Aight opening-round Duels
At the IEM Summer 2021 16 teams will play for the title and 250.000 USD prize money. The big favorites for the title are Gambit, Heroic, G2 but also NiP, who just lost the final of Flashpoint 3 against mousesports on Sunday. Mouz is not qualified for the event. Especially interesting will be the next appearances of fnatic and Complexity, who recently had big difficulties to find good form. The first round will take place as bo1 and the tournament will still be held online. IEM Summer will also feature Ancient for the first time in a Tier 1 event.
Game 1: Gambit vs. Sprout
There is a very clear favorite in this game. Even though Sprout had some solid performances at Flashpoint, a win against Gambit would be a big surprise. Between Gambit and Sprout, the odds also assign the clear favorite role to the Russian top team.
Game 2: Vitality vs. Complexity
In the second first round duel, two of last year's top teams meet, which have not really found their form yet. Complexity played very weak in the last weeks and had to accept many defeats. The two wins against Anonymo and Sprout at the end of Flashpoint were pleasing. Vitality played relatively solid at Flashpoint.
Game 3: Astralis vs. FPX
Danes did relatively well in the first RMR event last week. For Astralis it was the first event without dev1ce, who moved to NiP. FPX also showed some good performances since the new signing of emi. Accordingly, the odds are relatively even between Astralis and FPX.
Game 4: Extra Salt vs. G2
In this duel the third of the first Major Qualifier is the clear favorite. G2 got better and better in form and showed a very solid performance at Flashpoint. Extra Salt could also steadily improve their performance in recent weeks and currently convinces in the Tier-2 scene.
Game 5: Heroic vs. Imperial
Imperial is one of the big outsiders at the IEM Summer 2021. The Brazilian lineup around fer meets one of the best teams of the last months in the first round. The odds clearly give the Danes the favorite role, and rightly so. A win for the Brazilians would be a big surprise.
Game 6: Evil Geniuses vs. Spirit
While Spirit showed consistently good performances in the new year, Evil Geniuses has been completely overwhelmed since the signing of MICHU and the expulsion of tarik. The team has lost its last five duels and therefore enters the duel with Spirit as a clear underdog.
Game 7: NiP vs. OG
An absolute top duel. While NiP played a great opening tournament with dev1ce at the Flashpoint 3, OG won the Spring Sweet Spring 2 yesterday. The team around new signing flameZ showed great performances in the last weeks. Furthermore NiP will play at the IEM Summer with the young Swede "LNZ" as new fifth instead of ztr.
Game 8: fnatic vs. Virtus.Pro
There is a clear favorite between fnatic and Virtus.Pro, given the odds. While the CIS team showed great performances in the new year and finished the EPIC League on the second place, fnatic is currently in a disastrous shape. The Swedes lost almost every duel in the new year and currently can't find their old form.
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