First teams qualified for Shanghai Major Playoffs

Day two of the PW Shanghai Major 2024 Elimination Stage is officially in the books, and we already have our first two teams securing their spots in the Shanghai Major playoffs. Unsurprisingly, the first team to go through is Vitality, currently #2 in Valve’s Global Rankings. And a bit to everyone’s surprise, the second team to make a flawless run to the playoffs, is Asia’s very best, The MongolZ.

ZywOo gunning for it all

Vitality sailed through with relative ease, taking down #22 GamerLegion, #10 Furia, and #15 MIBR. I doubt the outcome would have been any different even if they’d faced tougher opponents, considering the inconsistent form of Spirit, G2, and, somewhat surprisingly, NAVI in Shanghai. That said, these Bo1s are always a bit of a gamble, even for the top dogs.

Talking about Individual form, it is rightfully the French GOAT topping the charts. Across the 4 maps played, ZywOo boasts a 1.45 rating, with the rest of the team following around the 1.2x mark. apEX being the worst performer and still having a 1.15 rating is testament to Vitality’s dominance in the Elimination Stage. The team’s individual contributions have been well-balanced. flameZ has stepped up on the T-side to support ZywOo, and mezii has taken over the baton on the CT side, all the while Spinx has remained a steady presence.

The MongolZ’s tapestry of legend

Extending their match win streak to 13, and remaining undefeated in the Major so far, The MongolZ are the second team to cement a playoffs spot. This historic run started off with a win against G2 on Inferno, then took down MOUZ in over time, and now tore HEROIC away from their dreams of a 3-0 run.

At the helm stands Senzu, who has been absolutely marvellous with his 1.21 rating in the Elimination Stage. Closely behind, 910 follows courtesy of a lights out performance again MOUZ, notching a win from the jaws of defeat. But beyond these ratings, it has been the chemistry among these players that has been the real match-winner.

The team keeps rewriting history, having earlier today become the first Asian team to break into the top 3 of Valve’s World Rankings. Now, they’ve also made history as the first Asian team to reach Major Playoffs in over 11 years of Counter-Strike Majors. How poetic to come at the first ever Major in Asia!

The stage is being set for a pulsating playoffs. As we head into the third day tomorrow, more teams will qualify, unravelling the full picture of playoffs. With FaZe Clan, G2, in the driver’s seat with their 2-1 record, It will be interesting to see what is in store for us.