Day one of the PGL Major Kraków 2017 has concluded and with it the first round of the Swiss group stage, with eight teams on each side of the 1-0 and 0-1 win/loss ratios.
Below are the standings for Round #1 of the Swiss group stage:
| 1-0 Win/Loss | 0-1 Win/Loss |
|---|---|
 Gambit Esports |  mousesports |
 Fnatic |  FlipSid3 Tactics |
 Virtus.pro |  Vega Squadron |
 SK Gaming | PENTA Sports |
 BIG | FaZe Clan |
 Cloud9 |  North |
 G2 Esports | Natus Vincere |
| Astralis | Immortals |
Gambit Esports vs. mousesports - 1-0
de_Inferno - 16:10 (7:8, 9:2)
The first match of the day saw mousesports kick off to a spectacular start. In round 1 Gambit managed to secure a bomb plant on the B bomb site, making the best of a bad situation that saw three members of the roster fall to the USP-S of Tomáš "oskar" Š?astný. A rather peculiar buy was seen from Gambit in round two, as four members barring Rustem "AdreN" Kystaubayev were working with pistols, whilst the Kazakh was wielding an AK-47. On this occasion the star player was unable to produce, with mouz securing a 2:0 lead. A similar theme was seen throughout the following three rounds, as mousesports were extending their surplus to the best of their ability at 5:0. Round six finally saw the Kazakh majority team land their first digit, the team also coupled it with a bomb plant to better their economic situation. Securing quite the consecutive round streak themselves, Gambit managed to go from zilch to a 6:5 lead upon the conclusion of their winning streak. The concluding four rounds of the initial half saw the majority distributing to mousesports, with Gambit grabbing one for the road at 7:8 in favour of mouz.
The latter half saw Gambit on the defence, whereby the team were able to come out on top of a post plant situation. Able to retake the B bomb site through a man advantage, Gambit were on their way back after an 8:8 equaliser in the sixteenth round. Despite conceding the first two rounds of the latter half, Mousesports managed to secure bomb plants in both, a factor that greatly contributed to their victory in round three of the second half. The European mix managed to scrape together some sort of a mixed buy, where we saw three Tec9s and two SMGs, and despite the distinct lack of heavy firepower the team ended up snatching the round to once again equalise at 9:9. Unfortunately nothing was secured off the back of this development, as Gambit proceeded to consistently fend off the aggressors in dominant fashion. Five rounds fell in their favour after the loss, with the CIS representatives just two rounds away from victory. Five Tec9s were seen from mousesports in round twenty-four, all of which advanced onto banana in a desperate effort to get back into the match. The plan worked out, as three defending members of Gambit were caught off guard and subsequently culled as mousesports proceeded to plan the bomb on the B bomb site and secure the round. The effort was spectacular; however the team was too far gone at this point, as Gambit Esports managed the final two rounds needed to close out the best-of-one at 16:10.
Fnatic vs. FlipSid3 Tactics - 1-0
de_Mirage - 16:12 (7:8, 9:4)
FlipSid3 Tactics commenced the map with a convincing pistol round victory on the T side. The CIS representatives opted to rush the A bomb site, immediately taking on defensive positions after planting the bomb. With great efficiency the team was able to dispatch Fnatic without losing a single member. Round two saw Fnatic make a dent in FlipSid3's economy, however at the end of the day rifles win pistols, with the Challengers scoring two. A further four victories fell into the hands of the leader, as hyper-aggressive site takes consistently caught the defending Swedes off guard. Come round seven Fnatic finally were able to get themselves on the map, as the team was able to come up with an answer to F3's aggressive site advances. A spectacular performance from Jesper "JW" Wecksell and Robin "flusha" Rönnquist on the AWP made up for losses, as well as the first digit for their team at 1:6. Inspired by his teammates' previous performance, Dennis "dennis" Edmann showed up in round eight demonstrating a 4k onto his opponents. The teams exchanged a round each, with Fnatic dropping the ball as Olof "olofmeister" Kajbjer was caught out of position in kitchen, placing his teammate Freddy "KRiMZ" Johansson in a 1v2 situation which he was unable to clutch. Come round eleven we saw a crazy performance from Denis "electronic" Sharipov, who was capable of clutching out a 1v4 situation against some of the most seasoned Swedish CS:GO pros in the world, securing an 8:4 score for his team. A key round from Fnatic on the 14th, as a 2v3 situation was converted into a 1v1 by Fnatic's AWPer, Jesper "JW" Wecksell. Two rapid kills from the Swede led to a salvageable situation for teammate Freddy "KRiMZ" Johansson, who didn't disappoint, bringing his team their sixth round at 6:8. Fnatic also closed the final round of the initial half, making quite the return at 7:8.
