Liquid clinch IEM Chengdu playoff spot
After a convincing start to IEM Chengdu, where Liquid beat Heroic 13-8, the American squad was tasked with facing G2 to secure a playoff spot early on in the event. Liquid came out of the gates swinging and took down G2 in a three-map affair.
Liquid will now face the winner of FURIA v. MOUZ to see who takes first place in Group A and the playoff semifinal spot.
The series started off on Ancient, one of the most played maps recently, and one Liquid has been finding success in China. After beating Heroic here, Liquid would dismantle G2's CT-side as they would lead 8-4 on the T-side. After switching sides, Liquid would not give G2 an opening as they would close the map 13-6.
Anubis was very different. Liquid chose to start on the CT-side and were able to hold G2 back as the European squad was only able to claim six round wins on the favorable side. Things would unravel during the second half, as G2 would win six in a row to get to map point before Liquid got back on the board. The American squad then got four straight round wins but it was too little too late, as G2 claimed Anubis 13-10.
The match went to Inferno, where Liquid was able to start with a 7-0 lead on the CT side. G2 would finish the half strong, winning four of the last five rounds to make it 8-4. G2 would keep on winning, claiming the pistol round and stopping Liquid's first two force buy attempts, as the American team got the third to make it a 9-7 game. The Europeans managed to tie the map 9-9 before Liquid would get back at them with three straight to reach series point. In a tight round, Liquid would win a 2v3 post-plant situation to win the map 13-9 and clinch a playoff spot.
Liquid's next series will be happening Wednesday against the winner of FURIA v. MOUZ. The winner of that match will advance directly to the semifinals of IEM Chengdu.
G2Liquid| G2 |
K - D | +/- | ADR | KAST | Rating 2.1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Ilya 'm0NESY' Osipov |
56 - 40 | +16 | 84.2 | 71.9% | 1.27 |
 Nikola 'NiKo' Kovač |
41 - 50 | -9 | 71.1 | 64.1% | 0.88 |
 Rasmus 'HooXi' Nielsen |
34 - 47 | -13 | 59.7 | 67.2% | 0.86 |
 Nemanja 'nexa' Isaković |
39 - 44 | -5 | 63.2 | 64.1% | 0.81 |
| Nemanja 'huNter-' Kovač |
28 - 45 | -17 | 61.3 | 68.8% | 0.79 |
| Liquid |
K - D | +/- | ADR | KAST | Rating 2.1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Russel 'Twistzz' Van Dulken |
57 - 36 | +21 | 89.8 | 75.0% | 1.34 |
| Keith 'NAF' Markovic |
54 - 40 | +14 | 87.0 | 79.7% | 1.32 |
 Mareks 'YEKINDAR' Gaļinskis |
37 - 44 | -7 | 75.4 | 68.8% | 1.03 |
 Felipe 'skullz' Medeiros |
40 - 42 | -2 | 69.6 | 71.9% | 1.02 |
| Casper 'cadiaN' Møller |
34 - 36 | -2 | 57.2 | 76.6% | 0.98 |
