Natus Vincere (NAVI), the reigning champions and one of the most celebrated teams in the Counter-Strike 2 scene, find themselves on the brink of elimination after a shocking defeat against Team Spirit.
In the 1-1 pool of the Shanghai event, NAVI were obliterated 13-2 on Mirage, a result that now forces them into elimination matches on Day 3.
NAVI are one loss away from elimination!
The match was a nightmare for NAVI fans, as the Ukrainian squad seemed completely out of sync. Two of their stars, Ihor "w0nderful" Zhdanov and Valeriy "b1t" Vakhovskiy, delivered their worst individual performances in recent memory. w0nderful could only muster three kills, while b1t managed just two, as both players posted career-low ratings.
Their struggles left NAVI with no chance against a dominant Spirit side, led masterfully by Leonid "chopper" Vishnyakov. Spirit’s aggression and tactical execution on Mirage overwhelmed NAVI from start to finish.
This marks a second consecutive poor showing for Aleksi "Aleksib" Virolainen’s team, who had already dropped their 1-0 match against MIBR. In that game, a disastrous 0-9 start set the tone for an eventual loss. Coming into Day 2, NAVI needed a bounce-back performance, but their individuals faltered again, compounding their woes. The loss to Spirit means NAVI now have no room for error as they enter best-of-three elimination matches. They must secure two consecutive wins to keep their playoff hopes alive.
Great round pic.twitter.com/wJp3MYkVOa
— Team Spirit (@Team__Spirit) December 6, 2024
The prospect of NAVI exiting the tournament before the playoffs is nearly unthinkable. As defending champions and perennial title contenders, they are widely expected to make a deep run. Aleksib, who joined the team in 2023, now faces perhaps the biggest challenge of his tenure.
Meanwhile, Team Spirit have made a strong statement with this victory. Chopper’s leadership has been instrumental in guiding his side to an emphatic win over one of the best teams in the world, reaffirming Spirit’s status as a dark horse in this tournament. They also had their struggles recently, going just 3-2 in the European RMRs.
This Mirage is over for us (2:13) as well as bo1 matches. Let's hope for a better play in bo3. #CS2 #navination #ShanghaiMajor2024 pic.twitter.com/h8gymCPRWH
— NAVI (@natusvincere) December 6, 2024
NAVI will face GamerLegion at 7 AM CET tomorrow in a do-or-die series, while Spirit will take on HEROIC at 10 AM CET in a battle for advancement. For a team with NAVI's pedigree, falling short of the playoffs would be a monumental upset, and the pressure will be immense as they fight to stay alive.