Liquid have booked their spot in the EPICENTER 2018 semi-finals after defeating AVANGAR 2-0 in the Group B winners' match.

The clash began on Mirage, AVANGAR's map pick, with the North Americans easily securing a 4-0 lead as CTs before Nick "⁠nitr0⁠" Cannella pulled another round for his team with a 1v2 post-plant clutch. That was when the Kazakhstani side was able to win their first round, but Liquid were in charge and strung three more rounds together for a 8-1 lead.

The same pattern followed as Alexey "⁠Qikert⁠" Golubev picked up AVANGAR's second round with a 1v2 clutch, but Liquid responded immediately with a three-round winning streak. Before switching sides, AVANGAR managed to win the final two rounds to reduce the deficit to 4-11.

Liquid further added to their lead in the second half, winning their Terrorist pistol and the subsequent anti-eco. Even though AVANGAR still responded with doubles from Timur "⁠buster⁠" Tulepov and Dzhami "⁠Jame⁠" Ali to win the first gun round, their opponents quickly finished off the map at 16-5.

Liquid are through to the semis after defeating Swole Patrol and AVANGAR

Liquid carried that momentum onto their map pick, Inferno, and it all started with the Americans winning their T-side pistol after prevailing against AVANGAR's four-man stack in B. Up 4-0, Keith "⁠NAF⁠" Markovic and co. nearly lost a round as their opponents picked up two AWPs, but they turned a 3v5 situation around to remain in the driving seat.

AVANGAR were helpless to stop Liquid despite changing their CT setups in the process. In the ninth round, Jame's troops finally hit their first round on the board, but Liquid were simply too hot to handle and lost just one more to go up 13-2 by half-time.

AVANGAR found a lifeline in the second half, winning four rounds in a row in convincing fashion before Liquid picked up their first as CTs. AVANGAR still won two more, but it was in vain as the North Americans went on to seal the deal, 16-8.

EPICENTER 2018Best of 3 AVANGARMatchpage 0 2 25th October 2018 Liquid 5Mirage 16 8Inferno 16

AVANGAR	K - D	+/-	ADR	Rating 2.0
Dzhami 'Jame' AliJame	23 - 31	-8	67.4	0.91
Timur 'buster' Tulepovbuster	26 - 34	-8	67.7	0.85
Bektiyar 'fitch' Bahytovfitch	25 - 37	-12	58.5	0.76
Aidyn 'KrizzeN' TurlybekovKrizzeN	17 - 32	-15	44.3	0.67
Alexey 'Qikert' GolubevQikert	9 - 30	-21	39.4	0.48

Liquid	K - D	+/-	ADR	Rating 2.0
Russel 'Twistzz' Van DulkenTwistzz	37 - 23	+14	85.3	1.39
Nick 'nitr0' Cannellanitr0	33 - 20	+13	88.3	1.39
Jonathan 'EliGE' JablonowskiEliGE	35 - 23	+12	84.2	1.35
Epitacio 'TACO' de MeloTACO	32 - 20	+12	71.5	1.33
Keith 'NAF' MarkovicNAF	26 - 15	+11	55.7	1.16

Dzhami 'Jame' Ali Age: 20 Team: AVANGAR Rating 1.0: 1.08 Maps played: 377 KPR: 0.69 DPR: 0.58 Liquid #3 Nick 'nitr0' CannellaKeith 'NAF' MarkovicJonathan 'EliGE' JablonowskiEpitacio 'TACO' de MeloRussel 'Twistzz' Van Dulken AVANGAR #31 Bektiyar 'fitch' BahytovTimur 'buster' TulepovAidyn 'KrizzeN' TurlybekovAlexey 'Qikert' GolubevDzhami 'Jame' Ali Timur 'buster' Tulepov Age: 18 Team: AVANGAR Rating 1.0: 1.06 Maps played: 506 KPR: 0.71 DPR: 0.63 Alexey 'Qikert' Golubev Age: 19 Team: AVANGAR Rating 1.0: 1.10 Maps played: 458 KPR: 0.75 DPR: 0.65 Nick 'nitr0' Cannella Age: 23 Team: Liquid Rating 1.0: 1.02 Maps played: 964 KPR: 0.70 DPR: 0.67 Keith 'NAF' Markovic Age: 20 Team: Liquid Rating 1.0: 1.09 Maps played: 900 KPR: 0.74 DPR: 0.64