I
Are you ready?
Oh my god.
That makes sense.
Rock to the rock, quick style!
Unbelievable scenes, inclusion of Rock out!
James provide the coppering fire, Ciello a safe plant.
They could do the job, but I think he gets it down, catches it.
That's not Scott Vision.
I didn't land at all.
Oh, this one did.
Oh, he just jumps right over his head.
Xemnas with a goomba stomp.
Impact from exertion.
14 seconds.
Now off the wrap with the bomb.
Down goes Smith.
A comfortable photography has to go to the plumber.
They've got a bruise.
Five seconds.
Oh, no, it doesn't!
Another second of Hail Mary and a flying F4!
It looked like a lost round until Toshi had his way with Paravision now all up for debate.
Just notes that doesn't have the time to be messing around.
Gotta get Spitz now.
Dancing around the side park.
He's running like whatever.
This runs down to the wire.
No attack.
This one's down to the wire!
No attack!
Over to the A site, he's on the two power banks!
You know how it's starting from Jimmy!
On the top right, we'll shout roll up, he's got a reposition, quickly headshot!
The Aligarh's got us! He's just handed out two headshots!
The bomb is planted in the open of this site, you've got 9-10 coverage from the ramp.
The most hit position for 9-10.
If he doesn't hit this, then suddenly you need to have to pick up the mantle.
But they've already gotten out into the bomb trap.
He will slice Apex off the beat-take.
But they are going to cover that bomb with smoke.
Over the top of box, he catches another.
And he's already opened up the smoke once with that frag.
Now he's going to have to find the straight out of the top of Jopper.
And he can't make it happen.
He's gonna set them on fire, they still come through with 4 kills though, it's a rop's triple.
Techno dead, the last defulter, and it is greatness that will stand on the stage in grand finals tomorrow.
them a little bit in the background and we are getting ready to raise the curtain on what is
going to be an incredible day. I am pretty sure this morning in the hotel room, James and his hand
were very busy because he needs to power up if he has a hope and hope of taking down the giants
that is Vitality. That grand final of best of five going to be taking place a little later,
but first we have a third place playoff, Maus up against Mongols and I've got to have
James on the dance to break this down for you. Pimp and Dust are here. What a time we've had this last week. What incredible counter-strike we've got to see.
Yeah, it's truly been an amazing tournament to be completely honest. From the beginning of the group stage, even coming in to the tournament dust, we knew that the field was stacked.
The only team that you kind of miss here is Spirit. Outside of that, you have all the best teams in the world, really making cushion and poke at justice.
I think the overall level in the group stage was also getting better and better.
some teams you know fight all the way through. Foot was a great example of a
team that unfortunately didn't make the playoffs but really impressed so I've
been enjoying myself the last what is it 12 days we've been here in Cluj and I'm
sure today is gonna be great as well. Indeed Cluj the host of the major back
in 2015 after a 10-year drought we came back last year had an amazing time
and this year it's only gotten better as you noted an incredibly stacked
field a beautiful playoffs a wonderful crowd here in Cluj for
championship Sunday and while we had Vitality taking care of business there
has been. A lot of you know twists and turns throughout the rest of the bracket
so it's been quite entertaining to follow. I think for me the highlights was
finding out yesterday that PGL is going to be coming back there for three more
years. This crowd deserves to have Counter-Strike here every single year. If
you had to choose your highlight though Dust, I mean what has it been from the
tournament so far? Oh again I think it's the crazy underdog run of some
of these teams. I mean ParaVision's probably the most interesting one right
a team that many thought that was just a fluke at blast bounty but then
they came here, they beat two top five ranked teams in the world to make yet another grand
final. And they've done it in such a crazy way because I've never seen this before where
a team like ParaVision, they don't have the standout player in this tournament. You know,
usually when you're making the grand finals, at least one of your guys is in the MVP race
or at least he's somewhere in the top 10, but they don't have a single player within
the top 20. But it just goes to show how they've been able to work together
as a unit, wear teams down and find a way to win no matter what's against them.
I'm super surprised you didn't say that your highlight was being vindicated and
working on playing well after the Maui argument that we're down but okay I'll
give you the pair. I feel like I beat that that horse a little bit too long you
know I think it's fine just kind of cast out there but the buzzards have it now.
Okay now, how about you what's your highlight being? Well if I can say
pervision I want to go right back to what I said before I think watching
foot playing watching foot you know really emerged into the scene and
this year has been great I know that it made the playoff and so
unfortunately this crowd haven't been able to cheer on Longson and the
boys but the way they were playing throughout the group stage the way
they were pushing Furia in the game, the way that they almost qualified for the
playoff for such a young squad at the age of 19.2 to already play such beautiful
Counter-Strike, I think was super, super impressive. It was Martians that made
them not go there. As you could see, they lost to Paris in the team that we
now find in the grand final. So if you're food right now, obviously
disappointed enough to get to the playoff, but they should be hella proud.
Can we start a petition that all tournaments need to run this
was bracket during the group stages? No, because it's a great, great format, but one
of the beautiful things about Counter-Strike is that we have different format for different
tournaments. So I love when we get this format and I think PGL should continue to do it.
And then I want someone else to innovate and come up with something that's equally good
or better, but for now, it would be kind of boring, same to me.
Can I meet you? Can you meet me in the middle? Can we just do away with best
of ones? I think best of three is from the get go, means people have to play their
best Counter-Strike. Come on, come on, give me some.
I can do with it. I can do with it.
Okay, there we go. Petitions to get rid of best ones.
Abs to freaking Lutley get rid of best ones.
What are we even talking about here?
Also, let's not give the teams free rides to playoffs, right?
Let's go ahead and make them play in that round of eight right away
and put that damn pressure on from start to finish.
So this is the go-to format,
and we got the go-to teams this around too,
and we're just showing you how good it can be.
I feel like that's why playoffs have been so close.
We've had so many third maps, so many overtimes,
because the best of the best rise up
and have to face off against each other.
And now we get to see two teams
who maybe not the best of the best,
But sitting up there, Maus up against Mongols.
On one side, you have a team that no one expected a lot from.
They've had this big change.
They lost their star player,
and yet they still seem to be on the incline.
And then on the other side you have Maus,
who's kind of plateaued and sat in the same space for so long.
We've all been waiting for the upward trajectory,
but I'm a little bit worried after what we saw yesterday
that it could start going down.
I'm a little bit worried on behalf of Maus as well,
especially in context of the game that we're about to see.
How do you motivate yourself to do this if you are mouse?
How do you motivate yourself to comment to this game and give it your all in order to make sure that you should care third place?
Knowing that you were supposed to get into the grand final knowing that you are the defending champion of this tournament as well
Now one thing that I will say in order to set up this matchup is that I don't think that's gonna be a problem for the
Mongols the VIS implications of the Mongols winning this one you see it on your screen right now
They're back in the top 10 that potentially even getting into top 8 and for the Mongols to be in that position
That is beautiful because coming into the tournament dust. We're talking about a team there was you know emerging around top 14 top 15
Are they gonna go to qualify for the major they're gonna go in stage one stage two, etc
For them to win right here
That would be a massive game changer in terms of prize money in terms of points and in terms of his status in himself as a good team
Yeah, I mean again back of the day third place of Siders were a bunch of malarkey
It's like who's the valedictorian of summer school, right?
You're not gonna win the trophy, but maybe you could at least be the best the worst I guess you could say
But now you're absolutely right the VRS implications have turned third place deciders games into very valuable assets and in a situation like now sports
Who have now reached their 13th top four finish since Cluj last year no trophies in the count the show for it
Not gonna have one here either
But they can at least prove that they're still on the best of the world and for Mongols as you noted
This is an opportunity to after having a really rough crack call when they debut Cobra's era
This is a moment to get back on track
Make sure you avoid having to play the early stages of nature try to make it where you start in stage three
It just proved that you're still a team that can contain them with the top in the world
Is it fair to say after seeing those VRS points and how this will play out
There's a lot more pressure riding on the Mongols. They know if they win
They're gonna make that massive jump for Mars. They're still sitting pretty it
I mean obviously the the money is nice
But Mongols definitely a lot more riding on it when they will come to that stage
I see why you would say that and I understand where you're coming from
But but my answer will be no
I think they've done the job already for for the Mongols to get this fine to the tournament for them to secure
what essentially is at worst case a fourth place that's already just well done
That's already put them in ninth position as you saw even if they were to lose
They will be number nine
So I think the Mongols are coming in with a different mindset more so that this is just an extra opportunity to gain even more points
Gain even more prize money gain even more experience with Cobra zero
So they can still go in and play with no pressure and no expectations if anything
It's a freebie and a great chance of showcasing even more
I'm gonna latch on to the last thing that you said because I think it's actually the most important that is getting
Rett's for Cobra's era. He has big shoes to fill. Let's be honest.
Sinsu was a top 10 player in the world last year.
An amazing aggressor, Freifler, and the spearhead of the team that played a very rapid and confident style of Counter-Strike
and having someone who was really sharp at the tip of that spear is very important.
And with Cobra's era, Krakow did not go so well. That was a rough debut, a worse day out.
But now he's getting stage experience against top level teams, and we have seen him power up at this event
in comparison to what we saw at Krakow. You take a look here.
Just doing really well all across the board.
You know, he's taken on added responsibilities on this team.
You know, back when he was playing with the Huns,
he was actually more of a side anchor.
Now they're putting him in more star CT roles.
He also is one of the main entry fraggers,
and he's done really well so far.
So I think this is a nice little boost for him.
Yes, we kicked off the season.
It must be so incredible as a young player to walk out
and offer him his first arena, his first stage.
One of the things that we don't talk about enough.
We talk about the pressure,
but I just want to create this scenario and people's
I know Janko has spoken about this before, Pimp, the stage vibrates when the crowd cheers.
There's so many different noises you're dealing with, so many outside forces and your own nerves.
I'm always surprised when we see young talents get on the stage and then perform better than
what we've seen.
And CobraZero has done that the last two days.
Yeah, I think it's something we could be better at casting light on, so to speak,
because you're right.
The stage vibrates, the sound in here is different, the setup on the scene is different,
the walk-ons, etc., etc.
It's just an out-of-body environment feeling almost, you know, when you come in as a new player.
As Janko also likes to say, you know, either you got it or you don't, sure, you can gain
experience over time and you can get more used to it, but I think we always see pretty
early on whether or not a player has it or if he's not really caught for it.
I played with a lot of great guys throughout my career, you know.
Some of them were online warriors, some of them were great when they were sitting
in the basement at home and just nuking it out.
Whenever we would get to an event, even if it was just a small event where they
had to play with moving and different environments, they just couldn't do it right.
And that's also a make it a break it for a guy like Cobra Sarah and let's be completely honest
It's still early days small sample size, but I think he passed on every single test has been put to so far
Yeah, I think the steady progression what you're looking for which is really the story of this Mongols team, right?
We've seen this squad move from a region with less infrastructure and find a way to make majors to make major finals to being a top
Five team in the world Mara and Blitz understand what it takes to build this team up and be an elite level team on a consistent basis
And yes, they have a limited talent pool that they're able to pull from by being a all Mongolian team
There's only so many different players and they have their own Academy system with those guys aren't ready yet
But they did find Krober's era a guy who did show some promise that they've been able to put him onto this team and
Already pretty quickly have some solid results
So I think it's just proving the staying power that the foundation of Mongols has right now
They go up against miles and there's so many conversations
we can have about this team. Pimp and I defended them during the group stage and said you've
got to give them their flowers for constantly making fails. But I do think on the other side,
Pimp, there is an argument for the fact that this team needs to lift a trophy and there's no more
time left. People are demanding it and we're demanding it right now. Yeah, but it's kind of
hard to demand that when you have a vitality who's lifting most trophies and when you had
a Furia, who by the way also played some beautiful counters like for three months to end 2025.
So again this demanding mouse to win trophies I I get what people are coming for
I'm not sure I fully buy into it myself
But I will say the semi-final loss yesterday. That's a no-no
I can't that cannot happen if your mouse and if you want to get closer to the trophies
And I think that's what people get frustrated
It's you want to see a team that is at the very least getting your sense that they're moving closer
Towards the objective of winning the trophy that is getting that could have been being in the grand final today
That could have been you know pushing by 30 to five maps and then maybe
Maybe, essentially, they would end up losing on something ridiculous, but would at least
build a star that, ah, they got closer.
Maybe next tournament.
But losing in the semi-final, the way that they're heading into this third-place decider,
it doesn't matter what happened today.
For Maus, I think people would be disappointed that they're not in the final.
And rightfully so.
It is a team that is supposed to do slightly better, a team that's supposed to be the
team like Paris Vision.
But so far, it's just been more of the same for 2026.
Look, it's a matter of perspective.
There are plenty of teams out there in the world who would love to have 13 top
four finishes that this team has been able to put together over the last 400 days. But
in those 400 days, this team has gotten a one trophy. The first event they ever attended
with Spinks. A beautiful moment it was. They beat Falcons on the stage 3-1 and this crowd
was roaring for them. But now the tides have really turned. And look, I can agree with
you when it comes to the whole story about Vitality. Yeah, they played second fiddle
to an era-defining team. That's a tough one to do, right? We've seen that happen
before. But the issue with for me is, is in the second season, we did see other
teams win trophies. G2 won a trophy off of Vitality. As you noted, Furya came up.
They made a huge international roster shuffle.
They won four tiles, including three in a row,
going into the major.
And there have been other teams that
have found little successes in smaller tournaments as well.
But Mouses have not been able to cash in in that regard.
And so again, it's great that they're
such a consistent top five team in the world.
Again, I want to give them their files for that for sure.
But that trophy cabinet's real lonely right now.
There's a lot of dust collecting around that clue
trophy from last year.
And there needs to be a way to fill it for them.
And so they still have some work to do.
Chorfies are nothing.
That's modern day counter-shaking, General Pimp.
OK, let's talk about this particular match up now.
When we look at Mongols and Maus, the way these two teams are playing, what can we expect?
A good game of counter-tracking. I think we're again going to see more of the same for Mongols,
you know, which is a team that I think throughout the tournament have developed a little bit.
Now, domestically speaking, between the two teams, whenever they face each other, as you can see,
it hasn't been looking great for the Mongols for quite some time.
They're faced in Melbourne, they're faced in Dallas back then,
Sensor was on the lineup, but we're talking a 2-0 for Maus, another 2-0,
and then four maps in a row as well.
So the Mongols, in terms of going up against Maus, is not been a great experience,
But I think the Mongols throughout this tournament, as I said,
have played better and better and better.
And even the semi-final loss to Vitality yesterday,
that Mirage game is what gives me confidence
that we're going to have a great game,
very proactive on the CT side, willing to fight,
but also willing sometimes to slow down the game a little bit
and actually play clutch scenarios,
play 2v2s, course rotations,
and adding another layer to the gameplay.
Mongols is not all about aiming,
all about duels, which used to be the talking point,
used to be the case maybe a year ago.
I think they've added another layer,
the head of another understanding to how they play, which makes them significantly harder to beat.
Yeah, I think it's worth knowing that these teams have been playing each other in 10 months.
That's a long time separated from the last times that they went head to head. And sure,
Mouse owned them when they had Senzu, and it's the same exact roster. But they were also fresh
off of a Cluj victory at that point in time through those different matchups. And a lot has
changed since then. A lot more frustration has built up. A lot more things have maybe not
gone their way. And so it's kind of a different situation. And obviously, Cobra's era adds
a different variable to it as well. But I think you're right. I think you have a Mouse
team who has a lot of wildly distributed talent, a little bit of inconsistency in some of them,
but a team that prides itself on a dynamic aggressive defense and usually can do very well
on the CT side to give them a lot of chances to win. The issue is sometimes the T-sides come up
and then aren't able to cash in on them. Whereas you look at a team like Mondals
and they just look so good, you know, they found a way to do this controlled chaotic style
T-side where they're all together, they're fearless, they're decisive, they react very
quickly and they're all together, you know, they're in unit and they are going to go in
and trade and I think it's gonna be fun to see those flashy defenses and
offense going at each other in this series. There are some chinks in the
Mongols all the way that we've seen right? I mean it's not all sunshine and
roses the way we're speaking. No I think the Met Pool is for one an issue I
think they have a clear and obvious problem with playing Dust 2 which we
seen so far in this tournament so that's something they can always be
punished towards now mouse and the Met Pool that lines up against the
Mongols will speak about that later but I don't think that's gonna be
too big an issue for the Mongols. I will also say that they are a
little bit I wouldn't say inconsistent right but they do rely on a lot of those
players actually hitting a good day when you play as aggressive as you do take
MC no as an example when you watch his demos when you watch his point of view
he's always in position where he's fully opening his body in the game which
means that either he's winning the duel or he's dying it's not about taking a
duel falling back using a flash then re-entering the duel it's always all
in or nothing and I think they have that tendency that when they're hitting
their strides and when they're playing well when they're playing with
confidence was has been the case so far this tournament they look good but
When they're not and when they're facing players who are out doing them then sometimes you get the feeling that okay
Where's where's the wind then gonna come from if you're the mom's? Yeah, I mean, that's a really fair point to say
I mean also it's about you know other guys on Mongols having to step up in the lake of Senzu leaving
You know the other guys have to try to put more fragging output and as you can see here
Has done a great job kind of playing his extremity positions and his anchor roles to you know
Really locked down his style of the map
But I think the other big thing for me that's really helped out with Mongols is one line
10 has arrived and are pretty big way with the AWP in the post-sensory era of
models. And the other one for me is Blitz. You know, Blitz is one of those guys that
we've always crowded as being a fragging in-game leader and usually he was kind
of doing it as like more of an aggressive lurker type role. But with
Cobra's air calling this squad he's kind of pivoted more to something we
used to see him do in the past where he'll entry a lot more now. And in
fact what's been really crazy is watching Brolin and Blitz be the two
fragging IGLs in this tournament. Like Brolin's actually stepped up in some
pretty big ways and created openings for his teams at times that we
you didn't necessarily see him doing before.
So that's one of the cool things about this matchup
is that you have Rowan and Blitz,
two guys who are not only leaders,
but guys who can create action for their teams
and help them win that way too.
We spoke a lot about how Mongols vs. Vitality yesterday
was gonna be very one-sided.
It would appear that both of the analysts think
this is gonna be a bit more of an equal matchup.
Now, it is a sold out arena for that best of five final,
but the true counter-strike enjoyers
have arrived early, they're here.
You're also watching at home.
We're about to give you one hull of a show with our curtain raiser.
James, I believe you've got something special for us.
Hello, Clues!
Well, I brought a very special guest on stage with me to start things off,
to warm you guys up.
So before our teams come onto the stage, before we get going,
this man here has been delivering entertainment for you from start to finish.
So I need everyone to stand up!
Everyone stand up out of your seats stand up stand up
And you're gonna follow his lead
So the drum will go and then you will clap ready
I want to see all day for all the teams Romania this is your time to shine so I've got one
question for you all. Are you ready? I thought that might work. Now when we look
down this line and we see our team starting to get ready this is a matchup
where it's a third place decider but for one team it means just a little bit
more so we need to welcome our teams onto the stage we need to understand how
it is about to go down they seem to be ready let me just wait to see mr. 7 my
ear which one we go they're standing there they're ready and let's see if
they are ready they played a third place decider just before and it didn't go
too well for them but now they need to step up they need to fight against this
crowd they need to give all the energy so please give a round of applause for
MOVES!
And on the other side, their opponent.
They haven't faced off against each other for over 273 days and the Mongols have made a lot of changes with their line-ups and people
Still doubted them, but now they have the horde behind them
They have support from fans all over the world. So please put your hands together for the Mongols
The teams are in position, you guys are going to take your sits, in fact come to me, Blitz
over here as well. There you go Jimmy. You get some love in here. That's a nice term of
event for you. That feels a bit better right? It's fierce, it's fierce. Now let me talk
about this. You played a fur place the side of last time around in Krakow. It didn't
go so well for you guys. Is it hard to reset and get yourself in a good position to fight
in a game like this?
I mean, yeah, of course it sucks to lose in the semi-final and then next day play right
after basically, but I think right now we are much more prepared than we were in Treco,
so I have a good and exciting like feelings, you know.
Nice, okay, that's very positive with this. But looking at facing the Mongols again,
They look like they're very hungry right now, they've got an explosive and crazy style and
you haven't faced them for quite some time.
Are you prepared for that?
Are you ready for that?
I mean, I guess we will see, but I am excited.
It's been a long time since we played then.
And just looking at this, for them, this means a lot for the VRS points, getting
a win over for you guys on LAN.
Are Mausers motivated to win?
Hell yeah.
Blitz, you're getting a lot of love in this arena right now.
Cobra is performing very well for you as the in-game leader.
How do you feel he is doing in the team?
How confident are you of the good future for this new young player?
I don't know, maybe he's don't think too much because he's so comfortable and sometimes
I ask him why.
I don't know, I just did it.
That's good, that's a nice positive mindset for the young player and for you guys.
You had some bad events, you had the controller situation but now it looks like the Mongols
are back.
Do you feel like you are back?
Yeah, of course, because we practiced like 10 days.
We are good now.
Just 10 days of practice and Mongols are good.
I like that. Not too much.
With more practice, I'm sure you'll be even better.
And is this game more important to Mongols than it is to Maus?
Yes, of course, we need to do some fights.
It's an important match for us.
All right, well good luck. Shake hands, get yourselves into your seats.
Let's watch this third place, the sider goes down.
Well we already know where this way is going.
All right, clues! I don't need to ask you anything with this one.
I already understand how it's going.
So I need all of you. It's early, it's the first game of the day.
I need to feel that energy. I need to hear you roar. So make some noise!
Straight from the mouth of Mongols, we heard it from Rosinio yesterday. This matters to them.
Those points matter to them. It's not good enough to be in the top 10.
They want to move as high up in that ranking as they possibly can,
secure their spot for the rest of the season.
That's what they need to do on that stage right now.
right now, the pimpets like you said, they're not a little bit shaky up against
Miles. Miles is saying they're coming in super prepared as well. They're gonna be
trying to abuse the lack of depth if you like to that group. Yeah, a hundred
percent, you know, I think it goes without saying that from an objective
standpoint, sure it means slightly more to the mongrels in terms of
implication, DIS, etc. But make no mistake, Miles is not here just to
roll over. Miles is not here to play a game of facing. They also have a bit
of a pride in this game. Sure, they're under a lot of critique from the
They've been having a bit of a rough time inside this arena.
So if your mouse, there's plenty of ways to motivate yourself for this one.
So I'm sure we're going to get a great game.
I'm sure we're going to get two teams that are playing good Counter Strike.
And something tells me, Dust, I don't know what it is, but I have a feeling
New Rush is going to be this map.
You know, what's going to be interesting about this veto is that
both teams perma-band and nubus.
So what do you do?
Do you play chicken and hope the other team is going to ban it for you?
Do you float it?
Do you go ahead and get rid of it?
That's going to be a question of all the teams have to ask themselves
in this rotation.
And the other thing you have to ask yourself is both these teams are pretty bad
on Dust2o for honest, you know, for mouse,
they didn't play it for an entire season.
They only just picked it back up
when the new best came into the pool this year.
That's not been the best.
Mongols went straight and then just got rid of that.
So I think if you're mouse,
they go ahead and ban Ancient.
Not surprising actually,
we've seen some good stuff from Mongols on Ancient
and lately, mouse have not looked sharp on it.
No, and that's why it gets curious, right?
We're asked, we know that,
that's always gonna be the pick for the Mongols.
It's been a staple for them.
They play some good Counter-Strike
and we saw that against Vitality yesterday,
a game that came so, so close.
had overtime against Vitality, playing at the absolute best.
Mouse picking Inferno also makes sense.
Again, they probably are comfortable picking Dust2,
because as you said, Dust is also been struggling
a little bit with it.
However, I would have loved to see that if our mouse,
you know, treat this as a bit of a testing ground.
See how good your Dust2 actually is in a game
where their ramifications are not as severe
as some of the bigger tournaments you're playing.
Nice second ban there for models.
You don't want to be playing mouse on Overpass.
That's their second best map after Inferno,
or maybe even their best, honestly.
So I think that was a sharp move there as we are going to see Nuke as a decider,
which will also be really interesting considering Maus has really struggled on it lately
and you know it's not been great for Mongols either.
I think Nuke is very interesting.
I think there's a great chance that we will need Nuke in order to decide this matchup as well, Sam.
And the reason why it's interesting is that I agree with what Dustin's saying.
Maus has been a little bit shaky on the map, but so has the Mongols.
We saw in the quarterfinal, we saw against Furia that,
hey, Mongols, you can play Nuke at a very high level,
especially when the pressure's on.
But I've also seen throughout this tournament and the tournament before this one, that on their nuke, it's very much hit and miss.
So I think it's a cool map pool, it's a cool map pool in the sense that each game and each map has a different story in relation to both the teams.
But should we get to nuke, it's pretty much a wild card for me.
I like that both of these teams are playing to their strengths in this selection.
They know what they're good at, that's what they want to showcase.
I'm curious though, if we take a look at Mounds on the Rosh, how do they take down Muckles?
Man, hope that you get as many CT rounds as you can, buddy.
Because let me tell you what, Maus has really
struggled on the T side on this map for some time.
They entered this tournament with a less than 40% win
rate on the T side, even though they played Mirage a lot.
So that's really going to be a struggle.
Meanwhile, Mongols thrive on the T side.
They're so ferocious.
They're so fearless.
And they do together with purpose.
They're so reactionary.
And they're always together.
They're never giving you freebies.
And they're willing to go for bold plays.
They're a pretty well-balanced team.
But if we're honest, it's all
about the fast-paced play from them.
Meanwhile, Maus pride themselves on having a dynamic defense that's very disruptive.
They're going to fight you, big connector.
They're going to swing you off-cat with their two-star CT players,
and they're going to move towards these operands across the map
and try to keep you guessing what lines he's taking.
So, it is going to be, I think, a game where you're going to see a lot of early-round action
due to the aggression that both these teams bring.
I think one of the most underrated facts about Monkeys and why they've been so good on Mirage so far is Emcenio.
The job he's doing, both on the T side, but also on the CT side.
T side obviously lurking out of Palace, coming up around, really finding a lot of impact.
CT side doing the same thing just on the opposite. He's the Mr. A player, so to speak, for the Mongols.
So I'm going to look towards him senior and see if he can find as much impact as he has throughout the entirety of the tournament.
Another way to answer your question is Wilson. How does Maus beat the Mongols?
I think pistol rounds. Obviously, MR12, we speak about it all the time. It's important.
The Mongols CT side pistol so far in this tournament has been excellent.
They won 12 out of 17, which means they often get off to a good start.
They often build up the economy on the CT side.
So if you're mouse and you can win your T side pistols, that's a good win condition.
However, on the T side, the opposite side is destroyed, only one 6 out of 17.
So I really do feel and I firmly believe that mouse being a great pistol team overall,
if you can get up to a good start, if you can shut down that Mongols building economy,
Mongols building, I guess, a bit of a presence on that CT side,
which they've been doing consistently throughout the entire tournament, you are a long, long way to be.
Absolutely agree.
I mean, this was obviously very important in the MR12 format
to get hot starts is both these teams can be very momentum
based for 100% like once they get rolling
and they get that confidence and swagger about them,
they can definitely roll out really big leads.
Again, though, I think for me, it's
going to be what this mouse shows on the T side
because I have seen them improve throughout the course
of this tournament.
We've seen them play Mirage a handful of times.
They've even gotten some wins.
They look a little bit sharper.
But can they do it against a Mongols team
where this is their home?
Mongols is the place that really
have always used Mirage to great effect.
and it's going to be a tough one for Miles, I think.
It's time to warm up the fans,
and it's time to warm up everyone here in the arena
with our third place to Saga,
the Mongols up against Miles.
And of course, we've got two of the best in the business
to make sure they bring you all the action.
God, thank you, Sam.
Always so sweet, and thank you, Kluge, for showing up.
We're here to bring you guys the appetizer today.
Mad respect for coming in for the best of three
before the best of five.
Absolutely.
brought to you by VRS. These matches do matter. We have Mongols in a position to jump a spot over
Na'Vi if they win this game. And so there's a lot on the line for them. And as Kim brought up on the
desk man for Maus, it's really about pride. I mean they've shown that they can beat a lot of teams
and it's been a while since they last faced off. They haven't really experienced this Mongols and
specifically this Mongols Mirage. Right. I like the tone that's kind of going on in the server
right now. We're privy to that info. Guys are just tapped back to each other. Jimmy's talking
a little smack, Blitz is making fun of himself. I think like the the atmosphere in the mood right
now in the game goes live is going to be a bit playful. As we get closer to that victory, I'm
kind of hoping that somebody kind of takes their gloves off, right? Are the Mongols going to suddenly
shy up and get shelled up and kind of lose that identity? Absolutely not. We've got a game that
like Blitz said on stage is important, VRS implications are important, mouse, they just
need to be prideful by the end of this game.
So let's get it on, Kalush, third-fourth decider.
And we kick it all off on Mirage,
with the Mongols on the T side like pimps,
so aptly put it struggling in these pistol rounds.
Stats don't lie in that regard.
So they get jumbled up on the side of the smoke,
but it still doesn't go in with a double headshot.
Very rapid into those kills come through with the Mongols.
And so Jimmy and Sphinx are going to have to handle this
to you for.
I'm not sure if I saw that correctly,
But I think Xerxes got caught on the ladder.
I feel like we didn't get an icon for it,
but I think he almost got a shot while he was on it.
So, you see, with the way they set up on the A site,
they're ready for something fast.
But Mongols, even if they're ready for it,
they can still win.
They know that teams are expecting it.
And it's Techno again.
He's kind of a secret weapon on the horizon,
it feels like, at least so far at this event.
Put up huge numbers versus Vitality last night.
Do you mean go a little late and depart your kill, just securing the murder hole exit?
And those two mouse players will walk away from this.
So this won't be the first time and probably not the last time that we see Mongols hit a bomb site.
It's just, it's the time to kill at the start of the game for the Mongols that always feels insane.
Yeah, it's what everyone references when they play against them.
You see it, and it's even faster if you experience it.
And again, I always recommend going to watch those demos.
If you're impressed by a player and how quick these kills come out,
You're gonna be blown away maybe a little scared if you watch him in that situation
So in the end Zershin isn't caught on the ladder. He's standing in the corner
Oh, very you know that's what I'm gonna get up there, but still finds one of these paredas
Just that it's the headshot from techno once he gains vision pushing through the smoke
We're gonna force by for mouse round two and towards he's already dead
MP9 from Brolin to try to face the ramp not missing the beat though
Mongols come through, couple of kills made easy, and very swiftly moving through this forced buy out of Maus.
Once again, stamina maxing here as they just make sure they play quickly.
They just always have energy for the rounds that get close, the comebacks that could take place.
And in this head-to-head right now, it's 7-1 in favor of Maus.
For what it's worth, I mean, it's, you know, that's iterations of the Mongols.
They haven't even played against Cobra's era.
I think it's still pretty applicable though because like we always talk about with the Mongols same system generally same game style
He's a position. I wonder how it feels though to be Cobra's era and you know to think maybe I'm a position too
You know that there is another guy out there at this point, you know, is that even unfair to say?
What am I?
What you are is an impressive rookie. Yes
I was thinking I didn't want to kind of jump the gun with the game the other night
But when Cobra took to the quarterfinals and had such an impactful two maps in that series
I was thinking to myself obviously, you know, Maladoy got in his
You know Maladoy got his flowers rookie the year 2025. Yeah
And so every year of Counter-Strike we're kind of looking for that next rookie this to me if he can kind of dominate this game
Let's say he gets another big stage performance with all the you know
Essentially almost all the top ten teams at this event
Are we looking at him as having this early breakaway rookie of the year conversation?
Yeah, he's in there, absolutely. I mean, with Mongols being in the top 10,
him being a new star player in the team,
him getting all those roles to get the stats plus delivering on those,
and the stage performances, no drop off between online and LAN.
We looked at Kyosuke, he's struggling to put it together on stage.
That puts CobraZera ahead, absolutely. It's obviously very early,
but these tournaments like this matter, they're huge.
We'd be big for the conversation if you can find a certain regularity to those kinds of performances.
Maus haven't even seen anybody barring that underpass play, and yet down on 15 health is Jimmy,
so 5-7 up close, and more where the first one came from, right?
Maus just hoping to kind of serve as a landmine in this round.
Oh, there's a right volley.
Yeah, it's kind of flustered by that one, confirms it with the audio.
And so you can just sit here, bomb is backed by the T apartments, so there's no rush in this round, and it goes to perfection for the Mongols.
Five players up, 3-0 start, looking like more of that Mirage dominance that we're starting to see them put together time and time again.
There's never any scar tissue on these guys. Vitality showed us how you can't even come to the Mongols, fight them on their CT Dust 2, which is so good.
But just beat them in both halves.
It takes a team like Vitality.
If Vitality didn't exist, this conversation has happened so many times.
Imagine how many tournaments would have been given out to teams like Mongols.
Austin, they could have had a major, could have been housed to win events.
There really is no shame in this era of Counter-Strike, making it this far.
Of course, he's getting the opening duel towards Catwalk.
Just lets a 9-10 come sprinting into him.
And so first gun round for Maus nets them the man advantage and that's gonna just push the Mongols back from top middle for a second
There's no like follow-up move out of Maus not being super stubborn about getting anything more
You get your five before you lean back and you'll see what the Mongols respond with they slow it down very fast
I actually think that Maus might be worried about the cap play because sometimes they'll you know
Put a player up cat and then those commit to be no matter what happens
But this is actually a very long default now, they're super spread out, bomb is going to
get spotted but won't take any damage.
It's at a minute, so it doesn't mean that mouse can simply rotate over.
Spinks is going to have a massive timing.
So this is the risk they're taking, no smokes here, they're just trying to make it alert
But he has to get in there and he's gonna get swung. It looks like yeah, he dies nicely timed by Spinks
He's gonna free himself up to instantly come over to the a-hold. We'll see if he's called on because we got the techno opening
Zershin real slick climbs up that ladder
They've spotted the second player as well so easy clear of connector for Spinks gets queued up by that vision off of catwalk
And barring the one death on Brolin from this attempt late into a from the Mongols
It's an excellent first gun round here for mouse. Yeah, it's it's a little bit scary
But he's so far away from this it should be fine, but they know he's low
There's four up here for mouse so where you normally wouldn't hunt you might go ahead and try to check some stuff
But it looks like he'll be all good here. Nobody's gonna come get him. So techno's six and zero score line has been conserved
The record to beat is 16 and zero from Sai Wu
Which is gotta be the I mean, I don't even remember a map last year where a guy like maybe doc
If we've done something like that.
The thing with Donk though is like he'll get to 16 kills really quickly
but that's usually the death or two sprinkled in because he never stops going.
Because they're all openings? Yeah.
It feels like you gotta kind of tiptoe around the zero death situation.
Donk I don't even think looks at that number.
I think the reason that the mouse can take down basically any team in a match like this
and this is their eighth, third, fourth place decider
since Shanghai.
Ooh, it's because they can tailor their game plan to anybody.
I'm very good at that.
They really forever are the bridesmaid.
When sometimes teams say they play their own game,
mouths really think about what you're going to do.
You can see it in the tactics and the strategy.
They tailor it too.
Smoke goes past Torsi.
His teammate throw on forward.
Tertian takes a bullet to the head.
That's going to at least cue up the Torsi trade.
Man advantage maintained by mouths because of that offer.
9-10 taking damage while Spinks' catwalk hold comes through.
And Spinks is starting to look sharp with some of these headshots.
It's been very consistent so far, Cluj.
Lots of good numbers out of Spinks, as we're used to seeing.
And with that goes kind of the...
It feels like the hopes of a round victory, but...
Mongols look pretty giddy right now. It's actually go for something.
Crazy. 9-10 with bomb 18 HP by himself.
Really hoping Blitz is able to join up with him with this cat split, but the well-timed
boost earlier from Spinks.
Gonna totally catch you off-guard, little insurance policy offered up towards Catwalk,
and now 9-10 knows, odds are you're not getting in there and way too much to lose here.
Talking about a Kevlar to op full belt of utility, this is gonna have to be the Mongols
giving away another, and Mao's cutting into that lead.
And it's moments like that, it's just a little bit extra, but it's good, it doesn't
cost you anything.
to boost up, play a new position, hold cat. If you do die and it's a 2v2 split, your teammate
is in danger in the back of the site. So, again, Mao's keeping it neat and tidy.
It feels like even if you do die in that spot, it's never the position that the terrorist
first clears, right? So odds are, let's say you lose the duel even with the advantage
of the fresh angle, you're still getting a bit of damage in, right? You know, you're
going to get some value out of that every single time, essentially.
Oh, it's business time now.
Yeah, air's flowing.
Oh, wow.
Nice clean headshot.
I think Xenio gets one as well, but then two players inside a connector, right?
Two players in front of that smoke out of the Mongols.
Not surprised to see Xenio caught off by that one.
He thinks he gets the kill, but kind of clears up his control of connector.
Not the case.
His mouths lean into the Mongols mid-play, and have effectively done a good job of cutting
it down from Cat, cutting it down from connector.
off a player here and there for these first two mouse around wins they're
gonna go ahead bolster this mid-play yet again
facility makes a little bit awkward here for mouse trying to fall back the cap
players lined up for the spray down but Jimmy's there to trade out and at 50
health he still hangs on to man advantage right yeah he gets out of
there they have four up still still some pressure on the map that's very
active but the bomb is in a spot where you know nine tank can't just pick this
stop and run into the A site. One more kill and that story changes.
Walking it out. This is pressure on default. Perfect bait actually at a techno.
Holds the trigger on roll and now they know about his deep angle. 9-10 gets a
quick glimpse of a player towards murder hole and Torsi is gonna start being
cost-effective over towards the ticket. Did he just close that? Oh wow. Just to
creep through so that he could do this. Oh that's amazing. Denies the player
They are on bench and completely out positions 9-10.
Good luck with this one. I mean, you can get the bomb.
Step one, get the bomb. Step two, get the plant. Step three, clutch, clutch, clutch.
Careful, that last one's hard to pull off.
Step one and two though, we'll see.
This deep ramp position though, Torsi scoped up on the angle.
And it's done! Just like that, Torshee. Confident with the lean forward.
Maus has not looked in the rear view since picking up that first one.
I know they look at games like this, you know, Maus and go,
we see how good we are, you know, how come we can't just activate it to have a consistent good three days in a row
to get that Grand Finals victory. And I feel like, you know,
just on how to interview with Heku that she posted on Twitter, it's like 30 minutes, obviously.
bestyapper in town right now. Like, listening to him talk about the game is awesome, but
he mentioned, you know, like, there's one team in the scene that's happy, it's Vitality.
