Vitality to Atlanta playoffs over Rogue

Vitality beat Rogue in two maps (Nuke 16-5, Overpass 16-10) to advance to the playoffs at DreamHack Open Atlanta.

Vitality were the first to get out of the gate on Nuke, taking a three-round lead on the attacking side after Mathieu "⁠ZywOo⁠" Herbaut won a 1vs2 clutch in the pistol round.

Rogue were able to get on the board on the first gun round, but were then reset as Dan "⁠apEX⁠" Madesclaire and Cédric "⁠RpK⁠" Guipouy shredded through the defense the following round. The French team then further increased their lead against pistols, 5-1, starting to run away with the half.

After going down 1-7, Rogue were finally able to bring it back as both teams traded rounds and the American-European team were able to chain the last three together to go 6-9 at the switch. After that, however, it was the Vitality show, as Nathan "⁠NBK-⁠" Schmitt’s side won the pistol round and put up the wall, not giving a single round in a 16-6 map.

The second map started like the first, with Vitality taking the pistol round and the two following before losing the first gun round. They then, once again, reset Rogue, and started with a 5-1 lead after winning an anti-eco.

The rest of the half quickly turned, however, as Rogue went on a completely dominant display to take nine rounds in a row as Hunter "⁠SicK⁠" Mims and Ricardo "⁠Rickeh⁠" Mulholland shone on the defense.

The second half saw Vitality once again win the pistol round and win against the forcebuy and the eco. The French side easily then slid into a groove, once again proving the dominant side of the defense as Rogue were unable to break through and quickly lost the lead. Without giving up a single round, Vitality sealed the deal, 16-10, to clinch the last spot in the playoffs.