(Banner image: Ubisoft/Joao Ferreira)
“APAC is growing quickly, it’s only been set back by COVID-19, I think we would have seen a Top 2 or even a Major winning team by now if it wasn’t for the pandemic,” said Glen “Lunarmetal” Suryasaputra in a press conference in Sweden on the very first day of competition.
Sweden could have seen the very first international APAC Grand Finalist, but FaZe Clan butted in at the final second. Despite the Koreans’ best efforts, their impressive Major run came to an end today after a thrilling 1-2 loss against the Brazilians, who will compete tomorrow in their first international Grand Final since the Pro League Season 8 Finals three years ago.
The map ban phase saw a very conservative FaZe using their bans on very aggressive maps, such as Coastline and Clubhouse. The Koreans’ performances on Clubhouse have been astonishing; they have an international record of 5-1 there, with their only loss having been against FURIA Esports on Nov. 10 this event. Meanwhile, Coastline saw the Koreans beat their regional rivals SANDBOX Gaming by 7-1.
FaZe Clan was a definite letdown on the first map of Chalet, especially on the attack. Round nine was the Brazilians’ lowest point in the match, as the Koreans eventually won the round in flawless fashion. The team seemed lost, making questionable decisions that eventually cost them map one.
“The first map shocked us a bit. We weren’t ready for such aggressive plays,” said Gabriel “cameram4n” Hespanhol in a post match press conference right after the series.
José “Bullet1” Victor’s Chalet was one to forget on Chalet. With zero kills and ten deaths, he was FaZe Clan’s worst rated player as it stood. Something had to change.
But one of FaZe’s best traits is their experience. The Brazilian duo Leonardo “Astro” Luis and Gabriel “cameram4n” Hespanhol bring so much to the team, and their past in the scene could have made a huge difference against DWG KIA.
Cameram4n revealed that he had spoken to Bullet1 following his display on Chalet. “Okay, this map is gone, next map is ours, you will play better... now they can’t be that aggressive in map, different map, different Bullet1,” said cameram4n.
Which seemed to work as the player became FaZe Clan’s best player in Bank, with 15 kills under his name. Later on, he would finish with a positive SiegeGG Rating, being FaZe’s second best player of the match.
Following two one-sided maps, Oregon would decide all. The Koreans had a sloppy start to the game, the team only won three of its six defences. Eventually, FaZe Clan put themselves up and were on match point by round 10. It was almost over. But then, DWG KIA pulled out a fantastic comeback to force overtime.
The Koreans seemed to have momentum. However, Lucas “soulz1” Romero Schinke spoiled their comeback with two clutches in the last three rounds of the game. It was all down to him and Jang “RIN” Byeong-uk on round fifteen, with the Brazilian winning the duel and breaking APAC hearts.
“Nerves and faith,” said cameram4n while laughing, perhaps finally realizing what had happened on the server a few minutes before. “That’s soulz, he clutches all the time, I have faith in him, I know what he is capable of.”
Tomorrow, on Nov. 14, FaZe Clan will have another shot at an international trophy against the winner sof the clash between Rogue and Ninjas in Pyjamas. The team’s last and only Grand Final was against G2 Esports at the Pro League Season 8 Finals, where the team had misunderstood the order of the map vetoes.
“Anything can happen in a BO5,” concluded cameram4n.