MIBR upsets Fnatic, eliminates them from IEM Katowice 2021

The Brazilian esports organization MIBR delivered a shocking elimination of Swedish Counter-Strike giants Fnatic during the IEM Katowice 2021 play-in stage, marking one of the tournament’s most significant upsets.

In the lower bracket’s opening round at the prestigious IEM Katowice qualifiers, MIBR executed a spectacular reversal of expectations. The South American squad overwhelmed Fnatic with a decisive 2-0 victory, representing merely their second match triumph since completing roster acquisitions in January.

Both competing teams entered the second play-in day facing elimination pressure after disappointing initial performances. Each roster needed flawless lower-bracket navigation to secure main event participation.

shz spurs MIBR over Fnatic in IEM Katowice 2021

Competitive action commenced on Dust 2, selected by MIBR as their preferred battleground. The Brazilians captured the initial pistol round and consolidated their advantage by securing subsequent anti-eco victories, establishing early dominance. However, once Fnatic acquired rifle weaponry, competitive momentum appeared to shift toward the European representatives.The Swedish squad secured three consecutive rounds, but MIBR identified tactical vulnerabilities around the B-site defense. Although recent Fnatic acquisition Jack “Jackinho” Ström Mattson demonstrated solid defensive capabilities, his individual efforts proved insufficient to contain MIBR’s coordinated assaults.

MIBR maintained relentless offensive pressure throughout their terrorist-side execution, while Fnatic struggled to develop effective counter-strategies. From the final nine first-half rounds, MIBR claimed eight victories. Halftime concluded with a commanding 11-4 advantage for the Brazilian competitors.

Transitioning to their defensive roles, Fnatic managed to narrow the deficit and equalize the match at 12-12. This pivotal moment triggered Bruno “shz” Martinelli’s exceptional individual performance.

The rifler executed flawless B-site defense and achieved an ace in the subsequent round, positioning his team at match point.With Fnatic’s economic resources depleted, MIBR secured the concluding round against pistol upgrades with minimal difficulty, claiming the map and establishing a 1-0 series lead.

Entering their own map selection of Overpass, Fnatic confronted immense psychological pressure. The Swedish lineup demonstrated competent terrorist-side execution despite losing the initial four rounds, concluding the first half with seven rounds secured. However, their defensive setups proved fundamentally inadequate, enabling MIBR to overwhelm them completely during the second half. Under Ricordo “boltz” Prass’s confident leadership, MIBR dominated the second map, defeating their opponents on their preferred selection with a decisive 16-9 result.

Following this outcome, Fnatic—historically dominant with three Katowice championship victories—exited the competition prematurely. Although not considered tournament favorites, the Swedish team represented dangerous dark horses capable of championship-level performances. Meanwhile, MIBR progresses to confront German organization BIG later today, competing for main tournament qualification.

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