Fnatic continue their comeback into the match by succeeding in the pistol round. A fast A site take, reminiscent of that which FlipSid3 adored so much in the prior half proved to be effective, as the Swedes equalised the score at 8:8. A large investment from the CTs, as the team opted to purchase full armour in addition to four upgraded pistols and a scout. This proved to be a mistake, as Fnatic rushed onto the B bomb site, and dealt with the defence in swift fashion. A few rifles were taken as collateral, however FlipSid3's economy was in tatters, a price the Swedes were willing to pay for. Round eighteen was extremely action-packed, as Fnatic very nearly dropped the ball despite a clear equipment advantage. It all came down to a 1v2 situation for Olof "olofmeister" Kajbjer who on this occasion delivered, dispatching both CTs, securing his team a two round surplus over the opposition at 10:8. The decision to constantly force buy from FlipSid3 had its negative consequences, as the team was once again faced with a terrible buy that saw a scout and upgraded pistols. In addition to conceding the previous round, the CIS mix lost another, allowing Fnatic an even stronger position at 12:8. After losing five rounds in a row, FlipSid3 were finally at the maximum monetary round loss bonus and as a consequence able to purchase decent rifles and utility. The team was able to find their first round of the half at 9:12, as Jesper "JW" Wecksell found himself in a 1v2 that he chose not to pursue, instead opting to save an AWP for better times. Better times were indeed ahead, as Fnatic were able to outshine their opponents in two consecutive rounds, donning a 14:9 score with just two rounds away from a victory. A successful B site take from the Swedes inched them even closer to their goal at 15:9. In addition to a round victory the team managed to dispatch most members of the opposition, leading to a crippled buy in the next. Against all odds the CIS reps were able to repel the Ts from the A bomb site, largely thanks to superior positioning and crossfires. Hanging in the match at 10:15, FlipSid3 managed to force Fnatic into a pistol buy, as the Swedes were struggling monetarily in round twenty-six. Not a lot was done with the upgraded secondary weapons, with FlipSid3 at 11:15. Another pistol buy from Fnatic saw a close situation with Freddy "KRiMZ" Johansson wielding a Tec9 in a 1v2 against rifles, which naturally didn't fall in his favour, as FlipSid3 slowly mount resurgence at 12:15. Finally able to purchase equipment Fnatic closed the map, as an A site take saw the defence stumble and break, conceding the map at 12:16.
Virtus.pro vs. Vega Squadron - 1-0
de_Nuke - 16:2 (13:2, 3:0)
Home crowd favourites Virtus.pro commence the map on the T side of the map. Round one was accrued by VP, as a B site take yielded a positive outcome. The Poles lost Filip "NEO" Kubski early on, however a 2k from Viktor "TaZ" Wojtas made up for the loss by dispatching two members of the defence, producing a 4v3 advantage for his team. All three remaining members of Vega were fragged, with Virtus.pro leading at 1:0. A mixed from Virtus.pro in the follow up, with a mix of AK47s and UMP45s. The latter shredded the under geared roster of Vega Squadron. Sergey "keshandr" Nikishin found himself in a 1v5 situation in round three, where he managed to dispatch two members of Virtus.pro, however it was impossible for him to clutch it out, leading to a 3:0 lead for V.P. Despite finally being able to purchase decent equipment, the underdogs were unable to find an exit out of the losing streak, conceding not only the gun round, but also the following, exacerbating their deficit to 0:5. Vega Squadron finally got the digit in round six, where Janusz "Snax" Pogorzelski was the final man standing for Virtus.pro in a post-plant situation. Pavel "hutji" Lashkov stuck the defuse whilst teammate Nikolay "mir" Bityukov faced the Pole. Whilst the face off was unsuccessful for MiR, the defuse came through and Vega found their first round of the map at 1:5. The CIS representatives' economy had stabilised slightly following a victory, however this wasn't the case for long, as more losses were in stock for the team. The following six saw a recurring theme whereby the Poles consitently outfragged the defence with minimal loss, eventually leading to a growing economy. At a certain point members on Virtus.pro saw five digit bankrolls. On round eleven a great performance was seen from Nikolay "mir" Bityukov, who dispatched three members of Virtus.pro and managed to save an AWP going into the next round, however an additional digit was not accrued, as the bomb eventually ticked away and exploded. The second round of the map for Vega was secured on round twelve, where Pavel "hutji" Lashkov and Nikolay "mir" Bityukov accounted for four members of Virtus.pro with two frags each, greatly increasing the probability of a victory. Leonid "chopper" Vishnyakov closed it out, producing a 2:10 score line. Three rounds remained for the first half, all of which were accrued by Virtus.pro. A monstrous performance to note from V.P's star player Janusz "Snax" Pogorzelski, as he managed to clutch a 1v2 situation in round twenty-four, further extending the teams lead.
A brawl of a second pistol, where Vega Squadron very nearly secure a victory through equalising the body count at 2v2; however great positioning from Filip "NEO" Kubski meant three frags in his name, closing the lid on any possibility of a comeback on Vega's part. The following round saw a pistol buy from VS, unfortunately it simply didn't work out, as rifles were bought by Virtus.pro and utilised effectively, dispatching all members of the Challenger team. A swift final round of the series as Vega Squadron leap into the abyss, all members falling to a dominant Virtus.pro at 2:16.