And then it's, you know, every few months it might be spirit, but the most part everyone
else doesn't really know that they can win. But when we watch them, you see that they
are good enough, but if you're on the team yourself, you're just not making those
grand finals happen.
It's probably so much self-doubt when you can see a team winning as much as
Vitality do and you just think to yourself, we're just not that.
said you know we won the bounty that gave us the confidence to just show our
young guys we can win right they knew we were good enough but now we proved it
I think ParaVision are actually on this perfect course of ramping as well you
go back to the major where the pressure is that it's absolutely highest and you
do come up a little short but you don't face any kind of like soul crushing
defeat there you go into bounty a studio environment you lift a trophy then you
go to crack out things fall off a bit now you're talking about a para vision
that's getting experience on stage.
It's a really sick ramp towards a potential other trophy lift, but
well, that's the best of five tonight.
We look at this anti-pistol round, and it's way too easy for Maus yet again, the Mongols just
sprinkling and a kill here and there. A little bit more damage as well, not too bad,
but it's majority alive for Maus as it has been now four rounds in a row.
No bomb plants either for the Mongols within this streak of Maus victories.
It looks really relaxed like they're getting the opening kills versus the fast plays
But usually with the op from a safe spot
They either get that kill get traded get one back and then they can really rest
So there's not a moment here where Mongols are really winning me control and then making mouse scramble
They've always got an extra player on the map to look around take their time with things
And that's the hardest thing to fight against
Mongols want to burst out in the beta make this like a 3v3 right away
Yeah, but they're having trouble making that happen. That's not easy obviously
This game is feeling more like the pace that they were playing versus a vitality yesterday, which did eventually, for their argument's sake, eventually break through.
They were able to find footing, but when they played the corners, it was mongled, glumps off, out of spawn, eats the slams against their opponents.
They kind of gave fury of the beads in that one.
Maybe it's a respect thing for Malus, and also Malus just being proactive in slowing it down.
So the Mongols get unleashed in this game. It feels like Maus are just going to sit
in their comfort zone. Another challenge towards top middle gives a duel over a 9-Z, but there's
his counterpart actually with an AWP.
Timing the smoke up.
That's a luxury that the Mongols didn't have coming into this round. Torsi the only
big green on the field. And he damn near clips the wings of a second one towards
top middle. So once again, Maus lingering in middle doing damage to the Mongols
on their approach. Yeah, this is the 4v4 tour. You don't want to let that go because every time
we get into this mid control, it's always the mouths are coming out ahead on trade. So this
might be the most interesting moment for the Mongols, but really the Semzino fight is everything.
Leaves a little to be desired on that one. Like you said, kind of ends up being everything.
Now you've got this mid float still for the Mongols, bombs scooped up by CobraZero.
All your power, you know, you start to come back out of B because you don't get
get that lead towards A, there's no lurk kill.
Even though the CMG and the kill feed not overreacted,
it still forces the CTs to do a little more moving around.
Props to mouse where it's due,
they are kind of pushing the issue.
But it's because they have palace control.
So it's like, unless you have another lurker on A
and they come up through palace,
or if you do come through palace with two,
you get spotted and a trade comes down,
there's an early warning system in place.
Roland, there's not a lot of pressure on Roland to get his kill and fall back.
Fifteen seconds and he's got a Molly for back of triple right now.
Search is going to take his sweet time with this one. Copras arrow locks into the triple cover.
Ah, but it's temporary and the ball won't even go down. You've already spotted out Blitz.
Push his HP down to sub-20 and don't die after time. Oh, it's coming his way.
way and that's exactly what's going to happen. They're going to sweep away the funds for Blitz.
He goes into this next round, $350 and that is Maus who's just sitting there.
He's going to do it with a big fat smile on his face.
Round of applause for all the supportive girlfriends that crop up us counter strike nerds.
9-10 solo AK, Mungos really screws up the money.
Yeah, trying to find some way into this game, but...
Wow, he's currently playing a very suffocating CT side, a very confident CT side out of Maus.
Searching goes towards top middle, needs a whole pack of players,
and we'll find out that there is an AK on the field,
so now Maus are going to have to adapt to that,
and we play a little more conservatively.
at the same time they haven't really rested until they've got their men advantage doesn't
they just go into these perfect spots that are hard to counter.
So Mongols may know there could be another fight for them if they keep their eyes peeled.
There we go.
Second rifle as well now is not able to maintain control of that.
Ooh, but Brolin gonna find a freebie.
Pack turned by Blitz.
He is the right idea for the moment, but he got the second window plate doubled up on it too.
Yeah, just ready for this angle.
Totem pole stacked up towards Catwalk and on top of it, Torsi gets his hold on the cross.
Playing like a...
He's scrolling, comes through, everybody getting a piece of the action.
Everybody except for the Mongols.
This is another one where it's four players alive for Maus.
I mean, again, maximum two deaths on every single Maus round win for the last six.
None of which feature a bomb plant. I don't know how I could paint a bleaker picture and when it came to getting the kills in mid
It's actually Cobra's era. It's not the new guy getting carried by his team
It's him the pg the left side of box is on top of it taking out cat control fighting offers with his rifle
He was doing that versus every other team, but so far today. It kind of feels like he's still living in yesterday
You know, that's where the tournament may have ended for him, but he's not careful
It's gonna be a little extra mental focus
I think that's where you know because these third-fourth decider matches are kind of a new evolution in counter strike
Yeah, and it's something that I think you have to mentally figure out where you stand every single team signs up to these events going for gold
Playing for the trophy
I think if you you know you go through a whole cycle like a season then you understand the value of every game in VRS
Sure, actually the Cobra's era like right here. He was probably just thinking the only thing is we can make grand finals tomorrow
I get to overtime for vitality on Mirage.
This is a guy who yesterday was playing with his dream on the line.
And today is playing again now with just these kind of technical implications.
A guy like Litz understands it, not that CobraZera doesn't,
but maybe CobraZera doesn't quite feel it in his heart as much.
You know, it certainly doesn't add as much gasoline to the fire
as playing for a trophy would.
It's actually not in that position.
If you move it down to player,
and the question is that they're going to move at the right speed.
Last time the rotations were very good for Maus.
And Jimmy will block, but they're in front of the smoke to get the kill.
It's an open V-Site.
Oh, the Molly.
Felt like an eventuality that the Mongols would be able to break down the doors.
Molly, empty pillar.
We've also seen strong moves by Maus in these retake moments.
They've got so much money to play with that even at a man disadvantage,
you'd think they'd still go for this, but maybe with a fire in front of them.
Ah, a little bit of respect shown here, but I mean, the cash is so good.
Yeah, it's a very nice find. It's just that they didn't really have like a big flank.
a big plank. They didn't really have anything off-catch.
Sure.
Catch players off, so...
Could be silly to try to run into a problem.
Do you think, though, I mean, two more rounds to play.
Feels like they've got full buys in both those rounds regardless.
Yeah.
I guess this guarantees it.
But...
You know...
Lacking a little fight in this retake, perhaps?
The Mongols, it's taking them some time!
Oh, the flash! The flash is so good!
Yo! Hey, Plank Fort!
Just bottoming out Bank of Count for the Mongols instead.
I see your game plan, Mouse.
That was great use of their two players, but didn't really finish their meal there.
So a fourth on the board for the Mongols,
and as much as that streak was very impressive, this half is not over.
Hey!
Go, go, go!
Oh, you see ya.
CobraZera.
That's exactly the duel.
Mm-hmm.
Beautiful head shot to kick it off top middle in Tentno.
Forkay is gonna lock it into the trade frag.
But Maus, just keep that pressure coming, right?
There's always another piece.
And then Torsi freed up to move over to the ace site.
Tries to react to the top Tetris fly.
This happens not over.
Let's see this Jimmy 1v3 attempt, shall we?
You play by 9-10, he's going to go so deep off of the flashbang, this half is not over, you said it!
And now it starts to feel that way, CobraZera finally finding a way to leave his mark on this game, that is his second kill of this map.
Again, I think it's a matter of just got to wake up and realize like there's another game today, this game still matters, he's 2-10 right now.
And when we think about Longle's T-side on Mirage, he's important to taking mid specifically here, he contributes to the first kill.
And then after they do this, they just keep the pressure up the entire time.
It opens the window of timing towards A, even though Mao's gonna have to go back to A,
they didn't actually win against him, so it'd be like a joss-knot finish on either part of the map.
Whoa, whoo, just getting to beat that timing's crazy there.
Jimmy would have surely been a dead man.
The problem is though, he's been holding on to Ram's vision for a long time, he might not be ready for a sandwich player.
Xershin feels like he's got a read of this, but they use this round versus Vitality's. They smoke perfectly, got the cat kill, came back to jungle.
Those exertions aware of the threat though, but now there's a lot of pressure on Zershin.
He has to release some of that tension.
Oh, and he loses his duel.
It's the headshot, but Soto's blitz and that AK Reigns supreme, beautiful kill from Jimmy
down towards ramp.
Brolin's going to feel under pressure because you don't know where those jungle players
truly got off to market now coming for the rotate.
Magnate's going to clear this.
Oh, and they have to go back and get the bomb.
We've still got Brolin in ticket with Amali.
So sit here, and he'll wait, he'll grab that bomb in the meantime,
freeze up towards you to move over, and mouse, it's a free attempt as they've got to fight
for this one, around 12 and a half, oh no coverage, at least not for this ticket, jump
up, Brolin's got himself a second.
And so, big impact from a very patient play.
We'll have to see whether Techno is going to find some late half impact, bomb can be
scooped up, he's got that one, plant spot was set ablaze by that incendiary, Brolin's
He's just gonna try to walk this pressure up,
dive to Von Plant, and roll in
with some great impact here in this one.
Gonna maintain that mouse lead with a 7-5 CT hat.
That's excellent.
It's more you can expect from a guy playing ticket,
and he used his Molly perfectly.
He played off his Peaks perfectly,
and Mongols are just not ready for that extra man.
If they had went ahead and picked up
that last round on the half, despite the streak,
again, it would have been ultra-competitive here
for the Mongols, but you know that
Maus are feeling pretty good again.
Cyclones a visa to coach to go up against.
Absolutely. Same to be said for Mara.
Have you guys forgiven Maus yet?
OK.
But you do still love Jimmy, right?
Must love Jimmy.
He's going to be trying to blast his way through this third place assider.
Blitz on a Zeus.
Why the hell not?
Now to tap back into the stats mentioned on the Analyst Desk before this game goes live,
second best CT win rate for pistol rounds at the event belongs to Mombos.
It's a great stat to try to tap into when you are two rounds away from tying this up and under pressure.
I've literally seen Blitz get a Zeus kill and then the USP headshot from this position.
You ever up against Mongols?
So hard off this fake, it's a one-man fake, no one actually spotted.
And Techno will immediately get back on the site, but it seems he's so far away.
A flashbang as well makes it that much more awkward.
Insta kills nice though, gives him a little more room to try to get away with another, but not his for the taking.
Spinks trying to fight that backdoor of Market, and then it's Torji to return the favor back with one.
We go 3v3 in the second pistol, CTs don't wait for that bomb plant.
And Emsinho tries to close the gap with Desperetas now at bay.
And so down it goes.
Malz, surviving that pressure, that sudden attempt from the Mongols to fight them before the plant.
We don't know what this Zeus can do still, so we got Blitz down the one on two.
On a retake?
Yeah, retake now.
Zeus on the retake.
Awkwardly kind of clock climbing through the window.
Still given a chance, but it's going to be Brolin to put it to bed.
And that is going to be Malz's eighth round that these teams will split the T side pistols.
This is the thing about mouse, you know, they always get to this position you're like,
man, they can really expose your favorite team because they can really game plan so well
against them and, you know, they never fail to impress when it comes to that.
Scout brings out, have those top mid players second guessing, no flash here for Mzinho so
try MP7 dual, nice one from Brolin controls the gun, they could bat these over blitz,
kind of the perfect range for that. Not often you see a fantastic MP7 spray transfer,
but there you go. 20-26 baby, it's the year of the MP7.
Now a bit of a guessing game here for the Mongols.
Really can't make a bad decision on this spot. Keep your guns into the necks if no one comes to you.
If they do, you at least have a chance of holding the sight.
But for now, I've read the map perfectly once again.
Once again.
See ya, bro.
That's all they need to see.
Thinking you were gonna get away with something sneaky?
That's an MP7 upgrade for CobraZera at least?
All he's really hoping is he sees two people.
Yeah, he sees one, but even that's enough.
They know it's not a stack over on the side of a bomb tank as it goes down,
That will be the round.
Can't say Mousa made mistakes in this game at all.
Yeah, have they made even one?
Surely.
I think Mousa's biggest mistake was probably eliminating E-men.
Whatever you'd be able to pay that one back.
Still living with that.
still the majority of live for the Mongols, there's a silver lining, they're still on
CC, short for the really impressive times on T sides, but I mean I know Maus are still
going to be fully focused. He knows.
He's still having to take another one on the chin though, if the Longbow CT side has legs to stand on.
We're not seeing them fully outstretched here in the 15th round of playing.
What does 9-10 feel so much damage to Cobra's head?
I don't know actually.
I don't think I've ever seen somebody climbing up into that hole die to a frag grenade until today.
So, that's a bit of a golden gift offered over.
Another moment where, you know, Brolin just has to make sure he doesn't send his troops to the wrong place.
So that's kind of all he has to do.
Perfectly placed utility here. Even Techno's quick scramble away from that fire puts him into the frag grenade.
So, well bank eats the flash as well.
Yeah, they know you're here.
This poor guy's getting pelted by utility.
And Brolin has managed to get away with that connector push this time.
And he's going to jump on M.T. Neo trying to move around to the murder hole. Scout under pressure, yeah!
Tough to come back and deal with this M.A.C. 10, especially when it's supported by Skanks,
which now lets the Mongols know B-bomb site belongs to Maus. Double digits secured, absolutely here for Maus.
Now once again, Heat and Tidy, well organized, well executed as usual.
This is now 10 of the last 12 rounds of play, all with Maus' names written on them.
written on them. We'll get into the first rifle round for a real chance for Mongols to respond.
Back in CSGO, five rounds wasn't even really a lead. These days it's the end of the world.
Oh, oh, just the perfect scout shot.
99 damage.
Yeah, that's how that feels.
It's kicking in.
That's a weird looking dog.
First gun round and potentially one of the few gun rounds
that the Mongols get to put on display here for Mirage.
The thing they can't have.
Yeah, it's not kind of rough.
Shouldn't we take the trophy away for the third-fourth game?
Or maybe get a really tiny one.
Oh, you'd love to have that.
A little tiny trophy for the decider match from now on.
Maybe next year.
Uh, caught on the climb up, Cobra Zero has been effectively countered this game.
This guy still has two kills.
Yeah, this is becoming a nightmare.
Two kills.
You know, I was saying, maybe if you can tap back into that breakout performance, we'll
be rookie of the year.
Well, he's feeling like an absolute shell of himself in contrast to the quarterfinals.
He goes top middle.
Searching.
He's fine with that one.
He can deal with 30 damage.
damage.
Get Maus moving majority over towards A with an execute being set up.
That's not what they wanted to throw.
That's interesting.
Not familiar with that one.
Zershin doesn't waste a bullet to the headshot on 9-10, so now you're going to draw the
connector player into the Zershin duel, which really softens up this A site nicely
for what is very much a Maus camp getting ready to pounce.
If they can pounce without being expected, it's going to go even better for them
Barring a heroic moment out of MZeno, his singular kill is going to force Blitz to come running back over
in the face of players that are already on the brink of the bong side itself.
Spinks collects the kill.
One more chance here for the Mongols to move a player over, but Techno4K is met by utility
and you are playing versus a very focused, very sharp looking mouse.
Yeah, I mean everything you can say that's good about Mongols, you can say the same thing about mouse.
They can keep up on every front end.
Yeah, now they're looking like a two-way team here on T-side.
We'll be soft on the wound if Techno got caught off guard on timing.
There is some space inside the window, but he's...
Oh, Torsi from the side.
Yes, sir.
That goes to worse.
Really starting to feel like Jimmy wasn't just, you know, speaking for the sake of
it in that pregame interview.
He said he's got a good feeling about today.
They're coming in sharp.
They're coming in focused.
They're coming in ready to win this one and not have to go through that embarrassment
of losing the decider game.
So, feels like he's putting action behind those words.
Now he's looking untouchable.
Like we said, few opportunities for guns
on the CT side at the moment.
Mongols back at it, we've got a FOMAS on the field,
we've got very limited utility.
And yet still 9-10 finds the headshot on desertion.
So a man advantage could help in a round
that's otherwise a disadvantageous spot for Mongols.
is in fact a great find.
And you didn't even have to run out of connector
or push off a cat.
Run to their scot-free, oh, awkward.
You can see ahead, covered just barely by that stairs peak.
Surely this one doesn't go wrong.
It's gonna take a multi-kill entry
to just guarantee their spot.
The ZZs are still scouring, and there's Cobra,
third kill of the map, but a really important moment.
Time it just missed by Spinks.
It's gonna be a slow burn from Spinks
if they really think they can get into this bomb site.
It's very well stacked by the Mongols.
That's going to confirm it. Here we go. Mongols making this one happen and not just by
scrapping their way through it but an actual round of dominance out of the
Mongols CT side. Question is, is it too late? 11-6 secured. Mongols going to give
themselves the best chance. 9-10 is going to find an AWP safe for him. So a bit of a
freebie here to try to build up the Mongols. It's now or it's never.
Five alive. They get the first kill easily inside of middle. Yeah, 9-10 blind.
these windows that smoke inside a window, but a lot of the jewels that are taking place
are starting this way.
And the fact is, no matter how, you know, if you want to model yourself after another
team, like one of these tier one teams, and you go and watch the demos and try to do
that, you're going to see lots of crazy kills that happen.
It's actually just a huge part of the game.
Individual moments of timings.
Stamps.
Oh, and this one has nothing to do with luck.
Positioning kill here for Blitz.
Almost missed that.
Amazingly.
Ramp player does just inch its way out though,
and with the Palace utility, that's going to serve up a distraction for Mzinho.
Spinks is trying to look for that chance to strike, dodges the flash that comes through,
and then is ready for the peek out of Mzinho.
Now that execute comes over his hop, utility in the middle, good headshot from CobraZera, his fourth frag of the map.
But it comes at a critical moment, because still you could fight for this A site even if you let mouse's boots onto the ground that crossed over with bomb.
And no ticket challenge to stop that.
Let's inching his way upwards, Spinks looking for another fight.
It is headshots out of Spinks, here in round 18.
CobraZera though his counterpart returns the favor.
Smoke grenade on the default as the web bang comes through. Jimmy barely still standing.
Torsi gonna change his angle?
Sitting and waiting through that top stairs play. Jimmy, it's a knife out.
And an AWP up in that smoke. Jimmy starts to spray back.
And now 9-10's got a piece together, the 1v2. Pistols out.
And he'll manage the first one. A swathe to the AK, but it's empty.
Oh!
Done with it. Torsi gets the clutch instead, running him down.
And now, we'll have six map points.
And it's, I mean, Koba's there now.
He's looking more alive.
But yeah, this is officially looking too late.
And even with his impact on this round, a 3v5 victory
for Maus, they look to give Mongols a little hope
with their five alive round, and then instantly take it away.
at least for the Mongols, they come in with an up. Everything that they really need to
win. Brought to you by that max loss bonus ends, keeping five alive.
What do you think Mara is thinking? I feel like he's just perfectly zen right
now. Yeah.
Just riding this one out.
You know, the Ston said that, he said like, I'm a very serious talker.
Sometimes I'm too strict when it comes to practice, but when the match starts, I'm extremely chill.
That's what he said.
Okay.
Once the game's live, it's all onto the players, and it's not about criticisms or anything like that.
One value to really get out of kind of adding.
Due to the fire in this one, Mongols still with a bit of heat.
Ah, nice shot, Surtian. Back in with another headshot, his 12th frag, and in with quick timing, too, but...
Oh! That's so nasty!
No, don't let him get away with another one.
Oh, 9-10, suddenly a little bit scared, Surtian. Look at the spin around and get that.
And obviously, Mao's finding that kill as the rotator came towards Murderhole, knows they've got open routes towards B.
Into the corner, Brolin goes deep, and so it's his clutch for MZeno.
45 health versus 2, bomb on the site and they're ready for the swing.
Now is with a master class shutdown of the Mongols here on Mirage.
Not looking for back-to-back losses in these third place decider games.
This one sends a message to the Mongols.
But if you want these BRS points off our back, come and get them.
She said she loves you, but she can't love me.
But I love you!
I won't play Windu anymore.
What's going on?
I
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Yes, during the semifinals we saw an inspired mirage from the Mongols up against Vitality.
That inspiration a little bit lacking today.
It felt like Miles kind of had their number from the get-go, shut it right down and said
no dancing, no playing, you don't get to control the pace, we're doing this the
whole way through.
Yeah, there's no doubt that the Mongols didn't show up in the same fashion we
saw yesterday versus Vitaly.
I think that would only be fair to say.
On the other hand, we also got to give it a lot of credit to Maus
for coming in being, that I say, laser focused,
playing a very clinical game of Counter-Strike,
showing up in spades.
We have different players at different moments in the game,
really being the spearhead for Maus,
with Torcerer on, with Roland,
we had a lot of the players coming in
and doing a good job for Maus.
So in its essence,
Dust, a little bit disappointed in the mob for sure.
It's more so that I saw yesterday how well they can play
and today so far, they haven't been able to replicate that.
Yeah, 3-0 start, and now it was about it.
I mean, from there onward, Mouse really dominated
the rest of the game.
And it kind of comes down to what
we were setting up in the pregame,
where you kind of have bundles that
represents the unstoppable force on Mirage at times.
You can just play this really fast-paced style
that is very controlled, but still very chaotic.
I think you have a team like Mouse Sports
who's the immovable object.
Who's a team that's going to disrupt you,
who's going to not give you a whole lot of space,
try to suffocate you across the map,
and be disruptive.
And that's exactly what they were able to do.
Was Mouse winning that duel, ultimately,
where they were able to release slow models down,
not get them a lot of free space.
They're able to get a lot of opening picks.
Tours, he was very mobile across the map.
Their rotators played effectively.
And yeah, just generally speaking,
this is a mouse sports team that,
Mirage was a vulnerability for them for a while,
in my opinion, coming into the shoes,
because of how bad their T-sides were.
But we've seen them improve their T-sides to a degree,
and this game didn't lead it very much, in Ferrari's,
but enough to get the job done is my point.
So we're starting to see,
maybe Mirage is beginning to emerge
a little bit from mouse sports.
Do you think Mirage is emerging from man's sports?
Do you think they just had a really good first half?
I think it's a bit of both.
I definitely get where Dust is coming from.
And I think Maus overall has always been a decent team
when it comes to Mirage, even when they were, you know,
peeking.
One of the maps that they would always bring into the matchup
versus Vitality was Mirage.
So that gives you a bit of a sense of how good they think
they are themselves on a map like Mirage.
So I think it's a bit of both.
It also kind of aligns with what we know about Maus.
A team that, on the normal circumstances,
They're excellent at beating teams below them, right?
That's always been the case.
I know the Paravision loss was a bit of an upset in that regard.
Maybe we're underestimating Paravision, but Maus have a bit of a habit,
and that's why they're so consistent as they are of always beating teams beneath them.
And the Mongols are still a team beneath them.
Brolin, individually, had a great game,
read the game well, you know, off to a bit of a slow start, as you can see here,
but then he stepped it up massively,
and there's different ways of getting a lot of kills on the server, right?
But when you have three, four rounds where you're getting triple kills, multi kills,
almost single-handed winning round.
So for Brolin to have that kind of impact as an in-game leader
is also a big part of the reason as to why
Maus were as strong as they were.
So credit to the in-game leader, Brolin,
who overall, I think, has been having a pretty good tournament
apart from the one-game against Perthisch.
Yeah, just a solid anchor for this team, defensively, right?
I mean, you know, you have guys like Zershin
and Sphinx who are moving around a lot,
you know, that Torsi likes to make waves across the map.
And it's about how does Brolin handle the ripple effects
of that to move around the aggression?
And it's just him being able to lock down a ticket boot,
lock down inside the site,
Assistant connector would need be and just, you know, it's unlike some IGLs where you kind of stick them in an anchor role
And you kind of hope for the best this is the guy who can actually have impact throughout the game
And we've increasingly seen throughout this tournament where Brolin not only doing well in the CT spots
But he's also come in and done some really good entry work, you know
We kind of parked on mouths and kind of struggled the entry department house
There's not been quite as effective of an entry as he used to be but Brolin's trying to come in there
And make some things happen his own right and often cases he's done pretty well at it to be honest for an IGL
So, yeah, Maus is showing you that, as you noted, they are still a team that, yeah,
they've been outlifting a whole bunch of trophies, but they still always sit at top five,
and the way that they do is by making sure that they don't let someone come up and get them.
I always love this. The conversation around Maus has been they're not lifting enough trophies,
but before that, it was also that I really have a star player.
But when these players are activated and all of them are performing well,
Maus is a world-class team.
Yeah, without a doubt, we've seen that over and over again.
We saw Brolin obviously having moments in this game.
We had Toschi as well doing a good job, despite maybe not being the most likeable guy inside this arena right now.
I think he's been held up to his own and did a good good performance overall again different way right we saw in Brolin
That was a lot of triple kills a lot of multi kills
Torsi came in and just consistently got an output pretty much every single round in that CT side
Moving around playing proactive counter strike involved in a lot of this stuff
So in terms of the impact he found especially the first half Torsi did an excellent job
Yeah, again, he is kind of one of the trademarks of this dynamic defense that mouse like to run
You know, he's an opera that is very forward. You know, he's very aggressive
He's not just some guy who's going to sit back and hold blinds.
He's going to be akin to a Montesey or a Mala Goli in the sense
that he's going to be looking for action, looking to take forward angles,
looking to take aggressive swings.
And he's also a guy who's not half-bath a rifle in his hands either for an offer.
So, again, I think that this is just trademark Torsi.
You know, back when he was peaking the first season of last year
and they were rivaling vitality and always making those second place finishes
and making those deep runs.
I thought Torsi was one of the most impactful operas in the game at the time.
You know, a lot of people were like,
Nancy, who's number one,
Munisee's number two,
Shiro was definitely in the top five.
I really thought Torsi made a name for himself
in a similar regard,
kind of cooled off the second half of the year.
Good to see him fire back up here
in a tournament like this.
So our energy in the pregame was very hard
because we were expecting Mongols
to come in with this high-paced energy as well.
Obviously, very quickly shaft down by Maus.
Do we continue in the slow, methodical game
as we move to Maus' map pick
and do they just very slowly pick away
at the Mongols and claim that third place?
I mean, not necessarily, but I do think that's what we're looking into right now.
A mouse that is in control, a mouse that is obviously the heavy favorites to win this matchup.
Inferno is, again, a map that the Mongols can play,
and it's definitely a map that mouse have shown weaknesses on from time to time,
so I'm not going to say that they don't stand a chance,
but we need to see an awful lot more coming out from the Mongols.
We need to see them get off to a good start, just like we saw on Mirage,
but then convert on it, build on it and continue to apply a bit of pressure
from that T-side of the Mongrels.
I think CT side-wise as well.
You know, banana, it's the never-ending record, I guess, Dust.
It's always going to be very important.
I will say that Xershin have had a decent tournament,
specifically on banana, together with Roland.
So I think that's not necessarily the area
where I think they're going to win out.
So I'm more curious to how much M-senior
can get done towards the A-bomb side.
How well is he going to play that anchor role?
He's also had a bit of a habit of sometimes finding space
in apartments, you know, and pushing in and figuring out,
Okay, there's no play out here. So either it's going to be a midtake or they're heading towards to be bombsite
So I think I'm senior specifically CT side rating you see right here not having a great time
But in terms of gathering info, I think he's going to be a vital playmaker for the Mongols
Yeah, I mean Mongols have really struggled in the post-Sinzoo era on this map in particular
And it was kind of a 50-50 map for them in the past anyway
Meanwhile, this is one of the two maps next to overpass where mouse have actually been able to find consistent success
They've done pretty well on this map throughout and it's because I think they're just so effective across the map
This is one of the tea size that actually do have some strength behind it, you know
You mentioned the Dershie brolin banana control element
But this is also a map where you can see Jimmy find like really cool timings on balcony to take out people and you mentioned
Mazzino as the anchor who's not to kind of deal with that a little bit
They're just good at split pressure and then gathering up together and making things happen
And I think a lot of what models are gonna have to do to try to make something happen here is one unsettled banana
Don't let Dershie and brolin have it for free
Don't let them have a field day there and also just you know try to limit the space that mouse have to work with
I think that's really the biggest hope that they're going to have in this one.
I think Inferno is a map that kind of quantifies what Maus is all about, right?
Because as you said, there's no weakness when you look at that line-up.
There's always good players in all the good positions, and you'd say Xershin and Boland,
they're doing one hell of a job taking banana control.
Spinks finds an awful lot of impact.
Tossi is okay with the Riflers, which is needed on Inferno.
And as you said, Jim Fett, he feels comfortable on Inferno.
The thing is they don't have that X-Fect, they don't have that extra guy going out,
and sometimes maybe that should be Tossi.
Wagar like Mordor, Wagar like Monacy, they have a bit of a habit of changing the tide of the game.
So, if anything, I think Inferno is a map that just encapsulates what Maus is all about.
Very solid foundation, no weaknesses, but then sometimes need that extra flair,
which goes into the conversation as to why they're not winning trophies,
but why they're always stable and usually beat teams on their own level or beneath them.
So you're saying no weaknesses or are there some holes that you've been able to spot?
I don't think there's a clear cut weakness at all, to be completely honest.
Then it's up to Mongols to apply enough pressure to maybe shake Maus a little bit.
You could also argue that you are Maus now, you got off to such a good start on Mirage.
Maybe you lose a bit of focus. Maybe you thought, oh, that was easy.
So Inferno's got to be easy as well.
We see that tendency sometimes when you're winning your opponent's map pick,
then you go into the second map. Maybe you're not laser focused from the get-go,
and that could be a way into the game, but as you can hear right now,
I'm stretching. It's a bit far-fetched, and that's where I feel like we're at right now.
The Mongols are the underdogs, mouse are the heavy favorites, and it will take an awful lot of a performance coming out for the Mongols in order to change that.
I mean, I think in the first half it comes down to Mongols having to drag mouse into deep waters.
You know, when mouse gets comfortable and they're able to get to initial map control, this is one of the T-sides where they can actually feel pretty confident taking sides together.
But if you can disrupt them and force them to have to make some tough mid-rounding decisions or some tough late-round moments,
that's where maybe you can limit their impact attacking.
And then when models get on their offense, just play the same type of counter strike that we know you're for.
being very pacy in your face, very explosive.
This is a team that for me is really good at early half,
giving you a lot of aggression, but then using that later in the half
to kind of condition you and throw some in some fakes and faints
and some creative little plays that can get them rounds on the board.
So I think as long as they can just do enough on the CT side
to give themselves a chance, I've actually really enjoyed watching some of their T-sides
lately on this map despite the results not always being there.
Malz vs Mongols, and it looks like Malz might be able to close this out 2-0.
They'll be happy with a third place if that does happen,
but probably are going to kick themselves about that ParaVision loss for a considerable time to come.
Because that should never have happened, Brady.
No, it shouldn't, you know, and you're right in saying that, that they're obviously disappointed.
But then again, how much are we underestimating ParaVision?
Let's see what they can do against Vitality later on in that grand final.
Maybe we just have to accept the fact that ParaVision is a new team
that is in contention to be a stable top five team
that could cause issues for the likes of Maus, Falcons, you name it,
which they've done so far in this tournament by knocking them both out.
So in that regard, I don't think I don't think mouse is too upset about it
And if anything, I think we always have to remind ourselves about that as well
Counter-Strike is moving very very fast in a week's time. We're gonna be at another tournament in two weeks time
It's gonna be another tournament
So there's always a bounce back to happen
But obviously it starts right here for mouse if you can win this game 2-0 then hopefully you're coming into the next
Tournament still would a bit of confidence in the tank. We'll still always be talking about mouse in the series finals
We're just waiting for them to make a grand final
Grand Final is on my favorite. It's Grand Final Day here. The crowd has been absolutely incredible and obviously we're also looking ahead to the rest of the year
There are a lot of tournaments
But I think the one that we're all putting a giant highlight on of course is the major at the end of the year in Singapore
Don't forget that you can actually register now for pre-sale pre-sale access
Which means the moment those tickets are available
You will be one of the first people that will be notified
You can go and buy and I will almost guarantee you the both mouth and the monkeys by that time
even though that it's got seven eight months out by now they're gonna be that major list hey in East Asia
It was Mongols making the first time a team from that region made a major playoff
That was of course a Shanghai major the first major in Asia
We're gonna get to go back in Singapore and I'm sure the Horton company over there will be excited to see that happen again
I like how we've just jumped all the way to the end of the year
It's only the start we've already seen two trophies this lifted today a third
Let's find out though who is gonna take that third place now
Yeah, no trophies for this one unfortunately for Maus and Mongols
But as you've said it does plenty to look forward to Launders
And I think if you're the Mongols you're looking forward to getting the hell off this stage after that first game because it didn't go
Well, they didn't really feel as lively as I think they would have wanted. Yeah a lot of their series rests on Marash
Yeah, you know, so we know like miles these days on inferno
Obviously back in the day if you want to jump time the conversation was that the Mongols only one in Furno
But it's been a long time since then so
So their toughest test is probably coming up right now.
And so far, at least, if there's one glimmer of hope,
it's the fact that CobraZero in the last couple of rounds
started to get his aim back.
Yeah, he set up a four, right?
As games go on, and as they get more intense
and more competitive, sometimes we
do get to see better versions of CobraZero.
Well, the last game didn't get competitive,
so we didn't quite get to see him tap back into it.
Let's give him a little more runway.
Potentially one last map for us here,
Cluj here the third decider.
So let's see what mows can make of it.
Whether Longos give us fireworks.
Techno 4k, gonna put those Berettas to work,
but it's very swiftly mows to cut
the original defenders down to size.
9-10 tries to get creative,
but no Hail Mary USP shots land.
They body block standing on Spinks' head.
No frag grenade either.
That's what they were looking to body block.
And so with utility not a part of this retake,
Longos are gonna have to wait out smokes
Or just walk right through them, which would feel a little crazy.
You're going to execute Jimmy, Spinks whips back around.
9-10 also popped, and that's some clean block shots out of Spinks.
You now suddenly know Blitz is stuck on Banana,
and he's going to leave his teammates dead on the ground.
It is Maus with a T side pistol win.
Even though Cobra's been so good for the Mongols,
I feel like their pistol round wins is almost always techno,
getting two kills.
And like right here, he had the dualies in a great spot.
The counter flashes were actually very well timed.
in about two or three seconds of spam to really lock out the site buttons.
Maus' comfort is going to show in Inferno,
and I think that's going to make the difference in these split-second-gun fights,
or just that one moment of denying two traits from happening.
That's where I think Maus are really going to pull ahead.
And this is a great round from Spinks to show off exactly what he can do.
I think that's an element of the Maus gameplay
that we've been seeing all week long on Inferno.
Certainly it is where confidence starts to boil over a little bit.
like a guy like even Borgi who usually kind of limited with the ops on a map like this.
You kind of get screwed up to go for those midpicks a little more often.
And then you can't talk about Maus on Furno without having a discussion about Surtian
being kind of the ace in the hole when it comes to running down banana.
In the hole of the sleeve, wherever you hide aces.
Let's see if it works
Flash tactics set up for us just to get techno to a state they call out a spot here on sandbags
It's kind of round where I don't even think they really need to scout they just need to find out that at least there's two guys on one side of
The map then they know they have very unfair fights on the other
Crazy tech I want to get with this, hanging on to the half wall doesn't make a move off
that teammate's flash, but Xershin was blind, he's probably going to be covered the entire
time.
MP7 getting one towards the arch side, kind of queuing up to split into the V-Site.
Smoke in front of Banana though, they could try to charge through that, Live 7's about
to go empty.
Xershin knows it, worst case, maybe he has to get traded out, but now with Xershin
Inside of the little bit it is all too easy for Maus to follow through into the B bomb site
Yeah, they didn't go to the extra light here
They had throw and throw with fake by himself over towards arch goddess one kill at the very least but you just see how
flawless it is overall the movement
Searching getting on top of the logs
avoiding the HE, moving forward the whole time, unscathed.
And I'd love to know how much the bomb goes really quickly because the fans still really believe in them.
There's rounds on Mirage that had a bit of fight in them, but we expect that fight to
slowly dissipate throughout Inferno.
Again, now's going to give us a reminder as to why you see them on these stages so often.
And yes, maybe when the lights are at their brightest, they have shortcomings, but
God forbid they lose in these Decider games two events in a row.
The rounds like this are built on great Beagle shots.
And well placed grenades.
One for two.
MP9 gets a bit of chip damage there on Jimmy.
That's going to send the Mongols back through the apartments for the most part.
Seeing Jimmy on that crawl up. They'll give him some real estate.
I don't like that. Once again we're not really seeing a great, greater idea here for the Mongols.
for the Mongols like to take it overhaul is controlled but they're really hoping for a default
that results in a mistake for Maus but Maus have full car control
and at least one push a small lead here for Cobra's era if things take too much time
you know I say all that but they've actually made quite a formation here they've got the exit
blocked off they've got a third rotation into B. They aren't truly worried about A
at all at this point, but we're about to see a full exact end of the site.
Another smoke goes down from Blitz as well in front of us execute at 30 seconds.
But Rosario lets them know though they are boxed in and both teams know it.
They'll try to feral their way through. We said the frag grenades landed, we needed some nice deep shots.
There's one from 9-10 and here's your answer back three kills
But into the kill feed to the mouse paper make it five uninterrupted kills even with the squeeze
Now don't give a damn
That's just raw confidence like you see someone on the blank in that timing and you know that there's maybe gonna be one or two
Guys there but you also know you're running into a stack that the information is in the hand of the models
They still go for the full exact. They just don't believe they can lose
I think she just likes operas, can you blame her?
The gun the better.
MP7 here for rolling.
Another early look towards banana hiding in the corner with splits.
You're not getting out of here buddy.
