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Despite losing the first map, NAVI took the victory over Movistar Riders and secured the semi-final slot at IEM Cologne 2022.
XVII Cologne 2022Germany, Cologne, Lanxess Arena
FaZe Clan
Natus Vincere
Movistar RidersThe winners of BLAST Spring Finals, NAVI, proved their strength in Cologne. They clinched the victory in a match against MOUZ and smashed NiP to attend the upper bracket final of group A. The way of Movistar Riders is more interesting. The strong tier-2 team started to play at IEM Cologne 2022 from the Play-in stage, where they won against MIBR and Vitality.
In the group stage, the Spanish team continued to surprise their opponents, smashed G2, and again took the victory over Team Vitality. In the match for a slot for the semi-final of IEM Cologne, Movistar met with NAVI.
The match started from the equal game on Inferno, where NAVI took the lead after the first half on Inferno, 9:6. But Movistar made a miracle run in the second half. The Spanish team won ten rounds in a row on defense and took the first map 16:9. Thanks to mopoz, who made 26 kills on the first map, 11 of them – open frags.
You can't touch the goat ?@s1mpleO #IEM pic.twitter.com/6hSVFHwAFs
— ESL Counter-Strike (@ESLCS) July 10, 2022
The Spanish team continued to build success on Mirage, taking the first half with a score of 9:6. But NAVI solved the mistake they made on Inferno and played the decisive second half. Fortunately for NAVI’s fans, the leader of the team, s1mple, woke up: he made 26 kills on Mirage, 1.32 Rating 2.0, and 12 AWP frags.
I thought teams knifed for side before the match, not during it ?@b1tcs #IEM pic.twitter.com/hiohT0w99t
— ESL Counter-Strike (@ESLCS) July 10, 2022
NAVI didn’t want to start playoffs in LANXESS arena from the quarterfinals, so they took the lead in the first half on Overpass and won it with a score of 12:3. Movistar tried to decrease the distance. But after timeouts, NAVI solved mistakes, took the last two rounds, and won Overpass 16:10.
He's so good he can even make the Famas look good ?@s1mpleO #IEM pic.twitter.com/crOro9XifZ
— ESL Counter-Strike (@ESLCS) July 10, 2022
NAVI secured the semi-final spot and will try to win the second tournament in a row. Next Friday, Movistar Riders will make a stage appearance in the quarterfinal match against the winner of the game between Team Liquid and FURIA.