SK Gaming vs. PENTA Sports - 1-0
de_Inferno - 16:13 (10:5, 6:8)
Reigning #1 SK Gaming takes on the underdogs of PENTA Sports on a map fitting for such a hot match-up, de_Inferno. The Brazilians commenced with an absolute shooting range of an engagement, where a crossfire between Gabriel "FalleN" Toledo and Fernando "fer" Alvarenga acted as a mincing machine for PENTA. The team's captain accounted for two frags, whilst the cold-blooded rifler one-upped his leader by landing three. SK didn't falter in the following two rounds, securing a 3:0 lead whilst the advantage was on their side. On PENTA's first full buy the team sustained two AWP frags from the hands of SK's AWPer Gabriel "FalleN" Toledo and someone widely considered to be best player in the world, Marcelo "coldzera" David, placing the team in a 3v5 situation. With few options available, all three remaining members of PENTA shifted towards the B site, where they received a warm welcome from the duo of Gabriel "FalleN" Toledo and Fernando "fer" Alvarenga, who removed the Europeans in systematic fashion. SK Gaming were the dominant team all the way through to the sixth round, where the team very nearly dropped the ball, as the European mix seemed to have the B stack figured out, able to dispatch the usual suspects in fer and FalleN. Replacing them was SK's most recent addition in Joao "felps" Vasconcellos, who managed to score triple frag spray down, severely hindering PENTA's chances of getting on the score board. Felps eventually fell, only to be backed up by Marcelo "coldzera" David, who was faced with a 1v1 situation against Miikka "suNny" Kemppi. The Brazilian kept his team's streak going by landing a beautiful jiggle-peak shot with the AWP. Switching things up, PENTA ventured to the A site, however nothing was found there either, as the duo of Joao "felps" Vasconcellos and Marcelo "coldzera" David reaped four members of the opposition, with Epitacio "TACO" de Melo cleaning up with one. With a broken economy, 0:8 down and lacking a single bomb plant over the entirety of the half PENTA's economy was in tatters, with the team opting to force up some Tec9s. No cigar for the team, as the deficit worsens to 0:9. The tenth round finally saw PENTA breach the defence, securing a bomb plant on the B bomb site. In a 2v3 situation the European mix made every attempt to hold the site, but a man advantage for SK meant the team advanced onto the site with full confidence, dispatching the two remaining members, as well as securing the defuse for a 10:0 streak. Another A site hit finally worked out for the European mix, as the team stormed in, spearheaded by Kevin "HS" Tarn, who fragged three Brazilians and made a massive contribution to the team as a result of his performance. The momentum transferred to the following rounds, as PENTA picked up two additional rounds, with the latter largely courtesy of Finnish representative, Miikka "suNny" Kemppi who abused a perfect crossfire and lack of information on SK's part to land 4 kills. Finally SK's financial cushion had fallen flat, and unable to purchase equipment the Brazilians fell to PENTA. Two rifles were salvaged by Joao "felps" Vasconcellos and Fernando "fer" Alvarenga by the end, however. The rifles didn't have much of an impact in the fifteenth round, as PENTA's Kevin "HS" Tarn leaped out of A apartments into short, spraying down two unsuspecting Brazilians and consequently opening up the round for his team. Found in a 1v4 situation Joao "felps" Vasconcellos managed a frag but that was the end of it, as PENTA soften the blow with a 5:10 finish on the T side.
Mind games from SK Gaming in the second pistol round, as they back off from an A site advance, only to hit the B site hard. The two defending members of PENTA were unable to find a frag, it didn't matter in the end, however, as the three remaining members of the team rushed onto the B site, dispatching the entirety of the Brazilian aggression, in turn securing their sixth consecutive round. A broken economy for SK translated into a seventh consecutive loss, as PENTA made quick work of the weakened giant. A few P250s on SK in the eighteenth round translated into their first latter half victory, as the European mix was caught off guard by Brazilian aggression. Three members of SK Gaming remained in a post-plant, all of which were swooped off their feet by Kevin "HS" Tarn who was looking at 3HP and a MP9 as his weapon of choice. The bomb was not defused, however money was accrued by the Estonian pro. Immediate resurgence from the European mix, as a failed B bomb site hit was met with strong impact from PENTA, with all members falling before reaching the bomb site. Another two pistol buys from SK, who were looking at a broken financial situation, were shut down by PENTA, producing a 10:11 score. Fully equipped the Brazilians made an attempt onto the B bomb site, but once again they were unable to show up, seemingly lost on the T side of the map. This led to an equaliser at 11:11, a result the Brazilians didn't entertain considering their initial half performance. Further spiralling from SK Gaming ensued, as they had finally conceded enough rounds to find themselves at an 11:13 deficit. Round twenty-five saw a mixed buy from SK Gaming, with two Galils, and AK-47 and a CZ-75, curiously it had worked out just find for them, as they managed to breach the B site defence, planting the bomb, as well as planting the bomb post-victory to supplement their finances. Another round that saw a swift A site advance from SK equalised the score line at thirteen apiece, pushing the map into an even closer situation for both teams. Round twenty-seven was pivotal, with a loss meaning a worsened economy for SK and hence a potential loss. It all came down to a 2v2 situation for Epitacio "TACO" de Melo and Marcelo "coldzera" David, and with a combined 21 HP the duo managed to persevere, with the latter landing three frags, whilst the prior managed a single frag in conclusion, furthering their team to a 14:13 score. On fire, Marcelo "coldzera" David found four kills in the following round, falling to Jesse "zehN" Linjala, who attempted to bring it back in a 1v2 situation, but couldn't allowing SK map round at 15:13. Round twenty-nine saw a comprehensive round victory for SK, as PENTA were working with SMGs and limited utility. Having rushed onto the bomb site, the Brazilians secured control of A site after an opening 2k from Marcelo "coldzera" David. This was followed up by a 3k from Gabriel "FalleN" Toledo, who closed out the map on a close 16:13 score line.
