Perfect World Shanghai Major 2024: Opening Stage will feature a tense match between The Mongolz and Rare Atom. This match will be held in bo1 format and will be an important step on the way to the main stage of the tournament. Both teams are from the Asian region and show a high level of play, which adds to the intrigue of the match. Will The Mongolz prove their superiority, or will Rare Atom surprise their opponents?

Current form of the teams

The Mongolz are showing strong results lately. The team won Thunderpick World Championship 2024 and took 1-2 place at the Asia-Pacific RMR, beating such opponents as DRILLAS and Alter Ego. Their performances at major tournaments are consistent, though they sometimes show vulnerability on less convenient maps.

Rare Atom, on the other hand, don't have such striking achievements on the international stage. Nevertheless, the team proved themselves worthy at the Perfect World Shanghai Major regional qualifiers and took 1-2 place at Asia-Pacific RMR. Their confident victories over Talon and GR indicate good form, but lack of experience at major tournaments may play a role.

Team's Map Pool

The Mongolz excel on Nuke, boasting a 63% winrate over the last 16 matches, with solid defensive play. They also perform well on Mirage, with a stable 67% winrate. Inferno rewards their unconventional strategies, reflected in a 61% winrate, while Dust2 is often used against weaker opponents, showing a 70% winrate. However, their weakest map is Anubis (47% winrate), and Vertigo is entirely absent from their pool, making it an obvious ban.

Rare Atom dominate Inferno, with an impressive 91% winrate, making it their strongest map. Anubis is another viable option, with a 50% winrate, though less consistent. They avoid Nuke entirely, always banning it first. Mirage and Vertigo, with 33% and 40% winrates respectively, are less favorable, while Ancient (50% winrate) could serve as a strategic choice against Mongolz.

Probable map choice:

The Mongolz will most likely ban Vertigo, taking into account Rare Atom's confidence on this map. Rare Atom, on their part, can avoid Nuke, where The Mongolz are traditionally strong. Thus, Inferno is the most likely place to play, on which both teams have experience, although Rare Atom are the favorites.

Match prediction

Despite Rare Atom's good results at local tournaments, The Mongolz look more prepared for big matches. Their experience and strong mapple give them an advantage in this matchup. Rare Atom will have to do their best to put up a fight, but their lack of experience on the international stage could be the deciding factor.

Prediction: The Mongolz will win on the Inferno map.

Perfect World Shanghai Major 2024 starts on November 30 and will last until December 15. The tournament will feature 24 teams that will compete for a total prize pool of $1,250,000. You can find more information about the tournament and follow the tournament here.