Half of the FunSpark ULTI 2021 Finals tournament has already concluded, and while the lower bracket still has at least four matches ahead, the upper bracket is down to just two teams: BIG and Gambit. These two undefeated squads will clash on the server on January 23 at 17:00. The winner advances to the grand final, while the losing team will compete in the lower bracket final. We made predictions for both of the German team’s matches, and they held up.
BIG
Berlin International Gaming showed no hesitation against k23, even though their opponents had a 100% win rate on Dust2. The team opted to play on their strong map rather than their opponent’s weak one. The Germans dominated on the attacking side, and in the second half, they just needed to finish the job. They won both pistol rounds. Mirage turned out to be thrilling, with k23’s tactics being quite inventive. The German team won the first half again, but got crushed in the second. Unfortunately, k23 ran out of steam on the third map, ending 4-16.
Gambit
Gambit faced some unexpected challenges against Complexity, particularly losing the Vertigo map. However, they easily overpowered their opponents on the other two maps. Their next match was against fellow CIS team Entropiq. Matches between CIS teams are always intense and hard-fought. Sh1ro and his crew had struggled against Entropiq at a major event, and their game at V4 Future Festival was tough too. This time, El1an and his teammates won Mirage, but fell short on Dust2 and Overpass, unable to put up a solid performance.
Statistics and Prediction
Gambit’s win rate over the last three months is 72%, while BIG’s stands at 52%. In the global rankings, the Russian team is currently at 2nd place, with their opponents at 15th. Last year, the teams faced off at the V4 Future Festival in November, ending in a 2-0 win for Gambit.
BIG has performed well in their opening matches, boasting excellent aim and strong game understanding. They do have issues with their map pool, and faven doesn’t always deliver as expected, even though he’s playing the same roles as he did at Sprout. Gambit remains in top form, with the dynamic trio of sh1ro, Hobbit, and Ax1le dominating every game. The team has a solid coach and a versatile map selection.
BIG always struggles against Gambit, and this match won’t be any different. Looking at the maps, the Germans might compete on Dust2 and Overpass, but their chances are slim on the rest. We’re not including Nuke here, as the Russians typically ban it. The German team has shown quality Counter-Strike in this tournament and could potentially take Dust2. Gambit is unlikely to face issues on their picks and will probably secure the decider. Based on all this, we’re going with the over.
