May 16 brings us the most anticipated match in terms of potential intensity. The champions of the Stockholm and Antwerp Majors, NAVI and FaZe, find themselves in a precarious position as they face each other in the 2-2 bracket for a spot in the playoffs of the BLAST.tv Paris Major. One of these legendary teams will not be playing on the main stage.
Map Selection
It's difficult to say how confident NAVI will be in their Nuke after suffering a devastating 2-16 defeat against Monte. Similarly, FaZe lost 3-16 to BNE on their own map choice today. Most likely, the Ukrainian club will choose Ancient, FaZe will go for Inferno, and Mirage will be left for the decider.
It would be a bold move for NAVI not to ban Vertigo if the "yellow-black" squad has actually been practicing that map, aiming to surprise a potential opponent sooner or later. Taking such a step in a match with such high stakes would be very risky but somewhat justified.
Individual Form
The previous match between FaZe and NAVI was during the regional European RMR, where npl was in good shape. The current situation is somewhat different, and Andrey is once again performing below average. If we don't consider the match against Monte, s1mple has looked strong individually throughout the tournament, and in high-pressure situations, when everything is on the line, he is capable of single-handedly carrying the team, as he did in the past. NAVI has tremendous firepower potential, but whether the entire five-man roster will perform tomorrow is a big question.
FaZe is also not weaker than Natus Vincere when it comes to shooting, but they have an advantage in terms of resilient team morale. This was evident in the match against BNE, where they had to make two comebacks on the second and third maps after a complete failure on their own Overpass.
Conclusion
Both teams are not going through the easiest of times. NAVI has the risk that not all players of the team will be able to show their best performance. FaZe, on the other hand, has the advantage of a strong team morale, which may be their key to success in difficult moments of the match. Neither FaZe nor NAVI can be called the favorites of the major, but everything goes to the fact that the match will be equal, and it will come down to three maps.
NAVI - FaZe match will take place on the morning of May 16 at 12:30. The winner will advance to the playoffs, while the loser will have to settle for 9th-11th place and a prize of $20,000.
BLAST.tv Paris Major 2023 is taking place from May 8 to May 21 in France. The teams are competing for a prize pool of $1.25 million. The champion will also secure slots in IEM Cologne 2023 and BLAST Premier: World Final 2023. You can follow the schedule and results of the Major at the provided link.
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