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The final day of the IEM Cologne group stage was marked by intense battles and unexpected comebacks, with FaZe Clan and Team Liquid capturing the spotlight in a thrilling rematch.
Both teams secured their spots in the Group B lower bracket final after decisive 2-0 victories in the Counter-Strike 2 event.
FaZe dominated Falcons and Liquid bested Complexity, setting up a high-stakes clash later in the day for a place in the playoffs.
Liquid’s choice to play Ancient, a map they had only recently added to their map pool, proved risky yet effective.
Despite Roland “ultimate” Tomkowiak having a quiet start, Liquid’s riflers, including Keith “NAF” Markovic and Russel “Twistzz” Van Dulken, stepped up to secure a close win on the first map.
Mareks “YEKINDAR” Gaļinskis made key plays on the counter-terrorist side, helping Liquid maintain their momentum.
The second map, Anubis, saw Liquid dominate with strong counter-terrorist tactics and a resurgent ultimate, who delivered an ace to regain his confidence.
Liquid won six straight rounds in the second half to quickly wrap up the series with a 13-5 win.
FaZe entered their match against Falcons as heavy favorites with esports betting sites, and they lived up to expectations.
Dust2 began with an 8-0 streak, with Håvard “rain” Nygaard dismantling the Falcons’ offense.
Although Falcons managed to force overtime, FaZe’s superior firepower and strategic adjustments secured a 16-13 win.
The second map, Ancient, saw a back-and-forth battle, but FaZe’s momentum from a crucial pistol round propelled them to victory, sealing their spot in the lower bracket final.
The rematch between FaZe and Liquid was nothing short of epic.
WHAT. A. GAME. 🤯🤯🤯
AN INSANE COMEBACK FROM @FaZeClan SENDS THEM TO THE #IEM COLOGNE PLAYOFFS OVER @TeamLiquidCS!!
13-9 Inferno
13-16 Nuke
16-13 Mirage pic.twitter.com/aghGQtSmPs— Intel® Extreme Masters (@IEM) August 13, 2024
FaZe had narrowly defeated Liquid in their group opener, but this time, the stakes were even higher, with a spot in the playoffs on the line.
Liquid picked Inferno instead of Mirage, hoping for a better outcome, but FaZe’s David “frozen” Čerňanský dominated the B-site, helping FaZe secure a 13-9 win.
Nuke was more competitive, with Liquid pushing the game into overtime before FaZe’s defence, led by frozen, halted several of their advances.
Liquid eventually broke through the strong defences, securing the map with a 16-13 scoreline to send the series to a deciding map.
The decider on Mirage seemed destined for a Liquid victory as they stormed to an 11-1 lead, leaving FaZe on the brink of elimination.
However, in one of the greatest comebacks in CS2 history, FaZe clawed their way back from a 3-12 deficit.
A flawless defence from rain and Robin “ropz” Kool shut down Liquid’s attacks, forcing the match into overtime.
FaZe completed their miraculous comeback, winning nine consecutive rounds to secure a spot in the playoffs.
.@G2CSGO show no mercy again as they dominate @paiNGamingBR on their way to the #IEM Cologne 2024 Playoffs
13-6 Nuke
13-1 Mirage pic.twitter.com/uMqdJ09qLe— Intel® Extreme Masters (@IEM) August 13, 2024
In Group A, G2 Esports made a statement by crushing paiN Gaming 2-0 (13-6, 13-1) in a one-sided series, securing their playoff spot.
Nikola “NiKo” Kovač and new addition Mario “malbsMd” Samayoa led the charge, with G2 delivering a string of dominant victories through the lower bracket.
Natus Vincere, after a sluggish start against SAW, found their form on Ancient and Inferno, securing a 2-1 (9-13, 13-2, 13-6) win and a direct path to the semi-finals.
Meanwhile, Team Vitality overcame MOUZ 2-0 (13-6, 16-13) in a tough upper bracket final, avoiding a quarter-final matchup against the in-form G2.
Friday’s IEM Cologne playoff fixtures
- SAW (+200) vs FaZe Clan (-285.71) @ 3:45pm CEST
- MOUZ (+135) vs G2 Esports (-181.82) @ 7pm CEST
