The first two matches of the StarLadder Budapest Major delivered instant drama. M80 stunned B8 with a resilient upset, while Imperial fought off a massive Rare Atom comeback to secure their opening win. Here’s how both games unfolded.
B8 vs M80 (Mirage)
M80 opened the map by winning the first pistol round. They quickly pushed ahead to a 3-0 start as B8 struggled to get into the game. B8 finally claimed their first round to make it 5-1, but M80 continued to dominate behind strong performances across the entire lineup. The half ended 10-2 in favor of M80, with B8 only winning rounds off individual moments from kensizor.
B8 found a good start to the second half, but a crucial 1v2 clutch from hext restored control for M80 and gave them an 11-6 lead. Kensizor kept B8 alive almost single-handedly, yet M80 reached match point at 12-8. npl delivered several big rounds, forcing a 24th round and nearly dragging the game to overtime, but M80 closed it out 13-11 after a chaotic final round to secure the upset over B8.
Imperial vs Rare Atom (Dust2)
Imperial started hot with a 3-0 lead and followed it up by winning the first gun round. skullz won a key 1v1 clutch to extend the score to 4-1, and Imperial rolled into halftime with a commanding 9-3 advantage. skullz and try led the charge, both posting a strong 14-5 scoreline at the break, while Rare Atom struggled to keep up.
Rare Atom came out swinging in the second half and completed a massive comeback to tie the game 9-9. When they took the lead 10-9, Imperial regrouped and answered with two rounds in a row to reclaim the advantage at 11-10. Rare Atom equalized once more at 11-11, leaving Imperial on a force buy and at risk of having no money for the final round if they lost.
Imperial held firm thanks to an insane 4k from chelo that earned them match point. From there, they shut down Rare Atom’s comeback effort and closed the game 13-11.
