Team9 and Catch-Gamer are two teams filled with future stars of the game. TFT monitors or no TFT monitors team9 dished out substantial defeats against almost every side they came across in Sheffield last weekend. Led through the crosshairs of rising players such as Real and Jungelbobo team9looked every bit as good and better than the class they were competing against. Catch-Gamer, likewise, are far from slouches and were undoubtedly pleased in retrospect of their recent top three placing. During his time in the UK Catch-Gamer’s Juzam certainly left an impact on the players against which he competed.

For team9 the stakes were high, if this team finish anywhere other than 1st today they will be condemned into the m19/Virtus.Pro/Pentagram bucket of one-hit wonders. So the Scandinavian gaming community flocked to HLTV and awaited confirmation of many suspicions, were team9 are a very good team or a very lucky team?

As previously noted team9’s Prb missed his flight this morning meaning executoR stood in for the side during their opening games.

Team 9
REAL
Jungelbobo
oops
xione
prb

Catch-Gamer
Besel
DaY
Juzam
zEVON
Juve9le

Catch-Gamer began the game as terrorists and won the pistol round and the subsequent two team9 eco rounds. Then team9’s REAL answered his call to the international spotlight with a four player take down swinging the momentum in team9’s favour. As Counter-terrorists team9 were dominant throughout and impressive close-range aim by Jungelbobo and Prb pulled the game level at 3 – 3. Unfortunately Catch-Gamer’s DaY dropped from the game during the seventh round and the impact this may have had on the outcome will no doubt be questioned.

Catch-Gamer mixed their attacks from slow down the middle bombsite ramp, to fast B and A corridor attacks. Nothing seemed to work, when Catch-Gamer pushed A slowly team9 would flank them, when Catch-Gamer attacked B, team9 would again get in behind them. Impressive CT sniping from REAL at bombsite A continuously left a frustrated Catch-Gamer team at a loss for ideas. Either die approaching bombsite A, or die entering bombsite B. Anyone doubting REAL’s potential should download the demo (it will be available shortly) and watch the seven kills he racks up with an AWP/DEAGLE combo in the 13th/14th rounds.

1st Half: Team9 12 – 3 Catch-Gamer

Team9 won the pistol rounds in the second half with a fast bombsite B rush that caught Catch-Gamer woefully under prepared. REAL’s two-man glock take-down deep by the boxes brought the team to within reach of victory. Team9 won the subsequent two rounds and it was all but over. Catch-Gamer clawed a few rounds back with a sturdy CT defence predicting team9’s ecos and hanging towards the back of the bombsite and adding some impressive squalls of teamplay that achieved their individual kills. Team9 won the group stage decided within a fast rush into bombsite B catching their countrymen out at close range then spamming through the doors to see them through into the semi-finals.

2nd Half: Team9 4 - 6 Catch-Gamer

Final Score: Team9 16 – 9 Catch-Gamer

It is so disappointing to know that WCG is using CS: Source, and definitely an issue that should be protested to the highest levels of WCG’s ICM. Teams with huge potential and talent, that deserve an opportunity to prove themselves against any side the world can throw at them, will forever be at the mercy of unpredictable game physics and bizarre headshot symbols. Team9 are Europe’s hottest team right now, they are this year’s Spixel, and if they can maintain their level of practice and performance, they will be the European team to fear.