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CSGO: NRG Defeat Na`Vi, Make the Semifinals of the StarLadder Berlin Major

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CSGO: NRG Defeat Na`Vi, Make the Semifinals of the StarLadder Berlin Major

NRG overpowered Natus Vincere this morning 2-0 to make it to the semifinals of the StarLadder Berlin CSGO Major.

The North American NRG squad took down CIS-powerhouse Na`Vi this morning 2-0, cementing their place in the semifinals of the StarLadder Major.

Veto

  • NRG removed Overpass
  • Natus Vincere removed Vertigo
  • NRG picked Dust2
  • Natus Vincere picked Mirage
  • Natus Vincere removed Train
  • NRG removed Inferno
  • Nuke is the decider

Map 1: Dust 2

Na`Vi started their CT-side well, taking the pistol round on a defuse. The second round, however, was not theirs to have as NRG answered back with a forcebuy win. The North Americans spun that forcebuy win into a 10-5 half, racking up round-win streaks of four and five on their way to winning their T-side half. Tarik “tarik” Celek had a standout four-kill round on the B-site in Round 12, crippling Na`Vi for the rest of the half.

Swapping sides, NRG managed to pick up their CT-pistol and the following two rounds before Na`Vi managed to find their footing and go on a five-round streak. Despite what looked like the beginning of a comeback, NRG managed to hit 16 rounds off the back of several missed AWP shots by Aleksandr “s1mple” Kostyliev and some confusing decisions by Na`Vi as a whole. The final score was 16-12 in favor of Na`Vi.

Map 2: Mirage

While NRG managed to secure the Dust 2 CT-side pistol, the NA squad lost four players in a weak anti-forcebuy effort in the second round, resulting in a quick back and forth until Na`Vi began to establish a rhythm on their T-side by round 5. NRG struggled to make an impact on their CT-side, allowing a 7 round run from s1mple and Co. That said, a fantastic aggressive AWP play from tarik in Round 12 allowed NRG to put up five rounds before halftime (10-5 Na`Vi).

Kicking off the second half, NRG took a dominant pistol win and translated that into a four-round win streak before a Kirill “Boombl4” Mikhailov four-kill hold on the A-site got Na`Vi on the board in the second half. In Round 22, tarik utilized his utility to the fullest as he won a 1v3 clutch on the B-site against what looked like terrified Na`Vi players bringing Mirage to a tied score.

NRG would continue their T-side dominance with another three rounds after tarik's clutch, leading to a 13-11 scoreline in favor of the North Americans. Na`Vi, however, wouldn't go quietly into the night. The CIS team's CT-side finally came alive in the final rounds, managing to eke out a 15-15 and sending the game into overtime.

OT 1

OT started out with an NRG round win off the back of a mid-A split, followed up by an explosive B-hit that brought the score 17-15 for NRG. Finally, however, Na`Vi managed to take the final round of the first half of OT 1 with a solid B hold from s1mple and veteran Danylo “Zeus” Teslenko. After the switch, an impressive A-hold from Ethan “Ethan” Arnold gave enough time for tarik and Vincent “Brehze” Cayonte to rotate and secure the first round on their CT-side. Two rounds later, NRG would take the win and the semifinals appearance.

What's Next for NRG at the StarLadder Major?

NRG will face off against the winner of Team Liquid vs. Astralis in the CS:GO StarLadder Berlin Major Semifinals.

 

Image VIA: StarLadder

Nick Johnson
Nick "Lesona" Johnson is an esports journalist with a focus on CS:GO and the OWL. His interest for esports started with CS:S and grew into a career as both an esports writer and an avid fan, giving him a unique perspective on both the casual and professional scenes. Twitter: @Lesona_