de_Inferno - 8:16 (7:8, 1:8)
FaZe Clan kick off on the defence of Inferno, where the team was able to upset despite working with a man disadvantage. Håvard "rain" Nygaard was the first line of defence on the A site, who managed to remove a single member of BIG, however this was followed up by a frag onto Fabien "kioShima" Fiey, Finn "karrigan" Andersen and a re-frag, leaving just two members of FaZe alive against four on BIG. Aleksi "allu" Jalli and Nikola "NiKo" Kova? remained, with the two sharing four frags equally come the end of the round. A pistol buy from BIG in the follow up was met by Håvard "rain" Nygaard and Aleksi "allu" Jalli, with all five members of BIG falling to their Famas and M4A1, respectively. In round three BIG's full buy was nigh, unfortunately the German roster was unable to capitalise falling to FaZe Clan for the third round in a row. In a further attempt to secure their first round of the half, BIG force bought pistols in round four, to no avail, as yet another shutdown from FaZe was secured. Round five finally saw BIG grab their first digit, losing but a single member in the fray. A B site hit proved effective, as the team landed a bomb plant, a frag onto Fabien "kioShima" Fiey post-plant, with all members of FaZe barring Håvard "rain" Nygaard "kicking the bucket". The following round saw a B site bomb plant from BIG, with the defence being dealt with in ruthless fashion. Looking at a weakened economy the European mix opted to save equipment on their three remaining members, conceding yet another round to the German team. One round away from equalising, BIG kept the pressure on, as the team once again hit the B site, leaving a lonely Håvard "rain" Nygaard in a 1v3 situation. He was subsequently fragged, bringing BIG to a 3:4 score. An equaliser was found for BIG at 4:4, as they find their fourth consecutive round victory against a FaZe Clan exclusively equipped with pistols. Breaking their loss streak, FaZe managed to accrue round nine after fragging three members of BIG. The Germans decided to save their equipment instead of trying for a round, allowing FaZe back into the lead at 5:4. Aleksi "allu" Jalli and Nikola "NiKo" Kova? stepped up for their team in round ten, securing three and two frags respectively, single-handedly shutting down their opponents. A brawl of a round ensued after this spectacular performance, as Håvard "rain" Nygaard and Nikola "LEGIJA" Nini? dispatch three members of their respective opponents, leading to a 2v2 situation. Finn "karrigan" Andersen fragged LEGIJA, leading to a 2v1 situation for FaZe. Johannes "nex" Maget was the last man standing for BIG, a man who was able to take care of both remaining members of FaZe, securing the round for his team at 5:6. Unable to find a decent buy in the following two rounds, FaZe conceded the lead to their opponents, who managed to leap ahead at 7:6. In conclusion the teams exchange a round each, with BIG getting the better of FaZe Clan come half time at 9:6.
No luck for FaZe come the second pistol round, as Johannes "tabseN" Wodarz scored a 3k onto the European mix, crippling their opponents' chances of victory. The final two members of FaZe fell, further worsening the deficit at 10:6. Round seventeen saw a full SMG buy from BIG, whereby the team racked up some funds for rounds to come. Not a single casualty was sustained on the team, a perfect situation for the underdogs. Some more of the prior for BIG, as round eighteen worked out the same way as the prior for the Germans, who were now looking at a four round lead at 11:7. Very nearly was the sole Finn of the match able to clutch a round into his team's favour, but unfortunately this was impeded by an uncomfortable 1v2 situation, where awkward positioning coupled with a disadvantage saw Aleksi "allu" Jalli frag one of the two remaining members of BIG, whilst the other defused the bomb. Both members saved their equipment, however FaZe were falling further down at 7:12. Round twenty saw FaZe enter the meat grinder on bomb site B, as a crossfire from Johannes "tabseN" Wodarz and Johannes "nex" Maget utterly decimated any chance of survival for FaZe. With only a single round victory, things were looking dire for the European mix. Superior positioning and crossfires seemed to be the theme of the match for BIG, proving incredibly effective against the loose/puggy style FaZe brought to the table. Two additional rounds were conceded, with BIG looking at map point at 15:7. In round twenty-three all that FaZe Clan were able to afford was a mix of two UMP45s, two AK-47s and a Tec9. Odds stacked against them in severe fashion, the mix charged head first into the fray. It was down to superstar Nikola "NiKo" Kova? in a 1v2 situation, where the Serbian CS:GO prodigy dispatched both remaining BIG members in Johannes "tabseN" Wodarz and Johannes "nex" Maget, securing the first round victory from his team, as well as extending its life in the match-up. Giving up too much of a lead, FaZe fell in round twenty-four, as a 2v3 situation for the losing team was unsalvageable, as Kevin "keev" Bartholomäus fragged the final two members of FaZe, defusing the bomb immediately after this spectacular performance that ultimately secured his team a victory at 16:8.
