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For Dan “?apEX?” Madesclaire, the triumph marked the end of a ten-year chase for victory at this prestigious event.
After falling short in two previous finals, apEX finally lifted the silverware, a dream realised after a decade of close calls.
“Finally, after three Cologne finals, I’m leaving with the trophy,” apEX said after the match.
His excitement was well-earned, as the French captain delivered a masterful performance, both tactically and individually, in a series that will be remembered for its high-octane action and razor-thin margins.
#IEM COLOGNE HAS IT'S NEW CHAMPIONS.@TeamVitality take down @natusvincere 3-1 in the BO5 to lift the trophy in the Cathedral!
16-14 Nuke
10-13 Dust II
22-20 Mirage
13-9 Inferno pic.twitter.com/0a0HRgI8n1— Intel? Extreme Masters (@IEM) August 18, 2024
The grand final pitted two of the world’s best Counter-Strike 2 teams against each other in a best-of-five series that didn’t disappoint.
The first three maps were decided by the narrowest of margins, with Mirage, in particular, standing out as one of the year’s most thrilling games.
NaVi, fresh off their Esports World Cup victory, came close to bagging back-to-back trophies but fell just short in this epic contest.
Aleksi “?Aleksib?” Virolainen, NaVi’s in-game leader, once again found himself cursed in grand final series’, extending his record to 0-7 in best-of-five matches.
Meanwhile, Justinas “?jL?” Lekavicius, who had been a standout at the Copenhagen Major, struggled throughout the series, finishing at the bottom of the leaderboard, a far cry from his usual form.
The series began on Nuke, where NaVi’s leading MVP candidate, Valeriy “?b1t?” Vakhovskiy, had an uncharacteristically rough start, going 1-11 in the first half.
Despite a brief resurgence, NaVi couldn’t recover, and Vitality took the map 16�C13.
On Dust2, NaVi bounced back, with b1t finding his form and leading his team to a narrow victory, but the story of the series was far from over.
Mirage proved to be the turning point.
Both teams were riding high on long win streaks on the map, and the match lived up to expectations, going all the way to a 22-20 triple overtime finish.
ZywOo was the hero for Vitality, delivering crucial plays in overtime that swung the map in his team’s favour.
By the time the series reached Inferno, the momentum was firmly with Vitality.
They dominated the early rounds and raced to a 10-2 lead.
Although NaVi showed resilience and mounted a late comeback, Vitality’s William “?mezii?” Merriman secured a crucial triple kill on the A site, sealing the series with a 13-9 victory and clinching the tournament title.
For apEX, this victory was especially sweet.
Having suffered heartbreak in Cologne twice before, once with EnVyUs in 2015 and again with Vitality in 2019, this was his third and final chance to capture the elusive title.
He didn’t disappoint, leading his team to glory and adding another prestigious trophy to his collection.
THE CHOSEN ONE CUT THROUGH EVERYTHING IN HIS WAY.@zywoo IS YOUR #IEM COLOGNE 2024 #ESLProTour DHL MVP
@DeutschePostDHL pic.twitter.com/GYH2XeCpvu
— ESL Counter-Strike (@ESLCS) August 18, 2024
ZywOo also had a standout performance and was awarded with the Most Valuable Player award, finishing with 100 kills across the four maps, a staggering feat that solidified his claim as one of the best CS2 players.
The difference between him and NaVi’s young AWPer, Ihor “?w0nderful?” Zhdanov, was stark, with ZywOo’s experience and composure shining through in the most critical moments.
Despite their loss, NaVi can take solace in their successful 2024 campaign, which includes victories at the PGL Major Copenhagen and the Esports World Cup.
However, their struggles in best-of-five series remain a glaring issue, and Aleksib’s winless streak in such finals will undoubtedly be a point of concern moving forward.
As the dust settles on IEM Cologne 2024, both teams will shift their focus to the upcoming ESL Pro League season, which starts on September 3.
With neither team involved in the BLAST Premier Fall Showdown, they will have time to regroup and prepare for the next challenge.
In the end, this year’s IEM Cologne lived up to the event’s storied reputation.
The Cathedral of Counter-Strike once again delivered unforgettable moments, with Vitality and NaVi putting on a show that will be remembered for years to come.
From the knife’s-edge battles of the first three maps to the final triumph on Inferno, IEM Cologne 2024 was Counter-Strike at its finest.
