NAVI overcome The MongolZ in three maps to secure EWC playoff berth

The MongolZ will play paiN in the lower bracket for another chance at making the playoffs.

Natus Vincere have secured a spot in the Esports World Cup's Round of 16 with their second Group D upper bracket victory in a three-map series against The MongolZ .

The MongolZ 's Inferno came up first, and the Garidmagnai "⁠bLitz⁠" Byambasuren -led squad got off to a promising 3-0 lead, but the dynamic shifted immediately with guns in play, and Natus Vincere made themselves strong on the defense, clearing the half with an 8-4 lead.

A quick 5-1 after the switch, which followed Natus Vincere securing the seond pistol round, was capped by a Drin "⁠makazze⁠" Shaqiri quad-kill to put an end to the first map, 13-5.

makazze puts an end to Inferno with a quad-kill

The MongolZ once again were first out of the gate, this time on the CT side of Ancient, and although Natus Vincere cut the 0-4 scoreline by three, a 1v1 by Zolbayar "⁠tikuak⁠" Chimedtseren kept his team ahead as they won the half by four.

Natus Vincere once again split the pistol rounds and went on to tie it up 8-8. It looked like the series was theirs for the taking on their map pick, but a strong T-side performance by Dugarsuren "⁠DarkMeister⁠" Ireedui with a +7.58% swing and 3 multi-kills in the second half tilted the balance in The MongolZ 's favor, 13-9.

tikuak wins 1v1 to keep MongolZ ahead on Ancient

The series came down to Mirage, where Natus Vincere got off to a flying start on the CT side, winning the pistol round running off to 6-1, but then The MongolZ started to claw their way back to tie it up at the half.

The pistols weren't split for the first time in the series, and Natus Vincere made the best of it, running away with a one-sided victory on the T side, 13-8, to secure a spot in the playoffs.

The MongolZ will face off against paiN in the Group D lower bracket semi-final for a second chance at making it to the tournament's Round of 16.