MOUZ and Team Liquid start BLAST.tv Austin Major journey 0-2

Following a day full of shocks and surprises, the first day of Stage 3 at the BLAST.tv Austin Major has come to an end. 

With the remaining 16 teams in action, Team Spirit, NAVI, Virtus.pro, and FURIA are already on the verge of earning a place in the Playoffs, set to at the Moody Center. However, some tournament favourites are already at risk of crashing out before the event’s final stop.

After MOUZ were bested by Virtus.pro and FaZe Clan lost to Aurora Gaming in their opening round matches, the two powerhouses faced off in a hotly-contested round two match.

The two sides traded rounds before FaZe Clan established a slender lead, resulting in the side taking Ancient 13-10. As a result, MOUZ ended day one of Stage 3 with a surprising 0-2 record. One more loss will send the championship contender out of the Major before making it to the Playoffs. 

Elsewhere, Team Liquid and The MongolZ faced off in round two after losing their opening matches against rising underdog Lynn Vision Gaming and FURIA, respectively.

Despite racing to a five-round lead, the Mongolian side quickly took control, winning Ancient 13-7 to place the North American organisation on the verge of elimination.

Stage 3 was the first opportunity for fans to see Team Vitality in action. As the best team in the world, expectations for the French team were high. However, Legacy had other ideas, scoring a shock 13-3 win, bringing Team Vitality’s 30-match win streak to a surprise end. 

Team Vitality’s next match saw the team face off against Nemiga Gaming. Some of the fans’ worries were somewhat eased as the team managed to bounce back convincingly. The team quickly took control of Dust II, taking a 13-6 victory to advance to round three with a 1-1 record. 

At the end of day one, four teams head into Stage 3 with a flawless 2-0 record, putting them on the verge of earning a place at the Playoffs.

Team Spirit defeated PaiN Gaming and Lynn Vision Gaming, while NAVI bested Nemiga Gaming and 3DMAX to begin the stage on the front foot. 

Virtus.pro managed to continue its strong run of form at the Austin Major with wins over MOUZ and Legacy, maintaining a flawless record throughout its campaign.

FURIA became the fourth team to begin Stage 3 with a 2-0 record after impressing against The MongolZ and Aurora Gaming, much to the surprise of many who considered the Brazilian side the underdog in the opening rounds. As a result, Brazilian Counter-Strike icon Gabriel ‘FalleN’ Toledo has an excellent opportunity to make another Playoffs appearance.

The 16 teams return to action with the third round of Stage 3 on June 13th. Following the conclusion of the first two rounds, the round three fixtures are as follows: 

Fans can tune into Stage 3 of the Austin Major across YouTube and Twitch. Alongside the official broadcasters, a range of notable personalities and content creators are also hosting watch parties.