]]>
Despite entering the Counter-Strike match as favourites, Vitality remained vigilant against SAW, who had earlier taken down top teams like G2 Esports and FaZe Clan in a stunning run.
Vitality captain Dan “apEX” Madesclaire emphasised their respect for SAW��s performance, saying, “We did not underestimate them, but focused on ourselves, and it paid off.”
.@TeamVitalityCS aren't here to mess around!
They take down @sawggofficial with a clean 2-0 to secure a spot in the Grand Final of #IEM Cologne 2024
13-6 Nuke
13-5 Dust 2 pic.twitter.com/RNimfdL8c7— Intel? Extreme Masters (@IEM) August 17, 2024
The match kicked off on SAW’s pick, Nuke, where the underdogs managed to stand toe-to-toe with Vitality early on.
However, after a crucial misstep against pistols, Vitality regained control, eventually turning a 3-5 deficit into a 7-5 half.
Vitality dominated on their terrorist side, allowing SAW just one more round and taking the map 13-6.
The momentum carried into Dust2, where Vitality crushed a deflated SAW 13-5, securing their place in the final.
For SAW, this loss marked the end of their best run in a Big Event, but they can take pride in making their first appearance on such a big stage in Cologne.
It was a CLOSE match but @natusvincere come out on top, defeating @mousesports 2-0 in the #IEM Cologne Semi-Final
16-14 Inferno
13-11 Mirage pic.twitter.com/RCzaHBbwfH— Intel? Extreme Masters (@IEM) August 17, 2024
The second semi-final saw Natus Vincere (NaVi) edge out MOUZ in a tightly contested two-map series, extending their unbeaten run on Mirage to 12 wins.
Despite NaVi’s strong group stage showing, MOUZ made them fight hard for the victory.
MOUZ��s surprise pick of Inferno caught NaVi off guard, but NaVi managed to rally, winning crucial clutches to take the map 13-11.
On Mirage, MOUZ initially dominated, with Dorian “xertioN” Berman leading the charge with an 18-5 K/D and 152 ADR in the first half.
However, NaVi’s resilience, bolstered by clutch plays from Justinas “jL” Lekavicius and Ihor “w0nderful” Zhdanov, allowed them to claw back and win 16-13, securing their spot in the final.
Aleksi “Aleksib” Virolainen, NaVi’s captain, acknowledged that they need to improve their terrorist-side play if they want to defeat Vitality in the upcoming best-of-five grand final.
The match promises to be a high-stakes showdown between two of the world��s top teams, with NaVi looking to continue their dominant form and Vitality eager to claim their first trophy of 2024.
IEM Cologne grand final
- Team Vitality ($1.66) vs Natus Vincere ($2.10) @ 5pm CEST
]]>
SAW vs FAZE CLAN CS2 BETTING & MATCH DETAILS |
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|---|---|
| Best Odds: | SAW $3.00 at GG Bet | FaZe $1.35 at GG Bet |
| When: | August 16, 2024 | 15:45 CEST |
| Watch Live: | Twitch (https://www.twitch.tv/ESLCS) |
SAW had to win their way into the main event of IEM Cologne through the play-in stage, where they took both games with ease. Throughout the group stage, the all-Portuguese squad upset G2 Esports 2-0 and defeated The Mongolz with the same scoreline before falling to Natus Vincere in the Group A upper-bracket final.
FaZe Clan are coming off one of the biggest comebacks in Counter-Strike 2 history after they overturned a 3-12 deficit to defeat Team Liquid and qualify for the playoffs. Despite losing to Team Vitality in the Group B upper-bracket semi-final, the world’s No.6 team seems to be playing its best CS ahead of the playoffs.
FaZe Clan’s experience in big matches on stage will prove pivotal in this contest, and it should get them over the line without dropping a map.
FaZe Clan -1.5 maps
MOUZ vs G2 ESPORTS CS2 BETTING & MATCH DETAILS |
|
|---|---|
| Best Odds: | MOUZ $2.50 at GG Bet | G2 $1.48 at GG Bet |
| When: | August 16, 2024 | 19:00 CEST |
| Watch Live: | Twitch (https://www.twitch.tv/ESLCS) |
MOUZ appear to have drawn the worst opponent in the quarter-finals, as they will clash with a red-hot G2 Esports. The world No.5’s IEM Cologne campaign has featured close victories over Falcons and Complexity before falling to Team Vitality in the Group B upper-bracket final.
