The CSGO teams from NAVI and the Outsiders went head-to-head in the opening match of the IEM Katowice Playoffs. In the end, however, the Ukrainian organisation came out on top.
The eagerly awaited playoffs opener delivered what fans had wished for or hoped for in advance. The teams, NAVI and Outsiders, fought for every inch of the Overpass and Inferno maps, taking each other one round at a time.
Oh, @s1mpleO, why are you so amazing? pic.twitter.com/YCsXvFLO87
– NAVI Live 🔴 (@natusvincerelv) February 10, 2023
s1mple in the semi-finals of the IEM Katowice 2023
On Overpass the victory had to be decided shortly before overtime and also on Inferno it looked for a long time as if the visitors of the sold-out Spodek Arena would face the next overtime. On the T-side, however, NAVI turned it up a notch, overturning an early Outsiders lead and taking a 13-10 lead at one stage.
Although the former Virtus.pro – roster, which started the race under a neutral flag due to the ongoing Ukraine war, managed to set pinpricks and win more rounds, NAVI kept a cool head and did not let the lead out of their hands. With a final score of 2:0 and 16:13 and 16:12 respectively, the boys around s1mple secured their place in the semi-finals of the IEM Katowice 2023 and will meet the players from Heroic tomorrow, Saturday. Heroic had already qualified for the last four due to their performance in the play-offs.
