NIP edge out Complexity in revenge matchup

In the BLAST Fall Groups 2023, Complexity and NIP locked horns for the second time, meeting in a BO3 during the consolidation grand finals of Group A. The North Americans had previously prevailed against the Ninjas in a thrilling matchup that took all three maps and were now looking to replicate their success. During the veto process, Mirage, Overpass, and Nuke were decided as the three maps to find the better team.

As Mirage kicked off, hallzerk catalyzed a confident start for Complexity, by getting a 3k and laying the foundation for their early 3-0 start. However, once the big guns rolled out for both teams, it was NiP who took the hot seat, as they looked much more comfortable. Riding on the impactful entries from k0nfig and hampus to close out the rounds, NiP swung the momentum in their favour, racking up 9 rounds in a row, to end the half 10-5.

In the second pistol round, Complexity opted for an A site execution and successfully planted the bomb in a 5v5 scenario, taking advantage of NiP's passive approach. Yet, NiP's patience paid off, as a well-timed smoke on the bomb and an exceptional 3K from Brollan secured the round for the Ninjas.
Despite the setback, Complexity's T side showed signs of life in the 4th round of the half, claiming three rounds in succession. However, their momentum was short-lived as NiP effectively thwarted their B rush, disrupting their rhythm and ultimately closing the game 16-9.

It was a collective effort from the Ninjas to secure Mirage

On their map pick of Overpass, Complexity had done their homework. They looked much more prepared, as they unleashed a very well-oriented T-side which left the Ninjas struggling for answers. On the other hand, NIP's defense looked perplexed, allowing a member of Complexity to silently thread the needle on multiple occasions. After losing the first two rounds, Complexity went on a streak of 9 rounds, forcing a timeout for the Ninjas.

After the timeout, the Ninjas looked better. They made proactive plays around the map, coordinated with a teammate, and well-timed utility, as they brought the half back to a 10-5 scoreline. However, it was to no avail, as Complexity closed the game shortly after, giving away only 2 rounds on their CT side. EliGE, who tore through the defenses of NIP in the first half, was helped out with the AWP of hallzerk in the second half, as both recorded a rating above 1.50.

As you would expect from a thrilling encounter, Nuke was an intensely close affair, with no team coming out as a clear favorite. As the half progressed, Complexity dominated the early stages, securing four out of the first five rounds. However, it was k0nfig's exceptional entries that truly tipped the scales in their favor, giving them an advantage after a halftime score of 8-7.

EliGE's 1.34 rating on Nuke wasn't enough to pull Complexity over the line

The back-and-forth affair continued in the second half. Each time it seemed like one team had gained the upper hand, they would, in turn, succumb to a force buy from their opponents. As the half progressed, Complexity was the first team to pull ahead, getting as they got six rounds in a row to reach match point. With backs against the wall, NIP bounced back to secure five consecutive rounds, leveling the match and pushing it into overtime.
In the end, the match tilted in favor of the Ninjas, as a flawless CT side in the second overtime secured them a hard-fought 22-20 scoreline.

BLAST Premier Fall Groups 2023

Bo3

Complexity

1 - 2

Ninjas in Pyjamas

All maps

Complexity	K - D	+/-	ADR	KAST	Rating 2.0
Jonathan 'EliGE' Jablonowski	70 - 53	+17	84.9	72.2%	1.21
Håkon 'hallzerk' Fjærli	64 - 52	+12	67.3	67.8%	1.14
Ricky 'floppy' Kemery	56 - 56	+0	67.5	73.3%	0.99
Johnny 'JT' Theodosiou	53 - 63	-10	62.9	66.7%	0.91
Michael 'Grim' Wince	43 - 59	-16	65.8	70.0%	0.89

Ninjas in Pyjamas	K - D	+/-	ADR	KAST	Rating 2.0
Daniil 'headtr1ck' Valitov	66 - 49	+17	73.0	71.1%	1.13
Hampus 'hampus' Poser	61 - 56	+5	74.7	72.2%	1.08
Fredrik 'REZ' Sterner	49 - 54	-5	60.5	71.1%	0.95
Kristian 'k0nfig' Wienecke	61 - 65	-4	71.5	58.9%	0.94
Ludvig 'Brollan' Brolin	46 - 62	-16	66.6	68.9%	0.94