G2’s upset defeat at the hands of SAW has awoken this squad, which has dismantled the highly regarded Team Spirit and only dropped one map since that opening series. With Nikola “NiKo” Kovac, Ilya “m0NESY” Osipov, and Mario “malbsMd” Samayoa all rated inside the top five players in Cologne, this roster is humming ahead of a massive quarter-final clash.
G2 have been playing do-or-die series in their last three, and they will be primed for this clash. Top esports betting sites are offering $2.50 for G2 to claim this match 2-0, and that looks to be a great price.
G2 Esports -1.5 maps
]]>
Both teams secured their spots in the Group B lower bracket final after decisive 2-0 victories in the Counter-Strike 2 event.
FaZe dominated Falcons and Liquid bested Complexity, setting up a high-stakes clash later in the day for a place in the playoffs.
Liquid’s choice to play Ancient, a map they had only recently added to their map pool, proved risky yet effective.
Despite Roland “?ultimate?” Tomkowiak having a quiet start, Liquid’s riflers, including Keith “?NAF?” Markovic and Russel “?Twistzz?” Van Dulken, stepped up to secure a close win on the first map.
Mareks “?YEKINDAR?” Ga?inskis made key plays on the counter-terrorist side, helping Liquid maintain their momentum.
The second map, Anubis, saw Liquid dominate with strong counter-terrorist tactics and a resurgent ultimate, who delivered an ace to regain his confidence.
Liquid won six straight rounds in the second half to quickly wrap up the series with a 13-5 win.
FaZe entered their match against Falcons as heavy favorites with esports betting sites, and they lived up to expectations.
Dust2 began with an 8-0 streak, with H?vard “?rain?” Nygaard dismantling the Falcons’ offense.
Although Falcons managed to force overtime, FaZe’s superior firepower and strategic adjustments secured a 16-13 win.
The second map, Ancient, saw a back-and-forth battle, but FaZe’s momentum from a crucial pistol round propelled them to victory, sealing their spot in the lower bracket final.
The rematch between FaZe and Liquid was nothing short of epic.
WHAT. A. GAME.
AN INSANE COMEBACK FROM @FaZeClan SENDS THEM TO THE #IEM COLOGNE PLAYOFFS OVER @TeamLiquidCS!!
13-9 Inferno
13-16 Nuke
16-13 Mirage pic.twitter.com/aghGQtSmPs— Intel? Extreme Masters (@IEM) August 13, 2024
FaZe had narrowly defeated Liquid in their group opener, but this time, the stakes were even higher, with a spot in the playoffs on the line.
Liquid picked Inferno instead of Mirage, hoping for a better outcome, but FaZe’s David “?frozen?” ?er��ansky dominated the B-site, helping FaZe secure a 13-9 win.
Nuke was more competitive, with Liquid pushing the game into overtime before FaZe’s defence, led by frozen, halted several of their advances.
Liquid eventually broke through the strong defences, securing the map with a 16-13 scoreline to send the series to a deciding map.
The decider on Mirage seemed destined for a Liquid victory as they stormed to an 11-1 lead, leaving FaZe on the brink of elimination.
However, in one of the greatest comebacks in CS2 history, FaZe clawed their way back from a 3-12 deficit.
A flawless defence from ?rain? and Robin “?ropz?” Kool shut down Liquid’s attacks, forcing the match into overtime.
FaZe completed their miraculous comeback, winning nine consecutive rounds to secure a spot in the playoffs.
.@G2CSGO show no mercy again as they dominate @paiNGamingBR on their way to the #IEM Cologne 2024 Playoffs
13-6 Nuke
13-1 Mirage pic.twitter.com/uMqdJ09qLe— Intel? Extreme Masters (@IEM) August 13, 2024
In Group A, G2 Esports made a statement by crushing paiN Gaming 2-0 (13-6, 13-1) in a one-sided series, securing their playoff spot.
Nikola “?NiKo?” Kova? and new addition Mario “?malbsMd?” Samayoa led the charge, with G2 delivering a string of dominant victories through the lower bracket.
Natus Vincere, after a sluggish start against SAW, found their form on Ancient and Inferno, securing a 2-1 (9-13, 13-2, 13-6) win and a direct path to the semi-finals.
Meanwhile, Team Vitality overcame MOUZ 2-0 (13-6, 16-13) in a tough upper bracket final, avoiding a quarter-final matchup against the in-form G2.
