Missed the motion from the second spherical of the IEM Rio Main? Fear not. We’ve acquired you.
Following a stunning, unpredictable Challengers Stage, the Intel Excessive Masters Rio Main returned for an equally stunning Legends Stage. As has change into the norm for this Main, there have been loads of surprises and upsets so as to add to the pre-existing drama, with maybe the largest shock of all being that the defending Main champions are not within the operating. The crowds have been greater, the noise was louder, and the video games have been extra hype. Right here’s a fast take a look at all of the stuff that went down.
Spherical 1
The Bo1s started with a jaw-dropper as MOUZ completely dismantled Liquid with a 16-2 thumping on Inferno, selecting up no fewer than a whopping 13 rounds on the T-side. Afterward, Group Spirit welcomed the kids of Unhealthy Information Eagles to the Legends Stage with a complete 16-8 victory on Historical, ignoring their opponents’ defensive efforts to get 9 straight rounds on the T-side to shut the sport.
Defending champions FaZe Clan took the primary of their Ls in opposition to Cloud9 16-14 on Overpass, with the CIS gamers coming again after being down 13-4 at one level. Following this, German outfit BIG continued their type from the Challengers Stage with a 16-11 triumph in opposition to shock Legends Sprout on Vertigo.
As anticipated, Natus Vincere vs Group Vitality was an absolute thriller that went all the way in which after which some. The match lastly ended within the third bout of Time beyond regulation with the Ukrainians closing Mirage 25-21. In the meantime, Heroic started their journey with a commanding 16-9 victory in opposition to Outsiders on Overpass.
FURIA made brief work of ENCE on Vertigo to the delight of the gang, conceding solely 6 rounds in the middle of a win that includes a brutal 10 rounds on the T-side. The ultimate match of Spherical 1 noticed the oldest El Classico of CSGO within the type of Ninjas in Pyjamas vs Fnatic — on Inferno no much less — which the latter took 16-13.
Spherical 2
Among the many Excessive matches, MOUZ’s dream run on the Main got here to a crashing finish as they misplaced 16-7 to a resurgent BIG on Mirage. In the meantime, C9 made one more CT-side comeback — from 13-7 down in opposition to Na’ Vi on Mirage this time — to emerge victorious by the barest of margins in regulation time.
Regardless of a rock-solid CT-side on Mirage consisting of 11 rounds to their title, Spirit hit a brick wall referred to as FURIA whereas attacking, and misplaced 16-13. A robust Mirage CT-side was additionally the primary characteristic of the ultimate sport of the Excessive group, by which Fnatic have been humiliated 16-2 by an unstoppable Heroic.
On the decrease facet of the matches, Liquid took out their frustration from yesterday on Sprout, thrashing them 16-5 on Inferno. Subsequent up, to the shock of many, FaZe might solely rating yet one more than Sprout on the identical map besides in opposition to Vitality, who took a whopping 12 rounds on the T-side.
ENCE picked up their first win of the Main 16-7 on Historical in opposition to a hapless BNE after displaying an ironclad protection, and Outsiders took out NIP comfortably regardless of a comparatively shut scoreline of 16-12 on Mirage.
Spherical 3
With the Legends Stage heating up, two groups have been able to take their spot within the playoffs. Cloud9 merely outclassed Heroic on each Vertigo and Inferno for twin 16-9 victories, taking a whopping 20 complete T-side rounds over the course of the 2 maps. Within the different Excessive match, FURIA have been much more dominant as they subjected BIG to 16-9 and 16-6 defeats on Nuke and Vertigo, respectively.
The final of the Bo1 matches have been extraordinarily intense as Liquid nearly edged out Na’ Vi on Historical after getting back from an terrible 12-3 first half. MOUZ and Vitality went the gap and a bit extra because the French facet misplaced 19-17 in Time beyond regulation on good outdated Mirage.
The CIS conflict between Spirits and Outsiders led to climactic style on the thirtieth spherical on Mud 2, with the latter nearly pulling in clutch on the final second. Fnatic vs ENCE, nonetheless, was a lot easier because the Swedish facet gained 16-7 on Nuke.
