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9z Team STUN Vitality and move onto the semifinals
9z Team beat Vitality 2-0 to enter history and reach the IEM Dallas semi-finals.
In a surprise upset, the South Americans did the unthinkable and defeated Dan "apEX" Madesclaire’s squad in an electrifying series.
What many thought was luck, turned out a result of incredible synergy and teamwork which made 9z head and shoulders above some of the best teams in the world.
Their IEM Dallas journey kicked off strong by defeating the number one team in the world, MOUZ. Next on their tally was Team Liquid. And despite the series going back and forth like a tug of war, Antonio 'MartinezSa' Martinez and his teammates had the final say.
Finally, it was Vitality’s turn to take an uppercut by 9z. To clarify, “apEX” didn’t let the rope loose. Instead, 9z fought tooth and nail to secure their victory and a spot in the semi-finals.
9z should not be underestimated
The heated series started on Dust 2, 9z’s map pick. Regardless of winning the initial pistol round, Vitality flipped the script and seized the conversion with three rounds of their own.
The remaining of the first half was almost like a ping pong match, with both teams trading rounds, before the South Americans took the advantage to win 7-5. At this point, it was anyone’s game. Yet, on the back of five consecutive rounds, 9z closed the map denying a short-lived comeback.
Anubis should’ve been in Vitality’s bag considering 9z’s six match losing streak on the map. Yet again, Franco “dgt” Garcia hit with an iron fist on the T side to take the lead at 6-1. However, it was too early for Mathieu "ZywOo" Herbaut to give up. Hence, they struck back with five rounds of their own.
In the second half, they carried the same scenario as the first with each securing a few rounds of their own, before reaching overtime.
A heated showdown, a battle on the bitter end and a clash of supremacy describes the incredible resilience of both teams in the extra rounds.
By far, the highlight round was the 29th following an incredible 4K from “ZywOo” on a retake. But, the hype lasted about 90 seconds, before 9z put an end to the series.
With their victory, they’ll face either FaZe Clan or G2 Esports. So, be sure to keep an eye on the Playoffs as we keep you updated with the latest news.
Featured Image source: ESL
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