Team Spirit has secured their place in the semifinals of the BLAST Premier World Finals following a decisive 2-0 victory over FaZe Clan. While the scoreline suggests a straightforward win, FaZe nearly mounted a classic comeback, led by Finn “Karrigan” Andersen, whose efforts kept FaZe’s hopes alive.
However, the firepower displayed by Spirit’s stars ultimately proved too formidable.
Quarterfinal Recap: Spirit vs. FaZe
- Map Veto:
- FaZe removed Vertigo
- Spirit removed Inferno
- FaZe picked Mirage
- Spirit picked Anubis
- FaZe removed Nuke
- Spirit removed Ancient
- Dust2 was the leftover map
Both teams opted for the dusty terrain of Dust2 in the quarterfinals, resulting in an exciting matchup.
Player Lineup
- Team Spirit:
- Leonid “chopper” Vishnyakov (C)
- Boris “magixx” Vorobyev
- Myroslav “zont1x” Plakhotja
- Danil “donk” Kryshkovets
- Dmitriy “sh1ro” Sokolov
- Sergey “hally” Shavayev
- FaZe Clan:
- Håvard “rain” Nygaard
- Helvijs “broky” Saukants
- Finn “karrigan” Andersen (C)
- Robin “ropz” Kool
- David “frozen” Čerňanský
- Filip “NEO” Kubski
Map 1: Mirage – Donk and Sh1ro Thwart Karrigan’s Miracle
On Mirage, donk immediately showcased his skills with a Deagle triple kill. Although Spirit couldn’t capitalize on their early advantage, they maintained a lead through the initial gun rounds.
As the half concluded, FaZe found success on A, leveling the score. However, donk found his rhythm on the attack, securing seven opening kills to close FaZe’s pick with a 13-10 victory.
Map 2: Anubis – A Spectacular Show in Singapore
As the match moved to Anubis, the Singapore crowd was treated to an exhilarating contest. Spirit claimed the pistol round, but FaZe responded with late A hits, tying the score at 2-2. The two teams remained neck and neck, with Karrigan delivering impressive plays with the Deagle, allowing FaZe to edge ahead at halftime.
In the second half, Spirit seemed poised to replicate their Mirage performance with strong contributions from sh1ro and zont1x, taking four consecutive rounds. However, FaZe was not ready to concede defeat. Karrigan continued to impact the game significantly, leading FaZe to five consecutive rounds, putting them on match point.
FaZe had a chance to clinch the win in round 24, successfully defending against Spirit’s A attack. Yet, chopper, cleverly navigating through the backlines, made the pivotal decision to rotate to B, catching broky off-guard.
This move ignited an overtime battle, with both teams unwilling to relinquish control. Ultimately, after two overtime rounds, FaZe ran out of steam, allowing Spirit to secure a thrilling 19-17 victory.
Looking Ahead
With this victory, Team Spirit moves forward in the World Finals, eliminating FaZe Clan. The chopper-led squad now sets their sights on facing Astralis in the semifinals, eager to continue their pursuit of a finals appearance.
