The first set of teams to lock in their playoff berths at IEM Cologne 2024 have been confirmed at the end of day two of the IEM Cologne 2024 Group Stage. Just days before the next round begins at LANXESS Arena, some big names have been knocked out and will no longer be part of the party.
Starting with NAVI, who got past Astralis 2:0 in the series, they became the first team to lock in their place at Counter-Strike at IEM Cologne 2024. NAVI played the Danes on their off day as they struggled to compete.
NAVI were exceptional and in-form all through making it difficult for their opponents to match them. Their rifles were on top of their game and AWPer w0nderful hardly broke a sweat. IM was also in form and always snuck into the backlines of Astralis, who did not have a way to deal with him.
Meanwhile, SAW made their first appearance at the LANXESS in their history as the Portuguese roster stopped The MongolZ 2:1 despite the fact that MongolZ took the first map of the series.
The star of the show for SAW was Ewjerkz, who had a 61 kills rate in the series, which was one of the best individual performances in Germany so far. However, The MongolZ are not totally out of the reckoning for a place at LANXESS arena, although their one last chance through the Group A gauntlet is a thorny path.
Meanwhile, G2 revived their chances by knocking out IEM Katowice 2024 winners Spirit. Team Spirit left the competition without a single map win.
Day two results from the IEM Cologne 2024 Group Stage:
Vitality 2:0 FURIA
MOUZ 2:1 Falcons
NAVI 2:0 Astralis
SAW 2:1 The MongolZ
G2 2:0 Spirit
paiN Gaming 2:1 9z Team
