For every competition, as readily as we are to merit winners with their appropriate accolades, we must also acknowledge that teams will inevitably lose.
The first drop today was of Mousesports as they combatted the MAD Lions, ultimately succumbing in a relatively one-sided match-up. MIBR was rough to watch two days ago, but mousesports only did slightly better in their match up where they ended their ESL One Cologne 2020 Online journey at a clean-sweep (0-2).
MAD Lions began the matchup with their map pick of Vertigo which they promptly cleaned house with; starting on T netted them ten points in the first half and the remaining six straight on as CT with no response from mousesports. The (5-16) scoreline didn’t bode entirely well for mousesports as they went into their map pick of Nuke, but it was presumed that mousesports had something prepared for the map.
With mousesports starting on T, they gleaned four rounds against MAD’s eleven; switching sides and mousesports again didn’t manage to score a single point in the second half. MAD finished the match with relative ease at (4-16) and the first match of the day was over before most had even digested that they had began.
Karrigan was noticeably frustrated with their performance, making a bit of a show of uninstalling Counter-Strike: Global Offensive in a clip he pushed via Twitter. Note the title Barbie Dreamhouse Party within his library.
Out of Cologne pic.twitter.com/QWIXT814Sa
— karrigan (@karriganCSGO) August 21, 2020
Up next on the chopping block was either FaZe Clan or MIBR, and the odds were well stacked against MIBR after a rough showing where they put up a paltry number of points against G2; they simply seemed outclassed within the European region as they were playing from Serbia.
The match proved to have merit; MIBR picked Train where they pushed admirably well against FaZe. Starting on T, MIBR picked up twelve points in the first half while HaZe looked unable to follow the squad in successfully planting. The second half proved a bit dicier, as FaZe was able to pick up five before MIBR managed to close it out with four points of their own (16-8).
Inferno was FaZe’s pick, and they won theirs as well at (12-16) after FaZe put together a fantastic T first half that MIBR couldn’t respond to. MIBR again held together for the second half, placing eight points on the board for themselves before FaZe managed their remaining five.
The decider was on Dust2, and MIBR frankly seemed out of sorts in the first half where FaZe ran ten rounds as CT versus MIBR’s five. The casters were high on the idea of MIBR being able to perform similarly on their CT, yet it seemed as though a mental break was imminent for the Brazilian team as they managed to only successfully pull one round in the second half before FaZe pulled the victory at (6-16).
It was a far stronger showing from MIBR than what we saw occurring earlier within the tournament, and if they played similarly they likely wouldn’t have been in the bottom bracket to begin with. Mousesports took an early leave from the tourney as well; both teams are expected to refit and perform again in coming matches with stronger appearances that match their rankings.