Friday’s IEM Cologne playoff fixtures
- SAW ($3.00) vs FaZe Clan ($1.35) @ 3:45pm CEST
- MOUZ ($2.35) vs G2 Esports ($1.55) @ 7pm CEST
]]>
Team Vitality and MOUZ locked in their playoff spots for the Counter-Strike 2 tournament with wins over FaZe Clan and Complexity in their respective upper bracket semi-finals in Group B.
Vitality and FaZe played out a hard-fought three-map series, with the former taking the series 2-1 (8-13, 16-12, 13-9), even though their star player, Mathieu “ZywOo” Herbaut, had little influence on the clash.
FaZe picked Inferno for the first map, and with strong performances from key players like Robin “ropz” Kool and H?vard “rain” Nygaard, they took an early lead in the series with a 13-8 victory.
Although Vitality was forced into overtime on their map pick of Dust2, Shahar “flameZ” Shushan stepped up and carried the world number four to a 16-12 win, forcing a decider on Anubis.
The squads couldn’t be separated at halftime, locked at 6-6, before heading into the final half of the match.
However, Vitality, led by flameZ again, would win seven of the final 10 rounds on their terrorist side to close out the map and series, 13-9.
It's a reverse sweep from @TeamVitality to best @FaZeClan and secure themselves a spot in the #IEM Cologne Playoffs
8-13 Inferno
16-12 Dust 2
13-9 Anubis pic.twitter.com/ZveNmSxktV— Intel? Extreme Masters (@IEM) August 12, 2024
On the other side of the bracket, MOUZ took care of Complexity 2-0 (13-9, 13-11), with Jimi “Jimpphat” Salo, Ludvig “Brollan” Brolin, and ��d��m “torzsi” Torzs��s dominating for the world number three.
Torzsi, who led the way on Vertigo, recorded a server-high rating (1.39) and kills (19) to power MOUZ to a 13-9 win on Complexity’s map pick.
MOUZ picked Nuke, and even though it was much closer than the opening map, Brollan (1.54 rating) and Jimpphat (1.47 rating) led the way in a hard-fought 13-11 victory.
MOUZ will face Vitality in the Group B upper bracket final, with the winner locking in a semi-final spot and the loser having to settle for a quarter-final berth.
It's a not so simple 2-0 for @mousesports as they close out the series vs @ComplexityCS after a bit of back and forth.
13-9 Vertigo
13-11 Nuke pic.twitter.com/3pdL1WsgGc— Intel? Extreme Masters (@IEM) August 12, 2024
Earlier in the day, FURIA and Virtus.pro were eliminated from the IEM Cologne after suffering their second defeat of the group stage.
FURIA’s second straight 0-2 loss, this time against Team Liquid, ended their disappointing campaign in Cologne, while VP was knocked out by Falcons in a back-and-forth three-map series.
Finally, The Mongolz and Astralis had their runs ended by paiN Gaming and G2 Esports, respectively, in the lower bracket of Group A.
G2 continued their IEM Cologne resurgence with a 2-1 (13-1, 13-10, 13-3) victory, where the world number four dominated their Danish opponents on two of the three maps.
The Mongolz suffered a similar fate to their upper bracket loss on Sunday, as they claimed the opening map before losing the next two, going down 1-2 (13-16, 13-10, 13-8) against paiN.
The final day of the group stage will take place on Wednesday, with the final two teams locking in their spots to compete in the LANXESS Arena.
Wednesday’s IEM Cologne fixtures
- Falcons ($2.75) vs FaZe Clan ($1.40) @ 1:30pm CEST
- Team Liquid ($1.44) vs Complexity ($2.62) @ 1:30pm CEST
- G2 Esports ($1.16) vs paiN Gaming ($4.50) @ 3:45pm CEST
- Natus Vincere ($1.20) vs SAW ($4.33) @ 3:45pm CEST
- MOUZ ($2.00) vs Team Vitality ($1.72) @ 6:45pm CEST
- Winner of FaZe Clan/Falcons vs Winner of Complexity/Team Liquid @ 6:45pm CEST
]]>
The world number two entered IEM Cologne 2024 as the $3.50 favourite with esports betting sites, but after falling to The Mongolz in the opening round, Spirit were faced with a daunting task against G2 in the lower bracket to remain in the tournament.
G2, who were also upset by a play-in stage qualifier, had their IEM Cologne title defence dealt an early blow after suffering a 0-2 loss against SAW.
The do-or-die series began on Spirit’s map pick of Nuke, and it was Nemanja ‘huNter-‘ Kova? who started off hot for G2, recording five kills in the first two rounds to set the tone.
