The final match of Stage 2 at the IEM Cologne Major featured B8 and BIG fighting for the last available ticket to Stage 3. For BIG, the series presented an opportunity to secure a spot playing in front of a German home crowd, as Stage 3 will introduce spectators to the tournament.
Strong start for the German squad on Ancient
BIG initiated the series with a convincing performance on Ancient, which was the map pick of B8. The German organization established an 8-4 lead during their CT side. The Ukrainian squad failed to recover in the second half as BIG continued to accumulate rounds on their T-side, eventually closing the map 13-7. The trio of JDC, blameF, and gr1ks delivered strong individual performances to secure the initial advantage in the series.
A complete collapse on Overpass
The momentum shifted entirely on Overpass. Despite it being their own map pick, BIG suffered a severe 1-11 deficit in the first half. The German roster struggled collectively, leaving their in-game leader as the only player producing competitive numbers. During this map, B8 relied heavily on 16-year-old s1zzi. The young player proved he can handle high-pressure moments, recording a 25-8 kill-death ratio and leading his team to a comfortable 13-6 victory to force the series to a third map.
B8 secures the decider on Dust2
The series concluded on Dust2. BIG opened the final map with a strong CT side, stringing together six consecutive rounds before B8 found their footing. The Ukrainian team then stabilized their offense to secure a respectable five rounds before the halftime switch.
In the second half, B8 took full control of the match and the German hopes of an arena appearance faded. The young AWPer s1zzi continued his dominant form, systematically shutting down the opposition and proving himself as a talent to watch for the remainder of the event. B8 secured the map 13-8, eliminating BIG from the tournament and advancing to Stage 3.
