by At the BLAST Premier Spring Final, FaZe Clan commenced their journey with a resounding 2-0 (19-16, 13-5) triumph over SAW, punching their ticket to the playoffs.
This victory marked a turnaround for the Counter-Strike powerhouse, following some lukewarm performances at previous events like ESL Pro League and IEM Dallas.
The match against SAW saw a fierce battle unfold, particularly on Ancient, where SAW initially seized control with a dominant lead.
Despite FaZe facing match point, they staged an impressive comeback, pushing the game into overtime and eventually clinching the win.
Nuke, though floated as a comfort map for both teams, wasn’t necessary as FaZe displayed their prowess on Inferno, securing the series convincingly.
First W of the Spring Final secured for @FaZeEsports ? #BLASTPremier pic.twitter.com/pffNGLCDFc
— BLAST Premier ?? (@BLASTPremier) June 12, 2024
Meanwhile, Natus Vincere made a strong statement with a swift 2-0 (13-11, 13-9) victory over Astralis, bouncing back from a disappointing IEM Dallas showing.
Their win over the Danish giants set them up for a showdown against FaZe, while Astralis geared up to face SAW in a bid to stay alive in the tournament.
No dramas for @natusvincere on the opening day of the Spring Groups ?#BLASTPremier pic.twitter.com/b7rLBvSXF8
— BLAST Premier ?? (@BLASTPremier) June 12, 2024
Virtus.pro, after breaking a four-series losing streak, secured a hard-fought 2-1 (5-13, 13-11, 13-10) win over Vitality, propelling them to the upper bracket final of Group B.
Despite trailing on Inferno and Dust2, Virtus.pro staged a remarkable comeback, particularly on Anubis, where they showcased their resilience and determination.
What a reverse sweep from @virtuspro, securing their spot in the Wembley Arena! ?#BLASTPremier pic.twitter.com/Gr057w7eEp
— BLAST Premier ?? (@BLASTPremier) June 12, 2024
Team Spirit also started strong with a 2-1 (8-13, 13-7, 13-4) victory over G2 Esports, despite the latter fielding coach Wiktor ‘TaZ’ Wojtas instead of star player Ilya “m0NESY” Osipov due to visa issues.
Spirit’s triumph over G2, highlighted by their dominant performance on Anubis, sets up an intriguing clash against Virtus.pro in the upcoming matches.
.@Team__Spirit secure the final W of the opening day in London! ?#BLASTPremier pic.twitter.com/NXn4BOg4yL
— BLAST Premier ?? (@BLASTPremier) June 12, 2024
Thursday’s Spring Final matches
- SAW (+315) vs Astralis (-454.55) @ 12pm BST
- FaZe Clan (-166.67) vs Natus Vincere (+132) @ 2:30pm BST
- Team Vitality (-166.67) vs G2 Esports (+128) @ 5pm BST
- Virtus.pro (+288) vs Team Spirit (-400) @ 7:30pm BST
