Day 2 delivered a clean mix of upsets, one-sided maps, and a few monster plays. Aces from donk, chelo, and lux stole the spotlight, while several favorites stumbled on openers before finding their footing.
The Matches
MOUZ 2-1 Imperial
MOUZ looked flat to start, continuing a trend of top seeds dropping their first maps in London. Imperial’s Overpass pick was a rout, 13-2, powered by a clinical 10-2 T side.
On Mirage, MOUZ reset immediately. They built an 8-4 T half, then slammed the door with five straight CT rounds for 13-4.
Nuke decided it. Imperial edged the CT half 7-5, but MOUZ answered with a flawless run on defense, eight in a row, to take the map 13-7 and the series.
Highlight to catch: chelo’s ace on Nuke:
G2 2-0 Liquid
This was billed as a status check for Liquid against a G2 still settling under new leadership for huNter. The gap was obvious.
On Train, Liquid’s pick, G2 controlled the tempo from a 7-5 half and closed 13-8.
Inferno was a showcase for malbsMd. G2 raced to a 9-3 T half and finished 13-3, with malbsMd dropping a 24-11 K-D and a 2.53 rating. Liquid never found a rhythm.
Spirit 2-0 FlyQuest
This one was over fast. Even with pre-event chatter about a possible tN1R appearance instead of zont1x, Spirit needed no changes to cruise.
Their Mirage pick ended 13-4 after an 8-4 cushion at the break.
Dust 2, FlyQuest’s pick, was only marginally closer at 13-5. Spirit led 7-5 at half, then rattled off six straight T rounds to finish the job.
Bright spot for the highlight reel: donk’s crisp pistol ace on Dust 2.
FURIA 2-1 Legacy
A near all-Brazilian derby closed the day and delivered the most drama.
Inferno, Legacy’s pick, went FURIA’s way 13-7. They never let Legacy breathe.
Nuke swung back hard. Many expected a FURIA closeout, but Legacy read them perfectly and walked it in 13-6.
Mirage promised a nail-biter, then FURIA stamped it out. An 8-4 CT half set up a comfortable 13-5 finish.
Legacy bowed out, although lux produced a sweet ace on Inferno to remember:
