FaZe claim IEM Sydney trophy in thriller against Complexity

The final series in Sydney required all three maps and two overtimes in the decider to go the way of FaZe.

FaZe won the first Counter-Strike 2 Big Event, IEM Sydney, in a thrilling three-map final that not only went all the way in the decider but needed two overtimes to be settled.

None of the maps were blowouts, either. Complexity won their Overpass pick in the last round of regulation before FaZe tied things up 13-10 on Nuke. Even when it looked like Ancient was going to be a blowout, Complexity dug deep to force not one but two OTs.

The series started in fashion with a 1vs3 by Robin "⁠ropz⁠" Kool, but that statement triple by the Estonian didn’t scare Complexity, as once they got their economy in check Johnny "⁠JT⁠" Theodosiou and his men picked up five on the trot. Ultimately, FaZe came back to put up 7-5 at the half, but it took some heroics such as Helvijs "⁠broky⁠" Saukants’s AWP quad-kill in the final round to get there.

FaZe made it two for two in pistol rounds to take the lead, but couldn’t hold on. As the half went along it evened out and both teams went toe-to-toe. Dealing with a dwindling economy, Complexity had to put all of their money on the line to buy in the 22nd round. A loss meant FaZe would hit match point, and a win would tie things up and give Complexity an economic boost — after winning it, the NA-majority squad went on to close out their pick.

Complexity won the CT pistol on Nuke, but FaZe also fought back from the start with Håvard "⁠rain⁠" Nygaard taking up plenty of space in Yard. The early back-and-forth eventually subsided and FaZe’s superiority showed even in defeat, when Russel "⁠Twistzz⁠" Van Dulken downed three players in a 1vs5 to impart crucial economic damage. Fighting with a struggling economy, Complexity faltered and after FaZe won a 4vs5 plant in the B site they sealed an 8-4 lead.

Complexity got even with FaZe and didn’t back down in a map that was largely decided by failing CT economies. In the end, though, FaZe broke through in a low buy and turned their map pick around in their favor to run away 13-10 and tie the series up.

FaZe looked poised to run away in the decider map, putting up nine rounds on the defense as Complexity crumbled in most close situations that could have untilted the balance. It looked as good as over when FaZe then won the second pistol round, hitting double digits with a seven-round lead.

Then a heroic play by Jonathan "⁠EliGE⁠" Jablonowski with two kills and an assist flying down Mid in a second-round forcebuy shifted momentum. Håkon "⁠hallzerk⁠" Fjærli, eco-bashing five players on A and JT winning a 1vs1 the following round raised morale in the Complexity camp to the point that the comeback looked real.

A Tec9 run-and-gun play that ended with broky clutching put FaZe back in the driver’s seat, and then rain won a back-breaking 1vs2 situation to get on match point. With no economy, Complexity won another in-extremis round by stopping an A hit and pushed the series to overtime.

The stalemate was not lifted after the first overtime, but a clean 3-0 by FaZe on the CT side of the second overtime finally proved enough for Finn "⁠karrigan⁠" Andersen and company to lift yet another title, the first one in CS2, and one which ends a dry spell going back to March.