The BLAST Premier World Finals playoffs are well underway in Abu Dhabi, with just a few more matches to go before we find out who will be crowned our World Champions for the final event of 2023. There have been some incredible games, but only four teams remain in this tier 1 event, as FaZe take on Mouz; whilst Vitality head off against Na’Vi in the other side of the bracket.
FaZe vs MOUZ
Of the semifinals, this is certainly the one that is most anticipated. There are some truly engaging storylines at play here, but most interestingly we look to frozen. FaZe recently picked up frozen from Mouz, after a stellar 2023, replacing Twistzz who moved to Liquid. Now is the chance for Mouz to show him what he missed out on, as they have the chance to get their revenge.
Looking to the past, Mouz and FaZe have had both had strong years, and faced eachother numerous times. FaZe, though, have come out on top every single time, and this only raises the stakes for Mouz to seek revenge on the biggest stage, with the most on-the-line. FaZe want to keep the momentum up and use their confidence over their rivals to secure that Grand Final position, but it will be no easy task as Mouz have looked stronger than ever this event.
Team Vitality vs Na’Vi
Na’Vi may be perhaps the most prestigious brand in CS2, but this is a matchup they are certainly not favourites in. Not having S1mple is always going to be a burden, but, what is more impressive is just how strong Vitality have looked over the recent months. Off the back of their victory at BLAST Premier Fall Final 2023, they continue to shine and show just why they have been the most impressive roster in 2023.
A lot of credit here has to go to mezii. He has taken time to establish himself on the roster, but every single event he continues to develop and integrate, and has pushed his best numbers yet in a Vitality shirt in Abu Dhabi. It seems nobody is yet ready to take the crown from ZywOo as MVP, but mezii is certainly not far behind.
When the teams met in the groups, Anubis, Overpass, and Nuke were in the pool; but seeing how dominant Na’Vi were on Inferno against G2, we might expect to see this picked here. Vitality, though, seem strong on every map, so it does not sway opinion.
The main focus for Na’Vi to have a chance certainly lies with iM. He plays the star role, but has not consistently met expectations. We saw how powerful he can be against G2, with one of the best performances we have seen from him, and if he can put the same numbers up, Na’Vi might have a chance. But, that shows how tough this match is going to be, and we would expect Vitality to progress to the final.
