seen it a lot with Vipers in any iteration of this map.
It could be a very lonely.
OHHHHHHH!
Okay, okay that was nice. That was nice. I give him that.
My favorite thing I've ever seen Feli do. Please survive this night.
He's signing three. You know, he's having a good game.
I really want this to be like, that kills so much cooler if he survives this.
Cause then it's, they've actually translated to not hit him. Hit him.
Yeah. No, no, no, no, no. Count down.
No, he's going for more. He's going for more. Why not?
Okay, why not? This is why. Run! Run for your life!
Okay, crazy round from Filiou on the exits there. That's definitely piqued my interest, but for Fanatic, a round wins still secured, and again we're back to equal footing 4-4.
The early lead from Navi, they're not happy to see it slip away twice, so the timeout is going to be called.
Yeah
Or fall and the thing is I look at this heart and I look at obviously fanatic
They really struggled when it came to the attack, but it is a different looking calm
You would go in that jet to try and help himself
The reality of it so far is that feel it has been on a tear and then that was the main criticism when this roster was built
Obviously, we didn't know how shall was gonna be as an IGL. We knew the sort of three Turkish players
We knew the Rooksic here and Sociable were going to be good.
We've seen it all the way through last year, both here and Rooksic,
especially having incredibly high peaks.
This was last week for Fielder.
These are the stats we were looking at.
And for anybody wondering, they are not good.
It didn't go well.
He got completely shut down.
Right now, he is 14 and 3 in a game that they are drawing.
He is the reason that they are currently competitive in this map.
So it's a very different looking story because my question now goes,
Alright, where's everyone else? Where's Rixxic at the top of the board?
He's been shot down quite a few times on B,
and I think that if you have B-Lufarin,
I need to see the rest of the squad up there with him.
I think that's a very fair call.
He is 14 and 3.
Yeah, it's not the moment.
And he's almost got the same kills as Sociable here,
and Rixxic combined,
which is what hell of an accolade for anyone.
Nice.
All the same as minus one of them plus L.
Great, thanks.
So I think the reality is you look at this situation for now be feel who has been underperforming last week was awful
And it's bounced back. What's the reason that there is a heartbeat to the matchup?
Can I be still?
Losing that lead for the second time, but fanatic yet to gain it. This could be where that all changes though
He's next
So called genuinely never changes. So aggressive but not been forced off this time. Viper's fit to the back of site.
Lot of pressure being put on. Sociable has been able to find out for you.
A big early pick. The Viper's fit on the other side. Gone out of the round and finding the beast.
Viper's going to be so important. There was an opportunity for back-hatch but that opportunity has faded.
And with the spikes still able to go the other way.
I wouldn't be surprised if it does. Kankaya get out of here though.
his gate crash is fading and it is gone he wants to take this fight they know
they got rid of the drone thanks to crashy spamming hero ends he popped that
out but the swing from kayak into felu I tell you all before today I know who
my money would be on in that fight but felu right now he is on fire and
fanatic again it seems have been stopped right as they were about to
reach their goal the lead of very fanatic yet again in this first half
with Navi. I mean it seems like stealing it back unless we're going to have another very
late round play from Fanatic. I think they're just saving their weapons. Yeah. Maybe if they
knew how open A was they might give it a go but I don't think they're willing to just
risk the additional rifles. Crash is a little bit low on credit so it makes sense. I like
the idea. Obviously after a pause after your opponents have had the expectation that you're
going to have these slower rounds, you're going to have patience. They just run it in for that
aggressive be execute once again and there were moments where they weren't far
away I thought the Vekesh was going to be able to find Rooksik obviously we have a
slightly clearer vision than he does but it is this man I feel like sociable has
been very here and missed but the rounds where he's managed to find them
openers it's just been so irritating it's so close to that pit dropping and
it being a nightmare for Navi. Yeah I just couldn't get the pit gone the fact
that Rooksik survives the fact he wins the fight inside of it as well
It's all that they needed a five to four score line for Navi
Great start to their defensive side at decline fanatics come back into this
their ascent to leadership status and
of a couple more rounds to play for
Victory in the half still very much possible now for fanatic and op in the hands of kayak is searching for picks in middle
He's not gonna get offered the kind of fights he's looking for
That VR aggressive, sure they pushed him in a main, they've got sociable and the spawn
that we're seeing in here right now, but he can always get out.
Oh, wow, wow, hold on.
Hero almost getting taken out, I was going to say that's a problem for Fnaticus, that
there's not any picks really available to them, without just heads of fights.
That was very nearly won, but Hero's still alive on 70.
He's really feeling it right now.
An opener on toposter.
Smokes dissipated.
45 seconds left and they're walking into
what is still a fairly stacked up side.
A nice shot from Kayak though, that sociable gone.
Still to remain.
Shal trying to move over to the back of the site
has the support of Rooksik and Rooksik's done.
Well, that guy's walking with knife out.
Not expecting a second player to be here.
In fact though, the attack is going to try and double back
But they're going into the man and the moment almost lands them up and just looks to get out of there out there with
20 seconds
He needs to just run it straight towards Philoos holding the angle
Even trying to bait the shot but Philoos does not miss a different man this week as he has got another triple
And I believe that's now is it 18 kills? Yeah, 18 and 3
What an insane performance the fact that this is a 6-4 score line by the way is ridiculous
He's putting up these kind of numbers looking good with the off as well so many shots
For him in the past couple of rounds to a Dean and there might be one of the best starts to map
We've seen and for it to be feel it is considering the enough from him
No, I mean just just generally hear a kickoff and the reality is feel who is being awful so far
So this is a much needed confidence course they'd love other than that. He was average. Yeah, it's all right
Okay, once again, sociable's gone.
We've heard the rumors of scrim Fee-Loo.
Potential Fee-Loo.
And I think we're finally getting to witness it.
This time, our boaster will shut him down.
Shout low, but still holding up to life,
clinging to the site.
Shotcarts flying past that eventually out the air will clear.
It's the low by rounds.
A fanatic of seemingly being able to do far more than they should.
And now the other star operate to play on the other side boaster
With a chance crashy's finds a rifle
She's duo didn't make it to the top of the tower in Minnie's ratings, but we'll see if they can do it
This time they're just about surviving still holding on to life
This time he lands a shot for the trade is there. It's gonna be the sovers facing off
The doppelganger is against each other with only one standing in the end. They're wrapping
round each other and heroes got the time against him but he'll still land the immediate headshot.
Time a little bit low but there should be enough of it for the defuse. I guess that's a little bit
of karma for Crouchy. I mean he had some crazy clutches in the previous map and had to go
the other way. Eventually a 5 HP being the margin for Navi. The climb back continuing
at three round lead and it started out so nicely, you know, for Vakash, who's had a very tough start
to get in there, find a pick, do some damage to Shaw as well, and with boots on the ground, players
on site, that should have been all there was. Oh, the hero does so well in the end, finding three
kills, pushing Navi to a guaranteed lead at the half. The question is by how much
8-4 possible on a map that, especially with Mavie losing their pick to start this,
I didn't have a lot of faith in them coming into this. Certainly, in the last map,
at 11-3, I didn't have a lot of faith in anything on Breeze.
Well, let's see about their attack side, okay? Okay, here. Okay!
I guess if you just spell the angle and they walk in, it gets easy.
That's what's for Mavie.
get. Otherwise, you wouldn't have a chance at this clutch on the site or above.
He's going to cross out of the pit looking to take this fight.
Holding the patience, paying off an eight to four scoreline at the half.
What a wonderful performance from that V.
They just need to keep up this momentum for half two.
And we may well have a third map on our hands.
Yeah, really impressive stuff, especially out of Feele.
And obviously, it is one of those games where he just is feeling it right now, but while
we wait for the second half, here's Shao breaking it down on Navi's roles for 2026.
The big comparison to last year is that we have big flexibility, because the guy who
can take any role which is hard to perform, let's say, or you need a lot of experience,
he's like easily willing to take them, same as me.
So we have three insane shooters, insane grinders like Phil, Ruxiq and Hero.
They're all just to be comfortable and me and Sochi, our main goal is to make them this
compatibility on the high level so they can perform insanely well.
I'm very confident because they're young, first of all they're hungry to play, to win.
Yes, so far they're like, for example, Ruxiq, he never qualified to international
LANs and I think it's one of his dreams right now for this year, for this season.
I think Hero would like to repeat his journey as he had with Fnatic on Champions 2024.
And Philo also, same as Ruxi, the guy wants to grind, wants to play and obviously wins.
For us to come back to international stages, the most important is to keep what we're doing on Prax.
Bring this mindset, this discipline from Prax, which we spend, let's say, 90% of time to the official games.
And this will bring us to the top three easily of EU, like EMEA, and it will bring us to the
lands, so we just need to be able to transform this mindset discipline into official games.
But I think we shouldn't have problems with that because, again, everyone already has
some kind of experience on stages, and everything goes smooth, smooth so far, so I don't see
any issues which might happen.
Wingman World will wa-
Have a break have a Kit Kat wingman world while wanting a well one break. Let's go
Well, come back folks eight to four is the score now V. Well wingman. I don't need that many more wingman
What a well-earned break
And so as we come into this top
For Fnatic, a slow first half, but this is their chance to prove that they've got what
it takes.
13 days as IGL.
Yeah, that is a lot, isn't it?
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Was it 2,096?
That's genuinely madness.
We asked earlier, I was doing 600 and something days ago, the last time they played Breeze.
I have no idea why I was doing over 2,000 days ago, but I do know the boaster was
Still the IGL of whatever team he was on at the time, none the less.
We are back in.
A pistol fairly important for Fanatic on their map choice.
I was mainly expecting them to pick the Abyss.
There you go.
Finally, a little bit of magic from the...
the Cajet.
I've not seen much from it so far.
Kayak...
Oh, hello.
He's definitely spotted as a opponent.
Ah, well, he didn't seem too difficult for him.
No, it seemed too difficult for anybody on Fnatic there, an in-zone flawless, and I feel
like the round barely even started for Navi.
They got ready for the fights and well, they were already over.
A pistol round for Fnatic here, I guess in terms of their bounce back, because this
is what we know Fnatic for, starting slow, fighting back into a map.
They're moving onto the defensive side now, they win the pistol as well.
How confident are you in Navi closing out this map?
I mean, obviously, I mean, I guess more so the question is how confident are you in fanatic?
I'm fairly confident. They look very good on the defense last time. Obviously,
I think they've switched to a comp that's more aggressive, like bringing in the jet into the mix
and also the yoru for that little bit of like escapism rather than having, I think it was the
sage in last time, which, okay, that adds a lot of delay on the defense. Like, you know,
you can have the flows are still fantastic, like at the walk and also a section of angles. But
I do think that this is where I think Percy Kayak can thrive a little more, get that operator in hand, get up in face, still teleport out of there as he's doing right now, thank you very much for the example.
And also then like what we can see from Vekage has a similar thing on the other side of the map, so I think that they're still going to be deadly on the defensive side and I think we'll be foolish to get too far ahead of ourselves and say like, oh this is done.
Without a doubt, yeah, it's the beginning of the second half.
It's still, well, some promise, Navi.
Find a pick on backside, numbers back to even, still weaponry advantage for the defensive side.
I'll provide some light to the patience as well, coming out of Crashies.
Alpha holding his own, Crashies lands that flank control and Thielu and Hiro.
Now, Alpha hold that backside as the rifles descend.
Althea thirsty for blood and well perhaps that's quenched his thirst
Sixth on the board for phonetic and relatively cleanly done the key thing being the boasters got a pistol to play with so
There really will be no losses. Yeah, no real damage taken
There's only the the marshal that was gone and I guess I've been applying to keep into the next round anyway
There's no point just dropping it somewhere
But yeah, Althea does well. I was a little bit nervous because the rest of the team was still fighting elsewhere as he was fully into the site, but I guess this is just a little bit of a boost for him to climb up the board, 12 and 9, halfway to that fight is clear.
And I also think as well, like you look at the current table, for Filiu on the attack to replicate those numbers is almost impossible.
Like it would have to be the best game we've seen from him ever, but also one of the best games in the league
Like you're now diving in first a lot of the time sure in tandem with sociable
But that doesn't make it an easy task whereas on the defense
He has an operator he set up he's fighting picks and then having utility to support and get out of there
So I
Want to see how that jewel is going to work differently now they go on to the attack
I think if you had that same level of performance in this half
Alpha years kill record would be challenged in regulation
Alphier and Zeus is, and they both own it.
They've had a catch, moving towards the doors.
He's heard them though.
He knows that they're en route, but this shot,
oh, it proves to be easy to start with.
Decoy catches him fully though, blinded up.
He is dealt with.
Kayak has managed to put a spanner in the works,
coming up behind them now,
meeting that Sociable's essentially trapped in a corner.
The team tries to flood out to help them.
Nice connection by Xiao.
Trading headshots with the Bulldog from Boester.
The shot start almost took him down, but Navi not ready to relinquish control of the round just yet.
A sociable finds himself a triple, and I think back to that SOT we had, that little video from Shao,
he named everybody else except sociable. He was like, they're all here for the aim, for the firepower.
Well, a sociable might be challenging for that as well. I don't think he's just supportive.
He did start with him saying he could play anything though, right?
I think he just then named everyone.
He was like, the other tree got me.
So if anything, I think it would be other way around.
He was hyping up social, like, oh, wait, I have other teammates.
That's what I'm talking about, too.
I think he is right, though, in terms of social plausibility
to just play anything.
Like, you stick this guy on a deadlock,
and I think he didn't drop, like, 39 kills in one
of the maps last year.
Like, the guy really is a jack of all trades
and a master of most, which is a very rare thing to have.
And it's your, I started off well.
Of course, this is where we see the operator in hand.
gonna be in the hands of Becash so I said a little bit more freedom potentially
for his teammate and as his teammate dissipates back he's managed to find that opening pick
mentioned as well because having that tough first half
two and eight two nine at some point it's really hard but that is again what awaits
Fielu a lot of the time they swap sides now that they take that attack approach
Fielu not posted on the angles instead he'll be swinging into them for now at
least they'll post it on mid-waiting
steps into the angle drops crashes immediately the element of surprise
paying off tenfold as Kayak tries to make his way up behind them
thread the needle in now I thought he's got more than just a one but the
numbers stay even and for that guy expected to wait to try to take the
retake together but alpha can't help himself gets in there and puts the
advantage firmly into fanatics court that's safe to say that he is feeling it
right now and well a little bit ahead of the curve again that's given hero
an opportunity of course an operator not the ideal retake weapons but they
get faced by Navi and both Navi players win their fights 10 to 6, a little bit over aggressive
in that retake from Fnatic and then it all comes tumbling down.
Yeah I mean look at the two ways, on the first hand the fact that Alpha played aggressive
got them the advantage, it also gave them back.
I mean not gave the opponent, the advantage just gave away back to 2v2 and I think that's
you know it's one of those moments where I think it's even you call it pause and
They say, guys, we're going to play them together.
Alpha was feeling it a lot of the time.
When he feels that extra peek, he ends up hitting it.
But a good punish by Navi.
Double digits on the board.
Fanatic on an eco.
And map three very much on the horizon.
That is a tough round for the defense to get anything,
especially with the patience of Navi, grouping up.
leave him one lurker just in case there's a mid push because he does have to be a little
bit careful they are walking up on him he's very well aware of the angles though doesn't
give anything up in fact even being surrounded yeah sociable with the snipers not going
to miss that one a very big advantage in this round and well not exactly the weapon you'd
want to have to post it if you've just lost mid no I don't think he's going to
be taking that fight on range, but
ratting in the corner is just perfect.
Drone didn't see him, but he has been spotted by sociable.
And even with the damage done, converting that to a kill
will be a tough task.
Alpha here, even use the Viper's pit
this round towards that main.
That's now fallen.
So for now, V1V5 bucky retake on B.
I mean it's a big economic builder,
but also the fact that, wow, okay, there's a bit.
Uhhh, or not? Cool.
I'm not quite sure how he's going to land with that one, but yeah.
For Navi, big moneymaker round, but also removing an ult on the other side of very valuable ult as well.
Yeah, this is the home stretch.
It's a great time for the In-Zone followers to come in and put them in a position where they can have that little bit of an economic boost to fall back on.
This is where the defense wants again.
They're cash with the sniper.
Kayak's dimensional drift online.
I'm a little bit nervous.
When you see the attack side on this map, especially with the Hunter's Fury,
it just makes those executions so much cleaner.
Thielu taking that space knowing that that disruption is likely to come through
from in just a moment of the boaster.
If they use that ult, there's going to be a tough hold.
They're just walking up.
In fact, they just have faith in Thielu to do the damage himself.
Walked out.
Boaster's already been spotted.
Now he's completely surrounded.
around it nowhere left to go. And I was thinking, okay, Hunter's Fury is going to be great for the
table. It's even better in post. I think they actually almost baited out because they have it,
because they took such a fast early approach. I was waiting to hear the sound cue called,
because as soon as you get into doors, you're like, okay, Alta's going to come through. And
obviously you can clear out this space for your guy coming through doors, this space for the
guys coming out through main. It's huge. And actually you see Fanatic back off. You see them
set up their gate crashes to fall back you see them not take those early fights
waiting for that point of initiation and the point of initiation wasn't an
ultimate it wasn't utility it was a man like feel who just running around there's
been a lot of fights in this game where I'm not expecting the player looking the
wrong way to win and then they just managed to take it like a bullet crash
you should have been dead there we won't be able to hold on to the guns
that guy's not activated because he was on that other side of the map and
12 to 6, a map choice that isn't really showing as to why.
An addict are gonna take a timeout, but...
Oh, I feel like there's gonna have to be an awful lot here to stem the bleeding.
I think it's a lot more than just a plaster.
Oh yeah, get the tourniquet out right now.
Six rounds in a row needed to fight back into this one.
And how times have changed for Navi, their own map pick.
It came in with an 11-3 start, but they bounced back.
They fought their way back into the game,
and now they come to Fanatic's pick.
One, correct me if I'm wrong, that Navi haven't played so far this year.
That Fanatic come in, obviously, you would imagine, better prepared for.
Yeah.
And even change of call, but I think the fact that we bring the Yoru into play,
the fact that we get rid of the Sage, the Neon that they were running last time as well,
it's funny because there's a Neon on Navi's side,
So what I'm about to say, especially because that Neon is 23 and eight, this is going to sound kind of stupid.
But I prefer fanatics comp.
I like them moving away from that Neon.
I like them having that little bit more diversity with Kayak and Jet as that double dive.
But it's 12-6.
Javier winning.
Phelous having possibly the best game we've seen from him.
He's been very good.
Considering the caliber of players he's up against, I think you really have to give him a leg up.
And well the difference in pressure as well. Like he was he was part of that big comeback in the last map as well
Like it definitely showing that the level he's hitting in Navi is is far better than the teams who've seen before
And it was in a team where I said like he's a piece of a puzzle not needing to be the star sociable already
The path is set
the dimensional drift
Clearing out angles now Boester has been a little bit cheeky a little bit sneaky trying to find a way to get the opener
He's now got quite a few players behind him
He didn't even know they stoke the angle probably expected them to just TP out of there
instead now
crashes is at least found one but
With a massive disadvantage the beams of the furies going past each other with a target
Potentially man and actually it was almost two and there is that second
That's all come crashing down for a fanatic is now V
Seem to have my three locked in and there it is 13 to 6 breeze
Ends in favor of now V the series continues our bind is coming up after the break
you
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Some of dreams I dance
When I'm in the world, I dance, dance
When I'm caught, I've got to dance
I'm going to show you how to
You know who else is doing their best?
Fanatic!
Uh, yeah.
I think we're a bit underwhelmed with that competition.
I think that's fair.
I'm not underwhelmed by competition. I think the competition's really good.
Oh, sorry. What I meant by was like who was on what agent in that competition.
I think honestly it's not just who was playing what. It was...
Let's go to Navi.
We'll start there.
the first map. I don't know
what I was expecting, but the
way that they came out, so
in with their composition and
the fact that every single
player was so comfortable
playing the role that they
were supposed to was
incredible to do. Yeah, I
think social being on the
aura was one of the main
ones that we highlighted
going into that. I think
that he definitely got to
show his flexibility and
diversity in terms of agent
pool. I want to shout out
feel it because this is a
player that we don't often
get to praise. And I think
throughout that, I think
that's a good thing.
And I think throughout that map specifically he performed exceptionally.
I think when you consider the year that he had in tier 1 last year being on that Choir
roster not finding the success, really just someone that's not been on many people's
radars in that sense.
Yeah, I think coming out and being able to put up a performance like that against
Fnatic as well is just, yeah, really impressive.
Yeah, he's had a bit of a weird kickoff so far.
Like he has had that, he's dominated like this.
And then last week he went minus 20.
So it's like, we don't really know where to face it, but like it's when he's on this kind of form,
Navi's just like incredible, but it's like, I guess for going forward for Navi, it's just about more consistency.
There's like a very high variance in if you just play right now, but you know, I kind of...
You can stay the same for Vikad.
The first time of that Viper, absolutely phenomenal, and now we're coming onto this jet hair on Breezebilly,
and it was a little underwhelming.
Yeah, I mean 300 plus ACS from feelers and saying but bring up against the cash is performance
It's just you know the numbers there are not really looking that nice
And I think many kind of touched on it in the agents like as well as why are we seeing the cash on the jet when they have a player like
Alpha this is something that we've been kind of speaking about all throughout kickoff so far is
Why are they not just making use of the fact that they have alpha there and in saying that he does look great
No matter what agent. Yeah playing for alpha. So it's like do you just let him pick I think it's like an interesting
in discussion would you rather have a player who's still putting up numbers on an agent that isn't
supposed to put up the numbers or you'd rather in that kind of role and I think that they would
obviously answer before I'm on the agent they doesn't need to like you don't have the same
like it has the impact despite not being on a job but I think to me the bigger point really is
just the way that Fnatic are approaching these Double Druid's compositions. I think they
traditionally usually have it down but on these other maps it just feels like they're wandering
around the map a little bit getting picked apart and it doesn't really feel like they're playing
double jewelers correctly on some of these situations. I have to give praise to Navi,
like I think that their defaults on this map looked a lot better than Fanatics in that
feeling. Like they were doing an elbow default very quickly at the start of the round, it
was clear. It's like, Mitch is crawling up the stairs like he did a horror movie. I
just tried to... So yeah, I got to give praise to Navi, they kinda, I think they
understood the map a little bit better in that series. And I still got question marks
over Fanatics, double jewelers approach when they're playing with this map.