If they swing that wall, you're on your own.
tries to go off the frag grenade no support for blitz it's a 5v4 easy four mouths
I think Cobra's there to take out a hundred chickens to the fence and he'll be on his side
It's an invitation though.
Again, man, it's looking a little dead, communication-wise.
But Muzz are waiting for something to happen because something should happen.
Right, and then it's not, so then they'll just be allowed to play the rounds they choose.
Although, they do walk their way into the 9-10 AWP up in the apartments.
Quick reposition from him over to Arch.
It's Jimmy so they might really think that this was a lurk and a fake right or that is nothing to do with the exact
I'll start to move over now. You're coming. They're not really guarding the lane smoke and everybody else in found emzinhos
Don't blow pulling out of the rounds good hold coming together as Spinks can't really get it going out through balcony
Just yet. He rattles a bullet off
They'll know damn well about him and then that third piece is soon to be added to the defense
Cobra Zara make it his move in and there's no immediate follow through for mouse
They're willing to just let this round go Mongols will pick one up in the fourth
Oh fair enough. I mean two guys there and 910 has one deep angle and even though they don't rotate off of the first kill
Because it is Jimmy is carefully done by Maus
Ebsenio places spot
Well, they have to run through with smoke with the amount of time left over and so Mongols keep it calm
That's your logo!
We're out in and we thought maybe that passiveness for Mongols would cost them another round, but...
You step into the scope, you set them up nicely, a defense holds strong.
All of those have something to build on.
Blitz again, now it's getting neutered by this utility, down to 64 health, and 0 and 4 start for him.
They really wanted to dissuade anybody from getting that far up to throw a grenade, but
Zershin knows exactly where the edges of the cards are.
He's actually going through this.
Flash is making it awkward for Blitz.
Oh, by E-re-games vision just in time, guns empty.
Good trade forced by Maus. They try to go one further, and Tekno's still here to duel with you.
14 HP makes the difference on that one. Jimmy's starting to take a look into this A site and it's not an opt to hold him back this time.
This Jimmy Mzinho dual queued up, opera holding short side instead.
He wants to get to have some nice complimentary spots between these two.
As long as Halse's cover 9-10 is really open here, as long as they don't smoke out middle.
He doesn't have anything to worry about on arch.
And he finds out that noze are poking. This is going to kill the clock a little bit.
little bit Jimmy shows his hand all of a sudden 9-10's off
queued up for another solid hold they smoke his angle off
crazy 30 seconds and they're smoking off the lane they aren't even a position to take arch
so they're trying to get the CTs to reform
Jimmy back towards the balcony 9-10's gonna take up a more passive position here in pit
two anchoring inside of the pit but still there's a hesitation from the
Mongols to rotate over and a missed opportunity for 9-10 they're gonna
close that gap to the blue truck still don't know about this second pit
That's over two in the off-shots here for 9-10.
Rotate starts to move over through the library.
No.
Third with shot.
It's going to open the door for the bomb plant.
Here's Kogorazeru to try to cut it down.
Torji pops up, bested by the pistol.
A lot of whiffs out of 9-10 this round,
but it's around for the Mongols regardless.
He was really tracking those slowly and still missing them,
so let it get close.
But it does speak to how reinforced the setup was
towards lane.
And he is the work of art.
I mean, even when the smoke came out on towards Lane, they knew what the amount of time left over.
Like, they watched it. They had opportunities to stop that kind of play, even if they missed a couple of chances.
So if anything, the Mongols are winning off of the clock in these past couple,
putting the right amount of pressure on the map enough to slow mouths down.
They seem very tentative about just trying to take the A site.
And as we've seen they love their kill inside of halls but they're not getting it.
So last round a little more activity out of Blitz freed up from the corners of
banana to go down into the logs, duals. It's a good look for the Mongols to get
that active. It's gonna elicit utility out of mouse as they're smoked off
unsure as to whether again Blitz is gonna get that frisky. Obviously we
you can see total contrast inside of the B bomb sites at the Mongols.
I'd be more critical of a position like this if they hadn't won from the spot a couple of times now,
especially, again, if Maus don't want to make this a B-play.
Mongols have shown me they're pretty comfortable and good at handling these spots.
I'm not sure if we can afford more 9-10 misses, but another time being he's got two rifles
really ready to hold an A.
He flashes as he tries to close that distance.
We hit 40 seconds and everybody's ready to go for Maus.
See if he can attack.
Ah, hits the shot but doesn't get the lethal kill until the second bullet goes out.
They're going to try to chase him down.
Little pre-fire clear here from Spitz and Cobra gets traded.
Emzino head tucked in the bomb site, pops up, surrounded, and can't manage to hold anybody back
so Maus are finally able to knock down the door inside of the A-Play, majority alive in the post-plant.
And now we get the retake attempt coming through from Techno.
46 health to find these last two, and they are just layered up, waiting for his arrival.
I've had it. I mean, Torz has got a smoke, but he's not going to use it, it looks like.
Sphinx playing Counter Flash. Juice in case Techno has one. That's not the case.
It's a tough one to get into.
Spring starts to consider the other direction and Pornishy will not waste this moment.
Maus will find their fourth round on the attack.
It's a couple strong defensive moments from the Mongols,
but that third attempt into A goes Maus' way.
You could give 9-10 half points for hitting a shot,
but it goes through, the wall doesn't get the kill,
and then he has to take a second shot on the same guy,
and it's the next guy that trades.
If not for that, a little bit more delay of timing,
Xershin won't be able to get the spin around Gil towards Ard's.
Rotators have a little bit more time to get over there, so
It's a close call, but
Those will be proud of themselves. I think they they stare their demon right in the face
And that's what you're round on a full exact
Surtian right here on the ring taking no damage until the techno headshots come through.
Feeling like he had more room to work with, rolling down to half health as well, so kind
of winning the utility fight this time Mongols.
Yeah, definitely. No, even established with their smoke.
Shove them back into this longer round, which is...
the recipe for success for them.
That E-910 dropped off the... Oh, my goodness!
Jimmy! Over the top of that one.
Now you start to look at those low health bars on the side of the Mongols,
and you wonder, where did their advantage go?
I think you heard him dropping a bit.
Damn, Cobra just got hit hard as well.
There's a few liabilities this round for the Mongols.
Here comes the swing out from Speaks, denied.
Torsi gets the one back towards Blyth.
Exenio walks to be the hero.
Okay.
Triple kill.
The player who had the most health in that situation.
Brolin though, hang on.
Does he know about Pit?
Now he does.
Oh, now he does. Big time.
Remember, it's low HP for Exenio now.
That's the second one here for Brolin.
Another smoke goes through, but they test the limits.
He's got his chance and he'll clutch in.
Another clutch for Brolin.
Robbed this one back from the Mongols, bottoms out through the economy
and really robs away any chance at early CT momentum.
It's crazy how often Brolin could be a random opening fragger,
an entry fragger on Banana, and then also come through the clutch.
Again, pulling that off from Ticket back on Mirage.
Another one in the books for him.
And it's such a good hole that he promises doing this level of work
There's a valiant effort from Mginio, but
Show their teeth in round seven
Swipe away the cash
And another massive advantage.
Frag grenade that lands well on Blitz.
He's having a tough go of it. Defending his B bomb site. Doesn't even get to see a mouse player.
Two nades upside the head.
His Geyser Eagle hits the ground with nothing to show for him.
Focus at him. Zero's five seven.
Oh my goodness. They're on my god. Both are ill.
Killery with just a...
And that's why they come into Inferno, man.
Like, if you're gonna have one big advantage, it's gonna be off your private utility
and that's something mouse happens spades.
It feels like in the face of all opposition, we've been singing their praise for the utility on this map specifically while in Cluj.
It's been a good week of Inferno showing us out of Maus, and this one just added to the pile.
Kobuzera at least freed up to get a little crazy if he wants to, but he'll decide to just keep waiting.
I guess just try to honeypot this and hope that Maus go forward the same exact they did last time.
time. However, with the amount of time left over, we see Brolin searching A, not
seeing a soul, no one in cubby, and everyone's gonna start to come back.
Why play that risk if you don't have to? I mean, we have seen them get boxed in and
still be able to fight their way out. Can't say you got them.
Okay, that's fun.
That's not a good cobra, so they know that there's at least one more over here.
He's got a gun to save.
K47 to be held on to, that's what the Mongols have earned by stacking inside of the B site,
but 6-2 lead Maus.
On safe fur now.
There wouldn't be any saving on cash.
That's not that many cash fans either.
I heard some clapping and I was going to say, oh, still some respect in the arena for
But. Always going up against it.
I don't think ahead of it early there.
It's pretty good.
Is why you can't.
They just met.
They're both married.
Come on, come on, come on, come on!
It's the helmets, you know, it's just gets in the way.
Another attempt for the Mongols, well equipped at least.
Let's see what they're up to again towards banana.
It ain't easy. Hold them back, Mouse.
When it comes to this half of the map, Blitz gonna try his hand at it again.
On the hunt for his second frag, so far on the CT side,
Nades go a little too deep, so they've seen much worse damage, Mongols.
This one easy to stomach in comparison to some of the previous rounds.
Oh, it's not time to take the tag.
The mongo's offered down to 15 health.
Mao's happy to take over control of Banana as well.
It's weird because it feels like this one's so smooth a bit more quickly, but they haven't collected the bomb instead.
Should be just waiting for his moment.
10th got a watchful eye on but we can already see that this one's not ending on A.
That's been so constant, kind of making themselves feel bigger than they are over towards the A site.
That constant, the looming threat to come back to it as well, right?
That looming threat that we start to see pieced together here in round nine as well.
Actually, but they found themselves now versus two on the site 910 low even though he's got this off our trap with 20 seconds is
ambitious pretty crazy
And senior tries to get into the cover here comes out library peak
I'm just a problem the clock box gotta go the night that drops it in the process
You're not gonna win this round mouse you played a dangerous game with that clock
And you paint the place anybody dying after time
Not by the looks of it up held on to but that cobra's there a peak when he left arch you think it
Oh God, they've got it
But then he does get in on time distracts them and serves up enough of a window for 910 to drop the bomb
It's kind of just not not great calling in some moments here from Rowland because I mean rounds coming down to the clock
When you're winning this many rounds and the rounds you win look good
The fact that you're even letting it put that close
The smuggles are almost never putting pressure back on on bracket. They're not playing with the man advantage into these positions. So, you know, Oh,
of course, you might pick off. You will not be able to take a look into the halls over there. Oh, that's a nice one back there.
What you got him?
But it's like any team in that spot, you have bracket control 20 seconds. Like, even if you feel like going late isn't the best idea.
That's kinda the only one.
They try to play it in off-E style.
Senior's ahead of this one.
Mountain test short side last round, but that was the way to go with the low health 9-10.
Oh, Jimmy's right there with it, 9-10 to the corners, not going to be able to escape.
Spinks and towards, he takes a look at the bomb site.
Techno could, could go unnoticed.
That's very possible.
Sounded like he is.
Yeah, nobody's checking this.
He's got a back turn.
Offer drops in.
Beautiful sequence here from Techno.
Aw, Spinks though climbs onto the box, finds his and now chews up the clutch versus Blitz.
Fires going to prevent Blitz's play, there's the peek, Spinks wins it!
Blitz plays cover!
Good on him to get into that cover, give himself the best possible fight in a duel.
Not bad for a guy that was 1-8 before he wins that clutch.
I was just looking at Jimmy at 1-7 go, oh man that kill, the last time he got a kill.
They won a round off, it obviously so valuable the Hallslerker, but it starts at 5-4,
An early answer back for once here for the Mongols, and once again another close on A.
Anything goes unchecked, great shooting here for Techno.
Very patient, just the right amount of patience, obviously forced to pull the trigger when the opera drops on him.
How many players would have whipped around and lost that second kill, but...
Absolutely.
Very clean rightful play for Techno.
Turn on the dime.
My God, they've done it. They've put the economy of Mao's under pressure.
We've got tech 9s for the majority, AK here for Torgy.
Once again, really obsessed with making it work on the A site.
This one has to move faster, you see the guns are low.
But there's no one in pit for the time being.
And we see that mongols, they do transpose into the double pit setup, they get ready in time.
We're getting ahead of this, just in time.
Senior doesn't like that close look.
Dodge flashes, Maktan slams into him, down they go.
It's just a simplified balcony commitment out for Maus, and the setup for the Mongols not ready.
So you will fall victim to the lesser guns.
Now it's showing us a bit of prowess.
With just the timing of that hack play, right? They move out as a unit.
That utility makes it so uncomfortable to hold it back.
Maus earn a 7.
You have perfect spacing like that. It comes down to do you want to dodge the flash,
or do you want to take the first fight and get blinded,
but risk not seeing anybody at all.
And Mzinho took the first option, avoided the flash, but had no way to peek back up, see three guys popping out.
It's just a perfect moment here for Maus and it goes to show like they've been waiting a little too long
for basically the same players in the same positions on the same site.
See ya! Rollin!
Gonna remind a boost boss as we get Maus on the brink of an 8-4 T-side within the ramp pick. Full control.
I think that one's also going to kind of free-mouse up as this game goes on a little bit.
You know, you're starting to let Mongols rack up a couple rounds.
You're trying to get complicated with the last 10 seconds of play.
What do you do this time? You just storm that bomb site.
You take it with ease.
And you kind of flex your individual level in this one.
It almost felt like as this game gone on,
Mongols had earned a bit of respect,
but this last round is mouse and just slapping upside the head again.
The single bomb is trapped to make a move into the apartment.
All flash.
He's set up nicely.
This forward peek's been found out.
That's two bodies confirmed by Jimmy.
Spinks really wanted to go into that second one.
But Mzino didn't immediately bail and leaves his team out here.
Blitz just goes over to confirm players are through that smoke.
Dropping utility on their feet, giving himself a flash to work with,
and now all of a sudden Brolin's given a chance.
Slick second head shot.
And it's the chaos, he always comes out ahead.
Good on Mongols to create that chaos,
but difficult to always kind of hang onto it.
Start getting a little wild, even if it's on your own terms.
You make a mistake to give Brolin a sequence like that.
He gets his two kills and with it,
it is Maus who should be able to just walk this one over the line.
I really appreciate Emsenio fighting for his space there in halls because if he had just fallen back his teammate was surely dead
So that was a selfless move for him, but he just tried to overwhelm from that point on him
That's why it just cost him two bodies
to be insertion or low, but
If we have Brolin calling the right site here that damage won't really matter in Mongols
In the final round of this half are starting to evacuate
the site they need to protect
20 seconds walking or again, but this time it'll work
I didn't smoke this time as well, just in case CobraZero was able to get away with the same thing.
But nope. Played down to the wire, Mao's looking to get away with it, final round of the half, so they're gonna make a move and you're not ready for that smoke crawl from Emzinho.
Not a bad moment considering he only had the 10 health to work with, but with such little HP on 2 of the 3, Molotov means Emzinho can't do anything about this, not yet.
Insertion has played this timing to perfection. If the pit player just slows it down, it's going to be easy executes.
But it gets turned on by Techno, who's still working with that full health as is Brolin.
Bomb in the deep side of the bomb site is held onto here by Jimmy.
And Techno, no kit. Even with the kill towards Jimmy, he's just going to try to run this down, but you've lost this.
Another round added to the tally for Maus, A4 on the T side, putting yet another gap between them and the Mongols.
This team is good.
Not my first place good.
Not first place good is a thing.
That's obviously the most
troublesome part about, you know,
watching them, as you know what they're capable of.
You can't really, I mean, watch vitality.
You get similar scenes when it comes to Maus, you know,
pouring, I guess, maybe more superstars.
They really do have things in order.
Tactics are so good.
There are some moments where the calling, obviously,
could have got them even more rounds here.
It's so impressive how few mistakes they make, essentially.
That's going to be their highlight.
Yeah, a couple rounds so far this series that we can call mistakes, right?
Losing to the pistols.
It's only happened in the favor of Maus.
One back on Mirage, another one here sprinkled him to the C side.
And we're just able to storm it down.
You guys ready for that Grand Finals?
Yeah, I don't know.
Now the tats are here.
Just a light snack.
So let's see about that Mongol's pistol round win percentage.
Fortunately, it's the T-side that doesn't do the many favors.
Third worst T-side pistol coming into this matchup.
Well, we got a 5v1.
So, you know, I'm really seeing a bomb plan in our future.
And it's not going to be the heroic retake on mid as standard rotations.
Observers walk great in time.
It's just early enough they aren't going to run through it.
Switches over to the Berettas. Here comes that pop.
They go for the CT cross and Spiggs finds one through the smoke, but it's over oranges that Techno collects.
He'll dive into Newbox.
Fast rotation though, coming through from Maus. 9-10 vs. Torsi on the lurks.
9-10, yeah, just pulls the trigger. Knows better than to try to milk that one for more.
So, to hell with your stats, Tim.
Mondo's got a little fight in them on this T-Sci, just got to put it in and Jimmy not able to trade it immediately helps out with the team kill
But it's majority alive for the Mongols a little fight left in them here on inferno
Totally keeps the game alive any hope of they gonna come back as you mentioned struggling on T-Sci and that's the thing
on Dust2 as well. That's the
big thing they've got to get sorted out sometimes over a really simplistic and they've really changed their style a lot
I mean sometimes they do a lot more
set full on execs. When this team started out, we drew comparisons early on to Astralis
with the way that they almost played. And everyone was kind of like, you know, hesitant
to try to say something like that, so you ranked in Harrison to make, but they really
did try to play a European solid counter strike right from the jump. First Asian team to
really do that. But they went almost straight away from that a little bit, gone for something
a bit more scrappy and pack-based.
Maybe the idea is to highlight the aim
at individual level on this team.
I felt like that was something they kind of earned
as their success was slowly built up.
Counter-Strength really is a game
of finding out what works best for you.
And the long was never doubted.
Right for Brolin, gives him food for thought.
His mouths remain adamant about this alien, four strong in position.
More utility to be picked up by Zershin.
We'll see if that deters the Mongols' commitment.
Feels to me like Glitz is ready to full commit.
It's supposed to be massive. Yeah.
Thanks. Okay.
Oh, they can't believe it.
And you're going to give them the B-bomb site.
Oh, okay, what a shot.
Just a message.
That's 4 down on Cobra.
Just for the stat so that he ends off on a good note.
have a decent game, no matter how this goes.
Yeah, we're gonna kind of slowly start to forget about that quarter finals performance.
Follow the other games, you just get slammed out of the server.
Jordy held on to, Mambos walked away, two round gap.
Yeah, that's what pistols will do.
The same strength for Mao's coming into this round. Only a single loss.
That's a good hold. It's just the nature of Mirage and then how flat that first half was.
You start to just kind of forget about the confidence. You may have started the day with four Mongols,
but pistol, conversion, an advantage in this one as well.
We're looking at a one-round game, it all goes well,
but again, you make a couple of mistakes,
and now it's a right back in this.
Hmm.
We'll see at what point Mons decided to just get brave
with the little that they are fighting with in this one.
Scout for Torsey, looks down middle,
doesn't see anything, has to fall back,
but he'll go back in for a second look,
and he finds damage.
That's Cobra, Xeratai.
Dangerously low. That's very, very dangerous, you know, not getting a kill on Inferno, but getting damage like that, especially look at the HEs still on the map.
Yeah, there's going to be more chip damage coming in, and this actually really swings the odds a bit more back into the favorite mouse, you know, despite the guns.
Guns aren't everything on this map.
It really is. Are you picking the right stacks, since you have the utility?
Oh, it's another tag. I mean, if they just go A though, they're good.
There's no support nearby. You've cleared it out. It's there for the taking.
Mongols still a bit hesitant, though.
That was very far removed.
We'll make that decision now to try to flank this fast. Still the Mongols somewhat delayed.
Worried that one of these corners is going to be occupied.
Occupied, CobraZera is starting to think about going back for the mid-book.
Man, really going slow at this.
You can see the respects, you know, coming across the board for the bonkles.
They almost can't believe they found it open-sighted.
He knows he's gonna die, yeah.
He's gotta throw his caution to the wind.
There's two players who are tagged, but I mean,
Malus don't even want to try this at all.
Really?
This just fortifies their economy, I guess,
and around where they don't believe they can win.
Damage on Blitz and Cobra. Could have even put a tent in the Mongols' cash flow, but
alright, keep your Kevlar, hang on to your 5-7s, your dinky SMGs, or maybe just come at this
and try to find the exit kills. I think that's where their pressure is going to be instead.
You don't believe in winning the round, but you do still believe in punishing the Mongols
for exiting into your spawn, and this is very well put together by Mal.
are gonna want to use next round. Low AT.
Yeah, here it goes.
Cost-effective move by mouse.
And they will clear all but CobraZera.
Safely tucked into bananas.
Still took 5 damage.
Oh my god.
I'm in that bomb, baby.
Two guns coming out of that.
And all that, all those players down is kind of huge progress.
Got it.
Still money left over. No upcoming game for the Mongols. It is officially a one-round game.
But this is where you gotta sit up straight.
This is where Mao Zedai begins.
Kicks it off with a well placed grenade on Techno.
Ah, caught jumping up as well onto Karr.
He trusted that molly.
The facility dropped in front, Surtian still hanging on.
He's going to be burned out of this corner.
Yeah, can't find refuge.
That's nice.
Damn, Roland stomped it on his head.
We go back to the 4B4.
It'll force Pinks to come and support for a little bit.
Now, there's a window now where Mungles can go and take the A site before anyone else starts to come over, but it's a small window.
We'll see it closing.
Mungles having Pinks to the defense. They'll walk through to no contest.
Still with ample amounts of time, missed opportunity by Dorsey.
Jimmy's Gawil, under pressure by the Util, spinks also yet to cut anybody off of his commitment.
The Mongols hit the pause button momentarily.
Dorsey giving it a second chance, won't win that one, and then on the corner collects another.
But his teammates go down with nothing.
Dorsey's starting to miss again, and they break through.
That bomb site had defenders on it.
We've got ourselves a tied second map.
Ooh, when they ran past Torsi and had two deaths,
do you think we're watching that from a winner's perspective?
But two extra offshots, that looked like they needed to be hit.
Every one of his teammates went down without a kill.
Very nice stuff here for the Mongols.
I think it might always be something to process.
They did have a very successful last round.
They kept the economy afloat a little bit here for now.
So, the kids are already coming into this round.
It's crazy. If you just see that round for those two shots, you're thinking, damn,
Damn, of course he's on it, but then you see it with the two whips that kicked it all off
and you know just how close he could have been to winning that round on his own.
Gotta hit him all.
Blitz with no hesitation to take over Banana.
Oh, what a shot! Through the wall in the head!
Ten punishes.
Just like it
No way
Very quick move into the bracket side as well. Torsi saw that shoulder spot player down beneath and Jimmy
He's gonna be found out by techno nice techno and no room for Torsi to come back in for the train immediately
He's gonna try to climb up. Oh, he catches the perfect angle
Torsi trying to make up for lost ground in the previous round player is down beneath him directly under
Matt's going to catch him off.
Thorsy gets killed by Techno.
Oh!
They slide through that so far.
This is a flawless T-side coming together for the Mongols.
And Xenia not getting his Mali in it.
It felt like that was giving up too much to Thorsy who could sit inside of the apartments,
but he doesn't get another kill after that.
This one also rests on a knife edge,
but it's going to be the Mongols.
He's going to head once again. Have a toss so far this half.
Off the attack pause, as well, we saw Cyclone getting involved.
And I'm liking how much utility damage is coming out the opening kill out of a tank. And these are windpots.
These are the kinds around to get your expecting mouse to have a greater chance of being able to pull off.
They play in front all the time. They are the team that looks forward to low buys. That's kind of scary for Cobra man.
At least he knows the smoke put it out.
Cobra is very scared for Cobra now.
He cannot afford to take another step into brackets. If they could only find Surtian, surely the Mongols would bank back on that confident B-play they have.
You might have to blindly go and be or just blindly go into a site.
They haven't won brackets over.
Molly got extinguished.
CTs are still here.
And Mouses are still throwing nades down B, man.
This is going to be an unnerving moment for the Muckles.
Trying to size it up.
Spires defeated.
Tortigy forces him back.
You unravel one side of this.
Now MC Neo is dead.
CobraZera is still low.
Insertion with that MP9 is going to just press it up
against the smoke grenade.
30 seconds as the Mongols have collected themselves that are gonna go into this
execute. Maus are trying to scramble back over, Xershan still just trying to rack up
some damage and he'll even take the frag. Desert Eagle goes down on the push
through, low HP from two of the three, bomb carrier cut down. We were saying how
mistakes weren't being made. This round could be the first 9-10s coverage from
the top of Orange tonight and the bomb plant with hands busy, Maus.
Ty just came up immediately. Six rounds into the CT side, they'll find their first.
That's the steal you've got to be ready for.
You know, it's so well played from Zershey, he finds a way to jump back when they're blowing the smoke open
and then comes out and spams them on their exact entry route against that wall.
Just was missing one Molly on the R side.
Not able to win over bracket control like they wanted to at first, could have been slow down.
Transition up into the boo surgeon. More impact.
I heard that one.
It's just a living part too.
Confidence in Mongols was just starting to grow here, Emzino Simpson.
Surely one round doesn't take all the wind out of their sails.
I say it's surely this one round won't stop what has been otherwise pretty confident moves from the Mongols
Sankra looks down under his notes like his playing chess
You're up against Blitz you are
Thank You Yoda
Playing chess we are
Another fast bop again, right?
Little electricity here for the Mongols, but Spix is gonna find his...
Got Cobra on the rebuttal, nice second kill from Spix, hovered off by Jimmy, here's the
wrap from Blitz though!
Finds the opening they need because the bomb site was holding strong and just the right
utility placed at the right time to extra confidence for the Mongols to just sink
into this post plant.
You do see so much utility here for mouse.
This does mean that Mungles might have to play active
to make sure that it comes at 2v1.
Yeah, that'll be maybe enough.
I should put mouse on ice.
No free frag off the nade.
Any late push through?
Mound's going to just try to catch them off guard.
Yeah, Mullen's off to hit the bomb site.
They're coming through on this.
They flutter to the player back site.
And they play down to the wire.
Oh, 9-10 keeps it clean.
Making sure that this Mongols' plant isn't in vain.
Still a single CT round for Maus.
Still so much money here for Maus, but yeah,
one gun round overall.
And the only gun they've won is an eco.
A T-side comeback on inferno.
Just what you think they're out of all things to happen.
The Mongols just don't stop impressing.
Scary too because in previous maps this week, we've seen the Mongols kind of have great starts and then lose the ability to kind of close.
Let their opponents back into games.
Again, we're watching it from the POV of the guy who's getting all the kills. It looks like it's such a good hold.
Let everyone else dies around him.
Blitz.
Blitz, I think that's his...
He's fighting from the bottom of the board here, but it's two moments, two-side moments.
Now he's keeping giving over control from the middle.
Where's he waiting for this?
The utility over top.
Oh, wow, blinds.
And those free shots that he's missed that's allowed models to get closer in the past,
round. Gonna have to fight through this four versus five advantage. No arch-raff either.
It's a deeper position from Maus. They know damn well that you do not have control of
this side of the bomb site. Such a full commitment right now. They want to take this.
Where's he goes passive off of the man advantage. That's ridiculous. Beautiful move by Spinks confirms of
course this inkling that Maus already had. It kind of shows off how many players they
had to work with. They could just have him pushed through. It's gonna have
mongols thinking, but it feels like at best they can just watch the flank.
This would be the first mongols break out moment.
They could fight back into the bomb site, it'd be impressive, but in 35 seconds they know they've also got options.
So now they will take over Arch.
Just got to decide at this point. You just have to decide. You could go B if you wanted to.
Modo smokes beyond the halfway point. It's about to come up and Cobra's arrow is going to find a dual.
Zershin, this one goes to Link. He's just going to go quad.
No, this is crazy so much time is gonna get bled off the clock. Cobra could stop him from rotating over
Roland doesn't know he's gonna walk right into it cut off by Cobra's arrow
What a slick timing he's been able to find version one kill and he wins. It's an easy kill on a one that bomb carrier
Oh, here he goes swept under the rock surgeon back in with a second place the cover to perfection and place the clock down to the limits
Mongols almost finding a way back into that round
But we're going to go back and forth around wins four times and Malus tie back up at 10.
Yeah, it's a close call, but at the end of the day, I mean, mongols were scrambling to get anything done at that point.
They knew they got called out when Spinks made that push, and they got worried about taking the A site.
They were right in that worry, but they, you know, I mean, they had to hope that basically no one was at B with the amount of time left over.
And I'm not surprised they were more focused on, like, a quad P than confidence.
because if Zershinwankbottom just sat there, he would have instantly
had the round as well.
Now Torsi freed up to go for the mid-angle.
We've set out few mistakes that have kind of been in this game.
There's a lot of time trouble for both sides, we'll say that.
Sure.
This would have to be the first time models break down the door with these sorts of a buy.
Now's may have in the final hours of inferno found just enough space to close out to zero.
Maybe.
Wow, that is an impressive smoke grenade right there.
Down to the steps.
They know they have all of this cleared.
Plans it.
Yeah.
So much confidence.
Plans it.
Yeah, he's got so much confidence.
Zershin, reading the positioning well, Cobra Zera.
Neutralized.
He doesn't use that smoke that early.
How could the Mongols possibly break back into this round?
Still a healthy amount of utility for an execute.
if anything it's you know insertion has been playing pretty perfect over on B
but the A site players have made mistakes a lot of times couple of missed
off shots of open doors in the past Jimmy drops utile in the face of the
Mongols rumblings nice double name it's a perfect way to open things up you drop
one of the guns Dorsi loses vision spinks on his own now and he's gonna
drop down into the pit lights it up for the 5-7 queues up doors you to come
through with damage but 9-10s Deagle is gonna go hunting here right in
between the two smokes, backbodies spammed away by Brolin.
And now Zershin's going to try to run down the block.
Gorshi's got the cover, 9-10 Fresh Mag.
He should never get away with anything here.
And as they climb over top, they'll deal again.
Gorshi's pistol, leaves a mark on the Mongols,
as Maus will be back in the lead.
A miracle that he could even reload.
But here we are after that great streak arounds.
They very solid start to a T-side comeback.
And Maus have won three out of the last four.
by the Mongols as well. It's not going to be a pretty finish economically. They'll be beating
themselves up. Slightly better CT side and there's a world where they could have pushed this in an
unexpected fashion on Inferno. And Nuke has done them well. But we may never get there unless
they can upset with this buy right here right now. Two rounds of lost bonus. Bottom down
back encounters. Even less in the next round for the Mongols. Mao's going to flex this
this gun advantage. Establish the 4 versus 3. Still have two players strong on the banana
hold.
It's Cobra from downtown with a Tech 9 headshot. They're not running from this at all.
They're not afraid of this. They know exactly where they could stand.
Malz can absolutely sense the close coming. Blitz is going to potentially try to flash
Muzinho through. Nah. He just wants to go quiet for the moment.
I mean, Xershin's play has just been so perfect.
It's like, you know, all the utility's landing in the right spots,
but he knows exactly what he can get away with.
When to push, when to peek, when to stand behind a smoke.
Smoke onto the cross.
Xershin has stood this test in the past,
and now he's going to lock into Newbox.
We'll see if they anticipate him over towards Coffins again,
giving a flash to peek off of.
Down to 20 seconds, waiting for the climb over top.
Still, just these tech nines.
Now when M4 picked up for the bomb planter, big swing from Coffin's, great Blitz trade.
Okay.
And for the moment, these two mouse players remain disjointed.
Eight bullets in the magazine here for Blitz.
Trying to fall back into cover, trying to give himself a chance for the reload, and he'll get away with that.
This has been a recovery game for Blitz from the bottom of the scoreboard, looking to cut them down to size!
Oh.
But leave it to Torsi!
Fan favorite!
To come through with the 12th round, Maus will secure it to map and match points.
He's loving it. He's loving it because he's winning.
Here they are, one away from closing, another close call.
This half has been a lot of very tight rounds, but...
Oh, that's gonna fall.
Don't worry brother, Grand Final is coming up soon.
Four of these CT rounds for Maus, three of them by way of defuse.
You have fooled to write off the Mongols now though.
They've shown us evolution, they've shown us improvement so far throughout this event.
And just when we thought we were about to write them off, they gave us a show in
the second half of Inferno.
And you know what?
I'm wrong.
with that bomb plant much better off for the Mongols they've got rifles to play with in this one and they're lost moments to start
It's a really creep up
Give themselves a better chance
Potentially one for the road or techno. It's got a run through all this perfectly placed H.E.S.
Like being a swamp they don't expect he's looking to get real swirly here from this position
He's been threatening a map-handed hand, he wants to swing.
They're gonna drop that.
Techno remains tucked in, getting away with this position.
He gets it away.
Just come to clear this out, it's going back to the A site.
See if the CT's care about that.
Before he's still here with the AWP on our...
On Arch.
He lands that clean shot on Blitz, who was just looking for the fast wide swing.
Torsi's gonna try to stick on to the angle for a second, spins into the corner.
This could wind up being pressure on the balcony player instead. Jimmy hanging on.
And again, strugglesome game for Jim Fat.
Six kills to his name, Torsi's got his second.
And now with the space, Bum is still able to move in.
There's a bit of an answer back here for the Mongols fighting tooth and nail for this.
this as Enzino's whittled down to 9 HP and Maus will cue themselves up for a
retake. Yeah it's a must-win post plan here for the Mongols. This one's for the
game. CobraZera sits inside of it on top of that bomb and slowly but surely Maus
are going to wrap around this bomb site. They clear out Boiler first. They know
that now Mongols have to be stacked up either inside of the sit site or
over towards the pit. It's not a comfortable hold. It's not been a
comfortable game but by God we know the mongos fight for it.
Xershin catches one jumping, players in the bomb site hold strong but they just
can't do it. On to the bomb goes Groll and final seconds, is there more?
It's a robbery for Maus. 13-10 finish. They return to Cluj-Napoca not as the
champions back-to-back but they will still stand on the podium losing out
on a chance to hoist the trophy losing out the fan favorites and yet still
showing us that mouse will remain a constant threat on this stage they find
a bit of success at its happy expense of the models you must respect their
ability they show it every single game the tactics and it even covered some of
their losses here where there was time trouble it retreats towards the end of
the top of the board speaks to the top of board this entire event cows
really are the final tests for these teams that are also looking for trophies.
Unfortunately, they find themselves in another third-force place this either, but
at least they don't lose that. That's the point right? Marked improvement. Not gonna
let that crack how repeat come through. Gleur slightly better in that regard.
And of course, if anybody does get cheered for when it comes to Maus,
it's Young Jimmy.
Miles find themselves, claiming the victory here, 2-0 in the third place with the side-up.
Jimmy, a lot of teams have problems on Mirage against the Mongols, but for you guys, it looks pretty comfortable, man. What's the difference?
I think we just came to the game like really confident and we just trusted our game plan.
We knew that we were also good in Mirage, so we just went with what we had and we trusted it.
But then going into Inferno, did you guys start to worry at any point there, you know, they were battling back?
I mean maybe I, I wouldn't say so, but for me to be honest, I couldn't kill anyone on Inferno,
but I'm happy that my teammates had my back and they got me all the time, so it felt good regardless.
It did feel good, I'm sure, getting that win, getting a victory in a third place decider as well.
And just give me for you your overall thoughts on Malz's performance here at Kluznopok at this turn on.
I mean, I think we still wanted to go for the final and we felt sure to reverse this prohibition.
I think the game could have went in our way as well, but it did not.
So, I think going to the next tournament now, we of course want to look for better results.
We want to go to the final, you know, because this one is not satisfying enough, especially for us.
So, yeah, that's what we will do.
Now, I know you're always grinding. I know you're always working hard
But vitality on the other side of this they don't have any experience against Paravision you faced them twice
Do you think Paravision could maybe pull something off here, mate?
I think still it will be vital in this game to be honest
I think they're just so strong as a team right now and
Like for sure like the best game in the world
So I would say vitality really going to win, but yeah, let's see. I hope it will be interesting game
I'm sure it will be thank you very much your force Jimmy clues. You love this guy. Come on. Give it up to Jimmy and mouse
Third place they're gonna be very happy with that the Mongols I think
It almost felt like they they used up all their superpowers yesterday. Yeah a little bit
came alive, you know, on second map, I'd say, gave us a good game,
gave us a tense game as well, for moments you believe that maybe they can push it over the finish line,
maybe they can push it into overtime, but overall I think the Mongols should also be heavy.
Yes, isolation this game, maybe not their best, but finishing fourth in what has been one of the most stacked tournaments,
or the most stacked tournament next to Krakow this year already,
where only Spirit is not here out of all the top teams in the world.
If you're the Mongols and you asked them two weeks ago,
Hey, how about you finish off at PTO choosing to broke out?
What do you have that would have said?
Yes.
Yeah, definitely a huge step up from their debut
with Cobra at Crack Hour.
Things did not go as swimmingly.
I think this is a good result for them.
I think this is just proof of concept
that the staying power is still here for Mongols.
That backbone of Mara and Blitz is still one
that can make this team push to new limits
and be a really solid squad.
They showed that with controls as well,
when they were able to make the playoffs with Utapest
major despite not having Sun Tzu.
And I think that this is a nice foundation to work from.
It gave Cobra some reps.
It allows him to kind of maybe figure out
where some discrepancies are, what things
need to be kind of tweaked and adjusted.
And I think that this is the models team that,
with this result, bruised it, hey,
we're still a playoff contender.
We're still going to be able to do well on group stages.
We're going to maybe be able to win a quarterfinal here
and there.
And I think that's a great place to start from.
Let's talk about the comeback now, really quick,
because they did issue quite a strong comeback
in the second half of this game.
It looked like they were trying to get back
in terms of what were they doing right.
We need to just start with the shots.
You know, obviously, one pistol converted and started to play well.
And I think they played a bit with the rotation of the mouse as well,
making it feel uncomfortable.
And that CT side, some of the A-hits were excellent, I'd say.
You know, the spacing, the utility.
So it just played, you know, the kind of counter strike
that we've seen from them throughout the entire determined.
Unfortunately for the models, it took three halves
before they got to that point tonight.
And that wasn't quite enough.
Yeah.
I mean, it kind of showed you the controlled chaos
style that models have.
As you were noting, those A-hit variations,
It's like, you never are safe.
You know, you might kill the first guy,
you might kill the second guy, but they're going to trade you back.
There's going to be another one you have to worry about right afterwards.
And just the way that, you know, they were coming up, laying together as a unit,
but having Blitz kind of have, you know, this blurt swing around Moto side.
Again, they're just attacking you from all sides at once.
