Day two of BLAST Paris Major playoffs as it happened in live updates
Keep up to date with the second half of the quarter-finals here in our live updated post.
Live updates
Overview 19/0520:45 NAF: "Unfortunately it was in a kinda Liquid fashion that we went out" 19/0520:18 Apeks eliminate Liquid from Paris 19/0520:13 Liquid fighting back on Overpass 19/0519:59 Watch: nawwk gets Apeks four rounds away from semi-final 19/0519:44 Liquid bullied by Apeks 19/0519:38 kyxsan wants that semi-final spot 19/0519:27 Apeks keep up momentum on Overpass 19/0519:02 Fragadelphia semi-finalists draw first blood against Liquid; Overpass up next 19/0518:37 Apeks secure dominant T half on Ancient 19/0518:25 Watch: YEKINDAR uses crowd to clutch 1vs2 19/0518:20 Watch: STYKO's flank continues Apeks rampage 19/0518:10 Apeks come to play with early lead on Ancient 19/0518:00 Liquid - Apeks just moments away 19/0517:36 Apeks get their best two maps in veto; we're starting on Ancient 19/0517:28 Stats: Can EliGE step up in playoffs? 19/0517:03 GamerLegion secure semi-final spot; Monte eliminated 19/0516:51 GamerLegion cruise to halftime advantage on Overpass 19/0516:34 GamerLegion navigate through chaos and extend lead 19/0516:23 Watch: Monte's pistols steal 4vs5 round away from GamerLegion 19/0516:07 Watch: The crowd gives Keoz some love as GL take Mirage 19/0516:02 iM-powered GamerLegion steal Mirage; Overpass up next 19/0515:46 GamerLegion pull ahead on the offense while isak falls behind 19/0515:37 BOROS and Woro2k propel Monte to lead at halftime 19/0515:18 A slightly lower turnout today 19/0515:16 Keoz 1vs2 clutch equalizes score between Monte and GamerLegion 19/0514:58 Mirage, Overpass, and Vertigo to decide the series 19/0514:51 Keoz: "I feel no nerves" 19/0514:33 Photo: The BLAST.tv Paris Major Trophy 19/0514:03 Monte vs. GamerLegion: Two surprise stories collide 19/0512:58 BLAST.tv Paris Major playoffs day two begins in two hours 19/0520:45 By NER0cs NAF: "Unfortunately it was in a kinda Liquid fashion that we went out"
Keith "NAF" Markovic gave us a few words after Liquid's exit from the Major.
"There's disappointment, but I think when we were down 0-2 I don't think a lot of us imagined being here. I'm proud of how much we were able to grind back and make it into playoffs. Obviously with the matchup and the way we played we're very disappointed, we didn't show our best face... unfortunately it was in a kinda "Liquid" fashion that we went out."
Link copied Last comment 19/0520:18 By Sumljiv Apeks eliminate Liquid from Paris
Tim "nawwk" Jonasson found another incredible clutch to get his team up to 14, and they won the next with a quick B play. Liquid is broken after that, with Apeks sitting on match point.
They go towards B again, and the rag-tag Liquid buy can't hold on, Apeks have done it, they are Major semifinalists!
BLAST.tv Paris Major 2023Best of 3 LiquidMatchpage 0 2 19th May 2023 Apeks 10Ancient 16 11Overpass 16
Liquid
K - D
+/-
ADR
Rating 2.0
Mareks 'YEKINDAR' GaļinskisYEKINDAR
41 - 39
+2
83.1
1.19
Keith 'NAF' MarkovicNAF
35 - 36
-1
75.3
1.05
Jonathan 'EliGE' JablonowskiEliGE
32 - 36
-4
68.2
1.00
Nick 'nitr0' Cannellanitr0
27 - 38
-11
63.7
0.86
Josh 'oSee' OhmoSee
31 - 33
-2
53.7
0.84
Apeks
K - D
+/-
ADR
Rating 2.0
Damjan 'kyxsan' Stoilkovskikyxsan
49 - 34
+15
88.4
1.34
Tim 'nawwk' Jonassonnawwk
39 - 24
+15
67.8
1.30
Martin 'STYKO' StykSTYKO
37 - 36
+1
88.3
1.02
Joakim 'jkaem' Myrbostadjkaem
33 - 36
-3
68.6
1.01
Justinas 'jL' LekaviciusjL
23 - 37
-14
57.7
0.87
Link copied Last comment 19/0520:13 By Sumljiv Liquid fighting back on Overpass
This is much better from Liquid as they start to find some rhytm on the CT side. They are up to 11, and Apeks have just burned their final timeout.
