The penultimate playoffs of IEM Katowice have concluded, and two of the best-rated teams of the tournament are headed to the Grand Final. Taking down their respective opponents with ease, Heroic and G2 are looking poised for a barnburner Grand Final. Despite a strong quarterfinal showing by Liquid, and a resurgent NAVI, both failed to get past their rivals in the semifinal games.
Liquid and NAVI fall to make way for a Heroic vs. G2 IEM Katowice final
Semifinal A: Team Liquid vs. G2
- Anubis (Team Liquid’s pick): 16-10 to G2
- Inferno (G2’s pick): 16-11 to G2
- Ancient (Decider): Not required, series settled 2-0 to G2
Coming off the back of a strong comeback against Vitality in the semis, Liquid had momentum on their side. However, a dominant G2 looked impossible to topple as they continue their winning streak from December 2022. The Kovač cousins put up stellar performances with a 1.36 rating for Hunter and a 1.27 rating for NiKo by the end of the series. The duo managed to clutch a bunch of rounds despite man disadvantages, stopping Liquid from gaining any momentum.
Semifinal B: Heroic vs. Natus Vincere
- Inferno (NAVI’s pick): 16-8 to Heroic
- Mirage (Heroic’s pick): 16-8 to Heroic
- Nuke (Decider): Not required, series settled 2-0 to Heroic
Despite a disappointing Blast Spring Groups, Heroic seems to have bounced back at IEM Katowice. The Cadian-led squad looked in complete control as they fought an arguably ailing NAVI. Posting a poor performance on both maps, NAVI only mustered 8 rounds on each outing. Speaking to HLTV after the game, S1mple stated “Some of our players were too scared to play against such a good team.” S1mple ended the series with a paltry 0.93 rating with series MVP René ‘TeSeS’ Madsen posting a monstrous 1.49 rating.
Where to watch the Grand Finals?
The Grand Finals will be streamed live at 16:00 CET on the ESL CS Twitch and YouTube channels:
Regional language streams will be available via the CS: GO Twitch directory.
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