After a devastating performance in the early stages of BLAST’s Counter-Strike Austin Major, the Falcons Counter-Strike team left the competition in 20th-22nd place.
The star-studded team was seen as favourites in Stage Two of the tournament. However, they only won a single game against OG, losing to B8, Lynn Vision Gaming, and MIBR.
Falcons vs. MIBR – triple overtime and a dying dream
Map one seemed to foresee a game in the Falcons’ favour. The team won over MIBR 13-6 on Ancient, with wins well-balanced across the Terrorist and Counter-Terrorist rounds.
Although Falcons initially appeared to perform well, their following maps could not replicate the earlier success.
On map two, MIBR were able to consistently win cluches and maintain advantages. Despite being the Falcons’ map pick, they lost 9-13 after managing only two round wins on the Terrorist side.
The deciding third map, Inferno, went into triple overtime as the Falcons Counter-Strike team fought to remain in the competition. Despite desperate attempts to regain ground against MIBR, the team eventually lost the map 20-22, officially ending their time at the Austin Major.
The Falcons Counter-Strike team features several iconic players, including Nikols ‘NiKo’ Kovac, Ilya ‘mONESY’ Osipov, and Emil ‘Magisk’ Reif. With player acquisitions and salaries rumoured to be in the millions, the Falcons clearly expected a better performance out of the team.
Who joins the Falcons Counter-Strike team in shocking Austin performances?
Falcons are not the only team to have caused a stir at the Austin Major.
Despite signing Counter-Strike legend S1mple, a roster change that sparked considerable discussion in the community, they have struggled more than expected in the tournament so far.
Their two-map loss to 3DMax on June 9th served as a strong wake-up call to FaZe fans
Some have even begun questioning the roster shakeup earlier this year that created their current lineup.
On the contrary, the Brazilian team Legacy has enjoyed a surprisingly successful Stage Two at the Austin Major.
The team was known heading into the tournament as controversial replacements for the Argentinian team BESTIA after visa drama. However, they picked up three wins against MIBR, 3DMax, and FaZe after a more touch-and-go experience in Stage One.
While the Falcons Counter-Strike team will no longer have a shot at winning the Austin Major, several more big teams are about to enter the competition.
Stage Three, running from June 12th to 15th, will welcome current powerhouses Team Vitality into the competition. The top eight teams from this stage proceed to the Playoffs, where audiences flock to find out who will lift the next Major trophy.
Hannah is a writer specialising in the esports, gaming, and technology sectors. Working for outlets such as Dot Esports, Esports Insider, and of course ENUK, she has developed a love for wider esports and Apex Legends, although it may never surpass her drive to passionately beat her friends in every game of Mariokart. You may have seen her at various esports and gaming events, including ESI London, EGX, Discover: Esports and many League of Legends watch parties.
