Cloud9 started IEM Rio going down 0-2, meeting Imperial in their elimination game. This time however something snapped inside Cloud9, something that has been missing since the return to LAN. Cloud9 down 6-15 came back, and they won that map. Then they came back again and won the series. And they kept coming back in every single game, against all odds to make it to the legends stage.
In the legends stage we saw the story continue, down in their games against both FaZe and NaVi, Cloud9 refused to surrender and booked a 2-0 lead in the swiss system, sending both teams down to the loser’s brackets. Now finally after a dominant victory over Heroic, C9 enter the Playoffs with their eyes on the trophy.
Heroic gets outclassed by Sh1ro
The first map started with Heroic’s defence crumbling round after round as Cloud9 ran rampant through Vertigo. With a 9-0 start, the game looked as good as over before it even began as C9 ran a 2021 throwback T side. Nafany in particular had a stellar game finding openings on A-ramp time and time again. Heroic did scrape together a streak of rounds at the end of the first half, but Cloud9 looked well and truly in the driver’s seat.
Heroic looked better when they got on their attack, but Cloud9 raced to map point at 15-4, eventually closing the game out 16-9.
The Danes try to reply on Inferno
The first half of Inferno was a far closer affair. The map started with a back-and-forth force-buy battle where Heroic came out on top. But as Cloud9 got their guns out, they were able to go on a hot streak of 4 rounds. However, the Danes managed to squeak out a small lead thanks to low-buy round victories.
In the second half, however, Cloud9 once again ran a near-flawless T side closing the map out with another 16-9 scoreline. Sh1ro in particular shined across both maps as he has done so far in this event. The 21-year-old sniper is having a breakout event and has powered Cloud9 through every match.
Cloud9 Playoffs bound at IEM Rio
With this victory, Cloud9 has secured playoffs at IEM Rio. With reigning champions FaZe already being eliminated, Cloud9 is emerging as one of the favourites for the event. Who will join them?
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