The Kova? cousins, Nikola ‘NiKo’ Kova? and huNter-, dominated for G2 in the first half, propelling the squad to a 9-3 halftime lead.
Three first-half rounds would be the only round wins that Spirit claimed, as G2 quickly wrapped up the map 13-3.
Only Danil ‘donk’ Kryshkovets cracked double-digit kills (10), while Myroslav ‘zont1x’ Plakhotia struggled with four kills and 37.9 ADR on Nuke.
Following a lacklustre performance on their map, Spirit was tasked with playing G2’s pick of Mirage.
However, G2 started Mirage with four straight rounds on the terrorist side before Spirit won their first, thanks to three kills from zont1x.
Unfortunately for Spirit, G2 continued their dominance and finished the half with a massive 11-1 lead before closing out the series with a 13-1 demolition.
.@G2CSGO absolutely DOMINATE @Team__Spirit in the lower bracket of Group A, eliminating the Katowice champions in the process!
13-3 Nuke
13-1 Mirage pic.twitter.com/Fo5lFZABef— ESL Counter-Strike (@ESLCS) August 11, 2024
Spirit has been sent packing from IEM Cologne following an embarrassing performance, which saw them win just four rounds in the clash with G2.
9z Team joined Spirit in last place after they were eliminated from Cologne by paiN Gaming in a back-and-forth three-map series, with paiN completing the reverse sweep after losing the first map.
Meanwhile, Natus Vincere (NaVi) and SAW secured their spots in the LANXESS Arena following their victories in the Group A upper bracket semi-finals.
NaVi proved too strong for Astralis and took the series 2-0 (13-4, 13-7).
SAW was pushed to their limits against The Mongolz, as they played all three maps and eventually claimed the series 2-1 (13-16, 13-7, 13-10).
The IEM Cologne group stage will continue on Monday, with two elimination matches scheduled to kick off the day.
Monday’s IEM Cologne group stage fixtures
- Team Liquid ($1.40) vs FURIA ($2.75) @ 1:30pm CEST
- Virtus.pro ($1.66) vs Falcons ($2.10) @ 1:30pm CEST
- Complexity ($3.00) vs MOUZ ($1.36) @ 3:45pm CEST
- FaZe Clan ($2.37) vs Team Vitality ($1.53) @ 3:45pm CEST
- Astralis ($2.37) vs G2 ($1.53) @ 6:45pm CEST
- The Mongolz ($1.53) vs paiN Gaming ($2.37) @ 6:45pm CEST
]]>
VALORANT Champions 2024 will continue this week, with the first matches of the playoff stage taking place on Wednesday, August 14.
The group stage of IEM Cologne has already started and will run through Tuesday, August 13, before the playoffs begin on Friday, August 16.
Meanwhile, at the Esports World Cup in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, the Starcraft II and Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III tournaments will kick off on August 14 and 15, respectively.
-
VALORANT Champions
Just eight teams remain in the playoff stage of VALORANT Champions 2024, with DRX, Sentinels, Trace Esports, EDward Gaming, G2 Esports, Leviatan, Team Heretics and Fnatic advancing from their groups.
Due to the pre-tournament favourite, Gen.G, being knocked out in the group stage, any of the remaining teams will feel as though they can take out the season-ending event.
Check out our extensive VALORANT Champions betting guide betting guide to get the latest odds and tournament information.
-
CS2 IEM Cologne
IEM Cologne’s group stage kicked off on Saturday, with the eight invited teams being joined by the eight qualifiers from the play-in stage.
Following the first two days of the stage, the pre-tournament favourite, Team Spirit, has been knocked out, with several upsets featured in the early series of the prestigious Counter-Strike 2 event.
Check out our extensive IEM Cologne betting guide to get the latest odds and tournament information.
-
Call of Duty Esports World Cup
Call of Duty will debut at the Esports World Cup this week, with the world’s best CoD teams competing in the four-day event that boasts a prize pool of US$1.8 million.
Top esports betting sites have Atlanta FaZe marked as the $3.00 favourite ahead of OpTic Gaming ($3.25) and Cloud9 ($3.50) to take out the Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III EWC title.
Check out our extensive Call of Duty EWC betting guide to get the latest odds and tournament information.
-
Starcraft II Esports World Cup
The richest Starcraft II event on the calendar is set to kick off on August 14, with the top 18 players taking their place in the US$1,000,000 event.
