CS2: A Disappointing BIG Clan Falls To Wildcard And Will Now Face Elimination In Katowice

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At the commencement of IEM Katowice 2025’s Stage 1, team BIG encountered a major setback in their match against Wildcard. This loss has placed them precariously close to being eliminated from the tournament.

BIG’s Map Pick Backfires

The series began on Ancient, a map chosen by BIG themselves, but this decision proved disastrous. Wildcard took control of the initial half, establishing an impeccable 12-0 lead, with BIG failing to win a single round on their selected map during the T-side – a crushing situation for team leader Johannes “tabseN” Wodarz.

J. B. A.

It’s a WIPEOUT Ace to keep the clean sheet #IEM @JBafps

— ESL Counter-Strike (@ESLCS) January 29, 2025

In the heat of the Ancient battlefield, I found myself standing out among my teammates, with a stellar showcase of skills that earned me an ace in one round and notched a total of 21 kills throughout the match. My exceptional performance fueled Wildcard’s dominance, ultimately leading us to a resounding 13-4 victory on the map.

Just better.

That’s it. That’s the tweet.#IEM

— ESL Counter-Strike (@ESLCS) January 29, 2025

Conversely, Germany’s standout player, Karim “Krimbo” Moussa, had a tough time on the field, recording just five kills. Unfortunately, the rest of the team didn’t fare much better and couldn’t leave a lasting impression, leading to a disastrous performance overall.

BIG Falls in Overtime on Inferno

In a shift of events, the contest transitioned onto Wildcard’s selected map, Inferno. The conflict grew increasingly intense here. Controversially, BIG elected to begin on the terrorist (T-) side, providing Wildcard with a tactical edge in defense.

HE DOES IT AGAIN???? #IEM @JBafps

— ESL Counter-Strike (@ESLCS) January 29, 2025

Initially, both teams battled fiercely, resulting in a draw with neither team managing to establish a significant advantage. However, Wildcard gradually took the upper hand, thanks to yet another impressive play by JBa. Despite this, BIG didn’t back down and made a strong comeback. Key defensive plays on the A site by Krimbo and tabseN gave BIG a promising 12-11 lead, just one round away from forcing a decisive third map, Train.

In a critical juncture, Marcel “hyped” Köhn, their promising AWPer, stumbled, failing to hit crucial shots. This error gave Wildcard the opportunity to push for overtime. In overtime, Wildcard showed no pity, winning the map 16-13 and advancing to a decisive match against FURIA.

They unite from different corners of the globe, yet they all gather at #IEM Katowice 2025! @JBafps and @suspcsgo ignite the server and overpower @BIGCLANgg.

— ESL Counter-Strike (@ESLCS) January 29, 2025

Currently, BIG is up against a crucial elimination game with Imperial, a team that previously lost to FURIA. Unfortunately, Imperial will be playing without their captain Victoria “tory” Kazieva because of visa complications; however, they still hold the title as the top-ranked female esports team globally.

Currently, the team BIG is experiencing significant stress due to the fact that their latest roster adjustments have not yet proven successful. They’ve reacquired Can “kyuubii” Ali amid high expectations, but their performances continue to be unpredictable. Just last week, they squandered a lead against G2 in the BLAST Bounty event, and now there’s a risk that they could be eliminated early from Katowice.

Tonight at 6:30 PM Central European Time, the significant showdown between teams BIG and Imperial is scheduled. Will team BIG bounce back after their setbacks, or will they endure yet another disheartening defeat?

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2025-01-30 14:11