The Perfect World Shanghai Major 2024 is gaining momentum, and in the Elimination Stage, we're set to witness an exciting clash between NAVI and Spirit. This match will be a crucial moment for both teams in their fight for survival in the tournament. The winner can secure their position, gaining a buffer for future games. The loser, however, will find themselves in a critical situation, with only one chance to keep their title hopes alive.

In this article, we will analyze the current form of NAVI and Spirit, review their map pools, recall their head-to-head encounters, and attempt to predict the match's outcome.

Current Form of the Teams

NAVI

The team's average rating at S-tier events over the past month is 5.9. NAVI's recent results show a mixed form. At the BLAST Premier: World Final 2024, the team was eliminated in the group stage, finishing last, but earlier, in October, NAVI secured a confident victory at the IEM Rio 2024. At the RMR, they performed confidently, finishing the qualifiers with a 3-1 record, only losing to MOUZ, who went through with a 3-0 score. Currently, NAVI has a 1-1 record in the Elimination Stage. Out of their last five matches, NAVI has won three — against SINNERS, SAW, and Liquid, but lost to MOUZ and MIBR.

Spirit

Spirit has an average rating of 6.1 over the last month. At the RMR, the team finished with a 3-2 record. Thanks to the Valve Rating, Spirit secured a spot in the Elimination Stage instead of the Opening Stage. Out of their last five matches, the team won three — against NIP, Sashi and Wildcard. However, Spirit suffered losses to G2 and FURIA.

Team Map Pool

NAVI

The team typically bans Vertigo, which has occurred 38 times. They frequently choose maps like Mirage (22 times, 77% win rate), Nuke (19 times, 58%), and Inferno (18 times, 50%). The team's best maps by win rate are Anubis (78%), Mirage (77%), and Dust II (76%).

Spirit

Spirit prefers to ban the Inferno map (36 times) and selects maps based on their opponent's weaknesses: Mirage (19 times, 53% win rate), Dust II (17 times, 71%), and Anubis (17 times, 53%). Spirit's most successful maps are Vertigo (86% win rate), Nuke (75%), and Dust II (71%).

Map Pool Prediction: The decisive map will likely be Mirage, where both teams have strong stats.

Head-to-Head Encounters

In the past six months, the teams have met twice.

• Two months ago, NAVI won 2-0.
• Five months ago, Spirit emerged victorious with a 3-1 win. The overall head-to-head statistics show a balance in strength, making the upcoming match even more intriguing.

Match Prediction

The match between NAVI and Spirit promises to be intense. Considering the current form of the teams, NAVI appears more stable, especially after their success at IEM Rio 2024. Their map pool allows them flexibility against various strategies, and they have an advantage on Mirage. Spirit, despite strong performances on Vertigo and Nuke, may face challenges due to their customary ban on Inferno and NAVI's strength on Anubis.

Prediction: NAVI to win

The Perfect World Shanghai Major 2024 Elimination Stage kicked off today and will run until December 15. This stage has gathered 16 teams competing for a spot in the playoffs, aiming to claim the majority of the $1,250,000 prize pool. You can find more information about the tournament and follow it here.