NAVI has cemented its place as one of the top Counter-Strike teams of the year with a stunning 3-1 victory over MOUZ in the IEM Rio 2024 grand final. This win marks NAVI’s sixth consecutive grand final appearance, adding yet another prestigious title to their already impressive year.
NAVI’s Dominance in Early Maps
Coming off a tough semifinal victory against Heroic, NAVI entered the grand final with high expectations. The team quickly lived up to those expectations, taking control of the first two maps, Inferno and Dust2, with commanding wins.
Particularly, their 13-2 destruction of MOUZ on Dust2 seemed to be a clear indicator that NAVI was on the verge of closing out the series with a sweep.
However, MOUZ refused to go down without a fight. Despite NAVI’s early dominance, the youthful MOUZ squad rallied on Mirage, securing a 13-6 victory to force a fourth map. They carried their momentum into Ancient, where they put up a dominant 10-2 CT half, positioning themselves for a potential decider on Nuke.
NAVI’s Comeback on Ancient
It seemed inevitable that the series would go to a fifth map, but NAVI had other plans. Down 10-5 after the first half, NAVI displayed incredible composure and resilience, mounting a thrilling comeback. With a nearly impenetrable defense, they won eight consecutive rounds in the second half to complete the comeback, clinching Ancient and the championship in regulation.
Post-Match Reactions and Highlights
NAVI’s jL summed up the team’s mentality during the tournament, stating, “We spoke about it the whole tournament, no matter how much you’re down, you can still win. But it also works both ways, no matter how much you are up, you can also still lose, so keep focus.” His words reflected the intense concentration and determination that NAVI exhibited throughout the grand final.
For MOUZ, Jimpphat delivered an outstanding performance, despite the loss, and raised questions about his future in post-match interviews. “For now, I’m really happy to be here,” he said, hinting at possible future changes. His play, including a crucial clutch on Ancient, stood out as a highlight of the series.
The victory saw iM and w0nderful leading the charge for NAVI, successfully shutting down MOUZ’s key players xertioN and Brollan. With this win, NAVI continues its dominance, securing back-to-back Intel Grand Slam titles, though they still need two more to claim the coveted million-dollar bonus.
Conclusion
NAVI’s thrilling win at IEM Rio 2024 cements their position as one of the top teams in Counter-Strike, with six consecutive grand final appearances. Their comeback on Ancient will undoubtedly be remembered as one of the greatest moments in recent esports history, while MOUZ continues to show promise despite the loss.
All eyes are now on NAVI as they aim for the Intel Grand Slam bonus in their upcoming events.
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