Vitality showed their dominance in the semifinals of IEM Cologne 2024 with a convincing 2-0 win over SAW. SAW's Rafael “arrozdoce” Wing recognized the strength of their opponent, noting that their team was outplayed on both maps. Rémy “XTQZZZ” Quoniam, coach of Vitality, spoke to HLTV about their preparation for the match and their strategic approach to the game.

After FaZe's unexpected loss to SAW, Vitality has been focusing on preparing for the semifinals. XTQZZZ explained that the team carefully analyzed SAW's play style and developed a plan to neutralize their aggression, “We knew they would be active. They are a bit crazy, but if we break their tactics, we will have victory in our pocket.”

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A solid performance on Nuke and Dust2

On the first Nuke map, despite SAW's change in tactics, Vitality maintained control and dominated from the start. XTQZZZ noted, “Although they tried to surprise us on the T-side, we had a game plan that we quietly put into action.” The second map, Dust2, started with a disappointing pistol round for Vitality, but quickly turned in their favor after a forcebuy win, “Forcebuy did the trick. We took control of the game and didn't let it go until the very end.”

Looking forward to the final

Vitality will now face the winner of the MOUZ vs NAVI match. XTQZZZ is expecting an intense battle, “Whether it's a rematch with MOUZ or facing NAVI, who I believe are the best team in the world, it's going to be an exciting final.” He added: “We are ready for any situation and we will do everything to win the title.”

READ MORE: 'We had a good chance' - BERRY on SAW's triumph over FaZe and reaching the semi-finals

A third final and hope for success

This will be the third final for Vitality this year after defeats in Dallas and Malta. XTQZZZ emphasized the importance of this final, “We have been very close twice already and now we have every chance to take the trophy. This tournament has been our main goal since the break.” If Vitality manages to win in Cologne, it will be a significant incentive for the team for the rest of the season: “We need to win this trophy to feel confident for future tournaments”.

Source: HLTV