And it can be very overwhelming, the pace they bring to the server,
and how, you know, well, they scale together.
You know, the spacing is hardly ever off.
Like, is there always going to be some type of trade potential
or some type of supportive utility?
And that's what you need to make an aggressive style work.
They've done that for so long and so it's cool to see that they still have that identity with Cobra
That they can still pop off and have moments. I just think that you know Cobra needs more routes
He's more time
This is a different level than what he's used to playing at and meanwhile you're up against
You know semi-final sports who are always good for a top four finish and always good to have a good time in games
Like this one with such wobbly distributed talent that usually perform pretty well and spinks
Definitely kind of their closest thing to a superstar player and those are star level numbers yet again for me
Let's talk about the the idea with Kobra joining and we talk about who needs more time and they need to restructure
But the truth is
And it fails. Yeah in this third fourth place to cyber
Maldito when he came into curious similar conversation made the playoffs first tournament up with really good
It's way coming into spirit. He's about to go jump into a grand final
We're moving into a generation where these young players really have
The Kahunas to just get on this stage. They don't need that time anymore
Either you got it though, or you don't. I think that's the best way to summarize that.
Now obviously, Dunk and Cyroon, they also had a pretty decent debut season each, respectively.
Best players in the world in the respective first year of ever playing pro Counter-Strike,
so they kind of screwed with the expectations in that regard.
We don't know, to be completely honest, that's what I'm curious to maybe explore a bit
and talk about when it comes to the Monkles.
Like, I'm curious to see, OK, how are you going to fare when you come into a tournament
where you're the favorite, where the likes of itality, the likes of Feria,
like Saphiria, maybe there's only one of those teams attending.
How do you then conduct yourself when you are the ones everyone is looking at,
when you're getting into strut, when you're the team to take down before a grand final?
And I guess the only thing that we can say about that is that time will tell,
and I think it's going to be interesting to see whether or not the Mongols
will establish themselves as a team that we consistently expect to be in the playoff,
or as a team that constantly has to fight to be in the playoff?
It's one of those situations where some rookies are going to turn out to be phenoms, right there,
right out of the gate gonna be pretty much a complete player
that can perform on a consistent basis, like a Zeeble,
like a Don.
Well, then you have someone like Akiyosuke,
who definitely had a great splash last year, in my opinion.
If it wasn't for Mawada,
he probably would have been the rookie of the year.
But you can definitely tell there's some discrepancy
still in this game.
He tries to go for a little bit too much.
He tries to, you know, hold W maybe a little bit too long
when there's maybe some reigning bettings to be done.
Then there's people like Kobrazera,
who have shown you flashes of brilliance,
but just haven't lined it up consistently yet.
So everyone progresses at a different speed.
There's nothing necessarily wrong with that
as long as you get to a good place by the end of it.
And I think with Mongols, again,
your two tournaments deep with this guy,
he came from a team that wasn't really competing
at tier one level very regularly in the Huns.
And so, you know, this is a new level of stepping up.
And maybe he's not quite the phenom
that some of those names are, but rarely are there.
I mean, there's only a handful of names
we can say that do that.
So give him more time.
Last year, Mongols at the end of the year,
just before the major,
before they dropped Sends, they were a major.
Can we say they were a major contender?
Is that where you would put them?
Before the major?
Yeah, just before Sends and Ridd.
No.
But where were they in level?
It's tough to say, without Sender, I think they lacked that, you know, X-Factor.
So when they had Sender, let's just, I'm taking you all the way back.
So when they had Sender, at what level?
Major contender or more like sort of playoff contender?
Playoff contender, you know.
A team you'd expect to be in the playoff, they won EWC,
but after that they had a tough time replicating that kind of performance,
they had a tough time going into any more grand finals or semi-finals for that matter.
Still a great team, still a team that you'd talk about,
you know, still a team that you'd expect to be able to put up a fight,
But it was more so a team that if they got to the playoff,
if they got to a quarterfinal, let alone a semi-final,
they would have exceeded expectations.
But they're a top five team in the world.
That's what they were.
I mean, look, Vitaly was clearly number one.
Malus and Spirit were always in the top five.
Falcons had moments where they were in the top five.
And in the beginning of last year,
it was kind of Aurora and Mongols
fighting to see who was fit best in the world.
And Aurora obviously, what Joda got off to a hot start,
had some big results.
Obviously, Mongols came in, though,
and they had some real staying power in their own right.
They make an Austin major final.
And they remained, you know, finishing in the top five
for the majority of the tournaments
that they were playing in until Sinzhu left.
So that's where they were.
They were an elite level team.
It's the best team we've ever seen from East Asia
and they were doing great things.
But yeah, it's a big step back when you lose
one of your key star pieces in such a big role.
A big step back.
Remember that.
Controllers comes in.
Where did they finish in the major?
Top eight.
Okay.
Now they're here in the playoffs.
How far is the step?
We keep saying Longos has taken this big step back
before we're zero.
How far is the step back for me?
It looks like they're still pretty much playing
in the same place.
I will say it's impressive they're still
in striking distance, right?
You would think a move like that would set them back further
and that's what it looked like it was going to be at Cracow
and never they had such a poor performance there.
But a tournament like this one kind of, you know,
just revitalizes the romance of understanding
what Mara and Blitz are capable of when you give them
some time to scout, talent, develop it,
and, you know, keep this steady progression goal
that they've had for a couple of years now.
I'd like to stay realistic, Sam, to be completely honest
And the step between Vitality to Furia is quite big.
The step from Furia to the likes of Maus and Falcons is quite big.
And the step from Maus and Falcons down to the Mongols is quite big.
So you're talking about three, four big steps before we talk about a team
that consistently should be going into grand finals and let it own winning trophies.
So yeah, I think they're pretty far off, but that doesn't take away anything
from the performance they're having right here.
As I said, if a country with 3.2 million people,
a country where the limited player pool is a problem,
when you want to do switches, when you want to do changes,
can remain a top 18 in arguably the most competitive era
and the highest level playing era of Counter-Strike ever.
That in itself is super, super impressive.
Not all teams are meant to win trophies.
Not all teams are meant to win stuff,
even though they're all going to say,
yeah, we're playing to win, we're playing to win trophies,
and anything but winning doesn't matter for us.
That's not realistic.
So I'd like to stay realistic,
remove myself from this situation, stay objective.
If the Mongols can establish themselves
as a top 18 for this season, that's well done.
I just feel over the last few years,
every time we talk about the Mongols,
every time there's a change, we write them off.
That's the end of the Mongols.
And they just continue.
They keep going.
Writing them off from what?
Well, I remember the first change was during Kallor
and about two years ago.
And it's, oh, who are these talents?
It's too small.
They ended up turning into the Mongols we see now.
Senzu went.
We were all on social media.
Everyone turned on.
I said, that's the end of the Mongols.
We won't see them in tournaments anymore.
Hobras come into the picture, here they are.
I believe in magic, I'm kind of excited.
I'm hopping them up a little bit.
But also, there is a major close to their home
at the end of the year, and I'd love to see them there.
On the other side, we have Maus.
I have one more question for you, Jens.
Everyone calls them oriless online.
That is the comment that comes up time and time again
about Maus.
It's a little bit unfounded, Dust, considering they are
consistently here in the playoffs.
People want winners, that's just the bottom line.
People want to see people win.
And I think the closer you are to getting an actual win
puts even more expectations that you'll actually do so.
I mean, again, if you're talking about some of these teams
that will occasionally make a playoff
and maybe they make a semi-final here and there,
you don't really ever expect them to hoist a trophy.
If they do it once, it's being a shocker result.
Look what G2 did in London.
No one expected G2 to win that tournament.
They beat Vitality in a best of five 3-2.
It's one of the only one of two best of fives
that Vitality has ever lost.
That was an incredible story, right?
I think you see Furia blow up their Brazilian roster,
go international in a crazy fashion,
find Maladoy out of obscurity,
And they go on to win four tournaments, including three in a row.
That was an incredible story.
It comes out of nowhere.
But when you're a team like a mouse or a team like a Falcons,
where you constantly keep placing top four,
you have all this talent, you're so much in the top five,
but you can never put trophies in the cabinet,
becomes a problem.
I talked about it earlier.
It's a matter of perspective.
Some teams would love to be a mouse position that
are on the outside looking in.
But when you're a mouse, it's like, man,
we've been together for 400 days.
We won a trophy in Cluj last year,
but we can't get another one in the cabinet.
We can't just cross that line.
And it's very frustrating.
And he always kind of wonder in that precarious position, is it, do you have to finally make
a change to, you know, have you hit your ceiling?
Is there another internal adjustment that could be made to get a little bit more out of what
you've got?
It's starting to feel like they're running on a runway.
There's a lot of nuance to it as well, because I agree with you.
It depends on perspective.
And I get why people over time would get quote unquote bought by the fact that they
always get into the semi-finals or get into the grand finals, but can win.
But then again, as well, if you look at it with a bit of nuance, like, who
would you replace?
Like, who is the obvious upgrade you can do within that team?
And yeah, we can go about maybe getting a different in-game leader instead of
Brolan I think he's doing a quite decent job and who's the obvious upgrade?
Who is it that can come in and be like he's 10 15 20% better than whoever you would replace in that row?
Not really anyone which is why it's also
Why mouse are so goddamn consistent and then I just want to add one more thing
I've said it before and I'll heavily say it again to everyone out there
You know critiquing mouse and and being after them everyone and I mean everyone
Whatever you playing matchmaking facing whatever you're doing all people care about is how do I get consistent?
How do I make sure that I always get 25 kills and don't have the games where I have 30, then I have 5, then I have 8?
Consistency is all people want out there, that's all they ask me about, that's all they ask the pro players about.
How do I stay consistent?
Yet then when we have a team who's mega consistent, who's always showing up, then we don't appreciate that.
Then we don't think that's cool or we don't feel like that's an attribute to how well they're doing.
It's just a question of perspective, as you said, but also a question of people just being on great things sometimes.
Well, I do think when you're a professional player, you're paid to win, right? So consistently coming in. Yes, you definitely are.
If I was playing your salary, so it's roughly 30 professional teams in the world of Counter-Strike.
How many of those teams can win, saying every single one of those organizations?
If you ask them, they want a victory and definitely mouse is going to want a victory at some point.
But anyway, James, our time is finished.
We're not allowed to do a podcast here in Cluj because obviously there is a grand final coming up at best of five.
Vitality up against Paravision.
We are running to a set schedule so the game will start when we told you it will that will be 6 p.m. Local time
Richard at dust
Yanko and Maui they will be here to break this all down for you at about 20 past 5 local time
We're gonna take quite a big break all the fans here in the arena
This is an opportunity for you to go and build your own beer snakes or get some food if you're at home
This is an opportunity for you to go and kiss your girlfriend or boyfriend
and then tell them to shovel because you want to watch Counter-Strike a little later.
So we're saying a very quick goodbye and we'll see you in a little bit.
She said she loves you, but she can't love me.
But I love you!
I
Won't play window anymore
The human body was built to move, not trapped at a test in one singular posture for 12 hours a day.
It's time your chain evolved. This is Secret Lab Titan Evo.
Ergonomically engineered for you, gamers, hyper workers, artists, and that game is every move.
I
We are the Valkyries
I
the trophy calls only to the
those willing to endure the impossible. Eight teams entered the arena in blazing lights,
united by one dream. One by one they fell. Strategies shattered. Dreams dissolved into
silence. Now only two remain. Two Titans who refused to break. They stand now
prepared. The trophy gleaming before them. A symbol of mastery and unyielding
In belief in victory, for one team, history awaits.
Yes, welcome to the Grand Finals of PGL, Clujnipolka.
The question is indeed, who will claim victory?
We are going to find out an answer to that, but we get paid to speculate.
I'm your host, Richard Lewis.
Joining me on the desk, we've got a full complement of analysts for this one, since there's
lots to talk about, the best aside, of course.
So you're getting paid by the map here, boys.
Let's go big.
It is, of course, Dusmouray, Maui Snake and Yanko.
If the crowd would like to show some appreciation to our finalists, I would appreciate it.
Oh, we can't, you guys have been great and gave us actually listening to us gapping. We love you for it
So guys
One of these things in the final obviously makes sense. It's vitality best team in the world
Unstoppable be a month the other one power vision
newly emerged young team relatively in experience
That is that classic David versus Delia in counter that we love to talk about so much encounter
Yeah, and it's one where James has been in this position many a time before and somehow him and Dustin have done it again
Right getting kids from the streets of face it as he put it and within just one year
You know getting them to play in a grand final of such a massive event like PGL
Clujnapoca is just a testament to how good they are at teaching young players how good they are at coaching them up
And how good they are at building the team that is playing great fundamental counter strike and the guys that he brought up
I mean, maybe there's one familiar face in his way, but you look at the other three guys and no to a cello and Belchanoff
These guys were rookies when it came to arena stages prior to this tournament
I mean Belchanoff was just spinning his wheels on this paravision roster before James got there Jello and no
To they've captured our attention with some of their flashy aim their highlights
But the story really is about James the fact that he is always putting forward practically a perennial dark horse team
He's taken a squad of youngsters as you said and booed him through the Tier 2 circuit online to winning a small land to having a
Cool run at the Budapest major to winning a big tournament
But now proving that was not a fluke or some one-hit wonder moment that they have some staying power
And they've been able to make it to yet another grand final beating some top five teams in the world to get to it
Yeah, look at this. It's the real story
Jane versus apex and Zyla obviously, you know vitality. They're not just chasing the trophy
they're chasing history at the moment and these are not all their matchups, there's
a couple of there where Vitality came out on top at Pro League but three out of
the five here are at the majors you know and two of them granted our best of
ones in 2022 but the event that put Jame on the map the Berlin Major they
actually took down Apex since I win the quarter-final of that major got
all the way to the grand final and lost to another historic team in the
Shralla so we always talk about Jame and his style and you hear
players talk about it and how uncomfortable it is, like Apex has actually had his fair share of struggles as a captain when he had to go up against.
And we can talk about that within a broader historical context, obviously we've got time to do so.
You know, where are these IGLs overall in the rankings? You know, you think about kind of, you know, the fact that Jane is a major winner, it gets overlooked.
But look who he's going up against now. You probably wouldn't have thought this. Apex now tied with Glaive.
So the most major is one, you know, three is an IGL, and one is, you know, obviously it's the player.
You know, this really is a battle of wits in the most classic, you know, kind of way.
And as you name Glaive, it's important to do so because we already had alluded to by Yanko.
They are chasing after the ghost of Astralis, you know, the team that was often touted as the greatest of all time.
And I think you could already make a case that Vitality has surpassed them.
But even if you want to have that debate, if they go on to keep winning more titles,
If they go on to win that third major, it will be undeniable.
I mean, versus Jame on the other hand, who's more or less fighting right now to keep himself
in the top 10 IGLs of the modern era of Counter-Strike conversation.
I feel like at this point he's having renaissance in terms of bringing, showing the light to
so many people who are non-believers.
I mean, I'd say even proving his previous roster and organization in VP that they
are now on the wrong side of history, that they ditched this guy and he has
really brought his style, his eccentric play to a team that so desperately needed a little bit of a spark.
I mean, Jame embodies Aura in an era that is so depleted of it, seemingly.
This guy has actually just jump-started them with all of the pizzazz that he brings every time he enters the server.
Unsurprisingly, as well, Mao saying no one should talk about Aura. Most Aura-less team would say that.
My bad, 70 IQ, set my bad.
Just them who shouldn't talk about Aura.
Yeah, I mean, Jayme has been a good man for Apex.
I think he's definitely put himself on Mount Rushmore
when it comes to in-game leaders in Counter-Strike.
Whether he will be the greatest when he hangs it up,
I think time will tell and runs it a couple more tournaments.
But being able to do it with multiple teams, multiple lineups,
I think definitely helps his case.
And Jayme, on the other hand, obviously not as many trophies,
but you need to look at, you know, the pieces that he has had to work with.
I think what he's managed to do in Paris is more of a testament to what he's capable of
as an IGL than any trophy could ever do.
I mean, I'm hoping that this success directly leads to a couple of firings at Virtus.Pro
because if you look at what happened to that organization since his departure,
you don't need a clearer picture of how much impact can he have on the team.
But I also feel like this is the perfect amalgamation of players that James wants to work with.
I mean when he has too many egos, I thought when he got electronic for mirror to me
That was a direct upgrade
But it turned out that having a guy that's gonna clash heads with James that's gonna challenge his style actually detracts from in
So James is really the perfect IGL to make it greater than the sum of its parts like there's there's really no question for me
I don't think anybody on his team right now is vying for a top 20 position in the world as an individual
And yet he's able to make them one of the elite teams in world CS
You're absolutely right. I mean you're talking about bringing in a couple of aggressive
Riflers to counter balance is more passive offing play style. You said no players in a top 20
Dude, they're in the grand finals this tournament not a single one of their players is rated in the top 25 players for this overall event
That's insane
I've never seen a team make a run all the way to the grand finals beating a mouse boards beating a falcons top five teams
The world and doing it just as a unit where no one's really shining through everyone's kind of having their moments or having a map
Obviously play white things against Falcons is yanko loves oh so much
But yeah, it's crazy to see if they've been able to somehow scourge this all together
Let's talk about what ego doesn't take well to belts
Dustin definitely takes the right out for these practice games like you're not peeking in this 3v3
Monacy right like that's not gonna happen. Yeah, so I think that's why you know
They don't respond well to maybe that styling the star players always have their way of you know, I have time in here
I have I don't care about your time in guy. You listen to Jamie and do what he tells you the plan
Yeah, yeah, let's talk about the way a little bit obviously when he was on team spirit a lot of people saw he might be
You know that missing piece obviously gank in the past and vouch for him said he was gonna be a huge talent
Just not on his team. Yeah, it turned out he was very wrong about that
But I mean obviously since joining par vision you can see he has had that like, you know boost
It's given him that lift which he so desperately needed
You know as a young player to get called up to the big leagues and then to not do so well
Well, when you get cast out, you don't know if you're going to get another opportunity ever again, even if you're only 18.
It's great to see the redemption arc of Zwei unfold before our very eyes, because he was not the player that Spirit needed.
He's not the player that they even wanted. They thought that he was going to be a bit more of an X factor in some of those supportive roles.
But now he gets to pick his spots a little bit more on ParaVision.
I mean, when you're playing against a Jame-led team, you're already having to face this taxing reality of you're going to have to change your rotations.
You're going to have to move your protocols around.
But then you also have this guy occasionally going for a little bit of an ego check on his side of the map,
finding an entry kill out of seemingly nowhere,
and so he's gonna test you if you have a weak anchor on that side.
They better be ready even if it feels like the plan's going elsewhere.
Sometimes Wei just calls his own number.
And as you can, you know, feel Richie gets really hot under those bright lights and on Team Spirit, right?
Like you're always expected to go all the way, win a tournament and all like that.
You're playing with Donk, there's a lot of pressure with playing guys like that, you know?
You feel like you have to win every game, you have to win every tournament.
And for a young player that can be sometimes too much to overcome in terms of pressure,
so now the expectations are far lower on this Paravigian team
and he can play a bit more relaxed.
That's where you're seeing more consistency out of him and better performance.
Right. Let's start talking about Vitality now.
Clear favourites, obviously.
There were question marks where we get a Vitality era.
That's been answered. We certainly are.
It doesn't show any signs of stopping right now.
They look on course for a grand slam, you know, they've just backed two majors that come in here to pluge.
Everyone was saying, hey, this could be a real test for them.
We've got all the big teams here.
They didn't even have to play them.
All the big teams just lost, fell by the wayside, and, you know, Vitality just feel inevitable.
I mean, again, it's not about who Vitality has a cross for them on the stage anymore in these grand finals.
They're always a favorite to win them.
Now it's just about them versus themselves and them versus being the greatest team of all time.
Again, I think the resume they've put together is already one where you can easily make the argument that they are.
But again, the more trophies they pile up, a third major, those things will make it to a point to where you can't even discuss it anymore.
And so just close and shut case, this is the best in the ever seen play in Counter-Strike.
It's about creating and furthering a legacy that is already etched into the annals of Counter-Strike history.
The way that Vitality plays right now is just as smooth as it gets.
I mean you you're combining an incredibly polished style filled with just well-drilled protocols with also explosive potential
Where every individual can pop off on any given round when needed to they all recognize when they need to make a play when they need to
Play back they're perfect at recognizing how to just maximize win conditions and minimize losing conditions
Yeah, just the experience that they have with this roster only all those stats are from last year
They played 11 best of five finals, right?
For Parisian, luckily they played one at Bounty against Falcons with the stand-in,
but they've just been here so many times before, right?
This is just another day in the office for them, where, you know,
as we said, chasing like the greatness and all the things like that,
the team that I think for Whiteout,
they're the best run organization in Counter-Strike and have been for a while.
Like what they've done last year in terms of picking and choosing tournaments,
speaking at the right time, managing sort of the goals and expectations for their team.
They've done everything right.
They even got challenged in the second half of the year.
They stumbled for a little bit and managed to bounce back.
They've gone through it all together.
Dawson talked to Heku actually in an interview last night
and the way that he described Vitality entering this arena,
whereas ParaVision has pressure,
they haven't really been on this kind of stage before.
For Vitality, they're just drinking water.
It's an everyday affair for them.
Yeah, let's talk about Zairu. Let's just do it.
I mean, I didn't think he was number one.
Last year, I didn't think he was the number one player in the world.
I thought it was Dong.
This year, I don't think there's any question.
I think the version of Zairu we've got at the start of 2026
is an absolute monster.
He makes 2025 Zairu look ordinary.
And it's incredible that a player as good as him
has even found an extra gate to go up.
And you're talking about a guy who's been at worst a top three player for so many years now at this point
And again, we're kind of looking at this here when you look at what he was able to do at I am crack
Call when you look he's nailed to do here today
These are statistically speaking his best ever career performances
And he's doing it at a time where he was already at the top of the game
And he's still finding a way to add new levels to up himself
And it's just incredible what this guy can do as an opera as a hybrid rifleer
I think the biggest thing to talk about with him is that he does something that hardly any other offers can and that is go for
openings and create them, even with an AK in it, it's such a luxury.
The new hybrids for everyone else.
I think for Cesaro, a guy whose nickname is The Game, born on the day Counter-Strike was
released already four times, best player in the world, three major MVP's, the Accolades.
We could go on for half an hour here, but for this guy to have what seems to be
the best start of the year in his career is that much more a scary prospect for
everyone else because if he somehow even improves on what he's done last year for
me he was the best player last year then how is anyone supposed to take them
down? I mean in the fact that he's leveled up his game too I mean before he would
have just pure mechanics elite already at that but to me the most comprehensive
understanding of how tier one teams want to play that's why he's always in the
spot that he needs to be two seconds before he's needed there that's why
he makes the game look so ridiculously easy whereas you have people like
like Donk and Simple that are trying to break through the impossible,
Zywoo is the one that has erected the wall.
Yeah, I totally agree with that.
And I think it probably doesn't get enough credit.
Like his game sense is phenomenal.
And even the like high IQ little minutia plays that he'll make,
you know, like picking up an AWP to fire it,
and then immediately firing a rifle, switching it out
to make you think there's two people there when there isn't.
And just little moments like this
where he really elevates the game to something just incredible beyond belief.
Absolutely. I mean, again,
And I think the special value for him
is that he just makes the game almost impossible
to certain teams, because he just
adds another entry right through the squad
that no one else has had.
And then as you said, just a great decision maker.
I think this is the type of guy who
has the perfect level of ego for how good he is in the server
and outside the server and how he works with his teammates.
You know, he never goes to too much.
But that's why it's so crazy to see him finally face off
against a ParaVision team who does throw the rulebook
out the window.
That does play an off meta brand of Counter-Strike.
Because if Zywu's greatest strength
He's reading how tier one teams want to play and being able to predict their movements.
I think that this is a great challenge for him to actually try to get into the mind of
Jame, a guy that as Yang feel pointed out has history defeating him in the past.
This is going to be a real good test to see is he going to make bad rotations today?
Is he actually always going to be on the perfect bomb site with the perfect timing
because James tricks you like he always tries to keep you second guessing what he's
going to do next.
Yeah, and I think obviously, just in terms of individual brilliance,
it's like he's a guy who's done vitally out of deep, deep holes that they've been in before.
If people are quiet, he can step up, he can elevate his game and win it by himself.
The beauty of new look vitality is he doesn't have to do that very often.
I think everybody on this roster has elevated their game and that's why I want to talk about Apex.
I think potentially the world's best-fragging IGL right now, in with a late shout for best IGL of all time.
I wasn't convinced when he was first appointed.
IGL, I don't know, it's like, oh, he's a lightning rod, oh, he's got big muscles with him, great.
It has big muscles at the time.
Yeah, true. That's a new development.
Just like he didn't have a lot of good IGL traits, but he developed them with time.
And I think he surprised everyone, right?
And with Vitality, it isn't just about his leading on the server.
It's what he does for the team outside of the server, right?
Like, they're all laid back, the sort of personalities,
but he has fire for everyone else, right?
And that's how he also keeps them motivated, keeps them hungry.
You know, Apex has lived through the times of Astralis and Fnatic
and one of these other names, and he was just a player, right?
And other guys had better teams.
now he has the best team and he values it. He's aware of it. That's what he's
telling to his teammates as well, especially young guys like Flamesee and
Messi's like guys you know you can, you'll have a team like this one time in
your career. So don't take anything for granted, make the most out of every
tournament you attend. It's funny how they talk about it, what he says before
games. It's like yeah this tournament you know isn't the most important for
us but we're here anyway. We are away from our family, we're away from
our homes let's give it our all right and let's go for another trophy and 33 years
young and today yeah it's his birthday no doubt looking to win a trophy is the
ultimate present but I mean let's be real in e-sports we've got better at it
in Counter-Strike in terms of longevity people are playing longer and having
success doing so in tier one winning trophies like this at 33 is something
very special very right. I mean look at the performances this guy's putting on in grand finals
like when they were making their air to find in season in 2025 this is a dude who was putting
up balkers maps and being that fracking ideology we're kind of alluded to and I think it's
he has that entry fragger star like still in his DNA like it's still there somewhere
maybe it's not the prime role that he has on this plot but he can tap into it in critical
moments at times and it also allows him to understand how to set up guys like flames
how to set up guys like zulu because he knows what he wanted or what he would
need in those types of moments and he's definitely has developed as a leader over the years
for sure what apex brings that I feel like many coaches in the space could learn
from is that it's accountability he always holds it even his star players
accountable for their mistakes I don't think it's it would be easy for many
people to look Xayu dead in the eyes and tell him you messed that up that you
missed a nade there and yet he's always willing to do that heard his
comms in multiple tournaments calling out his star players why is Robs not
moving fast enough why is Xayu messing this part up and so so many
players and I think that's probably the lesson that Falcon Steve right now you
know a team that probably doesn't hold everybody as accountable but apex he not
only brings accountability but he's inventive the ingenuity he always is
trying to stay up-to-date on all of the utility all of the meta and that's why
every single successive tournament you see from vitality there is something
new they bring something new to the table whether it's a silent drop to
pull off a fast rotation that the other team doesn't know about or a
new smoke grenade that lands in a spot that's harder for nades to
blow up they always have that extra little piece that keeps them on the
cutting edge and obviously as well the other player that's like made the big
step up there is no getting away from it it's messy maybe the most improved on on
the team overall although I would argue everybody has elevated their game this is
a guy that I always bring this up he was on the chopping block not once but twice
this was a guy that even the fans were saying maybe you should get rid of this
guy and then he went away you know start the family congrats comes back
gets the buff and hasn't looked back since. Yeah absolutely and the thing about
Messi is he's an incredibly versatile player as well. He's done so many he's
played so many different roles in his career before even been an IGL for a
little while in fanatic and actually played against James twice in that real
major with fanatic as an IGL so maybe he also shares some nightmares with Apex
about those games but you shouldn't underestimate how even a short stint as
an IGL can broaden your understanding of the game and then let you understand the macro a lot better
in rounds and what your job is as an individual player and on some maps I mean he's an immovable
object right to nuke which okay we won't get to see here but his city side anchoring on that map
is exemplary and you know you go back to the semi-final at the Budapest Major against Spirit in
that close series I mean it was messy keeping them alive on T side until the rest of the players
came online, and that's the strength of vitality, right? When even Zywoo and Rops have a slower
start, someone else will step up.
He's the perfect player for this team, because you already have a star-aggressive operinze.
You already have Flames, who's that entry guy. Apex likes to be active as well, and
then Rops is one of the best extremity riflers we've ever seen, and so he kind
of just, you know, finds a way to be the blue guy. He finds a way to fit in, and
that's what the team needs, as mostly a CT anchor and extremity player in his own
right but does really well and the other thing I want to point out Rich is you know Flames has just had a resurgence in
2026 I think he was obviously a star for them during that seven tournament in a row victory
To be it. Yeah, but you could definitely see that you know the last six months of last year
I felt like he kind of tapered off just a touch
But now he's all the way back up to where exactly you want him to be and that's just making things even easier
For a fight I define openings and have him, you know play those roles in the CT side as well
Yeah, I always thought Flames was super important to my talent
but when you were looking at the stats as you were talking about last year
he was like making a lot of entry attempts but not having a lot of success and they were again kind of getting out of jail
Without him having that impact now that he is having that impact
That's another extra dimension that's made by Talot the umpire. I mean, it's just another win condition for
Vitality team that you could just pick and choose any of the players to be
Really on any given day
I sometimes feel like even though flamesy is the one that's collecting all the numbers oftentimes
I feel like the unsung heroes are just how well strategized and how well executed some of the routes that he's running on
I mean, I think the flashes that Vitality throws are top-notch in general
I mean Apex, Zywook, they're both usually gonna top the
Flashes is sort of scoreboards at the end of a tournament because they're setting up guys like Flamesy who in himself is extremely sharp
But also he's getting some of the best utility to run run around as well
That's because Apex has felt that pain
He knows what it's like to enter frag with bad utility and he doesn't want to see it again
He doesn't want to do it to his guys as well
And yeah, just to the super well-rounded team and the fact that they're so comfortable with each other now
They're in their natural roles where they don't crumble under pressure and anything they get hardened by it
And that's when they step up when other teams start being more restricted feel more constrained. They're still super loose
They're still having those split-second reactions. They're still very active on the map
and that's what makes them very difficult to play.
I mean, stay with you, Janko.
Are they the greatest ever for you?
I think they are.
I think they are because we are in a different era now.
And also, I don't think they'll magically, after this tournament,
you know, I think they'll win a lot more tournaments.
But the time this year is over as well.
The way they're playing, the way they're construed,
too, I think it's a bit more difficult to do it
as an international team than as a national lineup.
And, you know, also the fact that players have had success
on different rosters for Astralis. It was just that one team during that time
when, okay, outside of a couple of players with the Vitality Organization, they
struggled to come back to those glory days. And just quickly too, you agree?
If I were to cut off all the Vitality today and not give them a pass on
what's to come in the future, I would still take Prime Astralis over them.
However, as they continue to build the case and further their resume, then I
I feel like they're going to overtake them.
All right then guys.
So you heard it from our panel.
We're in the presence of greatness.
Let's start the walkouts now.
Clues!
This puts a smile on my face.
Now, Clues LaPoca went from hosting a major 11 years ago.
ago. It then became a forgotten relic but that wasn't to be the end. Romanian
community called for great counter strike to bless this land once again. You
were calling for it and PGL delivered!
Now, not only did they deliver last year, but this year the great elite teams came.
And I don't know if you all understand this, but we will be coming back to Clues de Poca
for the next three years!
Last year was just the beginning. This year we levelled up. Now I know, you cheered for
your heroes. You cheered for Emma. You discovered enemies, he is your king. But yesterday you
You showed the world once again how much you love Counter-Strike.
You cheered for the rounds, you cheered for the magical moments.
And I need all that once again today.
Are you ready?
Now I need one thing from you all, take your phones out, put your lights on, wave it side-to-side.
We're going to give the lights in this building.
show the world with what we are rocking with, blues, make this look beautiful.
This is what you dreamed of, this is what you wanted, and we have this to be a prestigious event on the Counter-Strike calendar for three more years to come, guaranteed.
Now, for our first team making it to the stage, just one year ago, James had gone from playing
the major, winning the majors, to then having to work his way in Counter-Strike Tier 3, with
cookies trying to get back to stages like this and lift elite trophies.
He sacrificed everything, but it is paid off.
This is a man who's dedicated to the game,
and now he's looking at another trophy to his side.
So, P is for patience.
P is for power and vision.
Well it seems the crowd has started to get some love for Paris in here, but their opponent
on the other side is one of the greatest Counter-Strike teams of all time.
For Apex, his first major was won in this very city 11 years ago, with an all-French lineup.
Things have changed since then.
He's now an IGL leading an international team,
making history with every win he's able to take. They are looking at one thing and
one thing only. A trophy and being champions once again.
V is for victory! V is for vitality!
Hey, thanks for coming, thanks for not, all Jane, that's good.
Jane, second Grand Final for this team to start off the year, non-stop grind.
What is the energy like in the team when you have all been saying how tired you are?
Are you ready for this Grand Final?
Yeah, for sure, we all tired our best. Thank you very much, thank you.
And this crowd has turned around they went from booing you to loving you
How important is that for your young players?
It's a lot of information for my team
I'm enjoying when a cow cheer for me. I'm playing for this
You've also been playing for this trophy and over this year you've taken down Spirit,
Maus, Falcons, Furia, you called Vitality the rain boss.
How much does it change things when you face a team like Vitality compared to the other
teams you have already beaten?
What needs to change for you?
I don't know. This is just a team desire. We want to try our best and this is our last goal.
Last team. Last team to be knocked off. Thank you very much, Jamie.
Hey, Peks! A nice birthday welcome for you here. It would be nice to end it with a trophy, right?
Thank you everyone for your birthday reaching. That's always nice. I think that's my first final ever on my birthday.
So let's make it count. Let's make it count and let's get that ill trophy with us because we don't have a PGL one yet in the cabinet.
You're trying to collect them all at this point right?
Now, it's the first time you'll be facing Paravision. Tell me, how different is this team to the other teams you face?
What difference do you need to do inside the server to not get upset by the teams before you?
The sure thing is the first to respect them. They've been in two finals already this year in three tournaments.
That's pretty impressive for such a young team. The sure thing is they believe in what they do.
And that's what make them strong but as I will repeat and I repeated yesterday if my team play our a game
There is no chance doing so let's see how it goes, but they are really good team and we will not underestimate them
I'm gonna say that guys take your seats
Now it does feel like this arena is gonna be a little bit more splendid here, so
Okay, that's pretty strong.
And what about vitality?
Paravision!
Vitality!
And all of you, one final time.
ARE YOU READY?
I hope you are, James. I hope you are.
For it is indeed an occasion.
And as the players get into the hurdle, pre-match,
we can start setting it up and get to the nuts and bolts here.
Obviously it's the best of five, so there's not really anywhere to hide.
I'm gonna throw this out there.
I think Paravision, you can't underestimate just how tall and order this is.
Vitality in the best of five, when you yourself are a relatively new fledgling team,
that really seems to have maybe one map that can beat people up.
And unfortunately that one map is Dust2, which is Vitality's pocket pick as well.
So good luck as we've had Vitality play 11 best of five grand finals so far,
and they've won nine of them.
So it is a tall order.
We got the bands we thought we were going to get national outside in the order.
Yeah.
There's nothing for them to pick.
You talk about last, that's like, what will, you know,
what can Paravision pick? There's nothing.
Like, there's no good option.
There's nothing that's a clear, oh, this is going to be great for Paravision, right?
Like, all the maps, I think Vitality has an advantage on them.
And we've seen earlier in the tournament,
Apex sort of pushed for the slower pass
and sort of forced it to come out, pick it sometimes.
And it's resulted in them going for the pick on it
in the first map of the final.
I'm a little bit surprised, I guess, by the fact that it goes there.
I'm also wondering if ParaVision were going to bring out a Nubis a little bit earlier.
I feel like it's one of the just kind of underdog maps,
just because it's been re-included into the pool.
But in fact, they do save it for the fit.
They just want to...
This is to me reading like they just want to play it to their strengths.
They want to play their game on the handful of maps
that they've been a little bit better at.
I don't really feel like this is a series
that's favoring ParaVision in any aspect at all.
One map for me, if you're able to win, say Dust 2 for example, would be a nice accomplishment
in the face of what is very likely to be a 3-0 or 3-1 Vitality.
Unfortunately, the start is still tough on Overpass. They have yet to get a win on Overpass as a team
and they think that you're going to get your first one against Vitality on the stage
and Grand Finals are unlikely, especially considering how good Vitality have been
at Overpass, one of the best in the world on them.
I don't know, Vitality lately, they lose the first map of the Grand Finals.
I mean, they lost a map to Faze for price sakes, right, in Budapest.
So, I wouldn't put it beyond them, but usually even if that happens,
they just get back to get back on track right after that and listen we talked
about some other vitality games right we talked about the Aurora game and said
Aurora they need to you know do something different they need to try and
change their way maybe to a win because they're the inferior team well
Parisian does that all the time they do sort of weird stuff all the time they
try to think outside the box they go for these stacks that feel random to
you at times so I think for vitality the name of the game is going to be
to not overthink and I think Apex is going to be key.
He cannot allow himself to get frustrated.
Just like when you play against Vitality, there's a Xayvul round, right?
Like Xayvul just wins a 1-3 out of nowhere and you just say, you move on, you say that
was the Xayvul round.
You need to have that same attitude when you go up against Paravizion, you run into
a stack for no reason.
You just say, hey, this is the Jame round, right?
He just got us this time, he had the read and you move on because if you let
it get to you, it can really disrupt your calling for the rest of the game.
And sometimes it's not even just the Jame round, but the Jame call, the random stack
out of nowhere.
For me, the key to success for Vitality here is info gathering, making sure you're not
going to be running into a stacked bomb site, because we know that Jame will just, on a
whim in a 4 on 4, send all four of his players to that A bomb site.
And so for me, it's up to people like Robs to try to prod the extremities a little
bit, make sure, and really actually limit test a little bit to see, is there actually
anybody on that bomb site or is it free for the taking for a clean mid-round to it?
