fnaticMSI have overcome Na'Vi in a thrilling 3rd map decider, to reach the Grand Finals of the IEM Shanghai Global Challenge.

Yesterday morning we saw the all European Semi Final, between Na'Vi and fnaticMSI commence, and after a lengthy overtime period in the 2nd map, the game had to be postponed until today due to the venue having to shut down.

Unsure how the players would react to having to play such a crunch map early in the morning, I settled down, at half 1 in the morning UK time, to watch the 3rd and final map. And what a map it turned out to be.

The setting was the very neutral de_inferno, and Na'Vi won the pistol, electing to go Counter Terrorist first. They won the very important pistol round, but were not able to take the subsequent two rounds as expected. fnaticMSI in a bold move decided to buy on the 2nd round, handing AKs to the front two players. This incredibly daring move played off, giving fnaticMSI that 2nd round and they were able to secure the next 3.

fnaticMSI in a bold move decided to buy on the 2nd round, handing AKs to the front two players

fnaticMSI looked dominant on the CT side, as Na'Vi were not playing with the same passion that we have seen them in previous tournaments, possibly still half asleep. They let fnaticMSI drift ahead to 8-4 before a Starix tripple put them only 3 rounds behind. However, another quick round from fnaticMSI, with caRn clutching a brilliant 1on2 situation soon saw them resume a comfortable 4 round lead.

The next round was very important, as a 10-5 half would have heavily played into fnaticMSI's hands, but again it was down to Starix to stop this, finding a comfortable 3 kills on the Swedish players to put a stop to their hopes of having a 5 round lead going into the 2nd half.

The pistol round had to go Na'Vi's way, which would most likely bring them back on level terms. But Gux, defending quite deeply on the big site, A, was able to give fnaticMSI that important round, which they could convert into 3, taking a 6 round lead.

Once Na'Vi had armed themselves with AKs, they soon started to come back around, knowing that fnaticMSI only needed 4 more rounds to give them a place in the finals. They took the next round, managing to find f0rest hidden at the back of the bomb site hoping to ninja defuse the ticking bomb, but were unable to build up any momentum as they lost the subsequent one.

But through an acculmination of some excellent play from Na'Vi, pushing through the appartments onto the big site, as well as dsn missing some relatively easy AWP shots, Na'Vi were able to get the next 3 rounds to take it to 13-10. They had recovered from a terrible financial situation, exculated by Zeus accidently changing teams at once stage, to pull the game right back.

However, the returning star Gux was not going to let Na'Vi continue this come back, and made short work of the Na'Vi attackers from deep within the big site. fnaticMSI were rotating really well, with GeT_RiGhT moving between A and B with lightening speed, always seeming to be at the right bomb site in time to catch Na'Vi.

in true Markeloff fashion, even though he had a mere 26hp left, destroyed the approaching caRn to clutch a simply superb round

fnaticMSI were able to clinch the important 15th round, guaranteeing at least overtime in this 3rd map. But it was Na'Vi that then took the subsequent 2 rounds, pushing in quickly before the rotators could arrive and getting the entry kills. fnaticMSI knew they had to preserve what money they had, and in both cases, saved out getting a few important exit frags.

With only one round needed for fnaticMSI, things started to really heat up, as a mad exchange of frags on the big site, saw Markeloff left all alone trapped in a corner, facing two fnaticMSI players. He soon dispatched of the first with a brilliant spray, and in true Markeloff fashion, even though he had a mere 26hp left, destroyed the approaching caRn to clutch a simply superb round. fnaticMSI had to eco, and lose, the subsequent round.

With both teams able to fully buy, it was all going to come down to this last round. Would fnaticMSI be able to get the hardest round in the entire game to get? Or were Na'Vi going to be able to clinch the overtime. One person who knew what was going to happen was f0rest, who took the game to Na'Vi, rushing through appartments and getting two sublime spray kills, later followed up by a 3rd. It was these opening two frags that gave fnaticMSI this final round, clutching the game in normal time, and progressing through to the finals.

They will meet TyLoo.raw which is set to be played later this morning. Na'Vi will come up against TyLoo in the 3rd/4th place playoff, starting straight away.