Opening Stage: Round 5
SAW vs FURIA Esports
Format: BO3
20.03.2024 21:00
Prediction for the match between SAW and FURIA Esports which will take place on March 20. Who will turn out to be stronger? Check the team conditions! Several betting options are available.
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The Portuguese were predicted to reach the main stage of the major easily, but SAW had big problems in HE3 matches. After a long winstreak, the team suffered two defeats from Cloud9 (0:2) and paIN Gaming (0:2). After the match with Cloud9, the community talked about equal play, but the Brazilians were very unpleasantly surprised with a great game on Vertigo and Nuke.
In the match against paIN Gaming, the Portuguese did not do well in the pistol rounds. On Vertigo, it became a critical factor - the Brazilians were winning 7:5 after the first half, realized pistols, and increased the lead to a critical one. On Nuke, SAW also started to have problems after the unsuccessful pistol round, and after the score of 7:0, they started to play very hard, even on the signature map. Perhaps the mental state after the match with Cloud9 had an impact - SAW could take the first map in their hands twice, and then Cloud9 could hardly come to their senses on Anubis. It's hard to say that leaders arrozdoce and ewjerks are playing badly, and the team generally understands their maps well. But sometimes, they lack discipline, stamina, and, at times, even luck on the server.
However, SAW is aiming for the top 15 of the HLTV rankings in 2024, and the match with FURIA Esports could decide many things for SAW. It will be at least a top-16 major, which will help her move up in the HLTV rankings and make more appearances at Dash 1 tournaments. Before today, Cloud9, GamerLegion, and Team Liquid fell at the hands of the Portuguese, so FURIA Esports doesn't look like an impossible opponent.
FURIA Esports
FalleN and company came from 0:2 score and will try to pick up a slot in the main stage of the major. FURIA Esports in Copenhagen managed to lose to Lynn Vision in HE1 and, at the same time, win ENCE in HE3. The Brazilian team has very big names and great potential to compete at the tier-1 level, but poor implementation of strategies and a lot of hope for KSCERATO and yuurih.
KSCERATO is in the top 3 in HLTV rating (1.33), making 0.8 kills per round and 84 damage. Yuurih rounds out the top 10 (1.19), with chelo (1.16) close behind. Analysts have already spoken out about KSCERATO, lamenting his choice to stay in FURIA Esports, but the Brazilian supporter is trying to take the team to the top events. Their duo with yuurih is in great form right now, so on an individual level they can win individual shootouts. Both of them were remembered in the match against ENCE for their cool clutches, and the end of one of the rounds, where KSCERATO shoots out three on Ancient, was decisive. Meanwhile, FURIA Esports doesn't have a consistent sniper, and FalleN can boast of kills occasionally. Also, the team does not emphasize strategy, and the Brazilians rely more on shooting.
However, FURIA Esports has no big problems with European teams. The meeting with KOI was comfortable, and ENCE also failed to offer any worthy resistance. Several Brazilian teams will definitely play in the main stage of the tournament, and if FURIA Esports is not there, there will be questions about the status of the top-1 within the country.
Expert Betting Tips
On mappool, SAW have an enviable advantage on Nuke, Overpass and Ancient. The Portuguese are guaranteed to ban Mirage for FURIA Esports, and the Brazilians will get rid of Anubis. The SAW players have more practice and better win rates, and there is hope that all the bad luck ended in the previous match against paIN Gaming.