malbsMd saves G2 from quarter-final exit
The number one team in the world has stood the test of the #8 team HEROIC in the quarter-final of the Perfect World Shanghai Major 2024, as G2 proceed to the semi-finals, reverse-sweeping their way to the final four of the first Counter-Strike Major in Asia.
The Bo3 kicked off on HEROIC's pick of Ancient, where a red-hot 9-0 start from NiKo to give G2 a 3-0 start. Despite starting in a deficit, HEROIC clawed their way back in the half off some well timed A-hits from kyxsan, as they found a 7-5 lead. In the second half, G2 fell flat on the T-side, and ended up losing by a 6-13 margin.
The second map Nuke, saw a similar narrative unfold in the first half, as HEROIC took 7 rounds to their name on the T-side. Losing the second pistol added salt to the wound, as HEROIC was suddenly staring at a 8-5 lead. However, a late game awakening from NiKo, aided by m0NESY brought G2 back into the game to clinch a 13-9 victory.
Source: PGL
The final map was Mirage, that saw malbsMd step in the absence of the regular stars as the Guatemalan stepped up to keep G2 in the map in a tight decider. G2 could've closed it in regulation but an intuitive 1v2 from degster on the A site made sure HEROIC kept themselves in the game. In overtime though, it was all malbsMd, with a clean 1v3 propelling G2 to a 16-13 win to reverse sweep the series 2-1.
The win sees G2 move into the semi-finals of the Shanghai Major 2024 and they will take on the winner of the last quarter-final, which will have Vitality take on FaZe.