Team Falcons suffered yet another setback at the Perfect World Shanghai Major European RMR A. Their 13-5 defeat, at the hands of Portuguese underdogs SAW, has pushed them into the precarious 1-2 pool.
To qualify for the major, Falcons, featuring Oleksandr "s1mple" Kostyliev, now face the daunting task of winning two consecutive best-of-threes and potentially a seventh-place decider.
Falcons face elimination in Shanghai!
The match on Anubis was a disaster for Falcons from start to finish. Their veteran in game leader, Marco "Snappi" Pfeiffer, struggled with his calls, while the squad's spacing and trading were abysmal.
Falcons repeatedly attempted to exploit SAW's most recent addition André "Ag1l" Gil, who anchored the A site - this backfired spectacularly, with the Portuguese newcomer dominating with 20 kills to his name.
GILAOOO! https://t.co/kGorpsbb9S pic.twitter.com/7cC8nYbGhf
— SAW (@sawggofficial) November 18, 2024
SAW’s cohesion and discipline left Falcons floundering, with no apparent response from the veteran lineup.
SAW's João "story" Vieira also shined bright multiple times.
Aulinha do @storu__! pic.twitter.com/JP9W0yTNpQ
— SAW (@sawggofficial) November 18, 2024
Falcons just were the worse team, all game long.
SAW clinched the game comfortably with a 13-5 scoreline. Leading the charts was Ag1l with his aforementioned 20-bomb.
The recent signing @ag1LLL steps up for SAW once more pic.twitter.com/lcAD5n7fGb
— HLTV.org (@HLTVorg) November 18, 2024
This loss is another bitter blow for the Falcons, who entered 2024 with high expectations. Despite assembling a roster of accomplished players, including Snappi and former Major winners Emil "Magisk" Reif and Peter "dupreeh" Rasmussen, the team has failed to gel.
s1mple’s addition was hailed as a game-changer, but even the Ukrainian superstar has been unable to turn their fortunes around. Poor performances and disjointed play have defined the team's campaign so far, leading fans and analysts alike to question whether this roster can find its footing.
They are set to add Nikola "NiKo" Kovač, from G2, come 2025. But the goal for now is clear: Make the Major.
The road ahead is steep. Falcons must now win back-to-back elimination matches just to remain in contention. Even if they scrape through, a potential seventh-place decider match looms as an additional hurdle. It is hard to imagine them running through the bracket, at this point.
Step away from another Major appearance @sawggofficial pic.twitter.com/xBUgzO7Yv5
— HLTV.org (@HLTVorg) November 18, 2024
The defeat to SAW underscores a recurring theme for Falcons: their inability to rise to the occasion. For a team packed with stars, including the GOAT of CS, their performances have been shockingly underwhelming. While s1mple’s unparalleled skill and competitive spirit have inspired miraculous turnarounds in the past, this time, the odds feel longer than ever.
For now, all eyes remain on Falcons to see if they can summon the resilience to keep their Major dreams alive. As the saying goes, never count s1mple out—but time is running out for this star-studded roster.
They will take on Gamer Legion in the 1-2 pool at 9:00 AM, tomorrow. Loser is eliminated.
What do you think? Will Falcons qualify for the Major? Or might tomorrow's matchup actually mark the end of this current rosters' era?