The MongolZ, as expected, were favourites to advance, and they did so in style, defeating Alter Ego and DRILLAS to qualify for their third consecutive Counter-Strike Major.
The MongolZ reverse sweep DRILLAS 2-1, becoming the first team to qualify for the 2024 Shanghai Major!#ShanghaiMajor2024 pic.twitter.com/ckAno9oD3l
— CS_PerfectWorld (@CS_PerfectWorld) November 12, 2024
Though they dropped a map to DRILLAS, they still lived up to their reputation as the team to beat, showing why they’re a top contender.
Rare Atom delivered an impressive performance to join The MongolZ in qualifying, especially as this Major is being held in China, marking a home-field advantage.
Their path through GR Gaming and TALON wasn’t the toughest, but they made the most of it, with standout performances from Andrew “kaze” Khong, who clutched a 1v3 on Vertigo to seal their 13-8 win.
Rare Atom’s victory also ensures a Chinese team will be present on the Shanghai stage, keeping local fans engaged.
Meanwhile, DRILLAS, the team backed by streamer ohnePixel, saw some surprising success, surviving the opening round with a win over Lynn Vision and taking a map from The MongolZ.
However, they fell in the upper bracket, setting up a crucial lower-bracket match against FlyQuest.
DRILLAS’ journey has been an entertaining storyline, especially with ohnePixel cheering them on.
TALON now faces Lynn Vision in the lower bracket semifinals, and the winner will face either FlyQuest or DRILLAS to fight for the last Major spot.
Chinese Team in the CN Major!
Congratulations to Rare Atom on qualifying!The remaining teams in Asia RMR will now battle it out tomorrow for the final spot at the #ShanghaiMajor2024. Stay tuned! pic.twitter.com/3zu5WNCOta
— CS_PerfectWorld (@CS_PerfectWorld) November 12, 2024
In the Americas RMR, both Team Liquid and FURIA Esports navigated early challenges.
Liquid bounced back from an opening loss to Wildcard with a dominant 13-2 win over KRü Esports, while FURIA recovered from a shaky start to beat Case Gaming.
Both teams remain in the 1-1 bracket, and fans will be watching closely to see if they can regain their form as the tournament progresses.
The real standout from the Americas RMR so far has been Wildcard.
With Aran “Sonic” Groesbeek and Peter “stanislaw” Jarguz leading the charge, Wildcard has pulled off impressive victories, including a 13-10 win over paiN Gaming and a comeback against Liquid.
With two wins under their belt, Wildcard only needs one more to secure a Major spot, with their next challenge against 9z Team.
9z, another underdog, has shown surprising strength, dominating RED Canids and Legacy.
With two wins, they join Wildcard, Complexity, and MIBR in the 2-0 bracket, meaning they’ll also have multiple chances to reach the Major.
Complexity and MIBR are holding strong in the 2-0 bracket after a nail-biting overtime win for Complexity and a solid showing from MIBR’s Raphael “exit” Lacerda and Rafael “saffee” Costa.
Meanwhile, teams like RED Canids, Nouns, Case, and KRü find themselves in elimination territory after failing to secure wins on day one, facing an uphill battle to stay in contention.
With multiple upsets, standout performances from lesser-known teams, and returning veterans, the PW Shanghai Major RMRs are shaping up to be an exciting lead-up to one of the most anticipated CS2 tournaments of the year.
Complexity 16: 12 Boss
M80 16: 13 RED Canids
MIBR 13: 9 Imperial
Liquid 13: 2 KRüCheck out today’s results for the Americas RMR
and tomorrow’s match schedule (GMT +8) – Stay tuned!#ShanghaiMajor2024 pic.twitter.com/cIJulTkT4E— CS_PerfectWorld (@CS_PerfectWorld) November 12, 2024
With a double-elimination format, eight top Counter-Strike 2 teams compete for the four available slots at the Major.
The tournament’s opening day saw several high-stakes best-of-one matches, and the event now advances into its best-of-three phase, raising the strategic demands on each team.
The MongolZ and DRILLAS opened their RMR campaigns with impressive performances, securing spots in the upper bracket’s next round.
The MongolZ outclassed Alter Ego on Ancient, especially dominating on the counter-terrorist side and neutralising Hansel “BnTeT” Ferdinand’s squad.
Meanwhile, DRILLAS overcame tech issues to beat Lynn Vision 13-11 in a tense match on Ancient.
DRILLAS led 7-5 at halftime, but Lynn Vision mounted a comeback, nearly turning the game in their favour.
Ultimately, DRILLAS’s aggressive strategies prevailed, with Vladyslav “Kvem” Korolj earning MVP honours, while Wang “afufu” Jianye was Lynn Vision’s top-rated player.
Lynn Vision suffered a narrow 11-13 loss to DRILLAS.
Up next is Rare Atom vs GR – stay tuned!#ShanghaiMajor2024 pic.twitter.com/ZvwOBmgr56— CS_PerfectWorld (@CS_PerfectWorld) November 11, 2024
Elsewhere, Rare Atom decisively defeated GR 13-4 on Anubis.
Rare Atom’s consistent control, particularly from MVP Xu “somebody” Haowen with an impressive 1.62 rating, left GR struggling to respond.
