Even though they went 3-0 to make the playoffs at PGL Astana, everyone was still caught off-guard by 9z's IEM Cologne Major run.

They cleared Stage 2 with a 3-1 record, then proceeded to beat Parivision and Vitality in Stage 3, making the Major playoffs for the first time in their history with a 3-2 record - only to be eliminated by fellow South American team FURIA in the quarterfinals.

It's all been downhill from there.

Sure, they won their first (just about) tier one trophy right after the Major, but the strongest team they beat to win XSE Pro League was PARIVISION, and that says everything we need to know about that tournament.

In the last three months, 9z have won just eight maps in thirty, and only two BO3s across seven tournaments. Yeah, you've read that right. Is this just their normal form, and what we saw in Cologne and China was just an overperformance?

Probably - although we won’t say it wasn’t predictable.

It’s really coming down to the players going to sh-t, too. luchov, the star of their run in Cologne, now struggles to get positive ratings, while meyern fought so hard with r1nkle for the title of worst AWPer in tier one that he finally got benched. When are G2 going to do the same?

This is without mentioning the fact that max is a rather average IGL, or that dgt is pretty much invisible. Poor HUASOPEEK is still putting in some good performances, but he’s always going to be a baller with a name like that.

BIT, their coach, said that they're lucky to be in the Major and that they don't deserve to be there. Well, we can agree on that. Bringing in an inexperienced Brazilian AWPer like history will do little to improve their situation, but from what BIT said on his X account, there were not a lot of players willing to board the a sinking ship.

We wish 9z the best of luck, because they f-cking need it. Luck, prayers, herbal baths, and a few better pieces to prove they deserve not just to be in the Major, but in tier one CS.