I think it also for me matters what is you know poverty going to show us on the
T-side because I feel like they made a name for themselves last year with their
major run by just doing really punchy executes just trying to be explosive
trying to just really facilitate Zelo and Noda and try to build off of that
basically but we've kind of seen throughout the course of this
tournament that they've tried to develop their mid-round they're
starting to wait till the last 30 seconds to execute they're trying
to poke and prod and throw little faints and fates and so I just want
to see how that matches up to a Vitality team that's so stout and
Again, it's just the map where I think that B-bomb side is going to get just heavily waylaid on by vitality
Yeah, I've seen a lot of paravision games on this map
It was one they fancy
But they really haven't converted it into results and they do play this really slow
Frustrating style, you know where they're gonna group up see if you push make info plays
Try and punish those but yeah, they just haven't really converted it into the numbers yet to me
I mean one guy I'm gonna be looking out for on the ParaVision lineup beyond the usual J-Mantix is Jello
I really feel like that's the guy whose name has really been building up this season and in the previous one at their Budapest run
So if he can actually just limit test a bit towards that A side of the map
See what he can do as a defensive anchor there, then maybe he'll give him a chance
All right then guys
It's time for the game all of the conversation about being in the presence of greatness of course
Why would that be different for the commentators in the final to vital voices? It is of course sponge and machine
Thank you very much rich. Yeah, this is the grand finals of please for Pokemon 2026
And we're just in February. It's a second opportunity for a trophy for para vision
This is a team that are going to be disrupted
This is a team we're going to be discussing over the course of these playoffs alone on the first day
they plucked the Falcons. On the second day, they stomped the Maus, and on the third day, Jane returned
to do battle with Counter-Strike, God. Vitality versus Paravision! Clues are we hyped?!
I know I am! Can't wait to get this started. I'm hoping for more than just three maps here.
I'm hoping we get to see a little bit more action, get to see that Counter-Strike,
that Paravision play, oh so well, of course, I've got Jaddy B dressed to impress by myself.
This one's going to definitely light up, going to be tough for PowerVision to get past these first two big streaks from Vitalion Overpass and Dust2.
This is where we'll be kicking things off.
That's why it starts. Overpass to start. Why don't we get this one going?
Cluj, let's head on into the first door. Overpass to start us off.
Could be slow, could be steady.
We're getting the slow one out of the way first for us.
I don't expect too much pace in this from either side.
long control and if they're able to get this staging area they've got smoke make it two a couple of flashes in a molly for a finish now
So they want to open up a runway right smoke around dice force that Bankside controller as it can just be over the woods
Thanking CT with a molly truck or Jane spots the info and that's the first bullet of the final
Straight into the face of flames. He becomes the util rotation on the way
Jane can't see some chances, dips in for another one, Saewoo is hunting him down, closing the gap, gets himself.
Well what if the dice box smoked him, just not being looked at, not being checked, a headshot hit, but not able to find Nohta. Solid!
Jane triple kill in defense of the site. He ain't done yet. He's got his comrades by his side, vitality full to start us off.
The key is we've been talking about with the Parisian campaign is just how poor their pistols are.
Only 2.5% of the tournament's second lowest and kicking off the ground final with one in the CT side.
No bomb going down and that'll really limit what's available for Vitality going into the next.
Quick tech timeout called, reports from Flanzie saying,
So is Mike not working? So we'll get that one sorted.
a
Streaks I was talking about overpass Vitality nine consecutive wins in this very map and then we move it into dust to 11 straight with that
39 and 4 record so I'd say this is the best two dust two teams in the world at the moment that one will determine a lot
That's the order double cheese
Nugs he's gonna need our source. He's gonna get his fuel for this final. That's dinner time
I don't blame it. We're eating good tonight.
All right, well, this one is sorted and we are back under way.
Without the bomb going down, somebody will chip in with a forced buy.
He's round the tough to scale the space necessary, but as he has an open runway here in connector,
no forward pressure from Paravision, this team built on fundamentals.
They're not going to give anything away against an eco or a lighter buy.
They're going to box up, they're going to use their rifles, play the basics.
They're looking to be flashy.
They're going to take care of business. Dustan keeps that belt away.
And it does enable vitality to keep more nades on their belt.
They're aware, as Apex is hanging out at the party position, balloons for his birthday.
And this all comes about the timing, right, Dusty?
I look at Corbye flashes, they're close.
Here comes the U2.
Hello, he's ready for that first headshot fall back. Doesn't connect.
Well, different way. Find safe haven. Jane catches a heavy one.
Technon, bullet to the dome. Flames you down. Ziello backs away.
Caught the flashbang. Vision returned and as he presents his backside, no ammo.
So Ziello has been flushed out.
A rifle now falls into Vitality's hands and the U2 has facilitated a plant.
Get on his way for the retake.
Already uncomfortable for ParaVision.
Two coming in from that bank's side.
They're primed and ready with a PT-50 Sway, starts it off from down.
Tywin's got Adaptex to the naughty list.
Another back turn for Nota.
Just Mezzi with that Recovered's yellow M4, and he's only got half a mag.
Surely not. Belchinoff prevails.
Paravision, weather the storm of the second round force.
Make it look simple there, and that is some good basics from Paravision.
They give over the side, they discuss the retake plan,
and they hit the necessary shots on the way out.
Re-Stangalite, Bop goes down again,
will allow Vitality to chip him a little bit more.
I'll give you a translation on that one.
Oh, I can. Well, that's a happy birthday to a friend out there in the...
Whoa, you share a birthday with Apex. That's pretty cool.
And I'll pat it all. And I thought they were just going to chip in lightly.
Vitality have other plans today. I want to keep the pressure on early.
And one of the questions I had was,
were Vitality going to allow Parish to play their game?
That's more about their T side.
Looks like Vitaliy really want to bring the fight. So gearing up again.
He has his AWP out, so he says big advantage in the firepower department for this A-defence.
Heavy pressure over towards A in the early stages.
They've been doing this close and deep flash simultaneously by Vitaliy.
Clearing out the rock and any orbs at range.
I'm not sure they have the nades to give in a moment like this.
It's one of these contact timings.
Once the smoke dips in, now Zwei the Rotator, when will Jane call him over?
They're playing to block with the jump spot, smoke in hand.
Upper bathroom is called clear now, and actually rounding back by Talon.
He just wanted to probe out and see what type of setup.
So, with paravision so deep, relatively in the dark, right?
So Zwei will be pulled between both sides and Nota as well.
It's currently just Belchenok over towards B.
That's a Heaven smoke, and I'll be hitting this site in a moment's time.
This is the last missed stack.
Side missed? Heaven smoke.
What's the reaction from Belchenok and Nota?
Solid HE onto Messi's nose.
Progressing towards the side, they're just sneaking in.
Here comes the flash, here's Belchenok has vision.
Second connects, they're into the site now.
Props for the CT side, maybe not. Belchinox found Flamesy in the dink as well, combined with Ziello's output.
He's racked himself up a double. Belchinox will chip in with the same.
Job done. Just got to get past Rapson. Down goes Mr. Cool. Ice down.
Unforced error there on that missed smoke. Not too often you see Vitality missing Util.
This is a great start. Now keep in mind CT side of Overpass.
Paravis are going to be looking for eight or nine rounds.
These first three come with threats and handle comfortably.
They have to be the posture by now.
Can't risk continuing this force-by-game,
but because of the loss bonus,
they get something a little bit juicier.
No full e-codes for Paravis to get past just yet.
They will have to continue to work for their rounds.
It's going to be more of the same this time.
a little bit in those rightful departments, sure.
Next round they'll have all the bells and whistles.
Nothing going towards Messi in the connector control, giving that over,
they're able to spring to action in the playground, they can take party staging out.
This time, Jayme a little bit more forward.
I'm playing a timing game for that long rotation.
I don't have to worry about it just yet.
Here's the first fight, first shot.
He'll fall back, turtle up.
information gathering from Flamesee,
who maintains his life and jetting lucky to have his!
Oh, Flamesee!
A fantastic contribution to Vitality's campaign round four.
All for a treatable.
How's he got to that save-a-treatable?
It's been put back down, taken out of the hands of Zaiwu.
Managed to get it back, but only for a moment.
Impact's noted on the long side.
Comfortable for Cielo.
This is one of the risks if you have vitality.
Now, picking over passes, the first map at the best of five, you're on the T side,
it's harder to get things going.
It wasn't a joke, you want to say get the slow one out of the way first,
because you know Paravigian are going to play a slow roll on a lot of these maps,
but it also means you have to get through the worst side out the gate.
So if you're starting slow, it would be a problem.
As you always walk past this one, drops, 30 seconds left.
If you're hoping to hold on to this, I think that's going to be tough.
The yellow and belch knocks, I don't even investigate the wards connector and T spawn.
So, if it goes down after time, this is a real miserable start for Vitality.
Yeah, with still 14 seconds on the clock, you can see the playground swings going through.
I think Robs has accepted his fate.
They need to run in and die. They can just run away from him here.
Oh, yeah, wait, five.
Okay, Robs has achieved what he wanted.
Well, thank you very much, Dwight.
They do throw away the AWP. They won't be able to retain that one.
But with how these rounds have gone,
James has 8K in the bank balance. He'll be able to buy out another.
It was a good catch from Flamesey as well.
as well, getting the right-handed a little more to talk about.
You've got these young men on stage, these stage rookies.
That's the call of the top tier.
The names that Anx listed before brought them out here
and sat them down.
They've been scalping the top 10 and around in 2026 Vitality.
The only ones left.
And this is the true test.
Well, they've dubbed the raid boss.
The top of Counter-Strike, the undisputed world number
one, back-to-back major champs, best of fives.
That's where they made their name.
Oh yeah, when you compare the cabinets, the experience...
It's also a very short list.
When you think about rookies who had their first stage experience
and found themselves in a best-of-five grand final.
And getting all this map control relatively easily, connect up...
Obviously that's Sue.
They're applying you with a B pressure right now
and I wanted to keep your eyes on something like Apex.
He's that facilitating piece.
And there's the UPCON.
It does have the yellow forward in the bathrooms to deal with.
Yeah, nice to see a forward sunset with the yellow.
We are only seen in B4-Site-Centric this time, wants to kick up a bit more.
All right! Apex on the board!
The little one-two punch to spray combined with the HE shrapnel.
Has removed a B defender, Belchinov's gone.
Ziello about to have a fight with Flacey, spots his shoulder, and removes his head.
Dingo searching.
Noobs is containing Jane, gonna insert himself into this.
So A's rotating back to A, notice still over to what's B is just blocked.
Now rotating, now B over to what's A and that's where the finish is coming in.
James called for the rotation and now he's going to be in the most avant-garde of positions.
He is behind the mid to AWP.
They didn't see him.
So dead again, he's backstabbed.
Orbs catching out.
Tier one, wild class counter strike from James.
Notar swings on in.
Apex quick to close.
Just the one, Frank, from Jane, to celebrate as Vitality do look to have broken through when they get the guns out.
I also want to keep eyes on to Vitality Hunt. Right, we've seen teams allow this to be held on to and Robs perfectly placed right now.
It's just turned his back for the moment, timed, appears back in, and that is that. He all removed.
Now, the garbage disposal in the previous and taking away in this one doesn't remove the cash just yet.
where Jame can be dropped at Orts.
Jellar Orts' way have enough to be able to do that
and keep it in the hands of the captain.
Timeout call, do we know Dastarn likes to take these
before they run out of the finances?
Always just giving them the extra 30 seconds
to talk things through before Vitality
take control of the economy.
And with the bar set at eight or nine rounds
for Paravision,
you win this one by Vitality
and you can break through and scale up
those T-side rounds very quickly.
Let's see if that...
I want to change my chop. I think it's just an unfortunate death there, right?
HG and a span, that's how you get over the opening kill.
Flamzie hits an ice one at that point.
You call the stack, you're in the correct place,
but Tanti were bound to get one on the board at some point.
And that's how it started. Nice catch from both Flamzie and Apex on their initial jaunt.
And the second time too, both of them entering into the A-side to clean house.
Let's see if it's going to be a run of rounds from Vitality, and how can they really fight back immediately?
Okay, they're going to try and have a boost on the box.
I've seen a bit of this.
Yeah, Vitality have made considerations for this, we saw an approach.
There is boosts to counter this.
So that was currently over the woods playground, so it doesn't have to worry about it.
You can only set it for so long, right?
You can't stay in that boost.
The worry about the scaling up either through bathrooms,
all the potential flash push longer
than you stand in there in a tower
that can decide the amount.
Peltinog's having a rough go at things.
Well, they're gonna be prepping against you, aren't they?
Oh!
Beautiful work, catch him on the parving back.
You're put under the microscope
by the very best right now.
And the HE usage is second to none.
Doesn't matter the map, they've got you booked.
Back-to-back, O-Beans,
It looks like the gambles start coming out now.
Classic.
So are they going to force forward
or are they just stacking the side
and hoping that's where Vitality finished normally?
Once you've wrote that heavy A,
a right floor or two will start to move through the bathroom
or short to take that space.
But right now, they block monster, three players are ahead.
Flashes will come in and paravision
will be just plain to save.
So the finances will not be broken.
They get to hold on to these.
Side to clear.
Vitality established that they've stacked the other side, but none of you two.
Definitely going to be more of that throughout this grand final.
Playing the financial game, none do it better.
It's time to save.
Looks like while Vitality are establishing their economy early as well,
to be sending out the hunt just yet. This is something that's, uh, I think you can definitely
do the theory on what type of setups can we throw at them while we are attempting to hold
on to these guns. And they'll be given the good graces of these three.
Belchnock can operate with something less again into the next than they have a full
gun round right here. And then an MP9 in this one. Again, he goes down early to
to the second exchange of notes.
And they even hold onto a little bit of U-Til.
Just a two round gap.
Who's going to be trophy number 11 for this mentality?
And it would be an 11 match win streak.
Only sitting on 10 after the cold victory.
I mean, yeah, they're streaks. They're just collecting them at this point and continuing to legacy build
All right, we'll both not get an MP9, but you've at least got something. Oh, look at this partnership
Robson Masi a pace he served towards the short side
Will Belcher not get to play this round four man beast that would jam in the heavens
Wands in the heavens now down to what could be help
That's not like we're going to be seeing some hay cheese at play.
Okay, this is cheese.
Not going to work out for them. There's even a Molly with his name on it.
Again with the maids spread as well.
Spam comes through, Belchok kicking up a bit of a fight.
Gets himself something to celebrate.
No longer with empty hands. There's Jane.
Put the hand on the trigger, pulls for one, two on two, and into the site.
Zaewoo scoped up on towards the Heaven position.
Should be getting that bomb down uncontested. Looks like an aide might be coming through or just a wall through the smoke covered by Mezi.
They're gonna play the fade. Zywoo's behind the pillar. We'll get confirmation from Mezi and if this shot does give them a chance.
Dropping into the site is Zyelo. He loses his comrade.
Zway's gone. Time to play. Zyelo only nine bullets. Up against the very best.
And they do what they do best. Zywoo 3k and a third consecutive.
Come on, we'll have financial ramifications, won't it?
Obviously, most winners coming in the previous with those saves mean this is being a decent spot
and second tactical timeout within these first few rounds of play.
So, to start, we wanted to get ahead of this.
I know this is going to be a tough fight.
This is where it is always going to be tough.
If you aren't going up against a parent vision team,
You have to expect investments time and time again just for their money management and we can see
And with his preferred weapon back out
The B bombsite has been hemorrhaging these openers that Molotov we saw apex tried out the other day
He missed it this time you can see it coming to the success is able to flush out what is a key position for monster holders
The double nades. I mean that's back-to-back rounds now with their phone
back-to-back don't put it kills
for the rifle.
There's big onsite, and the pattern improves in the early stages.
It does look like they're going to head there once more.
I think they found a vulnerability.
Look at this.
The whole squad starting over towards the beast side of the map.
Flames has just gone for a contact walk.
Belchin on to see it in the flash.
It gets blocked!
Beautiful!
Flames and it robs.
Kick open the front door.
That's the way, last arrival and last piece to fall.
Plains have been broken, so that has to be...
The confidence that you have in your teammates,
not only to trade you, but to throw the youths out perfectly,
which is why I was so surprised they missed that heaven one earlier in the piece.
That really emboldens an entry fragger.
When you know that the details are there, you have no issues going in first.
If you don't have that faith in your team to be able to connect
the necessary components for you to actually take that space,
Doubt creeps in and you missed the timing.
This one.
You want to talk about Doubt creeping in.
I mean, the way Belchernock's side has fallen in three very different deaths, but...
How does that not shake your confidence?
They're on the hunt on this one. I think that might be it.
So, Jamal's stumped too.
At this point now there is a better cash.
You'll see Vitality start to look for more of the hunts.
So, it was fought straight from Power Division.
It's now fought straight back by Vitality.
Overpass will be the chessboard of the series.
I don't know, that round felt like they kind of flipped the chessboard upside down.
I'll start throwing punches.
I think this is where you either call the bluff or are they going to continue to hit B
or are they going to mix things up?
You try and go a little more aggressive. You need to find a gap, a timing.
You're pushing playground. You're flanking behind them.
You're able to worm in around the map so that they don't have so much room
Oh, that's pretty stylish if it landed. It's not quite hit the mark
Okay, there's the AKM to do with the heaven rotation
It comes on pass it if you hung around maybe there would have been a chance
the game is up there. So the saved guns and some partial buys with the max loss
bonus they'll be able to buy into the next but there's no reason they can't win
this one. So they'll have to do his own devices over towards the upper bathrooms
just through their motions of softening up these players towards B and
their anchor spots. You might need to get a little bit more creative but there's
only so many places to stand in a default setup for the CTs. So I'll
boost to find an incision.
Around that minute mark, couple of flashes sound off towards short.
Jamesy, closing the gap on this fight with Ziello, he's got two responsibilities in this position.
Concerned about the access point from the port inside and he's been booked.
It's even another opening kill 35 seconds. It's on that time pivot is falling to a now apex in Zagoo fast up long
Mezzie late piece then props to lock down the rotations if they want to flag flank through con
Well, I changed that to do it all on his own here
Bit of a stumble on his way back towards the site confirming no one's conveniently committed, but here they come
It comes to the mazes. The real problem. You'd be smoked off unless you play ahead
Provide a little bit of a gap perhaps with the block
10 seconds.
Anything he can do. Doesn't seem to think it's wise to commit the AWP.
Vatadi have no issues draining the clock either. Bomb goes down and that'll be round number five.
Now what is key in the last five rounds of play?
Is it every single one of them Vatadi have got in the opening kill?
You need to avoid that if you're paravisioner and as mentioned is B set up it's just getting naded.
It's absolutely brutalised. So do we want to just play the default hold to continue that to happen
or do we want to try something more aggressive?
push out to sewer. We want to fight connector. We're going to start with
four towards A. A bit more passive on B. See if we can find that opening pick while
they're going through the motions with the nades. Something has to change and
Dustin's already taken two timeouts.
One of the pistols, the Kevlar, coming into the buys. There'll be a whole lot more of this
if Paravision can't find the pieces in the wrong places.
Yeah, and the cash has started to get out of control.
12 grand after being fully bought up for Zyworff.
Let's see if Paravision can buck the trend.
Vitality affords so many different looks at them already.
Just 10 rounds deep.
map one. So I was thinking over over to P, he might just search up short quickly here.
Oh yeah, he's right, that's all he has through the boards. Nate finishes the jump.
Another opener over towards P and the HGs have played such a massive role.
I mean it is just peace to watch this unfold.
Out it goes, we acted well.
Robs removed info on a second that was boosting.
As he inflames, he does yellow. He's been having a rough go of things.
I've been called off, so this is at least good info for paravision.
He's worried about a response push through monster.
They're looking to go B again, so...
He puts it through the heavens, and the last time I told him the attempt was dismissed,
And since the chain is coming past, they will have to hold it off for a moment.
Jan can be on a quick rotation, he's on his way now.
Peltsnock already half-hell, no one's going to throw this pillar smoke, needs to throw it now.
Channels vitality into the other approach, gives Peltsnock a bit of room to breathe.
They're in silent mode.
They're contacting, they're going to use that smoke, and they're going to punish you with it.
They're going to flash through.
Apex is going to be able to punish, Peltsnock tries to disappear.
Oh, but instead, three members fall.
They know where Zello typically occupies, Syb was already trained and ready and he's been called off.
This is just class camouflage, what else is there?
Coming up today for Power Vision, this is always going to be tough, but six rounds now, T side of Overpass.
Vitality have already filled their boots with more than what's required.
I'm not even really getting a chance to contend in any of these rounds at Power Vision.
Whether it's they lose that opening kill, here's the stretch.
So that's about to become six in a moment's time.
I mean, you make a montage of all of those opening kills
and you would just tell the story.
There's been at least three of them, but with nades at this point.
Yeah, that's the third there.
So an AWP wall bang into a HG dunk.
Oh, Zelo, can't you hold on to this?
You can get one to your troubles, but Messi will find the trade
and you lose absolutely everything.
Wow, this is inspired.
This is every day of the week. It feels full vitality. Yeah, I'm absolutely at home in the grand finals
We're living in their era right now and paravision you're getting a taste of that
Belch knock back
Good importance
Anchor work from the and himself earlier in the tournament
You've contributed in some eco or live by victim. Oh, yeah impact. Absolutely, especially against the house
Look at that Dust 257 round.
It just shows you the lead in their own, the Vitality are in.
Jane Fance is being a disruptive force going for an early search on the short side
to fight by that boost of Nota.
He's going to distract.
Not going to be able to find the connection he hoped for.
Claims you're ready, applying pressure.
The barrel of Marley makes life difficult for Sway.
Not 100 to 0, just gets cooked.
Another opening with utility.
But this time, James immediately found a response.
His aggression's rewarded.
He finds Mezzie, we fall into a 4 on 4, a bit of a slower mid-round now.
Apex just swiftly jumps back over to Wazadeh to try and take some space.
They know the AWP can't be on long, at least not for a couple of moments longer.
So, can you quickly take this back?
Zelo will be on the other side of the flower pots.
Is Apex ready for this? He's very noisy.
Yeah, Zelo. Wow, that range, the MP7.
Definitely seeing a lot of action in 2026.
A little bit sloppy there from Apex, giving that one over.
Whoa, whoa, whoa! Crazy speed! See why you did it though? Saw the nade, knew he could punish, claimed he didn't have his gun out, but he did have cover from the...
Woo!
3 on 3.
Just Belchenok on B for now.
Oh, yeah, nice. Gonna be James as well, responsible for the A site. He's lost, no turn.
Definitely finished right now.
He comes to the nades, it's just so perfect, he put together, James manages to dart away. Ready for a quick click on to Robs! No cover from Belchenok, he's been removed!
They're going to double swing him.
Jayman the 1v2 flush, how does he play this?
How could he possibly prevail?
Zywoo catches him on the smoke spam and things just flowy.
It's so perfect isn't it? They're not overstepping the mark.
This is a team who fundamentally they're going to punish your mistakes.
Well right now Vitality aren't making any.
That's Apex overstepping the mark. He goes down, but the rest of them are piecing together beautifully.
Alright, you push short, we'll take monster.
We know that has to be able to fortify.
The horizon eight is there again.
Jayman hit that one.
This one you think maybe it's getting out of control, but Zywoo covering fire makes sure and then rocks it's a binder
He's off to start this tournament now. He's sick in the playoffs
Just what I'm talking about apex enjoying this on the birthday another one where they're just having to
I'll have everything they want that's been the story of the last patch for para vision again find her out of the heart
Yeah, Jim Sherman certain something to the play he's providing an opening kill for para vision
He bucks the trend! Jigalow from Apex! Well done! One from Belchernock back!
Fought it into a rather chaotic three on three. Sure, Geng, you found the opening.
Belchernock can't find your role.
The first opening they've had within eight rounds.
You need to make good on this one. That's going to be tough.
This way, have any support.
Running over now is Nota.
As he parks, ready for this headshot.
cautious his notar confirms presents towards the site his way was this way
oh he does in confirmed to his position now noted as well trying to bail
himself out the smoke flash combo try to imply he's retreated time has got the
bomb on his back and vitality are hesitant to commit why we could drop
back and actually throw some utilize from here he's still got a full belt
smoke's available Molly as well to the shrump but they are gonna wait out
this smoke because they have the luxury of time and quickly those trades went
down on B, Dan, the pressure is goach nock.
He's trying to tighten the noose right now.
Can he catch the timing?
Could he catch that backstab?
Robson, Messi, very far forward.
He's going to get it back turned and tap away,
controlled on the famas.
Keeps it level.
Robson, a media trade.
High break!
Oh!
Notes are still hits it, though.
Robson, the clutch, and quick from the MP7 swing.
Paravision, buck the trend last round of the half.
They get something to celebrate after that run
The entire thing in that game was rounds where opening kills came to your team it was converted
I was like chocolate in the building in your head now later this year right now things off inclusion
That's where the apex legacy I'll say started but can't cementing itself this man the birthday boy major back here in 2015 with envious
Since then he's had a three more to the tally
And he's set to get one more to tie up Dupree's record of five.
So Apex, with this fatality team, a leader of men,
seven rounds on the T side has called them into a very strong game.
Now, can they split the pistols?
Yeah, you love the character arc of Apex, right?
I mean, this is, it's almost story levels.
It feels like it could be a novel.
The grunt, the entry frag supreme.
Now calling the shots in a team with an established era, 10 years on.
Alright, here we go.
Remember, Paravisham had trouble with the pistols.
Now those stat lines don't matter in the final.
This is one game in isolation and right now they're 1-0 in the column.
Let's make it 2-2 and we got ourselves a map.
does feel compulsory, crazy to say, crazy expectation, so that's from Zywoo, time after time on the pistol rounds Vitality can count on Zywoo.
Just so confident they're sticking around, getting run down, can he find a second?
He's ready for more insta-gib taps.
Look at the long space, just like Vitality did.
Roms will rotate over to support this.
Two on the side, he'll try and glean the info with some jump spots, why they're already entrenched?
Elginock does have that P250 which will enable a fair fight versus this Ross.
Maybe not. Couldn't even find a single connection. Clean execution from Vitality.
You've got to get past Cywoop. You've got to get past Robs.
A whole lot easier to say than it is to do.
He's ready. He is just ready for the fight. Does take a heavy head. Down to 4 HP.
They're playing for the advantage. They've got 30 seconds to find the finish.
Time is starting to get away from them.
And Vaitati aren't writhing.
Not finding any discomfort.
In this raw clock, they've got this early advantage and they're happy to wait it out.
So just two of them on the side right now.
Yeah, there's low HP from Zairu. Jim could find the base.
Just completely overlooked the corner.
Sure, one back finally. His way finishes what he started on to Zywoo. Ziello's only got five seconds and there's just too many targets.
An unwinnable pistol for Ziello. And he might even go down after.
Speed away. Not getting any cash for that, is he?
That is going to be a very tough way to start this tea side.
So, 150 bucks. That's what the kills and the money that carried through after the Kevlar buy.
It is going to be the final dust on time-out. This is map number one. It is Vitality's choice.
Now look at a run away with this. Yeah, I mean, I like the way Yankee famed it as well like why are you supposed to pick that stuff
Right, this is what I'm talking about. You have to break a nine map win streak if you want to win over past then you go into dust
Which is your charge map where you they have an 11 map win streak
They're on a 10 series win streak
Pick your poison and then drink it. No one ever said it was gonna be easy
That's our Panavision boot them a bit of lore of their own in 2026
Yeah, when we're saying how Apex's career could be a story, I think this one very well could be a movie.
Look at that, some crispy USP shots, you always love to see them.
Just have to find the workers.
There's going to be the eco.
So, you have to fill for Zello.
Money's going to be rough around the edges, but I'd say you're more than used to that in the Parisian jersey.
Sometimes that's just the way she goes.
But a second grand final already.
Lifting the trophy in the first, of course.
Yeah, that one, that...
It's Falcons with the standard, but still...
Still. I mean, it's an unconventional and rare rise to power.
From those dead, salty ring.
It's an hour competing at the big boy table.
any damage on this eco so far. Not looking good.
So ulti one by one, aren't they?
Ooh, good wine connect.
So they get something out of their pistols.
I think that's all they're getting.
Tyre confirms it.
They have to make sure he gets that A4.
I'm spreading away for the Famous and then you can throw that one back over.
It's a beautiful work keeping it clean.
treating this one like a job right now our vitality just going through the
motions I think this is the gun round that tells us whether or not we're
gonna have a half or not from the ParaVision T side yeah I think Dust2 will
definitely deliver and when you take a look at ParaVision this is a team as far
as series go who are always competitive last time they were in the best of three
where they didn't even get at least one map was back in September of last
So even in their losses, they're able to get something to their name.
I hope to see that here today as well.
What's it going to be?
Robs in a forward stance.
Flash from yellow, doesn't deter him.
It's going to have Zairu searching on the long side as well.
They're ready for this aggressive stance.
And Molly's missed.
Yeah, didn't flash anything out.
But this is what I wanted to see from Vitality.
If you just played default and gave him the space,
the respect that everybody else has done to Paravision,
they'll play the clock.
Right now you can't.
Zyle goes forward.
Ziello meets his fate.
And Zyle, we're brought down by Jane.
One trade, Rops still here.
Yeah, Rops might catch him back.
Oh, nice.
Headshot found, or at least some damage through the floor.
19 to work with, as Noether tries to lock him in.
Retreat, not an option, so he searches forward.
Great flash, they can get away now.
Because Rops wants to stick around and fight.
It looks like he does.
It's a point of view too, right there from Apex.
They're pivoting back to B right now.
The flash towards top, Conn.
Props picking in.
So A is known to not be a threat right now.
He forms Mersi in flames as they start flashing.
He's not pushing.
It was so perfectly timed.
Booked.
Notar on the double entry, though.
Access to the B site.
Avoids the nade damage, takes space,
and the bomb will be planted.
Uncontestable.
So they want to hold onto these guns up.
Fishing, give it a look.
Props coming around the world.
A few skits lacking on their bell,
and this one could be the save.
So right there, that is a beautiful work from Nota.
Important double, that'll be the sixth to paravision.
All right.
I think when you take a look at that double from Nota,
right, you have this team,
we're talking about their rise to the top of Counter Strike.
It's the dedication behind closed doors.
It's the focus on the fundamentals.
And once that's locked down,
once everybody understands what they need to do
as far as what peeks should we take,
when are the risks required,
that's when the players have the ability
to show off their individual prowess.
And that's an example of that right there.
So if Mike comes your way over towards A, you trade out one from one and drops around the corner.
So those fundamentals just to tuck it high to hold on to that is Rob just in the other side of the wall and they have no idea.
That's so crazy. That is proof that Dastana, James have managed to really get these boys trained.
Don't overplay.
Bit of a bonus there, over towards B. They generally have those SMGs.
So short, with nice shots from the notes up but now they have to get past the full guns.
So who has his AWP, James is not.
So this is the one that counts, this is the one that could be worth two.
And Paravig take this one, T. Once they're at that 10-10 score line, they take over the game.
And this one is a big step in getting them to tie things up.
Oh, okay, not gonna be the last case scenario for Notary, survives the front of the damage,
the Robs, oh, they heard him, the spread of the flame, Notary's gonna be able to provide
an opening, Robs goes down and Notary gets away, he's taking heavy damage from Apex
through the board's way, avoids a similar fate.
I could easily draw a kill back here, so I were leaving long,
it looks like you just have to jump spot A, and this way,
creative way to play for info.
Keeping three rifles on B, and that's exactly where PowerVision want to hit.
Keep playing forward.
So active.
This Nade.
He's going to try and punish.
He'll swing as they jubble up down on the Nade, and double spray!
Flames, he pulls Vitality back into the advantage!
They're ready for the biff, they're ready for the brawl,
Belchinov back with one.
Swinging it to Apex though.
It's in his own.
No score from Jane.
Jane is abandoning him.
Delay.
By time for Jane to try and hoover up space,
as I was all now trained.
Apex walking into this one.
Belchinov threatening.
The two on two, all to play for,
but he's kept their attention drawn.
He has sold this as Jane has walked his way,
now running his way onto the A site.
One more goes down.
Who the fiends look at Zywu?
Oh, charges him, doesn't pull the trigger.
Jayne now only 14 seconds.
How's he supposed to get the bomb down?
How about killing Zywu?
How about throwing out a smoke
and then punching in the code with a stick and a spare ball?
Can I need to bomb the bomb if you can beat them both?
Jayne, problem solved with Belcherock by his side.
Apex not happy with that one.
Gray info there from Belcherock.
Identifies both on P.
Opens the runway.
Jayne looks like he's selling his boy.
Well, he's buying a round.
And now one handed under pressure as I were playing through.
Thinking he could win the round there on his own.
Well, the start doesn't shine in that one,
and now the money a problem.
Yeah, Carrigan said it best.
It ain't beating if you win the round.
Yeah, with the buy, Flames has come in the net for four.
Got 2400 loss buttons into the next,
so they aren't really bending the knee
and taking a full eco.
They're still playing to win this one.
Sure, there's plenty of pistols around this.
Oh, oh my God, they've lost the yellow.
Mezzi anticipates the boost, finds the headshot, disposal of the weapon to ensure nothing falls into Vitality's hands, but they're stabilised.
They're pivoting the B right now.
Yeah, it's only Apex here.
The rest of Vitality are scarfing over, you can see Si, we're on his way, Mezzi too.
Tark starts to advance, it's 5-7 to Deadly in these players, and he's trying to demonstrate that now.
Couple of missed shots, whistle passed.
Staying solid his way, hold his ground, Si will hit the headshot, by able to fight the trade! Quick flick!
Lovely bar, finds the head shopper now, the Deagle tracking.
Fires one off.
Does anyone connect to Belchnock, James?
Oh!
Robbs his Deagle!
How's he hit that?
Pulls Belchnock into an impactful opportunity.
Has to save paravision here.
And Robbs his Deagle looks incredible.
Spotted out.
Belchnock has the info.
Robbs has got the precision though.
He's got it!
Oh!
They started from Robs!
What a skirmish on that side, the back and forth, Belchinov's triple.
You thought the young gun, the rookie had done enough to stabilize that.
But these two teams, you just take a look at these low buys,
paravision, they're good at finding the mistake, vitality, they're great at forcing it.
It's just so buttery smooth that Robs POV.
Thought he had overdone it there, right?
Taking too long to pick his shot from Heaven, backs the turn, not looking his way.
As he starts them off it's Robbs that closes it down. It's all really the pistols isn't it the hero isn't that m4
Sneaks to zingers on the dig to win out the 1v2 a mr. Cool. He's in this team to close and that's
outrageous
Just when you don't power vision for climbing back into the game there's the star power
Every member of Vitality Cable this time, Robs is the one to step up.
Early collision course set.
No time. Completely not expecting Robs, he's just wandered down to Connector.
And he manages to remove one.
This way he's walking as well. Robs went unprepared.
Now this kid on the MP7...
Makes it look great.
Yeah, gets himself an upgrade.
Oh, oh!
That range shipped on down apex.
Ringsies belt.
So over the all point A, yellow investigating
Napa bathrooms is a monster push lined up.
Yeah, no one's home. This is going to be such valuable intel.
Flamesy as always is the one to hold W.
So how is U2 to block?
He's to throw that out now. Has to stall this.
Done so. Confirms it's past the bomb on the back of James.
James immediate reaction upon that jump spot
on that jump-spot is to pivot towards the long side.
Simon stays posted, ready to catch Belginock and Ziello's progressions.
Staying 2-2 with the defense here, this is still risky.
Oh, Ziello's low.
Trying to finish it off with a HG, doesn't quite find him.
Five points of help for Ziello.
They're all bleeding out.
Sway on the long side, can he find any output?
Apex on the back, a dice.
Feels like a certainty for Apex to win this one.
does so. Takes his head off, belching off, broke six, breaks into the side. Quick one
from Zywouz. Oh, and there's another. So comfortable on that AWP. Now a clutch for
James. He's already had one. Another one taking shape before our eyes.
Here's Zywou. The HP for him and Messi will deny.
Multi-kill understand power from Vitality on display and back to
back rounds and that one gets 10 to 11 or 7 to score now but out of money on
paravision. It's off position you know it comes down to just that 1v1. You want to
force with the round of 2k mark or do you want to give them the guaranteed O.T. as we
catch Sai Wu. An important integral double there and they are shoving.
You might want to allow Vitality to get up to 12 without a fight. All in and
over towards B. Surely these are not the kind of rounds we can get away with
against Vitality in this form.
Come down at the timing of the flash here.
These are the rounds Maezzi waits for.
Straight through the drive!
He starts drive from Belchinov, goes yellow.
He enters the block!
It's Flamesy's turn!
Just to unload through the smoke, he finds three committing through monster.
And an attempt to make short.
It's not going to be an easy blow.
It's going to be more of the same into the next. Flamesy will find the final and that is 12.
Kind of respect the fact that you're trying it. Belchlock just tried through the smoke.
Did catch Merrimanof got a little bit.
Well considering how the first half went, this is always going to be a tough second.
Now that you're on that T side.
Just one round away now. Vitality.
Continue to build to, there's just a remarkable team in the modern day.
and straight on overpass in one round's time. Just five kills to get there and
you've got to get past tag nines and this time a galil. Not the most threatening, is it?
They're going to make this one look casual.
Trying to make it abundantly clear the difference between us and them.
Ooh, this way. Brought down surely going to get chased up down. Apex hunts his prey.
And goes away.
The depth of your map will always be tested, the depth of each individual decision you make up against this squad.
They've got all the nuance, I am down.
I know the info right now.
They're in the right place, the set up, plenty of Nezzy ready to receive it, Nezzy gets one.
Through the board, finds Jane.
All the tricks in the book used to manufacture an advantage and this one is just waltzing across the finish line.
Just see Peter out now, won't you? 3v5, number disadvantage, parry of vision up against it on the T side and it's only a matter of time.
Delch not expecting Nezzy to like, delete.
Just got the Notar and Cielo having their best cover things for the first half of this
grand final. Hascun to a conclusion, right? Right, Cielo and Notar not giving up. They
do manage to break through the Vitality defences. Saewoo can't go down, or at least it could.
Molly on the side, problematic now. Saewoo contained by the flames for a moment. They
got 19 seconds to get this on done, sure you've broken in. There's still Saewoo
and robs to get past. Top of the table, this duo. Another one from Nota. An exceptional
double kill from the both of them. Just Saiwu to get past, but of course it's Saiwu that
plans to end it right here and now. Oh, they're looking at him! Seattle will close! Extending
play. It looks impossible. Alright, that's a 2v5 right there. That is a 2v5. Okay boys,
we see ya. My Tati maybe taking that eye off of the prize for a moment there. Wow.
This one started way too easy, didn't it?
Everybody gets a double kill, Flamesy grabs one more,
and then Tiela and Nota, they announce their presence
on this B site, kill off the kill.
But that is that tenacity!
And now giving up, not rolling over.
Absolutely not.
