fnatic defeat NiP in epic series to secure last semi-final spot

fnatic bested Ninjas in Pyjamas in a nail-biting three-map series, securing a semi-final spot at IEM Sydney 2019.

The concluding series saw the two Swedish titans duke it out for a swing at NRG in the semi-final. Richard "⁠Xizt⁠" Landström and his men got off to a successful start on their map pick, Cache, seeing to a fruitful pistol round on the offense. Momentum was stunted temporarily by Patrik "⁠f0rest⁠" Lindberg, who dealt a triple kill in Ninjas in Pyjamas's first gun round, but the upset lacked longevity, as fnatic persisted in gathering rounds. Able only to pose a threat in two rounds prior to half time, Ninjas in Pyjamas were faced with a 3-12 predicament.

The second pistol round was decided by f0rest, who clutched out a pivotal 1v3 situation, bettering his squad's chances at contending for a map victory. This chance was not squandered by Ninjas in Pyjamas, as Christopher "⁠GeT_RiGhT⁠" Alesund and company went on to bring the deficit to 9-13, but fnatic were able to wrestle their way back into the driver's seat, ruining Ninjas in Pyjamas financially and closing Cache with a 16-9 score.

Overpass followed, witnessing the explosion of Fredrik "⁠REZ⁠" Sterner into the game via a pistol ace on the T side. This performance clearly inspired Ninjas in Pyjamas, who went on to dominate the ensuing five rounds, extending their early lead to a respectable 6-0. fnatic then secured their first round of the half, and, following an additional loss, gained total control of the map on the defence. The Swedish bulwark refused to yield, allowing fnatic an incredible 8-7 comeback at half time.

Contrary to the initial half, a lot of back-and-forth was seen after fnatic had secured two of the initial rounds. The teams went blow for blow, but a fragile CT economy eventually shattered off the back of a triple kill from Xizt, placing Ninjas in Pyjamas in a financial rut once again. After conceding three rounds, Ninjas in Pyjamas managed to recover from the setback, closing the round disparity to just one at 13-14. An immense post-plant 1v2 CZ-75 clutch from Jesper "⁠JW⁠" Wecksell in round 28 placed fnatic on series point, but it was followed up by two successful rounds from Ninjas in Pyjamas, pushing Overpass into overtime.

A total of three overtimes took place, filled to the brim with suspense. The latter-most saw Ninjas in Pyjamas whisk away the second map, following a incredible last-second 1v2 clutch from f0rest, who single-handedly extended his team's tournament life at 25-23.

The final map of the series, Dust2, saw a continuation of the round-for-round grind. JW and company started off with a two-round lead on the defence, one that was immediately bridged by the Ninjas as soon as rifles were available. Ninjas in Pyjamas were able to successfully upset the CT economy, assuming the lead, but they received the same treatment themselves having leapt into the lead. This back-and-forth persisted until halftime, with fnatic able to edge it out slightly at 8-7.

On the defence, Ninjas in Pyjamas consistently accrued rounds right off the get-go, securing a much needed 13-8 lead after six consecutive victories. Xizt and his men answered with an equaliser after exploiting the financial weakness of their opponents. A triple kill from JW in round 27, followed by an anti-eco victory, placed fnatic on series point. An A hit followed from the aggressors, one stopped by the duo of GeT_RiGhT and f0rest, and thanks to REZ playing the time in the 30th round, Ninjas in Pyjamas forced overtime.

A single overtime once more proved insufficient in deciding the outcome of the map, as the two Swedish sides took it to a second. Simon "⁠twist⁠" Eliasson ensured the culmination of the intense series with a quad kill in round 42, securing his team a 22-20 victory and a semi-final placement.

Below is the match schedule for the semi-finals, taking place Saturday, May 4:

07:00 - Liquid vs. MIBR
10:50 - NRG vs. fnatic