First CS2 Major: PGL Major Copenhagen Elimination Stage recap
The first CS2 Major, the PGL Major Copenhagen 2024, has been a banger so far, and the arrival of the world's best teams has only heightened competition.
Spirit, FaZe, and Vitality all met their expectations to make it to the Playoffs Stage, although the road was not as easy for two of those teams as it would have been expected before the event.
Sadly, not every team enjoyed the same fortune, and we bid farewell to eight more teams from the first-ever CS2 Major.
Photo: Stephanie LindgrenEliminated teams
These are the eight teams that were eliminated from the PGL Major Copenhagen in the Elimination Stage.
The list includes Virtus.pro, who were heartbreakingly denied a place in the playoffs thanks to Jame's game crashing in a vital round on map two of their 2-2 game versus G2.
The eliminated teams and their records
| FURIA | 0-3 |
| THEMONGOLZ | 0-3 |
| HEROIC | 1-3 |
| ECSTATIC | 1-3 |
| IMPERIAL | 1-3 |
| COMPLEXITY | 2-3 |
| VIRTUS.PRO | 2-3 |
| PAIN | 2-3 |
Photo: Michal KonkolAdvancing teams
Of course, with eight teams eliminated, eight teams will also be advancing in the competition.
Among them are the six highest-ranked teams in the world, and the remaining two teams also sit within the top 15, making the playoffs of the first CS2 Major one of the most stacked Major playoffs in history.
The advancing teams and their records
| SPIRIT | 3-0 |
| MOUZ | 3-0 |
| CLOUD9 | 3-1 |
| ETERNAL FIRE | 3-1 |
| VITALITY | 3-1 |
| FAZE | 3-2 |
| G2 | 3-2 |
| NAVI | 3-2 |
Photo: Michal KonkolPerseverance pays off
One of the biggest stories of the teams making the Playoff Stage of the PGL Major Copenhagen is that of Eternal Fire.
It has taken years for a Turkish team to make the playoffs of a Major, but it has now finally been accomplished thanks to the exploits of XANTARES, woxic, Wicadia, Calyx, and MAJ3R.
The Turkish squad was impressive during the Elimination Stage. They beat Vitality, FaZe, and Virtus.pro on their way to the Playoffs. They only lost to MOUZ, falling 13-11 in the 1-0 bracket.
The achievement clearly meant a lot to the players, but it was very clear it meant something more to MAJ3R. The Eternal Fire IGL got his start in Counter-Strike way back in 2006 but this will be the first Major playoffs he will experience.
Spirit meet expectations
We're starting to run out of superlatives for Team Spirit.
Once again the Russian team was spearheaded by donk and sh1ro on their road to a 3-0 start in the first Major. The duo both recorded a 1.43 HLTV rating in the five maps they have played so far.
With the form the teams were in, beating Cloud9, Imperial, and NAVI was no mean feat, and the tournament favourites rose to the occasion.
Now set to face FaZe in the quarter-finals in a rematch of the IEM Katowice 2024 final, the young guns will be sure to face their toughest test yet against a karrigan-led squad who will be spurred on by the Royal Arena crowd.
Photo: Stephanie LindgrenFURIA disappoint
FURIA may have bounced back from a 0-2 start in the Opening Stage to make the Elimination Stage, but their momentum quickly ran out at the first CS2 Major.
With losses to G2, FaZe, and ECSTATIC they didn't have an easy run, although there will be no excuses for going 0-3 at a second Major in a row.
Photo: Michal KonkolarT and chelo were particularly disappointing, the duo recorded 0.84 and 0.81 HLTV ratings respectively. In the end, at 1.08 HLTV rating, it was only KSCERATO who recorded a positive rating for the Brazilian team at the event.