G2 Gozen returns to upper bracket final with 2-1 over MIBR GC

G2 Gozen G2 Gozen Europe Rank #216 rezq Eda Naz Akçocuk amy Amy Lai Vania Aleyna Keskin Petra Petra Stoker mimi Michaela Lintrup have defeated MIBR GC MIBR GC Game Changers Rank #4 srN Nicolas Niederauer sayuri Camila Obam Jelly Julia Iris Mel Melissa Souza jubs Juliana Oliveira 2-1 in the Game Changers 2024 Championship upper semifinal. Gozen is now in the upper bracket final, where they will face off against either Shopify Rebellion Shopify Rebellion North America Rank #25 meL Melanie Capone alexis Alexis Guarrasi Noia Nicole Tierce sarahcat Sarah Simpson or Xipto Esports GC Xipto Esports GC Asia-Pacific Rank #2 Alexy Alexy Francisco enerii Odella Abraham Kamiyu Camille Enriquez for a place in the grand final. MIBR, meanwhile, remain in the tournament, where they will play against ZETA DIVISION GC ZETA DIVISION GC Japan Rank #8 SereNa Kim Sia (김시아) UR Moco Sarina Kawashima in the lower bracket.

With MIBR making their international debut, the series is the first time both teams have played against each other. G2 Gozen has history with a different Brazilian team, however, as they have a 2-1 series record in their favor against Team Liquid Brazil Team Liquid Brazil Brazil Rank #6 Bizerra Vitoria Vieira Joojina Letícia Paiva isaa Isabeli Esser daiki Natalia Vilela bstrdd Paula Naguil . The loss came in the GCC 2023 lower final, where Gozen was eliminated from the tournament and left unable to defend their title. MIBR defeated Liquid twice on their qualifying run, taking Brazil's sole slot in this year's Championship.

The match began on Bind, with G2 barely taking the opening pistol round. MIBR was able to win a couple of rounds thanks to their economic advantage from previous rounds, but a thrifty win from G2 led to a timeout from the Brazilian squad. This started a back-and-forth between the teams, as MIBR adapted with utility-heavy strongholds and G2 responded in kind with patient site takes.

The first half ended 6-6, but MIBR kept their pace going into the second pistol, taking the lead for the first time in the series. Their success continued, as MIBR was able to string together a handful of rounds, forcing their opponent's second pause of the map. The timeout helped G2 get back on the scoreboard, capped off by a Petra ace. In the end, MIBR overwhelmed B site to win their last two rounds, ending their map 13-8.

“We were having issues on defense, we were very passive,” Vania said after the match regarding G2's Bind.

Moving on to Gozen's map pick, Split, the 2022 champions won their second opening round of the series with a solid retake on the A site. MIBR's continued aggression helped them take the bonus round, but G2 was able to stifle their pushes the next rounds. An amy spawn crunch preceded MIBR's first tactical pause of the map, but the Brazilian team's low funds and a triple kill from Petra continued extending G2's lead. It took heavy aggression from MIBR for them to return get back on board, led by srN 's Raze to an additional three round wins for an 8-4 half.

Despite losing the pistol round, MIBR was able to secure their eco round with a Classic deathball stack. They continued scoring rounds, thanks in part to individual heroics, but G2 remained in the lead throughout the half. In the end, Gozen was able to identify their opponent's weak A setup, and they were able to exploit MIBR's alternating retake and early ramp hold to seal their map 13-8.

Sunset extended G2's lead in pistol wins, but the anti-eco was once again countered by an MIBR set play. Both teams won one round each, but early mid holds from Petra led to a timeout for their opponents. Her heroics continued, however, as she won a 1v2 clutch to further extend the score gap. Seemingly inspired by her teammate, Vania stepped up to bat, setting a retake up for success with a triple kill and winning the next in a clutch of her own. The duo closed out the last round of the half with 2 kills each on a B hold, sending the decider into halftime with a 10-2 score.

MIBR was able to win the second pistol of the decider map, taking the anti-eco with a Mel 3K, but G2 was set on ending the series in their favor. A methodical push gave the former champions their 11th round, and mimi took her team to match point with a 1v2 win. MIBR's second timeout came and went, as rezq 's Neon disrespected MIBR's B setup with the help of her team's utility, ending the map 13-4 and closing out the series 2-1.

“We just continued playing our own game, the way we practiced,” Vania said after the series. “When [Petra] won that was the most exciting clutch,” she added.

The victory marks G2 Gozen's return to a Game Changers Championship upper final, the first and only team to make the event's podium via the upper bracket three different times. They will next play against the winner of Shopify Rebellion vs Xipto Esports for a place in the grand final. MIBR GC will need to win two more series if they wish to continue Brazil's streak of top three finishes, first established by Team Liquid Brazil in 2022 and upheld in 2023 with Liquid's grand final appearance.