Natus Vincere, the winners of PGL Major Copenhagen 2024 and one of the strongest teams this year, are now in danger of being eliminated from the Perfect World Shanghai Major. They started the Elimination Stage with a win against Liquid but then suffered two tough losses to MIBR and Spirit. If NAVI fail to reach the playoffs, it would be a huge disappointment and a major blow to their otherwise impressive year. Let’s take a closer look at their matches so far and figure out what went wrong.
NAVI vs. Liquid – A Promising Start
NAVI began the Elimination Stage with a hard-fought 13-10 victory over Liquid on Nuke. The match highlighted both strengths and lingering weaknesses. Ihor "w0nderful" Zhdanov delivered a standout performance, securing 24 kills, a 111.3 ADR, and an impressive 6:2 opening duels ratio. His sharp aim and decisive plays were key to NAVI's success, particularly in the first half.
NAVI managed to rally in the second half with some standout moments. Aleksi "Aleksib" Virolainen’s crucial 1v3 clutch was a turning point, helping the team close out the win. However, the victory revealed underlying issues. Justinas "jL" Lekavičius struggled significantly in the first half, with just 30 ADR and losing the majority of his duels, hinting at deeper problems in NAVI’s overall teamwork and coordination.
NAVI vs. MIBR – A Brazilian Upset
MIBR handed NAVI their first loss in Shanghai with a 13-11 victory on Inferno. Felipe "insani" Yuji put on a masterclass, securing 19 kills in the first half alone and finishing with a staggering 134 ADR. NAVI found themselves down 9-0 before clawing back three rounds at the end of the half.
Mihai "iM" Ivan gave NAVI a glimmer of hope with an ace in the pistol round, sparking a comeback attempt. Aleksi also chipped in with a clutch, but it wasn’t enough. Insani’s final 1v2 clutch sealed the game for MIBR, leaving NAVI reeling.
NAVI vs. Spirit – A Crushing Blow
NAVI’s struggles culminated in a devastating 13-2 loss to Spirit on Mirage. This was one of NAVI’s worst performances in recent memory, with w0nderful and Valerii "b1t" Vakhovskyi managing only three kills between them in the first half. Spirit’s straightforward but highly effective strategies overwhelmed NAVI, who looked disjointed and unable to respond.
Commenting on the match, the farmer NAVI coach Mykhailo "Kane" Blahin said:
Well, the cold shower for NAVI happened. It was really tough specifically on the shooting from Spirit. They did some pretty straightforward ideas, but they did them so well that they simply outplayed any duels. The same jL, Valiera (b1t) - two frags, we haven't seen that in a long time. Well, and, probably, most of all mazal w0nderful, what is with him to the end to understand I can not understand. All the same, I don't see the point in worrying about NAVI, because tomorrow they will have a good opportunity to rehabilitate themselves. They will have a relatively easy opponent for the strength of this team. It will be Big/Pain, something in this series, that is a team they are bound to pass. And in the end for them everything will probably be decided in the match 2-2, where they will have to show really all their strongest qualities.Kane on his Telegram channel
Kane remained optimistic about NAVI’s chances to bounce back, noting that their next opponent would likely be a weaker team. However, he acknowledged that NAVI would need to show their best qualities in the decisive matches ahead.
The Key Issues Plaguing NAVI
Underperforming Stars
jL and w0nderful, who are usually pillars of NAVI’s success, have struggled to deliver at this Major. Both players have had underwhelming performances, which has hurt the team’s ability to win crucial rounds.
Team Cohesion
NAVI’s reliance on individual brilliance rather than a coordinated team effort has been a glaring issue. Their strategies have often lacked depth, leaving them vulnerable to teams with strong fundamentals like Spirit and MIBR.
Recent Form
NAVI’s struggles aren’t limited to this Major. The team placed last at the BLAST Premier World Final 2024 and suffered a disappointing loss to MOUZ at the European RMR. These results point to a deeper slump that they haven’t been able to shake off.
What’s Next for NAVI?
NAVI now face a must-win match against GamerLegion, the team from a completely different, lower league. This is the chance for the team to get an easy victory, drop the pressure and gain the momentum needed to beat the next opponent. In the final round NAVI will most likely face someone from their tier like MOUZ, G2 or FaZe. It is really important to reach that in the best possible shape and mood.
Arsenii "ceh9" Trynozhenko, a former NAVI player turned popular caster, also shared his insights on the team's struggles at the Perfect World Shanghai Major 2024.
Well, I can't say whether they have or haven't reached their peak, but I can say this for sure: they prepare for NAVI, they train for NAVI, and it's very difficult to win a tournament when you are the main favorite, when everyone is watching you and studying your every move. And as for the game form, well, in fact, it happens that the team and players lose their peak form for a particular tournament. That is, they can regain it, but only when the major final takes place. So it will be difficult for NAVI, but I hope that now there will be BO3 matches and in BO3 it will be a little easier for them, although they certainly don't play as well as they did a month ago. As for the matches. Well, BO1, again, is always random, and a few mistakes, in fact, will take away a very large number of rounds. And NAVI is a team that makes mistakes. We saw, again, a rather poor individual game. The K/D of the players is quite low and that's what caused this series of defeats. But in my opinion, they still have a chance to get into the top 8, so fingers crossed for NAVI.
Can NAVI Recover?
While their position is dire, NAVI’s roster is full of experienced players capable of bouncing back under pressure. However, the team’s recent form raises questions about their ability to perform consistently. If they can stabilize their individual performances and improve their teamplay, there’s still hope for a deep run in Shanghai. Otherwise, NAVI’s time at the Major may end far earlier than anyone anticipated.a
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