G2 best Gambit 2-1 in three-map thriller

The first Bo3-series of day 5 at IEM Cologne 2021 that wasn’t to avoid elimination from the event was between the side of European G2 and the Russians from Gambit. Gambit is currently regarded as the best team in the entire world due to their dominance in the online era. However, with IEM Cologne 2021 teams are finally back playing at LAN, something that the G2 roster is well versed in. It was also the G2 roster to start the series the strongest after taking their own map pick narrowly. Afterward, however, it was a different Gambit roster. With confidence they answered back the G2 team, however, it was a little too late as G2 clutched up the 2-1 victory at the end.

The first map was the pick of the G2 roster and meant Mirage as the map to start the series with. Despite being the pick of G2 it is by no means a horrid map for the current best team in the world in Gambit. Throughout the last three months of playing Mirage, Gambit has had a win rate of 75% and it showed once the Russians had woken up. With incredibly skilled individuals it was G2 to start Mirage with fierce aggression. Managing a next to perfect T-side, the Europeans could go to halftime with an 11-4 lead. However, as seen many times throughout the event an 11-4 lead is not impossible to comeback from, and whilst Gambit didn’t manage to win Mirage, they posted a valid attempt. Ultimately It was G2 to close out Mirage with a 16-13 victory – a well-deserved victory but, in the end, a narrow one.

The second map was picked by Gambit and was set to take place on Vertigo. Gambit has proven over and over again that Vertigo is one of, if not the strongest map in their arsenal, and with a win rate of 93% over the past three months they are no joke on the second newest map in the official map pool. Starting on the CT-side it was also Gambit to get things going on Vertigo. Another strong performance in the first half was posted as Gambit went to halftime with an 11-4 lead. This time, however, there was no comeback in sight as the Russian Gambit remained cool, calm, and collected and finished what they had started at the scoreline of 16-10. 

The third and final map was to be played on Inferno and would be the deciding map that would prove the stronger team between the two of them. Inferno is, just as Mirage, a map that both teams are tried and tested on and would act as the perfect map for the last chance for each team to prove themselves and take home the victory. This time it was G2 to have the better start and to put Gambit behind at halftime at the scoreline of 9-6 favoring the European G2 roster. The second half saw G2 keep their lead, however, not without a fight from the Gambit boys as they tried their best nullifying the G2 lead. Despite trying their absolute best, it was “NiKo” and the G2 boys to take the narrow 2-1 win in the end after a 16-14 victory on Inferno.

Map 1 – Mirage

16-13 G2 | huNter- 1.55 Rating / 85.7 ADR / 22-17 K-D

Map 2 – Vertigo

16-10 Gambit | Ax1Le 1.40 Rating / 102.6 ADR / 24-19 K-D

Map 3 – Inferno

16-14 G2 | AmeNEk 1.51 Rating / 84.9 ADR / 25-15 K-D

Highlight of the BO1-series

MVP

Abay “Hobbit” Khasenov| 1.20 Rating - 63-51 K/D - 78.5 ADR - 74.1% KAST

IEM Cologne 2021 update – Virtus.pro vs BIG (2-0)

Whilst Gambit and G2 went back and forth exchanging rounds and maps, another Bo3-series was being played at the IEM Cologne 2021 event. The Germans of BIG had the task of taking down Virtus.pro and it proved to be a difficult task. The Latvian prodigy in “YEKINDAR” managed carry his teammates at Virtus.pro to a comfortable 2-0 victory.