FaZe Clan Defeats Team Liquid 3-1 to Win Counter-Strike Major Championship in Copenhagen
FaZe Clan captured their second Counter-Strike Major championship today with a commanding 3-1 victory over Team Liquid at the PGL Copenhagen Major, delivering a tactical masterpiece that showcased why they remain one of the most feared teams in competitive Counter-Strike. The international roster, led by in-game leader Finn "karrigan" Andersen, controlled the grand final from start to finish at the packed Royal Arena, claiming the $500,000 first-place prize and cementing their status among CS2's elite organizations.
The grand final began with FaZe establishing early dominance on Inferno, their map pick, where they executed a series of perfectly coordinated site takes that left Team Liquid scrambling for answers. Robin "ropz" Kool was particularly impressive on the T-side, recording crucial entry frags that opened up bombsites for his teammates while maintaining the aggressive pace that has become FaZe's trademark. The Estonian rifler finished the map with a 1.47 rating, repeatedly outdueling Liquid's star players in key moments that swung rounds in FaZe's favor.
Team Liquid responded on their own map pick of Ancient, where captain Keith "NAF" Markovic led a spirited comeback that saw the North American squad take their only map of the series. Liquid's defensive setup was exemplary, with Russel "Twistzz" Van Dulken and Jonathan "EliGE" Jablonowski combining for several crucial clutch rounds that kept their championship hopes alive. However, FaZe quickly regrouped for the remaining maps, with karrigan's tactical adjustments proving decisive in the team's return to championship form.
The turning point of the series came on Mirage, where FaZe's CT-side defense was virtually impenetrable. Håvard "rain" Nygaard delivered a vintage performance reminiscent of his prime years, recording multiple multi-kill rounds that broke Liquid's economy and momentum. His aggressive positioning and precise aim frustrated Liquid's attempts to establish map control, while Helvijs "broky" Saukants provided consistent AWP support that shut down long-range engagements. "Rain played like it was 2017 again," karrigan said during the post-match interview. "When our veterans step up like that, we're incredibly difficult to beat."
The championship-clinching performance came on Dust2, where FaZe's preparation and individual skill combined to create an insurmountable advantage. Despite Liquid's best efforts to force overtime, FaZe closed out the map 16-12 with a series of clutch plays that demonstrated their championship mettle. Twistzz, who joined FaZe from Liquid in 2022, delivered crucial kills against his former teammates while maintaining his composure in the high-pressure environment that defines Major championships.
The victory represents FaZe's second Major title, adding to their triumph at the PGL Antwerp Major in 2022, and validates their patient approach to building a championship roster around karrigan's leadership. For Team Liquid, the runner-up finish was disappointing but demonstrated significant progress under coach Wilton "zews" Prado, who has guided the organization back to Major contention. The Copenhagen Major drew over 1.2 million concurrent viewers across all streaming platforms, highlighting Counter-Strike's continued growth and popularity in the esports ecosystem. With this victory, FaZe has established themselves as early favorites for the upcoming tournaments and reinforced their reputation as one of Counter-Strike's most successful international rosters.
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