de_Mirage - 12:16 (7:8, 5:8)
North commence Mirage on the T side of affairs, where the Danes find a flawless pistol round, where Emil "magisk" Reif found himself a 2k to open things up. In an aggressive decision the Americans opted to force a pistol buy in the following round, and very nearly managed to upset their European opponents, however they ultimately fell short as Emil "magisk" Reif and Kristian "k0nfig" Wienecke dismantled four members of Cloud9 between them. Nothing was to be found by Cloud9 in round three, as a flawless round was played out by North to secure a 3:0 lead. The time came for the Americans to purchase a full set of equipment, a factor that was no doubt crucial in initiating their comeback into the match. Whilst round four saw two members of Cloud9 fall, in the following round the entire roster was dismantled without losing a single member of their own. Three more rounds on top of the previously mentioned, not only closing the gap, but also securing a lead for Cloud9 at 5:3. Nothing of notice was seen in round nine as Cloud9 simply continued their domination on the CT side, however round ten saw Counter-Strike Veteran, Jordan "n0thing" Gilbert step up to the task and cull no less than four members of the Danish side in quick succession, in turn extending his team's lead to 7:3. The first buy round victory for North happened in round eleven, whereby a strong opening on A bomb site turned into a consequent victory. Shaky moments were seen for both teams, as Tyler "Skadoodle" Latham was able to secure two frags with the AWP, only to be shut down by Philip "aizy" Aistrup. After Cloud9's captain, Jake "Stewie2k" Yip fell, it was all down to the "King of Reddit" Mike "shroud" Grzesiek, who unfortunately was unable to make it to the top, falling to the AK-47 of Kristian "k0nfig" Wienecke. In the following round, however, we saw a 3k from the very same King of Reddit, greatly contributing to his team's score at an 8:4 lead. Resurgence was seen from North in the following two rounds, as the Danes clean them up in consecutive fashion, losing but two members on each separate occasion. Cloud9 was faced with a weakened buy in the final round of the half, sporting an M4A1, two UMP45s and a couple of CZ-75s. An extremely close round ensued, which culminated in victory for North, as Mike "shroud" Grzesiek was unable to come out on top of a 1v2 clutch situation.
On the T side Cloud9 settled for a B site hit, only to be stopped in their tracks by Emil "magisk" Reif who managed to remain unnoticed by Cloud9, creating a shooting range from B apartments. The Dane managed to dispatch none less that four members of the opposition, leaving Tyler "Skadoodle" Latham in a 1v4 situation which he was unable to convert. Another round two pistol buy from Cloud9, once again falling short against the superior rifles available to North. An aggressive A site hit from Cloud9 was met by a crossfire between Mathias "MSL" Lauridsen and René "cajunb" Borg, sharing all five frags available in the round between the two of them and leading their team to a 10:8 lead. Two frags from Jake "Stewie2k" Yip opened up the round, followed by a slow execute onto the B bomb site, one that proved to be effective for Cloud9, as North were unable to retaliate, lessening the gap for Cloud9 at 9:10. Round twenty saw Cloud9 rid of two members of North, following this development the Danes opted to bail, instead saving their equipment for the next round. Having saved their equipment, North were able to get a semi-decent buy through purchasing a mix of rifles and SMGs. All members of Cloud9 were dispatched on the B bomb site barring Tyler "Skadoodle" Latham, who saved his AWP for better times ahead. Another sway in momentum was seen immediately after, as the A site was opened up like a can of tuna by the Americans. Two frags led to a 3v5 situation for North, once again deciding against a risky retake. This marked an equaliser at an 11:11 score line for the two opponents. Nothing short of a miracle play was seen in round twenty-three from Tyler "Skadoodle" Latham, who managed to decimate four members of the opposition in a 1v5 situation. The only remaining member of North, Emil "magisk" Reif was ultimately able to backstab the American sniper from A ramp, securing the lead for his team. An incredibly intense and action-packed round was ensued, as Kristian "k0nfig" Wienecke found himself in a 1v3 situation which he subsequently converted into a 1v1, facing Jordan "n0thing" Gilbert. Cloud9 had a lot riding on this round, as a victory would mean a sabotaged economy for North, and the Counter-Strike legend delivered, not only in the sense of winning the round, but also in the sense of delivering a bullet straight to the dome of the final standing Dane. Round twenty-five saw a poor buy from North that led to a eventual loss at 12:13. Determined to win, Cloud9 pushed the agenda further, and despite full equipment on the Danish side, the Americans were able to outshine their opponents, securing a 14:12 lead. The best-of-one seemed to be packed with outstanding individual performances, and on this occasion it was Tyler "Skadoodle" Latham's turn to bring the heat. Three kills were amassed by the AWPer, securing crucial openings for his team in the round. His contribution, followed by that of his teammates meant Cloud9 were looking at map point with a 15:12 lead. Finally the Americans were able to close out the series, after the Danes were unable to prevent an A site advancement. Jake "Stewie2k" Yip and Timothy "autimatic" Ta cleaned up North with two and three frags respectively, closing the map at 16:12.