Top esports bookmakers have Serral marked as the overwhelming $1.44 favourite to take out the Starcraft II EWC title, with Maru ($8.50) and Dark ($10.50) on the second and third lines of betting.
Check out our extensive Starcraft II EWC betting guide to get the latest odds and tournament information.
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In a series of thrilling Counter-Strike clashes, FURIA, 9z Team, Falcons, The MongolZ, and paiN Gaming emerged victorious, advancing to the next phase of the tournament.
FURIA secured their place in the group stage after a hard-fought 2-1 (13-11, 8-13, 13-11) win over Heroic in the lower bracket.
The Brazilian squad, led by Felipe “?skullz?” Medeiros, delivered a standout performance.
Skullz shone on Mirage with a 1.41 rating, playing a crucial role in a final-round 2v5 clutch alongside Kaike “?KSCERATO?” Cerato.
Though FURIA��s decision to pick Anubis backfired, they recovered on Nuke, where skullz’ pivotal plays on the terrorist side kept them in the game.
A clutch 1v3 attempt by Damjan “kyxsan” Stoilkovski was thwarted, and despite a brief scare at 12-10, FURIA closed out the match thanks to skullz’s triple kill in the final round.
.@FURIA outlast @heroicgg on the final map in order to advance at #IEM Cologne 2024
13-11 Mirage
8-13 Anubis
13-11 Nuke pic.twitter.com/MyjFDJHFbT— Intel? Extreme Masters (@IEM) August 9, 2024
9z continued their impressive run by defeating regional rivals MIBR 2-0 (16-13, 13-2) to secure a group stage spot.
After a tight battle on Ancient, where 9z staged a comeback from a likely defeat, they dominated Nuke.
MIBR showed initial promise with a clever play in yard but were outplayed by 9z��s tactical prowess.
A near-heroic 1vs5 attempt by Raphael “?exit?” Lacerda was denied by Franco “?dgt?” Garcia, as 9z cruised to a 13-2 victory to close out the series.
A dominant performance from @9zTeam on their pick sees them beat @MIBR 2-0 in order to secure a seat in the next stage at #IEM Cologne
16-13 Ancient
13-2 Nuke pic.twitter.com/T8kdXZFX2S— Intel? Extreme Masters (@IEM) August 9, 2024
Falcons overcame BIG 2-1 (13-7, 10-13, 13-10) in a three-map series to qualify for the group stage.
The win was a much-needed morale boost for Falcons, with Emil “?Magisk?” Reif praising ��lvaro “?SunPayus?” Garc��a��s standout performance.
BIG’s pick of Dust2 proved disastrous as they fell behind 2-10 in the first half.
Although they made a minor comeback, Falcons’ victory was never in doubt.
Mirage was more competitive, with BIG breaking their losing streak on the map thanks to a desert eagle 4k from Rigon “?rigoN?” Gashi.
However, Falcons closed out the series on Anubis, with SunPayus leading the charge on the counter-terrorist side.
.@SunPayuscs shines as @TeamFalconsGG take Anubis and win the series vs @BIGCLANgg 2-1 locking themselves into Stage 2 of #IEM Cologne!
13-7 Dust 2
10-13 Mirage
13-10 Anubis pic.twitter.com/JXmnPjjw3H— Intel? Extreme Masters (@IEM) August 9, 2024
The MongolZ secured their group stage spot after a nail-biting 2-1 (4-13, 13-8, 16-14) victory over Eternal Fire.
The Mongolian team rebounded from a rough start on Anubis and capitalized on a shaky performance from Ismailcan “?XANTARES?” D?rtkarde? on Mirage.
Despite a strong counter-terrorist half from XANTARES on Nuke, The MongolZ’s aggressive plays, particularly from Garidmagnai “?bLitz?” Byambasuren, helped them secure the win in overtime.
Eternal Fire’s leader, Engin “?MAJ3R?” K��peli, took responsibility for the loss, citing strategic errors on the terrorist side of Nuke.
.@1mongolz have done it!
They take down @eternalfiregg 2-1 after a close fight in order to advance at #IEM Cologne 2024
4-13 Anubis
13-8 Mirage
16-14 Nuke pic.twitter.com/etTpH3xn5X— Intel? Extreme Masters (@IEM) August 9, 2024
In a domestic derby, paiN defeated MIBR 2-1 (13-10, 4-13, 13-3) to clinch the final group stage spot.
The series began with a close contest on Mirage, with paiN edging out a 13-10 win thanks to a crucial play by Rodrigo “?biguzera?” Bittencourt.
