Team Liquid's run at Stake Pulse Beat III came to a dramatic end as Ninjas in Pyjamas orchestrated a reverse sweep in their quarterfinal clash. Liquid had entered the matchup as Group B's second seed, while NIP topped Group A with victories over Betclic and Inner Circle.
The series opened on Mirage, Liquid's map choice. Despite NIP holding a 7-5 advantage at halftime from their CT side, Liquid's defensive half proved dominant. The North American roster conceded just two rounds after the switch, closing out the map 13-9.
Nuke saw Liquid build an 8-4 CT-side lead heading into the break, putting NIP in a precarious position. The Europeans responded with a stellar second half, allowing only two rounds to capture a 13-10 victory and force a decisive third map.
Cache delivered the series' tightest contest. Liquid established a 7-5 edge after their attacking half, but NIP fought back to push the map into overtime. The Europeans maintained their momentum through the extra rounds, securing a 16-13 triumph to complete the 2-1 reverse sweep.
With the elimination, Liquid will shift focus to their next appearance on October 19th when they face fnatic in 1win Private Club Season 2.
