Attention is once again on Copenhagen on Thursday as the Counter Strike: Global Offensive BLAST Premier Fall Groups resume with the play-in stage.
Already the three double-elimination style groups have taken place with Astralis winning Group A, Natus Vincere winning Group B and Heroic winning Group C.
Those group winners advance immediately to the finals of the play-in stage, while each of the group runners-up progress to the semi-finals.
As for the other six teams in the tournament who did not reach the group finals, they begin the play-in stage in the quarter-finals and all three of those fixtures take place on Thursday.
What | OG v Complexity, CS:GO BLAST Premier Fall Groups |
Where | Copenhagen, Denmark |
When | 12:00, Thursday 25th August |
How to watch | Twitch |
Odds | OG 4/11, Complexity 2/1 |
In the first quarter-final of the play-in stage, OG are strongly fancied to win at 4/11 against Complexity, who can be backed at 2/1.
When considering the overall pedigree of the sides, that is perhaps no surprise with OG currently 15 places higher than Complexity in the HLTV world rankings, while they have also placed second at the SteelSeries Nova Invitational and in the top four at the BLAST Premier Spring Final 2022 recently.
OG should get the win in this one but they lost both of their matches in Group A, whereas Complexity beat giants Natus Vincere 16-9 and, although they lost to Team Liquid, they also pushed them close in a 16-14 defeat.
They can make this match competitive and are worth backing to win a map at 4/7.
What | G2 Esports v BIG, CS:GO BLAST Premier Fall Groups |
Where | Copenhagen, Denmark |
When | 15:30, Thursday 25th August |
How to watch | Twitch |
Odds | G2 Esports 4/6, BIG 11/10 |
It has been a challenging couple of months for G2 Esports, who lost two of their three matches at the IEM Cologne in July before falling to defeat in both of their matches at the BLAST Premier Fall Groups 2022.
G2 were overpowered 16-12 by Team Liquid in the initial upper bracket in Group B and then faced Natus Vincere, otherwise known as NAVI, in the lower bracket and lost 16-14.
BIG, meanwhile, came into this tournament having won the Roobet Cup in June and they have looked lively in the BLAST Premier Fall Groups, losing 16-14 to eventual group winners Heroic in Group C's lower bracket final.
They are worth a bet to upset the odds and win this encounter at 11/10.
What | Ninjas In Pyjamas v Evil Geniuses, CS:GO BLAST Premier Fall Groups |
Where | Copenhagen, Denmark |
When | 19:00, Thursday 25th August |
How to watch | Twitch |
Odds | Ninjas In Pyjamas 1/20, Evil Geniuses 15/2 |
The final quarter-final on Thursday pits Counter Strike: Global Offensive big guns Ninjas In Pyjamas against outsiders Evil Geniuses.
The prices suggest it will be a very one-sided affair with Ninjas In Pyjamas rated 1/20 and Evil Geniuses available at 15/2.
And it is hard to dispute that given how these teams performed in the initial group phase.
Ranked 100th in the HLTV world rankings, Evil Geniuses are now on a four-match losing run in all competitions after losing 16-8 against FaZe Clan and 16-6 against BIG in the first phase of the BLAST Premier Fall Groups.
Winning only 14 rounds across those two matches is far from ideal and they could be out of their depth against Ninjas In Pyjamas.
Ninjas In Pyjamas were arguably underwhelming in the IEM Cologne, winning two and losing two of their four assignments, but they won the Global Esports Tour Dubai back in June and they have not looked completely hopeless at the BLAST Premier Fall Groups.
They opened with victory over Astralis in Group A before losing to the Danes after having been knocked down to the lower bracket by Team Vitality.
But that was arguably the toughest section at the event and Ninjas In Pyjamas have a second chance to show their class against Evil Geniuses.
They are worth a bet at -12.5 on the rounds handicap at 5/6 and at -1.5 on the match handicap at 4/11 .
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