Aurora Gaming swept to a win and BetBoom Team eked out a victory as they claimed the final two playoff spots on Friday at the Thunderpick World Championship in Attard, Malta.
In the Group A decider match, Aurora Gaming downed 9z Team 2-0. BetBoom Team prevailed 2-1 over Legacy in the Group B decider match.
The results set the semifinals matchups for Saturday. Team Falcons will oppose BetBoom Team, and FURIA will face off with Aurora Gaming.
The $1 million Counter-Strike 2 event began with eight teams divided into two groups for the double-elimination opening round. All group-stage matches were best-of-three, and the top two teams from each group earned berths in the single-elimination playoffs.
Playoff matches will be best-of-three until the grand final on Sunday, which will be best-of-five. The championship team will receive $500,000, half going to the club and half going to the players.
On Friday, Aurora Gaming bested 9z Team 13-11 on Cache, 13-4 on Inferno. Turkey’s Ali “Wicadia” Haydar Yalcin led Aurora Gaming with 36 kills and a plus-8 kill-death differential. Chile’s Matias “HUASOPEEK” Ibanez Hernandez wound up with 28 kills and a minus-4 K-D differential for 9z Team.
BetBoom Team pulled out a 16-13 overtime win on Nuke before Legacy equalized with a 13-11 triumph on Dust II. The decisive third map, Mirage, went to BetBoom by a 13-11 count.
Kirill “Magnojez” Rodnov propelled all-Russian BetBoom Team with 62 kills and a plus-12 K-D differential. Argentina’s Santino “try” Rigal recorded 62 kills and a plus-8 K-D differential for Legacy.
Thunderpick World Championship prize pool (all money evenly divided between player prize money and team share)
1. $500,000
2. $250,000
3. $100,000
4. $50,000
5-6. $30,000 — 9z Team, Legacy
7-8. $20,000 — Ninjas in Pyjamas, PARIVISION
–Field Level Media
