Return of FaZe Clan and other results of IEM Chengdu 2024
Traditionally, the first tournaments after the majors were extremely unpredictable and surprised the community with unexpected results. IEM Chengdu 2024 turned out to be the most opposite, due to the fact that it took place only a week after PGL Major Copenhagen 2024. The top teams did not have time to change their tactics and make reshuffles. We saw a sort of continuation of the major with results that are not particularly different from the championship in Copenhagen, with the exception of the list of participants. In this material we will discuss all the main results of IEM Chengdu 2024 and reflect on the long-term fate of the teams.
FaZe's curse is broken
The sensations of IEM Chengdu 2024 ended in the group stage, and the playoffs of the tournament were as predictable as possible and ended with the championship of FaZe Clan. But despite this, this victory meant a lot for the club. The team managed to break their streak of losses in the grand finals and prove to everyone their strength and continued dominance in CS2. Prior to this, Finn karrigan Andersen’s roster managed to reach the final match at all championships in the updated version of the shooter, but managed to win only the first two of them – IEM Sydney 2023 and CS Asia Championships 2023. Despite the colossal experience of FaZe Clan, even such a team can morally disheartened after losing four LAN grand finals. It also took a lot of effort, and the team approached IEM Chengdu 2024 completely exhausted, but thanks to the preparation of Finn karrigan Andersen and individual performance, FaZe managed to break their curse.
In the next grand final, the team had to meet MOUZ, who was always one of the easiest opponents in the playoffs, but this time she came prepared and was able to overcome her ceiling, winning both the first map in a long time and the whole match against G2 Esports. However, this did not help to impose competition on FaZe.
After the championship at IEM Chengdu 2024, FaZe Clan deserved a long-awaited rest. After all the travel and intense games, the team needs to reboot and prepare new ideas to continue dominating the professional scene. But whether FaZe can continue to show the same level will only be shown by ESL Pro League Season 19 and future tournaments.
MOUZ who could
While FaZe Clan went into the playoffs with the goal of winning, their opponent hoped not to fail and again not be eliminated from it with a dry score on the maps. MOUZ has a promising line-up, but they can’t play in front of an audience at all. The work done was enough to win over G2 Esports, which, although difficult, meant a lot for the club. Having achieved their main goal, the roster did not have much hope for the championship title, it still had a long way to go to become a team that would be mentally stable and be able to impose a fight on the favorites in tense situations when everything is stacked against them.
Despite the failure in the grand final, MOUZ showed a beautiful game against G2 Esports, Team Liquid, FURIA and TYLOO. None of the meetings can be called easy for the team, but this made their matches the most interesting to watch at the last IEM Chengdu 2024.
The main sensations of IEM Chengdu 2024
The key sensation of IEM Chengdu 2024 was the updated Astralis lineup, in which no one had faith. Even the most devoted fans of the club did not expect that the transition of Nicolai device Reedtz to the position of captain and the departure of Benjamin blameF Bremer could have a positive impact on the already disastrous results of the once legendary and dominant tag. However, Astralis managed to show a high level at their first tournament, taking first place in the group and even defeating the future champion of IEM Chengdu 2024 – FaZe Clan within it. Another remarkable fact is that it ended in a clean sheet with a score of 2:0. Of course, the situation was not repeated in the playoffs; playing in a stadium is a completely different Counter-Strike. However, even in the semifinals, Astralis managed to take one map from such a formidable opponent. After such a debut, the team has the right to exist and may well become a strong tier-1 team at a distance.
Another surprise of IEM Chengdu 2024 was the unexpected progress of Team Liquid. For the first time, Casper cadiaN Meller’s squad was able to show a decent level and get out of the group stage, as well as defeat a team from the top 10 of HLTV. There were no prerequisites for this before the start of the championship, but once upon a time such a stellar line-up had to start playing. At the tournament in China, Team Liquid managed to cope with HEROIC, as well as win a sensational victory over G2 Esports. True, in the upper bracket of the group they were stopped by MOUZ, and in the playoffs, although with due struggle, the team lost to FaZe Clan. Casper cadiaN Meller proved that after leaving HEROIC it is too early to write him off and Team Liquid under his captaincy can become a confident tier-1 team.
The main disappointments of IEM Chengdu 2024
IEM Chengdu 2024 was another disappointment for the Cloud9 roster. This time, the star team from the CIS did not even make it to the playoffs, losing in the opening match against FlyQuest, which put the team in an unenviable position: they had to meet FaZe Clan in the lower bracket. Finn karrigan Andersen’s team left no chance for C9. The team at the tournament in China had the same problems: lack of AWP and unstable Abay HObbit Khassenov and Sergey Ax1Le Rykhtorov. Another failure has already had a great impact on the roster: Denis electroNic Sharipov left the team and moved to Virtus.pro. Cloud9’s future was already difficult, but now it’s hard to imagine what kind of transfers it will need to finally achieve success. The team was already without a sniper, and now they also lost one of their best riflers.
As expected, FURIA also showed nothing. The team has been asking for replacements for a long time and they will finally happen – this was confirmed by the co-owner of the club Andre Akkari Akkari. At IEM Chengdu 2024, the team managed to win only Lynn Vision. The defeat from MOUZ did not look fatal, but then FURIA could not cope with HEROIC. Most likely, this failure means the end of the career of Gabriel FalleN Toledo, as well as other changes in the Brazilian team.
Despite the rather predictable playoffs, IEM Chengdu 2024 showed us quite a lot of new things. For example, this championship can become the starting point for the success of Team Liquid and Astralis. The teams showed their best side and forced the fight between FaZe Clan and MOUZ, who later played in the grand final. In the playoffs, G2 Esports were a little disappointed, as they were unable to show the same level that they showed in the group stage.