In a nail-biting series, FaZe narrowly secured a spot in the playoffs at the Shanghai Major. Furia seemed to have control early on, but FaZe’s brilliance finally came alive to stage a comeback. With a playoff berth secured, questions remain: Can FaZe regain its form in time to make a deeper run?
A shaky path to the playoffs
Though FaZe advanced to the playoffs, their journey through the Shanghai Major has been anything but reassuring. Their opening match was against Wildcard, a team widely regarded as one of the weakest in the top 16. Despite this, the matchup seemed primed for an upset. FaZe was saved by Håvard “rain” Nygaard, whose extraordinary 1.98 rating powered a narrow 13-10 victory.
The inconsistency continued into the Bo1 matches. FaZe suffered a loss to Heroic but managed to edge past MOUZ to enter the 2-1 pool. However, in the best-of-three stage, G2 dismantled FaZe. Inferno remained a persistent weak point, but more concerning was the lack of impactful performances from FaZe’s star players.
Furia appeared poised to deliver the finishing blow, dominating Inferno with a convincing 13-6 win. But as elimination loomed, FaZe began to rally. On Inferno, David “frozen” Čerňanský was the lone bright spot, but Dust2 marked a turning point. Rain became a pivotal figure on the CT side, holding the line against Furia and giving Robin “ropz” Kool the chance to shine.
Ropz, who has struggled throughout 2024 after an impressive start to the year, rediscovered his form at the perfect time. His resurgence boosted FaZe’s gameplay and morale, paving the way for a decisive showing on Mirage. FaZe stormed to a commanding 12-2 lead, effectively sealing the match.
Still, Furia refused to go down quietly. Every player contributed, with Gabriel “FalleN” Toledo leading a well-executed T-side and Kaike “kscerato” Cerato and Felipe “skullz” Medeiros stepping up to fill gaps. Despite their valiant effort, the deficit proved too great, and FaZe capitalized on the chaotic final moments to clinch victory.
Karrigan’s candid admission
Following the win, FaZe’s captain Finn “karrigan” Andersen admitted in a post-match interview that the team still faces significant challenges. Chief among them is their need for a dependable map pick. Inferno, which FaZe chose twice, resulted in two lopsided defeats. With Vitality awaiting in the Quarter-finals, another slow start could prove impossible.
Reaching the playoffs is an accomplishment, but FaZe’s path forward needs to be determined. They will need an extraordinary boost from the arena atmosphere to advance further. Without a dramatic turnaround, an early Quarter-finals exit seems inevitable, with discussions of roster changes likely to follow. Is this the final chapter for this FaZe lineup?