Yeah, then we're headed to Bind next and then to the map that we haven't actually
I've seen it from the side of Fnatic, so are we expecting a similar approach when it comes to their composition in regards to being a double duelist?
Yeah, you can definitely play a double duelist on this map. I think quite a lot of teams have played it so far without kickoff and there's nothing wrong with it.
But again, it goes back to, do we see Alpha on the duelist? Do we see him on the Viper? Do we see Vikash on the Viper?
Like, this is the kind of question in the last game.
No. Okay. Never mind. I thought that if they were going to play Taioh because they were playing it last year, they could have gone to double frugates.
And now we're seeing Alpha on Ray. So I'm going to be honest with you, I think this is probably one of the strongest, if not strongest compositions on the map.
And seeing Alpha get to play a realistic game in the next few minutes.
Ah, you have a big smile on your face. So that's what we'd like to see.
I don't want to flip it to Na'Vi's composition here, Billy, in terms of what we can expect from there.
Is that a thing so they do have the Taioh on there?
Yeah, I mean, this is the composition that they've run on bind all throughout kickoff so far
I think for them they need to go into this map
Learning the mistakes that they had against gentle mates specifically because that was a rough one for them
Yeah, I think feel you in particular was having a rough time on that bind last time gets gentle mates
So like honestly the feel you out for your head-to-head is kind of interesting here because feel you came off of such a hot game
Can you continue that momentum?
Yeah, I have to agree
I think as well when we're looking at this how is that you know wafer head-to-head gonna be I think the catch being back on
This agent is gonna look so much better for him
Especially considering the performance that he just had on the jet and Rooksic as well has been a hard hitter throughout the series so far
That would be keeping an eye on you guys want to throw in a prediction in regards to who you think is gonna take away
By after each team winning their opponent's map
You can
I always just say FNAF, so I'm unfortunately, I just prefer FNAF's composition. They got tape on Navi and I sat that a little bit and any time I see Alpha on Raze, I'm very excited.
Is that the reason why you prefer the composition? Is it about Navi?
No, no, I think the composition itself, as you saw last year, Euro Raze was just dominating Globals and I think that it is just wrong.
I think I'll go the opposite side then, say Navi, just so I can, you know, be on the other side of that.
side of that I think that if you have hero, Rooksik and sociable, the firepower that they bring
if they can continue to have a good performance today, I think it outclasses them.
Okay well we have a disagreement here on the desk but maybe the casters can have an agreement
over there in regards to who they think is gonna win because we're ready to head into our final
map of this series with bitch and Tom. Disagreements on the desk, you'll love to see that. I just
want to know if me and Mini have a problem. I mean he was looking at me real worried while
while I was coming up the stairs there.
I don't know what that was about,
but Navi and Fnatic, three maps,
I think we deserved it.
We always talk about the boaster versus Angel head-to-head,
and we got to see in the last map that comparison of Shao,
the new IGL for this roster,
with Angel as the coach, same system,
but new pieces to the puzzle.
And Shao certainly has a gap in terms of experience,
was 13 days against over 2,000 as an IGL,
But, trading maps, and, now they even look better on their map.
Well, I'm fanatic, I'm fanatic, did I not know that?
Angel did say that the only reason he'd have a rivalry with boasters,
because he wants to see him get to negative 550 and keep himself at the bottom,
and, I don't know, I think he's been doing pretty good at getting that to come true so far.
I don't think he's helped Charles KD at all, but he's been having a bit of a rough one,
but, maybe, Vine will be the map where we can see him take the reins.
Is that the plan? As an IGL, get Shown negative 500.
Ah, then he'll go to bottom three exactly!
He goes up the ranking!
This is all the plan!
I feel like Shown would have to drop a lot, though.
I don't think he's negative to the fall.
It would have to be half one of Split, many times in a row, for maybe two years.
But, for now, we're on to map three.
Fnatic are on the attack side, and Navi...
They seem to have some idea of where the hit was coming in.
You see the rotation from Hero coming through, but...
Although in the rifle rounds there will be a lot of information, even just off of the bots they can send through on Filu and Hiro.
Not quite a feature here, but we do see Sociable still has that flash.
I don't know if this is going to be kept to actually fight for space, or if very soon I imagine it will be sent for information.
Although that information has just come in a much cheaper form.
That time is ticking kayak though with his second opener it leaves Rooksic under immense amounts of pressure
Prowler being put through just to try and bait them into thinking it's the other side and he's going to have to absolutely have
and he gets nothing, Vec has back on the Viper, back on comfort it seems, and while, yeah I was going to say that but there's going to be a salvo too but
But, they could just wait.
Yeah.
You might as well throw your one out, you get it for free at the next round, but...
Oh goodness!
Okay, heroes got one!
I had some damage, but that's all there is to ride home about.
Four more players need to be dropped.
It won't be a flawless round.
But I doubt it's going to be one, but the flawless will have to hunt them in one
to zero for a fanatic and a very strong start to the pistol.
At least.
Yeah, of course a lot of stakes on the line here. Loser of this game going up to
face the winner of heretics or KC. I'd expect them to be favorites either way.
Obviously the winner will face either Vitality or GX. We'll be looking for a spot in that
middle final to try and get themselves through. Second time of asking and
probably save themselves an awful lot of stress. That little bracket gets
It's scarier and scarier as things go along.
There you go, 643 days.
Again, a lot of 600s.
Yeah, but I mean it was because it was 2023, stage one,
when we saw Navi beat Fanatic, Angel leading at the time,
and that's the only time also that Navi
have beaten Fanatic in the partnership era.
It's a 5-1 record in favor of Fanatic.
And certainly in the last gear and a bit,
And it has been flawless on their side, a 1-0 start on map 3, a series that often ends up
going the distance.
Yeah.
What do you expect of the difference here?
It's funny because the way that this veto has gone, I expected to be the third map,
I expected maybe the fanatic would pick a base, it's been such a strong map for them.
And then I thought the bind might even be the pick of NAVI, even though they had
a rough performance versus Mates, I still think it's a map that we hadn't seen from
fanatic bubsi if you go off history we know that this has always been a
comfortable map for any boaster squad a map where well I think if you look at
any viper lineups we know where they came from and the A site well I will
say the only risk is if they catch crashes that was about it they do have a
nice flank coming in and maybe a nasty surprise is reloading oh dear that's not
great a second kill comes through but boasters trying to make that's a spike on the ground
They have managed to retrieve it at least and obviously sociable so low
But even still this is far more damage and I was expecting yeah far more damage than they should have gotten away with
Especially when they don't find crashes and force that fight back towards mid a lot of players caught off guard
And a heavy price tag on this round already
It won't get any more costly and at least two rifles saved over to the next just before we could out of game
Alpha dropped the weapon over to his team at kayak and then picked up another stuff
Some stabilization in terms of economy, but there's no two ways about it.
I mean, that is a really good round for Navi with what they came in with.
Yeah, still lost the rifle, but there's still definitely some expense and...
Not ideal.
But they will still come in with three rifles for this round,
and you look at the players that are holding the Malfi at their cash.
And in fact, even the potential of a fourth.
Yeah, both are going to bring it in as well.
So, they didn't lose too much.
You didn't lose enough to make this a terrible buy.
Fennavi is going to be pretty important to get off to that strong start.
We saw this defensive side pretty good in her initial matchup.
Decent trade to start though.
The squad in black and red and, oh black and orange, sorry.
We'll see if I can turn that into something.
Rooksic has had a bit of a slow start here.
They're going to need him on this side of the map.
Alpha's just taking the top spot,
didn't go all the way to truck,
and it's a good thing you can see that
Hero and Rooksic were holding that weight
and for him to pop in and give a pick away.
But a more passive stance from Fanatic after they take
that initial map control,
his TP is going to be taken on this side of the map.
And in fact, Xiao, he's wrapping over
through bathroom, he's going to be cut off
on this rotating, because Alpha is still waiting.
What is he looking for?
Right where he is.
We cut to a Michelle's head.
He's cut clean off.
And the double fake for Fanatic has worked wonderfully.
Still yet to get to the side.
30 seconds left.
With such deep control, again, they've
got an extra salvo to try and buy them
a little bit of extra time.
But I feel like this is something that Fanatic,
they've got enough time.
They're not running it as low as maybe in the past.
There's a chance that the special delivery
could deliver a kill, but instead,
It's Alphea once again.
There's a reason we wanted him on the dual list, on the raise.
We know what he can do.
Hero's done well though.
In fact, Deven doubles up and so she was on a late flank.
Seems like he was maybe expecting someone
a little bit closer.
The Flash has given the game away.
I know exactly where he stands.
Holding the angle.
Bear in mind how low Alpharize he could be spammed out
of the box and the cross being held.
But it's Alphea all day long.
Four in this round.
One of the rifles they had that took over.
One kill to start, catch a shell, opens up this face for the rotate back to A.
Nice stuff. This one's cool.
He's 26-8 feet in every other fight.
Every other fight. He got caught walking back to the bathroom.
He swung back site and then survives the spams from a sociable,
swinging it together to close that out.
That's a ridiculous round from Alfa.
A 5-0 start from him as well.
5-4-3-2-1 when we get to see the scoreboard.
Nicely done for Fanatic. Perfectly balanced.
For Navi, no, zero on the board, losing round three, and again, if they end up losing this map,
sure, they've pushed Fnatic. They looked great on map two, and it's a great sign for their Vito's moving through this tournament.
The breeze is now something people have to be worried about.
Yeah, but yeah, that's all it's going to amount to.
Yeah, we need to see them warm up into this game.
I think that, again, for Navi, I think staying in the middle bracket is more important.
Like, Fnatic have been in those sort of like, the depths before they have had to fight back through poor starts and make it through lower bracket runs.
For Navi, we saw with their roster last year that they did attempt that to make it to Champions, and they had to go a long, long way, made it quite far.
The problem though, is they no longer have Angel on the server, and I feel like that's a massive difference.
Like, when you're a less experienced IGL, even though you get to check in with Angel every once in a while, he's still there, he's the voice whispering in your ear for a couple of minutes per game.
It's not the same and it's gonna make things more difficult if you have to go through some of the rosters that will inevitably drop down
Of course, even if fanatic win this one, they think as said they'll have to go up against a
GX of vitality one of those will have to have dropped down the other will have already dropped down
So there's gonna be a lot of high pressure games that you have to make the run through
Middle bracket gives you an extra chance and more importantly it gives you some time
And that's something that Navi will need, time over this year, I mean something Angel
said as well in the podcast about Xiao, right, that about this project in general, that it's
not something obviously they don't come in, hey, we can lose and it's fine guys, you
come in you aim to the top of course you do, but reality of the situation that they
understand is that this is something that will take time to build to its highest
level and especially for Xiao who again has been in that system for a long time with Angel
who's been led by him on the server now having that coach teaching you how to lead in the
same kind of system it's beneficial but it it will cut down the amount of time it won't
erase it no okay nice off from Xiao you've seen this a couple of times throughout the
series so far the slowest of the team and then the pistols the low buys bailing
them out. And again with how slow Fanatic likes to play. We're gonna try and sell this
Ruse once again. This time though the rotation hasn't been based in a crack. No it's the
orbital strike. Time being both further. A nice shot from Kayak though will clear out
one of the players here. Zhao already taking immense amounts of damage and he's not gonna
survive the danger. Slowly dissipating. Hero on site will lose his life to Vecash
as well and although the time started to get a little low things started to get a
little dangerous it's an attic of stabilized it was only it was an easy
kill in towards we're gonna start with but the fact is the headshot was landed
anyway so it didn't matter the lack of shields and play really nice stuff one
player falling in the form of alpheir showstopper on for the next the cash
one away from being the same he's the one to hunt this one down not being
the same, I suppose he won't have a hunter's spear, or a showstopper, but will have himself
a nice little pit to play inside of.
So 4-0 star for Fanatic economy at their backs, the fact that they lost an outlaw but can
still play with the four rifles that they carried through, they have a showstopper,
they have a Viper's pit, and they even have Kayak to go into another dimension and hunt
them down for Navi, no ultimates to bounce back for, and that's in a round where
they're investing all of their economy, I mean this is a big danger coming up
in round number five.
Yeah, I think like you understand why shall use the old there like it but now coming off the back of a defeat
It's an unfortunate circumstance because you look at that and go in that moment 30 seconds left. You've got an opening
You could delay the whole team. Maybe you can pull a full rotation of your squad
Not a bad place to put it. We're going into a round loss
Coming in with no alts up against three alts when you fall zero down
That's now a bit more of a problem with no credits as well like the fact that this is the investment
And this is the one that you put all your eggs into the basket for, and your opponents
have so many get out of jail free cards.
You don't.
And for Navi, this has to be clean clinical play from the get go.
A timeout called here understanding the value, the importance of this.
Like the fact of split where it was a dominant 11-3 showing from Fnatic, Navi gave them
too much leeway, too much rope to play with that by the time they started pulling
on the other side, it was too far gone.
They can't let that happen here.
But the way that this happens being set up so far,
it presents them a real, real challenge
in stopping Fnatic and running away with it.
It has to be here and now.
And I feel like it has to be aggressive.
But you can't allow them to execute.
Oh, yeah.
Dimensional grief gives you info,
showstopper gets the pick,
and then Fipers pick gets you post.
Like, will Fnatic want to use all of them?
Maybe not, but at the same time if they do,
it's one thing that's sort of round the knot.
Speaking of aggression, already Bilu taking that early fight towards the TP hasn't found anything, but has got a lot of space.
It has got space, but that player going through the TP for that sense of weakness, you know, it's unlikely it's a B-stack after that.
You're thinking about at least one or two areas. They've spotted them both out.
Both players seeing Kayak will take space on the site now on front. Shorty in half.
players covering the quarterback 50 HP left to play with that double connection! Huge trade for Alpha
Air and an aid sent through does damage onto Hero, a pit locked in and well it might be costly
they're putting a lot on the line but if Navi don't go for the save they will lose everything
in this round the economy will be in the bin and Fnatic will have a easy start to this map
Did they have no choice but to run for the hills and give this one up? I'll admit
I did get one thing wrong. I said he'd find the info and then I unfortunately said that alpha would get the pick
Yes, pick this
Apologize I was wrong. They then did use the Viper's pit for post but there was a mistake in they got he got two for one
So I'll try and do better next time. Don't apologize for that. Just be better. Okay. I'll try it. It's fine
It's fine. Well, we're gonna let it slip this one time, but
But you're running out of rope here, as are Navi, 5-0, and okay, they saved these weapons.
That's a great start.
No exits for Felu or Hiro means no ult online off, with the next round, but very, very high
chance they'll get at least one of those to bounce back on.
More importantly, we need to see those early fights.
Like, Felu there, it goes through the early aggression, I love the idea, but they're
waiting so far back.
And the fact is, only guy forward can TP, get all the energy out of there.
Seconds later, that's so unlucky, oh that isn't a cutback to the pause that one's just now. Yeah, so yeah, clearly
Scribble down don't group up against the show stopper now. Now you will know what you're not timing
Five and zero
Economy booming and more much faster looking take, Alpha over the top, Kayak's already made
it to the back of the side, here is Vindel, Rooksik trying to fight for it and he succeeds.
Can he get out of there? No, Tees has grabbed him but there's no one to capitalize. He will
live to tell the tale. This is where Fnatic can't build that post-bond though.
Snakebite, Molly available. It's about clearing those players out quick.
Yeah here it comes, so showstopping the big problem and it's called crashes right away.
Vakaj and Boster, two versus four, Boster swinging back side, water shot, great connection,
and Molly gonna be sent through with the wrap around, should prove to be too much an isolated
fight for Vakaj though, and the Molly, body, him time, orb, all of the orb hasn't landed,
but it might even give him a way out, but a snake bite in hand, he can make this very
dangerous indeed, he goes marching forward, snake bite landed, Rucksick forces the fight
by falters, and Fnatic keep pushing forward six to zero now. I can't believe that
that snake bite made him vulnerable.
Like, completely missed, bounced into a wall,
and then he clips it and he's vulnerable to the bullets.
Either that is the greatest lineup of all time,
or he missed it and got very lucky.
But it didn't matter anyway.
Won the fight, and from a 2v4 scenario,
it looked like Navi was finally gonna have
the round on the board.
Look at it go!
Look at it go!
Look at it go!
It went up top!
That's so much better than I thought it was!
Ah, that's insane.
He has a lineup for the top of the box.
That's crazy.
You don't? Come on!
I didn't know.
You can't play this game. This is why we don't have Alpha on the Viper on this map.
He doesn't have the lineups.
That all makes sense.
Jesus, you've got to be so mad if you lose a round like that.
For now, I mean, they probably don't even realize how ridiculous that is.
They saw it from his POV.
The 4 vs 3.
Why didn't Rixxig just block that one?
The pistol's in play, the rifle for Ruxik, he's on the right side at least but how much
are you getting done unless there's a big pick coming in and well actually the pick was
up to Ruxik's demand with the rifle so.
Next round they've got a lot to work with at least for now hey they've got ulti's
they're going to have credits back but a 7-0 star man this is getting to be too
steep a hill to climb.
Oh, Kaiak was asleep. Go back out. Go back out. Go back to sleep. You got this.
He's just hiding. Oh, don't knife him. All of the cash. Oh, you. Don't you dare. Don't
you. That cash! No! 7-0! A knife in the back for Navi to have her home mislead. Oh, no.
Oh
She has been having a rough day
Another pause. I think that that probably just made it worse. Do you reckon I?
Like the idea that for years he was on a team with Angel and got to
Sorry
Very
Oh well. Stylish indeed. 7-0 start and for Navi, hope is a waning. Oh my goodness. The
light is looking very dim indeed. What are we doing? What are we, the guys, this is to
keep you in the middle bracket, stop you guys to the low bracket. I'm watching a man,
Wiggily's Vandal on the corner, that guy might be on. We're two series away after
this one from one of these teams being in Santiago. We're wiggling rifles at them. Alright.
We'd love to see it. Oh, well, there is the wiggler. Alpha has already managed to find one.
Trade out. Ultimates, they were built up into this round. A chance now
to try and deny them at least the additional space, but they have avoided it. And,
well, unlike Fanatic, they've actually got plenty of time.
At the moment, the hero is watching for the flank. Watching for a player coming through
that pit. But he's about to be spotted. Now they know that he's up close. They'll
step back just a moment, but the C's goes in, 1 HP. A spam will be in our plan.
But Reveal doesn't catch him. No! Crash, he doesn't know that he had a player dead to
a right. Still, the oohs defenders need to push on forward. They have been to
hurt down to just the catch. My goodness! He's got a lot of utility
coming his way. There's no way Navier letting this one slip up. No
No room for air!
As a 7-1 score line, finally Navier on the board.
Yeah, it still took a lot.
We saw all those ultimates build up and they are now all gone once again.
Viper's pit put in early, Armageddon to clear them back off the site, allowed for the
time and just holding within the pit.
It's a round.
Oh, shite!
He's become a local.
That's what it is.
He's staying with me.
He actually only speaks German to me now, which is a bit unfortunate, because I don't speak German.
And you only speak Irish to him.
Absolutely.
Shout it out, was it?
Was it safe here?
7 to 1.
Fnatic, could this be the start of the downfall, the crumble?
Now have he bounced him back?
Well, not if that guy says anything to say about it.
This is nasty.
They just lost a round of their responses to fully freeze and wait.
That smoke's going to fade pretty soon.
Flash has caught.
Oh my god, he's got two!
Blinded up in that corner and okay, he might have overheated a bit.
But you know what, I'll take it. He should have been dead.
That's to be fair. I don't think he expected a third player to be there once they've pushed all the way far down.
He's in no man's land looking for a pick and that is to say, surely it's a save.
I had 2v4 when they had a post-bump brimble.
All right, that's not a free salvo, yeah you're gonna, that's what you, now he's running all seconds
There you go
He just wanted them to point us at E7, that's his favorite number, there we go, there's the maths
Tom you're really on a tear today, yeah, you know what we're gonna take Mini off the desk
We're just throwing you in, I haven't heard him give one of these pieces of it
No, you know, they're the whole day, these are all leaks, he's at weeks to prepare as well
Come on man, up your game.
You ain't gonna stare at me like that on the top of the stairs as well?
Come on.
7 to 1.
Turning into 8.
It's not 8 to 1 yet.
Hold on.
It could still be the boys.
Okay, let's hold on.
There you go, 8 to 1.
Okay, 8 to 1.
I mean look, anything could have happened to me.
Anything could have happened.
I was literally holding my breath.
As was I. I almost messed up.
Actually, can you take over? I'm feeling a bit like that.
That's nuts.
The flash just not catching.
It's a turn.
Just.
She just looks away.
And this is the thing, I like...
Every map, every map is now.
Not gonna happen.
Really?
Yeah.
Wait, no more Jett?
Wait, what?
That doesn't make any sense.
No one on our desks at night.
That's just exactly what everyone thought you were going to do.
Coming into today and every other day actually.
That's crazy because my one, he was nuts.
My three, he's nuts.
Yeah, about two.
I'm not seeing any correlation.
What happened?
But yeah, the thing is for Naby,
this time it makes perfect sense.
You're 7-0 down, you went around, and immediately,
not just lose, lose so quickly in those initial fights
that you were again left into the situation where
your best path forward is just a runaway.
The best part of it is to put in one salvo when they have 45 seconds left.
Probably it was not to put that salvo in, because you have to pay for it again.
If it was the last salvo, fair enough, you get it back.
But, yeah, he used one, but not the second one, which is quite perplexing.
Either way, this is the moment to take a pause, because, like,
the comeback that they had on map one, the dominance on map two,
coming into blind time, if it wasn't fanatic, only that we know this team,
I know their BS, I know how they play, I know from one map to another,
how things can change, but if it wasn't them, if this was team A and team B coming into map
three, I am going for Navi. They look like the better team. Breeze, they dominated, split,
they were awful in the first half and then they learned how to play. I think by and large,
I would have more faith in them performing rounds around and yet they have completely
fallen apart on Bayern. Yeah, it seems as well that like going back to like Alfa
on the duelists has just been disgusting, that kind of has just been playing incredibly
well and Kayak is also 10 and 4, it's not like there's been any slackers.
Cotch is 1.
Everything you'd expect to see from Fnatic.
And while Brooksy...
Okay, he's just gonna swing it.
He's feeling like it out.
Oh my goodness, there's no way he survives that.
That's how...
Oh, and also a TP from Shao.