The job is far from done, but Liquid have taken over the game's momentum.
Link copied Last comment 19/0519:59 By Sumljiv Watch: nawwk gets Apeks four rounds away from semi-final
Liquid won a much-needed pistol to reduce the deficit to just five, when the Apeks side got a full buy together. It was incredibly close, but Tim "nawwk" Jonasson bested Josh "oSee" Ohm in a 1vs1 to keep his side ahead.
Link copied Last comment 19/0519:44 By Sumljiv Liquid bullied by Apeks
This isn't even a contest. It's Apeks 10, Liquid 2. Nothing is going the way of the North Americans, they can't even set up a default or go for a quick play as Joakim "jkaem" Myrbostad shuts down a quick con play in milliseconds.
Link copied Last comment 19/0519:38 By Sumljiv kyxsan wants that semi-final spot
After topfragging on Ancient, Damjan "kyxsan" Stoilkovski has shifted into an even higher gear. The Macedonian is sitting at 16 frags and 175 ADR, leading by example as his team looks to finish the job in two.
Liquid are really running out of time to join the server, they need to join Mareks "YEKINDAR" Gaļinskis on the scoreboard.
Link copied Last comment 19/0519:27 By Sumljiv Apeks keep up momentum on Overpass
After dominating on Ancient, Apeks are showing no sign of stopping. They lost the opening pistol but fought back with a forcebuy, and are currently 4-1 up as Liquid are forced down to an eco. It's time for the North Americans to wake up, or this will be over soon.
Link copied Last comment 19/0519:02 By Sumljiv Fragadelphia semi-finalists draw first blood against Liquid; Overpass up next
Liquid won the must-win pistol round and converted it to a three-round streak, but their T side was far from convincing. As soon as Apeks got their guns out they fought straight back with two in a row and cruised to a 16-10 victory in the end. The European combine are now one map away from a Major semi-final, with Liquid's pick of Overpass up next.
Link copied Last comment 19/0518:37 By Sumljiv Apeks secure dominant T half on Ancient
Nick "nitr0" Cannella said in the pre-match interview that Liquid aren't worried that Apeks previously beat them on this very map. With the way this is going, they should be happy if they match their previous record of 12 rounds.
Martin "STYKO" Styk, one of the two experienced members is topping the server at 16 kills, with the European combine going into the second half seven rounds ahead. The pistol is a must-win for Liquid, let's see if they can put together a comeback.
Link copied Last comment 19/0518:25 By Sumljiv Watch: YEKINDAR uses crowd to clutch 1vs2
Mareks "YEKINDAR" Gaļinskis cashed in his LAN experience as he used the crowd to find some info on his opponents, allowing him to clutch a 1vs2. Only the second round for Liquid, but one that could turn the momentum.
Link copied Last comment 19/0518:20 By Sumljiv Watch: STYKO's flank continues Apeks rampage
Liquid have found just one round so far on the defense, as the Apeks team are firing on all cylinders. They are 5-1 up and looking confident, much thanks to Martin "STYKO" Styk, who found a great timing on A to secure two frags on unsuspecting CTs.
Link copied Last comment 19/0518:10 By Sumljiv Apeks come to play with early lead on Ancient
Liquid's aggressive B ramp push failed to work out as they were overwhelmed by Apeks, who are currently 3-0 up. The European combine have already matched their T side round number in the win against Ninjas in Pyjamas, when they came back from 3-14 down on the defense.
Link copied Last comment 19/0518:00 By Sumljiv Liquid - Apeks just moments away
The game is just moments away as both teams have walked out onto the stage. This time around, the crowd hasn't picked a favorite yet, as both rosters got sizable cheers during their introductions.
Ancient is up first, with Liquid starting on the CT side. The bookies have them as favorites, let's see if they can justify that tag.
Link copied Last comment 19/0517:36 By Sumljiv Apeks get their best two maps in veto; we're starting on Ancient
Apeks decided to pick Ancient, a battleground where they beat Liquid once already in Paris. They bested the North Americans in a 16-12 game in the Challengers Stage, but it is worth noting that Keith "NAF" Markovic was missing from that game with a 0.55 rating. Liquid have been struggling on the map and have a 2W-6L record in the last six months on LAN.
