Brazilian teams have largely authored the history of South American Counter-Strike, especially when it comes to Major events. Brazil was the region’s hub even before Luminosity’s win at MLG Columbus 2016 since it produced the best players and had higher finishes at international competitions than countries like Argentina and Chile.
Despite the fact that the winds have yet to change, 9z have begun the process of putting other Latin American nations on the map by winning their second Valve-sponsored event.
9z’s Journey So Far
Earlier this year, 9z achieved history at the PGL Antwerp Major thanks to Maximiliano #max Gonzalez and Franco #dgt. Garcia was the first player from Uruguay to ever play in a Major tournament, followed by Luca #Luken Nadotti, Martin #rox Molina, David #dav1deuS Tapia Maldonado, and Martin #rox Molina from Argentina.
These achievements came about as a result of a remarkable run at the Americas RMR in April, where they overcame a 0-2 deficit by winning five best-of-three matches in a row to secure sixth place and the final qualification berth.
Luken and Rox are no longer a part of the team; in their stead, in the summer, were rookies Lucas #nqz Soares and Nicolás #buda Kramer. The 9z that performed in Antwerp was a different beast than this latest iteration. Max’s team finished comfortably third in the Road to Rio Americas RMR in Stockholm, demonstrating tenacity against opponents who had far more experience than them than they did.
9z beat ATK to cap up the RMR on a high note, but if the South American combination wants to move on to the Rio Major’s Legends Stage, they must significantly improve their overall performance. The South American blend still has a long way to go before they are able to consistently compete against established opposition. Their most recent outing at Flow FiReLEAGUE Global Finals was cut short following a 0-2 loss to Spirit in the semi-finals.
9z’s Goals For Rio
The odds are stacked against 9z in the Challengers Stage, so every circumstance has to be ideal for them to have a shot of advancement to the Major’s second stage: The Brazilian said, “It won’t be easy, but we previously proven that we can play against the top teams.
The South Americans’ first game at the Major will play against GamerLegion, a group that underwent a surprising RMR journey of their own. However, for that to happen, both dgt and nqz must be on point, and it’s a condition that must remain constant not only for the first draw but for the whole Swiss stage. 9z are more than capable of knocking down the European mix.
