FaZe are one step away from making it to the IEM Rio 2024 stage in Rio de Janeiro, although their journey hasn't been easy so far. After losing to FURIA in a bo1 format, they triumphed in two series against paiN and Liquid in the lower bracket. The last match is a bo3 against MOUZ, a team that FaZe has defeated in every encounter since the release of CS2. Over the past year, they have faced each other seven times, and all matches ended in favor of Finn "karrigan" Andersen's team.

FaZe aims to extend their winning streak over MOUZ to eight, which would allow them to reach the tournament's main stage in Brazil for the first time since ESL One Belo Horizonte in 2018. "Going into the match with MOUZ with the confidence of seven wins is a big plus, but both teams have changed a lot, and it will be an interesting match," shared in an interview with HLTV, Håvard "rain" Nygaard.

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Challenges and Progress

After a series of challenging matches, including a loss to FURIA, FaZe managed to overcome paiN and Liquid, thereby taking a step closer to reaching the stage in Rio. However, the match against MOUZ promises to be a serious test. Håvard "rain" Nygaard admitted that his own form in the tournament is far from perfect: "Honestly, my form in the tournament is quite poor. I'm not feeling the game like I used to, and I'm trying to regain my confidence."

Liquid's Challenges and Players' Individual Form

According to rain, Liquid might be facing a mental barrier due to their loss at the Cologne tournament, affecting their performances: "I feel it's a mental barrier after that defeat in Cologne. Once they overcome it, matches will become more challenging for us." He also mentioned that despite Liquid's overall difficulties, FaZe continues to improve their game: "We're still improving, and the results are going in the right direction."

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The Importance of Victory

The match against MOUZ will be a decisive step for FaZe as they strive to regain stability after a long period of setbacks. Winning this match will allow the team to return to the stage in Brazil for the first time in six years, marking an important achievement for them. "Playing in front of the Brazilian crowd would be great, I haven't played in Brazil since Belo Horizonte. This will be an important match for us," concluded rain.

Source: HLTV