Oh no.
to try and help and has ended up as part of the deficit now sociable this fight
versus Alphear ends up being everything he needs to try and hold some ground and
in fact heroes already running his way back most it gives him an angle but that
was a spike he needs to just get out of there yeah he's made it back around
through long but ready to burst down spawn until that Molly blooms was
sociable no flashes left to fight his way out the dog sent through instead
but it's already being caught the snake bite used to buy some time to
The flank up by Hero only spotted now.
He's found one.
And now, Fanatic know they're surrounded
on all sides, potentially.
But the group up, they're spawned, actually.
Gives the event.
There's two Navi for a moment.
Nate and Salvo sent through,
but Vakash easily repositioned.
Showstopper now sent his way.
They don't know where he is.
A single bullet will be enough to land.
Fielu fires the rocket just before
fading out of the round.
And by another narrow margin, Navi have a round.
And that's always been the scary thing in this game, is that when they are winning rounds, it's okay, they've had to expend a lot.
Showstopper right at the end, just to make sure that the round is converted, but yeah, surviving with one player alive after a save round,
it doesn't exactly leave you with loads of credits to spare, so this could almost be a 2 for 1, leaving a 10 for 2.
Of course, they get this back to 8 for, maybe there's a wild, but I do think that anything less is just going to be a bridge too far.
Well, 8-4 in a pistol, certainly the game becomes much more digestible at that point, but
even a recency. Two out of three of the last rounds now be starting to look a bit better.
It looked like Fnatic were right back to winning ways, but
It's a ruptured
professional drips in through Kaik. Nice spot above these players on the wall.
He told me he's going to be fired at and only the one sociable is able to get out of there as well.
Numbers staying in favor for the defense and oh hero!
That's a triple as he was the last defender on that B site but it did not fall.
That V3 to A3 of the last four rounds as well.
Is this split 2.0? Back in the saddle again?
Yeah, it feels like Fnaticar giving them a way back in here, taking so much ground at the end of this one to close it out.
It's just a fighting desperate.
It is good though.
Probably don't want the fighting to be bad, generally speaking.
It's a compliment sandwich. You get the criticism in the middle.
He actually gave them a compliment just before, and then that was the compliment in the end.
He knows how to give good feedback, although they can't hear him, so he's giving that just to Milan.
Personally, I blame Boaster for getting shot through the smoke.
Yeah.
The round of spams.
Be better.
Be better.
Well, one round left to play for the Viper's pit
and a showstopper available.
VeeLoo almost took the crashes out of the round right away.
The AWP doesn't get fired.
And I don't expect to see too many risks being
taken by Fnatic unless they involve Althea going in first
with a big ol' rocket on the shoulder.
No way, they've cleared back corner.
The back guys got a double kill pro.
That's crazy.
Good to see that they're learning from the mistakes, even though it wasn't a mistake last time.
They checked the first time as well. A stand-off. A Western. But with slightly more firepower weaponry.
Yeah, don't really have scopes like that.
Or they've disconnected, but I don't think so.
No, it's a game of pages. Maybe a game of chicken for Fielu.
He has to worry about his back when his execute comes through, but he's got two teammates close by to cover him.
He's on his much.
Well, the worldly on his shoulder showstopper said,
Dennis, outfielder takes down Rucksack with the rest of
caught back, the utility keeping them afa-
Hey, where was Hero going?
He's almost there.
He nearly was stuck in the corner.
Fielu pulls this back to three on two.
A set of shots.
That may just give a na-vee the chance that pit goes wide,
but it could fall any moment now.
He did just run in there with an AWP didn't he? Why?
Yep.
There's a risk.
There's a big risk. Maybe thought the Viper was planting, but
uh, risk hasn't paid off.
Sociable.
Round the edge.
Still has a flash to play with a pot flash in here and crashes going, it would leave a 1 HP pl-
you
you
you
you
you
They think that was a fake and they're dead right
Spike is already made it here, but they're ready to burst out. I think they're going fast. Yeah, you want to flash through backside already claimed back
The natives pushed them in towards last for now at least for that. I give you got a foothold the towns from
That's a muscle in pistol for Nabi and with that spike ticking in their favor
And even the HP advantages, you feel like this has to be one that goes their way, so
she will always surviving in the corner.
They won't know.
They should have seen that he was caught though, that the C's should have caught him, so they
should know that he's in this corner.
In fact, a couple of kills coming up.
Nice!
Make that a third out for you, it was well aware.
Leaving Hero and Meruksic, that time is ticking so desperately far, somebody needs
to get on it and they need to get on it now and there just isn't enough time.
The deadly duo strikes again in the post plumb and Navi have their much needed pistol round.
Yeah, I mean this was essential for their fight back.
We set in an 8-4 half.
The pistol could really get the back into the game but you go down 9-3, there's no
more conversation, no more questions.
They need to see that pistol under your belt and are we very much in the end?
Again, the fact that Alpha found that pick, I thought it was all over.
rucksack is so well on short and a spam from hero that that spike wasn't that far
away from being diffused and he was running low on ammo but just about found
his mark for the third or fourth time through that smoke in the end well that's
quite a response I didn't see what weapon did he have what what just got dropped
on the floor I'm sure if it's anything worth fighting for either way
fanatic won't go for it now I would assume based on them having three
rifles that it was a pistol you would think so that would be my gamble
I'm pretty sure it was and they have to go back in that direction anyway to pick up the spike so
Yeah, not not seen anything collected
That's a nice shot to start them on a couple more going back in the other direction of course expectations from fanatic in this round are almost zero
The finale it's all about keeping the three players and the three guns alive social is isolated
That's the only nervous thing. He was just waiting to catch anybody going for that orb, and he's even spotted the last player as well.
So they can now freely go in another direction. They might not want to now, though, because that is a gun on the floor.
Decoys.
Does he just chuck it? I like this.
Oh, he's gonna leave it.
Kaiak's gonna put that decoy through, make him think he's gone for the TP.
I mean, you know you're up against the Yoru, but it could work.
The angle opens the door as well, so they're worried, but yeah, the step pattern, it all seems a bit too obvious, and immediately they abandon that position, playing much more passive and waiting for the actual play to come through.
Even then, I think he could have went TP and walked around a short, but only a couple extra seconds, so it might be very well to avoid those dangers.
9-5 on the board and the slow resurgence
Certainly be on it right now, but this is the round where it really gets decided what for now to get rifles out because already you've seen
Was that the I think it was the only person they had everyone else was on classics if I'm not mistaken
Yeah, but the only investment they made
Got to the opening big we have got most dropped that battle from kayak drops a bulldog and that's gone
He just left it on the floor didn't even bother bringing it
Want to deliver
be picked up evidently. The thing is though, they still come in with four rifles for this
round. As bonuses go, this was always the navi way. It was always the angel way of trying
to make sure that those third round purchases are deadly. Okay, sociable is going to have
to take a hit for it, but a lot of the time you're going to see Fila or someone take
the fight and potentially drop a gun anyway.
Jaycrash sent towards the A site, he's going to be upped into heaven, really fast rotation,
while that's ticking away Kayak wants a bit of information to play with, halfway already
gone, I thought maybe he'd run down B long and see that it's clear, flash out of the
smoke, do the TP, stay, they're going to be a little bit later and I like this, he
goes into the TP, Kayak can just get crash into heaven now, but cause his problems
As they think about that bathroom control being taken over, Navi has more ground to worry about, but with Crash he's down, that's going to help him get the spike planted.
Aggressive in their post farm as well, trying to just feed anybody in front of them!
And that's the FeeLoo we knew from last map.
He's had his moments in this one, but that's definitely by far the best round we've seen from him individually.
The first buy that Fnatic has coming up on the board, and he just completely takes over.
Yeah, I got it very politely asked for a replay of every single one of those kills.
That was nuts.
And for Fielu, again, we talked about this coming into today.
And for good reason.
He had a very underwhelming week too.
He's a player that goes up and down.
I think about last year, I don't think he impressed me massively.
He's a duelist, a tough roster to impress on.
But now, certainly today, and up against Fanatic of all teams,
he is pulling out a lifetime performance.
And it is keeping Navi alive, keeping them in this at 9-6.
That was something that really interested me when talking to Angel is like,
he said about, like,
you might watch players who have decent stats in games, like in officials,
and when watching Veloody store him plays, like, very, very well in their practices,
and he went,
well, I know if I get the confidence out of him, that's what I'll see.
And I was like, that is not the way I feel like most people would look at it.
You will look at a guy who does decently all the time in officials and guys,
rather have that guy and try and make him better than see the potential and try and run with it.
But that's the thing with some of my Angel. If anybody was going to be able to get someone to
fulfill that potential, it's the guy who has more leadership experience, at least from the
IGL role, than anyone else in this game. That's a fact. I mean, honestly, considering he retired
from play this year, he has to be one of the most experienced FPS players. Yeah, yeah.
20 years. Yeah, 20 years. I mean, most people that have been in eSports that long are now
like Orgoners or something in the background, like, you know, people that were around in
those early days, they don't, they sticking around is one thing, but sticking around as
a player. Yeah, you know, coaches, managers, sure, yeah, whatever, but as a player is
ridiculous. Even doing it as a coach. Yeah, it's tough. It's tough. He's running on
Eventually and this guy stays relevant as well. He hasn't played he hasn't been paycheck stealing on a roster
He's been building. He's been fostering you
And making some decent runs we've seen him at internationals one of my favorite interviews
We ever got to do him an artist it was yeah, it was almost like a cage flight happening, but verbally I loved it
but
Yeah, and I know you have him as a coach sitting there. I mean it's you can only imagine
the potential that he can get out of these players and
how high that ceiling can be with Client. Client is the narrative for Navi that they need it,
that growing into this year, if they could sprout into something beautiful that the reality is,
hey, they're not that far away from taking this series and progressing on in this middle
bracket Rooksick. This is a game they've been waiting for that it should be ready for!
But, well, there's no one you can do to ready yourself for that.
Yeah, hey, there's a few bullets shot and you kill up Client and Alphia.
you take it you take it all day long good deal now they look to rotate back
towards the other side of the map crash he's there band in hand the rifle now
on boaster it's something that I'll be able to repurchase into the next round
anyway so at least looking to try and make this one a bit more costly not
allow the economy to go too crazy couldn't be looking now the authority
through the roof and they will manage to get a couple anything more
though unlikely and impossible. 9 to 7. Navi again start to streak these rounds back but
you have to bear in mind I think last time they lost the pistol right so Fnatic were even further
in the lead. Yep if they lost the pistol in embarrassing fashion as well it was the double
flank where they gave up both sides of mid they got pushed on both sides of mid and both players
that push both sides of mid, and they've been flanking and killing one to two people.
Okay, they have a strat called Giants, I assume, and they're we're potentially going to get to see it.
Is it a team or just big people? So right, start the round, so we're going to flash yourself.
So he doesn't rate GX's initiators, that's clear. Okay, yeah.
What's step 2? And then nobody moves.
Flash ourselves. Freeze. Okay.
I'm scribbling this down, hold on.
Mini won't want this later.
We'll all jump off the map, even though on this map it's not possible.
Toys is off. For self.
Okay. Lose the opening pick to Kayak on an operator.
Freeze. I'm not seeing the vision just yet.
Yep. Okay.
And you got the tiger going through.
I'm going to clear smoke to the back of site, show stopper, yes, you need to have the show stopper, it's popped towards a plant that's very far away, die, hero kill everyone but they don't have hero on giant, that can't be the play.
That's true, it could be the anti giant spot, heroes of kryptonite, okay here we go, kayaks on his way through, clearing out all the space, spotted sociable already, that's one.
One on his radar second player needs to find a need that information to spot. Okay
Hiding in the shadows are not me and they're striking from them to boaster gets under the site
I'm going with a problem with the salvos going through heroes bought them valuable time as it keeps on ticking
Then I need to get on that spike
They need to buy
Little bit more time for themselves forces fight
Boasters got the first he might just have this this shot stone land though
Hero's there to save the day and the clock was against them anyways
Now be with another and you know what I feel fools for down in the strap
I should have known from that flash. Yeah
When you go to players down when it's really far, maybe the strap is the launch round
Now think about it because he said during the law
No!
No, mine!
No mine!
No!
Come on, man!
Come on!
It's starting to slip away from Fnatic.
We saw the same thing versus BBL.
Hot start to a map.
We gave them some space, gave them a little way back in.
Now Narvi, back at the races, popping off individually, having no same clutch,
but...
Okay, goodbye Rooksic. Sleep well. At least until next round. Going back for a little bit more. Okay, FeeLoo.
Alright, to be honest, to go for the same flight, it's risky. It's bold. But it has worked out.
I managed to get rid of Alphia, who was the mountain with the Guardian. I'm sure that will be picked up.
There you go, into Kayak's hands. Still, they've got a wide net spread.
Three players
Looking like they're posturing towards B and in fact the fourth of hero is going that way as well
The walk-up on fanatic
Timing here, I think they'll be a little slow, but it depends on hero. He could get caught here
And in fact he sticks around he's catching them instead the trap sprung
And a man with old salvos to play with doesn't need any of that utility belt
cleaning up at least the first two. They rotated around to the A site so he'll be
on his way back. He'll have a third fight but I think oh thought it would be an
execution. He started back just in time. Well played by hero. He fought that round
fall four and essentially himself in the spawn and nine to nine. The comeback
is on six rounds in a row and it was the fifth that really changed this
for me because that's the buy round. Fanatic falling there. It was a guaranteed
equalization especially from a 3d5 like that that was the problem they got the
two opening picks and then the fight comes into the round I want to say as
well the hero I was worried that we saw all the stats the beginning of the day
about how well he was playing it's been a bit quieter this map he has been nuts
21 and 7 feels like 18 and 3 starting at one of the maps so it's hard to also
have insane stats when your entry just picks up everything
Pyro's pick going to be put in.
Oh!
Alpha year!
What a response that Pid gave away the position.
Alpha's kill now causes a big headache.
I think he even put through the towels on a Yoru UTP.
So there's nothing found for that.
A huge early advantage for Fnatic to play with.
Two big ults removed.
Yeah man, already.
They're ready on that side of the map.
there. Gate crash. If the pressure was then to come back through. Ultimate. Obviously dissipated.
Chow's one away. But it definitely looks like a much better opportunity for Fnatic. With Kayak
ready and waiting to catch him across. He hit the shot and that's enough to help
The second player is not so lucky.
Yeah, this should be wrapped up neatly and the question now for Fnatic is will they lose anybody?
The convincing performance kayak wants those orbs.
He's hungry running it down with the off and a third in this round for him.
That in zone flawless as well.
That's Fnatic's first round of the defensive side put on the board and convincingly so.
Consider as well that it was a 5v3 in the previous round.
I consider the ulti's put in by Navi here.
There was also a 3v5 that was created by Kayak getting two opening picks,
so if anything it should have been the second round Kayak almost individually won them.
Of course, the show stopped the health, but he kills three and hits the other one for what?
Like the hundred odd damage, so...
That operator for Kayak has already been decisive in the defense
and it's something we have to see if Navi can deal with.
Do they pick up the pace? Do they group up to try and put the pressure on?
Or is it this continuous, slower style of play?
We saw them with an impressive comeback on Split, and it wasn't enough.
Is it going to be the same again?
A minute fifteen on the clock as Navi spread the net, but now?
That's being pulled back.
Everyone abandoning the A site.
Making a move towards B and normally you see this gank crash for the rotation, right?
But here it's a passive fallback, so it means that rotate is going to be much much slower from kayak.
He can't get to the B site to help out and they don't have any real info on B either.
I imagine we might even see them attempt the retake.
Unless they're going to just hold the ground individually.
Bumble Strike already sent through. I'm quite surprised that it was deep to delay towards hookah.
Those rotates are going to take so long that Na'Vi just have to wait until and now they play
and they don't last the same exit. They've ordered a safe corner for Boster at least, and the catchers made it to the site.
He's now the cross out by Alpha. Early trade.
Back has desperately low, and they picked off a low Boster as well. It's all starting to fall into place for Na'Vi.
The remaining two have a decision to make, the credits there sort of, but that operator might not necessarily be an option.
With four players standing, you almost feel like there needs to be an immediate pick, an immediate mistake.
That was the opportunity, sociable to four health.
That's the second time Kayak's been a little bit unlucky not to get a kill, but I almost feel like it has to just be the operator safe
Take something back with you. It's just the timing for crashes. If he throws away his gun he might lose his life for it
That's time to go
He's looking for a little bit more damage
He wants those picks he finds them and now to flee for the hills
I think he's made it and nicely done
Great value coming out of crash. He's in the end double digits though for Navi neck and neck again
This was a 9 3 half and we commented throughout how Navi looked flat towards
It was only towards the end of the first half that they really woke up. They really found their mice
To see it again happen like this first of all you got a really credit Navi
This is a squad that has a
an IGL who's a rookie in that role
he's got 13 days of IGL under his belt
maybe a few more if you consider practice
but to deliver this level of performance
because it's not just a close game
it's a comeback against Fnatic
that's impressive
there's an opportunity there
I think Shao just dodged the prefire angle
he's been burned by that spot before
and now they stack up operator of course
saved from the previous round and
Metcash was now used his pit towards A, that's why you see this early stack of players.
The attackers though, so she was...
Game the Seekers, which as a counter is about as good as it gets.
I wonder if they'll go back and try and pressure that pit.
Oh, still a log.
The presence outside of B.
Doesn't look like that's the idea for now.
I think I was back to anything needed, but with that pit up I don't think there should be too much of a challenge there for a while.
50 seconds on the gov and Navi have shown the willingness to play this a little bit slower, but not quite to the degree that Fnatic have.
The push now coming in, but Kayak finds the opening. Hero stepping it through the smoke has already landed two.
That's the B site completely under their control thanks to Hero because we'll try to make this more costly for Navi.
for Navi, back a late play by Rooksik has shut him down. They knew he was there with the
TP giving away the Q and honestly I'm surprised they don't see a save already but they're
going to go for this. A 2v4, now a 2v3, Kayak's up could get them right back into
this but hero again! Lens a big round, that's his third of this and Navi's lead as a
result.
It's fun because we've got the talk about
This fanatic roster with that cash coming in his having a great game
You have to kind of look to the other side and go well
There is the one who got away the one who you let go the one who is standing in for your squad and has now headed
Over to Navi and might be the one to send you into that final life that lower bracket hero is cooking
25 and a that's the thing in that round. He's running through utility. He's running into players
He's run into a crossfire and he's taken two while doing it. That's the kind of sprint
I expect out of my way late when they have a refract on line like just oh you pop through the smoke up
There he is and get back. Maybe you're a you know, yeah
But hero just with a rifle in his hand and a level of gold we haven't seen
That's Navi's lead and a timeout for fanatic that pressure is mounting
This is the squad that is famous for comebacks and they almost lost split to a comeback
They got destroyed on Breeze and now another big lead albeit it wasn't 11-3 at least
But the 9-3 without that leg up without the pistol here in this half and we're seeing just how dangerous map one could have been
Yeah
this is
A different look
Now he's showing that mental resilience
We talked about the fact that this was a path that they were going to go down building up
their new IGL, bringing Felu from a squad of nothing like failures in the past and turning
him into a duelist that people would fear.
He's done that today.
They might be able to pull off a crazy comeback versus the comeback kings.
Of course, it's not done till it's done.
It's not over till it's over, but you have to fear for Fnatic at this point, the earlier
Greshams look like it could have given them something, but Navi were aware, Navi were
present.
Gonna fall them back, they're playing patient, especially after the pause.
And already, our decent info and pushing forward is not gonna give anything over.
once again toppling the Fanatic foe.
This time Fanatic with so many weaknesses already losing a player as well and the
showstopper to fall back on. Honestly they need to get rid of that in this
round otherwise Navi have two chances to close this out with a big old coming
in right off rip. This game gets slip away from Fanatic's grasp. This series
this head-to-head that Fanatic as a roster haven't lost since back when
Leo played back when artist was on this badby roster completely different time
angel the only time they could take down fanatic over 600 days ago and now he
steps into the coach slot and it seems to make all the difference they are just
one round away let's poster has the round of his life from walking in a
A 2-1 victory over Fnatic from changing the partnership record
From 5 to 1 5 to 2. Hey, it's not much. That's still quite a gap in favor of Fnatic
But it will start this year off
With flying colors
For the new and tested Navi, I'll tell you the free
The version of the match of the matters the most is always the most recent one
That's for sure. I don't think Angel or Navi are gonna care his record as a
A coach will go through the roof, but more importantly, it will put them one victory away from that middle bracket final.
A chance to make an international with a squad that he's already been building up as expectations were to trial things.
most of the early fight there's still fighting fanatic kayak on this defensive
side has been very good with this operator has made things much more
awkward have you done well to soak up the pressure this man especially I'd say
that maybe he's having a standout performance versus an ex team but he's
He's done this every week. He's done this every game. It hasn't mattered whether they
won, whether they lost. Hero has been on point. He's found that consistency. Now they need
just one of the next two. Fnatic were 3-3 in matchups last year. Up against Navi.
Now looking to let it slip as Kayak drops Hero. Two rounds to get to OT and Fnatic
already putting their best foot forward to start this one 30 seconds on the clock
and the wraparound from alpha should lock this round in for good it's a free
baby and even doubles up one more chance for Navi before overtime they've got
the credits for it that's for sure but that valuable show stopper 10 seconds
left I shot from chow but I think the next one's gonna be a bit tough
12 to 11. Another solid round from Kayak with that operator. That's the main thing for me,
is that they have that coming into this next round. A chance at OT. Of course they almost
lost her foot, but managed to see it out in overtime in two different maps. Of course for
foot they faced elimination. After that game for Navi, it could be the same story. They
can't afford to let this one slip the problem now though is that the Alts are
not in their favor and they'd have to go to either side of the map to collect an
orb for a player if they were to get them or find a kill here or there but I
keep him a little bit more sparingly they could spare look how far Rooks it
went that was it early bit of aggression
kayak is what with the same going back in but alpha always took to the
corner that's shown stopper it's gonna be popped out here and now and the
connection only gets one it looked like so much more was possible it can't even
fall down the pikes missed a shot they broke his gate crash at three versus two now just moments ago
this looked like fanatic it guaranteed themselves an OT were moments away from it but now the
cash and crashes they have to get in there and diffuse the spike and
FeeLoo on a tear of a game has slipped away from the site
An uphill battle in this retake, but the cash has had one hell of a game
They have no info.
