On the first day of IEM Rio 2024, the international Counter-Strike championship, Brazilian teams experienced highs and lows. FURIA defeated MOUZ and secured their place in the playoffs, while paiN Gaming and Imperial were eliminated after losses to FaZe Clan and Complexity, ending their participation in the competition on the first day.
- paiN eliminated from Worlds 2024 after loss to Team Liquid
- Silent Hill 2 and Dragon Ball Sparking Zero are highlights of the week's releases
FURIA secures playoff spot with victory over MOUZ
The duel began on the Nuke map, where FURIA, who had chosen the battlefield, dominated the initial action. They quickly opened up a 5-0 lead, ending the first half with a tight 7-5 advantage. After switching sides, MOUZ tried to fight back, managing to close the gap to 9-8. However, Gabriel “FalleN” Toledo stepped up in the decisive moments, leading FURIA to a 13-8 victory on the map.
The second match took place on Mirage, where Kaike “KSCERATO” Cerato shone with an ace in the pistol round, helping his team take a 3-1 lead. However, MOUZ quickly regrouped, took control of the match, and won the map 13-5, tying the series.
Everything was decided on the final map, Dust 2. FURIA, once again, started strong and opened up a 5-0 lead. Unlike the previous map, this time the Brazilian team gave their opponent no chance, closing the first half with a 9-3 advantage. Even with the loss in the pistol round in the second half, FURIA didn't slow down, winning four consecutive rounds and closing the score at 13-5, securing a 2-1 victory in the series and guaranteeing their spot in the playoffs.
With the victory, the Brazilian team became the first to secure a spot in the final stage of the tournament, solidifying its position as one of the favorites.
FaZe wins and eliminates paiN Gaming
After losing to FaZe Clan 2-1, paiN Gaming became the first Brazilian team to be eliminated from the competition. Led by Rodrigo “biguzera” Bittencourt, the Brazilian team fought hard in a close series but couldn't secure victory in the three maps played.
The Brazilian team chose Dust2 as the first map of the series. However, they struggled from the start. The European team, led by Finn “karrigan” Andersen, dominated the first half, taking the score to 10-2. Despite an attempt at a comeback by paiN in the second half, FaZe Clan's star player, Robin “ropz” Kool, shone in the final moments and secured the victory 13-9.
On Mirage, the map chosen by FaZe Clan, paiN started dominantly, opening up a 6-1 lead on the CT side. However, the Europeans found openings on bombsite A and managed to reduce the deficit. In the second half, paiN seemed to control the game, but FaZe Clan forced overtime after preventing four map points. Even so, the Brazilian team held firm and won 16-13.
The decisive map, Nuke, saw FaZe Clan take a 3-0 lead on the Terrorist side. paiN reacted, turning the score around to 6-3, but the Europeans managed to destabilize the Brazilian economy and tied the game at the end of the first half. In the second half, the Brazilian team had a chance to turn the game around, but lost a crucial eco round. FaZe Clan took advantage of the opportunity and closed the match 13-10, eliminating paiN from the competition.
Complexity eliminates Imperial
Imperial was eliminated after losing to the American team Complexity 2-1. With their second consecutive loss of the day, the team said goodbye to the tournament in the group stage.
The match, which began with a closely contested map, Dust2, ended with a victory for Complexity. Despite a strong defensive start, Imperial couldn't maintain the momentum in overtime and lost 16-12. In the second map, Vertigo, the Brazilian team rallied, winning 13-11 after withstanding Complexity's pressure at the end of the match.
However, on the decisive map, Ancient, the North American team was dominant. With a solid defensive strategy, Complexity neutralized Imperial's advances and closed out the game 13-5, securing the series victory and eliminating the Brazilians from the championship.
