IEM Cologne 2022 group stage recap

The group stage of IEM Cologne is over and the results are very surprising given who the favorites were ahead of the competition. 

Many of the world’s greatest CS:GO teams were eliminated before having the chance to play in front of a hyped live audience. But some made it through, and we will have the opportunity to watch them compete this upcoming weekend, between July 15–17.

The teams that advance into IEM Cologne 2022 playoffs are Astralis, MOUZ, FaZe Clan, Natus Vincere, Team Liquid and Movistar Riders.

Group stage results

The group stage of IEM Cologne featured 16 teams that were divided into two groups of eight.

Group A

• Natus Vincere
• MOUZ
• Heroic
• Ninjas in Pyjamas
• G2 Esports
• Movistar Riders
• Team Vitality
• ENCE

The big favorites in this group were Na’Vi, G2, and Vitality. And the last two of them didn’t make it. But what’s even more shocking is that their place wasn’t taken by ENCE, NiP, or Heroic. Instead, the two remaining playoffs tickets were won by Movistar Riders and MOUZ!

The only result that happened according to what the statistics indicated was Na’Vi’s. Aleksandr “s1mple” Kostyliev carried his team to an important group victory that granted Na’Vi a spot in the semifinals. The last match was really difficult, but it was only a matter of time until someone put a stop to Movistar Riders’ win streak.

Group B

• FaZe Clan
• 00 Nation
• Team Spirit
• Team Liquid
• Cloud9
• Outsiders
• Astralis
• FURIA Esports

In Group B, the winners were FaZe Clan, Astralis, and Cloud9. The first two qualified but the third one lost in the upper bracket against Astralis and then in the lower bracket against Liquid. The winners of the lower bracket were Liquid.

It’s been a long time since we’ve last seen Jonathan “EliGE” Jablonowski in the playoffs of a tournament of this importance. And it nearly didn’t happen this time either. FURIA came well-prepared for the lower bracket Final and the score of both maps was extremely close: 16-14 on Ancient and 19-17 on Mirage.

On the second map, Liquid had a huge advantage at halftime: 11-4. But FURIA equalized in the second half and sent the battle into overtime.

The winners of Group B were FaZe Clan. Based on what we’ve seen so far, it seems that the Grand Final will most likely be a rematch between Na’Vi and FaZe. At the last CS:GO Major, FaZe Clan won. But that was a best-of-three match and Na’Vi were going through a lot of internal issues back then. Now, the situation is completely different.

Header: Natus Vincere