MIBR through to IEM Sydney semi-finals over mousesports

MIBR are through to the semi-finals at IEM Sydney after a double-overtime battle on the opening map against MOUZ, securing a 2-0 victory in the quarter-finals (Mirage 22-19, Overpass 16-10).

The first quarter-final of IEM Sydney began on Mirage, a map that MOUZ chose after taking down BOOT-d[S] and BIG on it with 16-2 scorelines earlier in the tournament. This time, it wasn't going to be a cruise for them, as MIBR took control early on, leading 8-2 on the CT side after only letting through a couple of A executes, one in the pistol and one in the first full gunround.

The European side stabilized towards the end of the half, with more well-placed strategies on A and a 3v5 turnaround helping them secure three out of the last five rounds. This time on the defense, MOUZ conceded the pistol round, but doubles from Finn "⁠karrigan⁠" Andersen and Chris "⁠chrisJ⁠" de Jong in the following forcebuy set their team up for a great run that saw them string together eight rounds in a row.

As the opening map went into the late stages, it got closer and closer, with Marcelo "⁠coldzera⁠" David's massive 1v3 clutch and another triple in the 28th round setting the score at 14-14. The two sides began to go back and forth round by round as it went to overtime, and despite another big clutch, this time a 1v3 from Gabriel "⁠FalleN⁠" Toledo, MIBR could not finish it off in the first set. In the second, the teams continued to go blow for blow in the first half, but with two 1v1 clutches by Fernando "⁠fer⁠" Alvarenga and coldzera, the Brazilians put the final nails in the coffin to come out on top at 22-19.

Overpass followed, with MOUZ once again winning the pistol round but not being able to capitalize, while MIBR racked up another early advantage. coldzera continued to put in a huge effort with two more clutches to his name including an ace, leading his team to 9-3 on the offense.

Switching up the pace with some aggression towards connector and fountain, MOUZ put two more rounds on the board on the back of triples from David "⁠frozen⁠" Čerňanský, whose confidence seemed to ramp up as he reached the second half. There, the Slovakian put up a double in the pistol and gave his team their first clutch in the series, a 1v2 to close the gap to 9-10.

However, a halfbuy win, in which coldzera found a way to three kills with a Deagle, saw MIBR pull away to reach 14 rounds and soon the series at 16-10, when the superstar won another deciding duel against chrisJ in the last round.