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NaVi’s perfect playoffs run ends at the hands of Liquid at IEM Melbourne

BBG News

NaVi have some soul-searching to do before the Major after a failed IEM Melbourne campaign.

In a surprising turn of events at IEM Melbourne, underdogs Team Liquid eliminated NaVi from their 2025 playoff streak by winning the series 2-1 (13-6, 10-13, 13-8).

As a dedicated Navi fan, I wasn’t exactly betting on them taking home the trophy at the recent event, but their early elimination – their first in quite some time – has left me and other supporters questioning their shape ahead of the BLAST Austin Major, the year’s most significant tournament.

Liquid recover to post first wins, playoffs spot with siuhy

On Wednesday, they will push forward through the lower bracket of the group stage, having been defeated 2-0 by Vitality previously. They managed to outplay MIBR and now face NaVi in a bid to secure a place in the quarterfinals.

In the opening game, it wasn’t surprising that NiP easily defeated FlyQuest after NaVi had a tough time defeating them, with the score ending at 13-6 on Anubis. NaVi only managed four rounds on the attacker side before losing a pistol round, which meant they needed to win two maps consecutively to maintain their winning streak.

In the game on Inferno, their comeback was seen at 13-10, but it wasn’t a particularly impressive display. Once more in Melbourne, NaVi let a substantial lead slip, this occasion being an 11-1 advantage that they eventually recovered before defeating Liquid 13-10 and moving on to Ancient.

In this back-and-forth matchup, a balanced score kept the referee impartial. At halftime, Liquid held a slight advantage at 7-5. However, it was during the second half that Team Kamil “siuhy” Szkaradek stepped up their game, securing the key plays and successful conversions to take the lead.

In simpler terms, even though NAVi made a strong effort to maintain the match, Liquid overcame their resistance to secure a win with a score of 13-8.

The victory propels them towards Rod Laver Arena for the playoffs, marking their second event since they took on siuhy as their IGL. With no time to prepare prior to PGL Bucharest, their 0-3 elimination was anticipated. However, defeating NaVi signifies a significant accomplishment for the team amidst their ongoing rebuilding process.

Regarding NaVi, it’s another indication of potential trouble ahead before the BLAST Austin Major, similar to FaZe who also withdrew from IEM Melbourne early. Among the top 10 teams, none seem to be in poorer form than NaVi at present. Many analysts are suggesting that NaVi might undergo roster changes prior to the event, as they risk falling behind if they don’t.

Teams make their initial appearance at a tournament since the Shanghai Major, with Liquid facing off against The MongolZ, while NaVi return home for some introspection as the journey to the Austin Major proceeds.

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2025-04-23 15:40

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