The IEM Katowice 2024 Play-In is complete, after three days of intense Counter-Strike. Of sixteen teams who began the Play-In, now just eight remain, joining the eight who had already qualified for the main event.
Going into the final day, four spots remained up for grabs. Who managed to pick them up to find their place in the IEM Katowice 2024 Group Stage? Let’s find out.
Cloud9 take out Virtus.pro
Credit: IEM on X.
No matter how they’ve struggled throughout the past few days of IEM Katowice 2024, it was always a surprise to see these two teams facing elimination here. Most would have them pegged as two of the strongest teams in Katowice, meaning this elimination match was sure to be a banger. Both teams came out swinging, with Cloud9 winning out across three maps, none of which were particularly close. When these teams hit, they hit hard.
In the end, it was electroNic’s consistency across the series and Boombl4’s dominating performance on the final map that saw Cloud9 over the line. They’ll be looking to find some rhythm for the rest of the tournament now after being placed in Group B, with MOUZ up first in a couple of days’ time.
ENCE shut out The MongolZ
Credit: IEM on X.
After eliminating Astralis from IEM Katowice 2024 yesterday, ENCE had to get past The MongolZ in order to finish the job and reach the main event. The MongolZ are no pushovers, always pushing every team they face the distance. ENCE were no different. This series went ENCE’s way by a knife’s edge, only winning the first map in overtime. However, there was a very real world in which The MongolZ won here 2:0. Instead, ENCE won 2:1, and are through to the IEM Katowice 2024 Group Stage.
While it was gla1ve who made the difference yesterday, today was more of a total team effort. Every player across ENCE had their moments of class, with none particularly outfragging the rest. Their biggest test lies ahead now, with Vitality up next for the Polish (+gla1ve) roster.
Apeks and Rebels round out the winners
Credit: IEM on X.
Who could’ve predicted this? Rebels, the team that sat rock bottom of our IEM Katowice 2024 power rankings, have made it all the way to the Group Stage! After rocking Cloud9’s world in the opener of the tournament, they’ve beat the odds and gone one step further. Today, they toppled M80 in a 2:0 series that most expected them to lose. With the might of FaZe Clan up next, have they got one more upset in this Cinderella run?
Rounding out the teams qualifying from the IEM Katowice 2024 Play-In is Apeks. Their run concluded with a win against BIG, in a series that went right down to the wire, with overtime needed on the final map. It was nailbiting stuff, concluding with Apeks making the Group Stage. It’s an impressive bounceback, especially considering their 13:0 defeat to Spirit in the opening match of the tournament. Up next for Apeks is Complexity, a tough match at any moment. But given Complexity’s recent form, Apeks could fancy themselves here.
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