Liquid's keys to success vs. C9
The Liquid side will be looking to continue their strong playoffs form, especially Josh "oSee" Ohm who showed positive signs with a 1.27 rating in their quarterfinal against MOUZ. The two sides faced each other in the final match of the group stage, which Liquid took 2-0, but some will argue that the mostly-Russian squad had nothing to play for and will look to prove as much in the semifinal rematch.
Cloud9's quest for revenge will no doubt be heavily influenced by the performance of Liquid's European talent Mareks "YEKINDAR" Gaļinskis who has posted outrageous entry numbers, even by his high standards. The Latvian star has put the North American side on his back in this tournament at times, and one such performance was in the previous meeting between the two teams. YEKINDAR finished that first match-up with a mammoth 110 ADR and 1.56 rating, however, this time around he may not need to play the hero. Both Johnathan "ELiGE" Jablonowski and oSee have put their talent on display in the playoff run and in Keith "NAF" Markovic they have one of the most consistent performers in the world.
In a recent interview with HLTV, NAF stated that the Americans feel "very confident" whenever they face Cloud9. The bonus of having YEKINDAR with his extensive knowledge of the CIS region from his time on Outsiders will no doubt benefit Liquid's preparations. After beating them in the group stage, there is the danger that the Americans can come into the match with overconfidence, but Cloud9 have a lot more to play for in this match and will no doubt be fired up and fully focused on what should be an enthralling battle.
It is obvious to all spectators that YEKINDAR has massively improved the Liquid side, and with talks of his permanent addition edging ever closer it would be a perfect time for the team to show the world the full potential of the roster. Making the final of ESL Pro League would be the first Tier 1 final the North American team have made since the IEM Global Challenge final in 2020, where they were hammered by Astralis 3-0.
Liquid will fight Cloud9 for a spot in the grand final at 09:30AM.
