Despite the absence of their in-game leader, Natus Vincere have made quick work of Group D.
Natus Vincere have secured their spot in the ESL Pro League Playoffs after a 2-0 victory over a struggling Complexity. The win took their record in Group D to 3-0, with prior wins against AGO and Evil Geniuses guaranteeing them a top-three spot in the group.
Coping without "Boombl4"
Those three wins were gained without their in-game leader Kirill "Boombl4" Mikhailov and after being passed fit to play late on Friday, Natus Vincere will be back to full strength for their final two matches against Astralis and Heroic.
Despite a 0-2 defeat, Complexity can still qualify for the playoffs, though it would require a small miracle. They would need to win their last three games and hope ultra-specific results go their way.
Related Esports News
Esports: caPs insists G2 need reset for play-offs
Esports: Natus Vincere promote headtr1ck to first team
Esports: SKADE knocks off Vitality in Pinnacle Cup
Esports: Reapered calls on 100 Thieves progress
The series kicked off on Complexity's pick of Ancient, but the North American squad quickly found themselves 3-12 down after their Ukrainian opponents put up a stern defence.
Comlexity fall short
Complexity did mount a comeback in the second half and reduced the gap to 12-13, but Natus Vincere eventually closed out the map 16-13.
The series moved on to Dust2 and it was a case of deja-vu, as Natus Vincere raced into a 12-3 lead once again, this time on their attacking half.
Like Ancient, Complexity mounted a comeback and found themselves on level terms at 13-13, but they were unable to convert their good work, losing the map in heart-breaking 16-14 fashion.
Natus Vincere now turn their attentions to a grudge-match against Astralis, who sit 2-1 in the group, while Complexity will need to win the North American derby against Evil Geniuses to keep themselves in playoff contention.
