Marcos Gaming prevails over Velocity Gaming

Marcos Gaming (MG) vs Velocity Gaming (VM)

Marcos Gaming breezed past Velocity Gaming in their Skyesports Masters League Stage opener as they took down Velocity 2-0, following two comfortable wins. While Velocity put up a fight on their pick of Inferno, it was a one-sided affair on Marcos' pick of Ancient.

Starting on the T side of their own map pick Inferno, Velocity spread out on the A site and got two early kills to open up the site. Gh0sTTTT got a couple of swift headshots which helped Marcos to win what turned out to be a 2v2 post-plant situation. Determined not to let Marcos gain momentum, Velocity invested in Galils and an AK-47, prioritizing firepower over utility. However, that decision came back to bite them as they couldn't take early Banana control, leading to their defeat in the round. With only desert eagles and tec-9s in hand, Velocity adopted a pack mentality, swarming the B site as a united force. As Marcos' players found themselves confronted by multiple opponents at once, they struggled to secure multi-kills, ultimately succumbing to Velocity's anti-eco strategy. Following this turn of events, the game unfolded as a back-and-forth affair, with the B-site turning out to be a hotspot for the T-side of Velocity. The half ended with the closest of score-lines at 8-7, with Velocity holding a slight advantage over Marcos.

The second half continued the trend of a closely contested match. Velocity extended their lead by winning the pistol round, putting them in a favorable position. But as Marcos got a plant down, they bought into the second round. With Mac-10 and Galils in their arsenal, their 5-man banana walk managed to dismantle the crossfire of Marcos gaming and got them their first T round on the board. The struggle for momentum persisted as Marcus strung together a couple of rounds but Velocity then tied the score right back. However, it was after the score reached 10-10 that Marcos Gaming decided to surge ahead. The final score stood at 16-10 in favour of Marcos Gaming, as they didn't let a single round slip by their hands.

Next up was Ancient, Marcos' map pick. Their leader DEFAULTER displayed his clutching prowess by winning two crucial clutches : a 1v1 on the first round and a 1v2 in the second. Despite losing the third round, Velocity finally managed to deny DEFAULTER's 1v3 attempt in the fourth round, overcoming their previous struggles. After losing a round on the A site, Marcos went back to what was working for them - the B site. They managed to get a bomb plant yet again, and yet again it was DEFAULTER in a clutch situation - a 1v2 that he couldn't close out. Even amidst all the chaos, Marcos were continuing to find bomb plants, which was allowing them to keep on buying. The trend continued as they went back to A on the next round, and got the bomb down with a man-advantage situation. But due to their inferior weaponry, they succumbed to the M4s of Velocity. However, the tear of DEFAULTER was just unstoppable. In just the first 8 rounds, he had mustered up 17 kills to his name. He ended the half with 24 kills, making sure Marcos are in a comfortable spot with 9 rounds on the T side.

On the first round of the second half, Velocity gaming decided to take mid control. They secured an early pick in Mid, causing the defense to panic and lose their positions. However, as Velocity proceeded to enter the B site through the cave, their aggression became their downfall as they were picked off one by one by the CTs, resulting in a lost pistol round. Following the opening round setback, Velocity struggled to regain its momentum. Marcos Gaming unleashed a relentless onslaught, made possible by their efficient rotations and utilization of utility.

However, it was DEFAULTER who single-handedly dictated the pace of the game with his exceptional individual performance. With an outstanding KD of 34-7, DEFAULTER dominated the scoreboard and played a pivotal role in Marcos Gaming's flawless CT side, as the game ended 16-6.