Natus Vincere vs. G2 Esports - 0-1
de_Overpass - 14:16 (12:3, 2:13)
Na'Vi commence the series with a successful pistol round on the CT side, one that saw Aleksandr "s1mple" Kostyliev land three kills prior to falling to the P2000 of Richard "shox" Papillon. Faced with a 2v4 situation the Ts were overrun on the B bomb site, despite this, they were still able to land a plant for a faster full buy. A simple round in the follower, as Aleksandr "s1mple" Kostyliev secured another three kills, sporting an early 6:1 K:D, as well as greatly contributing to his team's 2:0 round score. Thanks to the bomb plant money supplement, G2 Esports went for an early buy in round three. Unfortunately for the Frenchmen it was dismantled without significant impact on Na'Vi's economy, as five frags to one meant the retention of four devices for Na'Vi, in addition to a third consecutive round. Stealing the spotlight, Aleksandr "s1mple" Kostyliev once again showed up for his team, slaughtering all members of G2 Esports on their eco round. Round five saw G2 Esports secure their first round of the map, as a massive 1v2 clutch from Kenny "kennyS" Schrub landed a 1:4 score. Dire developments for the Frenchmen were ahead, however, as Natus Vincere played out of their mind consistently. Three frags from Ioann "Edward" Sukhariev in round six and four frags in in round eight were a very real representations of the match dynamic, as Na'Vi dominated the Frenchmen all the way to an 8:1 score line. With their economy in tatters, G2 went for four Deagles and a P250 in a desperate attempt to produce some sort of positive result. Curiously, a positive result is exactly what they experienced, as the Frenchmen managed to dismantle their opponents despite the equipment disadvantage, making up for it by utilising rifles from fallen enemies. Celebration was reserved, as yet another monstrous performance from Aleksandr "s1mple" Kostyliev saw three AWP frags in middle, disarming the majority of the French offense single-handedly. The two remaining members of G2, namely Richard "shox" Papillon and Alexandre "bodyy" Pianaro were simply unable to put up a fight, eventually falling to the hands of Na'Vi once more, with a 2:9 deficit to worry about. The French were struggling severely, as the defence system set in place by the CIS representatives was impenetrable, with each subsequent advance utterly destroyed, whether on bombsite A or B. G2 Esports lost two rounds, the prior of which saw a full buy, whilst the latter was a full pistol rush, yielding Natus Vincere an 11:2 lead. Relief was seen in the eyes of the Frenchmen, as round fourteen finally saw another digit for their T side performance, in fact, the team managed to demonstrate a flawless shut down, dispatching all members of Na'Vi without a scratch. The half ultimately concluded with a 12:3 score in favour of Natus Vincere, as shots were just not landing for the Frenchmen.
Finally things were working out for G2 Esports, starting off with a second half pistol victory. Na'Vi seemed indecisive regarding their choice of bomb site, whilst a solid defence from the French side meant a comprehensive victory. Two members of the roster indeed fell, however this was exchanged for the entire Na'Vi roster, as well as a potential round follow-up. Round two of the latter half was also accrued by G2, as Na'Vi found themselves in the chokepoint at the B bomb site, mowed down by the superior rifles of their opponents. Courtesy of the initial round bomb plant, Natus Vincere were able to purchase equipment in round eighteen. The equipment was inherited by the Frenchmen, as all members barring Kenny "kennyS" Schrub retained their lives in the exchange, slowly closing the round gap at 6:12. Due to an early buy round Na'Vi found themselves on a semi-eco, sporting a few upgraded pistols but nothing more than that. Despite the aforementioned in what can only be described as pure skill, Egor "flamie" Vasilyev managed three frags, two of which were landed via a Deagle, one from the barrel of an AK-47. This opened up the round for Natus Vincere, allowing the team to pick up equipment from their enemies. Dan "apEX" Madesclaire was the French hero on this occasion, as he managed to not only defuse the bomb, but also clutch out a 1v2 situation despite being in one of the most vulnerable positions on the A bomb site. Both teams were able to purchase equipment in the following round, however sloppy play from the CIS mix was abused by Dan "apEX" Madesclaire, who made sure to exterminate two members in swift fashion, severing Na'Vi's chances of a round victory. Aleksandr "s1mple" Kostyliev was the last remaining member of the team, unfortunately he was unable to reproduce his performance from the initial half, falling to the AWP of Kenny "kennyS" Schrub. A broken economy for Na'Vi in round twenty meant another lost round, with G2 Esports slowly creeping back into the map at an 9:12 score line. Kenny "kennyS" Schrub slammed four frags in the following round, as members of Natus Vincere approached one by one, reminiscent of a shooting gallery. At 12:10 Natus Vincere finally managed to secure their first T side victory. A fast play onto the B bomb site allowed the team to catch the Frenchmen off guard. Four members of G2 fell, leaving Alexandre "bodyy" Pianaro in a 1v2 situation, which he was unfortunately unable to salvage, instead sustaining a 7.62×39mm AK-47 bullet to the head, as well as a round loss at 10:13. Unwilling to concede another round, G2 were able to shut down an A long advancement from the CIS crew, making fantastic use of their utility and superior positioning. Na'Vi were unable to breach the defence, instead falling just short at 13:11. Swaying motion is seen, as a lightning-fast B take was mounted by Na'Vi, with four members of the opposition falling in the wake of it. Kenny "kennyS" Schrub was the final remaining member, unfortunately falling to the P250 of Denis "seized" Kostin, unable to save his AWP. G2 Esports focused up, determined to continue fighting in the remainder of the map. Three rounds were accrued in consecutive fashion by the Frenchmen, leading to a 14:14 score line. The following round saw Nathan "NBK" Schmitt and Alexandre "bodyy" Pianaro step up, securing two frags each, further worsening the situation for Na'Vi at 15:14. In an absolutely stunning comeback G2 Esports managed to produce a flawless thirtieth round, where once again Nathan "NBK" Schmitt and Alexandre "bodyy" Pianaro arrived at their team's rescue, secure three and two kills each, closing out the best-of-one with a 16:14 score.
