flameZ tops the server as Vitality send OG to lower bracket in Cologne

The Dan "⁠apEX⁠" Madesclaire-led roster will lock horns with MOUZ on Monday for a chance to guarantee a place in the IEM Cologne playoffs.

Vitality secured their first win of IEM Cologne after a 2-0 victory over OG, drawing first blood following a dominant display on Mirage (16-6) before wrapping things up after a more back-and-forth brawl on Anubis (16-13).

The fixture notably set the stage for a showdown between Shahar "⁠flameZ⁠" Shushan and OG, his former home of two years across 2021-2023. However, the Israeli, who left OG and signed with Vitality over the off-season, was upfront about not seeing it as such an important battle in his pre-game interview on stream with James "⁠BanKs⁠" Banks.

"Usually it's always a grudge match, [but] it doesn't necessarily feel like I'm playing against the OG I know," flameZ began. "It's three new players, and for a long period of time we played without nexa as well, so it doesn't feel as if I'm playing against my ex-team, but it's the organization, the coaching staff. You always want to win and especially against your ex-team, you want to show up and show the improvement."

The apEX-led roster now advance to the Group B upper bracket semi-final in Germany, where they will lock horns with MOUZ on Monday at 12:30 for a chance to guarantee a place in the IEM Cologne playoffs. OG, on the other hand, fall down to the lower bracket in the same group, and will thus have the unenviable task of having to face the new-look Natus Vincere, also on Monday at 12:30 in a bid to stay alive in the $1 million tournament.

Date	Matches
IEM Cologne 2023
31/07/2023	Natus Vincere 16:00 OG	Match

Vitality hit the ground running to start their IEM Cologne campaign, racing to a 12-3 lead by the side swap after bullying OG on their map pick with a proactive and in-your-face CT-side effort. Nemanja "⁠nexa⁠" Isaković's troops did add three rounds to their tally at the outset of the second half, but this only served to delay the inevitable, with Vitality quickly responding with four of their own to steal Mirage, 16-6, and force a trip to their Anubis pick.

OG refused to bow out without a fight despite the opening loss, though, putting up a competitive T-side effort thanks to key entries by Dion "⁠FASHR⁠" Derksen to remain one round behind at half-time. The hard-fought nature of the battle continued to be in effect as the map dragged on, but a crucial 1vs1 clutch from Emil "⁠Magisk⁠" Reif in round 26 ultimately turned the tide of the game, allowing Vitality to win four rounds on the bounce to close the map, 16-13, and the series, 2-0.