Esports tournaments have become a staple that many enthusiasts look forward to yearly across the globe. Also, online bookmakers offer the chance to place bets on Dota 2, Leagues of Legends, and CS2 matches, among others. There are tons of professional players and teams in the eSport world competing in the various popular games. One of the most popular is Natus Vincere (NAVI).
They secured their fourth championship of 2024 by claiming victory at the Intel Extreme Masters (IEM) Rio 2024 in Counter-Strike 2. This victory happened to be a 3-1 series against MOUZ. With this, another significant title was added to NAVI’s highly successful year. That is, in addition to the wins at the PGL Major Copenhagen, the Esports World Cup, and ESL Pro League Season 20.
As a result, NAVI took home a whopping $100,000 from the $250,000 prize pool and a direct invitation to IEM Katowice 2025. Let’s take a trip down memory lane to see how they came to this win.
Road to Victory
The tournament kicked off with 16 of the best Counter-Strike 2 teams competing in Rio de Janeiro. NAVI and MOUZ earned their spots in IEM Rio as ESL partner teams and began in Group A of the Group Stage. NAVI’s initially against Team Liquid, while MOUZ won against paiN Gaming. However, NAVI suffered a setback in the upper bracket final of Group A and lost to FURIA
Esports, the local Brazilian favourite. This pushed them into the quarterfinals instead of straight to the semifinals. Likewise, MOUZ also suffered defeat from FURIA but clawed their way back through the lower bracket by defeating Complexity and FaZe Clan to get a spot in the quarterfinal.
In the quarterfinals, NAVI bounced back with a clean sweep of Virtus.pro. Similarly, MOUZ competed against and won Team Vitality. Both teams entered the semifinals with so much vigour, and while NAVI got a 2-1 reverse sweep against HEROIC to advance to the grand finals, MOUZ broke Brazilian hearts by eliminating FURIA, and setting up a pivotal comeback.
The Grand Finals
The best-of-five grand final series between NAVI and MOUZ was quite intense. MOUZ began strong on their map pick, Inferno, gaining a 7-5 lead by the side switch. On the other hand, NAVI surged back, winning critical rounds to take a 13-11 victory. Then came NAVI’s map pick, Dust2, where they dominated from the outset.
NAVI raced to a 10-2 lead by halftime and swiftly closed out the match 13-2, creating a commanding 2-0 series lead. Refusing to back out without a fight, MOUZ rallied in their second map pick, Mirage. They took a commanding 8-4 lead in the first half and managed to close out the game 13-6, preventing a NAVI sweep and keeping the series alive.
The final map, Ancient, was a true nail-biter. MOUZ started strong, going up 10-2 by halftime, seemingly on their way to forcing a fifth map. However, NAVI launched a remarkable comeback. They won eight consecutive rounds to clinch the map 13-11 and the championship. Some of the remarkable individual performances include:
- MVP honours to Justinas “jL” Lekavicius for his 61 kills and constant impact throughout the final (NAVI)
- Ihor “w0nderful” Zhdanov also impressed with 64 kills and a +12 kill/death ratio (NAVI)
- Valeriy “b1t” Vakhovskiy contributed 60 kills (NAVI)
- Jimi “Jimpphat” Salo led the team with 58 kills (MOUZ)
- Ádám “torzsi” Torzsás and Dorian “xertioN” Berman struggled to keep up with NAVI’s firepower (MOUZ)
The solid performances of these players made the game worth watching. It was quite competitive, with each team giving it their all. For instance, the great performance of NAVI players under pressure was crucial in turning the tide in NAVI’s favour. That is, especially during the crucial comeback against Ancient. The strategic leadership of Aleksi “Aleksib” Virolainen also influenced the victory.
A Testament to Exceptional Teamwork
NAVI’s IEM Rio 2024 triumph was all thanks to their teamwork, resilience, and individual skill. There were tons of challenges during the tournament. However, they once again proved why they are a force to be reckoned with in Counter-Strike 2. With four major titles under their belt in 2024, the team set the year on a good note. Hence, they maintain their spot as one of the most formidable teams in esports.