MIBR bounced back on Anubis, dominating with a 13-4 victory.
However, paiN responded with a commanding performance on Vertigo, where a second-round forcebuy set the tone for their 13-3 victory.
The win secured paiN��s place in the group stage, while MIBR was eliminated from the tournament after back-to-back losses on the final day of the play-in stage.
These teams will now join the group stage of IEM Cologne, where they will face even tougher competition in their quest for the title.
The final spot in #IEM Cologne Stage 2 will go the way of @paiNGamingBR after taking down their country men in @MIBR 2-1
13-10 Mirage
4-13 Anubis
13-3 pic.twitter.com/sB6p4bVucD— Intel? Extreme Masters (@IEM) August 9, 2024
IEM Cologne groups
Group A
- Natus Vincere
- paiN Gaming
- Astralis
- 9z Team
- G2 Esports
- SAW
- Team Spirit
- The Mongolz
Group B
- MOUZ
- Falcons
- Virtus.pro
- Complexity
- FaZe Clan
- Team Liquid
- Team Vitality
- FURIA
]]>
Liquid demonstrated their resilience and depth by overcoming FURIA 2-1 in a dramatic reverse-sweep, where the new and improved Counter-Strike 2 roster continued their upward spiral.
A reverse sweep sees @TeamLiquidCS best @FURIA 2-1 in their advancement match
Anubis 8-13
Nuke 13-11
Mirage 13-7 pic.twitter.com/8Jp8rE9YUP— Intel? Extreme Masters (@IEM) August 8, 2024
After dropping their Anubis pick, Liquid found themselves in trouble but bounced back on Nuke.
Key performances from Russel “?Twistzz?” Van Dulken and Roland “?ultimate?” Tomkowiak helped Liquid turn the tide.
The decider on Mirage saw Liquid dominate, with Justin “?jks?” Savage and Keith “?NAF?” Markovic anchoring both ends of the map, allowing Mareks “YEKINDAR” Ga?inskis and ultimate to roam freely.
Liquid’s strong map pool and adaptability carried them to victory, with a final win securing their spot in the top-16.
It went to DOUBLE OT but @ComplexityCS still defeat @eternalfiregg 2-0 in order to advance at #IEM Cologne 2024 without dropping a map in Stage 1
13-9 Vertigo
19-17 Dust 2 pic.twitter.com/BCEKQbOL1q— Intel? Extreme Masters (@IEM) August 8, 2024
Complexity also punched their ticket to the group stage with a hard-fought 2-0 victory over Eternal Fire.
After a rough start on Vertigo, Complexity managed a comeback, fueled by a 1vs3 pistol clutch and stellar terrorist-side play from Jonathan “?EliGE?” Jablonowski.
The battle on Dust2 was even more intense, with Complexity and Eternal Fire trading rounds in a messy but entertaining match.
Michael “?Grim?” Wince’s 1vs2 ace clutch was pivotal, and despite some shaky moments, Johnny “?JT?” Theodosiou’s clutch in double overtime secured the win.
And it's @sawggofficial who best @BIGCLANgg over the 3 map series to secure their spot in #IEM Cologne Stage 2!
7-13 Anubis
13-5 Ancient
13-11 Inferno pic.twitter.com/AylbhdCrFk— Intel? Extreme Masters (@IEM) August 8, 2024
SAW became the first team to advance to the group stage from the play-in.
The Portuguese squad triumphed over BIG in a three-map series that culminated in a nail-biting Inferno decider.
After trading each other’s map picks, SAW came back from a deficit on Inferno, with Jo?o “?story?” Vieira’s 1vs2 clutch in the final round sealing the victory.
The win was a significant milestone for veterans Ricardo “?roman?” Oliveira and Christopher “?MUTiRiS?” Fernandes, who credited their younger teammates for the success.
While those three teams have qualified for the main event at IEM Cologne, FlyQuest, 3DMAX and ALTERNATE aTTaX were eliminated from the play-in stage on Thursday after suffering their second loss.
Friday will be the final day of the play-in stage, and the remaining 10 squads will battle it out for the last five places in the main event.
