Vitality smash FURIA in ominous win - StarLadder StarSeries Fall
Vitality might just be back.
With their full roster completed at this event they look nigh-on unstoppable, and when you're getting owned by apEX of all the players on this team you know you're just not at their level.
The first map was a masterclass from ZywOo, who danced around Mirage like he owned the place, and quite frankly, today he did. He collected 15 on the CT side, with Vitality somehow only edging the half. YEKINDAR and yuurih kept it tight with a key 1vX each, but ZywOo of course had a clutch of his own to make sure Vitality went in ahead.
He kept up his ridiculous pace with another double figure half, this time posting 11 in nine rounds to open up and shut down bombsites, as molodoy failed to exercise the same control of the map that ZywOo had.
In his defence, he was the only FURIA player who looked like he could hang with Vitality on a Dust 2 stomp, somehow averaging just under a kill per round and over 100 ADR in a 13-5 loss, but this time it was apEX who ripped through FURIA single-handedly. His two clutches (including three kills in a 2v3, finishing with a 1v1) and pistol round triple were the highlights, but he remained a thorn in FURIA's side throughout that they failed to ever deal with.
This is a win that should sound the alarm for anyone who thought they might win this event. Vitality look nailed on from this point.
MOUZ held strong to stay in the event against NAVI despite losing the first map.
w0nderful put in one of those performances that he has in his locker on Cache, dropping a 2 K/D on MOUZ' heads as NAVI came back from a 9-3 deficit to win in regulation. w0nderful was already NAVI's best player in their three round T side, but went nuclear on the defence with 16 kills for just three deaths.
Him and makazze teamed up for nine opening kills in those eleven rounds of NAVI's defence, which tells its own story. MOUZ could not find openings and wherever they went, one of those two were waiting for them with open arms. MOUZ found just 14 kills total on their Cache T side. That's appalling.
It ultimately mattered naught as Counter-Strike games are usually best of three, and MOUZ found just enough in those next two to stay alive, even if there are possible systemic issues. They hit back to go 7-0 up on Inferno, and though NAVI battled back into it, it was ultimately too little, too late, as xelex won a crucial round 21 despite NAVI getting equal at 10-10.
MOUZ once more started the game on fire, as both PR and xelex woke up to put up a kill per round each and put NAVI on the brink. Again, MOUZ ambled over the line, but at least they got over the line, converting a 10-2 lead to a 13-8 win.
We feel quite bad for mo0N, who absolutely did not deserve to be on the losing team in magic vs MIBR. He picked up 20 more kills than anyone else on his team, including a regulation 29 on Mirage in magic's only map win.
He was the best player for magic in both map losses, but insani continues to be a ridiculously impressive player who probably should be on a better team by now. He scythed through magic on Ancient and had big moments on Inferno to give MIBR a big win in the context of the event.
We mentioned our disappointment with XANTARES yesterday, but he did show up today to sink NRG who couldn't repeat the heroics of yesterday.
They came close on Mirage, taking it to double OT, but a timely 30-bomb from Aurora's main man was enough to grant them the 2-0 and move on to the upper final.
