The PW Shanghai Major 2024 Quarter-Finals are set to get underway, kicking off the Playoffs of the premier CS2 tournament. With tournament favorites NAVI out of the picture, we’re set to get an unlikely winner to the final CS2 event of 2024. An exciting thought.
We’re taking a look at all of the matches in the PW Shanghai Major 2024 Quarter-Finals, and giving you our take on who we reckon is set to make it to the Semis. Let’s dive in.
The MongolZ vs. MOUZ
Credit: Perfect World
At the moment, The MongolZ look unstoppable. The last time they lost a series was in October, at the Elisa Masters Espoo 2024. Since then, it’s been nothing but Ws for the Asian team, who have gone from strength to strength this year. The Shanghai Major betting odds have this matchup against MOUZ as a dead heat, but that’s not how we see it.
Throughout 2024, MOUZ’s stage struggles have persisted. They’ve never looked fully comfortable in front of big crowds, and there’s no reason to suggest that will suddenly change here. While many will have MOUZ as favorites on name value alone, we don’t think that’s how it’ll play out. In fact, we’re not sure MOUZ will even get a map with The MongolZ in this kind of form.
Our prediction: The MongolZ 2:0 MOUZ
Team Spirit vs. Team Liquid
Credit: Perfect World
Team Spirit crashed out of the PGL Major Copenhagen at the Quarter-Finals stage earlier this year, but this time, they have what seems on paper to be a good route to the Grand Final. Team Liquid is their opponent here, and ultimately, we just think it’s too early for this Liquid roster to be making a deep run at the Major.
That said, this match shouldn’t be one-way traffic. Team Liquid can turn any match into a brawl, which is always going to difficult for any team to face. The difference here is that Spirit have donk, who is in fine form at the PW Shanghai Major 2024. While we think Team Liquid will probably pick up a map, we’d be shocked if it isn’t Team Spirit making it through to the Semi-Finals.
Our prediction: Team Spirit 2:1 Team Liquid
G2 vs. Heroic
Credit: Perfect World
NiKo’s hunt for a CS Major continues against Heroic. In truth, we’re shocked to see Heroic make it this far, but they’ve shown their best CS of the year in Shanghai, so they certainly deserve their spot. They’ll face G2, a team that conventional wisdom says should win this one with ease.
Players like NiKo, m0NESY, and malbsMd should just prove to be too much firepower for Heroic to deal with. That’s been G2’s strength this year so far, and it doesn’t look set to end yet. Heroic’s unlikely run might be enough to win them a map here, but we just don’t see many scenarios where they manage to win a best-of-three against G2.
Our prediction: G2 2:1 Heroic
Team Vitality vs. FaZe Clan
Credit: Perfect World
The final match of the PW Shanghai Major 2024 Quarter-Finals sees Team Vitality take on FaZe Clan. Earlier in the year, this would have been a 50/50 toss-up, but based on recent form, this match should be one-way traffic in Shanghai.
Team Vitality have shown amazing CS at this tournament. FaZe Clan, simply put, have not. They’re very, very lucky to have made it to Playoffs, and if they keep their current level, we expect Vitality to blow them out of the water. Knowing FaZe Clan, this will be the moment they choose to step up, ruining our Shanghai Major CS2 Pick’Ems in the process. The smart choice here is to go with Vitality, though.
Our prediction: Team Vitality 2:0 FaZe Clan