Team Liquid's campaign at Stake Pulse Beat III took a devastating turn as they fell to 100 Thieves in their playoff qualification match. Despite coming off an impressive win against BBL, the North American squad couldn't replicate that form.
The series opened on Dust2 with an absolute demolition. 100 Thieves executed a flawless performance, sweeping all twelve rounds on their terrorist side before claiming the CT pistol round for a perfect 13-0 finish. Alex "poiii" Nyholm Sundgren dominated the server with an extraordinary 2.55 rating, while even 100 Thieves' lowest performer Håvard "rain" Nygaard managed a solid 1.30. Liquid struggled across the board, with only Keith "NAF" Markovic breaking even at 1.15.
Liquid showed resilience on Inferno, building an 8-4 advantage on the attack. Jonathan "EliGE" Jablonowski delivered a crucial ace in round fourteen, propelling his team toward match point. Though it took four attempts to close out, Liquid secured the 13-8 victory to force a decider.
Mirage would determine the series outcome. After a balanced 6-6 opening half, 100 Thieves found their rhythm on the defensive side. Poiii once again starred with exceptional individual performance, leading his squad to a 13-9 victory.
Liquid now face elimination, with one final opportunity to advance in the tournament.
