Vitality became the first team in IEM Rio 2023 grand finals

The French club defeated Cloud9 in the semifinals of IEM Rio 2023, making it to the grand final of the major tournament for the first time since October 2022.

Vitality were on the brink of losing in a devastating defeat, conceding on their own Inferno with a score of 6-16. On Vertigo, the team lost the first half 3-12, but they managed to make a comeback against Cloud9, winning the second map 19-16. In the deciding Overpass, the charged Europeans confidently defeated their opponents with a score of 16-9.

The clear MVP of this semifinal was ZywOo. Mathieu's statistics were 67-46 (which allowed him to achieve a rating of 7.2), but the player also became the author of two spectacular highlights with clutches: a 1v3 with a purchase and a 1v4 in the pistol round.

READ MORE: Cloud9 and Imperial ended up in the same group at the Brazy Party tournament with a prize pool of $333,000

At 22:30, the second semifinal featuring NAVI and Heroic will begin. One of these teams will compete in the final against Vitality on April 23 at 20:00. The winner will receive $100,000 and a slot at the Summer IEM Cologne 2023.

IEM Rio 2023 is taking place from April 17 to 23 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The teams are competing for a prize pool of $250,000. You can follow the schedule and results of the championship here.