Is a G2-Spirit final at the Shanghai Major on the Cards?

We’re nearing the end of the line of the final event of the season, as we head into the Perfect World Shanghai Major 2024 Semi-Finals. We have two matches to look out for, as the final four teams will be eager to stake their claim at the Major. This isn’y just going to be a race to the Major, but also a race for who will end up as the #1 player of the year, as m0NESY and donk will look to leave no stones unturned to stay alive in the competition.

Spirit vs MOUZ

The fireworks start early tomorrow, with the first match boasting a clash between the #4 and #5 team. While MOUZ has impressed in patches, their track record against top 10 opponents remains shaky, except for a sweep of The MongolZ. And their opponents will be  Spirit, who boast a donk in the Harbinger of Ruin form, promises to be anything but a stroll through the park.

The head to head between these two teams show an exchange of blows. However, Spirit, still nursing the sting of a 0-2 loss to MOUZ in the last Major, will undoubtedly be out for vengeance. Yet underestimating MOUZ can prove deadly for Spirit, as we all know that they can bite.

MOUZ can pull a rabbit out of the hat on Nuke, a map where Xertion thrives with his playmaker roles outside. Donk, despite his fearsome reputation, has only averaged a 1.15 rating on Nuke in the past three months and is far from invincible. Vertigo seems unlikely to make an appearance, but Mirage and Dust2 are likely to be on the plate.

FaZe vs G2

The second bout of the day promises to up the ante. FaZe comes into this matchup as heavy underdogs, a role that captain karrigan insists fuels their fire. Despite a battering in the Group Stage, we are now quite familiar of the narrative around FaZe and playoffs, and can’t rule them out. If you had asked me to pick a winner before the Major, I would have sided with G2. But FaZe’s run against Vitality has my qualms on the subject justified.

Standing in their way is going to be none other than NiKo, the proverbial thorn in FaZe’s side. He has made a reputation of playing well against FaZe, evident by his 1.28 rating across 14 maps this year against the men in red. For context, putting the stats under top 10 lens, FaZe ranks fourth when it comes to NiKo’s ratings  against opponents, surpassing even Spirit.

The map veto will be fascinating. NiKo has had his struggles on Inferno, which used to be FaZe’s blind pick. But given FaZe’s Group Stage dismantling on the same map, it’s hard to predict if karrigan will roll the dice there again. Then again, this is karrigan we’re talking about. He doesn’t shy away from throwing curve balls; especially when the stakes are high.

All in all, it’s going to be an exciting day for any Counter-Strike fan. As a FaZe fan myself, I’ll be particularly watching the FaZe-G2 clash, but at the end of the day, all I want are close, thrilling matches. When the stakes are high and the adrenaline is flowing, I want to feel every beat and every moment. A one-sided stomp just doesn’t belong in the semi-finals.