NAVI wins epic battle and secures Semi-Final spot
NAVI defeats FaZe after a three-map-thriller!
The Group B Final at IEM Katowice delivered another exciting matchup, as the high-flying FaZe roster ran into Natus Vincere in the battle for a direct Semi-Final spot in the playoffs.
FaZe was on a seven-match win streak before they entered the server against the world's number 1. On their map pick, Overpass, FaZe continued their winning ways with a solid 16-13 win. Helvijs 'broky' Saukants did excellently for his team despite only delivering five AWP kills, but with 28 kills in total, the Latvian was pivotal in the map win.
Out of the blue in this tournament, we finally got to see Dust2 in action. The map had not been selected before the two last games in the group stage at the main event. It turned out to be a good idea for NAVI. After an even first half, NAVI and Oleksandr "s1mple" Kostyliev came alive with a stellar CT side that denied a well-playing FaZe roster to finish the match in two maps.
Mirage greeted the two teams and laid ground for the third and final map of the series. And once again the two teams went into a brawl of a fight, and like the two first maps, the score at halftime was as close as they come at 8-7 in favor of NAVI.
FaZe lost the pistol round, but then won six rounds in a row to create a gap. A double AWP setup was utilized on FaZe's CT side to give them even more firepower. At 15-10, it looked like game over for NAVI, but then they finally managed to break through the defense of FaZe. And then it was overtime! Here it looked like NAVI would complete the comeback, but then broky clutched to extend the match into another overtime.
The two teams gave each other everything in a matchup that could easily be the first of many in 2022 between the two rosters, which seems destined to reach new heights this year. This time it was NAVI who came out on top with a 22-19 win in the second overtime to qualify directly for the Semi-Finals.
FaZe will start their playoff run in the Quarter Final against Gambit.
FaZe - Natus Vincere 1-2 | IEM Katowice
16-13 (Overpass) | 
broky – 1.46 Rating / 28-17 K-D / 105.0 ADR
12-16 (Dust2) | 
s1mple - 1.63 Rating / 30-17 K-D / 110.6 ADR
19-22 (Mirage) | b1t - 1.27 Rating / 33-26 K-D / 82.8 ADR
MVP: Oleksandr "s1mple" Kostyliev - 1.33 Rating / 84-58 K-D / 87.5 ADR
