FaZe demolishes NIP in Cologne
FaZe got their IEM Cologne 2023 campaign underway with a commanding win over the Ninjas in Pyjamas (NIP). NIP took the opening map but FaZe hammered the Ninjas in the second and third map to secure the series 2-1.
The opening map was NIP's pick of Mirage with FaZe starting on the defensive side. It was a four-man A hit that saw NIP pick up the opening pistol. The saw off a scary force buy and were 3-0 up after the eco conversion. NIP were 4-0 up but once FaZe got on the board it was all FaZe as they ended the half with a 10-5 lead as ropz closed out the half with a 1v1 against k0nfig.
A headtr1ck quad kill saw NIP take the second pistol on Mirage and after keeping it clean against the force buy and eco, it was two-round game. NIP took the first gun round and then went on a four-round streak to take the lead at 13-10. It took a broky and ropz opener on the A site to give FaZe their first round but a hampus double opener saw NIP back on the board immediately. A headtr1ck triple put NIP on map point but FaZe looked like they'd take it overtime after picking up three-in-a-row. A REZ and Brollan double eventually saw NIP hold on for a 16-14 lead. It was a starry performance from NIP's younger AWPer headtr1ck, who topped not only the scoreboard for the Ninjas but the server with 26 kills.
FaZe's pick of Overpass was next as the Ninjas started on the defensive side, hampus and k0nfig's multi-kills saw NIP take the pistol again but a Twistzz triple on the force buy saw FaZe tie the game. FaZe went 3-1 up as rain took down k0nfig in a 1v1 before the guns came out on both the sides. It was seven in a row from FaZe as karrigan was calling hits on both sites before a crucial multi-kill from headtr1ck on the A site in a late situation saw NIP take their second. FaZe though were relentless with ropz leading from the front as they closed the first half with a 11-4 lead and ropz ending the opening half with 19 kills.
k0nfig's explosive triple on the pistol saw Ninjas take the second pistol and like the first half, FaZe responded with a force buy again. FaZe four round streak to pick up map point thanks to a broky 1v1 against REZ and they closed out the map at 16-5. It was the ropz show as the Estonian ended with 26 kills with an ADR of 103.5.
The series decider was on Nuke as FaZe started on the CT side. ropz started Nuke with a triple and it was a 5-0 lead after taking the first two gun rounds. NiP got their first round in round 7 as k0nfig and REZ came in with crucial multi-kills. A k0nfig 1v1 against broky on the A site saw NiP put up their second but FaZe responded on an eco with a triple from Twistzz. A REZ quad which saw him clutch out a 1v3 on the B site finally saw NIP secure their third but it was a FaZe half at 11-4.
FaZe made it two pistols on Nuke and after converting against the eco and force buy it was a 14-4 score. A k0nfig quad saw NIP get their first CT round on board and a headtr1ck 1v1 saw NIP make it two-in-a-row. A rain triple mow down on the top site saw FaZe secure match point and the series was closed with FaZe picking up Nuke 16-7.
FaZeNinjas in Pyjamas| FaZe |
K - D | +/- | ADR | KAST | Rating 2.0 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Robin 'ropz' Kool |
68 - 45 | +23 | 91.2 | 78.4% | 1.40 |
 Helvijs 'broky' Saukants |
57 - 36 | +21 | 75.3 | 82.4% | 1.28 |
 Russel 'Twistzz' Van Dulken |
50 - 38 | +12 | 76.4 | 75.7% | 1.21 |
 Håvard 'rain' Nygaard |
59 - 46 | +13 | 85.1 | 73.0% | 1.20 |
 Finn 'karrigan' Andersen |
31 - 47 | -16 | 56.0 | 66.2% | 0.80 |
| Ninjas in Pyjamas |
K - D | +/- | ADR | KAST | Rating 2.0 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Daniil 'headtr1ck' Valitov |
50 - 44 | +6 | 67.5 | 63.5% | 1.00 |
| Kristian 'k0nfig' Wienecke |
52 - 58 | -6 | 81.2 | 63.5% | 1.00 |
 Hampus 'hampus' Poser |
38 - 49 | -11 | 61.6 | 64.9% | 0.84 |
| Ludvig 'Brollan' Brolin |
38 - 58 | -20 | 61.1 | 62.2% | 0.81 |
| Fredrik 'REZ' Sterner |
34 - 56 | -22 | 54.2 | 64.9% | 0.73 |
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