IEM Dallas: Playoffs Preview
In the group stage of IEM Dallas, teams stood toe-to-toe in a blood sport, fighting sweat and tears for the playoffs spot. Now, the dust has settled, and the teams stepping on stage are undisputed.
While expectations were high for the top dogs, it wasn’t a smooth sail for the best teams in the world. In fact, they were caught in a current of hungry underdogs, especially MOUZ. On the back of touching gold at ESL Pro League Season 19 and BetBoom Dacha Belgrade, they were the favorites to run through the competition in Dallas. Yet, they fumbled in the Lower Bracket Semi-Final against G2 Esports.
On the other hand, an unexpected dark horse prevailed with a historic run, skipping to the Semi-Finals. 9z Team shook the scene with steady feet against the best.
With an electrifying group stage, the Playoffs are expected to bring just as much excitement. Moreover, the elimination stage kicks off on Friday, 31st with a classic rivalry between FaZe Clan and G2. And on the flip side, Heroic will face the tenacious Vitality.
Against all odds
By far, the highlight of the group stage was the South American lineup of 9z. Before, they took a punch to the gut by missing the PGL Copenhagen Major, yet it seems as if IEM Dallas will be their redemption arc.
Image source: ESLAntonio "Martinez" Martinez and his team weren’t lucky considering the big names they cut through. Instead, they created their own luck, and this event is a mere fruit of their labor.
It all started in their opening BO1 match against MOUZ, where they unexpectedly hammered the German organization. As witnessed in previous events, BO1s are generally an open field with some heavy hitters falling to the underdogs.
However, it was against Team Liquid that it became evident how well-prepared 9z were, as their grit and fighting spirit took them to overtime, barely clinching a 2-1 win.
Yes! Casper "cadiaN" Møller’s results thus far have been a roller coaster with inconsistent results across the board. But, 9z’s coordinated play style and synergy allowed them to penetrate and grab Liquid by the neck. Notably seen on the first and decider maps.
So far, “Martinez” and Franco "dgt" Garcia were the standout players. The Spaniard managed to top the AWP kills per round with an impressive 0.37, in addition to being the third in entry kills.
9z will face the winner between FaZe Clan and G2 from the Quarter-Finals, and whether they’ll make another upset is a coin toss.
The clash of titans
Old rivals, now teammates
With the underdog story out of the way, it’s time for the clash of titans throughout the playoffs.
First, Finn "karrigan" Andersen will face both his ex-teammate “NiKo” and rival from back in 2018 at the ELEAGUE Major, Jacky "Stewie2K" Yip.
An odd series which “NiKo” commented on in a post-match interview for Dust2.us saying: “Me and Stewie against karrigan sounds weird but it's going to be hella exciting."
Nevertheless, FaZe Clan are looking solid so far, except for the slip up against Spirit, in which the series was competitive till the last round. Although their success was due to a collective team effort, Robin "ropz" Kool was especially formidable, netting the best numbers among his team.
G2, on the other hand, with a stand-in might not survive the FaZe storm. Despite winning against MOUZ and Liquid in the group stage, karrigan’s mega mind might be a tall task to overcome. In their head-to-head this year, FaZe came on top at IEM Katowice, while G2 bamboozled them in last Major’s RMR.
Without an IGL, and “NiKo” taking over those duties, their fire power is less frightening as seen in the group stage so far. For that, a win for FaZe is almost guaranteed.
Spirit back at it again
The Russian squad skipped two events since the Major: IEM Chengdu and ESL Pro League. Yet, their return to competition was positive with a runner-up spot at BetBoom Dacha.
Despite the lack of official matches compared to most teams, they’re looking as mighty as ever, with Danil "donk" Kryshkovets’s usual spectacular showing. To put into perspective, they almost 13-0’d FlyQuest in their opening match, and mopped the floor with NA'VI.
So far, their biggest challenge was FaZe Clan, yet, they passed it with flying colors. Their next opponent will either be Heroic or Vitality, with more chances going to the latter.
Technically, the Danes shouldn’t be a problem for Spirit, as they beat them twice this year including a recent win from BetBoom Dacha. Furthermore, without their new AWPer, Abdulkhalik "degster" Gasanov, it’s more likely to be a one-sided series after all.
However, for Vitality, their last matchup was in 2022 with different rosters, making the Mathieu “ZywOo” Herbaut and “donk” rivalry a feast for the eyes.
All in all, and despite the first elimination matches results, a nail-biting finish is likely to close out the North American chapter, before heading to London for BLAST Premier Spring Finals.
IEM Dallas Playoffs schedule
Quarter-Finals:
- FaZe Clan vs. G2 Esports, May 31, 2024 - 19:00 WAST
- Heroic vs. Team Vitality, May 31, 2024 - 22:15 WAST
Semi- Finals:
- 9z Team vs. FaZe/G2, June 1, 2024 - 19:00 WAST
- Team Spirit vs. Heroic/Vitality, June 1, 2024 - 22:15 WAST
Grand-Finals
- TBA, June 2, 2024 - 19:00 WAST
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