Liquid picked Overpass, with Anubis the decider if needed. The Egypt-inspired map is a solid middle ground for both teams considering it is Apeks' best map with an 80% win rate, while Liquid have a four-map win streak.
Link copied Last comment 19/0517:28 By NER0cs Stats: Can EliGE step up in playoffs?
Liquid have grinded their way back into the Major, with Keith "NAF" Markovic in sensational form and Mareks "YEKINDAR" Gaļinskis showing up as the X-factor with a peak as high as a 2.00 rating against Natus Vincere. Josh "oSee" Ohm, too, has warmed into the tournament and is currently averaging a 1.19 rating for the event — his highest ever in a big event.
The question mark is over Jonathan "EliGE" Jablonowski, but it would be unwise to count out such an experienced player as we head into the cauldron of the Accor Arena.
Link copied Last comment 19/0517:03 By Rizzolini GamerLegion secure semi-final spot; Monte eliminated
GamerLegion have completed a dominant 2-0 sweep of Monte after securing wins on Mirage (16-10) and Overpass (16-3), claiming a spot in the BLAST.tv Paris Major 2023 semi-finals. They will face their biggest test yet against HEROIC, a team ranked 20 spots above them in the HLTV ranking and the current favorites to take the trophy home.
Date
Matches
BLAST.tv Paris Major 2023
20/05/2023
HEROIC15:00 GamerLegion
Match
Kamil "siuhy" Szkaradek organized two amazing offensive halves across the series, especially on Overpass as they cruised to a 12-3 lead virtually unopposed. The European squad now sports a six-match unbeaten streak on the map at this event, an incredible achievement considering it includes wins over fnatic, MOUZ, and OG.
Mihai "iM" Ivan dominated the two maps with several crucial multi-kills and entries across the two maps, averaging to a 1.78 rating. His most impressive stat was the 2.02 impact rating he recorded over the two maps, by far the highest score in the series.
"I honestly just fucking love it," declared Nicolas "Keoz" Dgus after their win, referring to the crowd's support of GamerLegion and their Belgian rifler. "We just played as if it was [any] another game, but with this crowd it's even more amazing."
BLAST.tv Paris Major 2023Best of 3 MonteMatchpage 0 2 19th May 2023 GamerLegion 10Mirage 16 3Overpass 16
Monte
K - D
+/-
ADR
Rating 2.0
Mohammad 'BOROS' MalhasBOROS
32 - 35
-3
73.0
0.97
Volodymyr 'Woro2k' VeletniukWoro2k
33 - 36
-3
75.0
0.92
Sergiy 'DemQQ' DemchenkoDemQQ
31 - 37
-6
71.8
0.90
Viktor 'sdy' Orudzhevsdy
25 - 36
-11
76.8
0.85
Szymon 'kRaSnaL' MrozekkRaSnaL
25 - 39
-14
64.0
0.72
GamerLegion
K - D
+/-
ADR
Rating 2.0
Mihai 'iM' IvaniM
51 - 28
+23
112.3
1.78
Kamil 'siuhy' Szkaradeksiuhy
36 - 29
+7
90.3
1.29
Nicolas 'Keoz' DgusKeoz
36 - 31
+5
89.6
1.29
Frederik 'acoR' GyldstrandacoR
34 - 26
+8
72.2
1.25
Isak 'isak' Fahlénisak
24 - 33
-9
66.8
0.85
Link copied Last comment 19/0516:51 By Rizzolini GamerLegion cruise to halftime advantage on Overpass
GamerLegion have breezed past Monte with a 12-3 offensive half virtually unopposed as both Nicolas "Keoz" Dgus and Mihai "iM" Ivan fired on all cylinders. This is the Europeans' home map and they have shown why they are undefeated on it at the Major with deadly attacks on both sites and great individual play.
Kamil "siuhy" Szkaradek has called a fantastic game and has also been up there with his star duo in terms of output, constantly making Monte's life on the map a nightmare.
Link copied Last comment 19/0516:34 By Rizzolini GamerLegion navigate through chaos and extend lead
Sergiy "DemQQ" Demchenko almost saved Monte from another defeat with a miraculous FAMAS triple-kill while defending the B site, but Nicolas "Keoz" Dgus and Frederik "acoR" Gyldstrand were able to stabilize the round for GamerLegion. The duo pulled the Ts through by planting the bomb and taking down Volodymyr "Woro2k" Veletniuk to secure a 6-2 advantage for the European squad.
