Intel Extreme Masters Cologne 2023: Semifinals – Overview & Highlights
radoslaw-davidovic
Hello, all CS:GO fans! On August 5, the Semifinals of the Intel Extreme Masters Cologne 2023 took place. Today, we will look at two matches and find out which teams advanced to the Grand Final.
So, let’s get started promptly.
In article you will find:
Semifinals of IEM Cologne 2023
The last hurdle before the final – the four strongest teams clashed in battles to determine who ultimately became the finalist of the last IEM Cologne in CS:GO. The two teams that lost left the competition, but they earned 1,200 Blast Premier points and $80,000 per team.
Now, let’s move on to the overview of the Semifinal and find out which two teams will be competing against each other in the Grand Final.
Team Vitality vs ENCE
First, let’s take a look at the match between Vitality and ENCE.
Here’s the list of map selections and bans:
- Vitality removed Ancient
- ENCE removed Inferno
- Vitality picked Mirage
- ENCE picked Nuke
- Vitality removed Anubis
- ENCE removed Overpass
- Vertigo was left over
Mirage
It’s not surprising that Vitality picked Mirage, as ENCE banned Inferno, on which Vitality has shown good performance in the past three months. Mirage is ranked three among the signature maps for Vitality, so it’s quite logical to choose it, especially knowing that ENCE doesn’t favor this map.
The first half went fairly well for Vitality. Playing on the T side, they managed to secure nine rounds, which is impressive on the offensive side. However, after switching sides, the French team lost the first three rounds and realized that ENCE was strong in the attack. Despite their efforts to fend off the opponent’s attacks, Vitality took several rounds, but ENCE proved stronger and secured the victory on this map with a 16:14 score.
Nuke
The following map was Nuke, picked by ENCE. It’s curious why they opted for this map, considering that Vitality also performs well. Both teams have an impressive win rate of over 90% in the last three months.
Now, let’s dive into the map. The first three rounds favored Vitality, who started on the CT side. However, with a solid loss bonus, ENCE managed to secure the necessary weaponry and make a comeback, albeit temporarily. Vitality regained control and continued to dominate the map, finishing the first half with an 11:4 score.
After switching sides, much like the previous time, heavily favored Vitality. Playing as terrorists, they tried to secure bomb plants, but most of their efforts were unsuccessful. The ENCE team swiftly caught up with the French squad and nearly leveled the score at 13:14 in favor of Vitality. Only two rounds separated them from overtime, yet Vitality managed to press their opponent and secure a hard-fought victory with a 16:14 score.
Vertigo
The decider map wasn’t the best for either team, as both teams had an average win rate of around 50% on this map, making it quite intriguing to observe.
In the first half, Vitality again played on the CT side, securing the initial three rounds, just like on the previous map. However, in the fourth round, ENCE managed to break through, boosting their economy and not only turning the game around but also giving themselves an advantage in rounds. ENCE comfortably closed out the first half with a 10:5 score.
After several lost rounds, Vitality seemed to have lost hope of victory despite the score being unfavorable. They secured the first pistol round in the second half, seemingly lifting the team’s spirits. However, ENCE quickly responded, claiming five consecutive rounds again and closing the map with a 16:7 score.
G2 Esports vs Astralis
Now let’s move on to the next match between the clear contender, G2, and the Astralis that have made significant changes in the roster. However, even with the changes in the Astralis roster, they have been showing incredible results and defeated Heroic in the previous match, who were also the favorites. Let’s see how this match unfolded.
Here’s the list of map selections and bans:
- Astralis removed Mirage
- G2 removed Overpass
- Astralis picked Ancient
- G2 picked Inferno
- Astralis removed Anubis
- G2 removed Vertigo
- Nuke was left over
Ancient
Usually, Astralis played on their signature maps: Ancient, Vertigo, and Overpass. However, two of them were banned. The team hoped to win on Ancient, as G2 would definitely be stronger on the other maps. Winning the first map would open up the opportunity to play two maps and try to win it.
The entire map was highly intense, transitioning back and forth between the two teams. Evidently, the Astralis team was well-prepared, but a few mistakes in the first half played a cruel joke on them. In the first half, Astralis was trailing with a 10:5 score.
Switching sides in the second half, Astralis managed to rally and narrow the gap, bringing the score to 11:11. However, G2 secured the next five rounds and didn’t leave any chance for Astralis to win.
Inferno
After losing the previous map, Astralis felt demoralized since it was the only map where they had a clear advantage over their opponent. Inferno is G2’s signature map, and they have played numerous games on it in the last three months, with a win rate of over 70%. Therefore, the majority of experts predicted a 2:0 victory for G2.
The first half started sharply in favor of G2, who secured five consecutive rounds and established dominance on the map. They executed swift and aggressive attacks on the bomb sites. However, Astralis managed to adapt to their opponent’s gameplay and salvaged six rounds for themselves in the first half, which, while not excellent, was something to build upon.
Switching sides, Astralis took on the role of terrorists, but it didn’t provide the advantage they needed. They consistently lost rounds to G2, who seemed perfectly in tune with the game, precisely predicting their opponent’s moves. It resulted in a swift conclusion to the match, with G2 winning comfortably, 16-9.
Semifinals Highlights
Well, now it’s time for the most exciting part – highlights!
Let’s start with the match between Team Vitality and ENCE.
And now we’ll move on to the highlights of the G2 Esports vs Astralis match.
Wrapping Up The IEM Cologne 2023 Semifinals
Finally, the finalists of Intel Extreme Masters Cologne 2023 have been determined, and soon we will be witnessing the Grand Final of the last IEM Cologne in CS:GO. In the final, truly strong teams of this season will clash, promising us an excellent game, which we will discuss in the upcoming article. The winner will receive $400,000 and 3,000 Blast Premier points.
So root for your favorite team and read our blog!
Radosław Davidović is Hellcase’s customer success manager. He enjoys blogging to share his knowledge and experience with customers.