Illustration by: NovaH Source: Michal Konkol / Stephanie Lindgren / Adela Sznajder - BLAST.tv

The BLAST.tv Austin Major is heating up as the Playoffs get underway, and perhaps no quarter-final is more electrifying than the first-ever Major Playoffs clash between two Brazilian teams.

But before the battle begins, we’ve got to set the stage.

FURIA have been one of the biggest surprises of the Major, not just because of their near-flawless runs through Stages 2 and 3 - only dropping a BO1 to paiN, curiously - but due to the dominant style they’ve shown throughout.

YEKINDAR has returned to his VP/Outsiders form, and it’s great to see that he managed to escape the Liquid hell in one piece. molodoy also looks like a winning bet, silencing doubters with impressive numbers against top-tier opposition this Major. Oh, and having KSCERATO back in his demon form also helps.

Huge respect is also due to FalleN, a CS legend who put the team’s best interests first by picking up the rifle and trusting the AWP to an inexperienced, unproven kid - and doing quite well in the process, if we might add.

Overall, this FURIA squad is fun to watch - something that couldn’t be said about them in a long time - and their run in Austin suggests they’re finally moving in the right direction.

On the other side, we have paiN, who haven’t quite matched FURIA’s dominance. They stumbled out of the gate in Stage 3, starting 0-2 after losses to Spirit and G2. However, they’ve shown resilience, bouncing back with three straight BO3 victories, powered by standout performances from nqz.

After a turbulent few months marked by changes, it seems paiN have finally found their balance amid the chaos. biguzera continues to prove himself a crafty IGL and the heart and soul of the team – even if his individual performance has dipped somewhat – so much so that he recently renewed his contract.

The new additions, dav1deuS and dgt, started off a bit slow compared to what we know they’re capable of, but the pair have been heating up as they get more reps in Austin, clearly elevating paiN’s overall game.

In the end, one thing is certain: we will have a Brazilian team in the Major semis - something no one in their right mind could have predicted - and that alone is a huge win for a region that hasn’t seen many of those lately.

Vamo caralho.