5POWER stun VG.Flash to qualify for IEM Shanghai

5POWER have booked their spot at IEM Shanghai 2018 after defeating VG.Flash on two maps (16-12 on Inferno, 19-16 on Cache) in the Chinese closed qualifier.

The series kicked off on Inferno, the map picked by 5POWER, who had a one map advantage due to coming from the upper bracket. The Asian mixture got off to a great start as Terrorists, stringing together the initial five rounds to take control of proceedings. VG.Flash responded well, tightening up their defence to bring the deficit to a sole round by half-time.

5POWER further added to their lead in the second half after winning their CT pistol, 12-7, and lost only more round before hitting map-point. VG.Flash still attempted a comeback by bagging four rounds in a row, but then 5POWER closed out the map with ZhiHai "⁠QKA⁠" Fu leading the way with a 1.38 rating.

Next up was VG.Flash's map pick, Cache. It began with 5POWER securing another pistol, this time as CTs. From the third round onwards, however, it was all about KunHua "⁠LOVEYY⁠" Bai and co., who lost only two more rounds to bag an 11-4 half-time lead.

But 5POWER had their eyes set on Shanghai, and came from half-time ready to turn things around, first with a five-round winning streak to reach nine rounds. VG.Flash still hit map-point at 15-13, but 5POWER remained calm and collected to take the game to overtime, finishing things off, 19-16, with Gan-Erdene "⁠dobu⁠" Batbold topping the scoreboard with 40 kills and 1.59 rating.

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IEM Shanghai 2018 will run from August 1-6 in Shanghai, where eight teams will battle it out for their share of the $250,000 prize pool. The team list currently looks as follows: