After two weeks of intense RMRs from regions worldwide, Team Spirit and Passion UA have nabbed the final qualification spots for the PW Shanghai Major 2024. The RMRs are always a period of high emotions, with dreams being crushed and realized on a daily basis. Read on for our wrap-up as EU RMR B came to a close today.
Zinchenko’s Passion UA make first-ever Major
Credit: Perfect World
Founded in late 2023, Arsenal footballer Oleksandr Zinchenko-owned Passion UA have qualified for their first-ever Major on their second attempt. Passion UA kicked off the EU RMR B by going a surprise 2:0 on the first day, but found themselves floundering in the best-of-three matches to go 2:2. Their match today was Astralis, who were no match for the Ukrainian team. The pressure of missing a fourth consecutive Major was too much for the Danes to handle in a match that went Passion UA’s way in 2:0 fashion.
We’re not here to discuss Astralis’ failures, though. Passion UA deserve to be celebrated for making a surprise run to the PW Shanghai Major 2024, and it’s always cool to see new stickers make their way into the game. Against Astralis, they showed great teamplay, solid aim, and a shockingly deep stratbook. We can’t wait to see what they have in store at the actual Major CS2 tournament.
Spirit make the Major at last opportunity
Credit: Perfect World
Prior to the EU RMR B, conventional wisdom suggested that Spirit would make the PW Shanghai Major 2024 with ease. The CS2 odds reflected this, too. Well, they’ve done it, but not without a scare first. They’ve had a rocky run so far, and coming into today’s matches, were in the 2:2 bracket. Because of the seeding, they were guaranteed to have to come through the 7th place qualifier, even if they won their first match of the day.
It was Sashi up first, who Spirit dispatched 2:0. Then, it was Ninjas in Pyjamas, another legacy CS organization that needs to be making every Major. Spirit finished the entire day without dropping a map, even if it came close on the final map of Vertigo. Job done, and donk is still in with the chance of finishing his legendary rookie year with the biggest prize of all.
With all 24 teams now decided, who do you think will win the PW Shanghai Major 2024? It’s a boring answer, but I think it’s difficult to see anyone besides NAVI taking home the prize. My heart says NiKo will finally get his glory moment, though.