G2 Esports made history at the Intel Extreme Masters (IEM) Katowice tournament, becoming champions after defeating Heroic 3-1 in the grand final. The international squad, consisting of cousins Nikola “NiKo” Kovač and Nemanja “huNter-” Kovač, among others, won the title without losing a single series and only dropping one map. This marks a momentous occasion for the Kovač cousins, especially the elder of the two who had previously played in three IEM Katowice grand finals before finally lifting the iconic trophy in Poland.
Justin “jks” Savage Makes History
In addition to G2’s victory, player Justin “jks” Savage made his own mark in the history books. This win marks his second IEM Katowice championship in a row after he raised the trophy as a stand-in with FaZe in 2022. With this achievement, Savage became the first player to win back-to-back IEM Katowice championships since 2016, and the first player ever to do so with two different teams.
G2’s Dominant Performance
G2 Esports dominated the tournament, extending their win streak to 12 matches. The team played with precision and strategy, showing their skills and teamwork on the global stage. Their victory at IEM Katowice solidifies their position as a top-tier team in the competitive esports world.
The Significance of IEM Katowice
IEM Katowice is one of the most prestigious tournaments in the esports world, attracting top teams and players from around the globe. The tournament has a rich history, dating back to 2007, and has been a staple in the competitive esports calendar. Winning at IEM Katowice is a huge accomplishment for any team and is a testament to their skill and determination.
Map Recap
Nuke
G2’s pick prompted the Danes to start on the defence where they managed to do well. Only letting slip 5 rounds, G2 was looking shaky with their offence looking not as sharp in comparison with their previous showings. However, the sizeable 5 rounds deficit was quickly levelled once they moved on the defence. On the CT side, things look just how everyone anticipated with the experience and firepower coming into play for the international team where they closed the map 16-12.
Mirage
Heroic answered back with a strong offence of their own and all of a sudden G2 didn’t look as invincible. The skipper in cadiaN looked like the point person as a well-drilled T side took a 3-round lead before it was G2’s chance to attack. A better showing on the offence and G2 found themselves levelled with Heroic taking the lead in the 21st round. Everyone on the G2 side pulled their weight and their star power working in unison overpowered the Danes who themselves managed to close the gap in the end but not enough to push it over the line as G2 took home a close victory.
Inferno
Similar to Mirage, Heroic converted a 2nd round force buy following a pistol defeat leaving G2 in search of consecutive round wins. Heroic switched to a higher gear and looked almost unrecognizable later in the 2nd half. G2 failed to find their footing and Heroic pulled off a miracle, becoming the first team to take a map away from them in this tournament, a feat that no one achieved. G2 futile resistance left Heroic needing two more maps in a row if they were to take the trophy home while they needed just one.
Ancient
G2 on the CT side kick off the map with a 3-0 lead before the Danes showed up. A series of back and forth between the two sides saw G2 take a marginal 3-round lead on their defence. Their offence started with a pistol round conversion and building a 6 rounds lead before both teams had rifles out. Back and forth till G2 reach 16 in remarkable fashion winning the final map 16-7.
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