Well, again, they're in a position to take over the Finances.
Last time, it was lesser of an investment.
This time, Vitality are forcing in to get it done.
Just have to tighten this one up
and not make those same mistakes for SMGs instead of M4s.
Which is what this team was built to handle.
It ain't over till it's over.
The philosophy close to paravision.
And again if they win this one, they break the bank balance and they can definitely work
back into it.
Okay.
High stakes round and again it's Nota's name.
It's away.
.
Setting their sights on that A site.
.
Room to stretch their legs are squatted by James AWP.
Apex is the only one staying on the B site.
They are gambling over towards A. Flames you pick up wrong.
And this up after him set up can stay in play. It's very hard to break this set up
Rob's actually trying to catch a timing
Goes looking
He's gonna be able to confirm notice position of Chinook react trade beautiful
Advantage maintained
So we try to be a disruptive force on the wrong side James got his number though
opens up just flames you on the site with something, a point to prove perhaps, but
Belgium opt in ice. Power of vision have broken through their last opportunity to
do so. A two versus five and now just apex retreating with his tail between his
legs and an MP9 to save. The regardless of how this map goes down there will be a
discussion about that 2v5 lost. Now you still can take care of business
it can still be done in regulation or if you lose the map that conversation will be even more intense
the fact that Paravision have kept this alive and now they've drawn you into the late game
as if they keep that polish this team once they get to overtime
they're able to reset as an experienced unit well they're playing that role well for a bunch of rookies
We'll just hold on to it. Easily MP9 of all things.
Jack's been so highly about these new talents he's picked up.
Says, you know, we've been more round than we should have.
It's been a fantastic one here on Overpass.
Testament to the talent.
under his tutelage with Dastan and built a team that are pushing this overpass all the
way.
It shouldn't be this close, should have closed it down.
Vitaliy have already picked up a lighter by round, I'm not sure this one will be the
case.
That one had a hero M4, this one has a saved MP9 and less upgrades.
So grouped up and ready to fight.
It should be light work for Paravision, even though James walking into this.
And Vitality's pistol rounds, they always seem to be quite threatening.
Can lead to some volatility, especially if you don't hit flicks like that quick from Ziello.
Adjust of flame zene, he's not probably adopted that angle of load.
Yeah, James catches Apex on the retreat back towards Connector.
He spotted another as well, and that's going to get Nota.
Limiting Mezzy's options, throws out the Molotov, HE from above.
Locked in. The unarmored MP9.
Good looking to see if I can get a weapon or two to save into the next if I'm vitality, but I'm not sure.
The official gives that option. I'm on the lands. You know, as deep as designed, but they should be able to ush themselves into the A site now.
With a whole lot of ease, with a barrage of U2 continuing. Let's try and soften up Mezzi.
I thought like a formality is that now back up for grabs.
To be honest, I didn't think there was any way in the world Vitality were going to lose that 2v5.
So, you and me both.
They are still alive and kicking and I wouldn't say in the driver's seat,
but matching up to that pole position,
I'm just getting absolutely rolled by Vitality.
I like that for a patch seven straight in the first half.
There's a bit more back and forth here now with their attack on display.
some poise, the pressure.
Ziello finding his game as well, a bit of a slow start for him and he is such an important piece of this Paravision puzzle.
Yeah, he's their lowest-rated player on Overpass this year.
Wow.
The fact that he's taking out this level of performance right now is huge.
I think no, we only have nine kills, but all of his have come with impact.
Yes.
I'm hoping for some exits, hoping to be able to bolster the bind.
We should get a X-Taz timer.
Can't snatch it away, no to ready for that, the bait and switch.
Not on his watch as Noda continues to shoot sharper as he runs into the side.
I don't think he's going to be able to take it on with him.
And now he just needs to run for the hills.
Go down with the bomb.
So nothing carried through.
The biggest issue late in the game, who would have thought that we'd be talking about this for vitality,
is they don't have the money to bring out these IWP.
So they can get rifles for everybody, but they'll be lacking YouTube.
They're not going to have everything they'd hoped for.
And with only the Lost Burners and 2900 going into the next unless they save guns
They'll be on another bad buy with 5-7s and MP9s going into what would be the final round of regulation
So again, ParaVision find themselves in control of the finances
Their biggest problem is you just lose one and it's done
So two opportunities, four vitality short, but these won't come easy
You can see Flames here having to operate now with an MP9 to value the utility
Such a common occurrence as well with this ParaVision team is your opponent
Once you get pulled into the mud, once you lose around, you shouldn't.
And the finances start becoming a problem.
That's what happens when you've got a team helped by the accountant.
He's always cooking the books in their favor.
It's actually a bit of resistance for Vitaliy in playoff game.
The group stage was labored.
Playoffs have looked a little bit easier.
I can't quite believe we're here. Round 23. Cobbled together by for vitality. Jingo searching,
hoping for an overextension of Zywoo. Cogglison across. There he is. Confirmation he's in
connector but he's going to remove notary and he's going to keep on pushing.
He goes up that ladder, that bomb is on the other side of the boat,
he's not noisy on the way back, might give away some sound cues here.
So bomb picked up, I'm sure he'll be able to relay that to the team.
So I was going to push forward off that info.
Cognizant of the potential for flashes.
Supported bomb, he's captain Apex.
There's yellow, he actually had the pre-aim there but Zywoo quick to the head shot.
Double up, lovely work from the duo.
Zywoo and Apex are now on orb, force it to his hands!
Belchnock removes it immediately.
Not a two on four.
Should be everything in place for Vitality to close down Overpass here.
With 35 seconds left, Belchnock goes looking.
Lezzie be forced into the fight.
The Molotov's spreading us very well, and they can't control the spray!
Overpass goes Vitality's way, but not without some sweat on the brow!
Well the first step to Vitality adding the 11th trophy to that cabinet, they're mapping their pockets just to up next.
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Welcome back to the PGL Cluj and the Poker Grand Finals 1 map in the books.
It has gone the way of vitality, but let's just start by talking about the nature of
that.
I'll start with you, Janko.
Was it deceptively competitive or actually competitive?
I think somewhat deceptively competitive, right?
Because Parisians didn't have that 4-0 start in the first half.
They struggled actually with those to get off to good starters thinking,
ooh, maybe there's something here.
But then really the experience and, you know,
just the fact how good Vitality is on Overpass shines through.
They go on to win seven rounds in a row from that point on.
And a lot of those were gun rounds because Parisians were saving
in a lot of the round losses
because there wasn't much for them to do with the early entries,
that Vitality would get and then in the second half, for a moment there, they seem to be on
the way back, but the 1v2 from Robs really killed all their momentum and if it weren't
for that 2v5 from Mota and Cielo, the game would have been over much sooner.
I mean look, ParaVision is just trying to give you your money's worth, right?
They've been doing it all tournament long, pushing it to 10 rounds, trying to keep things
going and grinding out things, but we talked about a pregame that, you know, this
is a team that hasn't won overpass yet, now you're facing one of the best overpass
teams in the world and when I was looking back at ParaVision's stones, I definitely
noticed that their B defense was something weak that a lot of teams could exploit and
Vitality wasted no time doing it and I think it comes down to just the inexperience of those
B players, kind of understanding what spots are dangerous to get scammed and native, you
know, where they need to be, how they coordinate with each other.
When you're dealing with the type of onslaught that Vitality can levy at you, which I did
time and time again.
I think you could have put a lot of veteran B anchors on that bomb site to try to withstand
Vitality's barrage and they still would have had a lot of difficulty.
I feel like Vitality gave us, I mean they did, they gave us a lot of different
on that T side. Their A defaults were successful. The B hits where they were able to pinpoint utility usage were excellent too.
I mean, just a well put together game plan and really showing why they wanted to start this series with this pick.
I mean, for me, the game change that just happened right there was when Robs got that double-deagle clutch.
Probably, I mean, could have conceivably been in overtime if that didn't happen, but that essentially course corrected.
and not a surprise to see Robs the one player we didn't highlight pre-show coming out and being the standout on map 1.
One thing that was actually a bit interesting about the time he spent on the T side was that he was frequently helped at B.
I felt like going into the game you're going to see him do a lot more solo lurking and prodding,
but in fact Apex was frequently next to him around the monster tunnel,
which allowed Robs to take so much space towards the short side here
and really kind of exercise his own will against a paravision team that wasn't quite ready for there to be such an emphasis in the default towards that B-side of things.
Letharad is so good at finding chip damage too early in those rounds at B, and I mean that just shows you how mobile Vitality is.
When you have guys like Xeva and Apex who are so dynamic and so comfortable being all around the map,
it allows them to do what Maui's saying, where you can flex a lean towards one direction early in the round and use that to, you know, put on pressure, do damage and eventually chase down frags.
And again that 7 round run that Vitality had is really what kind of put them out in front in a way that Paravision is not recovered from.
We can break down some rounds, talk about some of the, you know, little intricacies of the game, Yankee.
I'll defer to you for that one.
Yeah, a lot of the game plan revolved around the B bomb site.
And also how do you condition your opponents, right?
It's a bit tougher to do in MR12. You don't have as many rounds to work with, but Vitality still did a great job.
second gun round, Apex, HE and spam, get the kill on Belchernauk, here they're harassing again
with the HEs, right, he's not gonna get spam this time around but you saw one, the second
HE came in from Apex and this is the third one, what is this doing, like this is making them
alright, we can't be that close and then in round eight they hit them with the monster pop,
right, like they can't play close to that smoke anymore, they get naded, they get spam,
alright, they still want to play somewhat close but that's where you get blinded by
the flashes, that's where Vitality has you right where they want you and that's
just a great example of you know Apex being one step ahead of that B defense.
I feel like we can even chime in with round seven also and smack dab in the
middle of those some of the ones you just showed because the way that they
went for the entry there with the Molly combo into Nade combo I don't
even really see this Molly all that often bouncing it off of the bridge on
top into a double Nade onto Noda when he's moving in to his fallback
position. I mean when talking about vitality and the entries they get on this map, I mean sometimes
it's about working smarter not harder. It's one of those things where we always praise how good
vitality are at the fundamentals of playing on a default or throwing in the pacing changes,
but then they add layers that a lot of other teams have with their utility. You know, like the
one that Molly just pointed out where you know that the guy could be up close on that smoke,
you Molly him out, you know exactly where he's going to go next and you're able to hit
him with more HE grenades and just, I mean the amount of utility kills that they got on that
that the bomb site is concerned, like it's very hard for Paravision to play against something
like that.
Somewhat of a one dimensionality of Paravision on their CT side, they're not going to play
super aggressive very often, you know, maybe here and there at some times, but they're
more comfortable sitting back, maybe taking some of these stack gambles, right, and letting
you make the mistake.
So if you're vitality and you know that, well, then you can go for these harassed
plays, but they're never going to try and play in front of it.
didn't necessarily try to fight for water control early or try to get in their
face towards the A bomb site with some three or four A setups to really disrupt
Vitality early on. I feel like they had to do that because you saw even in 5v5s
they were trying to gamble stack for 4v4s. I mean Vitality had so much
information on the map they're not going to fall for those they're not
going to run in your stack maybe once a half but here it didn't happen
whatsoever and they just dominated them in that first half. To wrap it back
to the Robs discussion about him being the MVP of the map, part of it is just the conditioning
of him being in water so frequently. When paired with Apex at Monster, there's really
no option. The option coverage was so strong from Vitality that usually, if you're just
getting bombarded like that, you want to take short water control, but if Robs is always
there playing Sentinel, there's really no answer for you as ParaVision.
Yeah, and then later in the game, we can take a look at this round. We've got
that round 17.
Yeah, it's just a momentum stopper, right?
Piravision does a good job after losing pistol to win the first two gun rounds, right?
They finally get vitality on an eco here.
Mazza actually finds this kill, which is crazy with the P2-15.
4v5, they get towards the B-bomb side.
They're going to do a good job of finding the kills, right?
Getting the bomb down. They stay patient.
They don't rush anything.
They understand the pressure is on vitality with the low buy.
It just drops in the 1v2. What will go wrong?
Well, everything, right? He's not sick anymore. They got the IVs, they got everything, they got the juices, the blood is flowing, and yeah, he just had two nasty shots, and he really felt that, Farage, and after losing this one, it was going to be over for them, right?
We talked about how good they are at not giving away rounds, you know, playing very fundamentally sound, when they lose a round like this, just gets all the momentum back on the side of a tality.
Vitality and so we enter the part of the final where this is it for me
I think this is the paravision win condition starts here
We're gonna talk about dust too. I've said it. I think they can be vitality understood
I genuinely believe it and I like and I'll qualify that by saying every team they've played they've took them deep
This is a map that they're really frustrating to play on little mistakes can can be punished and
And even if you're the best team in the world, you used to end the final, you want to get it over with, you want to hoist that trophy, you feel that's inevitable, that's when maybe you take your eye off the ball and Paravision can exploit.
It's going to be tough. I mean, when you come to personal comfort, sure. I mean, this is one of Paravision's tried and true mess. They've used it throughout this tournament and just put this lineup in general. They look good and they've evolved as a team for me.
Again, they were a team that were reliant on a lot of fast pace plays and gimmicks, maybe like little fakes, things of that nature. You've seen them, you know, slow it down a bit.
But the problem for me is is that Vitality is just such a complete team across the board.
They have such great anchoring in robson flames. They also have one of the best mid-beat defenses I've ever seen.
That's such a chaotic thing to deal with when you know you're having CT spawn smoked off. You're feeling cat pressure.
You know there's people in beat tunnels. You're trying to manage exactly how you want to respond.
And I feel like Vitality just does that better than any other team.
That's why they are the best on Dust2 in my opinion. One win condition though, however, for
ParaVision is that Jame is always ready to try to stretch the margins. We've got one clip here to
demonstrate how even though his team was getting boxed in in this round versus Maus yesterday,
he still finds a way to just throw that extra wrinkle into the attack to make them a little
bit confused. Starts out with a four on four, opening trades go the way, really I mean it's
an even state situation but Roland gets a bit aggressive and at this point Maus have a great
idea of what's coming next. ParaVision are smoked off in the tunnels however and instead of
of just playing the round out, sitting in tunnels, seeing a lot of ideals do this.
They know they want to do a B hit, and so they just wait on their heels doing the B hit.
But James throws his mid to B fake smoke, and look it, even though Brolin is making his
way down, he's gathering all this info.
He should know with utter certainty, all of the ParaVision players, they're stuck
in tunnels.
He's still unsure.
He's still looking around middle.
He's not sure if there's a lurker here, and this is slowing him down just enough
that ParaVision execute their B hit, and the second that Brolin finally gets there
because he was walking through the middle, trying to find him,
bopped in the face.
If he would rotate it two seconds earlier with that,
if there was no mid to be fake smoke,
it's a third defender on the bomb site,
and that's why one of the ways that ParaVision are just really tough to play against
because you're never really sure if you leave one stone unturned,
that might be where that lurker player is.
Miles just ain't beating the allegations though.
He's not literally crossed from CT to B,
it's like what, someone teleport inside mid.
But yeah, ParaVision, this is where they're comfortable
on the side of Vitality, I mean, they lost four times on this map with this line-up online,
and three out of the four were either 13-11 or in overtime.
Like, this is their playground, this is where they've been extremely dominant
throughout their tenure as a team, and it's going to be hard.
You know, they broke Maus on this map.
I saw Maus go for some setups that are completely out of the back
to try to sort of counter Vitality.
That's how much they ran out of ideas how to play on the CT side and I think with
Paravision style where they go for a lot for a lot of
3b leans and and some of those things
I don't think that's going to be very difficult for apex to figure out and call around. Yeah
I think you know go into what you said only four losses. That's in 38 games played. They've only lost twice in our last 28
That's ridiculous like no one's really touting a dust-to-strict like they have and I think another thing that comes down to is a man
on your screen, Jane. You know, this is a guy who can be a great opera when he's just holding passive angles and lines.
But I think he got away in this tournament a lot with people not flashing him, not putting him off of angles.
And I think by Todd, he's not going to have that. Meanwhile, on the opposing side, you've got Zihu,
who's going to be an in-your-face opera, and he's also a luxury, like, additional entry fragger with an AK that just
there doesn't exist for paravision. So I think they're just going to get outclassed by a team that's just so complete on playing this map.
Yeah, it's got to be said, Maui, the other teams they beat, not necessarily
monsters on Dust2. Of course this used to be a map vitality, but happily first pick.
And that's also due to the fact that just look at the roles, you look at how
easily all of them set into their positions. I mean Flamesy just feels
like such an overqualified A anchor, how Mezzi connects with Robs towards the
B side of things. I mean they are, no matter where you're going, there's no
weak spot. And that's all frequently been the paravision MO that they want
to target whoever the weakest players are. And my, I would say the one piece
advice I can give to ParaVision against this Vitality Defense? Good luck. I think,
I like the pick from ParaVision though, right? There's no punish for them in this
veto, there's nothing they could do. They might only get one pick in the best of
five too. So might as well go out swinging, right? Like go for the map
that's be going good for you in this tournament that you feel confident on.
Yes, Vitality is incredibly strong on it as well. But I think that's the
better approach. It shows some of their confidence on the map too, that
They're not going to be scared away into picking something, you know, like potentially a mirage or where mortality has had some losses or anything like that
Where they can't really beat them
But that's too is probably their best chance in this final to grab a map with and one they have to grab
I mean, it's absolutely over if you don't think just yeah without I mean this them picking does too
Is a declaration that we are willing to God on our shield on where we feel the most comfortable
We're not going to try to throw some type of curveball like making a play a new this when you haven't played that much
lately since the new virgin came out or something along those lines so truly they feel like they have something right and you know
Jane you know for example has been able to beat teams by just really heavily anti-strad them like he did whenever you
Play against Hawkins that fast because you know had they got a stand in that be I'm gonna go punish that guy the issue
Is it's how do you anti-strad a team like vitality who just doesn't really have any gaps or falls that you can expose consistently?
Like yeah, maybe you catch one off guard here and there
But it's just not gonna happen
Enough for me for that it's gonna have a lot of impact but again
Let's get a fast shot forward.
One guy that I have seen change the face of how
Paravision wants to run their Dust2, though, is Wei.
To me, he's the right-hand man for Jane on this map
when he's controlling that entire B side.
And I've seen him try to push some of the other elite teams.
And so if he's able to find an entry,
that could be a difference maker in what seems to be
a vitality-favorite map.
So for me, it is do or die on Dust2.
And with that, we hand you back to Sponge and Machine.
The scene has been set.
Are you ready for Dust 2?
We saw more rounds than we bargained for, map 1 overpass, but the desk concludes that this must go ParaVision's way if we're going to see more than 3 maps.
Yeah, but with the Cabana it's going to be almost impossible, but they need it if we want a competitive one here.
So having to now snap an 11 straight on Dust 2 and out of those only one of them has been closed.
Everything has just been single digit victories for Vitality.
Will we witness more greatness here today while living in the Vitality era?
City side start for them as it's Panavision's map choice.
It may be your best map, but I can't see no slouch on it too.
Those stats are amazing.
28-2.
As David got a sharp stone in his sling.
There's 4A star ready to fight short.
What's the timing on the rip of the flash?
The yellow's been absolutely booked there, full white screen.
And shot provided, it goes for double dip and is punished.
Nice precise response, but it wasn't ready for the flash as well to maneuver away.
Alright, 4v4, mid-B.
I'm out of the call right now, they've got this smoke from his way.
He's gonna lob this in, this is gonna put a lot of pressure on ropes.
They boost up, and as you will have a line just over the smoke.
They do have a kit available on the back of Flamesy.
Oh, she not wants to play through this.
Actually going to be the A-Play, they're pivoting away.
Okay, smoke and mirrors.
And Flamesy will actually borrow within the smoke.
This is outrageous.
He's got J, two of them, not looking!
Flamesy traded out by Nota, but the frags keep on borrowing from Vitality.
Nota can't seem to connect.
And Vitality will take the pistol.
Logiki smile creeps onto the face of the birthday boy.
Happy with that one.
So kicking off that's two as they mean to go on.
That is going to make things.
I wonder if they smell.
Yeah, I think they're fresh.
I hope he's washed them.
Same.
Another vision as well.
You can't want the way to watch the final.
Yeah.
Put a pair of underpants.
Well, it's an ego.
He'll be all right.
All right.
Yeah, nobody needs to watch this one.
Shouldn't be too much to say about this.
There's no fruit for this way to slice
Base of football. Yeah, and again Richard returns that pistol stat
The biggest problem is because they're going up against vitality, but otherwise we would say this isn't an indicator of the results for
Paragation right lose the pistol. Well, that's fine. You always lose pistol or at least more often than not
Yeah, but you know against vitality, you'll take every advantage you can exactly but coming into the final red
They've played 40 pistols across the 20 maps. They had a 13 in 27 record
So, you know, the fact that here they played the most maps, they were playing best of threes in all the series until their semi-final yesterday, where they just got a chip done in a 2-0 fashion.
Yeah, that's quite condemning for now, to be honest.
But I want to see if they can keep this streak alive of even in losses, keeping series competitive.
Right. Well, they've map one, you know, I mean, the desk, I understand that it, you know, it was around that Vitality will probably never lose again.
Sure, but that stat line dead back to September means they have to win a map, right? So not just get close
He's got some best of one losses in their show, but we all know how we feel about those
Oh, they're going for a walk. Here comes the commit and Robs remains composed
We'll just spray them down four kills in the second mag. Bezzie wants one
I think if Robs was in the same form during the group stage, we know it was unwell
Yes, then maybe he could be in the conversation for the MVP, but
Unfortunately, it's Zywoo and then Flames, and I say unfortunately, Zywoo's hogging him.
I like to see him start sharing it with his teammates a little bit.
Well, he set up a plan to succeed with this much talent. He's going to do that.
Alright, first rifle round. Let's see if it's going to be something fast from ParaVision.
Got a couple of long spawns to work with.
We know that they've been going for a lot of these B-pomps as well.
This one looking just like the default spread is going down the hatches towards Long.
Not by Tali, they got the control.
Smoke Wrex not going to achieve march, Messi realizes that.
Go straight into a mid to B here.
Sway's got that smoke lined up and they're trundled down mid quickly.
They didn't actually go through a lower, they didn't want to be disrupted by that, but there's an aid.
Well placed.
Still finding damage, Yellow going to be feeling harmed down by a hold up.
I've parked the differing way, I've still copped a HE.
I think Belchinox is still thinking about those HEs on Overpass.
Mild pressure applied on the A side of the map that forces out the smoke short side.
That's where I'm meant to be, Smoke in play.
Yeah, they'll go.
Looks like a commitment here.
Scuttled the smoke, commit to the side.
They're testing Rob's box.
What?
His apex is done there!
He sprays too straight through the smoke!
Mezion ropes haven't had to lift the finger yet and how anticipating that later rival from Zway
Oh, and Belgium caught out by Zywu with the MP9 as well
Your plan has been ripped to shreds
Oh, you wanted to go mid to B, you won't even see the bombsite
Their corpse is litter mid
Vitality pick him apart and I can't quite believe how Apex has managed to find his two contributions
Well, they caught them there, right? Apex's the rotating rifle, it wasn't ready
Right there, we're still a bit more of an eccentric setup, Zway
Do you have anything else? 20 seconds left, have to make a play and you can't, so we'll take it.
There's something there from Apex.
It's not how you wanted your first gun to go.
Not at all. We didn't get a chance to fight back, so...
There's two opening kills in that fashion.
There's another side of things to come. Here it is, look! He's not in CT.
Good jump. Nota, just jumping around the corner is a little just a tadpole of information.
How on is going to leave a mark is that we'll take a tactical time out of the early stages
and this man has been well aware of expectation setting.
But when you've played three tournaments to start 2026, you've been in the ground final
of two.
I think those expectations might start to change.
You fortunate in this final you're going up against the best to do it, vitality.
We'll give you a pass and we'll get to a point where we have the Astralis here.
People just wanted them to lose because the expectation was they're going to win.
Is that a bit of variety into the mix?
Well, I mean, we should enjoy the greatness while it's on the screen before it becomes the lore of Legends.
Absolutely. Yeah, I mean, we are watching pages in the Counter-Strike history, but being written in real time.
This is a team who's very clear on their goals setting.
They're enjoying the moments as they happen.
That sign that Astralis by their own ambition didn't do.
And I think what also Vitality bring is this constant innovation.
Across the course of the season, it's very easy, I'm sure, to fall into similar habits,
but it always feels like there's something new.
I think any pegs plays a big part.
Oh, my God!
Beautiful start to the round for Messi.
Give him a chance, boys.
Just this partial buy, and you take it out of the round like that.
Yeah, no to this block. Can you do shrug your shoulders at that one?
They're dearest to segregate this long fight, Flazy Plank on the corner, I think he'll give it up.
Oh, all flashed through, so teams work always on display, the U2.
Could be blue, then. Flazy rebays. Belcher not starting to apply pressure from the long smoke.
What's the timing for Zyra here?
He's going first.
Short. There's a lot of bodies. Zyra takes the fight, dips away, doesn't find the immediate frag.
Flash on Flazy, gets his vision and now starts to unload.
Two down, it's all collapsing for ParaVision. Constellation frag for Jane, but he's already accepted to feed.
Even when it looks sketchy, they get away with it.
It's just Jane to deal with now, and then the AWP can come out to the next. There you have it, Robson finished off.
I think the fact they are enjoying the moments, they are understanding what they're creating for their legacy
means that they will continue to innovate as you are touching upon that.
They're aware of just how good they've got it.
Nobody in this team will take it for granted.
At least not yet.
Here's the ogre.
No tough.
Holding on to the frustrations.
Thought a whole lot you could do about that.
James Orp in the mix.
I lose as well.
Here we go.
Can it connect?
Safe passage assured.
And the default.
Place for paravision.
Converse way and yellow in the tunnels.
Noted to do the scaling count.
Belchnox be that long, real-life information.
And we're made.
Dodged.
Into overseas business.
Now, once they can establish lower tunnels and push back short,
when they go to hit the site,
James, I could say mid-doors,
and control the rotations with the AWP.
We've seen it plenty of times before.
Ooh.
That's a lot of information off the flash.
A lot of over. Yeah, we've seen this before.
Belchnox ready for you.
And that's gonna be screaming, hey boys.
It probed all the way out.
That's what lands on B, exchange of U2 from Mezzi.
So I'm sure that they at least want to apply
a little bit of pressure.
I have to keep my Tati guessing as they start to set up
for what is likely gonna be this B play.
Is he playing close to the lurk smoke?
It's over towards Kar.
The rotation point miles away.
Just didn't look at the radar to see Apex's goose.
So I will ramp and flames he long.
They didn't activate quickly.
Belcher not knew he was close.
Now Flamesy goes.
He's gonna be quick behind the Xyre, throwing shots through the smoke.
Not gonna be as successful as Apex was now.
It's a task for Robs on that site.
Immediately then, Messi makes up the difference.
The double kill.
Belcher running at him, hiding out behind the big box.
Oh!
Maryman!
Quad kill on the B site!
doesn't need Robs to deny Paravision. Outstanding hold, he is untouchable. In round five.
Good for working on a set of anchor. Smile on his face for the Brit, that is a figure of a beauty.
Robs goes down and no problem, and that is class anchor work under so much pressure.
Just solid as a rock from Messi, quick to the transfer onto Zweimandling, that is lovely.
No to Rambelsenok, they were just flustered.
Strong start this time.
It was 4-0 up on overpass with prime vision before.
By Tyler, he got working.
Right now it's 5 straight.
And now I'm just going to world number one.
So now it's against another partial.
So I'll lob in the doors and the Xbox smoke.
I think they're scaling easy up.
So it stops the jarring nature of having the pop open.
I'll try a B-pop again.
We'll have drilled for this.
Backplank always strong here, they can't hold.
Robs attempting for that multi-kill does provide it.
Doesn't matter if he got smoked, doesn't matter if he's blind.
Mezzy and Robs announce that the peace site is closed.
Just the yellow with a constellation on the tech nine,
but the job is done.
Another vitality round one.
This is running away from Paravision's grasp.
will come out. I've put 11 minutes into this one and we're already 6-0 deep. Time
to take it from Dastan number two. It's going to be more of this from him. We're
talking about okay yeah he's going to take them before the finance gets
broke or the finance haven't even got started yet. Sort of kills right now is
eight and six rounds of plates so you can see just how easy it is and there's
a little bit immortal at the moment. Ten and zero. That B bombsite knew that
we're going to have a test when going up against Power Vision. If you're
able to stop the mid to B's and the B pops you can really limit their options
and they might have to start playing with their spawns. Yeah I mean that's
something they're so frequently will exploit in their Dust2 gameplay. Once they
get that bomb down even in a number disadvantage it's such a cruel
retake often they managed to just get enough frags to ensure the bomb does go
down then the cash is flowing then the rounds can come up come start making
their way in but at this point we're gonna see a mix up. Rob Sanzai we're
with the zoom banger. Yeah and still just gonna go through the default by the
looks at things. He's juggling the nature inside the round paravision. They're not using
their spawns to share. They don't want to turn it into a 50-50 fight. They want to play out
the fundamentals which is getting the map control and then looking for the finish
together. The only way this gets real risky with all poppies is if it's a lurk
smoke timing on B with it to be in play at the same moment. There's a
chuckle smoke off mid doors. His way is just his job is to stand like a statue
and hold this mid to B for when he's called upon. That's not perfect is it?
that's gonna have a gap over the top. Fortunately no orbs searching behind it.
Ooh, that's a big nade.
See how low Armstrong.
Again.
Jay behind the door. This is different.
Yeah, this... perhaps...
This eye-in-dog, the nade deaths versus vitality are inevitable.
I'll start a tally. This is getting out of control.
No, it has to take a risk and... Hello.
James...
That's him going.
He's trying to make a play. Belchinov with the one tap.
I was not ready for this.
Surely not.
This is beautiful from James, and it's going to lead to the back stab onto Zywoo.
Hold on, Apex now.
He plays thinking man's counter-strike does James in the pitside.
Apex got a hard flight on his head, peeks on in, and Belchinov feasts.
James pulled Paravision out of the pits of despair and given them something to work with.
There's a beauty under pressure there. To calculate that, say, Belcher, you deal with this, I'm taking the gap.
That is crazy to see you six one down. You think, hey, guarantee that kill.
He's got grander plans.
They're playing for the long game, isn't he? All right. Paravision on the board and masterful stuff.
Jane, I mean, dust two, back-to-back dust twos, where Jane has done something we just don't see every day.
You just don't see that.
They can't mend the server, and that one calculated to the tee.
300 IQ move in deep.
Yeah.
I think this dude is a counter strike so far.
Well, they do get on the board and...
It's not an easy way to replicate, I'll say that much.
I think it might perhaps put Flameseek back on a leash.
You know, those long pushes as crucial as they are,
you're going to be a little bit more diligent about your clears.
We'll see if that's enough, right?
Because one of the big conversation points against the T side of Paravision
is how can you be jarring to not allow them to go through the default.
That's one way.
More standard is like lower pushes, short boosts.
You can still turn to that. So the double orbs, still in play.
Paravision, opening a count now. It's time to...
One plus one to get yourself two.
Quick maths.
Here's that boost, right? So this way you can join the default.
Now wait for that smoke, provide a little cover, and counter boost from Jane.
Spots the toes, nose, what's up now?
How does he react to this?
He's into it! That was brave!
Zywu punishes his arrogance.
Thought he had a window there to foster close to the cap.
Zywu, but just peeking out on the timing he wasn't ready for.
Another opener.
It was time by time he needed to make good on it.
Didn't come through the nades with the bullets.
And a puppet master from the grave.
You're not going to get the same output out of Jay.
Round eight.
His troops now are raising without him.
He can be the puppet master from the grave.
The respect of vitality, Tywin might start sweeping into clear short now.
I'm just looking at the amount of nades that are available for Apex and Robs and it is quite the bounty.
That's what Double Ops allows, that's that low expansion. This is where it gets interesting.
Ten no to find a slip on mid, it'll be the other three through upper tunnels as they're starting to piece this together.
So Rops drawn away from the angle, Nohda lobs out the mid to B and now it does get sketchy.
It is sketchy, I mean you're gonna have to count on Rops and Mezzie to once again find you impact.
Sway is so good at opening up this bomb site.
Pass it, there's Mezzie again!
He's holding his sight down! Incredible!
Ho ho!
He's two for two on Maltese.
You come knock it on his door and he will kick you in the face.
Okay, I think he really wants to keep that death column at a zero.
Still immortal round at nine coming up 13 to zero. Check it out.
141 ADR from Messi at the moment.
Kind of towards B with Robson.
That one got like a quick, a little bit sketchy on his watch.
So this is class right now.
Yeah, anyone can have a pop off.
Zaiwu versus Jame in the head to head.
We just saw one in the previous.
Zaiwu reconsidered going for the deep line,
tucks in close and gets a chance and he backpedals.
Ooh, okay.
Zelo throws out the vertical mid-util. Flash does. Can't decide where he'll dip away.
You know exactly what Zelo's gonna do. We've seen this so much.
He's played this map six times at Cluj alone.
They have a pretty good record themselves. Paravision, five on one in a winning record.
Yeah, he's some fortunate. Spitality loved us too, too.
So, we'll see these two dance.
Parapheasions pick.
This is where the Nades of Apex clear problem.
Zyle has missed one, gives Yello a bit of room to stretch his legs into the site. Apex though.
Doesn't finish off the job, HE likely to do so. Big one! Cartwheel out of Yello! Involuntary gymnastics!
Flames it goes, but he gets across towards the rampside.
He's touched, he's good, as he finally felled.
James Molotov does the dirty work, still Flames, he kept humble.
Zwei has managed to pull them into an advantage
with just a scrap of health left, and James was anticipating this,
but now Robs again catching that time.
Gets his back turned, doesn't over commit.
Zwei's gonna be forced to relocate,
forced forward into the fight, and Robs does what he does best.
Not Chinaka, Galil, it's either rerouting.
Oh, and he's got the one-taps, this kid!
On the big stage for the first time.
Overlooking Zywu.
His teammates have told him.
But also his thought process the entire time.
He's crouching, trying to stay under the all-plan, knowing that Zywu's long.
In fact, he hits that banger, sure, but not being able to piece it together quick enough.
Zywu, fast from the rotations, not ready for a second, 8-1, a massive gap.
So as he goes down, it gets close, most of God.
That's what happens when Zawoo misses a shot, it gets a bit close.
Bomb does this, this is a great double from Rubsen.
Also just surging and wanting to fight.
Not in the sight, yeah, bomb hasn't gone down.
This is a huge shot on the glu, sure, but look how easy this is for Zawoo around the world and back again.
Second player, Bugsnot, we'll be able to make it out of the blue bin.
Okay, bit of a hero at play.
Keep up with the control.
It's a nice piece of territory for Paravision to work with.
They're actually not using the staging area, the bombs are getting back over to Woods B.
So maybe they're expecting enough of Tunnels' push as a response.
Oh, it is coming, Robs is going to be trying to clear his way, ready.
The perfect position to deal with this, Mezzie's going to be responsible for this side of the fight as Robs sweeps through.
He's going to head, and it's Waze Bullet versus Masi's double kill.
He's side-sopered, but he's back just in time.
Gets onto the bomb site, ready to unload.
Oh, he's all spraised down too.
Bomb was seen, flames he's here now, and there's people on coming.
He gets away, Belchinok's in A, and there's a chance.
Oh, wait, so I would...
This off angle may be good for Belchinok here.
He drops off.
Now against the Info, but it really cost him his life.
Doesn't quite finish off the job.
Triples out a smoke, thanks to the Angkor.
And the jump up!
Stop finds it, stabilizes.
Through a threatening moments.
You can see there's opportunities for Power of Visions.
Way gave it his best shot there.
Everyone having their moment in the spotlight now
before Vitality Apex.
Beautiful double on response right ahead of the rotation.
Reading the play.
Just plays a pushing on the upper tunnels.
He's the contingency.
He gets there in time and delivers
the kills that confirm it.
Yeah, he pecks Shaw and then flames these arrivals immediately as well.
Vitality's a response time.
You know, we heard the devs talking about how Zai was always in the right place.
It feels like a majority of vitality
as a product of their communication.
Well, their confidence builds confidence.
The fact that they're never scared to take a fight,
they know that they have these maps
that they're undefeated on in such long periods of time.
The last time they lost us, too, was back in Hong Kong last year.
And so, come on now.
And as I touched upon it, they have the single digit victories bar one in the 11 in the Rose
Spring. Only one game got close. Everything else has been 13-4s, 13-6s, 13-8s. I think
the faces of the Panavision player are starting to show it all. This is a feeling we're all
familiar with. Anyone that plays Counter-Strike knows how this game can make you feel helpless.
You're on your favourite map. You're playing your favourite game and still this team are
just handing you misery. He's pushed long doors. That's the tea shop. Inescapable misery.
Everything you try, every opening, every move, the response from vitality that proves too much
to handle, too much to bear. The bomb is still in T spawn chat.
This is domination on display.
Oh, you see these guys, they can shoot, they are sharp, no doubt.
He shows us his mechanics.
A double kill, and drink into the A site, but Apex gone, it's just lazy long.
He's happy to take the fight.
Props flicks up, catches Swayze, lay a rival on the catwalk.
Did you get that bomb?
Both are mid, they know it's the B players.
Obviously retrieved and Ziello stopped very well.
Wins out versus Mezzi.
Notas hard work, not all for naught.
5-7 denied, Ziello closes it down.
A triple out of Nota.
These are names you want to be hearing more of
as they can only get three.
The way that one started, it's surprising they even got that round.
They find it coming immediately
and then they're able to claw it back.
This double-aub apparently the game plan late for vitality. We've seen it scattered throughout and here it is for the final round off
The first half map number two
Who's tough to go for the pig for Jane and there you have it
One feels necessary
Move over to cancel one that did progressions
He is playing with confidence
Oh, and it's rewarded, Yellow trying to solo take Lowe, the clawback found.
Zaiwu dips, flames him down to close doors as well, he's ready to report anything he envies.
So, from a knowledge James position to punish him on his retreat.
No, just a lot out.
We're back in line.
We're just down the line.
The note drops his dead.
I wanted it to be on the exchange.
James is going to control the rotation.
I just have to deal with Mezzie.
Mezzie's left the site.
Just want that hit.
The extinguished flame to get away.
This is about to get a surprise.
Oh yeah, it is the flashback.
He's still going away with his life though.
Accessing to the site.
vision and opportunity for that third. Searching forward and opportunities to
plant a little boost over the smoke might be up to catch them as they burrow into
bricks.
