Natus Vincere and RSG Singapore were the next two teams on the chopping block today, as the two teams looked to survive the day at M3.
headline photo courtesy of MLBB Esports
On one side were a team on their home ground, in the form of RSG Singapore, who were dealt a massive defeat in the upper bracket by ONIC PH a few days ago. One the other would be the CIS Challengers, who had already found a fantastic win over Malvinas Gaming yesterday, which kept them alive in the lower bracket. Both teams would be wanting to avoid elimination, but for one, their M3 would end today.
In what turned out to be an absolutely intense first game, both teams were able to bounce back and forth, taking huge team fights and finding great pickoffs. While RSG seemed to have the game in the bag at one point, NAVI kept a cool head as they fought back to turn everything around completely. The CIS squad seemed to almost give up at one point, lulling RSG into their clutches and pulling the trigger when it mattered most. The game went on for almost a full half hour period before NAVI found their opening to claim game one.
The home ground advantage definitely was not helping out RSG SG in this series, as NAVI seemed to have completely changed their playstyle again, running at their opponents in the early game period to take a huge lead. The CIS squad were running rings around their opponents, dominating them, and showing that they were a team to be reckoned with. By the 13-minute mark, NAVI had RSG trapped inside their base, choking out their opponents across the map.
NAVI, playing patiently, waited for RSG to bring the fight to them, before swiftly, methodically, and calmly taking a 2-0 victory, causing another massive upset at M3 as they eliminate one of the home ground heroes. With their win, they keep their hopes and those of the CIS alive at the M3 World Championships as they await their next opponent in the lower bracket.