GR’s standout player, Arkadii “SALO_MUX” Balanda, fought hard, earning an EVP rating of 1.27.
TALON also moved forward by defeating FlyQuest 13-9 on Inferno.
TALON’s Corey “nettik” Browne, with a rating of 1.51, delivered a balanced performance, while FlyQuest’s Declan “Vexite” Portelli kept the match competitive with a strong showing and a 1.07 rating.
TALON takes the win over their fellow Australian team, advancing to the Upper Bracket to face Rare Atom!
FlyQuest still has a chance to bounce back and will meet GR Gaming in the Lower Bracket – it’s do-or-die time! #ShanghaiMajor2024 pic.twitter.com/6iMELZpCYk
— PGL (@pglesports) November 11, 2024
DRILLAS will face The MongolZ in a best-of-three in the upper bracket, testing both teams’ adaptability across multiple maps.
Rare Atom will take on TALON, with each team aiming to secure one of the two qualifying spots up for grabs.
The lower bracket features elimination matches as Alter Ego battles Lynn Vision and GR meets FlyQuest, with the losing teams facing elimination from the RMR.
Meanwhile, the Perfect World Shanghai Major Amercias RMR will begin on Tuesday, with each of the 16 North and South American teams battling it out for seven Opening Stage spots.
Check out ESB’s Perfect World Shanghai Major Americas RMR betting preview.
THE MONGOLZ vs ALTER EGO CS2 BETTING & MATCH DETAILS |
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Best Odds: | MongolZ -1111.11 at BetOnline | AE +568 at BetOnline |
When: | November 11, 2024 | 16:00 CST |
Watch Live: | Twitch (https://www.twitch.tv/pgl) |
The MongolZ are the leading favourites to win the Asia-Pacific RMR and qualify for the Perfect World Shanghai Major 2024. So, it is easy to understand why the top Counter-Strike betting sites are giving the Mongolian side a 91.7% implied probability of winning the series.
The MongolZ have dominated the regional scene for the past two years and left a positive impression in some European tournaments. They placed second at Skyesports Championship 2024 in July and won Thunderpick World Championship 2024 earlier this month.
Alter Ego have shown some signs of life over the last two months. Still, besides beating lesser domestic opponents in the South-east Asian qualifiers, Gan-Erdene “dobu” Batbold and co. have done hardly enough to be considered a threat for The MongolZ.
DRILLAS vs LYNN VISION GAMING CS2 BETTING & MATCH DETAILS |
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Best Odds: | DRILLAS -125 at BetOnline | LVG -105.26 at BetOnline |
When: | November 11, 2024 | 17:00 CST |
Watch Live: | Twitch (https://www.twitch.tv/pgl) |
DRILLAS came together in August and have since managed a 59.1% win rate, competing only in second-division European tournaments. So, while they field some known names from the tier-one scene, DRILLAS are still unproven.
Lynn Vision Gaming are the fourth-highest-ranked team in Asia, with experience facing European squads. In September, they attended ESL Pro League Season 20 and CCT Season 2 European Series #12, and while both ended in early eliminations, Lynn Vision have some decent results against tougher opponents.
DRILLAS have a higher ceiling than the Chinese outfit, but they have yet to prove their worth and are not a good pick at this price in a best-of-one series.
RARE ATOM vs GR GAMING CS2 BETTING & MATCH DETAILS |
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Best Odds: | RA -222.22 at BetOnline | GR +164 at BetOnline |
When: | November 11, 2024 | 18:00 CST |
Watch Live: | Twitch (https://www.twitch.tv/pgl) |
Rare Atom defeated GR Gaming in February, and the rematch should end no differently. Cai “Summer” Yulun and co. are not in the best shape ahead of the Shanghai Major 2024 RMR, with one win from their last five fixtures and defeats against Johnny Speeds, Endpoint, and Spirit Academy (twice).
But excluding their fixtures against European sides, Rare Atom are 7-3, and their only three losses over that stretch came against TYLOO. GR Gaming have managed the same record, with most of those victories coming against lesser opponents, including SayGGTeam, -72C, and Chinggis Warriors.
GR Gaming have not had a proper chance to be tested ahead of the RMR, and in games where they faced more challenging opponents, such as TYLOO, they fell apart. So, while Rare Atom can be a bit up and down, this is their game to lose.
TALON vs FLYQUEST CS2 BETTING & MATCH DETAILS |
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Best Odds: | TALON +353 at BetOnline | FLY -555.56 at BetOnline |
When: | November 11, 2024 | 19:00 CST |
Watch Live: | Twitch (https://www.twitch.tv/pgl) |
TALON looked good at Perfect World Shanghai Major 2024: Oceanic Qualifier in August, but they have not shown much since, with early exits from CCT Season 2 Europe Series #13 and Shuffle Masters #2. Moreover, Oceania’s no.7 have not played a match since September.
FlyQuest enter this match with more achievements under their belt, with back-to-back titles in October at ESL Challenger at DreamHack Atlanta 2024 and ESL Challenger League Season 48: Oceania. But, like TALON, they have been out of action for a while.
Both squads are a bit rusty, which does not help make a case for FlyQuest as heavy favourites. However, Christopher “dexter” Nong and co. have proven to be highly efficient in running over any regional opponents, and this match should be no exception.