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Two more teams qualified for the IEM Katowice 2019 Major as the results of the Americas Minor finalize. The two teams which managed to move past the intense competition at the Americas Minor are Furia Esports and NRG Esports.
NRG Esports comfortably qualifies for IEM Katowice 2019
NRG did not lose a single map at the Minor as they cruised to victory past teams such as Team Envy and Furia Esports. Their match against Envy saw 19-year-old Cvetelin "CeRq" Dimitrov dominate the server. He had a KDA of +26 in just two maps [ Overpass and Mirage]. The young player is a revelation for the NRG squad and remains one of the players with a very high skill ceiling.
NRG continued their dominance over Brazilian squad Furia Esports in the Winners' Final match. The North American squad displayed a beautiful playstyle with a focus on coordination and team synergy. Despite having individual plays which were the highlights in the match, NRG was always able to rely on each other for backup. The team was one of the most efficient teams at the minor. Their T side saw the execution of set strategies and a focus on trading frags upon entry. They were able to retain their advantage and move into stronger positions after getting the initial frags. While their CT side definitely needs some more structure, the highly efficient T side wins them several rounds. They maintain a strong economy and it helps when individual players such as Cvetelin "CeRq" Dimitrov and Ethan "nahtE" Arnold rise up to the occasion.
Furia Esports upsets Envy. They are the second Brazilian team at the CS: GO Major.
The biggest upset yesterday was when Furia esports managed to win their qualification match against Karrigan-led Team Envy. The Brazilian squad was the only hope for South America at the Americas Minor after INTZ Esports was eliminated by Team Envy. Furia esports has consistently shown up in several North American tournaments. They have maintained a steady ranking and their steady performances finally resulted in a Major appearance for the organisation.
The ability of the team to execute their strategies to perfection leaves little room for their opponents. The team has a methodical and structured playstyle even when they are at a huge advantage in a round. The influence of their energetic coach Nicholas "guerri" Nogueira is clearly evident on the team's performance. He is a former Brazilian Counter-Strike player and has over a decade of experience in the game.
En route to the qualification, Furia won matches against INTZ and Team Envy. They were able to defeat Team Envy 2-0, in what was a big upset for the North American squad.
With the conclusion of all the CS: GO Minors, here is the final list of teams for the Major. Two more teams will qualify via the Third Place Play-in tournament. The third-place Play-in tournament starts on 27th of January 2019.
Major Team List:
- Astralis
- Natus Vincere
- Team Liquid
- Mibr
- Complexity Gaming
- BIG
- Hellraisers
- Faze Clan
- Ninjas in Pyjamas
- Fnatic
- G2 Esports
- Cloud9
- Tyloo
- Vega Squadron
- ENCE Esports
- NRG Esports
- Avangar
- Renegades
- Vitality
- Furia Esports
- Team Spirit
- Grayhound Gaming
The IEM Katowice 2019 Major starts on the 13th of February and will continue till the Grand finals on the 3rd of March 2019. You can catch all the action live on Twitch here.
