The second day of the IEM Cologne Major has concluded with top sides finding form, underdogs causing upsets, and teams fighting to make a statement on the grand stage of professional Counter-Strike. While the high-stakes game starts tomorrow, the performances today will determine the cushion they have before the playoffs.
As it stands
| Team | M | RW | RL | RD | Record |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spirit | 2 | 61 | 31 | +30 | 2-0 |
| FURIA | 2 | 57 | 39 | +18 | 2-0 |
| BetBoom | 2 | 63 | 51 | +12 | 2-0 |
| 9z | 2 | 64 | 56 | +8 | 2-0 |
| Vitality | 2 | 64 | 53 | +11 | 1-1 |
| MOUZ | 2 | 51 | 42 | +9 | 1-1 |
| The MongolZ | 2 | 59 | 54 | +5 | 1-1 |
| Falcons | 2 | 60 | 60 | 0 | 1-1 |
| G2 | 2 | 66 | 66 | 0 | 1-1 |
| Monte | 2 | 50 | 53 | -3 | 1-1 |
| Aurora | 2 | 48 | 52 | -4 | 1-1 |
| Natus Vincere | 2 | 35 | 40 | -5 | 1-1 |
| FUT | 2 | 50 | 63 | -13 | 0-2 |
| PARIVISION | 2 | 50 | 67 | -17 | 0-2 |
| B8 | 2 | 31 | 55 | -24 | 0-2 |
| Legacy | 2 | 25 | 52 | -27 | 0-2 |
Highlights of the day
Losing to BetBoom on Day 1, Asian powerhouse The MongolZ put themselves in the 1-1 bracket, securing a quick 2-0 over B8. Despite losing their own map, FURIA secured a much-needed 2-0 win over MOUZ, and now they are a win away from the playoffs. Monte’s reverse-sweeping PARIVISION gave them their first win of Stage 3 as Jame’s side fell to a 0-2 bracket. G2’s solid performance against FUT gave them their first win of the Stage before their rivals from Day 1 gave us the upset of the day as Falcons’ disasterclass saw them drop the ball against BetBoom, where they walked away with a 2-0 loss. The upset of the day came with 9Z winning back-to-back maps to come back against the favorites, Vitality, to send them down to the 1-1 bracket. The final game of the day had Spirit taking on Aurora, and despite a tough fight, Spirit managed to secure the victory.
Day 3 Matches
| Time | Match | Format |
|---|---|---|
| 14:30 | Natus Vincere vs The MongolZ | BO3 |
| 14:30 | B8 vs FUT | BO3 |
| 17:00 | Aurora vs G2 | BO3 |
| 17:00 | Falcons vs Monte | BO3 |
| 19:30 | Vitality vs MOUZ | BO3 |
| 19:30 | PARIVISION vs Legacy | BO3 |
| 22:00 | BetBoom vs FURIA | BO3 |
| 22:00 | Spirit vs 9z | BO3 |
Closing the day with back-to-back bangers, the Major is now blown wide open. With underdogs performing and favourites failing to meet expectations, this might be one of the most uncertain Majors in recent times. Teams build up form as the event progresses, but picking favourites at this point would be like taking a shot in the dark.