How The MongolZ fought back against FURIA to reach the Beijing semifinals
The MongolZ lost Inferno to FURIA at IEM Beijing, then won Cache 13-8 and Dust2 13-11 to skip the quarterfinals and reach the semifinals.
When FURIA took Inferno in the Group A final at IEM Beijing on November 4, The MongolZ had to win the same two maps that had sent them home from Bucharest a week earlier. Nemiga had beaten them comfortably on Cache, then outlasted them in double overtime on Dust2. FURIA had gone on to win the tournament.
Both teams already had a place in the Beijing playoffs. FURIA, unbeaten in seven series, needed only to win their own pick to go straight to the semifinals. The MongolZ sent them into Friday’s quarterfinals instead. Their 2-1 comeback began on Cache, where they chose to take the first fight to FURIA.
Techno won the opening round with FURIA’s pistol
The opening pistol on Inferno left Techno alone in pit with four defenders between him and a round win. He had killed FalleN and picked up a defender’s silenced pistol. From behind the low wall below A, Techno could take a shot and duck back down. To get the bomb planted, though, he had to leave that cover and climb onto the site.
By the time he reached the barrels, only KSCERATO was left to stop him. Techno had ten health. He got the bomb down, reloaded and waited for the defender to come to him. When KSCERATO came around the corner, Techno finished the ace. The MongolZ built a lead before FURIA could put rifles around molodoy’s AWP. Soon molodoy was leading a retake on the same A site Techno had cleared.
Later, with the sides reversed, The MongolZ finally had a chance to take those weapons away again. They had won consecutive rounds on defense and left FURIA short of money. Their problem was the one AK that FURIA could put in molodoy’s hands. The sniper used it to kill all five MongolZ players just when another defensive hold could have broken FURIA’s buy.
The last chance to save Inferno looked considerably easier. Four MongolZ defenders were still alive against yuurih and KSCERATO. One more hold would have kept overtime within reach. Instead, the two FURIA riflers closed out Inferno 13-10. The MongolZ would have to win on FURIA’s pick.
On Cache, nin9 went looking for the first fight
Cache had decided FURIA’s matches against both FaZe and Natus Vincere in Beijing. The MongolZ had lost their last four there. Starting on the T side let them choose where to challenge FURIA before FalleN could run his own attacks.
It was nin9 who kept finding those fights, barely a month after he returned to The MongolZ. In October, bLitz and coach maaRaa brought nin9 in from The Huns and recalled cobrazera from the bench. After winning their first tournament together in Belgrade, nin9 said the five had been short on practice and were still working through mistakes during matches. Bucharest was their next stop.
Techno and bLitz already knew nin9 from IHC, where the three had qualified for the Antwerp Major together in 2022. Since then, nin9 had called for The Huns. Early in Beijing, Techno explained that when he and nin9 shared a B site, it was often nin9 who directed the pair while bLitz called for the team.
On Cache, nin9 found more opening kills by himself than FURIA’s whole lineup. Each time he got through, FURIA had the choice to either leave a gap in the defense or pull a player across from somewhere else. KSCERATO kept them close, surviving one attack with three kills and another as the last man alive. But when FalleN finally got the bomb into his hands after the switch, FURIA were still chasing.
bLitz made FURIA defend the bomb
FalleN secured the second pistol without taking the final duel. With the bomb planted and time running out, he stayed hidden while the last MongolZ player ran out of time to defuse. FURIA took the round and had enough money for rifles, putting them in position to level the score.
The MongolZ responded with a force buy, knowing another loss would leave their economy in trouble. FURIA planted on A again, but bLitz and 910 were still alive with a Desert Eagle and Scout, despite both taking damage. Molodoy and yuurih held the post-plant with AKs, seemingly in control of the site.
With 910 covering him, bLitz pushed out of A main, caught molodoy and immediately turned on yuurih before the trade could come through. The double kill left him free to stick the defuse.
BLitz delivered another crucial retake a few rounds later. FURIA secured a B plant, leaving him alone against molodoy and KSCERATO. He spotted molodoy through the opening overlooking the site and picked him off, then used fire to pressure KSCERATO behind the boxes. With the bomb still ticking, bLitz swung around the cover and finished the clutch with his AK.
FURIA continued getting the bomb down but struggled to convert their post-plants. Until The MongolZ reached map point, the second-half pistol remained their only successful post-plant defense. FalleN and yuurih tried to keep Cache alive, but bLitz caught both players from behind to close out the map 13-8 and send the series to Dust2.
910 carried the bomb into B tunnels
FURIA recovered from an early deficit to reach halftime level on Dust2. With The MongolZ now attacking, 910 brought his AWP and the bomb into B tunnels while bLitz approached the site through double doors.
As FURIA watched the tunnel exit through the flames, 910 pushed onto B and picked off the defenders. He was about to plant when FalleN killed bLitz, forcing him to pull out his AWP again. 910 caught FalleN before he could challenge him and finished the round with four kills, leaving nobody alive to contest the plant.
FURIA responded by running down the clock in the next round, denying The MongolZ a plant despite having players alive. YEKINDAR later joined molodoy on a double-AWP setup, helping FURIA bring the score back to 11-11.
FURIA still hadn't taken the lead, but they kept The MongolZ from reaching match point.
Techno and 910 had one more plant to make
Techno and 910 helped The MongolZ break the 11-11 tie. Nin9 found another opening kill, cobrazera caught yuurih, and The MongolZ secured the round with a bomb explosion. FURIA now needed the final round of regulation to force overtime.
FURIA looked to have the advantage when they brought the round down to a three-against-two, leaving only Techno and 910 alive. The bomb had already moved toward B before being taken back through mid. With seconds remaining, Techno headed for B while 910 held mid doors to stop the rotation.
910 picked off YEKINDAR with his AWP before switching to his pistol to kill yuurih. Techno got the bomb down, leaving KSCERATO to attempt the retake through B doors. This time, unlike his clutch on Inferno, Techno only needed one final kill to finish the job.
He won the duel, securing Dust2 13-11 and sending The MongolZ straight into Saturday's semifinals.
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