Welcome back, FANation! Road to Rio was off yesterday as we have approached the end of group play and are ready for the playoff run with the upper and lower brackets being constructed from the group round-robin play from both A and B groups. Today we have a 4-game slate on tap starting earlier than usual at 10:30 AM ET!

 

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**TOP MONKEY KNIFE PLAYS**

1.) Rapid Fire (pays 3-to-1) - (First map of FNC vs MR)

-Brollan -3.5 Kills over alex

-Flusha -0.5 Kills over JW

 

2.) Rapid Fire (pays 3-to-1) - (First map of GOD vs VIT)

-ZywOo -1.5 Kills over STYKO

-zehN -0.5 Kills over Maden

 

3.) PROMO PICK (pays 3-to-1) - More/Less (First map of FNC vs MR)

-JW UNDER 19.5 Kills

-Steel UNDER 16.5 Kills

 

Game 1

Vitality (Ranked 13th in World) vs GODSENT (Ranked 20th in World)

This match features a match from the lower-bracket of the semi-final rounds between the third seed in Group A (Vitality) vs the fourth seed in Group B (GODSENT). Both of these teams threw up quite the shockers in their most recent matches, as Vitality stunned Heretics with a 2-0 sweep, and on the other hand, GODSENT was handed their own sweep at the hands of the Movistar Riders. These two squads faced off earlier this year in the ESL Pro League where Vitality handed GODSENT a 2-0 sweep with game scores of 16-14 on Vertigo, and 16-8 on Nuke. Vitality does come into this match with a bit better form as of late, as they have won three of their last four, two being by the 2-0 sweep. GODSENT has been swept 0-2 in their last three of four. However, just a match ago, GODSENT shocked a ton of folks with a sweep of their own over Mousesports, the number three ranked team in the World. Vitality is the favorite to win this match at a 2.15-to-1 clip. I want to think that GODSENT should bounce-back after such an embarrassing defeat in their most recent match up, as they were due for a let-down after the big win over Mouse. I expect a much better showing from GODSENT in this match. Let’s talk player and stacking options.

VITALITY

ANCHOR: zywOo - (Over last month online – (1.29 Rating, 0.82 Kills per Round, 74.7 Kill-Asst%, 1.30 IMPACT, 86.1 ADR)

Top Stacking Options: zywOo, apEX, shox,

GODSENT

ANCHOR: zehN – (Over last month online – 1.12 Rating, 0.72 Kills per Round, 71.8 Kill-Asst%, 1.06 IMPACT, 0.65 Deaths per Round)

Top Stacking Options: zehN, Maden, STYKO

 

Game 2

Fnatic (Ranked 2nd in World) vs Movistar Riders (Ranked 32nd in World)

This match features two squads that did not make the 1-4th place upper or lower bracket cut, however are still playing for a small amount of prize money on the tail end of the tournament. To say that this match is a bit “uncared” for is a easy way to think on it as they are not exactly part of the future brackets, but teams play for money as well. The winner of this team could potentially win around $2200 bucks. Better than $1500, right? So, lets take a look at the match up. On paper, everyone is going to agree that Fnatic is the better team here, and it's really not much of a debate. Fnatic has really struggled lately however, and for a top-caliber team, that amount of money may not be such a big motivator. I would love to say Fnatic will come out and 2-0 sweep, but their recent form has been pretty garbage. They were losers in three of their last five, losing 1-2 to NiP, 1-2 to Vitality, and 1-2 to Dignitas as well. Movistar Riders are not exactly a great team, but they did just sweep GODSENT, so can take that for what it is worth. As figured, Fnatic comes in as a hefty -450 favorite to win this match, and they may very well win this match, but I could easily see MRs steal a map here. Ill be honest, the map analysis does not favor MRs here at all, but Fnatic’s recent form is telling me that anything can happen in this match. We will see how motivated Fnatic is on map one for this one. Let’s talk players.

