FaZe defeat MIBR to reach playoffs; LDLC send Renegades packing

FaZe have defeated MIBR in a close three-map series 2-1 (Cache 16-14, Mirage 14-16, Train 16-11) to book their place in the playoffs, while LDLC have eliminated Renegades in Chicago 2-1 (Overpass 12-16, Cache 16-14, Mirage 16-2).

MIBR kicked things off on their map pick, Cache, where they won the T pistol on the back of Gabriel "⁠FalleN⁠" Toledo's triple kill. However, FaZe soon stood tall as CTs, winning the following eco, which paved the way for Finn "⁠karrigan⁠" Andersen and his men to win seven in a row. MIBR then got right back to it, reducing their deficit to a minimum, including FalleN's quad-kill in the 13th round, before FaZe closed out the half 10-5.

FaZe continued their run in the second half, winning the pistol and the subsequent anti-ecos before earning their fourth in a row. MIBR then got their wits together and snapped the streak thanks to a triple kill hold from Marcelo "⁠coldzera⁠" David, which sparked a marvelous run on their CT side to claim six straight to make it 12-14.

The game then took a drastic turn, as FaZe walked onto the vacant A site with Håvard "⁠rain⁠" Nygaard & karrigan putting in most of the work to hold off the retake and reach map point. Jake "⁠Stewie2K⁠" Yip responded with a massive quad kill to help his team stamp two on the board, but, in the end, FaZe came out victorious at 16-14.

The series then landed on Mirage. Ladislav "⁠GuardiaN⁠" Kovács got things started on the right foot for FaZe, tapping down four to secure the pistol, which opened up their T side for a 3-0 start. However, things began to spiral out of control for FaZe, as MIBR's defense locked down six in a row, where they then controlled the remainder of the half to earn the 10-5 score at halftime.

After the break, MIBR kept their composure, opening up the half by winning the T pistol and the following anti-ecos, until karrigan stood his ground with a triple kill hold on B, which granted his team to pick up two more. The two sides then went back and forth until Tarik "⁠tarik⁠" Celik denied the retake on A to send his team to map point. With their eyes set on overtime, FaZe fought tooth and nail, but FalleN & co. secured the map 16-14 to force the decider, Train.

MIBR kicked off the decider displaying a stout defense that put up four rounds right off the bat, before FaZe made their mark to earn their first. The Brazilians fired back, which prompted the two sides to go back and forth, until MIBR took control to end the half with a 10-5 score.

The second half was a much different story as FaZe presented a stern defensive hold over MIBR, winning ten straight to reach match point. MIBR fought back to win their first in the second half, but FaZe stood tall to end the map, 16-11, and the series 2-1, to reach the playoffs.

On Overpass, the Aussies of Renegades clashed on LDLC's map pick, but the first half would have suggested otherwise as Aaron "⁠AZR⁠" Ward and his men dominated the first half as CTs with a commanding 12-2 score, before Sean "⁠Gratisfaction⁠" Kaiwai sniped down three with the Big Green to wrap up the 13-2 half.

In the second half, the momentum shifted towards LDLC, which saw Logan "⁠LOGAN⁠" Corti & co. get off to a blooming start on their CT side, with ten unanswered rounds from the Aussie side that put the French back in the game. However, Renegades got back on their feet, picking up their 14th of the half before stamping on two more to claim the 16-12 map victory.

Up next in the series was Cache, Renegades pick, where the Aussies won the CT pistol but were unable to convert in the following rounds as LDLC took over on their T side with five on the board (5-1). Renegades then came alive after a triple kill from Jay "⁠Liazz⁠" Tregillgas forced the French to save, which sparked the Aussies to rally back to even the score 5-5.

LDLC broke the tie in the following round, but Renegades struck back, with the half ending in a highly-contested battle, as AZR and his men edged the half with a round advantage. The second half was all Renegades' aggressive T side winning four at the start, but the French side turned things around posting five of their own to even things up 12-12.

The two sides fought tooth and nail, trading rounds until the French reached map point. With their backs against the wall, Renegades kept their composure reaching their 14th, but François "⁠amanek⁠" Delaunay's triple put the Aussies dreams of overtime to rest by closing the map, 16-14, sending the series on Mirage.

Renegades kicked off the decider with a defuse to secure the pistol, but were quickly pinned as LDLC fired back in dominating fashion on the T side to end the first half with a 13-2 score. The French side then marched into the second half, winning the remaining three rounds to close the map, 16-2, and the series 2-1 to fight another day through the lower bracket.