FURIA secured their spot in the IEM Rio 2024 semifinals after beating Natus Vincere (NAVI) in a thrilling series, with two maps to zero, on Wednesday afternoon (9). Repeating the exciting atmosphere of the Major in Rio, the Brazilian team is now among the four best in the tournament.
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Strategic victory on the Nuke map
The first map of the series was Nuke, chosen by FURIA, where the Brazilians started promisingly on the terrorist side. The team opened the scoring with a victory in the pistol round, followed by a dominant run, reaching 6-3. However, NAVI managed to respond on the first set and, by capitalizing on their defense, closed the gap, closing the score with five points.
After switching sides, the teams remained evenly matched. NAVI won the pistol round, but FURIA quickly responded with a forced victory, regaining control of the game. The match remained tight until the score was tied at 10-10, at which point FURIA adapted to NAVI's executions at bombsite A. With precise defenses and excellent game reading, the Brazilian team secured a 13-10 victory, solidly closing out the map.
Absolute dominance on the Mirage map
The second map was Mirage, NAVI's choice, but FURIA dominated the match. Starting on the counter-terrorist (CT) side, the Brazilian team displayed exceptional performance, alternating defensive tactics and controlling the map space with precision. Even though NAVI managed to surprise in two economic rounds, FURIA maintained the lead, ending the first half with a 9-3 score.
In the second half, NAVI started well by winning the pistol round, but FURIA again demonstrated its strength by converting the forced round shortly thereafter. One of the most memorable moments was skullz's ace clutch, which extended the Brazilians' lead. FURIA reached a 12-4 lead and, after winning the opponents' only set on the CT side, closed the map 13-4, confirming their passage to the semifinals.
FURIA stands out with strategy and precision at IEM Rio 2024
FURIA demonstrated not only individual skill but also excellent tactical awareness throughout the series against NAVI. Players like KSCERATO and FalleN were crucial in decisive moments, while skullz was instrumental in the clutch play that secured the victory in the forced second round on Mirage. The team now heads into the semifinals confidently, maintaining its dream of bringing the title back to Brazil.