Paralla finds nothing
Reveals still available, Vecash will be the first point of contact he spotted ahead for the same for his opponent. Here's the steps back
But that time has been ticking for quite a while
They need to get a move on crashes only just make it into the site
They were waiting for the Viper screen, hoping that that could give them a little bit of a break to span through.
Hasn't managed to deny it. In fact, they're just trying to stick it all the way, but it has been stopped.
They need to get back on it. They need to do it now, and they've done it in the last second!
Always leaving the half-fluttering, but Fnatic take us to overtime!
Over time.
They waited so long. We came into this game talking about how much Fnatic would like to run
the clock down. We meant about the attack side. No, not about the defense where he takes.
They came back in there though with full toxins. The wall goes up and it's a problem.
A blast pack stopped that defuse for a moment. Let's go to the second in it.
Navi, we're just about to set the history book straight and instead run to OT.
It gives me flashbacks.
The man let go.
A man without face, but Becash had full faith in Crashies
to hold the line.
And boy did he hold the line.
Navi, they had that victory in the palm of their hand,
0.9 of a second.
Now they have to fight back once again.
Rooksick, that fight starts with a Becash death.
I'm sure he'll be happy with that after the last round.
There will still be a plon and a very aggressive position for Alphia.
Yeah, he's up in heaven and they've pushed all the way into the spawn,
swapping positions completely with the defense.
And the thing is, for now, if you're about to burst out of bathrooms,
come in through short, you think that you'll have the element of surprise,
you think about those closed corners that you need to clear.
But often, will you focus your sight so far back alpha,
he's already got the opening, but that just brings them back to a floor on four.
So he wants more! Back out with another!
Alpha puts them into the lead in terms of numbers.
Molly down buys a bit of time to enade online with that second kill.
And that means even more delay, even more damage!
Shal's almost gone down to it, and then the salvos come in, and then the cavalry arrives!
Fanatic, 13 to 12!
They have battled back to the lead, and now they can take it home!
It's crazy, this is what we find ourselves in, the mid-round adaptation to switch up
to the back of the site.
As you said, I'm sure Navi came into that going without the element of surprise.
There's going to be somebody watching this spawn, we're all coming from behind the back.
They're never going to see this coming.
Ideally.
Well, there's a pretty wide dip on that bottle, so all I'm saying, we'll get you
sorted somehow.
13 to 12.
9-3 I thought Fnatic are gonna win this game for sure. 12-10 to Navi. I thought Navi's got this.
And now here we are fighting for survival on that attack.
And Sociable is already claiming the first life, a step in the right direction. Another routine needed for Navi.
Sociables.
Had to flash back the other direction. I don't know if people have expected this deep control.
to have been claimed. He's definitely been careful of it that second flash I said. He's
always been good to hold. He's holding the angle but lost the fight. Oaks that will take
him out, level things up once again. Let's take back up towards the other side. This
is where Vakash will be under some pressure. And actually I haven't seen anyone, the
prowler I think. Did it catch him? I don't think so. I'm fairly certain it ended
right at that corner. Hero has thrown into the radar and they have no idea that he's here.
They won't think about it for a few seconds. This is a free double for Hero. In the pulse of
Navi, it doesn't go quiet just yet. Boaster, I think this would be a play to remember.
A play that would haunt angels, nightmares as he watches from the coach booth, but even with
with the first, so much more needed.
Another will get orbital strike on line here.
And he has some molly, but it's in the wrong spot.
Indeed, no smokes is quite the issue.
And a shot to the head locks in another OT.
This game ain't done yet.
Other heart attacks continue.
No one able to take that finishing blow.
And the fact is that they won this round
off a millimeter of a problem.
That was it.
the tiniest once on margins and that's hero winning the round.
And it's also the worst player that you could have missed.
The guy who's 31 and 11 right now.
The guy who is, he's making his mark this year.
He made a dent, I would say, last year.
The other last year, he was playing incredibly well.
But we were mostly talking about Rooksic as the guy.
Now, the hero has taken that mantle.
A chance for the coaches to talk once again, a tactical break that could make all the difference.
As worth mentioning as well for Alpha, you're sat there looking across the stage.
I heard you ask him at Makeup, you're going to make it break some more records today?
Well, he sat watching Hero in much less OTs than he did it.
Approaching that 33 kill record, he's two away.
The way he's playing, he might just smash that record today.
Alpha's gonna watch his own record get broken against him. That's tough. Well, if he or keeps up to see if the master of the series
I thought I thought the alpha had the series record
Pretty sure was kill record at 33. It's a kill. It's the kickoff kill effort at least. He's kill max
Okay, that's the I was thinking I'm sure
I'm sure sociable has had more and not like yeah, not not like
Historically kickoff this year this year kill leader or a kill max K max as it's called
It's Alpha and Zeus from the same map, from the Corode 1816, if I'm not mistaken.
It was a hell of a long game, but here we are.
Heroes two away from...
Toxin screen down. Here.
Pushing that bar up, maybe more than a few notches, depending on how long this one goes.
Well, 13 to 13.
Fanatic have had their fair share of over times.
Not now, Pete.
This is their first.
The pressure, place of the hero being hit by everything but still standing
show on the serious pressure.
But he's gone down to the safe side instead.
Even still though hero may have been hit by every piece of utility under the sun,
but he will still take down Althea.
And the reposition is wonderful.
Nah, be rekind the lead.
The pause, maybe making a difference, but hero suddenly is.
Aw, that's gonna suck.
You know, hero just there, he got two assists off that drone.
basically gave those kills away. And if you got those two, that means, come on, you know,
I'm sure he's devastated. At 14 to 13, about to hand it over to Fanatic again. As you said,
a team with a bit of history, not just in the head to head of organizations, which stands for
most of the Fanatic players who lived through, not just for the IGL on NAVI, but also in
terms of some of the players on that other side who they gifted over NAVI, 14 to 13.
One needed. It's going to be brutal. One of these teams will hit that lower bracket after a close four match.
After opportunities taken, we'll have to march through the teams that come up to beat them.
It's not going to be an easy task to make it all the way to the end and only have one opportunity.
This is another attempt to close, they've struggled to do that thus far, moments away,
less than a second away in regulation.
While that time is ticking down, we're actually being put on to here a bit, I'll be honest,
I want to avoid that guy, but there's still another Turkish superstar who's caught them on the other side of the map.
There goes though, that's going to be the spike down.
Tisha will need to retrieve it and he's just about manages.
He'll get to that B site and here he's been left behind.
The snake in the grass.
He's hurt all three.
He's just hurt all three players, step towards the spawn.
They could call for the rotate back and it said the blind comes in hero.
So far away with no salvos to play with either and he's going to wrap all the way back
through the spawn. I mean, this gives a WITNESS to strike for Fanatic and although social
bull goes down, that pit still stands strong and look how deep it goes as well. To walk
through that choke point leaves you on a sliver of HP. The guys can barely cross the door
without going down to 1. They're going to have to challenge him and they have to
deal with Ruxik. Limited vision. Barely any health. They hurt the shot, though at
least an ideal. And that's Ruxik down. A chance for Fanatic to carry on as Crash
She's lions that shot the hero and got this another O.T.
Fnatic they're not gonna give up just yet. It's so close every time. It's that duo again
That's the same two players that retook the last time the same two players that walked in to an impossible scenario
Walking through a bypass pit with hero on the other side and still come out of our life
Maybe we're like, we always talk about crashes
but I'm looking at that cash in crashes
as potentially the duo you have to fear the most
and well, Nabi, another opportunity,
slipping through their fingers.
That's gonna eat away at you.
It's a phenomenal reveal by crashes as well.
If that doesn't land, this game
plays out completely different.
that one shot fired it gave the game away
allowed vikash to find him and the duo of
kekash again will find that victory
I think it's fine as is so what would you do if it was
kayak
fire honestly he's already managed to take down one of the danger man
Vekage is gone.
Now they look to quick swing back in the other direction. Bear in mind, there is only one man currently there.
But the full rotation, the full course of Navi is looking to try and run it down. The goal for Rooksik is by time.
Slow them as much as possible, even putting through Salvo's pop, Fila has then been caught.
They can look to try and get that spike in and they will succeed.
That plant for now, the TP hurt as well so they know that the path is going to be taken
over but Kayak is playing this one nice and slow, he's giving up the control but Alpha
here waiting to strike in just a moment, he's won a little early in sociable matches to
drop him, numbers thinned out somewhat, now Molly left to play with their remoster,
it's going to go half way up already there, Molly lands and it's already been fired
down. Thankfully that buys the precious time. It's already halfway defused, crashes. He's got his
work cut out for three bodyguards defending as the defuse goes through. Navi again! Another chance
to close out this series to beat their rivals from day one of Valorant. Let alone, they're
going back to party parrots when it comes to Angel, but in partnership a record that is stacked
Again, Snappy, maybe about to change.
Yeah, that's a lot of babies with how this game has gone.
Nice! Good shit.
Wonderful retake.
Even with all that post-plant utility being thrown in, they managed to still have so much time.
Till board, come on.
It's only kickoff record, okay.
There's not a way to go.
I think it needs to get like 40 if we're talking about...
EMEA in total.
15 to 14.
Panadic.
One retake with two seconds to spare through a Viper's pit.
The one before that with 0.9. They've been cutting it close but each time
managed to bring backgrounds and Kayak Watt, we didn't see him have the operator the last
time that he was caught by sociable. He's taking a risk, no shields. Might have to escape
this one. He's sticking around a little bit longer, but will eventually have to leave.
Almost caught. 100 HP, did four shots, no hits just yet, but Alfa's here. The
To change things up, Fanatic, they're holding on to life again.
A four versus two, heroes spam, not quite landing, but here comes the salvo, that's going to open the door.
Hero's going to challenge coming his way, but the cash wins it!
Hero's the one forcing the fight, but Fanatic forcing the fold of Matthew that advantage.
It's about to disobey.
Oh, that was back!
Well Baruch sick 12 seconds for to find 10 seconds. He spent about 30 seconds trying to just kill off beccage
And I don't even think he's gonna get that no effect that casual for him down
15 15
Fanatic may be going into a deficit each time, but nobody just can't close out this game another one
Yeah, give us some more OTS in this for now be this is gonna be so crushing man
and they've been so close, and after devastating starts,
this was really nice from back as there.
The fact that he takes that.
Yeah, it could be a bit unforgiving, but.
Yeah, bro, yeah, bro, I'm sorry, bro.
A number of rounds, they've been so close
to connecting that victory.
This is a game that feels like it could be theirs.
That slow start on Split,
how it could have been a 2-0,
but instead, back to square footing, yet again fanatic.
On the attack, AWP on Kayak, AWP on Filu, it's the same old story and a very, very slow approach for that exact reason both teams being very cautious about giving away that opening pick.
But the problem is when you do that, you've got to kind of telegraph where you're going or where you're looking for those picks with utility.
Like here, we see the prowler put through on bathroom and then an immediate focus on the B site, the idea being once they make noise over there, hopefully Filu pushes up, gets a bit curious in bathroom
It can be dropped by Kayak, but this slow play, it's not luring Navi into any fights.
I mean, they know who they're up against.
Dodging the drone.
Might call into a false sense of security.
Rook 6 now spotted them looking to cross.
Orb in place to make that plant a little bit more awkward and feel it.
The operator at a good position, he's missed.
And now he's under pressure from Clack from behind a step too far and he is dead to right.
That's another time they've been caught in the back line.
And in fact it's a spam shot that clears out another.
Leaving just sociable standing.
Fanatic might be about to have their first chance at victory.
Unless sociable can pull off a miracle.
The first comes easy but the next is tougher.
Okay.
That catch down as well.
the player above surely he doesn't expect that Alphia will make sure this Turkish
brother gets no further now for that it kind of chance to close will they
falter at this hurdle I mean it's been a back and forth affair attacking
rounds defensive rounds it's normally when we get to this point Tom it's
like well both teams are really good in the defense first you do an attack
that's the team that wins there's been back and forth and there has been no
predictability to this as we move into yet another round number 32 of bind Navi
now have to fight for survival after being knocking on victory store multiple
times throughout this map fanatic steal the lead at what could be the final
hurdle this is what we talk about and we talk of rivalries a cult classic the
Fnatic could look to end.
More there, B.
More bends, more twists and turns in the tailboats
with Molly's gonna start things off.
Burning at their feet, but the Openers have gone the way of Navi.
The advantage there is for now,
but the spike not planted, and the player's incredibly low.
That even took Rooksick down to five.
He got hit by the final shot, I think straight into his shoelace.
The rotate is gonna get this plant. I don't see a way that they can stop this now
There's no need left to work with for alpha, but crashy's get space
What a shot, but it's traded so important for hero to strike
But he's the only player with health rooks to come, 5 HP will quickly be dealt with
I mean no, hero's towards that back side, crashy's prowler doesn't make it around it
Doesn't find hero who's sneaking his way back behind that tall box
It's all gonna come down to the timing
What a shot!
I need that slow down and then slow down some more.
He is staring across the stage as he diffuses.
That is a red bull clutch and a half from Crashies.
And well, one chance was all Fnatic needed to close out this game.
What an insane way to keep themselves in the middle bracket,
to take themselves one away from being in the middle bracket.
themselves one away for being in the middle bracket final and to send Navi
down to just one life. It's got to be bittersweet for Navi. They come so close
to besting their rivals but close as they may have been that lower bracket
still welcomes them. This squad a new IGL with Shao Angel in the coaching
booth but the same old result. It's fanatic taking this series. I have to
say, oh, that final shot from Christy's that winded me time.
I actually genuinely jumped the wind out of my nose.
I have a question for the fanatic fans at home.
What are the BPM rapping right now?
What's your beats per minute?
How fast is the heart racing from 9-3 up
to multiple over times to many map points to 0.9 seconds
to winning the map in the end?
It is a series and a half to take them ever closer
two Santiago, but there are still many more steps to come.
It really wouldn't be a fanatic series without a comeback,
but for Navi to be the one stewing it was the real surprise.
They showed a great face down here today.
Good takeaways as well for their breeze,
which looked incredibly strong.
Fanatic didn't have answers for it.
So that's a lot of good signs for that lower bracket run,
but that is where their story goes,
is fanatic press on forward.
A wonderful start to the show.
Plenty more games coming your way,
but before we get into the next matchups,
let's keep talking about this one.
Ginny stand-up by with Vakash down on the stage.
Vakash, that was definitely a match to be watching today.
How are you feeling after that one?
How's your heart rate going?
I'm feeling good, a bit shaky with stress too,
but yeah, actually a good game.
Again, they come back, we come back
and it's a good match at the end.
It was a good match, very entertaining,
very much a tug of war but I want to go back to the fact that you guys do find
yourselves like in these positions where you're in the advantage and then you kind
of lose it and you bring it back what's the mental and the coms like for the
whole team when it's kind of like this yoyoing effect on the maps I mean there
is no yoyo I guess like we just like keep the head up we don't give up and
we just like give everything even if it's like the round is closed big
I don't know if it's stressful.
We're ending the round at 10 seconds maybe.
And no, we just don't give up.
So let's talk about you on Breeze, because...
I don't even know if to ask the question.
You on Breeze on the jet, you guys go for more of an aggressive composition.
How was it to have your jet here in tier 1?
Are we going to see it again?
I have no clue if we're going to see it again.
But this is my first Juaileist on VCT.
And I'm not fully happy about my Juaileist on the first game.
But, it's still good, we have some rep to the world review and we will see.
We're just going to see it.
I mean, then the next match that you have is either going to be Vitality or GX.
Do you have a preference in regards to who you want to go up against?
Normally I have no preference, but there is like two ex-fnatic in Vitality,
so I will say Vitality for the boys, and yeah, just Vitality.
That really is a chance for you to prove yourself there.
Yes, sir.
All right, well, thank you so much for your time.
Congratulations once again on your way.
Thank you so much.
We're going to be heading over to Rake and we'll be back to dissect this down and with
our second matchup of today Vitality against Jax.
So stay tuned.
you
you
you
you
you
You're a bit sweaty.
Yeah, I washed my face.
Your mic is fine.
I washed my face.
You're stressed?
I'm a bit stressed.
I felt like after champs parrys.
I felt stressed first time.
I don't know why though because I just don't like auto-games.
Just finished week.
That's fair.
I mean, you're not used to being ahead and then having a team come back to you.
Yeah, usually we come back and now we're getting comebacks.
And I also tell them the game as well, like, if you guys want to be champions,
you should close the maps, you can't get comeback because we are the team,
like, we want to get some trophies and stuff, especially world trophies.
And if we get keep come back like that, I think we are not going to be
able to win trophy, so we have a big world review there.
Is it mainly you that's been hyping the team up in those moments?
Or is there anyone else?
I think everyone is doing a good job, but I'm the main energy in the team because I think my energy is too big that I can spread everyone in the team.
So basically, when the team is low energy, I just usually hype them up.
You're talking about being able to close maps out without having your opponent make comebacks?
I mean, you haven't really had a chance to go back and watch the game, but from being in that position, what do you think the biggest issues are right now?
I think biggest issue when you get come back everyone is getting stressed and stress makes you more mistakes
Like normally we don't do these things on practice, but when it comes to the official and then we're getting stressed
We just do the peaks we don't do it or when we beef sometimes we shouldn't beef normally like we don't
We've in 10 of 10, but we just we've an option because yeah, we have stress. I mean mini had a very very big question about
Breeze specifically he was really sad when he didn't see you on a third agent there
Yeah, I thought you'd be on you were on stage before and then we all knew that you probably wouldn't be on stage today
And I was like I'll flash put on challenge chamber and then we're like wait. They're playing chat. They're paying your room
The alpha's not there. What are your thoughts? I think this is interview with Milan
It wasn't my decision to play why I'm joking. I'm not slaming him
But I think I wanted to play Viper because I think besides your cash
I think I got played too many times do it is in the past and he used to play do it is but the wiper is kind of like
Lurker agent I think when I'm alone when I'm not with the team I can do better place
And I think his op is better than mine. So you want your do it is to play like more op
So yeah, I think that's the main reason
I think there was an interesting start though was there not about the maps that you had won on raise versus the maps
So you're four, the maps you've won, I think you've won four and not zero when your time
raised and then you're like I think two to four when you're not playing raised.
But what you're saying is that this is more about Jep, so you can't play raise on breeze
obviously.
I think it's general, in the future I might just be the like central player and we might
put back aggrades as well in the future, like I'm talking about it.
But not for now because we don't have time right now, but if you have a...
If you have a big time, we might do that, but for now I'm just going to keep Raze because I think I might be the one of the best Raze, so I will just keep it like this.
Very self-aware and very humble as well. I like that. I also want to talk about the upcoming matches because of course this one was very much back and forth and it dragged about and we've seen it happen in the past as well.
You now have either Vitality or GX that you're going to be going up against. I mean both of these roster have also shown promise.
Thomas, are you worried? Do you have a favorite? Let's start there.
My favorite is Giants, because Vitality is playing with someone who is standing into
Sanna that comes. And Giants didn't change any roster from last year. I think they
are a better opponent, but I would like to play versus Fnatic Academy as well.
Wow.
So, let's see.
Let's see. I mean that's the next matchup that we have coming up. You're talking about GX and having time together
Do you think that's something that you guys would also have benefited from like more time on your end?
Yeah, I think we have more time now and especially we have off days which we didn't have a lot of like
We just work straight ten days. I think because we didn't have like any time to do off
So I'm really happy that we won and we have a big gap now
So we can have a bit off and chill out. Yeah, you can watch this game as well
And you know see how that's going well. I want to say thank you so much for
Sitting down with us and having a little bit of a chat because we also have to talk about the next game
And you said you think GX is gonna win so guys
I want to have your perspective on start with you Billy in regards to the vitality GX matchup
Well, who do I think is gonna win? Are we going straight? Yeah, absolutely
That's right. I think vitality have a lot to prove right?
I think that they need to bounce back from the loss that they had the other day
And I think giant X are starting to build up a bit of momentum now
So I think, yeah, in my opinion, it's gonna be a big test for vitality in that sense and by alpha
So yeah, I think as well when we think back to some of the members that are on each side here
Ginex kind of became that gatekeeper team last year
Especially when you think back to the champsron that VBL eSports almost went on when I'm thinking about pal
Yampian Profec that are on this team. There's a bit of a grudge match brewing here
I think potentially I think that's a perfect setup see I knew you would be able to handle that question
Thank you really but the graduate match is really what we're going to be talking about here as we've already touched up on both of these
Roster's over the last couple of weeks talking about their strengths their weaknesses
But I feel like this really at this point is the ultimate test for both of them
They have had easier opponents quote-unquote mini that are in that lower bracket that they were able to be but once they have kind of
Had a little bit of pushback. They now find themselves here
Yeah, I think that both teams like this day in general is the day of the teams that we expect to do very well and
Getting to that little bit of like rep situation like they have
They've now got footage to kind of come away and improve week on week
And I think we have seen that a little bit from fanatic and now it's time for these teams to basically do the same like vitality last week
Yeah, there are lots of water view
Let's talk about the ball to view them from vitality because going up against BBL, I think there were certain expectations of how vitality was going to perform in general, how this roster is going to be performing Billy.
So what do you think was their biggest downfall?
It was ugly to be completely blunt. It was pretty ugly. I think when we actually look at the map Tito in general as well going into that game last week from vitality, having to go up against BBL on Haven, it's been historically one of their strongest maps for the longest time.
I think by the time you go into Abyss, you're a bit mentally boomed and I think that some of the players, specifically Derricka,
it's really struggled individually when it got to Abyss as well.
Yeah, I think Derricka is definitely a talking point.
It feels like he's still trying a bit too hard to be super aggressive in moments where he doesn't need to be.
It's not like 2021 anymore where he literally needs to carry this team.
team as some of the tendencies where he's a little bit too aggressive works very
well against teams like off because they're just gonna let him shoot him
whereas against the better opponent I think at times you just need to be a
little bit careful about that approach. Yeah I think as well in general when
we're looking at Dirk specifically last week was not the strongest of
performances and we highlighted him as more of like the spearhead in terms
of success at Vitality pre-fighting and of course his roster has a lot of
craze and also in general all of the people on this roster are decorated veterans and they have
like so much to give and the question then for me is without like pinpointing on individuals what
really was the biggest struggle from them? I think honestly they a BBL last week came in with a
really good game plan and I think that BBL is aggression they couldn't handle that well
on Haven and then when it came to a BIS, honestly, they picked, like Vitality picked a BIS
but this setup side we're seeing looked a little bit peculiar to me. They looked very well intentioned
but to me it didn't seem to be the correct read on the map. Like they were playing
heavy middle setups against a team that you know are probably just going to rush into you on extremities
and so I'm very curious to see about that going forward. And the Vito didn't seem to get that
much value and then Wayley didn't seem to get much value in terms like Dirk's comfort so
A lot of questions on that at this point.
