The group stage of the IEM Katowice tournament ended over the weekend. From Group A, Gambit, Heroic, and Virtus.pro advanced. In the second group, Na’Vi, FaZe Clan, and G2 were the top teams. Heroic and Na’Vi advanced directly to the semifinals, while the others will have to fight for a spot in the top four. On February 25, there will be a match between G2 Esports and Virtus.pro. We have prepared a prediction for this matchup.
G2 Esports
The French organization started the tournament with an unexpected loss to fnatic. The team confidently won Nuke but completely faltered on Mirage and Inferno. After the defeat, they had no room for error as they dropped to the lower bracket. In their first game in the losers’ bracket, G2 defeated the Americans from Liquid, followed by a win over Furia. In the decisive match to reach the quarterfinals, Niko and his team battled against Astralis. The Danes managed to win their pick, but on the next two maps, they only scored a total of 6 rounds.
Virtus.pro
The «bears» had a shorter path in the tournament. In their debut match, they faced Copenhagen Flames, who qualified for the main stage through Play-in. The team started very strongly against the Danes, both on the first map and the second. The match ended in a convincing 2-0 victory for Virtus.pro. Next up were Ninjas in Pyjamas. The Swedes had knocked Gambit into the lower bracket in their first match, so they were expected to put up a fight against Virtus.pro. They did manage to create problems for their opponents, winning one of the maps. In the upper bracket final, Virtus.pro played poorly on Mirage and Vertigo, losing to Heroic.
Statistics and Prediction
Virtus.pro’s win rate over the last three months is 81.8%, while G2’s is at 68.8%. Last year, the teams faced each other twice. G2 won the first match in May, and Virtus.pro took the second one in August at ESL Pro League. However, both teams have changed their rosters since then.
Virtus.pro started the tournament strongly, but their lopsided loss to Heroic was unforeseen. It’s still unclear why the team chose Vertigo as their pick, as it’s one of their weakest maps right now. Tactically, they were outplayed. G2 also hasn’t been flawless. Frankly, if Niko isn’t performing, the team struggles. JACKZ sometimes delivers outstanding plays, but other times he’s invisible, and huNter’s stats have declined against top-5 teams. As for m0NESY, he’s playing steadily but inconsistently.
Bookmakers favor the French organization, offering odds around 1.65 for their win. You can bet on the Russian team’s victory at 2.10-2.20. Yes, the international lineup is on a three-win streak, but their opponents haven’t been formidable. Liquid and Astralis are losing to everyone lately, and FURIA almost always falls to top teams. Virtus.pro’s teamwork appears more cohesive, while G2 has only recently undergone a major roster overhaul.
