An upset on Day 1. Crazy Raccoons need to pick up their game if they hope to get out of groups.
Vikings were effectively coming into this tournament as the wildcard of Group B, as they had been out of the limelight for the most part since Stage 2 Masters in Reykjavik. As stated by the desk analysts, they were always a team that seemed to lag behind the meta. So the question was, would Vikings lean more towards their raw slaying power or were they about to flip the script.
Crazy Raccoon on the other hand were the overwhelming favorites coming into this matchup. Their solid compositions and teamwork certainly made them a force to be reckoned with and had many tipping them to possibly make it out of their group at Champions.
Map 1: Munchkin picks KAY/O on Icebox
Prior to the start of the match many were surprised to see Munchkin opted to pick Kayo instead of Jett, signaling that he was potentially taking up a more conservative role on the map.
Vikings got off to a flying start on Icebox, as they bullied there way onto sites during their offensive rounds; getting to a 5 - 0 round count. However, Crazy Raccoon continued to nip at the heels of Vikings, as they managed to draw level to them at 6 - 6 going into the switch. This was made possible due to a combination of individual brilliance from the Munchkin and Fisker from Raccoon and some moments of madness from Vikings.
Though Crazy Racoon had a very good couple of rounds to start the second half of the map, Vikings stood resolute on defense. And despite a shear moment of brilliance from neth in the second half, it ultimately made little impact as Vikings closed out Icebox with a solid 13 - 9 win. Sacy in particular was having a great performance, as he lead the lobby with 29 kills and showed off his prowess as Sova.
Map 2: Haven goes the Vikings way
Straightaway both teams seemed to select similar compositions, showing that Vikings had indeed taken to the current meta. Crazy Raccoon also opted to sub in Medusa to run Killjoy for this map over Bazzi. Vikings opened up their defense with a flawless pistol round and continued to dominate round after round, with Sacy sitting at an 8/2 Kill/Death ratio after the first 5 rounds. Munchkin in particular appeared to be struggling on the Sova early on in this matchup. However, Raccoon once again managed to claw their way back into the map behind the aggressive tendencies of Fisker and Medusa, tying up the map 6 - 6.
The frantic action continued with the pistol round to start the second half, as Sacy pulled off a crazy clutch to give Vikings back the lead in the map. From that point on, Vikings took complete control of the map as they continued to win round after offensive round.
Crazy Raccoon attempted to stage a late comeback as they teetered on the edge of match point. Alas their efforts were ultimately futile as Team Vikings closed out Haven 13 - 8; clinching the series 2 - 0.
Final thoughts
From the get-go this match turned into a contest between well-organized team in Crazy Raccoon that lacked imagination when in a tight spot and a team that were seemingly able to adapt to whatever was thrown at them. Team Vikings got off to a flying start in both maps, only for Crazy Raccoon to pull even with them each time at halftime. Yet after the each switch, it felt as though they couldn't break down the Brazilians when it mattered the most.
Team Vikings will be moving on to the Group C Winners match where they will face either Gambit Gaming or Team Secret. Meanwhile Crazy Raccoon will have it all to do now as they head to the first Elimination match for the group where they will face the loser of the aforementioned matchup. But after this lose, it is very hard to see how they claw their way back into this tournament.
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