Liquid pass North test; Vitality knock out Lucid Dream

Liquid are through to Group A's upper bracket final at DreamHack Masters Dallas after disposing of North 2-0, while Vitality sent Lucid Dream packing after a quick two-map series.

The North American team had entered their upper bracket series as strong favourites, and while the outcome of the match validated that statement, they were made to work hard to break down a stubborn North side.

The first map of the series, Nuke, saw the Danish team cruise to a 9-6 lead with a strong offense. After the break, the landscape of the game changed dramatically as Liquid ran all over the Danish side, losing just two rounds en-route to an emphatic 16-11 success.

Stewie2K topped the scoreboard on Mirage

North came out strongly on Mirage and dominated the first half once the game hit the gun stages, never allowing their opponents to string more than two rounds together. The Danish team picked up where they left off after the break, increasing their lead to 11-6, but then gifted Liquid a way back into the game in an anti-eco round.

The North Americans took that opportunity and made a climb back into the game before Valdemar "⁠valde⁠" Bjørn Vangså rescued North with a quad-kill in an eco round. That individual play appeared to have breathed new life into the Danish team, but immediately afterward they were caught off-guard by a flank from Nick "⁠nitr0⁠" Cannella. North looked completely devastated after that round, allowing Liquid to run away with the lead and lock down the map at 16-12.

DreamHack Masters Dallas 2019Best of 3 LiquidMatchpage 2 0 29th May 2019 North 16Nuke 11 16Mirage 12

Liquid	K - D	+/-	ADR	Rating 2.0
Jonathan 'EliGE' JablonowskiEliGE	43 - 34	+9	86.9	1.23
Jake 'Stewie2K' YipStewie2K	41 - 30	+11	68.0	1.18
Russel 'Twistzz' Van DulkenTwistzz	36 - 34	+2	78.7	1.16
Nick 'nitr0' Cannellanitr0	33 - 30	+3	72.5	1.09
Keith 'NAF' MarkovicNAF	38 - 36	+2	80.2	1.05

North	K - D	+/-	ADR	Rating 2.0
Philip 'aizy' Aistrupaizy	36 - 37	-1	72.5	1.03
Markus 'Kjaerbye' KjærbyeKjaerbye	37 - 38	-1	67.4	1.01
Jakob 'JUGi' HansenJUGi	34 - 40	-6	71.0	0.97
Nicklas 'gade' Gadegade	29 - 37	-8	64.0	0.87
Valdemar 'valde' Bjørn Vangsåvalde	28 - 39	-11	63.4	0.82

Meanwhile, Vitality and Lucid Dream played out a one-sided affair in the Group A lower bracket in which the French side outplayed their opponents in every possible department. The Thai side were off to a promising start on Dust2, twice taking a two-round lead, but things quickly went downhill for them as a dominant period from the French side saw them take a 10-5 lead on the T side. After the break, it all fell apart for Lucid Dream, who did not muster a single round on the offense.

Vitality were far too good for Lucid Dream

Nuke, Lucid Dream's map pick, began with the Asian side taking the first round. After that, however, Vitality were simply a class above their opponents, winning 16 rounds straight to put the series to bed and move on in the tournament bracket.

DreamHack Masters Dallas 2019Best of 3 Lucid DreamMatchpage 0 2 29th May 2019 Vitality 5Dust2 16 1Nuke 16

Lucid Dream	K - D	+/-	ADR	Rating 2.0
Kitikawin 'PTC' RattanasukolPTC	22 - 33	-11	72.2	0.77
Phoomphat 'qqGOD' PhodjanatqqGOD	18 - 35	-17	63.7	0.64
Thotsaphon 'cbbk' Suphatthanaphalaphoncbbk	14 - 34	-20	45.0	0.46
Jirayu 'wannafly' Meesukwannafly	14 - 33	-19	40.8	0.43
Kritthee 'Geniuss' SawatmuangGeniuss	11 - 34	-23	40.2	0.40

Vitality	K - D	+/-	ADR	Rating 2.0
Mathieu 'ZywOo' HerbautZywOo	41 - 10	+31	94.6	1.87
Dan 'apEX' MadesclaireapEX	34 - 19	+15	104.0	1.69
Alex 'ALEX' McMeekinALEX	37 - 19	+18	101.9	1.63
Cédric 'RpK' GuipouyRpK	30 - 16	+14	73.8	1.37
Nathan 'NBK-' SchmittNBK-	26 - 15	+11	80.3	1.27

Nick 'nitr0' Cannella Age: 23 Team: Liquid Rating 1.0: 1.02 Maps played: 1095 KPR: 0.69 DPR: 0.66 Valdemar 'valde' Bjørn Vangså Age: 23 Team: North Rating 1.0: 1.10 Maps played: 783 KPR: 0.76 DPR: 0.66 Liquid #2 Nick 'nitr0' CannellaKeith 'NAF' MarkovicJonathan 'EliGE' JablonowskiJake 'Stewie2K' YipRussel 'Twistzz' Van Dulken North #13 Philip 'aizy' AistrupMarkus 'Kjaerbye' KjærbyeJakob 'JUGi' HansenNicklas 'gade' GadeValdemar 'valde' Bjørn Vangså Lucid Dream #76 Phoomphat 'qqGOD' PhodjanatThotsaphon 'cbbk' SuphatthanaphalaphonKritthee 'Geniuss' SawatmuangKitikawin 'PTC' RattanasukolJirayu 'wannafly' Meesuk Vitality #5 Nathan 'NBK-' SchmittCédric 'RpK' GuipouyDan 'apEX' MadesclaireAlex 'ALEX' McMeekinMathieu 'ZywOo' Herbaut