FaZe Clan and Team Liquid Advance to Semifinals of IEM Katowice
Today, FaZe Clan and Team Liquid emerged victorious in the quarterfinal matches of IEM Katowice, securing their spots in the semifinals. FaZe defeated Cloud9, while Liquid took down Ninjas in Pyjamas, with both matches going to three maps. These two teams will now face off against Fnatic and Astralis in the next stage of the tournament. Both Fnatic and Astralis had impressive performances in the group stage, finishing with perfect 3-0 win-loss records.
FaZe Clan vs. Cloud9
The first semifinal match of the day was a rematch of the ELEAGUE Major: Boston grand final between Cloud9 and FaZe. In the first map, Overpass, FaZe dominated and secured a convincing victory over the North Americans with a score of 16-5. The second map, Cache, saw a comeback from Cloud9 on the T side, resulting in a close score of 16-13 in favor of FaZe. The most intense map of the series was the third map, Inferno, which was also the final map of the Major grand final. After trading rounds throughout regulation, the map went into overtime due to a technical issue faced by Cloud9. Despite some impressive clutches from Cloud9, FaZe managed to secure a 22-20 victory and advance to the semifinals.
Team Liquid vs. Ninjas in Pyjamas
The matchup between Team Liquid and Ninjas in Pyjamas was another closely contested battle between European and North American teams. In the first map, Overpass, Liquid overcame a 10-5 deficit and delivered an impressive T side, securing a 16-13 victory. The second map, Mirage, followed a similar storyline with NiP taking an early lead of 12-3. Despite a valiant effort from Liquid, they couldn’t complete the comeback, resulting in a 16-13 victory for NiP. The series then moved to the third and final map, Inferno, where Liquid showcased their dominance by closing out the map with a 16-9 win. Liquid’s star players, NAF and twistzz, played crucial roles in their team’s 2-1 victory over NiP.
The competition at IEM Katowice will continue tomorrow, with FaZe Clan facing off against Astralis at 9am ET, followed by Team Liquid taking on Fnatic at 12:50pm ET.
esports, IEM Katowice, FaZe Clan, Team Liquid, Cloud9, Ninjas in Pyjamas, Fnatic, Astralis