Link copied Last comment 19/0516:23 By Rizzolini Watch: Monte's pistols steal 4vs5 round away from GamerLegion
Monte pulled off an impossible round win with a 4vs5 defense of the A bombsite with just a few upgraded pistols, stopping GamerLegion's offense in their tracks before they were able to gain any steam.
Link copied Last comment 19/0516:07 By NER0cs Watch: The crowd gives Keoz some love as GL take Mirage
"Keoz! Keoz! Keoz!" scream the crowd as Nicolas "Keoz" Dgus and GamerLegion secure a victory on map one. The Belgian rifler was the loudest player at the Legends and Challengers stage but he doesn't need to shout here: He's got a few thousand Frenchman doing it for him.
Link copied Last comment 19/0516:02 By Rizzolini iM-powered GamerLegion steal Mirage; Overpass up next
GamerLegion just outclassed Monte on the offensive side and it was all thanks to Kamil "siuhy" Szkaradek's mid-round calls and the excellent performance from Mihai "iM" Ivan. The Romanian rifler dropped a 30-bomb against the Ukrainian core, powering his team to a six-round streak to steal them map, which included two miraculous attacks on the A site.
iM ended the map with a 34-17 K-D, 122.8 ADR, and a 1.89 rating, overshadowing everyone else on the server. Now GamerLegion have one step in the semifinals as they go into their pick of Overpass with a 1-0 series score while they are still unbeaten on the map in five attempts at the Major.
Link copied Last comment 19/0515:46 By Rizzolini GamerLegion pull ahead on the offense while isak falls behind
GamerLegion have retaken the 10-8 lead after stealing the second pistol round and converting the following chances against half buys from Monte. Mihai "iM" Ivan is on fire with 20 frags to his name, and stands in stark contrast to Isak "isak" Fahlén who is currently sitting at the bottom of the scoreboard with a 3-13 K-D.
Now the rifles are out for Monte, with the outcome of the game still up in the air.
Link copied Last comment 19/0515:37 By Rizzolini BOROS and Woro2k propel Monte to lead at halftime
it took a late comeback from Monte and immaculate performances from Mohammad "BOROS" Malhas and Volodymyr "Woro2k" Veletniuk late in the half, but eventually the Ukrainian squad was able to edge an 8-7 lead ahead of the break. GamerLegion had the early lead, but couldn't handle Monte's star rifler as BOROS tore through the defenders with a 17-10 K-D and six multi-kill rounds.
Link copied Last comment 19/0515:18 By NER0cs A slightly lower turnout today
As expected, there's a lower turnout for the 15:00 game today. Yesterday was a public holiday, as well as a bout between two top-five teams, so it would have been unreasonable to expect a similar atmosphere today.
The Golden Hornets are back in force though, sporting white T-shirts in support of Nicolas "Keoz" Dgus and GamerLegion. For the later game, it's likely the empty seats will fill up as people come in late from work.
Link copied Last comment 19/0515:16 By Rizzolini Keoz 1vs2 clutch equalizes score between Monte and GamerLegion
Monte had the early momentum, but now GamerLegion have taken the front foot after they brought out the rifles. The CT defenses are now ramping up, all thanks to a 1vs2 clutch from Nicolas "Keoz" Dgus as the Belgian secured a tight round in his team's favor to bring the scoreline to 2-2.
Link copied Last comment 19/0514:58 By Rizzolini Mirage, Overpass, and Vertigo to decide the series
In a surprising turn of events, Monte decided against picking Nuke and instead chose Mirage as their battlefield of choice before leaving Veritgo as the decider. GamerLegion for their part, picked Overpass, which means I only had one correct guess in my veto predictions.
1. Monte removed Inferno 2. GamerLegion removed Anubis 3. Monte picked Mirage 4. GamerLegion picked Overpass 5. GamerLegion removed Nuke 6. Monte removed Ancient 7. Vertigo was left over
Link copied Last comment 19/0514:51 By Rizzolini Keoz: "I feel no nerves"
Nicolas "Keoz" Dgus briefly popped in with a pre-match interview ahead of GamerLegion's clash against Monte in the Paris Major Quarterfinal. The Belgian rifler was the team's main hype man during the Challengers and Legends stages, always bringing the energy regardless if the they ere winning or losing and he now feels ready to tackle the most important match of his career so far.
"I feel no nerves," said Keoz when asked if he felt a lack of confidence ahead of the arena matches. "I will totally enjoy it, and I am happy to play here," he continued.