de_Overpass - 19:17 (9:6, 6:9, 4:2)
The final match of the day saw a solid start from the Brazilian roster of Immortals, who sought to breach the A site defence on Overpass and subsequently did just that. A four man stack in toilets, coupled with a single T on A long, Immortals masterfully double peeked the defending CT in Nicolai "dev1ce" Reedtz, who ended up falling back due to aggression from the offense. Once on the site we saw a denied bomb plant as a backstabbing Markus "Kjaerbye" Kjærbye managed to prevent a plant with a headshot from the USP-S, however this ultimately didn't affect the outcome, as the Dane found himself in a 1v4 situation. Round two saw Astralis upgrade their pistols, which slightly dented the Brazilian economy due to three member going down to the Danish force buy. Three frags was all she wrote, as Immortals secure a 2:0 lead. No upsets in rounds three, as a comprehensive round victory was seen for Immortals, coming through with the 3:0 initial score. Once able to full buy, Astralis showed signs of aggression. A double peek from Peter "dupreeh" Rasmussen and Markus "Kjaerbye" Kjærbye ensured the expiration of two members of Immortals, allowing a more advantageous situation for their team. Irrespective of the setback Immortals were able to secure a bomb plant, albeit one that was eventually defused, as Henrique "HEN1" Teles opted to save his AWP rather than risk losing a 1v2 situation and lose it. Momentum seemingly swayed in favour of the Danes, as aggression from Immortals was shut down in consistent fashion, allowing a lot of space for Astralis to manoeuvre. This permitted Markus "Kjaerbye" Kjærbye to lurk into the back lines of Immortals, dispatching two members of the team. The clean-up crew arrived at A bomb site and landed the Danes' second round of the map at 2:3. The follow up saw a full eco from Immortals, needless to say Astralis made quick work of the Ts, equalising at 3:3. Another instance of sloppy play was seen from Immortals, who compromised their safety by allowing Markus "Kjaerbye" Kjærbye backstab once more in the same area of toilets, accounting for a death and a large portion of health on another player from Immortals. Once more Immortals were faced with an inferior buy in round eight, falling to Lukas "gla1ve" Rossander and Peter "dupreeh" Rasmussen, where the Danes secure three and two rounds respectively, landing a 5:3 score. Spectacular aggression from the duo of Peter "dupreeh" Rasmussen and Markus "Kjaerbye" Kjærbye, taking down in-game leader of Immortals, Ricardo "boltz" Prass at B stairs, gaining priceless information regarding the plans and whereabouts of the remaining five Brazilians. Acting fast on this revelation, Immortals advanced onto A site, successfully landing a bomb plant. The round came down to a 1v2 for Lukas "gla1ve" Rossander who stood up for his team, landing kills onto both Henrique "HEN1" Teles and Vito "kNg" Giuseppe and consequently landing Astralis their sixth CT round. Cutting Astralis' win streak in round ten, Immortals finally landed a digit following their six consecutive round loss. Ricardo "boltz" Prass, Lucas "steel" Lopes and Henrique "HEN1" Teles opened up the round, fragging all five members spread amongst each other, bringing Immortals back to a 4:6 score. No luck in the following round for Astralis either, as the team lost two members and after assessing their financial situation opted to save their equipment for future rounds. This meant that the Brazilians were just one round away from equalising the score line. Equalise they did, as once again Astralis saved in a 3v4 situation, selecting the risk-averse approach to their game style. Perhaps this was the better approach, as in the long-run Astralis managed to save enough money for decent buys in the upcoming two rounds, landing both in part thanks to a healthy economy going into both. The fifteenth round once again saw a victory for Astralis, closing the initial half at 9:6.
