On the third day of the event, the favorites dominated, while Movistar Riders and 9z were eliminated.
Virtus.pro and Liquid will face off in the quarter-finals of the blast showdown this coming Saturday after winning their respective round of 16 matchups against underdogs Movistar Riders and 9z, respectively.
Despite starting off strong on Vertigo, Virtus.pro found themselves up against a tenacious Movistar Riders team, who came into the tournament fresh off qualifying for PGL Major Stockholm after a stunning fifth-place finish at IEM Fall.
After falling behind 5-13, the Spaniards put out a valiant effort, bringing the game back to the final round of regulation with a powerful CT side of their own. Despite strong efforts from Alejandro “alex” Masanet and Alejandro “mopoz” Fernández-Quejo Cano, Virtus.pro won the first match 16-14.
Outside of a brief run at the conclusion of the first half, Movistar Riders appeared completely out of their depth in Mirage, with Mareks “YEKINDAR” Gainskis running rampant as usual, guiding Virtus.pro to an easy series victory.
It was a lot easier for Liquid, who didn’t have much competition in the form of the rookie 9z team led by Bruno “b1t” Fukuda Lima, who was making his first European appearance since the spring season’s BLAST Showdown.
The South American team was no match for Liquid, unlike in the spring season when they stunned Vitality with a shocking victory. Jake “Stewie2K” Yip and his teammates advanced to the quarter-finals on Nuke and Inferno, where Virtus.pro awaits.