fnatic eliminated German CSGO side BIG in the lower bracket of IEM Katowice 2022 play-ins to go through to the main event. This is the first S tier event for this core of fnatic, after they added ALEX, mezii and smooya. fnatic were always on the backfoot but turned up in spades on the final map to win the series 2-1. They will play in the group stages of IEM Katowice 2022 tomorrow.
MAP VETO
- fnatic removed Dust2
- BIG removed Inferno
- fnatic picked Ancient
- BIG picked Vertigo
- fnatic removed Nuke
- BIG removed Mirage
- Overpass was left over
MAP 1: Ancient (fnatic 19-17 BIG)
fnatic picked into Ancient hoping to catch BIG off guard but that couldnt be further from the truth. tabseN and co. always had fnatic’s number on the CT side and ALEX’s calling could only help them net 3 T rounds.
The tables would turn the other way for BIG on their T side as they found it difficult to get anything going until the score was 12-12, fnatic coming back from a 9 round deficit to even the tide. The back and forth affair continued and fnatic managed to find their way back and push the game to OT.
That was when Veteran KRIMZ came alive, having been quiet all game. He helped fnatic find the 4 necessary rounds with a 1v2 in the last, as the UK-Swedish side completed a comeback for the ages to win 19-17.
MAP 2: Vertigo (fnatic 13-16 BIG)
BIG decided to go with Vertigo and their T side start was testament as to why. The Germans got off to a blistering start with 7 straight T side rounds, courtesy of AWPer syrsoN and tabseN. After a 7-0 start, things did cool off a bit but BIG continued bullying mezii on the B site and were in the driver’s seat with 10 T rounds to end the half 10-5.
fnatic showed glimpses of yet another comeback with 6 T rounds of their own, and another 2 after losing one, and things looked set for a 2-0 for them as the scoreline read 13-11. But enkay J chimed in during the timeout and BIG looked reinvigorated as they won every round from there on out to end 16-13 and take us to a third map.
MAP 3: Overpass (fnatic 16-12 BIG)
BIG started every map with a pretty big advantage but it was fnatic’s turn now. With 3-time IEM Katowice winner, KRIMZ, at the helm fnatic made BIG sweat every step of the way. They got 8 out of the first 9 rounds, and things might have looked shaky in round 7 but KRIMZ turned up with a stupendous 1v3 clutch to break BIG to the core.
fnatic kept aggressing and multi-kills from mezii and brollan on the B site and connector netted them 13 rounds at the half, the highest round difference in the series till now.
On the T side, fnatic kept trading rounds with BIG but lost control of the money and needed to reset after going up 15-3. BIG showed promise but it was far too late as fnatic closed it out with 16-8.
