CS:GO - IEM Katowice 2023 Playoffs Quarterfinals - Feb 11, 2023, 2:00 AM (PST)

[Mary C]

Team Vitality vs Team Liquid 

Team Vitality initially shows up for this matchup after losing to Heroic in their previous round of “Group B”. It is important to keep in mind how the French organization behaved later in the competition before we analyze their defeat. They had a great opening round performance, defeating the Swedish group Ninjas in Pyjamas by a score of two maps to zero. They were able to win again in the sequence, this time defeating another Swedish company, Fnatic, 2-1. 

In their final match for IEM Katowice 2023, they were ahead of the Heroic world’s current No. 1 team but lost the series. They made a fairly balanced first half in hell on the first map of their choosing, losing by 6-9 while being on the terrorist side. They only added one more point in the second half, though, and ultimately fell short by a score of 7-16. They were even more outmatched tactically and technically on the following map, losing the overpass by a total of 416. 

Team Liquid, on the other hand, makes an appearance for this matchup after recovering under the “Group A” table and receiving a playoff spot after defeating the FaZe Clan, it is important to keep in mind how the Americans behaved during their campaign before making any comments about their victory. The cast was demoted to the “Lower Bracket” after winning their first round against IHC but losing the following round. They didn’t back down though, and they defeated Spirit in an elimination match. 

They surprised their opponents by getting the better of the European organization FaZe Clan in their final game that counted toward IEM Katowice 2023. In the series, they began to influence the opponents they faced and went on to lose hell by games 14 through 16. The Americans, however, displayed incredible tenacity and turned the duel in their favor by selecting the overpass and the third and most important map of the mirage by scores of 16-11 and 16-13, respectively.