PARIVISION have knocked out Falcons from the PGL Cluj-Napoca tournament with a 2-1 victory in the quarter-finals. The CIS team secured their spot in the semi-finals after winning the decisive map in dominant fashion, ending Falcons’ run at the event.
Both teams claimed their respective map picks before PARIVISION closed out the series on the decider map Ancient. The result sends Falcons home despite their previously flawless run leading up to the quarter-finals.
Map Veto Process
The veto phase unfolded with both teams strategically removing and selecting maps:
- PARIVISION removed Nuke
- Falcons removed Overpass
- PARIVISION picked Dust2
- Falcons picked Mirage
- Falcons removed Inferno
- PARIVISION removed Anubis
- Ancient was left over as the decider map
This veto process set up a three-map series with each team getting their preferred battleground before the neutral third map.
Map 1: Dust2 Goes to PARIVISION
PARIVISION took their map pick Dust2 in a close overtime battle. Falcons started strong by converting a clean pistol round against a quick A split. The Saudi Arabian team doubled their score by winning the following round to establish an early lead.
PARIVISION responded by winning their first full gun round and built momentum with five consecutive round wins to take the lead. Falcons equalized the scoreline by capitalizing on PARIVISION’s offensive mistakes and forcing them to give up rounds.
First Half Action
Falcons shifted to a more proactive and aggressive defensive approach in the following rounds. They successfully shut down back-to-back Mid to B split attempts from PARIVISION. This defensive performance gave Falcons a narrow 7-5 lead at halftime.
Second Half Comeback
Starting the second half, Falcons executed a fast B site rush after losing a player early. This quick attempt put them on winning ways and extended their lead. The team found themselves ahead 10-5 before PARIVISION secured their first round on the terrorist side.
PARIVISION built momentum by winning consecutive rounds off their first T-side success. They forced another mistake from the Falcons offense and reached map point in the process. However, kyxan delivered a crucial 1v2 clutch to force the match into overtime.
Overtime Drama
In overtime, Falcons used clever rotations to take a 2-0 lead. They fell victim to the clock on the final round of their side, giving up one round before swapping sides with a 2-1 advantage.
PARIVISION won back-to-back rounds to start their overtime offensive side. They took the lead and reached series point for the second time on the map. In the final round, zweih grabbed a 4K and converted a stellar 2v4 clutch to give PARIVISION the series lead.
Despite m0NESY’s impressive 26-16 performance, his efforts fell silent against the sharp PARIVISION team. Falcons now faced elimination, sitting one map away from exiting the tournament.
Map 2: Falcons Answer on Mirage
Falcons claimed their map pick Mirage to level the series. The team got on the scoreboard immediately with m0NESY delivering a 4K on a fast play up B short.
In the third round, PARIVISION ran down the clock to secure their first round on the board. Falcons remained dominant throughout the rest of the first half. Individual players from the Saudi team delivered crucial rounds when needed.
NiKo’s Lurk Impact
The map saw a different tactical approach from Falcons compared to Dust2. A slower offensive pace heavily depended on NiKo delivering impact from his lurk positions. His performances provided Falcons with the necessary openings to establish a dominant terrorist half.
zweih attempted to halt Falcons’ momentum in the final round of the half. He stopped three Falcons players coming from Palace with an MP-7. This play gave PARIVISION a small boost as they trailed 9-3 before switching sides.
Dominant Second Half
Falcons executed a successful retake of the A bombsite to start their Counter-Strike 2 defensive half. They kept all five players alive during the retake and built on this momentum. The team extended their lead to 11-3 before PARIVISION won their first round with a fast walk through smoke in the B apartments on an eco buy.
After securing their first T-side round, PARIVISION cut the deficit to 11-7. Falcons stopped a B site execute to reach map point on Mirage. They closed out the map cleanly in the following round, forcing a third and deciding map.
NiKo’s masterclass performance across both halves proved instrumental for Falcons. The supporting cast elevated their play to avoid elimination in the quarter-finals.
Map 3: PARIVISION Close Out on Ancient
The decider map Ancient saw PARIVISION deliver a dominant performance. Falcons won the opening pistol round but dropped the second round immediately. PARIVISION converted their force buy to get on the board and build momentum.
Strong PARIVISION Start
With the force buy conversion, PARIVISION surged to a 6-1 lead before Falcons could secure their next round win. After a disastrous start, Falcons recovered before halftime. They posted a respectable 7-5 scoreline with the superteam trailing heading into the second half.
Second Half Domination
Falcons won the second pistol round to level the scoreline at 7-7. PARIVISION immediately responded in the following round to regain the lead. After winning their first defensive round, the PARIVISION team executed a perfect streak to close out the map.
The rookie player nota topped the scoreboard in his first stage game, delivering a standout performance when it mattered most.
What This Result Means
Falcons’ flawless run leading up to the quarter-finals ended with this loss. The team exits PGL Cluj-Napoca with a disappointing showing in the knockout stage.
The result raises questions given the roster’s high level of talent. Despite having solved their pistol round issues, several problems remain within the team. With the CS2 Major approaching, time is critical for addressing these concerns.
PARIVISION advance to the semi-finals after their strong performance across the three-map series. The CIS team showed resilience in coming back from difficult positions, particularly on Dust2 and Ancient.
The victory demonstrates PARIVISION’s ability to compete against top-tier Counter-Strike teams on the biggest stages. Their progression in the tournament continues as they prepare for the semi-final matchup.