FNATIC

ANCOR: Brollan – (Over last month online – 1.19 Rating, 0.79 Kills per Round, 71.2 Kill-Asst%, 1.29 IMPACT, 82.3 ADR)

Top Stacking Optons: Brollan, Flusha, JW (Krimz is due for a break-out game, btw)

MOVISTAR RIDERS

ANCHOR: alex – (Over last month online – 1.13 Rating, 0.72 Kills per Round, 69.3 Kill-Asst%, 1.23 IMPACT, 81.7 ADR)

Top Stacking Options: alex, mopoz, loWel

Game 3

North (Ranked 22nd in World) vs Heretics (Ranked 29th in World)

This match features a game between two teams coming out of the lower-bracket with the third seed in group B in North, facing off against the fourth seed in Group A in Heretics. North has reeled off some pretty nice wins over their last few matches and come into this match with nice form and winning all three of their previous three matches against G2 (eye-opener), Movistar Riders, and c0ntact. Last two aren’t great, but a really impressive 2-1 result over G2 in their most recent match. Heretics are due for a bounce-back as well as they were handed an 0-2 sweep in their most recent match against Vitality, a match I felt they had a good shot at winning. Much like GODSENT in the first match of this article, I feel Heretics will have a much better showing in this match, and a match that they should be highly in contention of winning. These two teams have a few really good players on their squad, some play-makers and difference-makers, so it should be a really fun match up, and I could easily see it going three maps as well. Interestingly enough, it is actually the Heretics who are favored by the books to win this match with a -145-betting line. Let’s talk players.

NORTH

ANCHOR: Aizy – (Over last month online – 1.10 Rating, 0.74 Kills per Round, 70.0 Kill-Asst%, 1.14 IMPACT, 80.1 ADR)

Top Stacking Options:  Aizy, MSL, cajunb

HERETICS

ANCHOR: Maka – (Over last month online – 1.23 Rating, 0.78 Kills per Round, 72.7 Kill-Asst%, 1.36 IMPACT, 79.5 ADR)

Top Stacking Options: Maka, Nivera, Lucky (kioShiMa value)

Game 4

ENCE (Ranked 21st in World) vs Copenhagen Flames (Ranked 37th in World)

This is another decided match that will decide which of these teams will finish 9th for this event and 10th as well. Quite the bit of a prize money difference in this one, as the 9th place team will take home close to $3,300, with 10th place taking home $2,500. Have to feel for both of these squads in terms of how the tournament seedings fell, as both came in 5th place for their respective groups, and ENCE actually won as many matches as Heretics did, but their round differential was the tie-breaker. ENCE is a pretty decent squad and come into this match in decent form as they have won three of their last four matches played. The Flames took both Mousesports AND FaZe teams the distance in their two previous matches, before losing the third map of both and the matches as well. They did however win and sweep the two matches before these two over Movistar Riders and North. I see this being a really close match. These two teams have a similar structure and have a couple of really good players, followed up by mainly role-players. ENCE comes into this match per the betting odds being a -185 favorite to take home 9th place in the tournament, but I don’t think it will be that easy. Copenhagen has looked very strong over the last two matches against two top ten teams in the World. I could easily see Copenhagen coming in as the dog and getting a win in this match. Let’s talk players.

ENCE

ANCHOR: allu – (Over last month online – 1.22 Rating, 0.77 Kills per Round, 71.4 Kill-Asst%, 1.25 IMPACT, 81.7 ADR)

Top Stacking Options: allu, sergej, Aerial (suNny for value)

COPENHAGEN FLAMES

ANCHOR: Farlig – (Over last month online – 1.22 Rating, 0.81 Kills per Round, 71.9 Kill-Asst%, 1.33 IMPACT, 79.1 ADR)

Top Stacking Options: Farlig, refrezh, Queenix (Nodios for value)

 

***TOP PLAYS, STACKS, VALUES***

Top Plays: Maka, Farlig, zywOo, Aizy, Brollan, allu, alex, zehN (not ranked in order)

Top Stacks: Copenhagen Flames, Heretics, Fnatic, Vitality, North, GODSENT, ENCE, MOVI (ranked in order)

Top Values Under $7k Salary: JW, apEX, Cajunb, Aerial, Nodios, kioShiMa, Queenix (ranked in order)

 

GOOD LUCK!