Na’Vi vs. NiP: Na’Vi Takes the Win
Na’Vi emerged as the clear winner in this matchup against NiP. While NiP has been improving lately, their progress doesn’t hold up against the strength of a team like Na’Vi. Nonetheless, it’s worth watching to see how NiP performs against such a formidable opponent.
Fnatic vs. Astralis: Fnatic Comes Out on Top
The gap between Fnatic and Astralis in this series is bigger than expected. Astralis is not in the same form as they were during the previous Major, and their choking issues don’t usually affect them in the early stages. Moreover, Astralis is no longer a threat to Fnatic, especially on maps like Dust II, Train, and Overpass. Fnatic has defeated top-tier teams on these maps, including Astralis at Overpass and VP at Train. While Astralis is a good team, they are not on the same level as Fnatic.
Liquid vs. CLG: Liquid Prevails
Liquid and CLG are fairly similar in terms of skill, but Liquid recently won a best-of-three series against CLG. Liquid has also shown a higher level of skill than expected. On the other hand, CLG performed as predicted in their match against EnVyUs. Liquid’s victories are more impressive, making them the favored team to advance to the semifinals, which hasn’t happened for a North American team since Dreamhack 2013.
Virtus Pro vs. Luminosity: Luminosity Takes the Win
This is expected to be the most interesting series, as both teams have different playing styles. Virtus Pro is fast, while Luminosity is slow but strategic. However, Luminosity is likely to come out on top in this matchup. While Virtus Pro has improved from their 0-13 streak, they are not in their strongest form. Luminosity, on the other hand, is a top 3 team and has a good chance of winning this match.