As a longtime esports enthusiast with a soft spot for teams that rise from adversity, I can’t help but be captivated by Spirit’s journey to becoming the Perfect World Shanghai 2024 Major champions. The grand final was nothing short of a rollercoaster, filled with nail-biting moments and breathtaking plays, much like a CS:GO game on overtime.
For FaZe, this defeat echoed painfully with their Copenhagen Major final back in the year, where they were edged out by NAVI on the decisive third map.
Spirit are the Perfect World Shanghai 2024 Major champions!
The grand final commenced on the map Nuke, which was FaZe’s selection, following their dominating win against G2 in the same arena during the semifinals. Yet, Spirit’s defense displayed great resilience, leading to economic difficulties for FaZe early on. Guided by Håvard “rain” Nygaard and Robin “ropz” Kool, FaZe managed to fight back, but Spirit held a 8-4 lead at the end of the first half.
1v2 by @donk1337
— Team Spirit (@Team__Spirit) December 15, 2024
During the second half, I managed a nail-biting 1v2 clutch in a pistol round that really set the pace. My team, Spirit, then meticulously wrapped up the map with a score of 13-8, even as FaZe gave their all to try and stop us.
ONE MAP AWAY FROM THE TROPHY
— Team Spirit (@Team__Spirit) December 15, 2024
On the choice made on an ancient map by Spirits, FaZe turned the tables in a massive way. Ropz put up an impressive display with a staggering 25 kills, leading the charge for a commanding victory.
KOOL, CALM, AND COLLECTED
— FaZe Esports (@FaZeEsports) December 15, 2024
FaZe’s defense tightly shut down Spirit, resulting in a dominant first half score of 8-4 on the CT side, and then an unyielding 5-0 run to close out the map with a decisive 13-6 victory. This left both teams needing to win one more round on Dust 2 to determine the winner.
@donk1337 with another ACE at the Major!!!#ShanghaiMajor2024
— PGL (@pglesports) December 15, 2024
The third match was a rollercoaster ride of feelings. Team Spirit stormed ahead to an 8-4 lead at halftime and increased it to 12-5. However, FaZe counterattacked in a surprising fashion. Led by Finn “karrigan” Andersen, they gradually closed the gap to 12-10. In one of the most exhilarating rounds ever seen in CS:2, rain and ropz turned a 2 versus 4 situation into an electrifying victory. Ropz’s daring noscope and narrowly won clutch left the arena buzzing with excitement.
this has to be one of the greatest rounds in cs history
— Jang~ (@iamJangW) December 15, 2024
In the last regular round, it was me, Dmitry “sh1ro” Sokolov, who managed to keep my cool against Helvijs ‘broky’ Saukants in a nerve-wracking 1v1. This win prevented FaZe from forcing overtime, which they were desperately hoping for.
The moment@Team__Spirit lift the trophy of #ShanghaiMajor2024.
— CS_PerfectWorld (@CS_PerfectWorld) December 15, 2024
The tournament served as a glorious peak for donk, the 17-year-old prodigy from Spirit, who earned the title of Major MVP following an extraordinary performance throughout the competition. In Shanghai, donk’s average rating was simply astounding at 1.49, putting him in a strong position to be named HLTV’s Player of the Year for 202X and potentially making him the youngest player ever to hold this title. His exceptional skills were clearly evident during the grand final, where he shone with crucial moments.
The loss weighed heavily on FaZe’s team captain, karrigan, who persevered amidst personal hardship. Scarcely a week prior to the tournament, karrigan experienced the tragic death of his brother. Visibly emotional following another heart-wrenching close call in a Major final, he could not hide his tears. Despite the profound sorrow and frustration, the 34-year-old suggested that he plans to carry on playing: a testament to his resilience and passion for the game.
Dear Brother, I just wanted to share that I gave it my all, and as expected, we ended up second in the major tournament. There are still plenty of opportunities ahead for us.
— karrigan (@karriganCSGO) December 15, 2024
The Spirit’s triumph in Shanghai concludes a fantastic year for them, as they now have their fourth trophy of 2024. On the other hand, Faze continues to show remarkable resilience, but there are doubts about the team’s future following two heartbreaking losses in Major finals.
After the chaos subsides, Donk finds himself on top of the CS2 universe, a 17-year-old phenomenon poised for grand achievements, as Spirit revels in the splendor of their inaugural Major tournament victory.
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2024-12-16 15:09