INTZ defeat MVP PK; qualify for StarLadder Major
INTZ won MVP PK’s map pick, Vertigo (16-12), before closing the series out on Train (16-13), to qualify for the StarLadder Major’s New Challengers Stage.
After a disappointing loss to DreamEaters, INTZ faced off against MVP PK, who had been unable to contest North in their Play-in opener. The Brazilian team’s two-map series victory marked the end of the Minors, as the New Challengers Stage teams for the StarLadder Major are now set.
A triple by Seon-Ho "xeta" Son on the attacking pistol round on Vertigo gave MVP PK the early lead on their map pick. The Korean side were then able to win against the forcebuy, but gave up the following to a full save. Gu-Taek "stax" Kim played a 1vs3 afterplant situation the following round, but was only able to shoot down two before being taken out as INTZ tied it up, 2-2.
The Brazilians proceeded to win two more rounds with the economic advantage on their side, but Hyun-Pyo "XigN" Lee and company didn’t let the early match slip away, bringing it back to 4-4 and flipping the economic game around. Both teams then went back-and-forth in an incredibly close half, with MVP PK taking the slighest possible advantage, 8-7, as Min-Seok "zeff" Park led the way with 20 kills and 126 ADR.
Doubles by stax and XigN gave the Korean team the second pistol round, as MVP PK went on to win the anti-eco and the first gun round, increasing their lead to 11-7 before losing to a forcebuy in which Gustavo "yel" Knittel and Vito "kNgV-" Giuseppe were able to score doubles. A triple by Marcelo "chelo" Cespedes to turn around a 3vs5 situation then gave INTZ another round, as the Brazilians inched closer to tying it up. A triple by xeta kept MVP PK ahead, 12-10, but INTZ continued plowing through on the attacking side to tie it up. With the momentum on their side, they went on to close the first map out, 16-12.
Two opening frags with the glock in a 5vs5 afterplant by Alexandre "xand" Zizi got INTZ off to a flying start on Train, who were then able to cleanly win the anti-eco. A fast A play completely failed, however, as MVP PK mowed down the Brazilian players to get on the board. Fully equipped on the following round, INTZ went back to winning ways, picking off the CTs around the map to end up winning a 4vs1 on the A site.
yel got two opening kills against an aggressive push into Main by the CTs, putting INTZ up 6-2 and getting them in a very good situation to take the first half. MVP PK were able to get a couple more rounds on the board, but INTZ dominated as chelo clutched a 1vs2 afterplant to make it 10-5 at the switch.
MVP PK then took the second pistol round to stay in the game, but were immediately countered by doubles from kNgV- and xand as INTZ eyed the finish line on the CT side. The Korean side were able to get some momentum by linking several gun rounds in a row, breaking INTZ's economy and bringing it to 11-13 before a triple with the AWP by kNgV- got INTZ back on track.
After a tactical pause, MVP PK won another round after an execute on the A site, and made it 13-14, but INTZ were finally able to get to match point and close the map and series out, 16-13.
K - D | +/- | ADR | Rating 2.0 | |
---|---|---|---|---|
53 - 35 | +18 | 94.5 | 1.44 | |
42 - 34 | +8 | 89.0 | 1.29 | |
45 - 30 | +15 | 71.5 | 1.28 | |
36 - 36 | 0 | 78.4 | 1.03 | |
36 - 37 | -1 | 61.6 | 0.97 |
K - D | +/- | ADR | Rating 2.0 | |
---|---|---|---|---|
46 - 45 | +1 | 86.6 | 1.23 | |
39 - 40 | -1 | 74.5 | 1.01 | |
30 - 41 | -11 | 57.4 | 0.80 | |
32 - 45 | -13 | 55.1 | 0.69 | |
25 - 42 | -17 | 55.8 | 0.67 |
The final team list for the New Challengers Stage, which is set to run on August 23-26 at the Verti Music Hall in Berlin with eight spots for the New Legends Stage up for grabs, is the following: