FaZe Clan have beaten Ninjas in Pyjamas 2-1 in the opening match of the PGL Major Antwerp quarterfinals. The series was closely contested, but the Swedes fell short on Inferno once FaZe’s stars found their footing.
With the win, FaZe advance to face the winner of the match between Team Spirit and FURIA Esports. FaZE, the world no. 1 Counter-Strike: Global Offensive team, will be favored in either case. As for NiP, they exit the major at the same point they were eliminated in PGL Major Stockholm 2021.
“We’re feeling really good,” FaZe’s HÃ¥vard “rain” Nygaard said in the post-match interview. “The chemistry, the atmosphere on the team, it feels like we’re a big family when we’re playing.”
Map 1 of Overpass was clinical from FaZe. Even though NiP got off to a quick start, it was all FaZe from there on out. It quickly became clear that NiP were looking to the next map of Overpass. On Map 2, the game was tightly contested all the way through. The two teams traded rounds back-and-forth, with no real edge until NiP found their rhythm on their CT side. They locked FaZe out 16-13 and sent the series to Map 3.
What better map than Inferno to end a close series. For a while, it looked as though Inferno would go in typical fashion — all the way to overtime. That was not the case as FaZe dominated on their CT-side, polishing off the map 16-8. The international roster won 13 straight rounds to close it out. Even though Robin “ropz” Kool had a dud of a map on Overpass, he still ended up the best performer on FaZe across the quarterfinals.
“We don’t really feel the pressure. We know we can do great comebacks,” rain said. “It’s more like we get too excited sometimes and throw some rounds away.”