Okay, and we actually have an interview as well with Dirk Erredi in terms of like the performance last week against VBL.
So we'll catch up with him and see what he thought about that.
Dirk, welcome. A very important mashup today as you're finding yourself in this middle bracket.
I know we're like looking at the mashups re-entertaining, but we gotta do the interview, right?
So walk me through last week specifically with Vitality, like what happened?
I mean, nothing really special. I think BVL played it really well.
I think we had two good matches against Orphan Liquid.
I feel like we did a lot of mistakes still,
but we didn't pay as much attention to it because we won and we were feeling confident,
but I think BVL just exposed it a little bit and then it was just easy to see
what's actually going wrong and then fix it and shift focus on that.
And I think for this week's preparation, I got really excited because I feel like we actually fixed a lot of problems.
So now I'm really excited to get into this match.
That's really good to hear.
So it's kind of like that wake up call that you needed to make sure that you're looking at some of these smaller mistakes.
You're talking about preparation and it makes you very excited for this week.
Anything that you focused on individually that you think will make the biggest difference?
Just kind of like, I don't know how to say it, keeping distance a bit, like you know like,
I throw over the peak sometimes and so I just basically do this stuff, but I think just playing
more with teammates, giving that energy and just kind of like having fun but doing it all together
I think is like the most important, of course every team says it, but for me just like,
again getting excited because we work on so many things as like for playing together
and stuff all the players like get good feedback so we'll see how it works now and I'm just really
excited for that. Okay you're having it up pretty well good job on that when we're talking about
like fixing these smaller mistakes and like things that you can do individually and maybe you sometimes
get a little excited and you over peak how are you making sure that that translates from
scrims to the server because a lot of times teams will say like yeah we focus on this in
and scrims but then the issue sometimes is like the disconnect what are you guys
focusing on there I mean in scrims it goes to that you just it deliberately kind
of acting that okay now I don't need to do anything like I just like we got the
advantage now I don't need to do anything extra that's one but I think for me
it's also just again playing with teammates and knowing like I feel like when
you get like humbled by someone in an official kind of thing like maybe I
not do that more and then you just naturally chill more and you kind of
like know what mistakes not to make anymore. I think we just had a good
talk through the team and just like everyone kind of like locked in and is
ready to play and especially me I think I had a good week for myself so I'm
feeling confident. All right well I'm looking forward to seeing that on the
server thank you so much for your time good luck with your match today
we're gonna be hanging over to you guys. All right a lot of hype and a lot
expectations setting here coming out from the side of Durga saying that they focus on a lot of things
he's individually also aware from some of the mistakes that have been committed. Billy if anything
this is promising. Yeah I think so I think as well we need to like remember that this is a new
roster that's been put together for Vitality they are playing with a stand-in as well when it comes
to unfake so yeah I think give them a bit of time having that upset it's better now rather than
later. I like the way he reflected on all of that it seems that the kind of response you
you'll get from someone who has experienced this, Dirkah,
like not panicking about last week individually
and knowing what kind of things he needs to improve on.
Like I said before, I said some things
and it seems like he acknowledged all of that
in the interview, so I think that that just,
you know, just talks to Dirkah's professionalism.
Yeah, it also kind of speaks to the professional
in general from the side of Vitality
because coming through and saying like,
yeah, we won the first two maps
and we got overconfident
and didn't really look at the small little mistakes
that they're going to have
to be able to get to the
top of the list because we got
away with it and this was the
wake up call that they needed
so great for them that they are
in that middle bracket and not
in that lower bracket because
they still have a little bit
more of that comfortability.
But just to further highlight
a little bit of struggle that
we were seeing from their guy
when's the last time we've
ever seen these stats come
out Billy. It feels evil to
have this kind of graphic
shown for dark up. But it
also just shows like
someone that was the best
I think today will be a good test for him to be able to bounce back and show that he goes beyond just the statistics as a dualist.
Yeah, he's human and at the end of the day you can't be 100% every single day.
That applies for the pro players, not for people in ranked. I just want to put that out there.
But from the side of Vitality, a lot of promise coming into today.
I want to flip it and look at GX as well, because you know, GX, what's going on there?
I think they've been okay so far.
Is that what you expect from a team that went to international?
I think realistically, for me, I have this weird kind of narrative about a team that doesn't make changes.
I rarely see them continue to progress in a linear fashion.
And I think that GiantX's goal this year should be to maintain a certain level,
and I think that they are kind of showing that they can maintain that level in a sense.
I think that...
I feel like, if we're going to wait for individuals, I feel like Flictus individually seems to be starting up a lot.
And when it comes to Aura and Flictus as a duo, traditionally that was like the identity of the team,
was like Flictus setting up Aura.
But in this version of the team, well sorry, in 2026 GX,
There are instances now where Fliklas is playing a lot more like that and Aura doesn't have that support.
And yet last week we saw Aura playing very well without that support and Fliklas is playing very well again.
So that's like a positive I think.
Yeah I think so. I think coming into this year like we saw Giant X playing a lot of double in a
share that had kind of been their identity I had said coming into 2026 I want to see Fliklas play more of that by first.
So I think if Aura can continue to have a good performance without having that necessary
Pocket support I guess from flakless in a way to be able to set him up
There's a really good sign for this giant X roster and what's to come for them?
The only thing I would flag is that I feel like our last year particularly regionally
There's very like one week he'd be plus 20 or the next week he'd be minus. And so it was like to me
Is this just the same hour we're seeing where he's gonna go really positive one week in a negative connect?
So I think this week and once we progress through the better games quote unquote
I want to see if that remains true or if he's going to step up into that performance that we saw last week.
It feels like in that sense you're kind of disagreeing with what Alpha mentioned earlier where he said
because GX hasn't made any changes, they have more time together and therefore more favoritism.
I think their floor should be higher if that makes sense, but usually what ends up happening for teams
like we've seen it with Heretics in the past and it was Gnastic in the past
is it doesn't just go from we went to champs and we're at this level of going to champs
going into champs and we're going to go further up if that makes sense. I think that they made
changes mid-season, they got a little bit of a honeymoon I'd say, albeit they did play very well.
I think that coming into a new year, it's a question about motivation really for me.
Like are they still as hungry as they were when they made those changes and grinding for a champ's
slot? Yeah I think that's what I was going to pick up on there is something that we need
to highlight is they picked up Groovy, Aura and Flickless when they went into stage two.
they had that run going into champs so realistically they've not even had a year together yet fully as a roster so
yes they've been able to retain what they had from last year but when you actually look at it
realistically they've had like six months saved together so yeah I think this is a real test for
them to become that gatekeeper team of EMA I guess. And a bit of a sore spot that you highlighted as
well earlier before we even started detecting all of this was the fact that last time around GX
you know prevented BVL from going to that international on that BVL roster was yampy so
This really is his opportunity to show us what he's made of and maybe get a little bit of a revenge back.
Yeah, I think so and I think something that we wanted to highlight about these two IGLs is that kind of pipeline of coming into the league, being a tier one player, to then eventually moving towards that IGL role.
But then also the fact that both of these IGLs have been fragging IGLs in the sense that they can put up the numbers when the rest of their team aren't following through.
So yeah, it's a really nice head-to-head to see between these two.
Yeah, I think it's really nice to see Cloud back at that level.
Like Cloud with one of those players historically,
we're talking as one of the best initiators in the region.
And I feel like when you turn to IGL,
the numbers dipped a little bit,
and that's kind of expected.
So if you can continue this up,
then this is like prime Cloud,
whilst also IGL in, which is kind of cool.
Yeah, that's a crazy thing to see
that you can state your prime in IGL,
because we've seen a lot of times
our players step into the IGLing rule
and kind of fall off.
So for them to continue this hot streak,
that's really important.
But again, also, I want to kind of set upon expectations when it comes to what we can expect from Map Vito's
if we're expecting something new today.
Because we've seen some changes coming through, at least composition-wise.
From the side of Fnatic, we've seen a little bit of innovation and, as you know, Dirk had mentioned,
they worked on a lot of things.
So we think Map Pool falls into that category.
Yeah, I think so. I think like obviously, when you're prepping for each week,
you're thinking of your Map Pool.
In terms of composition changes, I don't see either of these teams really moving away
I think we're going to have to
play this game. Unless we think
about that abyss from, um,
Vitality, potentially some
changes there if they were
going to play that today.
Other than that, I have it in
my view so that I think it
trying next my ticket against
the fact that I guess we're
already to find out. But
first off, we need to get
the players on the stage.
So let's get ready for our
matchup of vitality against
The dark can't make me fall
The sisters and the girls were made
Please help me, I can't
We've got to keep on falling
Mm, but tell me
Keep falling
We're just here at the water
We're gonna keep on falling
Let's just keep on falling
Oh, please help me
Help me, help me, help me
Help me, help me, help me
Help me, help me, help me
And with that, we're ready to head into our second matchup after a vitality against GX.
This is our middle bracket here, BTT and me kickoff.
We already touched upon a little bit in regards to whether or not we are expecting some changes
in the map pool, but it is going to be a BIS, Breeze and Haven.
A BIS from GX?
Not surprising here, Billy.
They do have a pretty clean record on it.
Yeah, and I mean, Mini, you were the one that kind of suspected that Giant X
would pick that into vitality here as well.
I think when you think back to that game last week, where Vitality did end up losing to them,
it didn't look great for them despite picking into it.
So yeah, intriguing to see Giant X play that hand, and I think as well when we think about this,
is that kind of composition that Giant X was playing, that Preach Teho, I don't know how he felt about it.
Yeah, but it wasn't really ideal, but yeah.
I don't mind it. It's a fairly one-dimensional approach.
They're going to be hard hitting those slacks from the attack side,
so it's going to be down to Vitality to answer that on the defense.
Breeze, honestly, pretty good map for my Talon C in my opinion.
I really like the way they prey.
Breeze really suits them with the double Judas angle they've got going right now.
Yeah, not something we've seen from GX either, and that kind of leaves us with our final map,
and that is going to be Haven.
Haven, would like your thoughts on this one, Billy?
I mean, it's a pretty standard map.
It's been in a pool since literally day one,
so both of these rosters should feel very comfortable going there.
Yeah, I have to agree.
I think as well, though, like this is a little bit of a sore spot for Vitality considering that they lost it against BBL last week too.
Not to be a complete dumpster on Vitality, but the fact that they get two maps in here that they lost is not ideal.
So yeah, I want to see the lessons that they would have learned from that.
I think that's really important. It's just that like, BBL looks fantastic and it's a very good game to go away from and learn what kind of mistakes they're making.
And what did BBL really punish in terms of the mapster?
Yeah, and also in that regard, they have both this and Haven, so two maps that they could go back to drawing board to figure out their mistakes, work on it.
Azurka has already highlighted where it's for GX out of things, just another day in the office.
Yeah, and on Haven especially, GX played Vito last week, but we didn't even get to see it that much because heretics are basically not going to Vito at all.
So I'm hoping that we get a third here and we get to see what that Vito was about because they refuse to answer my questions as to what that Vito was.
Oh no, they didn't want to leak strats.
Why?
I kind of knew that.
I didn't also know that one coming.
But I want to bring it back now to our first map of course,
and that's the conversation we're going to have at this.
When we're looking at it from the GX perspective,
already touched upon how excellent it is for vitality,
not so much against VBL.
So do we think there are going to be any compositional changes
here to make up for the fact that the match against VBL was 13A?
The obvious change would be Dirk's way.
And so that's going to be the most interesting thing.
It's like, do they, has Dirkus said, look, I don't want to do this anymore, can we just
please put this on a comfortable?
The obvious answer here would be something like a jet.
Not you and your jet.
What?
You and your jet.
I mean, I don't like jet personally, but I think it's a Dirk.
And the answer is no.
They've said, nope, Dirkus, you are going to continue playing Wele.
And we're going to be keeping our eye on him, whether that was a just comfort
issue for him last week or a strategic issue.
So I think this map will answer a lot of some stuff.
Yeah, I think the way they head-to-head is really interesting for both teams here.
I think Ron on the beat-o as well kind of left a lot to be desired when we saw them play on a
this last week, so I'm intrigued to see how they play around that this time round. I think I'd
already kind of touched on the breach in Teho on the other side as well and how that's going to
play into this beat-o utility too. Yeah, the interesting thing for me, Giant X,
it feels more like an attack comp, but at the same time they don't have the soap.
So the operator, once Vitaly goes to that defense, I think it's going to be really important against Giant Axe.
Yeah, I'm also looking at the defense of Giant Axe thinking that Vitaly might just be able to run it down without using the panning on what West Side is able to do in that chamber.
So there's a lot of pressure, I feel, on West Side.
Yeah, you think it's just going to be the side simulator?
I think so, yeah.
Is there either one of these compositions that you think have a bit more of an edge over the other?
Not necessarily.
I like vitality more, but it's more difficult to add.
Okay, so higher ceiling.
Higher ceiling, lower floor.
Well, if we take Thurka's word as gospel, potentially we can see that ceiling come
into play.
But again, that is, if we take his word as gospel, do we want to do that?
Yeah, I don't think I know.
I don't think I know.
I think for me as well, I'd already highlighted the kind of way they had to have how much value
of both of these players going to get out of the operator as well.
I think Ara has been starting to put up better numbers on the operator more recently and
I think Jarko is one of the kind of higher performing players on the operator in kickoff
so far.
Yeah, we also can ask our casters what they think of these compositions, especially because
there's no KO and we all know how much Cairo loves his KO, so has that Cairo
Let us know what you think
Yeah, it's an absolute pleasure to be back some of us were a little more
Excited than others couldn't be patient and well, it's great. You've come from the desk. You're here now
You can tell us about
Keel, but there's no keel here to talk about so we'll talk about other stuff instead
We'll talk about how has a this is a very important matchup because you look at gx
You look at vitality and there's a lot of history here
There absolutely is. Both of these teams were dropped to the lower bracket by our two upper finalists,
albeit at different stages in the tournament. GX coming right off the back with big win against
the Heretics team that they failed to beat in the past, and Vitality suffering their first
setback on the VCT stage. How do they respond? Two of the maps which were in the same pool
as that game in front of them today, and the real pain point is Abyss. They will begin
on the attack side. Vitality need to prove that the BBL game was a one-off and off-date,
especially for that mean man at the front, Derka. He's already touched upon by the disc,
because it seems Vitality only touching upon Med and have already decided they want to group up
and start to put pressure on E. It's interesting already seeing GX have this
heavy focus towards that area of the map, other than the B site immediately under threat.
It is just a drone out on a
From unfaith probing towards this position where you can see what's like at the TP set up looking for an opening duel on derka
Deals damage but finds nothing. Yeah, they look vitality get the full state GX almost all here
You can see the other is making his weirdo meds and with the strength in composition playing for a retake is their wing condition
The chokehold does watch the back lines, but immediately
Yampi has problems on his plane, deals with them handily.
It's Cloud and Westside both removed at the cost of his own life, an advantage for vitality
and one which they wrong with.
Profek is the next to get on the kill list and Chronicle will put a bow on what was a
brilliant pistol from the beast.
Yeah, it was a fantastic way to get things kicked off, very clean vitality.
I got that safe there, I don't have no problems.
coming back in. GX just did not
anticipate the disrespect that
Vitality showed them. You've got
to consider that GX because this
is a team of some of the best
vettings we have in the region.
Speaking so much of those win
conditions that is exactly one
way to beat it. And as you're
saying, every player on
Vitality went winless against
GX. In the last stage of the
former PBL players within this side which were denied their first global event right at the gate in that lower final.
So there is history here in this matchup.
There's a conversation about last year but a conversation to be had about this year as well. Me and you
at Great Lenses, everyone else joined in the conversation about whether this GX team will be
the gatekeeper side and whether they're going to be the ones that really qualify vitality super
team as one that's going to go and go and take a Santiago spot, right? This game is a
great barometer of that, of course, with the discussions around kickoff being that the teams
that are succeeding are the ones which are sticking to what has worked for them for GX.
It's strong fundamentals and as you can see, there's a real group up of players making
their way towards this B site. West side gets half a chance to make it on good terms,
I mean, I mean, the engagement's not clear at all, but finally, they will be for vitality is the double up the round curve really strong start for vitality. And with four players left up standing as well, this bonus is going to be looking pretty strong.
for vitality is the double up, the Roan Cove. Really strong start for vitality and with four players
left up standing as well, this bonus is going to be looking pretty strong. Heading into the third round
and really giving them an opportunity to kick on. It's great to see Durka back in form. Yeah,
there are eco kills, but with the whaler you are sticking your neck out a lot of the time,
you're putting yourself in an area of exposure. Nice. Nice. Nice. I think at this point, right,
Like Vitality, having Dirkr, having such a bad game,
Equifrags getting that call for themselves,
getting him playing like we had seen him
in the past two series is going to be absolutely huge.
Onto the bonus now, and the buy for both teams is dangerous.
This position from Aura, the refract looks as if it is
just going to expire.
And the attack side spins its fungus towards mid
for the first time and makes Westside no on it.
I'm just going to go back to
the ground. I'm just going to
go back to the ground. Yeah,
having to respect the utility
put as well. Vitality
Vitality immediately fell this
space. So G X need to be
careful. Really strong insert
here from Yampi as well. It's
just a question of where
Vitati want to go later into
the round set on this be
execution or is it just a
fake through the drone?
It's looking like a B split. I
previous but that's where the spikers and the players start to make their way on
towards side but slow roll and yampy doesn't win out the duo.
Foss blood goes GX's way. Huge clear, black line got, black line gone but now it's
perfect trying to fight forwards and winning close joules. Fantastic Westside to come in
but it's perfect on top and Vitality on top. And perfect making sure GX know it.
So with that being said, Grubino will throw in the toe,
and that will be Vitality up to three.
Pal said in the pregame, for the BBL game, that it would be won by whoever was in the highest spirits,
and there is no doubting that Vitality have come into this one all guns blazing.
I think, as you said, very important for them to do so, and just looking at how the macro has been so far.
I think that's a good idea.
Really just a check in the box
as far as we're concerned. I
set up for yampi. Maybe not
fully developed, but. Once
encroached on the site. GX had
little to no response. I mean,
that seems to be the story
lane for the past three
rounds, and I don't want to
see like it is very early on
right? But there is some
How they wanted to set up. I mean, if you're vitality, right?
And you're Coach Powell who, like,
oh, you can see that's happy, right, with his game plan.
But the point I'm trying to see is,
he knows that GX want to play the full way, Anashita.
He knows that the strength's going to be on the re-take.
So he will be drilling his team all week.
Like, listen, guys, once you get C,
do not allow them back in.
What answers did GX have to try and marshal the situation?
Looks like a bit of aggression.
something straight out of the strat book. Set piece towards B early information but still
from this position if Vitality take A it may struggle to recollect that space although saying
that it's just the three bodies here for now. Well it seems that Vitality are all weird or
have potential flank like and I did last time down mid a few remember all the way into the
pistol round but so many rounds ago all five of GX grouped together to train come out of CT
because outlaw ready and waiting but does not hit the shots that's needed so GX
have a way back in through Ara's rifle and it still stays an advantage to watch
GX but not before Chronicle gets back in. So 3 vs 3 there's a rifle on
Westside as well so it's not completely out of the realms of possibility for the
defense especially when Ara is shooting like that. It's up to Armfake, Armprofec
Come on, let's breathe down from the substitution!
As well as Puffet coming in from the save, we'll get Vitality 4!
Such a well set up late round bear from Profec.
This late flank that comes all the way in from mid, knows that he can buy a little bit more time with the gravity well.
But GX get good value from the one rifle they were able to hold onto here, through Aura.
I'm thinking to myself, you
know what? This is the best
chance of hard, but still
vitality are coming out on top
just because of how well
drove the. Oh, uh, head to
head that we can take a look
at one which is pertinent with
the context of last year as
well is both yumpy and cloud.
The game is going to be a
The context of last year as well is both yumpy and cloud the games highlighted from the umpies time on bbl cloud
Of course kept with the rest of this gx roster as they were new for 2026
Both former star players still very much able to give you that x-factor at times
But turned in game leader in the last year and have made all the difference for their teams
Yeah, they really have and I think as well with uh
I think it's also a question of
solving the issue at the root
cause the change of system. The
players that fit that on the GX
side. Cloud individually the
highest angle of the game
is the one hit wonder split or
are we actually going to see
them now in 2026 kickoff and
actually start to be a top
contender for the region. I
think it's also a question of
solving the issue at the root
the highest ADR of any non-Turkish player.
That was a wild one.
We'll have to see how he factors into this round,
where Vitality are set up for a quick B-pop.
The operator of our other player who's always been good for it
won't be good this time, and they're really under pressure.
So the rest of Vitality looks to try and get rid of them,
and it has been identified through Gampi.
Oh! They caught a claw in nowhere!
Using the evolution, no utility hit them!
No! Utility dissuaded him!
And that's Vitality to get another C!
Absolutely huge death from Kron on the opener.
And now in this 5 vs 3, he still wants to play ahead of the line and just keep on disrespecting GX.
Why should he move away, especially when he's hitting shots like that?
GX so labelled in terms of trying to get back at him.
When they do, they just hit Chronicles cross here.
So, did the other two want to even try and attempt this? I don't want to.
absolutely not absolutely not and why should you you want to keep something for the next round and I'll be vitality up to five
I have to say from watching chronicles veto in the previous game against BBL
I felt like it was the difference between seeing
Cypher at such a high level with crevin and how he was playing his setup versus a veto that was sort of a
Passing grade I suppose but here on the attack side and with the use of the alt
it's played to perfection really liked how aggressive he wanted to get there and GX just with no answers
Coming off the back of their timeout. It's gonna be an awkward buy
For them to say the least to see if they can rebound early, but that vitality Street continues
It does and with that being straight after the giant X timeout is worrying for me
We've got to see, like, Pepson's ideas, hopefully, come end to the mix.
We've already seen a lot of thinking about the really ultimate and a main trap on the
angle early, but there's no one coming as we.
This is something that Vitality have to be receptive of.
