NIP stun FaZe to send them to the Showdown
FaZe came into BLAST Premier Fall Groups as one of the favourites to book a place at BLAST Premier Fall Final but they will now need to run the gauntlet at BLAST Premier Fall Showdown in order to do so.
The IEM Chengdu winners fell 2-0 to NIP in what is a huge upset for the Swedish organisation thanks to a breakout performance from their AWPer, r1nkle.
NIP clinch Ancient after OT
The Ukrainian had an early chance at pulling off a 1v1 against ropz in round six but unfortunately he was too big brained for even himself as he ran out of time to plant the bomb.
4-2 down thanks to that round loss, NIP managed to pull it back to level the score 6-6 at half time.
FaZe then started brightest in the second half thanks to their pistol round win, and ropz kept the streak going as he turned a 4v2 into a 2v1 in a matter of seconds.
NIP refused to call it quits, however, and isak prevented frozen from pulling off a 1v3 to halt FaZe's win streak at four.
They also won the following round to send FaZe onto an eco but that round was so quick that we only know for sure it happened thanks to video evidence.
With the game sent to overtime FaZe managed to get themselves into a favourable post plant scenario on B. NIP found their way in, however, defusing the bomb to secure the advantage .
broky then did some great work in the final round of the first half of overtime but it wasn't enough to give FaZe the lead they required.
NIP then managed to secure the map thanks to two more rounds in the second half, r1nkle top fragged with a monstrous 31-13 statline.
NIP need all the rounds to take Inferno
From one chaotic map and onto the next as NIP needed all 24 rounds to claim the series.
The Swedes started off brightest with a pistol round win but a frozen triple entry in Banana soon saw FaZe on the scoreboard.
The international squad then looked to be in a favourable position to tie the scores at 2-2 until alex pulled off a 1v2 retake on the A site.
Once again tied 6-6 at the half, FaZe could have won the second pistol round had rain not come off the bomb against the threat of alex lurking in CT.
However, just as in the first half, NIP could only convert their pistol round before FaZe pulled one back. This time a rather embarrassing round loss against a FaZe near-full eco, ropz pulled off heroics with his trusty Five-SeveN.
All tied up at 11-11, NIP took map point thanks to r1nkle besting karrigan in the 1v1.
It all came down to a 3v3 on the B site in the final round, and NIP took the series with r1nkle picking up two from Banana.