BIG and K27 both sealed spots in the Esports World Cup main event after gritty qualifier runs, with star performances and tense moments defining their climbs. gr1ks carried BIG through a 2-1 win over Sashi while K27 edged past fnatic in a series that went down to a decisive third map.
BIG survive Sashi after gr1ks turns up
BIG justified their #2 seed by dismantling Sashi 2-1. The Danes put pressure early, but Gleb gr1ks exploded across the series. BIG took Cache and Ancient, dropping only Inferno, and closed the tie with controlled CT sides and clutch rounds that tilted momentum back their way.
| Map | Score (Sashi) | Score (BIG) |
|---|---|---|
| Cache | 5 | 13 |
| Inferno | 13 | 9 |
| Ancient | 8 | 13 |
Series stats: who moved the needle
The box score underlines why BIG advanced. gr1ks finished the match 52-37 with an ADR of 80.6 and a 1.32 match rating, and he closed the open qualifier with an eye-watering 1.58 rating across all maps. Benjamin blameF supported with efficient fragging and a 1.14 rating. Sashi had solid contributions but no single player matched gr1ks impact.
| Player | K-D | ADR | KAST | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BIG – gr1ks | 52-37 | 80.6 | 70.5% | 1.32 (1.58 qualifier) |
| BIG – blameF | 43-37 | 80.9 | 83.6% | 1.14 |
| BIG – tabseN | 42-40 | 75.5 | 72.1% | 1.10 |
| Sashi – Zyphon | 41-44 | 70.5 | 83.3% | 1.09 |
| Sashi – MistR | 34-42 | 70.3 | 72.1% | 0.99 |
K27 outlast fnatic in tight qualifier
K27 converted a nerve-testing series vs fnatic to become the other main event qualifier from the open bracket. Both teams fielded fresh faces, with Timur clax debuting for K27 and Volodymyr mazay plus Artem cairne joining fnatic. The new looks did not guarantee comfort; fnatic’s core had sub-1.00 performances across the series and the newcomers could not flip the result.
Moment-by-moment
- Map two drama saw mazay pull a 1v3 to win a round and force a series point for fnatic, but fnatic then surrendered a 5v3 at 12-11, and overtime closed 16-13 against them.
- Decider was one-sided early, K27 running to a 10-4 advantage that fnatic never clawed back.
- Roster notes show K27’s additions already clicking under pressure; fnatic face questions about chemistry despite solid individual flashes.
Coverage and odds chatter around these qualifiers already shows up on best CS2 gambling sites as bookmakers react to the main event landscape shifting. Both BIG and K27 now have to switch gears fast, preparing for a stacked EWC main event where seeding and momentum matter.
Takeaways
- gr1ks is the breakout story, finishing the qualifier with an enormous 1.58 overall rating and match-winning plays against Sashi.
- BIG showed resilience, dropping only one map in the tie and closing rounds decisively on CT sides.
- K27 proved clutch under pressure, converting a third map after overtime drama on map two.
- Fnatic need time to gel; their new signings had flashes but the core underperformed below 1.00 ratings in this series.