Friday’s IEM Cologne play-in matches
- 9z Team ($1.44) vs MIBR ($2.62) @ 1:30pm CEST
- Imperial ($2.50) vs paiN Gaming ($1.50) @ 1:30pm CEST
- BIG ($2.25) vs Falcons ($1.57) @ 3:45pm CEST
- FURIA ($1.83) vs Heroic ($1.83) @ 3:45pm CEST
- The Mongolz ($1.61) vs Eternal Fire ($2.20) @ 6:45pm CEST
- Winner of Imperial/paiN Gaming vs Loser of MIBR/9z Team @ 6:45pm CEST
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The first day produced some upset results, with The Mongolz and Heroic going down as the esports betting sites’ favourite in their opening best-of-three series.
The Mongolz are on the brink of elimination at IEM Cologne after a 1-2 loss to SAW, faltering on defence.
BIG, on the other hand, managed a comeback victory over FlyQuest after initially blowing a 9-3 lead.
These two winners will face off for a spot in the main event of the tournament.
SAW, energised and well-prepared under new head coach Danny “?BERRY?” Kr��ger, overcame a slow start on Anubis.
They trailed 4-8 on the counter-terrorist side but rallied in the second half, exploiting The MongolZ’s weak B bomb site.
Despite a comeback from The Mongolz forcing overtime, SAW secured a 16-13 win.
After The Mongolz won on Ancient, SAW dominated Dust2, with key contributions from Jo?o ‘story’ Vieira, Michel ‘ewjerkz’ Pinto, and Rafael ‘arrozdoce’ Wing, to win 13-5.
.@BIGCLANgg put a stop to the @FlyQuestCS comeback at the last hour! The German squad opens their #IEM Cologne 2024 campaign with a victory
14-16 Ancient
13-10 Inferno
13-11 Vertigo pic.twitter.com/B9DTOIWTD7— Intel? Extreme Masters (@IEM) August 7, 2024
BIG’s match against FlyQuest was similarly dramatic.
After trading 9-3 terrorist halves and forcing overtime, FlyQuest took the lead.
BIG responded by winning on Inferno and dominating Vertigo with a 10-0 start.
FlyQuest attempted a comeback, but BIG held on for a 13-11 victory.
MIBR, under new in-game leader Andr�� “?drop?” Abreu, defeated Heroic 2-1.
Heroic struggled on the defensive side, losing 7-13 on Mirage and Anubis after a strong start on Ancient.
MIBR’s Felipe “?insani?” Yuji and AWPer Rafael “?saffee?” Costa were standout performers.
.@MIBR take down @heroicgg 2-1 in their opening game of #IEM Cologne 2024
10-13 Ancient
13-7 Mirage
13-7 Anubis pic.twitter.com/GtNPlIX1xR— Intel? Extreme Masters (@IEM) August 7, 2024
The next phase will see 3DMAX face Heroic in an elimination match, and 9z Team take on MIBR for a group stage spot.
9z easily defeated 3DMAX 13-3 and 13-4, showcasing star player Franco “?dgt?” Garcia and captain Maximiliano “?max?” Gonzalez.
Eternal Fire is close to securing a spot in the main event after a 2-1 win over Falcons.
The match saw standout performances from Ismailcan “?XANTARES?” D?rtkarde? on Vertigo and ?zg��r “?woxic?” Eker on Dust2, despite some sloppy play from both teams.
Team Liquid and FURIA won their opening matches, defeating paiN Gaming and Imperial, respectively.
Liquid, coming off strong performances at BLAST Premier Fall Groups, overcame paiN with solid terrorist-side efforts on Anubis and Inferno.
FURIA’s Brazilian derby against Imperial saw them recover from a disastrous start on Dust2 to win the series 2-1, highlighted by a 13-0 thrashing on Inferno.
Day one of #IEM Cologne 2024 and we've seen it all.
A back and forth affair that goes 3 maps until @FURIA decided to end it with a 13-0 against @imperialesports
3-13 Dust 2
13-11 Nuke
13-0 Inferno pic.twitter.com/Os0naPYZyI— Intel? Extreme Masters (@IEM) August 7, 2024
Thursday’s IEM Cologne play-in fixtures
- SAW ($1.80) vs BIG ($1.90) @ 1:30pm CEST
- The Mongolz ($1.40) vs FlyQuest ($2.75) @ 1:30pm CEST
- 3DMAX ($2.25) vs Heroic ($1.57) @ 3:45pm CEST
- FURIA ($2.62) vs Team Liquid ($1.44) @ 3:45pm CEST
- ALTERNATE aTTaX ($7.00) vs Falcons ($1.08) @ 6:45pm CEST
- Complexity ($2.10) vs Eternal Fire ($1.66) @ 6:45pm CEST
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