"Whenever I was in the arena yesterday I felt the support of the fans and it felt just amazing. I am actually really good friends with most of them [members of the French scene]...it will push us forward even more and I am looking forward for them to cheer for us."
Link copied Last comment 19/0514:33 By NER0cs Photo: The BLAST.tv Paris Major Trophy
This Major's trophy is certainly unique, and it is not without controversy. In the press room the consensus is that it is a bit small, and this photo from Radosław "MAKKU" Makuch makes it look quite a bit better than it does in person. But it's also not the end of the world; it looks cool in the dark, and you've got to give somecredit to BLAST for trying something new.
So what do you think of it now you've seen it in person? Let us know in the comments.
Link copied Last comment 19/0514:03 By Rizzolini Monte vs. GamerLegion: Two surprise stories collide
No, you are not dreaming, Monte and GamerLegion are about to face each other in a Major quarter-final in less than an hour. This is a matchup you could have imagined in a European tier-two event final, but instead, these two teams surprised both fans and analysts alike by making it all the way to the knockout stage.
This is the first time these two lineups play each other and they will do so in front of the French crowd at the Accor Arena. Regardless of the result, one team outside the HLTV top 10 will reach a Major's semi-final, an unthinkable result for many people who had picked either of these squads to go 0-3 during the two previous Swiss groups.
Date
Matches
BLAST.tv Paris Major 2023
19/05/2023
Monte15:00 GamerLegion
Match
GamerLegion will have to pay special attention to Mohammad "BOROS" Malhas following a breakout event for the Jordanian rifler, in which he propelled Monte to the quarter-finals with a 1.23 rating in his first Major appearance. The 19-year-old's influence on the server goes further than just raw output numbers as his 1.38 impact rating shows — the highest average score across the first two stages. Alongside him, Sergiy "DemQQ" Demchenko and Volodymyr "Woro2k" Veletniuk have been the team's pillars with their respective 1.13 and 1.11 ratings.
Mihai "iM" Ivan has been the best performer for GamerLegion, and has produced his best performances in crucial matches for the European mix such as against MOUZ, OG, and fnatic. His level over the first two stages has averaged to a 1.20 rating, making him one of Kamil "siuhy" Szkaradek's most important tools.
The Polish in-game leader has been one of GamerLegion's brightest stars, and not just to his respectable numbers in the server, but also due to his impeccable leadership throughout the Major. siuhy has led his team to a five-match unbeaten streak on Overpass and they are still to be defeated on Ancient.
You can expect GamerLegion to ban Anubis in the first round of the veto as per usual, eliminating Monte's best map from the conversation immediately while they themselves ban Inferno. Overpass will almost certainly be picked by siuhy and company, leaving Viktor "sdy" Orudzhev to pick Nuke with either Ancient or Mirage as the decider. Vertigo could be an option, but neither squad has been able to pick it in best-of-threes at the Major.
Link copied Last comment 19/0512:58 By Rizzolini BLAST.tv Paris Major playoffs day two begins in two hours
Good afternoon everyone! We are just a couple of hours away from the start of Monte vs. GamerLegion, which will kickstart the second set of quarter-finals at the BLAST.tv Paris Major 2023. Liquid and Apeks will take the stage in the second game today as the teams prepare to take the last two remaining spots in the semi-finals.
HEROIC and Vitality both punched their ticket to the top four after two exciting matches in front of the French crowd at the Accor Arena. Today we are hoping to see the same energy as we bring you the action with another live post. There will be regular updates about the matches throughout the day with recaps, highlights, and interviews as well as some behind-the-scenes content from the venue.
Monte will kickstart proceedings with their match against GamerLegion
Pre-match reading
The playoffs could have not started in a better way as HEROIC and FaZe opened up the knockout stage with a fixture worthy of a grand final. The Danish team eventually came out victorious after FaZe faded out on the decider, marking another match won by them despite the crowd's favoritism towards their opponents. Casper "cadiaN" Møller confessed the situation is no different from other events, and you can read more about it in Danish "Nohte" Allana's post-match interview with the in-game leader:
Read more cadiaN: "The crowd can cheer for who they want, we're just going to play and win"
Vitality put an end to one of the Major's surprise stories after eliminating Into the Breach in the second quarterfinal on Thursday. It was an exciting match as the British core once again tackled a higher-ranked team without fear or respect, bringing the fight directly to them. You can read how Dan "apEX" Madesclaire and company prevented Counter-Strike from coming home in the match recap: