paiN becomes the third team from the Americas to qualify for the Major. paiN confirmed their participation in the Perfect World Shanghai Major after dominating 9z with a 13-0 result, concluding their two-map series. This victory puts them alongside Wildcard and their fellow Brazilians, MIBR, who also advanced from the Americas RMR with 3-0 records on the second day.
paiN completed the first day of the RMR with a 1-1 record, including a win over Nouns and a loss to Wildcard. They then secured a 13-5 victory over Imperial, advancing to the 2-1 qualification match, where they convincingly overcame 9z.
For Rodrigo “biguzera” Bittencourt, this marks his fourth Major appearance, while it is the third consecutive Major for the team. In their last campaign at the PGL Major Copenhagen, they fell short of reaching the playoffs, losing to Natus Vincere in the 2-2 stage.
Following that performance, paiN underwent a roster change due to the end of Vinicius “n1ssim” Pereira’s loan, as discussions with Sharks for a permanent transfer fell through.
Weeks later, they brought 17-year-old João “snow” Vinicius into the lineup. This addition has led him to qualify for his first Major, achieving early success under biguzera’s guidance.
snow was visibly moved after their victory. The team captain set the pace on Mirage, where paiN allowed only sporadic CT rounds for 9z, finishing the half at 8-4. paiN’s win in the pistol round and the subsequent conversions expanded their lead to 10-4. However, defensive gaps and deliberate plays by 9z brought the score close to 12-11. A critical quad-kill and effective spray transfer by Kaue “kauez” Kaschuk secured the win on Mirage.
Despite challenges on their Mirage defense, paiN’s flawless first half in their final map showcased their dominance and secured their qualification.
Reflecting on the game, Lucas “nqz” Soares highlighted their preparation for the map, noting that they were familiar with 9z’s strategies and executed their game plan effectively. He pointed out their coordination and sharp performance as key factors in their win.
9z faced significant difficulties on the T side, managing more than two kills only a few times. Their first three-kill round came at 8-0, with snow’s first death after an impressive 9-0 start. However, another clutch from kauez and a final quad-kill sealed the match, ensuring paiN’s dominant qualification.
Regarding their achievement, nqz commented on the team’s high confidence level, emphasizing that their previous loss to Wildcard reminded them of the importance of focus and effort to avoid mistakes.
