CS2 analyst accuses NiKo of destroying the game with the superteam trend.

G2 has advanced to the next stage of IEM Kraków 2026 in Counter-Strike 2 after a hard-fought 2:1 victory over Liquid in an upper bracket match. The map scores were 13:8 on Mirage, 6:13 on Inferno, and 16:14 on Anubis.

Liquid gets a second chance—they will have to fight to continue their journey through the lower bracket against FUT.

Nemanja "huNter-" Kovač's team had to give their all on the decisive map, especially after nearly squandering a 9:3 lead after switching to the CT side. It was only at the very end of the first half that they managed to turn the tide, despite brilliant play and several key clutches from Roland "ultimate" Tomkowiak. The Liquid AWPer has faced criticism for his results lately, but he was the main driving force for the team on Inferno and continued to have a high impact on Anubis.

However, it wasn't enough: Mario "malbsMd" Samayoa, who had been quiet until then, stepped up at the most crucial moment and delivered 31 frags for his team, including decisive triple and quad kills in 3v5 and 2v5 situations when G2 had their backs against the wall.

The Return on Inferno

Liquid played confidently on Inferno, completely seizing the initiative. Ultimate once again led the charge with the AWP, and Karim "Krimbo" Moussa excelled at holding the A site. The Polish sniper neutralized G2's standard pushes and had several standout rounds on B, helping the team go into halftime with an 11:1 lead. In the end, Liquid confidently closed out the map 13:6.

A Dramatic Finale on Anubis

On Anubis, G2 started strong: thanks to aggressive entries from Matúš "MATYS" Šimko and malbsMd, as well as excellent tactical calls from huNter-, they easily dismantled Liquid's defense. Although they often won the opening duels, their site positions were constantly broken down. Poor play from NertZ and missed shots from other players led to Liquid switching sides with a minimal deficit—only 3 rounds.

malbsMd's Heroics Decide the Outcome

But drama was inevitable. G2 managed to tie the score thanks to two consecutive multikills from malbsMd. The second one happened in a 3v5 situation when Liquid overplayed themselves on the A site. Although Liquid reached match point first, G2 took the last round of regulation and sent the game into overtime. It was there that malbsMd ultimately decided the match's fate: in overtime, he pulled off an incredible 2v5, killing all four opponents to save Liquid's match point, and ultimately led G2 to a 16:14 victory.

The day before, the Play-In stage became the final stop for two teams that failed to hold on in the tournament's lower bracket. The Passion UA and Legacy squads suffered defeats in their decisive elimination matches and have officially concluded their run in Kraków.