VINI and his squad now wait for the outcome of FURIA versus 9z to determine if they qualify directly for the Major or must compete in a seventh-place playoff.
VINI’s standout performance, including an essential ace on Vertigo and a key clutch on Dust2, shifted the momentum in Imperial’s favor. Imperial overcame RED Canids in a two-map match at the Perfect World Shanghai Major Americas RMR, claiming a 13-10 win on Vertigo and prevailing in a dramatic double-overtime battle on Dust2 to achieve a 3-2 record.
Despite this success, Imperial’s Major qualification is not assured and depends on the final 2-2 match between FURIA and 9z. Should FURIA win, Imperial will qualify due to a superior Bucholz score. However, if 9z emerges victorious, Imperial will need to face M80 in a match for the seventh-place spot and the final Major berth.
The short interval before this possible decider will be crucial for the Brazilian team. Their game against RED Canids on Dust2 featured several missed opportunities that made the match tighter than necessary, errors that could cost them dearly if repeated.
The series began with an unexpected change during the veto phase, as Imperial chose to ban Anubis instead of Ancient or Vertigo, with RED Canids picking Vertigo for the opening map.
Marcelo “coldzera” David and his teammates initially took the lead, but an ace from VINI revitalized Imperial’s offense, enabling them to secure seven rounds by halftime. Switching their attacks to the A site after some failed attempts at B, Imperial managed to break through nython’s defense to claim a 13-10 victory.
Dust2 saw RED Canids take an early lead, bolstered by a 1v3 clutch from coldzera that kept their perfect streak at 6-0. Imperial, however, mounted a comeback, scoring five rounds before the half.
Although RED Canids secured the pistol round and the following conversion to extend their lead to 9-5, Imperial fought back with a remarkable four-kill round from Santino “try” Rigal and a crucial 1v3 clutch by VINI, evening the score at 10-10.
Both teams began to show strain under the mounting pressure, with Imperial losing 5v3 advantages in rounds 24 and 25, while RED Canids faced similar issues in rounds 26 and 27.
The back-and-forth continued into a second overtime. RED Canids were poised to reach match point first, but an overextension by David “dav1deuS” Tapia Maldonado and a four-kill effort from João “felps” Vasconcellos gave Imperial the edge they needed to secure the match and the series.
