FaZe defeat Liquid ; to EPICENTER grand final

FaZe are through to the EPICENTER 2018 grand final after beating Liquid on two maps (16-9 on Mirage, 16-12 on Inferno).

The second semi-final of the tournament kicked off on Mirage, FaZe's map pick, with Liquid securing a swift 2-0 lead after winning their CT pistol in convincing fashion. The European team responded with back-to-back B executions, breaking their opponents' economy before eventually going up 3-2.

The Americans found the equalizer before FaZe went on another three-round winning streak. Liquid got back on the board with a perfect defence, which they followed up with a great 3v4 retake to bring the deficit to a single round. With nothing but pistols and a saved AWP, however, FaZe picked up their seventh round, and then lost just one more to make it 9-6 by half-time.

In the second half, Liquid won their T-side pistol with doubles from Jonathan "⁠EliGE⁠" Jablonowski and Keith "⁠NAF⁠" Markovic in a 3v5 situation, and the subsequent anti-eco. Still, the Europeans kept a very tight defence after buying up, eventually closing out the map at 16-9.

Finn "⁠karrigan⁠" Andersen opened up the action on Inferno with a double-kill, but it was Liquid who got off to a great start. After winning their third pistol of the series, the Americans made it 3-0 with an anti-eco and the first gun round.

After that, FaZe went on a massive run, which included a heroic quad-kill from Ladislav "⁠GuardiaN⁠" Kovács in the process, losing a single round before picking up a 7-4 lead. Liquid remained calm and collected, however, and strung four rounds together to turn the score around by half-time.

FaZe responded with their first pistol of the series and the following two rounds to go up 10-8. Liquid then had money to work with and found an entry-kill, but it was thanks to EliGE that they won the round as the 21-year-old denied Nikola "⁠NiKo⁠" Kovač from pulling off an impressive ace. However, FaZe responded with their eleventh round to reset their opponents' economy.

Down 9-13, Liquid kept themselves in it after losing only one of the next four rounds, but that was not enough to stop FaZe, who won two rounds in a row to seal the deal, 16-12, and book their spot in the tournament's grand final.