Not to look like he wants to search on the window side maybe to catch apex
as he lines up his nades. Resmoke doors that's going to channel him in through
window this is a hard sight to get back into especially when you lose apex
like that.
Hota so positionally sound here, they've got to give it a go, but there is almost no hope
at that time to smoke in your face.
Paragraphy will convert. A third. It's something to work with.
He said the word hope there and it's good to see they've not given up, right?
The fact that it was a real rough start to this 6-1 before that Jane Magic moment
happen and get the final two before this half-time break.
That's what it takes. That is what it takes.
If they can get themselves a pistol again, returning to just how tough it's been for them.
So if they're unable to work their way back into things, it's...
Yeah.
Sounded like a broken record now, but it was always going to be tough.
You just have to come up with more magic moments if you want to be able to get more rounds versus vitality.
You see the ones that they did piece together, the thought process that was there as the clip goes in.
Headphones will go back on free time, 10 seconds remaining.
It's like a swap of halves, and then we have the freeze time.
So it's a little bit more to deal with before they get back in the server,
and how corns for this second half of Dustin and Ferner turn into cider.
If Vitality picked this one up.
It made a strong case in this half.
And this is the death sentiment that if Aboriginal don't win this, it's all over Red River.
Now whether we do go the distance and potentially see maps 4 and 5, it's where we get in Mirage
and then in Ubus.
It seems like a long time away from that.
Is it Greshan?
Early.
Look at this, they're running up the guts.
Yeah, they've got a fight.
This is their home turf and they want to prove it.
They come the long side, Flames trying to sell, already without smoking.
Look at the rotation, insane rotation.
They are putty in Vitality's hands, Flames you spamming his Glock, eating flashes, zero
calories, boost the wreck, he's already got so many bodies on the A side, the B side
lost.
They have sold this one.
I need to start live the rotations back over now, can't be giving away your life
frivolously here Masi.
Yeah look at this just this flowing tide of CTs returning to the last bomb site with that
man advantage.
All smokes in now this gets a whole lot more difficult.
Nezzi is miles away from this.
I've got the kit on his way.
How do you play?
Apex is going to be disrupted.
Trying to track them towards the crosshairs.
What?
Gets one on the fallback fade away shots.
Headshot from Zai we require.
I'm not doing it at all.
Trying to delay.
Nezzi's not here.
He's not there yet.
Oh you hear that?
Diffuse is a five second stick.
Where's the covering fight?
You want to run in?
You're not going to check it?
Come on! Stealing it away from Vitality!
Get tricky with your fakes. You can get that bomb down short.
You can't get him off the bomb and that right there will be one snatched in the face of Vitality.
No one to be a loser. You better buy that diffuser.
I loved it through the window, right? Apex. Still lucky to get Sonic done right there,
but not since I've been trying to stand and bang hard to value their life once they've lost the site.
You take them all with you, you get the bomb down, you get a pretty decent looking force by AK Khalil, scout couple pistols, Apex, aggressive.
Better and Jane might swing out short here.
What's that Apex posturing to do, sir?
Guess what Apex is hoping for as the rest of the team start to format themselves to test Belchanox's defences.
Looks like they want to give a B-pop of their own a go.
So how tough it was for Paravigian against Mezzi.
Belchanox, the support of Zelo, will be the men to do it.
It's yellow right now towards mid-doors, so support. Very limited for Belchinov.
Belchinov starts to feel the heat. It's yellow ready to receive.
Jumping up, I spray, but there they go. The defenders collapse. First man on the scene is Nota.
Necessary to reload. Already such a bleak outlook on getting back into this bomb site.
It's going to be the jamed time, isn't it?
It has to be.
No way back into that. So short-lived success. You get the pistol.
That was the component to turn this game around, but you immediately lose the force.
It now becomes the jamed classic, right? The tug of war in the finances.
Are you able to make these three and fours work into the next?
It's better than nothing, but with only 1,400 for the other two,
you're going to have to hope you find your players in the right places.
It's a luxury of having a player like Flamesy.
He will go in first. He will pull the crosshairs and he likely will get you one.
you won. You see they weren't playing for a B-pop, right? They were more focused towards middle,
with the two players aggressive short as Yellow's staying mid doors. They were hoping to catch
Vitality trying to trundle down middle and trap them there. As Yellow gets to doors in time,
but he's out of the side, right? He's not able to commit, at least not easily.
Yeah, and they're spacing so good that when he does commit to that spray, you're only game one. Max.
We'll win this one and the map likely goes with it, Vitality.
Okay, some damage on the cost from that Apex scale.
Indigable.
The same setup on short, but they're adopting.
Now, I can use this against our vision.
I need to start the year they're looking to deploy it against the Flamie scale.
It's a potent blast!
It is just a brilliant setup!
Mantled by a flash bang and a flamesy around over already isn't it just like that just like that raving the flames as well true to his name
This kid doesn't always get his MVP's and his flowers, but he is bringing the heat
Confidence there in the utube your job is to clear it out kill the flashed opponents the third one
I think of beauty Belchino can see a lot of other players who brought in very little
Was that full investment the bank balance gone? They'd love to get something for their troubles. There is another one
There's nothing better than to counter strike right you love the clutches the 1v3s the massive moments
But seeing players set up
The team CS on display, and that's what vitality on the tippy top of that mountain
That's right. Oh, it's them.
Have you made the blueprint?
Vitality, they have refined it.
This is why we're living in their era right now.
This is just beautiful stuff.
That shot again.
Got to love it.
Get over it. Just kind of well oiled they are.
Well, spying out the map, it seems.
Just two more rounds for Vitality now.
It's like in four towards A.
Belch not playing on B on his own.
I wonder if they let
Paravision back in similar to what happened on Overpass dropping the ball in that 2v5
The game becoming a whole lot closer than I think apex would have liked it to have been
This right now is a bit of a drubbing looking at another single digit victory on dust to to make it 12 consecutive on this map
And taking them a step closer to their 11th trophy
Dusty record is just inside, it's 39 and 4.
It's Vitality's world, we're just living in it.
Well done, Chinook. Good luck, my friend.
The solo-deagle hold, there's Vitality.
You get a flash in your face, you clip your mouse, and your team save.
Just flawless. Absolutely flawless. The flashes where they need to be, the frags too, or falling
into place. This grand scheme of Vitality's Dust 2 is so hard to break. And to see the
comparison, you gave me that list of teams, the Paravision of Beaton, you know, this
Grim Reaper just knocking on all the doors of the top 10 and then you meet the
Ray Boss and then you meet Counter-Strike's current deity and the contrast is apparent.
Well, one final highlight for ParavisionU is that James saved his pennies to bring out
the Orbs.
So can they get something going off the back of this?
We'll get to Donut here on the CT side for at least a round.
This is coming in MP9 for Belch knocking.
Do they want to go for another 4-1 gamble?
You're going to need to do something outside of the box.
You're going to equip with a firepower.
He wants to start instead of if you're able to go towards middle.
They'll be ready for this.
And if they... Ah, it doesn't even matter.
of
us,
the game.
They run at him. He's tucked in. He's committed to this. How
far can the or go gets his dips away? B site under
scrutiny. Z yellow can't avoid the flashes. Can't fight
anywhere to stand. They lose. Jamie in the process. The
on the smokebang, but that PSY is gone regardless.
This is just a beauty of Counter-Strike master.
On display, there's nothing you can do.
Sway makes it clear what he thinks about Dust2, it is done, it is cooked!
and Vitality stride another step closer.
There's one map away now, the Dust 2 record becomes 40 and 4,
but let's enjoy it while it's on the screen.
This is greatness on display for another day.
She said she loves you.
But she can't love me.
But I love you.
I won't play window anymore.
The human body was built to move.
Trapped as a desk in one singular posture for 12 hours a day.
It's time your chair evolved.
This is Secret Lab Titan Evo.
Ergonomically engineered for you.
Gamers, hybrid workers, artists.
Back in your every move.
The start-up!
Oh, you're running!
Get out of the way!
The start-up!
Oh, you're running!
Get out of the way!
I
Yes, welcome back to the Grand Finals of PGL, Cluj, Napoca, and you just witnessed horror
show scenes if you're a paravision fan. Unfortunately we set it up just to their
best opportunity to take a map off the juggernaut of Ikehla at the end. I would
still announce man. I barely sat down. Look they were making up for the first one
trying to do a little bit of a speed run. I mean look it just shows you there's
levels to this game right. Paradigies is a good Dust 2 team. They've been a lot of
good teams. They put together a pretty good record with this five but
Vitality is just different. When you face off against an opponent like this
one it's just gonna be tough there at the office. This Dust2 has me missing
mouse in this fight. That's how one sided it was. No I mean it's just David versus
Goliath right and the vitality on this map and just in general I think it's not
just Dust2 and that vitality is this much better than Paravision on Dust2.
It's the grand final aspect of it. It's the fact that vitality is the final
to foster the best team in the world, then it has a bit of an effect on the individuals
from Parade, right? I mean, that's just the benefit of being the best team in the world.
Get psychological advantage over your opponents as well.
I went over to the ParaVision table after, and there were just puddles of what I think
were ammonia beneath their seats. I couldn't tell the smell was a little bit off. Either
way, I mean, I don't know. I tried filling this game up as a Zwei versus Zywoo game.
I mean, I think this is kind of what you really get.
The snapback to reality off of what was a great run from Paragusion thus far.
I mean, they play some eccentric countershracks, sure.
But I just, again, I mean, building it up perfectly before the match,
there was just no answer for them.
Everywhere they went, instead of finding bomb plants,
they were just giving up highlights.
And it's like Apex got a highlight.
Metz got a couple of highlights.
I will, of course, got one.
Roth's had a highlight.
I mean, it's like Oprah and everybody gets a highlight at the end of the day, huh?
Yeah, I mean, it was crazy that they just didn't seem to be anywhere they could go and not get mowed down by someone on the vitality team.
You can see that for yourself. I mean, it's just to see even kill this confusion.
But super high ratings, meanwhile, you know, you look over, it's really Jane, the wildly veteran IGL that made some great individual plays.
But not enough, you know, these young inexperienced players learning the hard way, what it means to play vitality in a fight.
Dude, I mean, Jame may have gotten 12 kills, but as he got 13 before, he even died.
Like, I mean, it was unbelievable what he was doing over at the B bomb site, and just spectacular stuff.
And then, again, Apex so many times throughout the era that Vitality have established has showed up in grand finals matches.
Like, he's able to go out there and frag with the best of them, and obviously having a pretty good one here today, too.
Total finals will be having a field day with this graphic, if you know, you know.
But yeah, a little of Apex, just such a well-rounded guy.
I mean, the stew of the game.
And we saw this when we were looking at the stats before.
They do so much damage with utility, so much damage,
not just grenades.
They molotov you out.
They can do it in creative ways.
It's just nowhere to hide.
I'm pretty sure on Overpass, there were about seven
flash assist between Apex and Zywoo
as they were trying to take space.
And to even do it on the defensive side, too,
to consistently throw out great support utility
to set up as players like Flamesy to help out
B site defenders when he's rotating in on over it just made what was already an impossible to
breach wall because of the actual site anchors then with the assistance of the flashes you're
running into a white screen and bullets. There's no winning at that point. And one of the things
you highlighted before we went into it just you were talking about that mid to B you know how
you're it's an important tactic as a T side to kind of get in there and exploit it but
If I tell you to stay able, we should have it down time.
The foundation you have to have for a T-Side is to be able to control the cat's terror.
It's to be able to threaten mid-V and they just weren't able to do that.
Now some of this is lucky spam kills, but it's also the timings of mating open smokes,
you know, getting boosted positions like this one.
As well as just your B bomb site players be able to deal with tough situations.
And we saw on Mezzi, this was probably the big round right here with the mid to B.
It was actually kind of working, but then Mezzi just hides big box, gets a double kill at tunnels,
and then is able to just tee off and almost aces to round.
And so you're basically seeing the full gambit from Vitality here,
where they just deny so much space that characters are used to getting,
and therefore there was no way for them to succeed.
Yeah.
The first gun round, Apex gets double span through the smoke,
second gun round, Magic kills 4 as the B defender in the mid to B, you know.
But those are your first two gun rounds, you don't really have too much to hope for,
and something that Vitality is also excellent at is preparing for their opponents.
And you know, anti-shredding, when you say anti-shred,
it sounds like you have a counter to this whole round that they have.
In reality what it is, it's small things during the round, during the default.
You notice, alright, once this flash pops, that's when a guy moves into this position.
So when you hear a flash, throw an HE, and you're going to do at least 30 damage.
And that's what you see happen to parry vision players.
You know, to some extent, they played some good teams, right, in Maus and Falcons,
but Vitality has a way of taking it to the next level
when it comes to abusing the individual tendencies of these players.
That's what I thought was going to happen to ParaVision earlier at this tournament.
That's what I thought a team like Maus would have been able to bring to the table.
But now you're just against the full package of Vitality team that is able to effectively
anti-strat and execute.
Because I'm sure Maus in their prep work had similar ideas, similar reads, but putting
it all together on a stage has been something that Vitality has just been the comprehensively
strongest at.
And so for ParaVision now, I mean, it's already been such a tough battle, but now
to see Dust2 fall in that fashion.
It's going to be really tough for Jayme Dostan to go back with these guys to try to bring
any life into the third map.
But that's why I think for the first time the Astralis comparisons are valid.
You know, I've seen a lot of people talk about, oh well, you know, we're just better
in the future, you know, like we've got more ball knowledge, you know, so obviously
we're going to be the better teams.
Those old heads, you know, they were playing against the plumbers, all of that nonsense,
right?
Actually, you know, Astralis broke the game in a number of ways that was just absolute perfection.
Utility, damage being one of those, times flashed being one of those.
And it's Vitality, the first team that just didn't have total and complete mastery.
Not to mention that, obviously, you know, like they don't play ancient or ban that out,
but I mean, the rest of the maps, they're playing and they're awesome on them.
I mean, such a deep map pool.
But for me, we can have the conversation now about great small time.
The intangibles are where a lot of people keep Astralis ahead of Vitality on top of the fact that they had more majors as well in their era, I would argue.
I feel like the thing that also lifts Vitality above Astralis for further discussions as they continue to win more and extend this is that you have the world's number one player.
The fact that you have a Zywoo in tow along with having well-drilled plans that are executed nearly flawlessly
Shows that the firepower is there to also couple with incredible
Tactics and I don't think we've really seen a team like that because usually a team that's trying to put forward
The best tactical plan is doing so because they know that they're shorthanded
They don't always have the the best individual pieces
But now you've got a couple guys who are just topping the charts in terms of individual ability
And you're also probably putting together some of the best trading numbers the best flashes this numbers all of those in your favor, too
Yeah, I mean look obviously you went out with superlatives
There's I will and he looks to be on course for another MVP unless something drastic can change
So I'll throw it out to you yanko can infer no be this pivotal point because I feel like
Once again, we're talking about another map that at one time in the not too distant past has been essentially vitality
Yeah, I think the problem is, let's say Vitality can get a little bit complacent
considering how this final has been going. But I feel like Paravision is even more
deflated by this point in the matchup, right? Like you just went for your go-to
map and you got absolutely crushed. Where is the confidence supposed to come from
for guys like Nota, Belchanov, Zelo and so on, right? Like of course they still
believe, Jame, of course they still believe in this team, but there's
this thought that's creeping up at the back of their head. Like this is where it ends,
You know we didn't we did enough like we had a great tournament
We're not supposed to beat these guys at this point in time and you know
Unfortunately for them. That's probably true
This is probably where it ends and vitality end up with another trophy at the end of the day
I mean this will be 49 games played by Todd. They've won 38 of them, right?
And I mean that's just an incredible record to have as a five and it's because they are just so good all across the map
Again, the degree control is very good because not only do they have two main guys
who are very good at Nez and Apex, but they just add zealot and what the rifle, that's just not something other teams have
and they're going up against zealot and noda who yes, are two confident aggressor's riflers
But how much confidence do you have now after what you just witnessed these last two maps and you're going up against that level of
talent that have so many reps and experience
Filling with such an important piece of real estate on inferno
I think that that is really gonna, you know make them crumble in my opinion not only that though
We have rocks on the other side. He just locks it down by himself
So it's like they can just spread out throughout the entire map and just suffocate you
The only saving grace, I would say, for Paravision is the pairing that you mentioned in Zelo and Nohto on CT side.
Pretty sure that they're the highest-rated players this year on the map of Inferno, and so if they're able to just localize their defense,
if they're able to just isolate it, you don't have to worry about what's going on on the other side of the map.
If you can actually just get a couple entries, maintain some space, maintain some position, at least you can make this one competitive.
Vitality are clearly the better team today, but you can win at least one battle across the map.
And you need to get into their face a little bit more.
I know that's not the natural style for Paravision,
but Vitality especially at this stage of the game,
you can't give them space, right?
Like they're just going to be too good with that space.
They're going to manipulate rotations.
You're going to be able to find the gaps in your defense.
So you need to be more disruptive,
whether that's going to be fighting somewhat more for Banana
or you're going to try to deny mid-control,
you're going to be aggressive in apps,
can be really anything. Take your pick. But you need to get into their face more.
They just haven't really been pressured this game whatsoever.
I think the interesting thing I'm going to look out for is that ParaVision do have a tendency on this map
where they've been successful as a triple stack, be early on the CT side, dodge or not,
and just trust that Jane can kind of hold small passive angles on the A side.
And that will be interesting whether or not they have those clashes with those three players
built against you and company or if
vitality kind of understands that tendency
from para vision besides Brunson faster
a place to punish it. So that's another
interaction that maybe could have a
factor in this game but likely so this
is going to be a three over vitality
another B05 win. Another one of my
favorite aspects of para vision's
defense on this is how willing they
are to commit to stacks if they have
an inkling of information if James
holding that top banana line from car
with the AWP he's going to send all
four of the other guys towards the
a bomb site to try to fend them
off there. So he can be the ward to try to just at least give his underlings a
little bit more information as to how they need to set up because a lot of
teams that at tier one they kind of just are half and half out of a set of no
paravision when they have information they fully commit and that's exactly what
you need to do to stack up on site against a vitality team that is out
shooting you out nading you today so at least get the right numbers on the
right bomb site. And at least Janko, we have seen Karavish and Chase that happens at 1-0.
We saw them go banana control heavy one time, we saw them play passive the next.
It's like, they can't change it up, but it's what can you do against Vitality?
Yeah, absolutely. And also because their players are playing really well in terms of Flamesy,
who's going to be the banana player. So you're going to have to find ways to deal with him,
whether it's sending Jame over to kill him a few times, but yeah, going to be an uphill struggle either way.
struggle either way. Alright then, so Paravision find themselves in hell tortured by the demons
of vitality, our virtual virgals leading us out of this one, our sponge and machine.
Yeah, it does feel biblical, actually rich, and so I thought I'd say a little prayer
before we get into this one, so if you wouldn't mind. Okay. Dear Lord Gabon, whose yacht
is in Caribbean, please protect Paravision on this third and final round. May Inferno
be entertaining. Vitality's Kingdom comes, J-Men. Thank you very much, Kluge. Thank you.
Yeah, let's get this one going, shall we?
Oh, we need talent, don't we?
Shout in the arm coming to map number three.
There's gotta be a little adrenaline.
It can't always be a formality. This is a mouse.
A little energy.
Give us something.
Please!
Or will it really just be another third chapter in this rather quick grand final?
Apex said he wanted a PGO trophy in that cabinet, he's stacking him and it would be the birthday present.
This year's once upon a time, Matali from the modern era.
It was a career that still had an awful lot to give.
Matali's campaign has started with Krakow, it looks to continue with Kluj.
on the map where it feels you just have to talk one paravisioner up against the only
one who can pull themselves into this and the belching of great shot to kick things off claims
he goes down.
Okay, little one back.
I would say he's welcome there looking for more damage but I think the conversation
between maps is boys even if we lose let's give it our all let's take some risks let's
take some chances still the fundamentals in mind.
You won't beat Nota and Zyelo from Slerking and found my belching after win.
Oh wow. Still though you lose that beast, you need something out of Zyelo.
Maybe Nota knows, gonna back away play for the retake.
As he escorts the explosives in.
Let's beat the Zywoo now.
This is gonna be a hard fight, coffin side.
Perfect connection and as more of what I came from was overlooking the Slaze position.
Ah! Still gets away with it!
Cruel for Mezzie, a twist of a knife.
Another one!
Not quite.
Jean pulls them back into level peg.
It belches off low, though.
We're ready to kill Steve.
Not able to find another one.
Ah!
Get past Iwo!
Just spins on a dime, a little pirouette!
Just secure pistol!
All right.
That's one there on the way in.
The beautiful work.
I pick up another pistol, throw that to their name, and I get it for you two.
Playing ahead of the smoke, playing through it.
Look at this double kill.
I'll have a bit of a belch, and I'll highlight real.
It's himself a lot of output but all in all it's this flash from Apex, giving them the double,
removing the pressure.
I'll try to even take down Apex in that sequence.
He gave it his best go.
An awful lot of output there.
The CTSI Force of Paravision.
They're trying to get 10th economic control.
I'm just going to take the eco into this one.
CT side.
Just keep your eyes on the nades.
Right? I mean, typically it's the CT side of Inferno where the HE damage is done, but I wouldn't put it in Vitality Files finding a whole lot of it.
Look at this, just the floor laden with flame and no to go swing into his demise.
They smoke break perfectly. Flames eatin' looking comfortable.
They're in, Bobblego down there. Our vision will save.
It's a pleasure to watch, it's a joy to consume, I imagine the only better feeling is the players
in the server, I mean everything works so well.
I mean that and going home and looking at the trophy count, I continue to sack it, give
them some polish.
And they give Apex the birthday present, otherwise it would be a little bit tense.
I think when you have a leader of men like Apex is, the boys are going to dig
even deeper.
It was a hard game. It was back and forth with the maps and they weren't really struggling through it.
I think the players would respond well to making sure they don't let him down the day of days.
Yeah, no absolutely. And I mean also you had Apex in that pre-match interview saying you know want to get a PGL one in the cabinet.
Well, that forced them alive. Another opportunity.
Our vision with these upgrades to try again.
I was very curious coming in today with no head-to-head, this new challenger entering
the ring, the 13th Grand Final of Vitality, only two teams have toppled them and best
of five finals, one being Fury, one being G2, you look at the style of ParaVision.
Right.
Salvis, do we have the inexperience?
I was very curious to see how these styles would match, you know?
We haven't really had a chance at that glimpse.
Have we? Overpass, I think, was a taste.
Yeah, sure.
So a little bit of it, but it's a test to completely outclass.
So, no, the free and the two of the pieces in the right place for now.
Signature Paragician Gamble.
Again with this triple Molly set up, it flushes out oranges and that planted position, but
actually changed them very well!
Okay!
That's the stack!
The Paravision boys have done it cleanly!
Later had the extinguished fan.
You found a solution!
It's four Molly's coming in and they're able to round road them with that one.
So there you go.
Bit of resistance.
CT side gets going early.
Good question.
Good question. Good question.
I'm going to make sure it is on the entry map or otherwise.
Putzamesk, PGL.
Oh, that's the only Romanian he knows.
Someone taught you 6-7, didn't they?
Someone tried to teach me 6-7, but it's hard. Your numbers are hard.
Shostakov.
Alright, that's the biggest reaction we've had from the crowd so far today.
out of date. Well, uh, this is my power vision. Well on your way to make it competitive first
time out of this. End of dog story. And everyone can relate to and get behind.
No easy spot for that.
18.
The deep.
Now we're ahead.
Contact up and full banana control.
He wants more. Apex is just kind of contacting in, hoping to catch these rookies off guard, and it has worked!
Clothesline onto Nota.
Suddenly, Zelo is all alone.
They showed restraint.
They throw out that smoke.
Smoke break from Zelo in response.
There's a nice headshot as well on the smoke break as he puts him down, though.
Maybex gets the bomb.
Look at Rops.
Oh, he has, uh, doing what he's doing, what he does best.
Yeah, guarantee no rotation to come through, Banana.
Might be able to take these away. Now, they won,
but was essentially a free round in the last with those carried over guns,
so this isn't going to make too much of a dent in the finances, but he's on the prowl.
It's in the trash and most compacted, Jame there.
Give it AK over, give them anything for free, they are going to be able to buy into that
next round of play.
Don't you worry about that, but Vitality nearly took the record straight, Rob, so it's
a down belt you know.
He wanted the AK, felt like he had to fight that.
Jame's coming in, it's way far enough on the MP7, it's a good moment from Zwei
on that so far.
Take the 1 and take the WP in the server.
So that's a little big sub.
You can carry through and you can see with those SMGs which have been dropped across.
So, this way keeps the MP7.
It gets the MP9. So, away we go.
How do you give over the banana control early?
I want to fall foul to any player, it's just one, well placed, we're brought down to 65.
The other one a little bit premature towards the half wall.
Claims and drops working on boiler and hold control.
Now still down, that's come very quick, but guess who's here? James Hall.
Oh, a chance for the MG9.
That spotty crossing sound back to Apex wasn't it?
Commit to the final.
I want to quickly try to put some pressure on A. Flamestead props for this.
It's a good call.
Space is able to surge up towards A in a moment's time.
There's a lot of a bunch of smokes for the finish.
I mean, you've only got the SMG admittedly.
That's why he's MG7. Does look pretty potent.
He's been one of the players that have leaned fully into the upgraded and buffed SMG.
Notice here in Zelo, he's getting here in time to library, so there's real chance for Paravision in this one.
The belt's not forced to make a decision, Zelo arrives on the site, so last time they had a stacked site, it was Paravision's first on this defense.
All this happened again, we're lightning strike twice for Paravision.
Yep, okay, he gets answers. That's what he was looking for and he found them.
And Tauti still get that opening.
And they are not rushing things.
They are making that clock feel so long.
20 seconds, flames he down off the 1.
Nice from Belcher off for a second,
but then Mezzi just decides it's over.
Rums on in, a double headshot entry,
of course, facilitated by the Apex flashes.
It all just falls into place.
That smoke towards Shaw, they just use it to play behind.
Now it goes for Info, thinking that it's awfully quiet across the map,
the map and then well you get what you were looking for sure but they sweep in
they clean it out vitality for the wife does chain leave with the AWP
Lapex wants to remove it he's already top banana coming through life right now
okay hold on
I just got the key up.
Oh my god.
Clues, don't ruin this.
Shut your mouth.
Shut your mouth. They can't get that.
He's actually pulling it off!
He's done it again! This master of his draft!
He is winning rounds!
You don't see anywhere else by anyone else!
That doesn't put a smile on your face.
I don't know what will.
Oh my God!
They think it's James! Of course!
He's saving the all! There's absolutely no way he's giving this one a go!
Oh my God! I am in all!
They were so far away they couldn't have responded to that even if they wanted to!
Baskin, that one, enjoyed that moment!
Oh my God!
Have you gave this one a down?
I think my prayer has been answered.
And look at the smiles on the faces.
Hallelujah.
Paravision, I'm in fun with that.
He's got the speed goals out for this one.
I think we might have to.
Does that one rock your confidence?
You're going to talk about healthy confidence.
I think everyone's going to be a little nipped
about that one.
You watch the carryover force by loss, and then you lose a 4v1 to a defuse.
I only want with just a defuse kit and a sniper on his back.
Oh, you have to make good on that, don't you?
How many of those opportunities are you going to get?
Done with the impossible.
Hardly toasted notes up.
Ouch, where's he?
Cops are running the HE damage, now starting to try and forge a path towards banana but no two will block.
There's a couple more fresh ready ones and Vitality must like getting pissed off.
Short two maps of the good and this best of five.
Oh man, you know Apex is going to give them an airfall.
That was the man who was on the hunger quickest.
No information at all for the CT side, but lost brackets, banana, but we're going for
these gamblestasses.
This type of round, if you go into the meat blender.
That would be it.
This is where the frustrations build in.
Again, Jay, we've got them like a book.
He's in the right place.
The sore is boys.
It seems like a certainty, he finds Messi on this long round.
Back turn, easy pickings.
The short side again.
It's way still in the pitside though.
Monty will force him wide.
Plaincy trying to partner up with Siewoo.
Trying to kick open the site.
Jame again.
Double kill on the sniper rifle.
Then there's Wade.
You run into the stack and you've got nothing!
Absolutely nothing!
Five alive for power vision!
The crack's starting to show in Vitality's Inferno early.
And the guard enjoying that.
All right.
Right.
Have a more fix up there.
We only got the first part.
This one's already got some flavors of fun.
It certainly does.
Got B1 and B2, the bananas in the house.
Agent K, why are they taking an appearance?
James had some moments so far.
He had two really nice MP9 kills,
then two kills in that round,
and the goblin defuse.
He's starting with a little bit more Stormwind Chubbitt approach in Banana.
Alright, you get past this one. You take the lead.
The money goes with it. Lost Burn is 2400 into the next.
And it swallows. Solid.
Slightly dodged the first, the second. Not so lucky as James, he's here again.
The right place and not quite able to find the same result. Doesn't provide the opening on the first bullet.
Heavy nade damage, tracks him down first orange, so you force the block you tilt, now Chaka is looking, ready for a draw with a fight on Ross.
Two of them on notice on the CT side.
To unit pivot, this defence extremely active.
This time round when they noted it was top and under aggression, they rotated away.
This time they're drawn to it.
It's a nice day, lands on four, new tool for the finish right now being juggled.
Got the smokes for CT and coffins, couple of mollies in the mix as well.
Flashes, they're back side, rotation miles away.
Oh, perfect timing. Flanksy, just the lynch pin on these assaults, charges in.
Now you get the info on the jump spot from Zywoo Belch. It's already quite close on Banana.
The bomb will go down. Smoke break. Does reveal one toward the new box?
I don't think they'll all be leaving the bomb this time, Browns.
They're putting away the rifles stay to kick them a fuss.
They're a bit of a buff up. See where they can take with them.
Hanging around fishing us.
I think they're playing right now tonight, they're going to try and take these guns away.
Punish Vitality in the financial department, a hit to the pocket.
Call it been made by the accountant.
You have to exit.
Take as much as you can away from Vitality, make this win hard.
Oh, it's way through it, exactly that!
Gets himself two, just rocks, all that remains as they come and swap into the next sport.
Crazy, actually crazy.
Okay, well, Robson dropped one, Flamie could buy himself, so I was already done the same.
So they all would be fine, but it's still a bit more touch and go.
There's Bollywood.
What are the things for Messi?
He's already a little bit more spiced, James doesn't have to be pushed away, mollied off.
Risk-repeaking that.
Again, these nades, they are chucking them, as he left with a little to work with, but
Zywu just goes straight for now to his demise, important trait provided by Mezzie.
You've taken down Zywoot, note that's a big scalp to remove early for the Vitality's 8th round.
Actually, if Flamesey came here, boy, they would be flashed forward to get the control and that's confirmed.
Jane, what top mid he might peek into this?
Yeah, he's sweeping through. Just as they're rounding that corner as well.
He's taken some real risks.
Yeah, and it's working for him.
So much information Belchnok and Zelo have to know that he's coming their way.
He's essentially just by being so staunch in that position is said top need to clear.
Belchnok just moved away so those HGs aren't going to find him.
Hello Tung's into the smoke, he's on his own right now.
Okay, this time a gamble.
Can Zelo pull this one off?
Belchnok's on the way back, he's going to hate you to break and flash this up Zelo.
helpful as well throws it in doesn't quite fast find the perfect timing now
flamesy looking for that player back side
Cielo hides out nose time is on his side
Flamesy finding Veltunok, here's Cielo, find himself the double, Mezzie pulls it back
James still mid and Robs still lurking
Zwey can run at Mezzie right now
Good, plant on first orange there's still a smoke up the throw and replenish an extra one but now
just gonna hide out on the side smoke break reveals Sway's intentions
Running forward those messies like he's close by starts to maneuver away as he's done very well. It'll disappearing act here
This way he's gonna try and go for the draw of the fire as he just knifed in the smoke casting to find it's way
Looking for the second drop isn't aware play around the side
We got a game
We got a game, Robs lost him.
Spalman away, these are the frustrations that will accumulate.
It's definitely a change in the way that Paravision are approaching some of these situations.
Yellow, perfect.
Right, Robs is on the look, you take that one.
At that moment, Sway knows it's just Messi on the side.
Messi drops the defensive smoke, which he actually works against them.
He's having to pull out the knife to give Sway something that defuses.
And it's already been so many frustrating rounds by Tality financially over the month.
Brought down to Tech 9 to P250, the U-Tools there, Paravision are making them sweat.
You're not taking this for free.
We've been talking about that record.
Go back to September last year.
You got a word for this?
Paravision always put up a fight.
They always take a map.
No!
Oh!
The first bullet was in for by Zyrut behind the smoke!
Do we just want to go with this?
There's three over towards Peter DeFendt, Belchock and Jane.
Again in the right place.
And this is where these reeds are really coming home.
Oh, no, Belchops went south through the smoke and still, Jane, holding on to the back of
Scythe.
He's about to pull you away.
Better now, he's bound to a quick succession and then Ziallo does the same.
B-side access for a vote.
Paravision in the lead once more.
And financially in a great spot too, you've got the sixth, but I don't have a choice.
They have to take the eco.
So six at a minimum looking very likely unless they fumble against this and
investments will have to be extremely limited with only 2400 coming into the
bank balance.
Now I've got to see if the answer is I'll drop one.
I'll take it all the right moves and I'll let it do so.
If you look at how they've been able to convert these, it's entertaining, hard to replicate
rounds when you're talking 1v4s, 1v2s, situations that are tough, but this one should be a guarantee.
That par and vision be very good at the basics in dealing with glocks that you've heard
sound off.
There is an outage as well, very inferno-centric, but don't count your chickens.
Turned into roasted chooks.
Oh, what is that?
Sai Wu bruised down Belgium.
And James is a shot.
I think he's spiraling here.
Should be fine, right?
So, and James pulled it off.
Covering five from the mini pit.
There's pressure from above.
And Rob's goes to net with that P250 headshot.
James doing everything.
He is safe.
This boy is from red faces there.
It could have been one of those silent rounds people talk about.
He does get the opening on to Belchinov, but he holds fast.
Well, good pressure there on the eco-shore.
Made you win the game, showing that cool, calm and collected nature.
Yeah, and an arena chap's in his name.
You heard him in that pre-match.
He loves it, playing in front of the crowd.
And now, of course, with the support the Cluj have shown for ParaVision as well,
perhaps inspiring them a little into our third map of the series,
already the most competitive things it be.
Definitely not a showman in terms of the way that he's physically applying himself on the stage, but the way it is in the server
Oh, that's for sure. We're definitely entertaining it today
So Dusty was under a couple of rounds, but one that was 300 IQ move by the man himself
So by talent he should ever talk to the town
People want to see the best pushed right now, it's been a bit too easy
Easy.
Right for the front right now.
Now we should 6-4, turn around and lead, but I tell you, bring back out the guns.
How good can this half get?
You've had your hijinks, now let's see the polish.
of the
from paravision perhaps just
a finalizing to this grand
final stage best of five
environment up against
vitality you know that is
going to take care of use to
on their third rep
paravision appeared to be
playing their game their way
which one is the company
yeah it does look like it
could be cleared out here
Looked, lazy player, claims you down, but Zywoo traded.
B split.
Does look like it is going to be a classic.
This is an Inferno specialty.
Zywoo towards CT spawn, spots.
Occupation of Nota.
And Under's got blocked.
They won't be able to join them immediately,
but he has managed to close that gap already.
Running them down, Nota forced him away.
Oh, he's caught the perfect timing.
Nota just turned tail.
Nice one from Seattle.
Oh, he nearly gets all three.
This round's still on, 2B2.
but Robs hiding out and James overlooked this possibility still got his knife out Robs will be headed
in the CT square. It's weighing another one being two. Can he get two in one half?
Against Massey and Robs walking through the smoke as a death sentence and Robs is there to ensure it.
Ladies and clear on long goes traded space taken and they piece that one together so look at the
We're tying things up 6-6.
What's left to work with for ParaVision?
They're trying to piece this by
and get James fourth out.
Great trade from Zywoo, even better.
Motor's just not ready for a quick parting.
He closed the gap so quickly, so proficiently.
And then robs the close-up.
Plus it again.
No, it's a 550 utility damage.
So he is almost, you know, on his own.
He's nailing for two right now.
I've been able to get that all bowed on Jane and the rifles for the rest.
There is a kit.
This is the final round of the half, no matter what happens, they'll have to go for it.
You two, you're discussing become the weak point in these setups.
You can see it's just hoping to have a bit of a stack right now to stall that
Robbs his crawl, he was just playing very passive instead of hidden.
Interactive.
He'll spam-battle through that smoke.
DHA right on the nose.
Upon the phage it remains posted, valuable intel gained upon every peek, and it doesn't
able to form a stat towards the A site.
Fatality of running into a couple of these.
Just don't ask for anything, if the pack mentality is if you do run into these, you just need
to efficiently trade.
Right.
And you know who's going in first.
Cielo's well timed smoke, you know. They have to go through that.
No other option, otherwise you have 10 seconds left, so you can see them pivot.
Last second adaptation, Flamie confirms Cielo's location,
but scamp out, the M4's done significant damage, Jamie's coming from behind.
Tied it now on the pier, they can't seem to find the yellow. 15 seconds, now the PC starts to fall, tumbling into place, and Para-Mission will find themselves a 7.
They found that foot, they found that feet, here on Inferno, map 3.
Well, you had a little prayer and I think your wishes were granted, weren't they? A couple of miracle moments.
Our present definitely.
Let's see. Will this be the final half of play here?
Back with the PGL special at this point
Cheers, Liggies
Cheers, mate. Sorry. Oh, yeah
The French got up to the left, I want something as well.
Jackson, he's locked in.
They've got water.
They're on the clock.
I'm looking on plus PGL, definitely. That's the Clutch special.
This one, let's see if it goes to distance. What do you think Cluj? Can they push it to a fourth map?
That's what we want
We're gonna get it seven to five
Like the best opportunity yet. Absolutely it does. I'm still absolutely terrified of the second half of vitality though
Time after time you're reading off ridiculous
Don't you worry, don't you worry? I'm sure pt. I love it
Here we go.
The last half of the night.
The next three years, let's enjoy this one. The greatness on display.
Very, very early, centred there from Apex.
Just shows a bit of fear factor here on B.
Right now to play for this top mid control so it is be expected to climb fast down middle
behind banana mezz. He's got the smoke and he's got a kit so I was starting to search.
Okay, about to play this time.
Down and out.
