Belarus's finest take on the legends of Mouz on de_train.

Going into this game, both teams needed a win, and a heavy one at that, to stand any chance of qualifying for the next stage of the tournament.

SnG seemed to be acutely aware of what they needed to do right from the very off. Mouz started t and pushed inside, where they were met by the potent usp of dEsh. He took three of the Germans down, and his team mates cleaned up to give the Belarusians the advantage.

Mousesports spent the early rounds of the game fruitlessly probing at the defences of SnG, searching for an opening but finding only hot lead and painful death. Their attempts were not helped by the swift, decisive rotations and precise teamwork of their unheralded opponents. A lovely combination was being put to good effect, the hyper-aggressive dEsh would constantly put mouz on the back foot, whilst keep3r locked down Connector with his awp and the rest played sensibly.

Mouz finally began to find weaknesses in the so-far delightful defence, keep3r having to be the hero in a 1v1 with blizzard to maintain the Belarusian's perfect start. The next round after this, Mouz finally made an attack tell, blitzing alley to get their first round on the board and making the game 10-1.

Unfortunately for mouz, despite a few more close rounds towards the end of the half, they were unable to win another round in the half. They must have known at this point, 14-1 down and reeling, that even if by a major miracle they did win the game, their round difference was never going to be boosted enough to get them past Turmoil or CMAX.gg.

Signs of that legendary German grit were seen in the pistol round. Cyxc produced one of the great rounds, given the situation, and killed three of the Belarusians to win the round. Crucially, or so they thought at the time, there had been no bomb plant.

SnG were clearly confident and happy in their play though, and a decisive deco along alley ensured they not only won a round against guns, but lost only one man. Of note was the entry frag by RaqTor. That one frag alone is worth a download of the hltv.

15-2 down, definitely out of the tournament, mouz could have been forgiven at this point for getting up and walking out. What they actually did was dig in and win nine rounds on the bounce. They played as if they were the ones who had been 15-2 up; with panache and skill and teamwork. Their opponents completely lost their discipline. Everything they did for a few rounds was rank with panic, not once did they properly eco, chill out and take stock. Every round was getting more ragged, more hurried, and less studied. The dazzling teamwork and aim that had taken mouz apart in the first half had been replaced with confusion and shakiness.

Just as you began to think mouz could get a draw from being 15-2 down, just as cyxc was looking like sunde on a mission, it all went wrong. SnG dug deep and got the round to a 1v1 between junik and Seraph. A tense game of cat and mouse was played out around outside halls, until Junik managed to grab the bomb and work his way inside after 40 seconds or more of raw, powerful tension. He planted the bomb, and then as seraph made his move, bounced out and made the shot look easy.

SnG had won, and even though mouz managed to get the remaining rounds to only lose 16-14, you sensed the Belarusians couldn't have cared less if they'd tried. They might be going home, but they had done themselves mightily proud. Mouz have now flopped three tournaments in a row, and though this one they have had difficult circumstances, questions must now be asked. cyxc was awesome, kapio was good, and the rest contributed at times, but the gulf between them and fnatic widens.

Man of the Match: dEsh

Not the biggest fragger and he had an ordinary t side, but on t side his random pushing, constant aggression, and potent aim really rattled mouz. He had the dangerous cyxc in his pocket for the entire first half, and fragged big to win several crucial rounds.