AVANGAR clinch playoffs spot over forZe at CIS Minor

AVANGAR have secured their place in the CIS Minor playoffs after beating FORZE 2-1 (Mirage 9-16, Inferno 16-7, Train 16-12) in Group B's decider.

The series for the last playoffs spot at the CIS Minor began on Mirage, where AVANGAR, who chose the map, got off to a good start with a 5-2 lead despite losing the pistol round.

Things quickly started turning sour for the Kazakh side, however, as FORZE fought back, clinching seven out of the remaining eight rounds on the back of a strong double AWP setup, courtesy of Almaz "⁠almazer⁠" Asadullin and Bogdan "⁠xsepower⁠" Chernikov.

AVANGAR picked up the second pistol round to close the gap to just one round, but it was FORZE who came out on top of the gunrounds yet again to clinch a 14-8 lead. Dzhami "⁠Jame⁠" Ali then replied with a quad-kill with the AWP to give AVANGAR their ninth, but FORZE immediately responded with an A attack to secure map point and shortly after the map at 16-9.

AVANGAR got back on their feet on Inferno, picking up an early 5-0 lead on the CT side keeping the pressure up with a couple of 1v1 clutches, as they grabbed a 10-round defense.

The second pistol round saw xsepower attempt a quick 1v5 clutch while retaking the B bombsite, which Timur "⁠buster⁠" Tulepov prevented in the final 1v1 duel, helping AVANGAR reach 14 rounds without too much resistance. FORZE came out on top of two close retake scenarios, but a 2v4 victory on B gave AVANGAR the 15th round as well as the 16th immediately afterwards, as FORZE were on low economy.

FORZE looked to begin the deciding map, Train, with a substantial half, as they were leading 6-0 as Terrorists to start things off. However, AVANGAR put their foot down and locked down each bombsite, going on a streak of eight rounds before the last went the other way.

Jame & co. continued riding on the wave in the second half, winning the pistol as well as the second round, in which they turned around a 2v5 situation up against pistols. After securing the first gunround, AVANGAR fended off another dangerous forcebuy on the back of buster's 1v1 for a 14-7 scoreline.

Like AVANGAR in the first half, FORZE began closing the gap with four in a row, but they couldn't complete the comeback, as Aidyn "⁠KrizzeN⁠" Turlybekov's two early openings inspired AVANGAR to reach match point and, two rounds later, the playoffs after a won eco round.