We know in the BBL games at times it felt like they were getting run over by some
of that aggression.
here they are patient knowing that there are rifles to resist and
With three players looking towards middle yet again
Just wondering if maybe this is going to be another one of those be executions
Well, yampi's just grab the spake and heading towards be mean
So it looks to be a beast split and GX have an idea about this being all the way up through matters
You can see those players actually dedicated to watching up
But as they move away, that's where Vitality began to take their timing.
Yeah, it's Arizona earlier positioning, which has afforded them this stack towards B.
And should they choose to fight towards one of these lanes, it could be favorable for them,
but for now, still just on the backseat.
Yampi already been forced to E as the players now start to make the move.
And behind enemy lanes and Giant X have more clue.
No idea, and Dirk has straight away decapitates the boss player on his cross here.
His profit looks to get in and a long step, and looks as if Vitality can do no wrong!
Is there all the way up to 6?
Running rings around GX, and that is such a well set up round as well.
Again, they sort of make it look like it's kind of a beef ache through main,
All the while, Durka and Profec just creeping up through Link and GX of course sleeping at the wheel
probably even there to pick up the pieces on the back lines.
What a comprehensive start.
Yeah, I'm not gonna lie. This is looking like vitality. Super's team at its best, at its strengths.
Really nice calling from Yampi.
I'm looking over to the GX side. What do they do? How do they respond? It's another round
where they're pitted with just sheriffs against rifles and Yampi has bought an outlaw here
for punishment. But like, we really seem GX going disrupt what vitality want to do because
for the most part GX have been really passive and allowed vitality to default and take
the space that they want to. I've not really seen the fight that I'm used to expect
from a team that's fundamentally
sown as GX.
The preparation, definitely a factor.
I mentioned at the start how we are getting repeat maps here
and that's just going to favor the vitality review process.
The same to be said for GX and their game against Heritage,
both the Vist and Haven, the Chone Mare as well, Bost.
The Amp does find Grubby early, the insert in A,
and this is even called the attention of Bliklas,
setting in the wrong direction, leaving only our on-beat to live a little longer.
Yeah, just a bow, but tons into shooting gallery.
And the rate, no!
It's a weird arrow that's setting the shots for GX.
No rifle recovered, that is the one asterisk on the play,
and when he looks for more, he will not be rewarded for his efforts.
Four versus two for Vitality, going through the motions here.
I tried to make something happen, but wish GX player hasn't thrown their hat into the ring.
All of them have ended up with bullet holes put through.
Vitality make it 7 from 7.
Yeah, and they at least guarantee themselves an advantage into the second half.
And at this point, when does that advantage end up being that we actually see Giant X
trying to...
Oh my god, we're actually going to see Giant X go for a second time out because we're
to see them change up the
place. They'll change
something because it's just
not working. Yeah, I mean,
giant X on this map boasting a
tour record at this point in
time. And when you think of
what their strengths are,
honestly, the defense has
looked good. Gibson. Clearly
fuming with what he's seen
so far, but take sense.
Sometimes you do have to
invest both timeouts into
the half to recover all you
can give yourself a platform
on the second half Vitality. I'm going to start to lose some rounds, invest their own time out,
allow Pipson back in. Because right now it just feels like if your opponent is making the mistake,
why interrupt them? Vitality is very happy to lose key things going as they are.
Profit yet to register a death at this moment in time. Six kills away from 1000 as well
I mean, having what, one year and a kickoff under your belt, how impactful he is as a controller.
A controller has a.
Yeah, look, there's a lot of players, I think, in the league that have only joined in just the last year or so as rookies that have already surpassed that.
Sociable, Kayak, of course, a couple that spring to mind immediately.
Yeah, but they're on the front lanes. This guy's meant to be playing on the back lanes.
and I have to say the improvements to his Astra as well of course have only helped support that but
Here's the big all important round for Giant X
the changing setup
Features Arras operator as a focal point up to the bookcases through middle already
Trying to throw everything they can at vitality
Now, shown presence outside of A main. Cloud knows about the TP though, so it doesn't seem
to be, because he's committed towards the back seat of A, rather than Steven Heaven,
thinking that a HIT could possibly come through. We're four bodies, so I thought four.
It's going to be the spake to head there, so we have three bodies outside of A. I'm
not even going to cut off count numbers, mate, because I'm just leaving.
This guy's education system in full full six beat. Thanks.
There.
Look at that.
It's certainly served the Vitality world so far as Aaron does find the opening pick,
and he's a very quick response with his own ult to try and re-clear a V-Site,
which has been fully vacated by Vitality.
Grubby just doesn't know where to look.
Yeah, it seems that Vitality are completely pulling the strings right now
I should allow a free plant for vitality and an easy post plant.
Wow, those steps can't be heard though, so maybe there is a nifty reposition to be made here.
Nothing going in the end. Vitality moving to a full main post plant.
Yeah, and you've also got Dirkus ultimate as well.
Look to try and interrupt this as much as possible.
Provek as well, of course, with the well as always.
First line of defence hit, but quickly tripped, followed up by Dirkus.
First tap does invite the pull and Profec obliges, as he should, after hunting inside the smoke for the ops no good.
Invalid currency in these parts. Vitality, handing a hefty bill to GX, both timeouts spent and still not around.
Yeah, yeah, yeah, the game plan is just flawless.
If you want to talk about the vitality, it shows the improvements, right?
What a way to do it, come out, eight rounds flawless, it's absolutely sensational stuff right now, it's not only just the game plan as well, nice!
Come on!
I think I knew the operator was in the middle, like why the heck were you jiggling like that?
the
The point is gonna see you as the end if I just leveling up his will
It absolutely is
What side could do with one hell of an upswing here?
Tour de force active
The one big talking point of the round from the GX perspective
Because at what point do things start to get better for them the spike founded in his B direction on
It's just a drone for now and as soon as it spots him out you're expecting a move to be made in fact
It goes under the radar for now. I like the hours starting to push down Meda's wheel starting to envied vitality space
But just a quick recall of the smoke has flick less on a string
And the passes the passivity is which course costing them
I can't say the same on my side to Balcony, he doesn't have to hit the shot, it's our
in fact that draws first blood and he can reposition or miss backline with a rifle
in hand.
Problems now for Vitality?
Is it really problems or is it just a consolation?
Out of those back lanes is Vitality going to take space away from the defense, Spakestone
is a comfortable course of play but with Vitality taking that extra space it has no beautiful
kind of good parts at least there is something to look at because for the most
part I'm really struggling to see the differences that they're making right
what's the changes that they're doing here I mean again I'm asking I need to
see a little bit of aggression a little bit of something absolutely like
Hality just steamrolling right now yeah I mean we've seen Hality main space as
well right supported by some utility but for the most part like
I've not seen like a full booster like a full force heading somewhere that vitality have constantly been taking like get out of sit up deep somewhere
This may just be the opportunity to do it seems to be the case
But there is ten rounds late or not
If it can really back them just one round it might be something our gets a chance to fire off a shot
But it's just a warning posted in vitality's direction for now
out. It's taking us always going to be used out of. Stoke cannot make that operator walk
unless you're so uncharacteristic over. I'm partnership with Dirk and Yumpy as well, just
using the movement to get out of dodge there. Now we're going back in again for another
swing at it. The vitality look like they're happy to give him one. I mean, it's good that
Ara is continuously taking this chance, continuously going for it, but it's what the vitality
have to clear and the drone, nice, simple, should be able to deal with it. As Ara
tries to get out, successfully so, I mean, you look at Yampi, straight on the line,
straight ready to fight, and it's Chronicle instead who actually gets the kill.
All in as well, I mean, a GX playing to flood, there's no numbers on the site.
Yeah, and there's nobody to back it up, but Vitality once again, get a free site with no contest.
GX still have the alt-active as well though, so he wants to be the protagonist here.
Yeah, trying to play with what we say Yampy, but that's not what's gonna work out.
Crawling from the corner!
Unfuckin' case!
Only one player left, unfortunately treated.
And Deco will get the last, but it is double digits for Vitality in the first half.
And against the team which we said were so clean at setting their priorities whether they
were playing for a retake, whether they wanted to hold the site, it's just so few and far between
not up to standard from GX so far. Another ult, gone with no return and minimal rounds
left to make an impact on this defensive half.
So ultimates to boot as well. I mean that Hunter's Fury can be used in any which we
and Dirk close to his own. It does not look any sweeter for the defence and that's the big thing,
vitality it seems so far, playing a perfect game, space in the ultimates, playing alongside each other,
the trade game, the map control. And that's another thing to talk about that this wayle pick,
Kayak was mentioning it on the desk as well, another fanatic player or Dirk or a former one.
just talking about how you know you've got to dive in sometimes you are going to get exposed to so many different angles and the fact that
Dirk is backing him up so much now
Just exactly what's required. I mean Ara does land the transfer very quickly resetting his aim
And this is an advantage which GX will look to take towards the B site
Yeah, it's towards the B site it looks at the moment, but vitality now looking to
to explore their options, not
one to commit to the initial
plan here, especially with that
med being so open. I wonder how
much runway Profit wants to take
and this is some of the pro
activity we wanted to see from
GX as well. The mid rounding
getting Westside in behind ready
to find profit. 30 seconds
allowing flick list to support
our on a where all eyes are
on the dual list. Yeah,
this map starting to get a
on 7 points of health. Vandalin high and bullets already being shot but there is a little bit of lead through the stunt
and that spike does need to go down and go down fast. I'm faking the shots and so is Yampy!
Now what can you do? I think there's time. Just a bow. Close. Big Grubinio now to clutch a 1 vs 3
the opposite. The opposite
number, the opposite pool again
has a GX fourth versus three,
and yet they cannot convert. The
difference is this time it does
like they start to do some of the
right things. It's a positive
start from our and as the
round is allowed to breathe,
they set up with two players
towards site West side, just a
fraction of a pixel away from
away from ending it there. Point zero five seconds.
Boys! Boys! Unbelievable dogs like that.
It's like big fish and a big fish.
The skin of their teeth separating vitality from an initial loss,
but I don't think any mark on their record is going to stop them now.
GX control of E-Mean once again, but still they don't move any further.
Vitality looking to really send away through meds.
And they've shown the strength and how what dangers they can pose
the GX defends, feels like that's the thing, Jnx they just cannot get settled whatsoever
in the positions. Three guardians and a judge. Somehow I feel like this is the best opportunity.
The GX might get shot here and there that lands, corner not cleared, that could be the
difference and they need all the luck they can get. Vitality are swiftly marching
towards this peace site.
West side, and Globby looking to hold it down.
Successful, so fast.
Unfake comes through, and he's the one to try and really clear me.
Needs to be careful about this judge coming up from behind.
But the spake has made its way on towards the safe.
As Yampe denies, anybody trying to come from med, vitality.
Looking for a flawless first half here.
30 seconds left.
There's the three remaining of Giant X to have to try and deny.
3 on 3 and a double up from the flank. How much time can Cloud buy for the rest of his team?
You can see Vitality tapping the space, hoping something comes their way, and then that something is gonna be Arab.
No Gropidol, at least gets to Tredo, keeping the numbers somewhat close, but the health pills are not,
and it's gonna be one body shot to get a round of Cloud, and Vitality, with a quick snap of the fingers, will make it 12th.
will a perfect half from vitality.
Nearly perfect from Profec even,
just one death on the kill sheet,
but it's gonna take a mountain now for GX
to turn things around.
We'll see how much they can do after this.
Your body knows a sense of victory.
Seize win mind, movement, and gear ignite as one.
Now, step into your zone.
Designed to win.
in the room. There comes a
point where the elephant in the
room must be addressed and with
only one round to play for here
as far as vitality are concerned.
We are staring at the very real
the last three years. I
think we're going to be
going to be a little bit
different. We have three of
those last year. Cairo. You
and me commentate all of it.
Yeah, I think there's a
perhaps a cost to be spoken
about there. And I tell you
what, you know who it was in
that VCT 13. Oh, who was on
the receiving end? Who was
contender? It was G X again.
So they're going to be
hoping that he doesn't repeat
the best start to the series. Yeah, it was a different GX to what the one that we've seen out.
And they are on the attack, so the emphasis is on the...
Hello? Where is he going? It's like the train.
Seem as if he was, I guess, baking. There's some aggression. I don't know.
What's happened? There's vitality on the other side.
Went and taken main for themselves and got a double kill.
Yeah, Ara has no safety to go back to with the refract as well,
so it's looking like this is a very real possibility now.
Now, GX wanting to fight fire with fire but they might just be consumed by the flames which
kill them.
Well, uh, no, looking to try and fight forward with support, but Vitality looking to brawl with them!
They're ready!
It's happening!
They've taken off the gloves, and it's all up to Fletless to deny a 13-0 here.
As you hear, these curls away from the bodies that are set hence where Vitality will have the first 13-0 of 2026.
The Giants are crushed under the thumb of Vitality in the opening map.
I mean, it's a really good
team. It's a really good team.
Uniliating way to go on their
own pick. No less, but we will
have to see if things could
possibly get any better, and
they can reset heading into
the rest of the series. Sky
right? Yeah, definitely. I
believe you have Jenny on the
side lanes with an interview.
I'm taking you away from your
team right now, but that was
performance from a business app on the best after we seen against BBL next map
coming up. What are you doing to make sure you get the exact same performance?
Right?
All right. Well, thank you so much. I'm going to let you go. That's it from us
over here. We're going to go to break and we'll be back with the second map of the series.
Your body knows a sense of victory.
you
you
you
you
you
Just working on the basics and actually fun enough when you let these guys do their thing
with a little bit more attention on just making sure we're not overdoing stuff, making mistakes.
Yeah, they look pretty good. So yeah, credit to the guys I'm lucky to work with. And as
you know, someone like Chronicle is pretty good at playing the game.
A lot to digest there from Pal, but a great insight in regards to what they did focus on
to get this 13-0, the first woman kickoff.
A lot to digest.
That coach confession was bleeding longer than the mob.
Oh, he was yapping on and on and on!
And he was complaining though, he didn't let him celebrate a 13-0.
But from a coach's perspective, in terms of like the fact that they went back
to the fundamentals, developing their map pool, just letting the players do what
they want to do.
like these are the three perfect
well I think honestly the thing that I caught on was him talking about Scott and SOK
and to me those are the people who were probably coming in with the preparation
and I was extremely impressed by the preparation side of things
not only the fundamentals, it felt like they knew exactly
the saps, Janix trying to run and hide the counter
like there was a round where they just like faked B and then went through a B split
and like nobody was watching the flank from Janix at all
it just felt very well game planned
That's the thing, when we were watching it, we were trying to figure out like, is Yampy just calling like a masterclass?
Or is it preparation? I think from looking at the rounds in more detail, like we could kind of see that they just know exactly where Giant X are playing.
They know exactly what they're doing and they know how to manipulate the map.
I think it was a combination of both.
Yeah, I definitely think it was a combination of both, but you could tell that Vitality went super hard on the prep here.
Yeah, and that's also what we want to see, but they're also kind of what we're expecting to see from Vitality.
really great for them from Jeff's side of things. Unfortunately, this is another 13-0 to their name, which
not the greatest position to be in, but let's say in the positives because we were trying to be
very falsely today. Looking at Profec specifically because he was 18-1. His first death was on like
round 12. I was watching in anticipation thinking, oh my god, he's going to go the whole map and
just not have a death. Imagine. The way he was playing was just so, so well and I think
I think that Profek is someone that doesn't always get the flowers that he deserves.
You can see here, he set that BCC AMA KDA record with 18.
So yeah, props to him for being able to set a record in his second year of BCC.
Yeah, I mean, Amiya now has a new record to break.
Good luck to everybody out there because this was an absolute master cloth and phenomenal to see.
But even Grader was a sideline interviewer.
He said, I'm just better.
Like, okay, you go, King.
Oh, wow.
That's exactly what he did.
make me laugh when you were like, how are you gonna do this in the next map? And he was just bait.
Like, I'll just bait my team. But concise to the point, sticking to fundamentals. Exactly what we
wanted to see from them. But another player that was really doing great was Chronicle, I think.
I mean, we can't go without actually praising this player as well. Yeah, I feel like Chron last
week had a decent performance and we didn't even speak about him this week because it's just
like, we just expect that from Chron. Like this week in, week out, he's gonna be this kind
kind of player for them. But
yeah, when he gets 360 ACS, I
feel like we do have to kind of
remind ourselves that he still
is probably the goat. Probably
definitely kind of to go. And I
think as well, like the fact
that he can put up those kind
of numbers on an agent this
relatively new to him, new to
his agent pool is super
impressive. So yeah, very good
on all impressive bounce back
from Vitality after what we've
seen last week against VBL,
where it felt like a completely
but it seems like they found their footing.
GX however, on the other hand,
this is a team that has had a better record, so to say,
didn't feel like they had very one-sided games so far in kickoff.
Obviously until this point, because the 13-0 is a big question mark.
So we also have a coach, Confession, ready from Pipson
to see what he had to say about this one and the upcoming match.
We haven't seen you play Breeze yet this kickoff.
What can we expect from you guys on it?
I think you can wait five minutes and you will see.
That's it.
I mean, five minutes is how long that first map was, you know?
You just saying that about Vult's coach confessions.
You know what?
I feel like they're obliged.
If I'm a coach, I feel like I'm obligated to give.
You know?
A little bit of insider information.
They gave us something to attack on too.
I mean, he gave us a great joke.
That's true.
To be fair, Kepton last week, when he didn't get 13 there,
did give a very good answer about Sentinel Roll.
But the Sentinel Roll today, not looking great for them.
I agree.
However, coming up next, and when we're looking at GX specifically,
this is not something we've seen from them just yet,
in kickoff at least.
So maybe compositions that we've seen last year
can be resurfacing here or do we think that the meta shift is too dire for them to replicate that?
I can't even remember Breeze last year, it's so early in the year, I can't-
We didn't have Breeze in the map though last year.
No, it's all?
No, not at all.
I haven't been gone for that long.
No, wow.
Yeah, we literally never mind that Breeze last year.
So, I wonder if they do link back into that kind of double
initiator identity that we've seen from Giant X.
I think that that could potentially work out from them here.
West side, I would like to see Omni Viper rather than the Chamber, I think.
Okay, well, that's exactly what you're getting Billy. Yeah, I'm getting lucky.
I think to see Griby on the Omen as well is interesting. I know that Vinny and I have kind of been discussing the Viper Omen, the Viper Astro type situation.
I think for this kind of composition it works well. They'll be able to fight for that main space very heavily with this Omen and Jet and hopefully be able to set our up on the operator again.
I think both comps are looking very comfortable and I don't see a breach this time, so I'm not happy here.
I'll be honest, I don't like Jett that much, but I think on Breeze as a second Jett is absolutely fine
and for someone like Dirk who's just very comfortable on it, I think it makes a lot of sense.
Giant X, they're going back to that hour flick, this, you know, KO plus entry Jett approach
and I think that sets them up pretty nicely.
But I do think Vitaliy have looked pretty decent on those maps when we've seen them
and I think there might have been a reason why Giant X haven't played these maps.
Yeah.
But because we haven't seen it at all, it means that they have been able to study Vitaliy.
Yeah, I think at this point as well, the highlight here, the fact that there is no taste from GS kind of is going to really push Yampi and his IGL into the forefront in terms of whether or not he'll be able to call in these rounds when the prep isn't already there.
Definitely.
Cosby praised so heavily. Team Vital is preparation on that first map. It really is up to Yampi to step up his IGL to be able to get their reads against Giant X.
I think when you're going up against two initiators though, it is easier to kind of get that information pretty quickly.
So yeah, I think for Vitaly as much as they have two wins on this map so far
It was against off and it was against team Liquid
It's so I don't want to like read too much into the wins
I still think that Giant X have the opportunity to be able to bounce back into this map and potentially
You know have put a Jon Vitaly
Yeah, and I think there's gonna be a lot about our at this map
I think just the jet on this map is gonna be by himself on that coolest getting the operator out
Hopefully which we know he's very good at on defense sides
Yeah, well, we don't have to
ponder any longer because once
again, we are ready to head into
our second map of today. Breeze
with house and Cairo who seem to
be giving us the quickest games
and kickoff. I would certainly
seem that way. You could throw
all you knew about this GX team
in the previous map out of the
window heading into breeze. There
is nothing on record for the
time being so I think that's
what it's all about this
One step at a time is to hobble out of that first one onto what they're hoping will be
a change for past years of new.
Yeah, I mean, Ginex have got the easiest reset, pleasant guys, we will just warren up for
that first map because there's no other way to look at it if you deep it then you're
going to put yourself in troubled walls and well it could be troubled considering that
GX have never played this map and kick off yet.
Lower bracket looming above their heads.
to the left. This is the
smallest of changing direction
in kickoff can cause a big
change in destination. With a
stacked field this game
against Vitality. It's not
suited the best so far. The
pistol round is a great way to
start. Simple group up from
the attack side on a just
the last map on the attack. Can we start less one once again?
Do you look to try and brute force the wreath through the Sait, but you are taking the team.
Let themselves think about the approaching.
Oh, the end of the Sait is right to go back out and meet.
Eh? Just going to wrap it my way back through, I suppose.
Yampi able to get the better of that gun duel in the end.
Bring it back to even footing four on four, and GX want to fight this.
Yeah
Where they're just walking towards vitality and towards the death I still worried about me and wondering what is going on by
Vitality calling this I don't know if it was even planned as they start to walk through on towards the site
Isn't the one to come out for us. It's gonna be like let's take at least getting that trade and
Under fire the vibe of coming through mid
and Arra needs to hold things down by himself and just can't quite get it done so Dehaka gets the spake down
Which say now to take up the clutch he's seen the jet Dehaka doesn't take his opportunity
But one versus one and it could be very monumental considering what time does it have a hot bullets left?
But yes the one who comes out on top
Giant X will get the first round of the series
Yeah, that's one way to put it
Steely nerves from west side
Holds the line and breaks the ice for GX huge confidence boost
To just get them on the board more than anything else
I mean even in this round you can see some of the issues in trying to play together this double-door peak not working out
I'm getting the better of the individuals in the end and sometimes that's all you need
Bullets by the way is all that was left
Absolutely ridiculous. Highest headshot percentage in the league for the third time in a row as it stands.
Yeah, not anymore. Jampi did come out with the highest headshot percentage after the last map.
Yeah, well, I think a lot changed after the last map, so...
Spade, a spade, and, uh, yeah.
The statistics should hopefully rewrite themselves, but we'll see.
