The first match of Stage 3 of the IEM Cologne Major 2026 commenced with a clash between 9z and PARIVISION. The South American squad selected Overpass to begin the series and quickly established dominance by taking an early 5-1 lead. The half was defined by an outstanding individual performance from Luchov, who posted a 13-5 kill-death ratio after just seven rounds. PARIVISION, led by Jame, struggled entirely on the server and fell to a 1-9 deficit.
Recent struggles over the past few months have surrounded the CIS roster with speculation regarding potential roster changes if their form does not recover. Their performance in the first half offered no signs of improvement. Luchov finished the half 21-7, propelling 9z to an 11-1 advantage. He then opened the second half by flanking the opposition and securing the opening kill on Jame. 9z converted the round and swiftly closed the map with a decisive 13-1 scoreline.
PARIVISION answers back on Dust2
PARIVISION entered Dust2 in absolute need of a response. Facing a 9z team widely considered an underdog in Stage 3, a loss would be a severe blow to the CIS squad’s aspirations at this Major. The team found their footing and assembled a much stronger offensive half, finding the T-side success they sorely lacked on Overpass.
PARIVISION secured an 8-4 lead by halftime. 9z managed to narrow the gap to 9-7 early in the second half, but PARIVISION regained control. They maintained their defense and secured the map 13-8, forcing the series to a third and final map.
Luchov locks down Inferno
Inferno served as the decider map, a battleground where PARIVISION recently suffered a 13-6 defeat to 9z at PGL Astana last month. The final map began with chaotic exchanges. PARIVISION won the opening two rounds, only to lose against a 9z eco round, a situation PARIVISION immediately reversed.
The South Americans then found their rhythm with Luchov once again stepping up as the main catalyst for his team. On the other side, xielo was instrumental in keeping PARIVISION within striking distance, resulting in a narrow 7-5 lead for 9z at the switch. A successful eco round from PARIVISION tied the game at 9-9 in the second half. The momentum then shifted entirely back to the South American roster. Luchov proved too difficult for PARIVISION to counter, consistently shutting down the B-site defenses. 9z claimed the final rounds to win the map 13-9, finalizing a 2-1 series victory and moving to a 1-0 record in Stage 3.
