FaZe Clan became the first team to qualify for the Grand Final of PGL Antwerp Major with a marathon series win over Team Spirit in the semi-finals. The series took two maps but lasted almost as long as a full Bo3, courtesy of a 29-round Mirage and a mammoth 48-round Dust2 which went to triple overtime. This will be the first Major final for broky, ropz, and Twistzz while rain and Karrigan will be playing their second Major final, after losing out in the infamous Boston Major final to Cloud9. They will play the winner of ENCE vs NaVi in the Grand Finals.
MAP VETO
- FaZe removed Vertigo
- Spirit removed Inferno
- FaZe picked Mirage
- Spirit picked Dust2
- Spirit removed Overpass
- FaZe removed Ancient
- Nuke was left over
MAP 1 – Mirage (FaZe Clan 16-13 Team Spirit)
FaZe chose their comfort pick of Mirage and started on the T side. After a pistol loss, things picked up for the international roster. A member of FaZe Clan since its inception, rain powered his side to a 7-3 scoreline, going 7-0 in opening duels. Supported well by his IGL karrigan, FaZe racked up 10 T rounds to be in the driver’s seat.
It was now the Russians’ turn on the offense, and it started with a pistol win and conversion down to chopper’s good reads. They almost leveled the playing field but once the guns came out, FaZe were up 13-8.
Karrigan pulled out his A-game and won out a clean 1v3, which spurred FaZe on but rival AWPer degster, one of the candidates for MVP of PGL Antwerp, showed up in more ways than one as he secured a 1v2 on the B site, then a 1v1 on the A site to help his side get to within an almost touching distance of FaZe.
But a last-second defuse on the back of a 1v2 from ropz, helped FaZe to a 16-13 win on their pick.
MAP 2 – Dust2 (FaZe Clan 25-23 Team Spirit)
If Mirage was a cutthroat affair, Dust2 was on another level. Spirit started on the T side but it was FaZe who had a fiery start as they went up 4-1 and then 7-3. But a 2v4 in the 11th round, courtesy of an ace from magixx helped the Russians stabilize and secure a 6-9 half.
After switching sides, FaZe lost the pistol but won the subsequent 3 rounds as the score read 12-8 and it looked like karrigan and co. would run away with it. But led by chopper in frags and in calls, Team Spirit went on a streak of 6 to go up 14-12. FaZe managed to win the last 2 rounds as spirit’s economy shattered and the game went into OT.
A back and forth affair continued in Overtime, with both teams having strong CT sides in the first OT, each going 2-1 to go to a second OT.
The second one was much the same, and despite Spirit having map points in regulation and each of the first 2 OTs they couldnt close it out.
FaZe fell short in the third OT with only 1 T round win, and it seemed they would lose the game as an INSANE 1v4 from magixx pushed Spirit to a 23-22 lead.
But they bounced back on the CT side, clean sweeping the CIS side as karrigan KNIFED degster to take his side to yet another Major final.
FaZe will now play in their second CSGO Major Grand Final as an org. The last time left a bitter taste in their mouth as they lost to Cloud9 at the ELEAGUE Boston CSGO Major in 2018. They will play the winner of ENCE vs NaVi in the Grand finals tomorrow.
Spirit go home in 3-4th position and take $70,000 in prize money.
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