I don't think it's crossed, GX trying to deny Pogs, but the spam not quite working out and that's moment in time GX do have control of the other one
His vitality looked ahead in that direction
Fliclas here is the furthest foot forwards that GX currently have
Very passive perimeter currently being held but Clouds drone gives Aaron opportunity for a look in
Still diligent with this outlaw
Suspect up. Damn worried about. Flickless ready to spray down and the spam this time will
be much better than that of the sheriff. Most of the way in respecting what vitality
can do. So with three bodies here, you'd expect in Ginex she'd have everything that
they should need to hold this one down. Yeah, GX don't know how many numbers are
here though that yet to call any big rotation. Two half bodies in place to deal with
This though, when Cloud has already found the opener,
Yampi goes down as the tip of his spear is blunted.
The rest try and follow through, but like cattle to the slaughter,
there is little to be said of this one.
And GX will end it with an in-zone flawless.
Yeah, fantastic work.
The fact that they can get everything through to the next round,
and I mean, Vitality will be happy with the fact
that they were able to get full thoughts and, I mean,
players can get filled.
So Yampy, that closer to his dimensional drifters will just two away.
Woo! It's all back! It's all back! It's all back, please!
That's exactly what you're gonna do though. Keep the vibes up as much as possible.
This is how Vitality built their own Empire on the previous map.
If GX can snowball this with a bonus round win,
it could be huge. You're looking at Ara's Outlaw potentially causing a problem here.
It's only Yampi on light shields, but he's just one off that out now
For vitality coming into play Decker's Vandal not quite connecting although very very close
And the ampe does he escape here? No he doesn't. Escapes in the forever box
It's gonna double down
brilliant from our
Landing that second kill after finding yampi is the only target in striking distance for the outlaw
Still three members left on the vitality side, but just a minute left to play with
If cron can find flick less here on the hard clear then maybe it would be a way back in
It's a brilliant adjustment from cron in the end. Yeah, and we end towards a satyr
His cron needs to clear grubby on pie
But can't quite went out the jewel to the just in tape so no vitality
I bet homeless in terms of really get this fake to go because I mean gx are well stocked either seat of the map
really running dry on
info as to
Say where they can lay their hat what they can do
Profec walking into trouble and west side getting himself an upgrade as well
There comes a point where you cut your losses. It looks like unfake is still all in on this idea
At least for the time being
back into mid he goes, crowd is waiting but on fake does get the better off it.
It's just him versus the clock right now as Vitality will look to reset in the next but a huge
win for GX to keep the ball rolling. Yeah I'm wondering to myself is Vitality maybe came in
a little bit too complacent over confident because you're seeing some of the mistakes being made
here and terms of like yamping maybe not having a TP set up feeling confident to
take these jewels. Vitality maybe underestimating the opponent a little bit
which yeah perhaps right I mean it's so easy to do. I have no idea cloud you
would be both but it is one of those ones like you said sometimes you get
overconfident maybe you peek an angle where you know when everything you
you're feeling like Midas on map one, you just need that mental reset and that's the
bigger picture with Vitality's kickoff campaign so far as well, having won those first couple
matches and now coming into this off the back of a defeat, like it gets things started though,
exactly as you'd hope as the one rifle bearer.
Well, just have Chrome was looking for that as well, but it does make its way to clone
on the X, on fakes like, you know what, that's fine man.
Yeah, yeah, I'll bow down.
And at this moment in time, OGX bow considering there is a lot of bodies identified through that knife
The question is the vitality maybe want to invest this glory while all do they have bigger plans for it at this point in time
I mean
Yeah, still a pack of four pistols
I thought for a moment the deck would be the one to get the bleach storm online, you know give something else a little bit more
Yeah, I mean like that's the question right like oh, this is a great pickup for him though. Yeah
Yeah.
Well, James Law and all that.
Outlaw at hand.
That's an old one.
Let's see it.
Left side.
A little hot under the collar now as Vitality have made the most of the mid-control, but
Fliklis stamping that where it stands, the orb doing the heavy lifting.
On the main side of the push, and Grubby has already wrapped back around this.
We're going from on fake.
Catches our interest for just a moment, but still all eyes on Grubby as the closer
here.
Vitality don't have time.
They don't have space.
one enemy remaining. And if Flickless doesn't finish it off first, then Cloud will instead.
Groobie's just been flanking for the last 30 seconds. He has nothing.
Yeah, and GX get everything 4 in a row and the next biggest task will come up and that's
going to be a rifle round to try and contest with. They beat them for vitalities if they
do lose that, as we spoke about that Bladestorm that has come online. I think the big
component for this one would be Yampy's dimensional drift.
And from the other side of the server, Fliklus has a null command to respond.
Now, with Breeze being such a big map, to see what impact he can find on that here and
what the timing looks like, it's a nice to set up Aura for this early peek, like the
operator Fosstain bought and Vitality will wear of what GX would be wanting to do without
a halving up money.
making that first incision. Yampi wasting no time to use this Yorua. He's not in quite
trapped Cloud's position perhaps, but that's one good. Finds Groobie caught out of position.
Five versus three situation with Vitality, still scaling into the crosshair of Cloud,
but he can't cut them off. So the supply line goes dry. GX, best to take what they have to the
reserves. Yeah, as Vitality look like they will be getting on the board here.
I think Cron's just got an AFK as he looks to play Joker and potentially cutting off any rotates.
And with that being undiscovered for GX, Vitality can use that again in further rounds if they wanted.
But overall, Operator saved.
Vitality happy to be back to winning ways, but can't deny Westside that save.
And he's actually come away with two, and as you just heard, a Viper's pick for the next one,
which is more concerned now vitality don't want to hunt three can buy for two but not the other way round and when you look at the
credits on those bottom three players on the right hand side of the HUD and the money isn't great so
just taking things one step at a time same as should be on the minds of the GX players as
they have given themselves a foothold to really dig into now in this game
history. Yeah, Ara has been
slightly more informed, I guess,
just for the last game's sake.
But unperturbed by the situation
here, blades are out.
So is the type of spec.
Vitality searching towards B,
but judgment clouded
by those views.
It seems as if the mate be forced
to try and head towards the E-Side,
where the spake was already pleased.
This is exactly what GX would be
hoping for, at least from the broader
You're not available to be used to clear it out.
You can see it's been the same default from Vitality.
GX been pretty happy to give them orb control.
Albeit concessions in terms of a fight back thereafter.
Problem being, how does...
...Opera is so high up, how do you consider this?
I feel the attack.
Very strong off angle.
Same one Grubby was playing the previous round, so...
Yeah, but Yampy got that from coming through the new steels and well nobody even looks to check
That's the second time that we've seen a player from a high position get to kill the entry
And it seems as if the operator wants to get denied
But Cron's entries look pretty good and he's got his own 5 plus pet now with a spike and savor
Crono has the gold standard and now they're beating Hartney of this vitality post plan
Jack's looking to give it a go but they need to kill quickly. Yeah, it's Dirk on main that'll look to try and identify
He protects the pit from the outside
But it's not clear you want to try and challenge and certainly not now
As the planes come out, and it's primed Dirk, he wants to hunt down the last remaining
It's where Sey looks to escape. He's been successful so far
The west side is off in exactly that direction.
Durka already circling in, blood in the water.
Vitality have their second round now secured
with a spike detonation in a moment's time.
GX have to try and find a way to bring things back together.
It was a very slow mid-round, albeit a non-existent one from there.
It was simply set up a bit on one side of the map, off on the other.
And Vitality should, in fear, he'd be walking into trouble wherever they go, but yeah, Kron
is the troublemaker.
I feel as if there needs to be an awareness, because it's both sides of the map that every
time they try and execute into it, Vitality, they're getting caught and undone by someone
in a vertical position, which realistically, like, when you get to the second round,
you should start to consider it, maybe.
Or maybe, who knows?
I just have to see
Pop is still online for GX though. Yeah, but you look at the money and it's really starting to cost them as well
it is
round
Not quite a swing yet in terms of the finance
The vitality of keeping them honest here
And I'm fakes still holding on to the hunter's fury could just be looking
core in their execution here, probably dropping back to a deeper land of cover, but Durka happy
to play chase. All coming in, trying to set up this play, and Yumpy is the one rewarded
instead. Fake out turned by Cloud, still bunkered up and Durka just overlooks it. The captain
committed to this position, and the only stalwart on the side as it stands. Yeah, but this
bait goes down and looking flickless, he has the key or ultimate. Okay, still playing
from this one way there, which continues to persist beyond that KOL as it pops in.
Northamon thrown to the fire, but it's Yampy who just scorches them alive, sends them packing.
And with that, Vitality drives that third round home.
Yeah, well then, one note is Shane X, Greek start, looks to be faltering.
And they had ultimates that they commited.
past two rounds, Viper's pit, the round previous to the last one,
and Flicklitz there with an all command, so Giant X not getting the value that they're looking for
and that's really worrying because Vitality and their own right are starting to go through their own
ultimate cycle and coming out on top of momentum from late at their backs.
in this context. It's an
again trying to rally the
troops. His calls unfortunately
fell on deaf ears in that
first map, but this is already
a better showing. Vitality on
the other hand, just trying to
keep that steady curve of
improvement when you look at
their placements since
partnerships began in this
context. Last year wasn't
the roster, the coaching staff, what's been brought in from BBL. And it matches like these
where if you can show a little bit of tenacity then absolutely you're on the right track.
Yeah, it feels like that last year's Vitality was like the Galacticos. You could see the
potential of the roster, but it wasn't built in the best way. And now when we look at
this, what is a completely different beast? Same sort of renowned to it, but like,
Completely different system and I guess it really comes from all the way up the top to the last player in the pack
exactly the alchemy
Well more balanced and with some spice in there for sure
Only so many
trophy winning players you can sign to a roster before you know one comes your way
The man city of valor
Come on. In this round, GX would be wishing they had that kind of cash.
So Ara has moved onto a Bladestorm, yeah, but it's flickless that falls fast.
Here. A couple of pings going to buy Dirk, a little
bit worried it seems. We've had potentially players walking out from double doors, but
GX now a little unsettled themselves starting to head players towards the
Middle portion or at least the escape from the middle portion into the spawn
Trying to cover all angles and now you're looking at the defense being so thinly spread
I mean there's holes there's gaps that Vitality can now start to really try and punch through
So they group up and they go to a main
Just with the changes to breeze and so much more accessible midfields to the attackers
It's Vitality here for setting this up quite nicely.
Captain Veldr is coming into the execute.
So many players lit up by that blind there from Gravino.
But no reward, Vitality in through the front door again.
And Kron still creeping on this back line, but GX, no answer.
Oh, the clue.
Those two go all the damage, but at least gets one back in his fever.
So the numbers get reduced by one.
Now, but Aaron's lost the blades and lost his life as well.
It all comes crumbling down this house of cards which built for the first four rounds are retaliated to with four of vitality's own.
And even score now between the teams as we head into the latter stages of this first half.
Yeah, I mean, that's no every single team that JNX obtained a vitality of one of the preceding rounds.
I mean, I know that there's a little asterisk to that.
She's the one built in all in the last one, but right now we are not seeing the the value being brought from the Teimos.
Vitality a little quicker in the approach here towards O. Yet to really let it rip with breakneck speed.
The foreplay is early in A main. Tecron is wandering elsewhere on the map but why just be going around the world as it's dark and diving in.
They'll be trying to use the paranoia. This time it's not going to hit, but he does still find a kill off the back of it.
Clipless as well.
Yeah, there's a low hesitation from Vitality.
He's looked to reset, and that's because of Chronicle finding so much space towards B.
He's been making moves from early hit.
Chronicle in on the ground floor looking to see if he can build up the rest of Vitality on his back.
Depends on a skill he's on the line, but Chron wins the duel, and the floodgates open up.
open up vitality looking to get street and support them and look at gx they've
got so long to try and get towards that side of the map and even unfaith
finding another onto I don't know the numbers and favorite vitality and so is
the time so vitality set up a steeple chase towards B there is a wild card in
the mix unfaiths op lending them the numbers now so propenio and flick less
have to find a way to regroup either end of the map and Grigli taking his time on this flank again.
Yeah and Flickless no actually on the side so this is a completely isolated duel.
Trying to buy as much attention as possible but when does the coin drop? Is there even
enough time for this? GX taking so long to go through the motions Grigli just has to cancel
that's it the round is done. Flickless walk away with as many frags as you like it won't
change the outcome Vitality in the lead. Yeah not only that you're completely right it doesn't matter
how many players go down for Vitality they're basically max creds as well so it doesn't really
harm the economy that much either and Vitality now five in a row. Even when we got to the post plan
if you go back and I don't know if we'll be able to see in the replay but look at the utility
still up right? Cron still had snake bait. There was an info dot coming up for Unfake and actually
on top of that when you look at Profick he still had paranoia and smokes. It was so unwinnable for
Giant X even after how well they defended the A site. There is still money beneath this GX team.
the team. The round is fiscally
possible. Physically still
waiting for that result. The
momentum has shifted as it was
all one way at the start of
this series. You're not rub
your eyes. The top left is not
deceiving you right now if
you just joined. Maybe
vitality. That's time to say
the team in terms of what they
want.
I think when you even just look
at the philosophy of pals, teams
in the past, focus, BPL, breeze,
haven always been maps that they've
liked to try and work with, really
making the most of that macro
game, stretching you.
I mean, expansive maps has been
one of his best criteria in terms
criteria in terms of a coach being able to coach that micro and right now a fake
towards any side is kept players stuck there and the entry to B is perfect.
Fight players can't quite ramble the ball in time but pops up to hit the ball's eye
perfect right between them and so a three on three set up but still Cron lurking
yeah they still got that snake bait as well. Unfake with two shots with the
C play from looks to be on site all alone but does have the protection of
That's what it's been named as.
And he's a massive part of that, because people really,
I think, underestimated his value and what he brought to BBL.
And right now for Vitality, the lowest boss
deaths of the league.
And just so consistent.
They're like a team reborn after that blitzing against BBL.
Different standard here, perhaps.
but a 2025 champions grade team as far as GX are concerned.
Their first final in EMEA in stage two.
And here, it's bits and pieces, a couple of sheriffs,
Marshall, and he all still feels quite static in terms
of their positioning.
The threat and the vitality can bring any moment in time.
The fact that there's only two here and four for vitality makes things so much easier.
Dekker so quick on the mark and I don't look into trying to skew, but he's not even going to get the chance.
Spike will go down with ease and try and exit the gambling.
They're trying to shoot close, nice in the dark.
I mean, Dekker so aware of the common angle held there by Westside, incredibly sharp.
It's the exact kind of response you want to see after a performance like last week.
This couple of GX players trying to make their way through, it is still a three on three here, Kyro.
Time is ticking away though, and the guns not really in favour of Giant X, but somehow they make it work.
So we're looking at Cron, Cron to try and clutch up here as the last two players have rescued rifles,
and there's plenty of time here to get this diffused.
Yeah, it almost comes down to the wire, but actually GX make light work of it a frifty round
allows them to get on the board for the first time at the last six so
Just a lot untreatable possessions here for a fight talented
Yes, shot something that is someone walking out in the fever of giant X
It's a weird one right catches you by surprise didn't feel like the tempo of the rounds that we'd seen
I mean, it looked like that was gonna happen, but it's given GX a massive opportunity. Let's not undercut that fact. The op is back out for Ara.
It's gonna be towards A. Almost solo here, as west side is the only one looking at middle.
More numbers for GX on the B site, where the spike is sat closest to in this default.
Vitality, I just saw quite to just stop a split.
Fletcher has already moved away, so yeah, he's very quickly going to be called back into action in the area.
He's coming straight back, but as the timing going to walk out, as the Hunters fury actually looks decent.
Doesn't quite connect the second ball, but Crony running out of the smoke.
It's an easy pick up. They just connect there from the players coming out of the lane position
as they go from back site and win the Jules, but still Grabigno from the corner.
He tries to hold on, but doesn't anticipate on fake.
So Spike recollected, and essentially a 2v2.
Arra off the line, man, he couldn't land the flake.
Westside still flanking yet.
Yeah, and he's going to do nothing.
I thought it was to Spike, not the case.
So who else is one for Unfake and Yampy?
And it's Arra to try and come back with an operator.
It's the worst position he needs to attempt this,
with this being the last round.
There is a rifle in front of him,
but almost deceiving an opportunity to pick up.
So instead, goes with the operator, doesn't want a chance at, doesn't want to give away any sound cues to someone to peek them.
The time is ticking away, you need to get a move on me because you won't have chance to even try and diffuse this already down to 16 health.
Vitality will finally get there, an advantage to the next half.
An unreal round from Unfake as well.
Outside the range of the KO counter off, setting up the execution, and then finishing it off cleanly.
Vitality, keep an advantage on the half. Is it enough to bring it home?
Wingman World, well...
Wingman World, well wha...
Have a break. Have a KitKat.
Wingman world while wanting a well-won break.
Let's go!
GX keeping themselves in this game with five rounds, but with how things started for on
the bounce to then find themselves on the receiving end of a 7-5 half, he's leaving
a sour taste in the mouth.
They'll hope that, yeah, another pissed around is maybe on the horizon because that would
be a great chance for them to start clawing back at this lead.
I think so far for a first defensive performance on Breeze, it gets past marks for me, I thought probably above average, and now comes down to the attack because as everyone knows on the attack on Breeze, that's what we're really expecting to do though.
I mean good cock, bad cock, perhaps the lovable scholar.
Doing a little bit of praise there.
I don't know, we'll have to see. I definitely think that now moving on to the attack this could look really good for GX.
But when you consider the fact they're up against double duelists as well, my Tati have the yoru, just the amount of positions that can be taken on.
It's a progressive one here to start, yappie! Just wants to jump straight in!
He won't stop! It's still already!
And it might just be the round it is!
That's a fantastic a way to open up a second half straight away
Pace change giant X lift scratch in the heads
And yeah, I mean
I don't think what else is the busy?
Vitality clamped down immediately yampi here many times you could have decided you know what actually I'm gonna back up
No flashes himself through the smoke knows that the rest of his team are making their way through elbow
Nice boys! Let's go!
Come on boys!
Perfect start, perfect start.
Yeah.
And Jayne is going back to the same position, looking to try and maybe recreate the round that they didn't get to do last time.
And as it seems, it's straight in towards site.
Fortunately there, because here, with the outlaw, nice double.
And Cron as well.
One enemy.
I'm just saying that there's going to be a better professional roam from Vitality, only
losing one.
Blink and you will miss it, GX sent marching orders from the B site, two rounds consecutive.
The question is, will they now start to divulge?
Do we get anything else?
This is already much better from Garka as well.
One enemy.
One enemy.
Showing how much he's matured, I mean, you talk about his relationship with Kron.
I was saying on the podcast a couple of weeks ago, he's a different player now, he's changing
many ways and just being able to reset series on series, that's what you expect of someone.
Such high quality as him.
There's a lot expected of him and of Vitality.
And that's moment in time.
Looks difficult reaching that expectation, didn't in the last series, but I mean,
The good thing about Vitality here is they're up against a pretty good opponent and giant X.
And it's looking like that last match was just a drop in the pond.
And that's why we then come back to the Gatekeeper conversation that we were talking about earlier on the first line as well,
where RGX now may be starting to drop off a little bit.
How much longer could they live towards a lower bracket potentially?
Questions which we'll answer soon.
This is the buy round and well the first minute or so
Doesn't involve too much
Standard orb towards mid to try and threaten that pressure, but yamp. He's still oh
Diligent look at vitality though. They're so heavy towards the east side of the map and I mean crons all alone
Set up is fully for me. They're crons gonna be able to get the money off here at me off
So no one should look to disrespect this early
30 seconds left buys a little bit of breathing room for this rotation ara the only one to have made the jump so far
Yeah, I mean on feet trying to support from the back say but a lot of speeds worse
towards the front of say
Now rounding the corner, but it's ara to crass it first find the dome on top and
Really now being three versus two actually vitality start to claw things back. It's profit looking for more than just the 1000 kills
The smoke fades, the angles open up and it just feels rough to try and dissect.
The star of the show this time, GX do get on the board.
Yeah, they are able to win out, they lose two for it but at the same time you'll take
it in towards the next.
They maybe make the attack economy a little bit thin with vitality completely cut off
guard. You can see again that
the setup in terms of allowing
for those rotations to come
back, but I don't know if I'm
necessarily like that fate
towards backside in terms of
unfit, taking a swing and
doesn't necessarily need to.
What we can see him before the
barriers go up here, GX have
been very direct, very
straightforward in terms of how
they're playing in that
He tries to fight flakeless.
No down.
Unfake.
Very quickly responding though.
And down B.
And like a player unleashed, the current IGL goes down and the former steps up in his place.
Yeah, Unfake this series has not looked like the substitution.
And looked like part of the roster, pal spoke about it in the coach confession.
How they were trying to bring Unfake up.
Yeah.
I should kill from West, it does make things a little bit dodgy.
I know exactly where Cloud is here, so Dirk has been sent to search for him, but Westside arriving could pose an issue.
And the classic? He's doing absolutely everything. He's doing it all.
and it's just been great to see this performance from him here as well because I have to say I was looking back at the stats and
Actually his kickoff performance so far on the whole has been just so far
Where he was in stage 2 when he was in game leading as well. So yeah, just having that freedom
Definitely helping him out
Yeah, seems like the Vitality coaching staff is enjoying this, but if you're a GX fan
you won't be. You're expecting them to pick something up here, man.
It's B again?
Yeah.
No deviation. So, Ara is heading towards the mid-tunnel, but you would hope they
wouldn't try peek the op.
Oh, look, Ara does get in behind, so much better.
looks like a much better giant X round is
I'm being forced towards the CT portion but giant X
really infested in this site and that smoke earmarking a very deep space so
the operator picked up for grubby and that's spiked going down.
They're a huge tool in Pulseplan here.
Yeah, the players have escaped out through the wall as Derker but needs to be
careful of Ira's position. He didn't come from tunnel last time.
Can he do it a second time? And prove it guys!
The GYMEX looked to respond. All five alive. Vitality caught off guard.
They're made to eat my words to be execution. Exactly what the doctor ordered. The only deviation was
ARA's reprisal through middle, but making all of the difference at the end of the day. Another
frifty pickup for GX to break this string of rounds and that's a massive round as
well because of the break of rounds but also because when you look at this roll
line right, 7 to 10 has got that insurmountable and realistically GX could
really change things up. Seems if at a moment though vitality maybe being a bit
conditioned towards the B side and heavier towards there is there can
Possessioned
I'm actually taking med space
Yeah, just with the Guardian it's through elbow. He's going to head profec has a paranoia feed up for this
My side is equal to it and then some
Yeah, vitality forced towards a war bite
just to protect
What could be the roam cone and the next one yeah
Classics, Marshals, we're expecting JNX to win this.
