NAVI power past FURIA to reach DH Masters Spring semi-finals

The CIS giants will take on HEROIC on Saturday in a highly-anticipated match.

Natus Vincere are through to the semi-final stage of DreamHack Masters Spring following a 2-1 victory over FURIA. The CIS team had to come back from a map down after wasting four map points on Inferno - one in regulation and three in overtime -, but the following two maps were a controlled detonation of FURIA, who seemed to have run out of energy and ideas.

There is no doubting the quality of NAVI's performance tonight, especially after that first map (which could have easily gone their way). Oleksandr "⁠s1mple⁠" Kostyliev and Denis "⁠electroNic⁠" Sharipov both looked sharp, and there was also a valuable contribution from Valeriy "⁠b1t⁠" Vakhovskiy on the final map. But the question is whether that will be enough to defeat an in-form and methodical HEROIC team in what will be the first match between the two sides in over six months.

NAVI got off to a fine start and raced to a 7-3 lead on the CT side of Inferno, FURIA's map pick. Things were starting to look desperate for the Brazilians, but then they finally hit their stride, winning the last five rounds of the half to head into the break with a narrow lead.

After an initial period in the second half dominated by NAVI, FURIA tightened up and seized control of the game, with the scoreline blooming to a 14-12 advantage in their favour. A well-timed B hit from NAVI with nothing but pistols shifted the momentum of the game, but the CIS giants were unable to deliver the finishing blow as the Brazilians secured the final round to take the game to overtime.

NAVI looked prime to secure the map as they romped to an 18-15 lead on the offence, but FURIA responded in kind - with Paytyn "⁠junior⁠" Johnson raising eyebrows with a stunning 1v2 clutch - and then dispatched their opponents in the following overtime.

After that keenly-contested opening map, Nuke turned out to be a rather dull affair as NAVI ran rampant from the offset, dominating the helpless Brazilians, who had in Kaike "⁠KSCERATO⁠" Cerato the only player who showed any spark. s1mple seemed to be picking up form as he put in a 2.15 rating (30-9 KDD) to inspire his side to a 16-6 battering - a worrying sign for FURIA as they headed into Mirage.

NAVI picked up where they left off and ruthlessly prised FURIA's leaky defence apart, this time with b1t leading the charge (19-6 KDD, 129 ADR) in a 12-3 rout. The Brazilians tried to force their way back into the game as they put some rounds together after switching sides, but their recovery was short-lived as NAVI wrapped things up right after getting their economy in order.