LDLC take out k1ck 2-1

Before coming into the second semi-final of DreamHack Valencia, LDLC had to power through Germans Planetkey Dynamics after losing the first map to a big 13-2 comeback. They wound up winning the next two 16-12 and 16-10, knocking Null element and co. out.

At the same time, Portuguese side k1ck had even more trouble against Platinium who were on the verge of taking the match several times after a commanding 16-6 win on the first map. Still, led by Null element's two 30+ maps and a huge comeback in the decider, k1ck won 16-14 and 22-20 to make it past the Frenchmen.

After Platinium, Ricardo "⁠fox⁠" Pacheco had an even tougher task ahead

The first map of the semi-final was to be the one k1ck had just lost convincingly, de_inferno, but this time they had a good start, going up 6-1 on the CT side with Null element on form early.

LDLC's star player Null element finally got his first two kills of the game in banana which opened up the B site and gave the Frenchmen their second round. Null element then replied with a double AWP entry, followed by 3 M4A4 kills from Null element which then forced LDLC to eco next round, 7-2.

However, Null element scored three kills on that eco and won a 1-on-1 situation to put the score at 7-3. LDLC didn't capitalize on that though, as Null element then had two great rounds, first a 1vs2 clutch and then 3 big kills in A to extend k1ck's lead to 9-3.

After ecoing, LDLC managed to squeeze in another round, but the half went to the Portuguese convincingly 11-4. Soon after that we saw the biggest lead of the game at 13-4, but a risky all-famas buy for LDLC paid off thanks to Null element who scored 3 kills in a 2-on-3 B retake.

Null element was getting kills, but LDLC couldn't get going early on de_inferno

k1ck then found themselves in dangerous territory of unsuccessful semi and force buys for a few rounds, as LDLC drew nearer at 13-9. Null element heated up with the AWP, scoring some important opening kills, and despite dropping the next round LDLC reset k1ck's economy right away and made it 14-11.

Null element then capitalized on what turned out to be the last good decision by his in-game leader in this part of the match, as they opted to attack quietly through apartments after which he scored 3 quick kills on surprised CTs and put his team on match point, 15-11.

Null element then replied with a near perfect round in which he had 4 AWP kills, while Null element and Null element held B in the next round for 15-13, thus forcing another eco.

It all came down to the 30th round in which Null element got an early entry kill at the B bombsite, but k1ck failed to capitalize on it as Null element rotated to help Null element and the two of them stopped a delayed B attack and took the match into overtime.

KQLY's AWP was on point at the start of map 1 overtime

Entry kills decided the outcome of the first few rounds of overtime, starting with Null element opening up the A bombsite to put k1ck up 16-15 and then Null element scoring two opening AWP kills in each of the next two rounds to give LDLC their first lead of the match, 17-16.

Null element's and Null element's consecutive triples on the CT side put k1ck back in the lead and on map point again, but LDLC won another 4-on-5 under pressure to bring it to second overtime, 18-18.

Continuing with their attacks as sides remained the same, LDLC got to a 20-19 lead, but the match was tied again one round after at 20-20.

It was more about the nerves at this point than anything else, and the Frenchmen turned out having better control of themselves, as firstly Null element and Null element retook B in a 2-on-3 situation and then the latter also clutched a 1-on-2 in the same bombsite to win the map 22-20.

k1ck set the tone early on de_dust2

Moving on to de_dust2, k1ck's home turf map, the Portuguese gained a commanding 8-0 lead after a few great individual efforts in key rounds. Firstly, Null element opened up the map with 4 kills in the pistol round, then Null element scored four in a 3-on-5 during the first buy round, setting the pace for the half.

They were about to win another close round, but Null element clutched a 1vs2 after what should have been his team's round all along. LDLC slowly got their foot in the door, as they won three of the next four rounds, but the ending of the half went back to k1ck who were once again up 11-4 before the sides changed.

Null element retaliated in the same manner during the pistol round with his own Glock 4-kill, which eventually led to an 11-7 score after the ecos.

In the first buy round Null element won a 1-on-1 to extend k1ck's lead to 12-7, which then forced LDLC to eco due to the solid job the Portuguese did in their own ecos prior to that. Null element did manage to snatch the 8th round for his team with a triple in a 3-on-3 in lower B tunnels, but after a lengthy pause caused by internet issues at the venue, k1ck brought the map to a close 16-8.

The deciding map was de_train, which was never one of k1ck's strong suits and Null element set them back right away with a triple Glock kill in the inner bombsite that secured LDLC a 3-0 lead.

When Null element got the AWP in the first buy round, he scored three kills with it outside right away and his team quickly equalized the score at 3 all. Null element and Null element continued their great form in the series by winning a 2-on-3 for the lead, but LDLC then figured out how to attack the outer site and won three rounds in a row for a 6-4 lead.

LDLC were always in control on de_train

Null element's flank play during the following eco and two more kills by Null element won the round for k1ck who then turned it around and went up 8-6 thanks to gaining some momentum.

The last round of the half went to LDLC for 8-7, and then another 3K by Null element in the second pistol round made it all even again at 8-8. It quickly became apparent that the Frenchmen's defense was superior, as they won the first two buy rounds for 12-8.

Only Null element's impressive two AK47 headshots to open the round set k1ck up to win their first, and as it would turn out, last T-side round. The Portuguese team then lost the next round and still decided to force buy at 13-9, but it was the wrong call as they fell victim to Null element's AWP as the Armenian-origin player took down 4, which practically won the match for LDLC who then strolled to a 16-9 victory.

k1ck	K - D	+/-	ADR	KAST	Rating1.0
Ricardo 'roman' Oliveiraroman	64 - 59	+5	-	-	1.10
Christopher 'MUTiRiS' FernandesMUTiRiS	73 - 62	+11	-	-	1.08
Ricardo 'fox' Pachecofox	64 - 57	+7	-	-	1.04
Joao 'KILLDREAM' FerreiraKILLDREAM	63 - 65	-2	-	-	0.99
Rui 'SHOUW' ReisSHOUW	47 - 57	-10	-	-	0.83