The MongolZ trample MOUZ in Rotterdam opener

It's looking bleak for MOUZ - they're not even winning in the group stage now.

Techno absolutely goobed them on Inferno to complete a 2-0 that seemed very unlikely at the start of the day, but in retrospect seemed more obvious. MOUZ' pathetic showing in the playoffs of EPL S23 foreshadowed this, and it feels like the writing is on the wall for this roster.

The MongolZ didn't even need their talismanic coach maaRaa, or many frags out of their IGL who is known as a bit of a fragging leader, to beat what is meant to be one of the best teams in the world. They did look super sharp in this game, but normally MOUZ wouldn't let them.

Worrying times for MOUZ.

PARIVISION beat NIP in a pretty terrible game, with neither team looking even remotely close to their best.

xKacpersky dropped 31 in regulation just to lose on Ancient, and even in a comfortable win on Mirage, NIP dropped a clanger in a 5v2 to lose a pretty unloseable round, which is sort of their specialty. PARIVISION will always outlast you in a long game, and NIP just simply do not have the mental capacity to deal with the attrition.

They make far too many mistakes to beat a Jame team, even if that team is not firing on all cylinders.

This was not a game to rewatch, or a demo to learn something from; unless it's xKacpersky on Ancient. He was magnificent.

He was also terrible on map three, but we won't talk about that.

Spirit two-zipped Liquid in one of the more predictable results of the day. malbsMd is a good player who has not miraculously solved every single one of Liquid's issues, and donk is still absolutely unfathomably talented. He picked up 55 kills in two maps and we're not even talking about in the opening paragraph of the article, such is the benchmark he has set.

Vitality, also predictably, let 9z get eight rounds over two maps. 9z's top two fraggers combined for fewer kills than flameZ got.

Seems bad.

9z's time in Rotterdam will not be remembered by this game, nor should it be. Vitality can kinda do this to anyone. There's no shame in it.