G2 advance to group B upper bracket final at expense of AVANGAR

G2 have advanced to the upper bracket finals of group B following a 2-0 series victory against AVANGAR.

Vertigo was the first map of the series, where G2 kicked off their CT performance with a productive pistol round. Follow-through in the ensuing seven rounds ensured a dominant start for the French squad, with Kenny "⁠kennyS⁠" Schrub posting an impressive AWP triple kill on the A site in round 7. AVANGAR's struggles on the offense yielded but two consecutive rounds, the latter thanks to solid showings from Aleksei "⁠Qikert⁠" Golubev and Dzhami "⁠Jame⁠" Ali. Unfazed by the minor setback, the French squadron went on to conclude their defensive campaign with a dominant 12-3 half, placing the Kazakh side in a predicament.

A successful start to their defence meant that AVANGAR were able to convert four consecutive rounds, one witnessing an AWP triple kill for Jame. While demonstrating a solid performance, a single fault on part of the Kazakh side cost them dearly, as the shortcoming provided the Frenchmen with sufficient swing to secure map point.

With their backs against the wall, AVANGAR fought fiercely in looks to secure overtime, testimony to which were multi-frags from Dauren "⁠AdreN⁠" Kystaubayev, Jame and Sanjar "⁠SANJI⁠" Kuliev, but the individual showings were insufficient in extending Vertigo, as it went the way of G2 at 16-11.

G2 once more secured a fruitful CT start, this time on Train, where the French squad surpassed their opponents past their first full buy, assuming a 4-0 lead as a result. Timur "⁠buster⁠" Tulepov single-handedly secured his team their first conversion with a Krieg quad kill, but it did not yield long-term effects for the Kazakh five. With only an additional two rounds to show for their T side, AVANGAR were once more faced with a significant deficit at 3-12.

A consecutive pistol round for G2 seemed like a surefire sign of a brief series, but against the odds AVANGAR were able to snatch the momentum right out of the T's hands with a successful force buy. The Kazakhs proceeded to assume complete control of affairs, shutting down the French offensive with flawless consistency all the way to a 13-13 equaliser, boasting a tally of 10 consecutive rounds.

A 1v1 clutch from Qikert finally placed the team in the lead, but a brisk B hit from G2 denied AVANGAR map point, squaring the score once again. Regulation subsequently proved insufficient in deciding the outcome of Train, as an equal exchange of the final two rounds meant overtime.

Contrary to regulation, G2 were able to produce a significantly more fruitful T-side performance in overtime, securing a 2-1 offensive half. The CT showing was just as impressive, as two consecutive conversions meant a 19-16 victory for the French squad, who are now set to face Ninjas in Pyjamas for a spot in the playoffs of the $500,000 tournament.