Woo! He's hit every shot he takes! Oh, what is that?!
Oh, Ragnos!
Another one to the tally right there.
Belchinov.
They come knocking on the door,
and he packs their bags for them.
Eight to five now.
Insta on to Zywin.
Gets rumbled, still multiple swinging him.
He is done that so cleanly.
Well that's going to inspire even more belief.
Oh they've arrived!
He's enjoying the crowd with that one.
Belchinov.
arrived our prayers answered tag walking wonky for the rest of the round is
late as he scout not your xi word not your apex
totally damaged because a whole lot of issues especially the HG's in the mix
That's the flames you can deal with me.
That's who starts.
You're very well done, AJ.
What are they?
Junkie.
That's two now who are the walking learneders against these pistols.
He's got the one that I came from.
He still has top mid control.
That frees up the rotation as I will.
This could be brilliant.
Another TKG.
Oh, God, there he is, a ringing.
their legs are shaking and another block smoke takes its place apex play for
number three
notice gone
goes spamming on the smoke, it's a smoke battle somehow apex comes out on top
oh not another nade
this is not my talenty game
took my shell shot
just with a pistol it's standing fashion with Belchinov and now
They locked it banana.
Oh, you want fully discombobulated.
25 seconds yellow to try and take him out of this.
What can you do?
He's been shooting hard.
Making steps. Try and keep the boots planted.
And it's going to be a save.
Damn.
Okay, well that's a victory in its own right, but they want to conserve.
Captain Jane prefers his chances with these AKs into the next.
They're doing that, it's the eco and they're really starting to see if they're taking it to Inferno.
It keeps Vitality right where they want to be.
Two round game at this point, what they've roughly retained here, there was some A-case fired back.
We've got to get past. You're working with three SMGs of your own.
This is a tactical timeout. Second called from Dastan.
This one is a little bit confiered. You didn't have to burn all three in the first half.
Maybe playing with house money right now in that regard.
But if they can continue to keep the four supply wars on with the lead that they have,
they can really put themselves in a position to close this and take us to Mirage.
Working with the flash department being not a lot of smoke, the mollies are there.
Thanks, sir. Here's for patience. Let's see if that's the approach of this one.
James, straight up, man. He's hurt that.
The gap to work with.
You're taking your own risk, Belchinox primed and ready. He's already done ridiculous things to start us off in the second half.
Look at the rotation, James threw this on his own.
Bombs still in banana.
He's here at the corner, this is relaying that information.
Jane manages to get away from the flash push out of library. How's he getting himself back into site?
Flames have got company.
Oh, he's got so much work to do, they're just going to come in. They're just going to run at him.
MP9, he controls, he gets away.
Orc with now, Zello spamming smokes, gonna cost him everything if he's not careful, he's got five points of health, and he's got that bomb.
And then Sendier, he will limit his default plant options.
Stampled it!
Doesn't catch him on the spread either, so Zello lives on.
James still lurks on A, he's not gonna be a part of this.
He sends the A3 on 3, and now your bell rung. Is it the alarm bell?
Bellchnot needs help, James on that flank, Rob's not considering this, could catch that perfect timing as James has.
as he continues to do.
Already he's yellow gone, making life difficult for James.
Taking his sweet time and it's not planted for him.
Gotta go for the immediate spray.
Gages with his targets in combination with Belchinov.
Without the fuses coming through,
they go for the 10-second stick.
James gonna run at you for stuff to bomb with his spray.
And Belchinov closes it down!
CHEERING
Oh, James, no say in that round.
There was only one clear in play.
Not able to get it in their hands.
Not able to stick that defuse.
CHEERING
We go back and forth to start this second half.
This is not a dream.
They are doing it right now.
Nine to six.
This is reality.
At this timing that they picked right here,
James just walks up.
They are a little bit more liberated by the fact
they are 0-2 down in the mountain park.
They're taking more risks.
Those risks are finding them ways in.
Forced by again from Vitality, understand
that we so with the 1,400.
Get tanked this one.
Fine, this is what you want to see. This is exactly what we want to see.
This time they will use patience as the key.
Sitting back, defensive in second mid.
Defensive T stairs as noted. It takes a little bit of space over towards longs.
We're set up from vitality. It's their time to try their luck.
What a wandsay apex on B, with the biggest weapon in the round and in hands of the in-game
leader who's been having tougher gore things here.
And in Ferno.
Yeah, Rob's too.
He's hoping to force them into this A-plane, but it'll be a whole lot more convincing
than this.
40 seconds on the clock and is that enough?
This is where Jay makes the call. What does he believe?
It's going to be this stack. Robs clearing it out. They're rotating the beam.
It's bad info. Just evacuated.
Mezzie's going to be calling for help. Robs 2.
Swing! Oh, and it's a crazy double out of Mezzie!
They have to go away.
I'm gonna commit to this. Flames him for more Alper from this MP9, these little guns, but it could be a big round!
Belchenok's holding on for them! It's only Zywoo here! A 5'7".
Oh no!
He can compose himself!
This is the necessary headshot, Belchenok! Four kills deep!
20 and 7.
Belchenok is up in his way, looking to take it all the way. Apex down for the hills, get out of there son!
This is slipping out of that grip!
This is double digits. Don't you worry about that.
Balchenok, a name we are going to remember. There's already Balchenok,
Jersy's here in the Cluj crowd and he is doing himself proud here in the grand
final. It's for the ace. Go on! He's taking it all! Five for Balchenok! Four on the pistol,
five to break the money. Now Vitality will have to come back off their
from the depths of tier 3, Dastan and Jane have forged a contender.
No doubt about that now.
Straight up and down. Look at this.
Now they're making vitality sweat.
Yeah, I love this. The individual's putting their aim on display just far enough the pistols.
They're going to come. Easy as that, just rocks.
These young talents carved into the exact team that Jame and Dastar need to impose his crystal clear vision
how Counter-Strike's game should be played.
The final was a formality.
We should have different plans. This is 11.
Spitality's turned to show they can bring things back.
Five straight is going to be necessary to tie things up with the 11-6 scoreline
about to greet us once this bomb goes off.
Listen to that.
And this is a bit like that, in front of a win of the Falcons, in the sense that as they
take a map, it's hard to believe it's possible, this is a young team, this is a fresh basis.
It's the players who are going up against the team who has era.
The team in the conversation for the greatest of all time.
You take a map of them with what has been at the rise in 2026.
Sure, they put themselves on the radar to end 2025,
but Kamashtrat, they're playing the scouts,
they're taking a conversation that they are himself quickly
to the elite category.
I mean, it's just a long list.
This has just taken a time out in this one.
There was a bit of extra cash on Messi.
He's been able to facilitate his IWP.
Okay, that can sometimes be...
...when hell of a game changer.
This is it. I think with the way that Paramesh would be playing,
that they'd be taking more risks,
and the game plan on the second half hasn't even been established yet.
Right.
We've got the flow of rounds, we've had the force by nature back and forth.
Money gets broken.
Get your 11th foot essentially free.
Now, whatever you had planned for this map, that's what we'll finally get to see at Manifest.
But...
Your margin for error is... small.
There's only 2900 lost by this instance, the next it's...
...practically zero.
So now whatever for this comeback.
Jane, he wants to try and ride out the incendiary, trying to catch it over extension from Flamesey,
but two-ball drill doesn't give it up.
He's not really responsible for middle, he's just gonna be the lurk of Belchnok.
And then again.
And then on the HE.
Jengo for another sweep.
He wants to catch an overstep from one of these big players.
He sees the third piece of this and they're contacting him.
Notice he's going to start searching.
The test for Flamesy.
The catcher, no doubt, does catch a whiff, knows where you are.
There's he as well in the cross-final, smoked off.
Nice work though Flamesy.
Block, smoke thrown, flashes well, delays.
They've got time and they've got a frag back.
Hang on, Seattle wants to apex.
Now they know that the smoke went from behind.
Exceptional!
How does he dip away?
himself for Flamesy's bombsite makes that clear.
Belchenok already had an ace, 21 frags deep,
four kills on the pistol, he's done so much.
He's even gonna play for the clutch.
Drops in eyes, cleanly.
So the first step back into Inferno.
And it's off the back of Flamesy's hard work.
And that was tough, right?
The fact that they're able to play contact in that
situation but this is sketchy on those jiggles. You're doing it because you're
meant to not because you expected and then the fact that he's able to pivot
and just completely shut this down Apex spans through the smoke he gets caught.
The money's never the game. This one don't save anything.
Our vision will be very idle as far as the threats are concerned and the
comeback can happen quickly.
Opportunity to take things away from vitality before they can really get started.
He wants to bite this.
Whoa, whoa, whoa, malfunction on the extinguish.
He pays away, he had the price that he would have liked.
Seems that up top, near to keep this information, there's a bit of a wonky smoke there outside.
James just stepped into this.
Yeah, peeking in.
Saewoo, fancy flash on the pillar side.
Abelson just removed.
James is all-thing counterpart.
And Saewoo wants more.
He's peeking at his yellow.
Oh, and it hits him.
Square in the jaw.
Saved by the wall.
This is tough. Apex is the only one on beat.
If he goes down...
He's not yellow.
And goodbye to your hopes of near.
There it is.
From no to, B site's open.
We'll throw out the CT smoke.
Jull vs Apex, he's given his team a real shot at this.
Clancy's low remember.
Yeah, could come back to haunt them.
No reason they can't win this 3v4.
Oh, hang on, nearly found his way on an aggressive cloud.
3v3 now, 3v3.
Interaction to midside.
Val'jinov just gets away.
Now he can value his life.
He will, he'll play it.
The bomb is ticking.
Five times he up against the ropes here.
They're the fumble, this one.
How are they supposed to get back in?
Apex is watching through his fingers at this point.
Solid Nade!
Dumps on to his way, opens up the way back in.
Don't forget that low HP.
Belchocks managed to win the duel.
Oh, low HP!
No, no!
Sublime from the divine!
Firewolf snatches that one away from absolutely nowhere.
He was no way to win it.
Yes, that one is slow motion.
Oh, my God!
that is absolutely earth-shattering that's instinct one more time one more
time look at the speed oh yeah that's the only reaction for that
Oh, okay, we are in a game!
Cluj, are you entertained?
Surely they have to give us some of that now, please.
We've finally just got going.
They are just two rounds away.
How'd you put the money in the mud?
It's not pretty.
Maybe the buyer came into the next of the 2400.
Oh, never mind. Apex finds another through the smoke. He's pissed.
He's got that tech time walkthrough. He's going to be denied a third.
Glancy will pick up the pieces though. Far too comfortable on that M4.
Dips away as well. He's playing his life. He knows he's alone on the side.
So does Belchin on. Oh, he kicks back in cleanly.
Nice catches from Glancy over to Woodpeak now.
Yeah, he's a solid, solid piece on that B defense.
The impact is going to be kicking himself a bit, sure only six kills but nine assists.
So the man's been contributing with the damage, just finishing off the frags.
Well they took their save and now come the guns, do you think that's his all?
He's not going to be able to go toe to toe as far as searching for these fights concerned.
They might always say how difficult it is on the front on the team's side to
manufactured his openings. Let's see if something comes his way.
The game needs aggressive maneuvers. Flames is taken. Absolutely no prisoners.
Oh my god. No to catch a whiff. Oh wait. Oh no to be aware. Okay.
Hey, Rips off flames his head.
Entry for free.
This one's a tough run out by Tality.
I must stop and get to 12.
You have to get into 4v5 disadvantage.
I'm really gathering while I have this time.
I'm going to donate you to us.
I would bring them all.
They want to fight for this one.
I have to drop it.
That puts all the pressure on Robs in the meantime.
I'm going to get some more for her to come in this way.
Robs is a specialist in this position,
but what they're asking of him right now is nuts.
I don't know.
They're going to scout the entire squad. They're surely going to accelerate.
Roseanna is in the air, he belch, not confirmed. He's dipping in and out of the apartment.
They've pushed Banana, they know it has to be a Zeigwitz here in time.
Robbs is going to be on the line. He's trying to get across to the site in time, does just about do so.
Zeigwitz in the library, Siver here comes Robbs, around, he can step up, seven breaks so far,
but he's about to find two more, a third available, does deny Sway.
Belch it up, in it to win it, controls the spray, removes the two.
It's a good contest, Apex, and I'm going to be ready for it.
It's easy, but the hell he has to be able to play this to perfection.
20 seconds, someone has to plant.
There's the Orcs.
Safe site.
So you can help here.
You can just go walk on out.
J-R-Wet.
Drops it, not going to hit the shot.
Controls to spray. Apex 3 bullets.
Takes his time for the reload.
Bouchinock spotted out on the site.
Can he do it again for ParaVision?
Can he keep the hopes of seeing another map of play?
Hey, hey!
A heist!
It's a clutch!
But could very well change the outcome?
And as his birthday wish,
kicked that one up and keep this alive.
Denying the fact of overtime is not there just yet.
The bomb goes down, the loss bonus is here
to justify some type of a purchase.
Got heaps of money for the CT buy,
don't you worry about that.
They've been stacking cash with the fork in sec.
It's a question for me,
is what is going to come out of James' camp?
And the buys are taking shape.
They don't want to concede and give them an 11 for free, they're going to keep on fighting.
If they can get in and get the bomb down again.
That's going to give them another buy with the max loss bonus.
This one's going to go the distance.
11 to 6 now, 11 to 10. That advantage has dwindled.
very forward set up on that. Knops with intermittent glances, boiler and holes. This informs the
base setup and look at Robbs. Activate he'll have Zella dead to right. Dead to right. The
the kid has to come back unless he's committing.
He's just gonna walk into this.
Oh my God!
Ever in pain!
Sat on his ass, flames to the back of the site!
He's surely a dead man! He's booked!
There's flames at his feet surrounded by tears!
Our vision's 12, looks set in stone.
A-Tex floating with our smoke, he's gonna try something.
He's already managed to fly something.
Oh no! He unloads his mag, gets away with it!
He moves, J.
Let's the bomb go down, Belgium punches in that coach, spotted, executed, no bullets,
Messi in support though, Vitality have that advantage,
Zaheim win rotations, Yellow already hit a banger on Robs,
but now his side is turned and Zaheim just bare heads in with the sniper.
That's overkill, and this one's impossible, he's in the flames,
Oh, he's a safe, and Messi's in the water.
Touching going throughout, you think Robs has that kill,
he's dead to rise every day of the week.
That one kicks things off and in that moment the comms of chaos bees overrun and clues deliver it
Year after year and water cup
Well, they get that bomb down with the max loss bonus they could buy a good
Believe he has won that out and as he what's this someone's smarter. He was your peppers through apex. It's sketchy
with its impact
As they claw this one back and we have a tired game
Wow. What's that now? Five on the troll. Vitality puller's level.
It's always Orphe's turn to be.
I live for Molotov. Flames he goes looking for the... Oh, squadron logs.
Also, not much of the way of support. It's just him.
They're up mid. They're up mid.
So much pressure on Mizzion. Robs right now. Unless they go long side.
The rotations I win, OPEX are coming.
Yeah, they are going long-sighted, so there will be a possibility for this French duo to lend a hand.
Hey, XZJiggle?
Yes.
Ghost is swinging on in, the flash support is there, Vitality's team play on display, round 23.
It's away, fullback, clawback, Messi and Limbo gets caught.
Drops to the back of the site, Sway's making a play here.
Breaks the smoke, they've got plenty of time.
Surrounded though, what's going on in the smoke?
This is crazy from Siewil.
Outrageous, pushes through the arch smoke, removes one, and now they go swinging on it.
Photo overlooked, doesn't matter if game goes down, Flames quick to react to that.
Belchin on fours, swayed down to Flames, vitality, just a round away.
That match in series point, championship on the line.
After all of that fun and games, and gloves from Apex kept them in it to finish in regulation.
Now they've got their one shot.
Six straight rounds, it was Miracles required to give ParaVision this,
actually to take this the distance. The hijicks from everybody liberated by the fact
they're two maps down. The Young Bucks, the Rookies, our vision are pushing vitality
on map number three. But we're seeing their pedigree when push comes to shove
and coach Dastan gets his last 30 seconds unless this one goes over time.
Go, Red Hat! Go, Red Hat! Go, Red Hat! Go, Red Hat! Go, Red Hat! Go, Red Hat! Go, Red Hat! Go, Red Hat!
Such a quick run is the product of the Norwegian league.
Really, take a map off the final fantasy you've ever played for.
It's patched, bounce-fall, parrys admitted before a radical,
more grouped up, you've got pounds, four, one.
Just have the same flavor into what could be
the final round of the series.
Three starting B, lying for banana control.
They want to shove all in as implants, you want to fight.
Oh yeah, every decision you make,
it could be a laugh on the stage.
You're gonna see understandable hesitancy.
Half of the squad's still in T spawn.
You want to get picked up on one by one.
Given her space early,
The smokes are bested for this banana control.
They're looking for one staying in this cluster.
Paravision together strong.
That's the name for the game to push this one into OT.
He's looking for more utility damage.
In a moment, nobody even presses the half wall.
He missed it. CT smoke denied.
Unforced air up even cops the Nade it's gone from bad to worse right now for paravision. Yeah, the pressure is at its highest
It doesn't get higher
You are one round of cow strike away from being
There's no idea they're just gonna play around this moment. He gets his plaintiff's roughest you're running on him
He gets traded out important from no job. That's what paravision do they do not give up
Then they push on into the site for the bomb plant. Flamesy last scene, go swinging on in, disrupted.
Bombs not down, they've got problems.
Now the flash goes in, he wants to keep playing, he wants to go for more.
Now it's the way he extends play.
I'm just worried about a lurk right now, they're gonna let these smokes fade.
It's a 4 on 3 here.
Everyone has a kit.
They double up on the dark position, someone's gonna have to be the hero and that's gonna be one hell of a nade, that's gonna hurt.
Time ticking in Paravision's favor over time if they can just run around the oasis, another dunk made, ears ringing, HP low, just wait, go swinging.
It stays tucked, they know the clock is ticking, it's yellow tucked as well, an insurance policy, good at a short victory, maybe over time if Zeno can just deny that defuse.
So I was gonna do it, that Flamesy's on the low HP, he's the one that has to cover over time!
It's the job!
It's not done!
Clues gets his wish!
And we get extra rounds in this grand final!
They've clawed that one from absolutely nowhere.
One man against the defuse and he keeps his cool.
There's so much pressure in this moment that defuse so damn close.
And Poachin opens out a roll. We go again.
I'll be getting all their pennies, the bowls, the whistles.
That's all the roll. Take a breath.
Oh, co-punished by the AWP. Started early outs, but that's going to be an activation.
Sleps her on the smoke, no to catch the name.
Headpicks must have cornered with their nases a little.
Most a little.
Flames is starving about this, as I was just posted on middle.
Easy pick up, Skello trying to take a risk. He rolls the dice, comes up, snake eyes! Flames he goes wide!
Quick on that on the half wall, they must fall in into place perfectly.
Don't worry the post plan here if you can stall them out before they get there.
This way they have 1ft 5s situation and they know exactly where he is.
This one is 13 for vitality.
And it's clean.
They're here and there's Roxxon and Kegels. He's going to catch it and there you go, vitality.
Back in. Time number one and put themselves up to 13 first.
first. They stay composed. At no point during this Inferno has it looked like
Vitality are spiraling, bickering. This is air of just professional calm.
Timeout taken from Dastard.
Trannas is tumbling quickly in the PGO overtime rules set. I know with this one
they have to try and head you with that bomb to give themselves something
They lose it and this is tense. This is stressful.
He begs his wish when he blew out the candles today.
Right on your screen.
Gets his all.
Maybe the last, unless you see some saves and nobody wants to see that in overtime.
The exchange blows early.
Now one came quick, Belchnock went down first and everything,
well apart one by one, as Fatality's good team-worker,
Newtzel played in to setting up mores. I would claim very assertive with roms.
The apartments, they can lock this down and really
remove the opportunity for Belchnock to default through. Jayme prepared
for some type of a push, but this means slow rounds.
He claims he's always at home in that corner, dips in and out of combat,
relays such valuable intel to the Vitality Defense.
As I were again with his disruptive forward position, now Belch not went down in the previous.
Crouch peek is also unwanted.
You have to rub long, but Messi's here.
If you do, you're running through a smoke into Messi.
But that's the call. Of course that's the call.
That was the reaction they forced by Zahouz positioning.
He's got the elbow forced on the dismount.
Dismount and a headshot hit by Nota. Now the pivot through spawn. Apex is there to try and get the info safely and blocked.
But he's safe! He's far from safe!
The crack to his cranium from the collage.
I'm coming back to A.
I know he's on B bomb.
Yeah, but bombs coming back. Notice staying in limbo.
Jane posted in mid. This might be completely unknown.
Lots could walk into this.
Jane on scopes. Now they're coming back to B.
Time.
Flamesy vs. Wei, everything to play for here in OT, doesn't get it, oh nice flank from Robs, activates, removes James, he was heading to B now, Flamesy's informed, they're coming your way, and he's ready!
Elevated positions, Wei was not anticipating that, and with 15 seconds, Noether resides himself to an attempted clutch, the flash of course there's a flash!
He might even run at him, he's gotta be planting, he's gonna be vulnerable, and Flamesy's just pushed off through, he is done with this!
The clean two to start for Vitality's overtime.
Good lad.
Kind of applause for that.
You've got to say your thank yous.
And without her you wouldn't be witnessing this.
There's going to be two take nine to three AKs.
As mentioned the Finances we're going to play in.
in his AWP's that's the pretty penny. Vitality is it going to be a sweep to
secure your trophy?
Well is there a twist in turn still?
Two map three. Lamez he just won talking about he's just so consistently ready to
take these fights. What is that? It's a boy in flash he's not scared he's not
scared there's three members there. Slow it down throw a smoke. You get your
It's all about the pressure to force out that utility, to force the rotation, to force
the gambles, while Rob's up there, peered out mid.
No, just a sitting dunk.
Rob's doesn't quite control the spray well, and one is from Zello, denied by the incendiary.
These are the only two on A, and both were long side, so they will need to burrow into
the site somehow.
The stack at the moment looks absolutely perfect, didn't the gambler's man game?
side stacks maybe just maybe apex is called the right play
you'll throw our blocks from before we are going through it
Zywoo primed and ready at the back of the site racks up to looking to keep things
perfect looking to keep things spotless Zywoo two kills deep brought down by
Zelo Jane gypsy and removing apex from the site now there's rotation is miles
away they were so focused on a long set up they borrowed in now to 2v3
retake before we swap sides it's hard to see how Ross and Nezzie get back
into this one, that flash is kind of a block off.
Everything riding off.
Doesn't even matter.
Crop's brought down by the J-Morp.
The back of sight seems like it's absolutely guaranteed.
Cielo locks it in.
They've caught the brief-light dig right there.
Look, J-M can't buy an AWP.
You'll take one off your corpse.
We hit a couple of nice ones.
Not enough to stop them.
So something to work with is now on the defence.
Now it was tough for Paravision to come by round.
You had to sway 1v2.
You had to J-M diffuse 1v4.
Here's the double, and Polatov spilling over. That is what caused the trouble.
He had to peek out. Apex going down simultaneously.
He just popped them in there, and that's a great shot too.
He was off the final round of that one.
Okay.
It felt necessary to see Paravigin to post something.
Teeside off from Zywoo.
Do you really want to brave these early nades?
Noto was connecting quite frequently in regulation.
I'm gonna boost them up and give them a vantage point to catch anybody tween back and forth from the mouth of banana.
Solid Nade.
Nade another one.
But two.
Apex 38.
Well timed block smoke note to pass is the first test.
Four of them banana maybe they were hoping to snap into this or maybe just play the trade game
Either way you still got Rob
in Boiler
He's got a name for when you're lining up your name if they secure brackets
Apex and identified deep do not have map control
That's what they've done. So right now, you know
It has to be science-centric for paravision. It's just about the stack is Jamie
Hustle's over as quick as he can flash a HG
It's gonna be in the right place.
I might as well play ahead of the smoke.
Hey, she just as he arrives at land square on his jaw.
Long smoke from Z yellow on that coffin side.
He's gonna play through this of course he is.
Of course they are. Hey, she, you know D does do some significant damage.
Here comes the blaster. Here comes the commit.
Played to try to find the first spot.
Simeon denies no to any output.
Now Jay peeking through the smoke.
Can't get caught. Oh, what a flick!
Comes on around.
Pivots in, finds the head of Z yellow and enables a 3B3 in the postplump.
the postplumber look at Vitality's help they are susceptible they are low
James a couple of smoke spambs do not connect they'll be here he's got this
flash to work with so we can their face but that'll fade kids for the fuse
jane playing for wood
kick off for the side planes he's doing so much work for Vitality does win it out of the war of attrition
it's all come down to a one on one and Robbs will close it out so now two
opportunities. The third in total. You just see Jame having to play out of the
box. Decisions that he doesn't want to have to make but needs to pushing through
the smoke on the CT something to grab on back. Taking chances and that's what
this has all been about on Inferno. That's how they have made this close.
That's how they pushed by Talida overtime here on map number three.
in the position again to close. It's not now or never. It's very well could be now.
James having none of that. Apex coming for this. He's across. He wants it done now. He's going to walk through this.
There's already rotation. Does he really want to make this play sans flash?
It's for the smoke.
Jane here's the commitment. Looks like they're gonna go for the boost. Will he be caught off by this?
Or boost it up. Oh, Miss Shot!
Pulse it back! Mezion Apex combined!
Watch this, still lurking out.
Belchinock knife out! You're not ready for this! Flamzie's taking you down!
The box is dead!
Okay, doesn't matter though. If you get the frags, Roth doesn't, though.
Flamzie should go up to the grave with the molly.
2v2, 1 on B, 1 on A. The bomb needs to be picked up. 55 seconds. What is the time for this?
What is this?
No too can't explain it.
He walks through, Apex has this.
He's known to do so.
Oh, out, that's the info as well. Knows where the last player is. It's all up to his way.
Otherwise Apex gets his birthday wish.
Swings on out to secure himself! Happy birthday, Apex! A trophy in the cabinet!
Push to the absolute limit by Paravision!
The third must deliver!
Paravision are hoping that this is vitality's era.
And another trophy to throw in that cabinet. Make it number 11.
Under the same roof that he claimed his first major with NBS.
Now a different man, now a leader of men.
Eleven years later and there is still a leading clue.
Envy from the teams left in Vitality's way.
I have to work hard for that, I have to dig deep for that.
The politicians played out of the box.
They gave them a tough task ahead.
The score line will read 3-0.
I felt like Grand Final for Vitality as Apex.
So can this fight in the city who knows what they're achieving and they're living in the moment?
There are never the trophy and the nearer extended.
Putting on a show for Cluj.
Your champions!
Abyssinia Cluj-Napoca 20-26!
Vitality!
The team that continues to push the limits of everyone else around them, Vitality, getting
their first PGL trophy, 11 years later, and it's your birthday, you're doing it again
in Flushtown.
What do you want to say?
I'm happy. That's the first final I played ever on my birthday.
We had a chance to offer it to Flimsy in Austin for the major.
I knew this final was during my birthday before we started,
so I was like, guys, it would be nice to win the trophy here.
And yeah, 11 years after, guys, I was 22 years old like then,
winning my first major in Crescent Apoca, Crazy Infragr.
And now our leader from the basic team, that wasn't easy today, props to these guys, props to Dustin and Jane.
I mean, wherever they go they succeed, they succeed, and it's beautiful to see that four rookies giving their best,
and for sure that I was not easy to play them today, so props to them and a big applause for them.
Rocks, it's been a tough event for you fighting through sickness, you seem to get better with each and every match.
How hard was this for you?
It was hard, there was a chance I wasn't here, so I'll have the job if you want.
It was worth coming.
Yes.
20 for you. This looked like you were putting up numbers to be one of your best events ever, full of confidence, flowing with it.
You've still got more greatness to see from you. Can you get even better, mate?
I'm sure I have.
And there's a motivation you have. There's desire to be better and to play more like this.
It still burns.
Still burns. You have Apex in the team. It doesn't stop reminding us how important it is.
We have a great team. We have insane five players. Good coaching.
Everybody in the org is amazing and the opportunity to win a lot of trophies.
Maximize and do with the best as we can.
Nice.
Another trophy for the British player.
You keep adding it to your resume in here.
And you seem to be a player that steps up and performs in the Grand Finals.
Is that way you're doing your best work again and again?
Yeah, I think so. It would be nice to show up before in the semi-finals as well.
But I know it's fine. I think, yeah, I just try and find my impact in the finals.
I'm happy that I could find it today as well.
Good start, man.
Zai Wu, another hugely positive performance.
Another MVP performance most likely for you.
The wins keep going your way.
You change a little bit from crack out to here to what you're doing
How are you feeling with just going further continuing to break records and to to dominate the scene?
When you're such a great team around you
You just have to believe to win any tournament to also or but I myself like to just trust myself more and more to
Pick with all or anything like this. So it's always great moment to play with this guy
So they push me and other every day to play my game and to play as as the best I am
So it's always good to play with us. It's always good to watch
Let's touch. To you right now, this must just be a crazy feeling because you never know what's
going to happen. Rob's going to be out of this, trying to work all that into it, to
now stand it again with another trophy. What do you feel about just the team and how
proud you are of everything they're able to accomplish? I mean, I'm proud because
we had so many issues just before the tournament. It was not easy at all, to be honest.
we still managed to win it proved so much we are still hungry we are just
focused now for the grand slam after pgl because we wanted that is one pgl it's
done it is done
And with that note, your PGL Clusianapoca 20-26 champions, V is for victory!
V is for majority!
Yes, V is for victory.
indeed another one in the vitality history books they just keep on going
unstoppable and it's got to be said as we talked about it earlier yeah I think we
are the greatest team of all time no hyperbole no matter what pressure is
applied to them they're able to pull something out individual brilliance in
same tactics whatever it takes to get over the finish line worthy champions
Yeah, just to set the table. This is their 12th best of five grand final in their 10th win for a total of 11 titles and 19 events played.
I mean, it's just crazy what this team has been able to piece together since Robs joined the team and they've gone on to be
the greatest team of all time in my opinion. It's history in the making. Every consecutive tournament where vitality lifts the trophy
I would just say take it in. Just make sure that you're present for these kinds of moments because it's not often you get a team of this
this gravity that is actually making a mark on history in this capacity.
We're seeing one of the greatest captains every single time Apex graced the server.
We're seeing arguably the greatest player of all time in Zywoo every time that he is
able to grace our screens.
There's so much to dig into, so much to dive into, but at the same time I'm just
happy to be here and to be witness to all of these moments with them.
And good things take time.
It's been a while that the core of this team has been together. Vitality has made a lot of shrewd moves.
After winning the Major in Paris, they benched the winningest player of all time.
They've been flameless for him on a free transfer.
They bring Robson on a free transfer as well.
You can see what he does for teams.
Messi, where people are like, why are you getting him?
There's why. He showed it on Dust2. He showed it so many times.
times, and you know it doesn't happen overnight. You have to sort of putting the
word, putting the hours, think about which type of players you're getting in and
out of the server as well. And once it all comes together like it did for
Vitality with the arrival of Robs, I mean the results speak for themselves.
I mean just to kind of link to what you were saying there, I mean this is a
squad with the core of the teams together for a long time and in 2024
outside of Na'Vi they were the most consistent team. They were consistently
placing top four but they only had that one title in the cabin that was cologne a
prestige event but they weren't able to win majors they weren't winning a whole
lot of other events but they were always up there and then that one change that
movement of ross into the roster turned them into an era-defining team in the
first season twenty-five years he continued to have to take also just
the staff around the team too I mean absolutely Matt has been there as the
assistant coach for ages I mean he's 11 from the 1.6 days a world champion in
his own right, the performance staff that they have around, everything that they do, they
do it the right way, and this success is not by accident.
Let's take a moment to show some respect to ParaVision though, I think it's worth pointing
out once again just how far they've come from 84th in the world, relative unknowns,
people laughing that James been cast out from Virtus.Pro, haha, we'll never see
see him again just slowly climbing through the ranks, tier 3, tier 2, back to tier 1,
winning the LAN and then ultimately now in the final against Vitality, not Inferno at
least, pushing them all the way in very hard. It truly is an incredible accomplishment.
It started with a prayer from our resident Priest machine, also a compensator and you
know, a preacher man. And then it started with in Jane Wee trust
who delivered the first miracle, the ninja defuse that kind of kicked them
going and they kept resetting the vitality economy. They kept having big moments happen
and they did push vitality to their limits. And so yes, it was a very respectful performance
and what a series that could have just been a total blowout. And while they do go 03 again,
just a good showing of themselves here. A valiant effort there on inferno. Definitely
outplayed on the former two maps, but one that if it weren't for an Incredibles
Fils Airu 1v2 spray transfer of the year easily, oh look at that, look at what he's showing off right now, oh we like that, oh we like that, no question about it either that he's given the one who did not.
I was saying you know we were talking about you know Flames he had an incredible tournament twice and he is pretty close to Zybel and he had an insane final but it's Fils Airu.
It must just be so like flames if you played on any of the team in any of the situation in any of the timeline
He's the MVP if that's happening and if there's no Zywoo, they might not be lifting the trophy
Yeah, I get a different comment. I burned for that spray transfer. Yeah
He gets you every time it just came crazy based off of a highlight, huh?
Yeah, I was starting off that game very cold to it. That must be said
I mean look at the timeline right there. He only had like six kills to the entire first half
But throughout the tail end of regulation and through overtime all the sudden he catapulted himself back up the leaderboard
And it was the spray transfer as you mentioned. It was a couple of clutch hop shots and some big retake
The MVP's not about the grand final last map. Yeah
Let's remind everybody about that. Okay, they was the fact that through the corners through the semis
He was dominating opposition. Yeah stage. He just wipes the floor with practically everybody
If you're not a super elite team at this point, Zaiwu is going to carve you up with just record-breaking numbers almost every single time.
And not like DMBA, Maui. There's no water fatigue here. Giving it to the best player.
Correct. As it should be. I mean, look, obviously it's just a list of superlatives, you know, when you talk about this team.
But I mean, it really is something special that we're witnessing. I think one of the things I find a little bit frustrating.
When you're in the middle of an era, everyone says, oh, it's boring.
You know, why can't it be, you know, a bit more competitive or whatever?
It's like you're in the presence of brightness.
Like Vitality have beaten different teams, different finals,
all of them have different circumstances,
overcoming different hurdles, different challenges.
And it's like, you know, when they're gone,
when they are eventually toppled, you're going to miss them.
But flip it the other way too.
I mean, that's what was so exciting about Furia
towards the tail end of last year,
because they did topple them.
They did take them down in the best of five finals, they did find success against them,
so anyone who does end up beating them and knocking them out of a tournament
makes it that more impressive, right, because of just how dominant they are,
and especially if we talk about some grand finals down the line and whatnot,
but hey, great for everyone else, they're making changes, they're getting better,
so are these guys.
Yeah, I mean, really haven't took their foot off the pedal, it's crazy,
and you know, see, Messi there, he's like, look, I'm sorry, I didn't turn up until the final,
But when you did, you know, you're winning maps for your team and it's just, there's so much to that.
There's no signs of slowing down.
No, I know that.
That's the most exciting part about this Vitality.
The way they comprehensively defeated ParaVision, especially on the first two maps with the right reads,
the right executes, just targeting them with, I mean, the barrage of nades on Overpass is something that Noda is going to have nightmares about
for the next 10 times he plays the map.
I feel like Vitality, they're not just doing it through star power, and they're also not just doing it through tactics.
It's the whole effort of getting a well-prepped team
combined with players that know when they need to step up
to make a difference in a round that's going awry.
They're just the perfect roster, man.
I mean, you have a situation where you have one of the best
op hybrids in the world.
You have one of the best leaders.
You have Rothschilds, one of the best anchors
and extremity riflelers.
You have Nezzi, who's just the glue guy.
You have Flames, who does bring that fiery passion
to the team and, you know, total squad
that can play any style of CS that's required to get
a victory, supermassive map pool,
consistent sustained success. I mean, I have not seen a complete team like this since the Astralisks era many years ago.
And will to win. I mean, that's the other key component here. Easy to forget. It looked like we were headed to Mirage.
They were down, they were out. It was like, okay, this is inevitable. Clawed their way back into that lead.
Yes, we went into overtime, but as soon as we got to overtime, the mental reset. They were totally in control of that.
And ultimately got across the finish line and stuff.
Yeah, absolutely. They even did their best to prolong this game.
I mean, they gave up a bloody ninja defuse in the first half, you know.
There was another two before that they lost.
Usually it doesn't happen to Vitality.
So they did it for the content, did it for the fans here.
So they get a little bit of excitement.
Chad and Alex got a close map as well at the very end.
But Chad put on a tie.
Yeah, exactly.
You know, so like, just as well by Vitality.
Or the funeral.
I don't know.
Do you want some final thoughts, guys, that's wrap this up?
I mean, just once again, great to come back to Cluj.
It's been such an amazing crowd.
It was cool to get the return to this city last year.
Again, a city that's hosted a major and has rich history
in the game to come back.
And now we're going to be back for another three years
after this one and make this one of the trademark spots
to see on the Counter-Strike calendar for some time to come.
And as you already said, it's
nice to be able to be here to take part in history
of this historical team.
just continuing to pile on the trophies and showing us what greatness looks like.
Also the fact that now that PGL making Cluj a repeatable event or just the fact
that it's going to be five years and marking it to practically go toe-to-toe
with the prestige events of history I'm glad that we're getting vitality who's
etching their name onto the trophy of Cluj so that we can finally see just
the teams that we wanted last time around you know the mouse victory was
special in its own regard but to see all of the best teams filling this arena
giving us the spectacle giving the fans of Romania this kind of fight before
them it's something that everybody's gonna appreciate for years to come just
like vitality success tradition and prestige doesn't happen overnight
right inclusion the right track to be one of the staple events in the
calendar especially now with its place and how much it means for major
qualification, VRS, all the things we talk about so yeah cheers Pujo. Yeah actually well cheers to
you boys as well it's always a pleasure another event in the books Slantje and this to close out
the show I do want to say obviously look we came here last year and we got outside and all the
fans said please come back we said okay we will all right we did. Reddit didn't like you guys
Fuck reddit, right? I'm gonna say that straight up. I thought you were a great crowd you buy a ticket
You're entitled to boo and now PGL have a commitment
We're gonna be coming back for three years and I hope we're gonna see all of you for the next three years here inclusion of poker
That's it from us guys. Thanks so much for coming out
Thanks to everyone at home as well for watching. We'll see you next time. Take care