fnatic overcome Na´Vi challenge

fnatic came from behind to beat Natus Vincere 2-1 and progress to the Grand Final at the IEM5 European Championship Finals.

On de_dust2, Na´Vi were the first team to score, in a 1-on-1 situation on bombsite A after several shots had been fired all over the map. Fnatic, though, responded immediately after, as the two AK-47s bought by the Swedes were more than enough to outdo the Ukrainians. Such round inspired fnatic and allowed them to take the score to 6-1 in their favour, but then Na´Vi got back into the game and won eight rounds in a row.

In the second half, Na´Vi again won the pistol round but this time they managed to add two more rounds to that, to set the score at 12-6. Fnatic won the first gun round, but the rest of the map went practically to the way of Na´Vi, who would lose only one more round as they posted an impressive 16-8 success.

The teams then switched to de_inferno, where Na´Vi’s push into the house caused no damage as fnatic were there to stop the Ukrainian team. The Swedish team added only one round to that, though, as Na´Vi made it 2-1 in the third round. The following rounds went both ways, with neither team able to prove their authority, but the last three rounds went to fnatic, who were 9-6 in the lead at the break.

The second half began with Na´Vi clinching the pistol round thanks to two USP headshots by Sergey "starix" Ischuk, but fnatic responded in style in the second round to regain a three-round lead. The Ukrainians then risked a lot by buying Desert Eagles and armor the following round and the move did not pay off. The Swedish team’s attacks were proving to be deadly, so it was no surprise that they won the map 16-9.

On de_train, as expected, it was a matter of who started out on the CT side, and it was fnatic. The Swedish side displayed some really strong defensive work and strolled to a 6-0 lead. Na´Vi then picked up three consecutive rounds, and just when many thought that a comeback was in the making, fnatic picked themselves up and won the rest of the first half.

Losing by nine rounds, it was clearly a heartbroken Na´Vi team the one that entered the second half, which made things even easier for fnatic, who picked up the four rounds they needed to win de_train 16-3.

IEM5 European Championship FinalsBest of 0

Natus Vincere

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22nd January 2011

fnatic

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