Astralis secured the second pistol round after backing out of an A long rush, where they found the enemy Team Captain, Ricardo "boltz" Prass. The Danes went for a B site rotate through connector, very nearly stopped by the brotherly duo of Henrique "HEN1" Teles and Lucas "LUCAS1" Teles. Alas the defence was dismantled, and Astralis continued on, planting the bomb and dispatching the two remaining CTs to produce a W on the second pistol. The following round was accrued by the Danes despite a force from Immotrals, as they swamped the Brazilians with their superior equipment, leading to an 11:6 score line. Due to spending money in the previous round, Immortals were once again unable to afford a solid buy, conceding three in a row, all the while sporting half the score of their opponents at 6:12. The first full buy saw a victory for the Brazilians, as they managed to deconstruct a post-plant situation on the B bomb site, largely thanks to some impressive AWPing from Vito "kNg" Giuseppe, who opened it up from sniper's nest. Astralis accelerated the pace, opting for a fast paced A site take. Unfortunately it didn't work out for Astralis as Nicolai "dev1ce" Reedtz found himself in a 1v2 situation with an unfavourable bomb plant position. The bomb was consequently defuse by the Brazilians, additionally they were able to hunt down the last Dane, snatching the AWP from his hands. A nail-biting round followed, as Lukas "gla1ve" Rossander very nearly clutched a 1v4 situation, accounting for three deaths. An attempt was made to catch his opponent off guard, however Lucas "steel" Lopes proved to be more nimble, defusing the bomb and landing his team a round at 9:12. A pistol buy came out from Astralis, opened up by Peter "dupreeh" Rasmussen's juan deag onto Lucas "steel" Lopes. Lukas "gla1ve" Rossander followed up with another frag, landing the team a 5v3. A brawl ensued, whereby both teams were left with two members each, however Astralis had the last laugh, as Nicolai "dev1ce" Reedtz and Peter "dupreeh" Rasmussen closed out with a frag each, extending the team's lead to 13:9. With a shattered economy the defence tried their chance with a pistol buy, only to be shut down by a mix of AK-47 and M4A1 ammo, all effectively landing and subsequently "taking care" of the defence. The economy still dire for Immortals, they were once more on a mixed buy with three Deagles, a CZ75 and a scout. Despite the distinct disadvantage the Brazilians managed to convert, with three kills landed by Henrique "HEN1" Teles' scout. Both teams were set with a full buy in round twenty-four, where we saw a 14:10 score with Astralis in the lead. Despite the equal footing, the Danes were unable to come through with frags, able only to secure a frag onto Lucas "LUCAS1" Teles, while the entirety of their team was spectating. Four AK-47s and a UMP45 in the following round for Astralis, all of which were shut down on the B bomb site, with Immortals closing the round gap to just two at 12:14. With pistols on the Danish side, the Ts opted to rush onto B, and managed to plant the bomb; however this was met with a structured retake from Immortals, a team who happened to be working with rifles and as a result managed to close the round, losing but a single member to the pistols. A repeat of the round, except this time Astralis actually had weaponry. A bomb plant was secured, but the retake was simply immaculate from Immortals, leading to a 14:14 round equaliser. Bomb plants were a saving grace for Astralis, as the team were able to purchase rifles, unfortunately however the Brazilians were able to secure man advantages, and as a result were able to manoeuvre the map in comfortable fashion. Backstabs left and right meant Nicolai "dev1ce" Reedtz found himself once more in a 1v3 situation, finally falling to a well-placed grenade from Lucas "steel" Lopes. Faced with a potential loss it was a last-ditch effort from Astralis to get back into the map and force overtime. Thanks once again to bomb plants in the previous rounds, the Danes were able to buy. A B site take was seen by Astralis, and the Danes managed to fend it off, leading to a 15:15 score line and hence overtime.
Astralis kicked off with a loss in round one of overtime, as a strong A site hold from Immortals prevented any slip-throughs. A double AWP setup was highly effective, with Immortals in the lead at 16:15. An opening frag from Lukas "gla1ve" Rossander onto Brazilian AWPer Henrique "HEN1" Teles greatly decreased the burden of the Danes going into the latter portion of the round. A bomb plant on A site was secured, as was subsequently the round, with Astralis equalising at 16:16. The following round saw an absolute massacre, whereby a single frag from Markus "Kjaerbye" Kjærbye was landed, only to be followed by a team wipe from the remaining Brazilians, retaining the lead at 17:16. The teams switched sides and Astralis were quick to catch up, as a brawl of a round ended with a 1v2 situation for Ricardo "boltz" Prass, who managed to dispatch Nicolai "dev1ce" Reedtz, converting the situation to a more manageable 1v1. Peter "dupreeh" Rasmussen ended up clutching it out, once more equalising the score at 17:17. For the first time the Danes were able to sprint into the lead, as a 2k from Andreas "Xyp9x" Højsleth set his team up for victory at 18:17. Early aggression into T spawn via tunnel saw Peter "dupreeh" Rasmussen drop Ricardo "boltz" Prass, granting his team a 5v4 advantage. This was consequently converted into a victory, as the Brazilians found themselves left with 20 seconds to go. A crossfire from the defence meant efficient fragging with minimal loss, leading to a map victory at 19:17.
Following is a comprehensive schedule for day two:
11:00 - PENTA Sports vs. North
12:30 - mousesports vs. FaZe Clan
14:00 - FlipSid3 Tactics vs. Natus Vincere
15:30 - Vega Squadron vs. Immortals
17:00 - BIG vs. Cloud9
18:30 - Gambit Esports vs. G2 Esports
20:00 - Astralis vs. SK Gaming
21:30 - Virtus.pro vs. Fnatic
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