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The highly anticipated CS: GO Majors are around the corner, as twenty-four of the best teams in the world are getting ready to fight for the IEM Rio Major 2022 title. The tournament will kick off with its Challengers Stage, where eight Contenders and eight Challengers teams will compete for a total of eight spots in the Legends Stage.
On Day 1 of the tournament, fans will be able to witness a grand battle between two of the most popular European rosters in CS: GO, Cloud9 and Fnatic. The two teams will compete in the last match of Day 1, a best-of-one matchup which will grant a favorable advantage to the winner in their attempt to qualify for the Legends Stage.
The Challengers and Legends Stages of IEM Rio Major 2022 will be held live at Riocentro, Rio de Janeiro, while the The Champions Stage will be held live at Jeunesse Arena. The Grand Finals of the tournament is scheduled for November 13, 2022.
Cloud9 vs Fnatic in CS: GO - Who will win their opening match of IEM Rio Major 2022 Challenger Stage?
Predictions
Both Cloud9 and Fnatic are promising contenders for a Legends Stage qualification at the IEM Rio Major 2022. Cloud9 has a lineup that hasn't been modified since the roster was acquired in April 2022. They managed to win IEM Dallas and put on promising performances at tournaments like the Roobet Cup and ESL Pro League Season 16, earlier this year.
Cloud9 also has a predominantly young roster of mechanically gifted players like Ax1Le, sh1ro, and interz, and an adept in-game leader like nafany. They also have HObbit, a Major-winning CS: GO veteran, to bring in the experience and guidance needed for the team to succeed.
In comparison to Cloud9, Fnatic are a relatively weak roster. After a disappointing start to the season, they went through several roster changes, bringing in 3 new players. Fnatic's current roster has already competed in a few tournaments this year. However, their 9-12th place finish in ESL Pro League and 8th place in the European RMR A puts them as one of the weaker European teams in the tournament.
Considering all factors, Cloud9 have a favorable advantage over Fnatic in this upcoming matchup. With the match being a best-of-one series, Fnatic has less time to make mid-round adjustments and will have to rely on an unpolished roster to emerge victorious. While Cloud9 are likely to win the matchup, the individual capabilities of Fnatic players should not be underestimated. Fans can expect a close and enthralling matchup between these two organizations.
Head-to-head
The current rosters of Cloud9 and Fnatic are yet to play against each other in an official CS: GO matchup. That being said, fans of both teams will have the opportunity to witness a crucial matchup between the two top sides on the very first day of the IEM Rio Major 2022.
Recent results
Cloud9 earned their Challengers slot in the IEM Rio Major by finishing the Road to Rio: European RMR A in fifth-place with a 3-1 record. They defeated the likes of B8, G2 Esports, and 1win, with their only loss in group play coming against Ninjas in Pyjamas. They later lost their fourth-place tie-breaker match to Team Spirit.
Fnatic managed to secure a Contenders spot in the upcoming CS: GO Majors by finishing the Road to Rio: European RMR A in 8th place with a 3-2 record. They defeated Aurora, Eternal Fire, and 1win, while losing to FaZe Clan and B8.
Potential lineups
Cloud9
- Vladislav "nafany" Gorshkov (IGL)
- Dmitriy "sh1ro" Sokolov
- Timofey "interz" Yakushin
- Sergey "Ax1Le" Rykhtorov
- Abai "HObbit" Hasenov
- Konstantin "groove" Pikiner (Coach)
Fnatic
- Freddy "KRIMZ" Johansson
- William "mezii" Merriman (IGL)
- Nico "nicoodoz" Tamjidi
- Fredrik "roeJ" Jørgensen
- Dion "FASHR" Derksen
- Jamie "keita" Hall (Coach)
When and where to watch
CS: GO enthusiasts can watch the 2022 Rio Major action live on ESL CS: GO's official Twitch channel. With matches running simultaneously, viewers will have to tune into the B-stream to watch Cloud9 vs Fnatic today.
Cloud9 will face Fnatic on October 31, 2022, at 9:45 am PDT / 6:45 pm CET / 10:15 pm IST on Day 1 of the IEM Rio Major 2022 Challengers Stage. Viewers can also enjoy Vitality vs Imperial, which will happen simultaneously on Stream A.
