FaZe Clan defeated Ninjasin Pyjamas in their quarter final matchup at PGL Antwerp 2-1 to advance to the semi finals. NiP were knocked out of the quarters of a Major for the second major running, but they exceeded expectations by reaching the top 8 even without star AWPer Nicolai ‘dev1ce’ Reedtz.
It took FaZe 3 maps to get through, but they did it in style with 13 rounds in a row on Inferno to send NiP home. They will now play the winner of Team Spirit vs FURIA on Saturday.
MAP VETO
- FaZe removed Vertigo
- NIP removed Dust2
- FaZe picked Nuke
- NIP picked Overpass
- NIP removed Mirage
- FaZe removed Ancient
- Inferno was left over
MAP 1 – NUKE
FaZe Clan 16-10 Ninjas in Pyjamas
MAP 2 – Overpass
FaZe Clan 13-16 Ninjas in Pyjamas
MAP 3 – Inferno
FaZe Clan 16-8 Ninjas in Pyjamas
NiP kicked off the proceedings on Nuke on the CT side as it was the pick of FaZe. The swedes were off to a flier, going up 5-0 before karrigan and co. had an answer. The old guard of rain and karrigan stepped up on the T side to help FaZe to a score of 4-6, as ropz found it difficult to get going on the T side. Plopski and es3tag helped NiP restrict FaZe to just 6 T rounds as they went to the T side with a 9-6 lead.
The fireworks soon stopped as all of FaZe stepped up alongside the old boys as NiP only got 1 T round, and FaZe proved why they picked Nuke, shutting down NiP and taking the map 16-10, with karrigan having brilliant reads and well timed pushes to boot.
On NiP’s pick of overpass, they started off well on the T side winning 5 of the first 7 after the pistol loss. The whole half went back and forth with both sides having their moments, but neither getting control of the game. NiP ended the half with 7 rounds as they moved to the favoured CT side.
FaZe won the pistol but lost the next 3 to sit at 9-10, before Twistszz powered them to an 11-10 score with a 10hp 1v2 clutch.
But powered by brollan, NiP won 6 of the last 7 rounds to stop faze at 13 rounds and win 16-13 to take us to Inferno.
On the GOAT deciding map of Inferno, NiP got off to a good start yet again, after FaZe gifted them a 4v2 on the force buy in the second round. After an even 3-3 start, NiP went up 8-3 and looked set for double digits on the CT side. But the young guns showed up for FaZe when the old guard couldnt, and they strung together 4 rounds to end the half, including a brilliant 2v5 between ropz and broky in the 15th.
The T side from NiP looked toothless and FaZe started with aggression and disrespect. Karrigan called the shots with ease as his troops put up an insurmountable defence to win 9 CT rounds, and 13 rounds in a row in total to send NiP packing and make it to the semi finals of PGL Major Antwerp.
FaZe will now play the winner of Team Spirit vs FURIA on saturday for a spot at the Grand Finals of the Major. NiP go home in 5-8th position with $35,000 in prize money.