The FISSURE Playground 3 stage in Suzhou, China, has been nothing short of a rollercoaster. While the $1,000,000 tournament has seen its share of expected power plays, the story of the group stage was undoubtedly the rise and eventual fall of 5star.
After turning heads by dismantling The MongolZ and pulling off a stunning 2-1 upset over Astralis, the Mongolian squad found themselves in the spotlight. Their victory against the Danish giants was a masterclass in resilience; after dropping Ancient 5-13, they clawed back on Cache to take the decider 13-11. It was the kind of performance that forces the rest of the scene to take notice.
However, the dream run hit a wall in the form of G2 Esports. Following their high-stakes lower bracket clash, G2 proved too much for the underdogs, sweeping them out of the tournament. The loss brings a bittersweet end to a campaign that saw 5star climb 17 positions in the world rankings.
With the group stage now in the rearview mirror, the playoff bracket is locked in. G2 Esports has successfully punched their ticket to the quarter-finals, where they are set to face FURIA in a high-profile showdown. Meanwhile, the tournament continues its push toward the grand final on September 13.
As we move into the single-elimination phase, the pressure on the remaining favorites will only intensify. For those tracking the action, you can stay updated with the latest matches and check out our MyEsports predictions to see how the experts weigh the upcoming quarter-final matchups.