Banner image: Ubisoft/Kirill B.
French superteam BDS Esport survived two overtime games against Brazilian side FURIA to advance to the semifinals of the Mexico Major.
BDS had also eliminated FURIA from the Six Invitational 2021, held in May, and has now won four maps in a row against FURIA in knockout matches. “I believe that more than ever we want to face them in the next tournament,” said FURIA head coach Marlon “Twister” Mello, after the game.
The Brazilian side won the first map of its bout with BDS during the Six Invitational, then lost the next pair of maps 7-4, 7-1. “I believe this match proved that we’ve improved as as team, and we want the victory in the next event.”
Coastline was neck-and-neck all the way through, with the highlight coming from Frenchman Bryan “Elemzje” Tebessi notching an impressive clutch against three FURIA players. “It’s all about communication and trusting your teammates, to be honest,” said Elemzje of his clutch. He credits his teammates’ confirmation of audio information for the play. The Coastline gridlock was finally broken in round 15, when BDS finally won 8-7.
Clubhouse was a different story, though. FURIA raced out to a 6-3 lead, only to lose five rounds in a row to lose the map 8-6.
“They [BDS] started adapting to a more aggressive, ‘do-or-die’ playstyle,” said Twister, who elaborated by saying his players didn’t have the same “reading” of BDS’s game plan they had before.
“We just adapted. Every defense, every attack they made, we adapted,” said Elemzje. The adaptation built upon itself, said Elemzje, with small tweaks thrown in the mix, like a Clash play when the Frenchmen knew FURIA would be taking from the jacuzzi wall. “Round by round, we adapted, we had the trust, we had the communication, and we woke up aim-wise as well.”
FURIA, Twister says, will refocus on BR6 and eventually qualifying for the Six Invitational.
BDS will advance to face fellow EUL team Team Empire in the semifinals of the Mexico Major. Its victory against FURIA guarantees that the grand finals will have at least one European team in it, with the past six grand finals with EU teams going in favour of the Europeans.