Down on the Low facet, Faze’s horror Main continued (or fairly, ceased to proceed) as, regardless of an impressed comeback within the second map, they misplaced the sequence 16-19, 16-8, and 22-20 to BNE on Vertigo, Nuke, and Mirage respectively. The final match of the day noticed one other crew that lots of people anticipated within the playoffs crashing out 3-0 within the type of NIP, who have been overwhelmed 16-11 and 16-14 on Vertigo and Historical by a tenacious Sprout.
Spherical 4
With qualification to the Playoffs or going through the dreaded Spherical 5 being the choices, the Excessive groups had so much on the road. Outsiders went 16-10 in consecutive video games on Overpass and Inferno to skip previous MOUZ and into the Champions Stage. Subsequent up, Fnatic continued their good type to push regional rivals BIG into the fifth day after taking Overpass 16-14 and Mirage 16-7. Lastly, Heroic swept Liquid apart 16-8 on Vertigo earlier than the People bounced again with a 16-5 stomp on Mirage, however the former would have the final chortle with a 16-11 win on Overpass.
On the spicier facet of issues, Na’ Vi confirmed their mettle with a cushty 16-3 (Historical) and 16-9 (Nuke) sweep to knock out BNE. In the meantime, ENCE disposed of the primary ranked crew on the earth, Vitality, with outcomes of 16-12 on Vertigo and 19-15 on Nuke. Lastly, Spirit lived to struggle one other day after taking out Sprout 16-9 and 16-8 on Nuke and Vertigo.
Spherical 5
This deep into the Legends Stage, solely 6 groups remained, with half having a shot at final glory. MOUZ crushed ENCE on Historical 16-5, the Finnish crew with no Finnish gamers got here again with a 16-8 bang on Nuke, and MOUZ closed out the sequence with a 16-9 win on Mirage to qualify for the playoffs of a Main as a corporation for less than the second time in historical past.
BIG mentioned arguably the toughest goodbye to the Main, dropping solely certainly one of their first six matches solely to crash out throughout the final 3 sequence. They definitely gave Na’ Vi a run for his or her cash, however the CIS squad made it to the Playoffs with comfortably 16-12 and 16-11 wins on Mirage and Mud 2 again to again.
Lastly, any remaining hopes the NA area could have had have been snuffed out by Group Spirit, who beat Group Liquid 2-1 of their sequence to achieve their first-ever Main playoffs. The Jap European facet beat their opponents 16-10 on Vertigo earlier than dropping 16-12 on Mirage, however they clinched the third map, Historical, 16-13 to shut the sequence and guarantee secure passage into the Champions Stage.
IEM Rio Main Evaluation
With the highest seed secured due to their Buchholz Rating, C9 has outdone any expectations anybody could have had after seeing them lose their first two video games manner again within the Challengers Stage. These blips are however a distant reminiscence now as they transfer into the Playoffs to face MOUZ with sky-high morale. On the opposite finish, the kids of MOUZ don’t have anything to lose, and can look to do their greatest no matter some other components.
The organizations of each Fnatic and Outsiders could also be nearly as outdated as aggressive Counter-Strike itself, however Outsiders’ present squad doesn’t have a lot Main expertise, with just one participant has performed a Main remaining — which he misplaced to Astralis. The identical is true for Fnatic, besides their solely Main remaining participant really gained two of them whereas additionally dropping one. Each groups have the whole lot to show and have already surpassed most peoples’ expectations — particularly Fnatic.
Heroic have regarded very sturdy throughout their run by way of the Legends Stage, however there have been some cracks. Spirit will likely be seeking to exploit mentioned cracks in any manner they’ll, they usually’ll be doing so free from the burden of expectations, however filled with the anxiousness and stress of an expertise they’re unfamiliar with.
FURIA has loved immense, borderline ridiculous help in Rio, and will likely be a power for a shaky Na’ Vi to reckon with so long as momentum is on their facet they usually have the gang chanting. That’s to not say that the ever-popular Ukrainian facet gained’t have a barrage of help in Rio, although, and it’ll ultimately come right down to particular person performances and crew strats.
Be sure you verify in after each Playoff day for a recap of the day’s play.
