On the first day of IEM Rio 2024, the international Counter-Strike championship, Brazilian teams faced ups and downs. 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.
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FURIA secures playoff spot with victory over MOUZ
The duel began on the Nuke map, where FURIA, who had chosen the battlefield, dominated the early action. They quickly opened up a 5-0 lead, ending the first half with a tight 7-5 lead. After the turnaround, MOUZ attempted to fight back, eventually closing the gap to 9-8. However, Gabriel "FalleN" Toledo emerged in the decisive moments, leading FURIA to a 13-8 map victory.
The second match took place on Mirage, where Kaike "KSCERATO" Cerato shone with an ace in the pistol round, helping the 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, taking 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 lead. Despite losing 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 series victory and sealing their spot in the playoffs.
With the victory, the Brazilian team became the first to secure a place in the final stage of the tournament, solidifying its position as one of the favorites.
FaZe wins and eliminates paiN Gaming
After losing 2-1 to FaZe Clan, paiN Gaming became the first Brazilian team to be eliminated from the competition. Under the leadership of Rodrigo "biguzera" Bittencourt, the Brazilian team fought in a tight series but failed to secure victory on all three maps.
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 match to a 10-2 score. Despite a second-half comeback attempt from paiN, FaZe Clan star Robin "ropz" Kool shone in the final moments, securing a 13-9 victory.
On Mirage, FaZe Clan's chosen map, paiN started dominantly, opening a 6-1 lead on the CT side. However, the Europeans found openings at the A bombsite and managed to close the gap. In the second half, paiN seemed to control the game, but FaZe Clan sought overtime after conceding 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 TR side. paiN fought back, 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 tide, but lost a crucial economic round. FaZe Clan seized the opportunity and closed the match 13-10, eliminating paiN from the competition.
Complexity eliminates Imperial
Imperial was eliminated after losing 2-1 to the American team Complexity. 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 their momentum in overtime and lost 16-12. On the second map, Vertigo, the Brazilian team rallied, winning 13-11 after withstanding Complexity's late-game pressure.
However, on the decisive map, Ancient, the North American team dominated. 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.