Expecting being the keyword.
Sure.
Yeah, we can run with that line.
And the headline here in this round for Vitality,
I suppose would be Chronicles,
Marshals, or maybe Yumpy's Bandit, who knows?
So he could steal away an eco here or there,
but it doesn't look like GX is going to give him what he's looking for
at least immediately but there he is pops up with one looks like it's another yeah
this is looking doable once again but nearly teed up for more can we get into
walk though so it's profits phantom a breakdown perhaps but not quite walking
out so we are within to that expectation mix yeah just tracking those
bandit plays man with a really key knife to see if we get anything panzing
I love it.
I love it.
I love it.
I was very much enjoying them trying to get you to give us that KO monologue.
Well, and you know what?
The KO's been looking pretty good for Clis so far.
He's top of the pubs.
He's out here as well.
Just only this time to be said about that.
Yeah, I think it always does look good.
Clis being able to have that long range capability of sitting up harder.
It's like, maybe they would have realized these were here, but no actually, I'm fake.
Oh, that's both bolts of the Hunter's Fury.
While the third one is Chasing Shadows, Vitality have exactly what they would have been looking
for.
They've taken away the Omen smokes at this stage in the round, so they've taken
away all the smokes and the flashes.
It does not get any easier.
Vitality, once again, Sean, who's boss, a much better performance from Giant X,
Looks if all the shall be resumed
What around where they were defaulting as well maybe the be hit would have been better. I don't know
Yeah, it's a strange one. It felt like you've been conditioned yourself me not just vitality. I have I have this bike
The haircare routine again, of course. Yeah. What conditioner?
Don't be completely honest
At least you don't have dandruff. That's true
this is terrible. Vitality, look this is a 2v2 on the beloved B site though.
30 seconds left. Dirk at elevated angle, you'll be a fan of ours and it's done the
damage. I'll try the X-Wars as well and I've got a taste of their own medicine so
the 20 seconds remaining and Ara not feeling too healthy himself. It's probably going to
be a save call for the time being and I don't know if Vitality really wanted to
he I don't seem to be interested. Why wouldn't you be? It's worth a roll of the dice but anything
beyond this. Maybe called into question. Vitality's still not with the best of finances. Chronicle
backing his ability and well had he peaked it, Cloud is just sat with the melee out.
Heading into this next round, GX do have so many ults to work with and for a team which is
so fundamentally sound as well. I feel like one of the biggest missing pieces today is just the
amount of individual fights we're seeing taken where there isn't really a set up to see anything
more develop off the back of that. Yeah 100% agree and yeah I think that as you said the big
rounds are going to come through the ultimates. The only problem being is Vitality have a couple
of their own. Most importantly the dimensional drifting may be crowned by Perth if he can get
get heads on up online. I think that's from Yampi though. Yeah, gets into mid early, but
GX haven't really been using exploring this territory as much as you would expect, other
than just the Viper Orb in double doors. Maybe a drone out here from cloud. Well, he
has a TP and of course the knife is down from Fliklis, so he'll be able to get out
if he needs to. Dirk denied any chance of supporting his team mate. So, Yampy TP's out, the A side
stronger, that is where GX is leading. A split though, needs to be important. I'm going to try and make the way through
double doors. Oh, what what? Quick try down, in behind. Yampy looking for something, but it's west side, flooding
the feed, teammate back up on their feet, he's flashed in, he just talked, finished it off.
It looks like a team flashed here for a minute, but we do settle in a 3 vs 4 in favour of
giant X, and that Viper's picked down.
Simba, flakeless, right a thousand page dock on that one, but for now, he's the man
advantage for GX, the pit up of Vitality looking for a way back in.
Oh, Ara, and a little pocket of his own, and as he pops out, his health was slowed
The classic would have been enough, but Profik round the sides not had the best of maps even though he did have that thousand
Unfortunately, that looks like cron will be looking to cover the operator if he even gets a chance to
anyone clouds to put the final details on it gx back within two
keeping vitality
on the edge of their seat
I mean
Does he bring them? Does he accidentally like use his mouse wheel and bring them his knifes?
Surely not.
I have absolutely no idea.
We'll have to round-review maybe, who knows.
Go back and out.
No, let's get Manny to get the Taylor straight up and he can tell us exactly what happened.
He saw on the replay there as well, yeah, it was.
Oh, my goodness.
Unmucked me.
Bit of a team flash.
Yeah.
Things not really going the way that either team would have hoped there, but GX do profit from the situation and
It has forced the vitality time out here to just try and correct things. Yeah, I think that's fair enough to be honest
it's not
That last round was just a calamity if we're being real the nice setup in mid
And you could see that GX are really cleared that well through smokes and taking the time
Where it was that timing through mid in terms of re clearing it with the dimensional drift leaving
and then they're trying to
attempt to bring themselves out
of the dimensional drift. It'll
be a nice head clearer as well
for the French org and see what
happens. Still with the lead as
it stands, GX chasing a game
which has always felt a step
ahead of them from that first
from that first map into three's Vitality selection,
but one which we are yet to see from our attackers,
this their debut,
Flickless firing and all cylinders again,
just trying to be the catalyst for the rest of his team.
I've looking to clear mid,
but Vitality right off the back of this into elbow,
making them self-known and Grubby goes down, no trade.
Yeah, it's impossible to get the trade as well
as Vitality retreat, happy with what they've got
and giant X feeling themselves forced to try and put pressure elsewhere on the map.
We'll just be riding on this A execution now.
Unfake with the drone.
That's spot out.
Some of those oncoming players are dash across with the flash landing this time.
West side dealing good damage in the meantime.
But Yampian transition has arrived on the A site.
Three versus three here.
Four vitality to try and contend with, but Flickless traps the bot.
It's got to be perfect, and it won't miss time.
Double digits on the horizon, unless Dukka has something to say.
It would be a monumental 3 vs 1, has all the utility, and his ultimate if he needs it.
Deep clear on the midfire first half west side, yet to make his way back in.
Dukka's getting the firing line.
That's just close, sir.
But towards Flickless, he welcomes that with open arms. GX do get to 10.
that. Yeah, that is. Yeah,
that's no five runs on the
attack to the full of
vitality. Very somewhat
school lane towards the
nearly similar towards that
foster. So we really need to
keep our eyes on this is
getting very, very close.
Actually broken the by of
vitality here as well. So I
have to eco for this be
Again, he's continuing to roam this mid space, which GX have either fully committed to or
drifted away from it right now.
It looks like they're trying to invest player numbers here.
Just flirting with the idea as they move towards B.
Overall, Vitality, all they need is space cleat, so GX, on the other hand, begins to quicken the pace, but Decker's blades are here.
When he takes his chance, he cannot really get anything from it. Giant X, very clinical on the take of the site.
Exactly what was required.
And with this, Vitality, into a retake where, you know, they have a drone, a clone, but how much can you possibly do with that?
Yeah, I mean especially when you've got Arras sitting behind the wall ready to go
Shots are being hit, but in the end comes a two versus one from Unfake
Arrow escaping so at least he's known about he doesn't know where the the Viper of Westside is
Yeah, parting gift of a smoke there, but that drops
Yeah, and now despite being half so Unfake takes to the rifle seen if that's where we can try and win this
That molly is not good. This is worrying right now, but Ara comes in at the right time and evens out their own cone.
Oh, but Anxious in my books. Yeah, but we move on to the limits of regulation nonetheless and again our is the saving grace for this GX side.
Clickless to flash in and get things started, the dynamic duo of Cron and Durka coming up
empty-handed this time and that is now 5 rounds from 6 for Giant X. They've really flipped the
script in this second half, the attack going through the motions and now a full A hit
levee.
I told you that defensive half was decent, if Giant X can be as good as what they can
easily come back in this one and they have done at 11 to 11 they try the lock on e we have they
have had success and runes previous been neat to make this landing step right now as yampi tries to
play around as one clone makes a walk is the rest of vitality are here to walk through giant eggs
vitality finally move on to mark point as if they weren't even there vitality keep that
march forwards by putting one foot in the door. That's round number 12. GX having
that streak broken brilliant work from Yapi here that flashed to self-set the
final kill but more than anything it's just saying those priorities and saying
yeah we're gonna fight you as soon as you push out rather than just relying
on one player to anchor in that position. All on the line here or it's
the lower bracket, the face GX
out the order in his setup profit
and towards me
he's looking to knock them down
but can't quite get more than two
the origin of honesty
he falls as well
so
Yampic
in the same position from last round
will let himself another kill
but it still ends up in a three versus two
yeah GX get their advantage back through the null command
but my Tati might just have overplayed that one
mate
but the health pools once again
not favouring GX. That could be a big molly as it forces Flickless into the open, into
their casons. The wall goes up, stops Vitality, any more lines of sight, but West Side looking
to try and hold on now and a 1 vs 2 to keep GX in the series. Force them to over time,
but it will not happen! The Shipper team gets past Marks more than so to be honest
After that defeat to BBL, yes, Yumpy's vitality are vengeful tonight as that tour continues.
Liquid ticked off the hit list and now he gets past the giant X-Side, which gatecapped
him and others from a global event last year.
The exact kind of return to form that you want to see from a roster office caliber.
The first map was a one-way affair and then some, yet did well to reset into
the next but we're still not enough for a first time out on breeze. Yeah I mean you can already
see the individual performances even from both sides right with such a close map I think Profick
the only outlier there even though he did get that 1k that record right but overall I think
the big part here is just how cohesive Vitality were and when they were doing that.
Absolutely I'm just building on what we know from the MGX on the opposite side unable to
that we saw against heretics
just the other day. And that's
got to feel so frustrating,
especially with the base being a
key part of their map pool and
looking that far off the pace.
Yeah, you can put it down to a
bad day in the office, but I
think the implementation of
some ideas was fully lacking
vitality on the other hand, a
real confidence booster. Yeah.
Yeah, I think that that's
the big thing, right? They
have eliminated a map that
And that's the big positives here, the map pool looks so much stronger.
You have to see what they have to say about that and others as we are going to be heading
over to the post plan.
Yampi and Chronicle will be joining us.
And very much was down to the wire Billy in this second map.
Yeah, it looks a little empty here.
Wow, 12, uh, 12, 13, 11, yes, there we go.
It's been a long day.
But the math is math thing, the math is math thing, time is timing, whatever it is.
But great performance for Vitality 13-0, they managed to close out the second map as well,
which a little bit closer, but I think that's a great estimate to GX as well
in regards to what they had in the tank today.
Yeah, for sure. I just want to quickly speak on Giant X before we wait on Yampium Chronicle coming here as well.
I think in terms of Giant X, their approach to Breeze still looks good.
something that Mini and I had kind of discussed was the composition that they went for, leading back into that double initiator,
I think at least they stuck to their identity, if that makes sense, like yes, it didn't work out for them today,
but I'd rather them be very clear on what their composition looks like and what that identity is,
rather than try and go for something wacky and crazy and not pay off, if that makes sense.
So, yeah, I mean, I feel sad, I'm very convinced, but you know what, I'm gonna give you this one.
But with this last, uh, Jess is gonna be dropping into that lower bracket.
So maybe going back to that drawing board, specifically when we're looking at a
biscus that was, yes, that wasn't that happens.
Yeah, yeah, that does happen.
What do you, what do we even analyze?
Well, I was a 30 no, like what do you want me to say?
You know what?
We've all been there some time, right?
Yeah, it is a tough one.
It definitely is a tough one.
I think, yeah, now they obviously find themselves dropping into that lower bracket.
So they now need to be able to find the form quicker rather than later.
Absolutely. Surprise, by the way, everybody.
We're joined here this time round with Chronicle and Yampi.
Congratulations, guys.
I'm going to start off with the 13 now.
Who wants to take that one?
Yeah, I can take it.
It was a redemption from me last year.
You know, a revenge, you know, a revenge, you know.
We, uh, giants denied us in the BPL, the championship.
So, yeah, I wanted to come back with, you know, with the bangs.
Fair enough.
Did it feel a little bit personal?
Yeah, it did.
That's kind of funny, because I had kind of set this match up.
I was like, oh, there's a little bit of a grudge match here.
So to hear that you wanted to third you know them because of the tramps run last year is very interesting.
But I also wanted to ask you about the prep yampey, because you guys came into a base as much as it was a dominant scoreline.
scoreline the prep looked so good was majority of that prep base or was it
like you IGL in calling in the moment?
Hi prep we had a good preparation we knew the comp that they're gonna play we knew
kind of how to play especially in attack side and yeah I changed some of my
routines earlier in the day that maybe helped.
Absolutely.
I mean from my perspective it was also like our comp is their counter yeah like
literally I mean it felt like they could have adapted for the whole
defense side for them but at the same time like what they could do like when
their comp is around like flooding doing some crazy stuff fully reclearing and
you have just one agent of box to hold utility so I mean you cannot do
anything and you have to suffer I say and that's it like I mean sometimes that
is the problem with those comps like you just like if they're just one side
that you cannot have plan B or at least they didn't create a plan B to
actually play super well against us, but it isn't this.
Unfortunately, sometimes that's just how the cookie crumbles.
And for GX, that was a 13-0.
I also want to go into the prep that you guys have done for this week specifically,
because last week against VBL, it was also a little bit more one-sided from their end of things.
We spoke to Derka earlier who said that you guys implemented a lot of changes.
Pal and the coach confession kind of said the same thing.
We're focusing on fundamentals, focusing on communication.
What has that been like? I'll start with you, Chronicle, in terms of the focus for this week, for you specifically.
I think the biggest problem of our game against PBL, particularly, because previously it wasn't that obvious.
I think it was more of our team play and how we interacted with each other.
There were many, many issues about us even doing basic mistakes, like not even picking together sometimes.
times and it was snowballing us into like some very bad moments like if you
look for example on the BBL match once again you can look yeah there were some
moments where we could easily take the advantage of us maybe winning some
crucial rounds and something especially on Haven after like winning a pistol but
after we instantly lost the anti-EQ around just because of very poor
fundamentals like I mean obviously you're gonna lose this game and this
time we decided to focus only on fixing those type of mistakes because strategically we cannot
really prove are the strats again good or not like maybe we need to change them or not just
because like if we have bad fundamentals how we can say that strats are bad I think that's
like very important topic to talk about and that's was our main focus.
I want to ask you about joining this team Vitality Chronicle and I want to pull up
some of your stats as well while we speak about it because you have been performing
really well, even in that loss against PBL last week, how has it been joining this organization,
being part of this roster, and also how has it been jumping onto the Vito, because this feels like
something very new for you? Yeah, I mean Vito is definitely new, even though InnoCity has already
played with it, I would not say that it really was that much different, but we did some changes
as well. I think it's very nice to play in Vitality, like honestly a lot of support from
both fans and the organization itself, like Alsham surrounded with insanely great people,
like you cannot imagine how happy I am to play with all those guys because I mean, I mean, like
that was my biggest surprise because obviously like after coming from successful rosters like
like having all the time like pretty very good players, I would say at least, not if not the
best on their roles especially, like coming to the team obviously like people will say I'm
crazy or that was a risk but like first of all like we can prove them wrong right now or maybe later
that like they were obviously wrong about my teammates and second thing also yeah I mean
they surprised me as well like I'm enjoying the playing the game right now and I'm having a lot
of fun with all of them and like it doesn't matter like if we win or lose I think I'm still
happy. At least for now. I'd love to hear that. That's really sweet. Absolutely. And Yampi also from
your experience with the team now that you're in the position that you're in and having such great
prep and like really great people behind you to be able to set you up for success. How has that
been for you? Yeah I mean it's incredible to have players like Krone and it's been I think my job
what I try to do is just make sure that they are playing their best every game. So I try to
support them even when I'm playing the other way. I try to support them as much as possible
in and outside the game that I make sure that they're feeling good, they're playing good and
yeah it's nice like I'm not I can't say I'm surprised you know playing with them that how
good they are because they have proven it to the past but yeah it feels good.
Well does that look like then making people feel comfortable like off the server and in the
server? Like what's the makings of a good IGL? I mean I can ask for a good IGL.
I mean, for IGL the easiest job is to make everyone else's lives easier
and just make them play the proper game without sacrificing their individual performance.
Also keeping the team in that cycle of actually powering through all the problems
and also not falling apart because I think IGL is the hardest role, first of all.
People underrate what IGL does in the team
And also people are not really understanding what I gel should do and what policies he should have for in order to be that good
I gel like and also in in my experience
There are actually not that many actual ages who will be really proud of themselves calling an ideal and like for me
Yankee is the one because he has I
Mean like for me
It's very important for an agile being that like a rock that like actually not moving
like he is also like full of energy and also he is when he needs he can be
straight when he needs to be more easier on people calmer he also doing that I
mean understanding people that psychology of human beings is very important
that people should also understand that while being a Nigel I mean this is
crazy and I can yet for it for 10 years it sounds like there's been like a
really good culture built around vitality in this roster this year
Tell me about Profek. What on earth happened today? I think he got like his first death on Abyss on round 12
For anyone that's not had Profek on their raider
Depressed, depressed, depressed
Really? We're gonna start playing
Baited everyone and still didn't make this happen bro
No, but I mean he's a very nice guy like
He is kind of I mean I don't want to call that like that word, but he's a clown of our team
That's a good thing
But the clone is in a very good way. He consistently keeps the right mood for the teammates, even when something is going wrong.
Sometimes he also might be a little bit more harsh than usual, but I think it's in a very good way.
And again, his ability to play smoke is super good. He's one of the most skilled smokes players, at least in EMEA.
And maybe if he'll have a chance to prove it, he'll do it also on international stage, which I hope he'll do as well, all together.
But yeah to get to the international you have to beat fanatic next we actually had the oh great
I like this already we had alpha earlier, and he referred to you guys as a fanatic Academy
Well, it's BBL Academy. We have more people from BBL than from not XO. I think you want to say to him though in our guards
Yeah, I mean if it's BBL Academy, I think I can't remember how's not a record this versus BBL Academy
I don't know.
It would be hilarious if Nacik Academy next time wins against the main team.
Who knows?
Who knows? We're gonna have to wait and see if that is a match coming up.
Also, in general, I wanna ask you how the bracket has played out
and some of the teams that we've seen going to internationals.
GX now included is in this lower bracket after this loss.
Are there any teams that really surprised you with how they have performed?
Whether that is like they've done really well
or they've just like not lived up to your expectations, Yampi?
I think the only team that has surprised these gendarmes for me, because it's just a surprise that they did so well.
I think BBL were, I said it before, that they were one of the favourites in Mappin and with Chions,
because they were the only team that didn't do any roster changes during the off-season,
so I expected those two to do well, but I think gendarmes is a surprise.
Yes, same for me. I think BBL obviously, I think I was expecting them to do good,
I never underestimated them and I feel like they are now proving everyone that they are a super good team.
Through the whole years of tier 2 they were just destroying everyone and even on ascension they are playing super well.
So I mean that was no surprise that they will do well here.
And yeah, I think everyone else, I mean it's hard to mix up.
I thought BBL Pacific would do better, but honestly they wouldn't like it.
Does it surprise either of you, that Gentlemates or BBL are going to be the number one seed for EMEA going into Masters Santiago?
I mean honestly, what can I say, I don't care about seeds.
But honestly, if Gentlemates will go as a first-year, yes. If BBL, no.
That's fair.
Yeah.
Okay.
You guys are great.
Perfect.
Great.
We also have the games for tomorrow.
I would like some predictions in regards to that.
I don't know what the game's got up on my head, which is exactly why they're going
to be on the screen.
KC, Redix and Liquid, Ulf.
Do you have favorites?
Do you want to throw out some predictions here?
I think for me, KC and Liquid will win.
I mean, I was surprised they said KC with their results, but since they're
They're all my friends, I cannot say not KC, so KC of course, and the second one, Liquid.
I think that's based. Yeah. Oh, I'll reserve my judgment until tomorrow. Everyone is in agreement,
we absolutely love that. You see Symmetry in the team. Exactly. Yeah, on the server and even on
the post. Well thank you both so much for joining us and once again congratulations on today's win.
That's it from us from today, we're going to be back again tomorrow, same time, same place,
so I hope to see you then. Enjoy the rest of your evening, we'll see you tomorrow,
But before we leave we'll leave you with the razor end of day highlights. Bye
the top of me. I would have spotted him behind him somehow.
He's almost dead. Tricks!
It will be 9-3. It will be a dominant defensive haul.
Coming out of the bag.
It's on Rixx.
Ah!
I swear, but it's not as if it happens!
There are 11-3 off, but this happens.
Being nothing but defeat.
And in the final hour of Skeptom,
he won out for the pick.
Looks at the position down with the ult, and I'll be ready and waiting for the jump up!
That's all come crashing down before Fnatic is now being seen to have Math 3 locked in!
I'm off the rocket. Let's go rocket man!
They need to get back on it, they need to do it now, and they've done it in about a second, and it'll win!
It's all going to come down in a time!
I THINK THAT I'LL CALL THEIR ACTIONS!
WOOOOOO!
FICE! BORIS! I'LL BELIEVE THEM ON DOLF'S LITE MAH! IT'S A LEG BEEK FISH AFTER BEEK FISH AFTER BEEK FISH!
180!
you
you
you
you
you
You
Set your heart, my song, just keep it up
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
It takes so long to be here
Let's look at the places, places, places
On the line
My speed is like a coin, I'm a band
I'm a brain, I'm a brain
I'm a bang bang bang, I'm a bang bang
I'm a game, game, game
Like a game, I'm a game, game
I'm a game, game, game
I'm gonna be the one to take you down
I'm gonna be the one to take you down
I can't stand the sight of you that I've seen
I'm not even gonna be a bad boy
I can't come over, it's not my night
It's the boys now
I'm not gonna be a bad boy
I'm not gonna be a bad boy
I'm not gonna be a bad boy
I'm not gonna be a bad boy
All the girls here are really good
I can't follow them
I'm not a good girl
I don't like being cool
When I'm going to the night, I pull my money on the floor
I'm a bustling, I don't care if I'm a fool or not, it's all cruise to me
Oh my, I'm never, never, never, never, never
That's what it does
I'm full of myself
I'm so close, I'm so bad
I'm full of myself
I'm so close, I'm so bad
I'm full of myself
I'm so close, I'm so bad
I'm full of myself