G2 take out NRG; Renegades eliminate fnatic in Dallas

G2 beat NRG in the lower bracket, 17-19 on Train, 16-11 on Inferno, and 16-3 on Overpass, while Renegades knocked fnatic out, 16-14 on Mirage, 9-16 on Train, and 16-4 on Inferno.

G2 started off winning the pistol round on the defensive side of Train as Kenny "⁠kennyS⁠" Schrub and Audric "⁠JACKZ⁠" Jug got doubles. After winning the first gun round, the French team kept piling on the rounds, including a 4vs4 retake on A to make it 7-0. It was finally on the eighth that NRG were able to get on the board, and they started to find some success, especially on the A site, as they made it a decent half by recovering from a rough start with six rounds at the half.

Double opening frags by JACKZ got G2 on the A site in the second pistol round, which the Frenchmen were able to win to make it 10-6. Two retakes by NRG on B made it 7-12, as the North American side tried to claw their way back on the CT side. A quad-kill by Damian "⁠daps⁠" Steele on A got NRG on double digits, 10-13, but a 1vs2 by kennyS got G2 on the edge of victory. It looked like the French team were going to close it out, but five rounds in a row by NRG took it to overtime.

The two teams then traded rounds early on in the overtime, although NRG were able to snatch the lead at the half after starting on the CT side. They were then able to get the two last rounds as Ethan "⁠Ethan⁠" Arnold and Vincent "⁠Brehze⁠" Cayonte got triples on the attack to close the first map out, 19-17.

NRG kicked off with three rounds in a row on the attacking side of Inferno before G2 could get on the board. Great play early on by JACKZ helped his side get five in a row, bringing it to 5-3. NRG were able to win one more, but G2, with methodical retaking, were able to stay ahead, 8-4. A 1vs1 duel won by Ethan over JACKZ pushed G2 on an eco, but an impressive 1vs4 clutch by François "⁠amanek⁠" Delaunay on A with a CZ75 kept G2 in control, as they closed the half 9-6.

Brehze and Tarik "⁠tarik⁠" Celik gave NRG the second pistol round, but doubles by kennyS and amanek then gave G2 the forcebuy. Both teams then traded rounds back-and-forth, but it was eventually the French team who were able to take control of the half with five rounds in a row to get on match point. NRG won a couple of maps to pad the score, but it was G2 who closed it out, 16-11, to push it to map number three.

Two opening frags by tarik opened up the B site, but G2 were able to turn it around in the afterplant as kennyS found three before defusing. NRG struck right back with a forcebuy, and went on to take the lead the round after, but once again the match started out going back-and-forth as G2 brought it back to with a B defense. The French team then took control, grabbing the lead on the CT side. With NRG struggling, Richard "⁠shox⁠" Papillon scored three big kills on Short to go up 10-2 before G2 closed the half out 12-3.

kennyS and shox then took out all opposition in the second pistol round to keep the momentum going after the switch, which G2 did, winning all rounds en route to a 16-3 map to clinch the series.

fnatic won the attacking pistol round on Mirage, but a triple by Aaron "⁠AZR⁠" Ward with a CZ75 on the second round tied it back up. After winning against the forcebuy, Renegades were able to take control early on in the map. fnatic brought it back to a tie with three in a row before Renegades could take another. The match then stayed really even as the back-and-forth continued until a triple by Joakim "⁠jkaem⁠" Myrbostad tipped the balance in his team’s favor in the last round for a 9-6 half.

Doubles by Justin "⁠jks⁠" Savage and jkaem in a 4vs5 afterplant gave their side the second pistol round, but Renegades then fumbled against the forcebuy as fnatic opened a door back into the game. They then went on a rampage, winning round after round to take an 11-10 lead without Renegades being able to mount a good offensive play until they were able to tie it back up, 11-11. A huge four-kill round by jks then got his team back in the lead, propelling Renegades to go on and win the first map, albeit barely, as jkaem and AZR were able to win a 2vs2 afterplant on B in the last round of regulation to make it 16-14.

fnatic started out the attacking side of Train on the right foot, winning the pistol round as Ludvig "⁠Brollan⁠" Brolin got a triple with a double by Jesper "⁠JW⁠" Wecksell. Down 0-3, Renegades then got two before both teams traded rounds, trying to get control of the economy early on in the map. Despite it being close, fnatic were able to rack up rounds and an economy, starting to run away with the half. Down 4-8, a triple by AZR followed by a double by jks kept Renegades in it, but fnatic were relentless on the offense, however, closing the attacking half 9-6.

Four glock kills by Jay "⁠Liazz⁠" Tregillgas gave Renegades the second pistol round, going on to take the first three rounds in the half, but as weapons were bought fnatic took control of the map, racking up rounds to a 16-9 final score, forcing the match to the decider.

Renegades got off to a flying start on Inferno, winning the gun round on the CT side, as well as the first couple of gun rounds on their way to a 5-0 lead. fnatic were able to make buys with the max loss bonus, and it was finally on the seventh that they got on the board with doubles by Simon "⁠twist⁠" Eliasson and JW. fnatic then found their footing, cutting the lead to half, 3-6, before Renegades could reply. From thereon out, however, they Oceanic team took control of proceedings, giving up just one more round en route to an 11-4 half.

Renegades then won a 5vs5 afterplant despite four kills on the retake attempt by Brollan, going on to make it 14-4 ahead of fnatic’s first proper buy of the half. fnatic were then able to retake a B plant in a 3vs3, but not in time to defuse the bomb, giving Renegades match point, who did not forgive, closing out the map 16-4 to take the series.