KOI defeat fnatic to secure Major berth

bodyy and company are in the 2-2 pool and will have one more shot at earning a spot in Copenhagen.

KOI made it through the RMR and qualified for the PGL Copenhagen Major with a 3-1 record, joining G2 and Virtus.pro, after defeating fnatic 2-0 in the 2-1 pool.

Emotions ran rampant after the match as David "⁠dav1g⁠" Granado Bermudo and Alejandro "⁠mopoz⁠" Fernández-Quejo Cano will return to CS's biggest stage for the first time since the PGL Major in Stockholm. The duo has endured many changes to the team's roster since then, including being removed and brought back on in the case of dav1g.

For the team's Portuguese duo, Tiago "⁠JUST⁠" Moura and Renato "⁠stadodo⁠" Gonçalves, who had been discarded by their country's top side, this feat means just as much or even more, as it will be their first time reaching a Major; a fact made sweeter by the fact that they were eliminated from the Antwerp Major by a tiny margin in 2022.

It will also be a first for coach Eloy "⁠deLonge⁠" Suárez and rifler Adam "⁠adamS⁠" Marian. The Romanian player joked about having a local buff on their side at the RMR in Bucharest; which may not be a lie as he led the board in the series with a 1.38 rating.

Despite the 2-0 scoreline it wasn't a straightforward affair for the Iberian squad, as they showed plenty of mental fortitude and ground back from a 4-10 deficit on their Vertigo map pick to a 12-12 tie by the end of regulation.

After failing to close out the first overtime on match point, when Can "⁠kyuubii⁠" Ali managed to stick a ninja defuse against JUST, KOI went on to dominate the second round of extra time 19-16.
"We just focused on our play, we're confident in each other," JUST replied when asked about the keys to winning the first map. "That's the most important thing in a team and that helped us get the comeback and win Vertigo."

stadodo was a crucial player in the comeback, making many crucial plays in KOI's victory. "My level at this tournament was not that good these last games," the AWPer said, "so I told my teammates that I'm going to step up today." His 30 kills and 1.40 rating on the map are testament to it.

KOI once again fell behind early on Ancient, but brought a 2-6 start to even by the half and carried the momentum to the T side. With the pressure off their shoulders and a triple by JUST in the second pistol round, which put them in the lead, KOI sailed to a 13-7 victory to earn the coveted Major berth.

The black-and-orange are not out yet, however, as this was a 2-1 match, and so they will be in one of the toughest mental battles a team can be in, fighting in the do-or-die deciding matches on the final day of the RMR.