9INE and Team Liquid will meet in the first round of the BLAST Paris Major 2023. And here's where The International comes in, as the Polish team have yet to fully prove their worth.
What's more, Team Liquid managed to make a comeback at the Challengers stage. True, the Liquid were beaten by easy opponents, but from game to game the team improved, and their progress was evident.
Personally, I think that under pressure, the Poles may falter, especially after the RMR tournament results got a bit worse. So here I would lean on Team Liquid to win.
Form 9INE
The seventeenth team in the world ranking played confidently in the BLAST.tv Paris Major 2023 Europe RMR B, where they recorded three tough victories over G2 Esports, BIG and Vitality.
Immediately afterwards, the Polish squad failed miserably in the group stage of IEM Rio 2023, where they marked a victory over MOUZ, but also Ledgeil Heroic and Ninjas in Pyjamas to remain without play-offs.
9INE also recently visited Brazy Party 2023, where they left behind a mixed impression. And while the team beat the likes of themselves, it didn't work out against Cloud9 and Astralis.
Recent results of 9INE:
- A 2-0 win over Imperial Esports.
- A 1-2 loss to Cloud9.
- A 2-1 win over Sprout.
- 2-1 win over Into the Breach.
- A 0-2 defeat to Astralis.
Top 9INE scores:
- Vertigo - 88% wins.
- Nuke - 87% wins.
- Anubis - 80% wins.
- Overpass - 50% wins.
- Mirage - 50% wins.
It is worth recalling that the Polish team have long refused to play Inferno.
Team Liquid form
The seventh team in the world rankings ambiguously played in their BLAST.tv Paris Major 2023 Americas RMR, where they managed to lose to FURIA in the only match in principle.
Moreover, at the BLAST.tv Paris Major 2023 Challengers Stage, the North American squad had problems which resulted in two defeats to Apeks and FORZE.
Team Liquid, however, managed to come back. And while the Liquid barely outplayed Fluxo to begin with, the team then went through Complexity Gaming and Grayhound Gaming with no problems.
Team Liquid's latest results:
- Defeat to Apeks by a score of 12-16.
- A 14-16 loss to FORZE.
- 2-1 win over Fluxo.
- Beat Complexity Gaming 2-0.
- Beat Grayhound Gaming 2-0.
Team Liquid's best wins:
- Anubis - 100% wins.
- Inferno - 67% wins.
- Overpass - 67% wins.
- Mirage - 56% wins.
- Nuke - 56% wins.
In turn, the North American team continues to deny Vertigo.
9INE - Team Liquid match statistics
The teams have not met before.
Forecast for the match 9INE - Team Liquid
Personally, I think that after a while the Polish team will wobble, as for the game of the guys all will be ready. Moreover, Team Liquid has shown its character, though again, the Liquid were unrealistically lucky with the net.
All the same, 9INE haven't proved anything in particular so far. The Poles know how to play, but in Rio de Janeiro there was only one victory over MOUZ, and with Heroic and Ninjas in Pyjamas - silence.
So in this case I would recommend betting on Team Liquid to win.
