Unlike League Play, where if you lose your first game the only way is up, here you can drop down even lower. 2 Defeats means you are faced with elimination from the competition.  And we're losing an NA team first.

The lineups

SELFLESS: Mijo

SELFLESS: Timi

SELFLESS: Plu'oh

DENIAL: CorruptedG

DENIAL: SadJunior

DENIAL: Lethamyr

 

Game 1

Do or Die Time. No one wants to be in this position, (Except maybe Flipsid3) and every move matters. Lethamyr looks for CorruptedG with a pass but its quickly defended by strong defense. Timi to Lethamyr who booms it back over to him, like its some sort of a volleyball game. Plu'oh takes a poor touch which hands possession to SadJunior who takes a fast shot which hits the top right part of the goal. Sad tries to dangle the defense but the ball is killed in front of the goal, Lethamyr can rotate in and strike the ball home for a 1-0 advantage in Game 1 of this elimination series. A pass from the sub, Plu'oh down onto the car of Timi and he can push it to the far side to tie the game up at 1 a-piece. All 3 Denial players go for the same ball but luckily for them there is no Selfless player nearby to punish them. A pass from Sad to CorruptedG and he gets a rather large amount of power to it and it can almost beat the retreating defender. 30 seconds to go and it remains 1-1. Sad to Leth and then CorruptedG's shot is saved by Timi. The ball then drops for an Overtime in the opening goal of the series. Sad plays it into the middle over 30 seconds in and CorruptedG can drop it in from a height and Game 1 goes to Denial.

Game 2

Kickoff goes 100% Neutral with the ball up for grabs in the middle. Selfless looking too get a healthy lead at the start as Timi and Plu'oh take shots in succession. CorruptedG on the counter can almost lower the ball to his teammate but Mijo had other ideas and intervened late in the process. Leth can relieve pressure with a boomer to the far corner, they build on this as Sad rotates in scores a bar down shot to open the scoring for Denial eSports. Lethamyr with a flick shot over to the top of the goal but it's saved away by the defense of Timi. A pinch goes to the corner in the blue half and Lethamyr tries to conjure up an attack. Quite a slow paced game with Denial playing very smart to maintain there lead, and now ad to it as Leth air strikes the ball from an aerial bump to launch the ball in the Selfless goal. Plu'oh to Mijo but he was on the retreat to go and grab some boost. Timi with a big clear in an attempt to build some pressure but can't keep possession, and with the countdown starting, Timi can hit a bar down shot with 5 seconds to go. Are they blessed? Not quite as Denial can dispose of the danger. Match Point to Canada.

Game 3

Can Denial take this series in a swift sweep fashion? Well Selfless will hope not as they are pinned on defense early in the opening minute. Sad plays it down and it falls perfectly to Lethamyr who can boom it into the top left corner. A quick equalizer though as Timi air dribbles and dunks so the ball falls to Plu'oh and he can get his team the goal back. Timi plays it to Mijo who's shot is slow and wide so that Denial can scoop up possession and counter. Timi plays it off the backboard but Lethamyr can follow it up and send a long clear away. This time around we see Denial Defending. Corrupted Can make a save and send it high and away from the goal and maybe counter. Sad tries to flick to his teammate, but Mijo was there to read it and push it straight into the Orange goal. 2-1 Selfless. A push off the back wall intended for Corrupted but he can't get there before the Selfless defense and Selfless get away with it. Sad gets a wall pass to Leth who can snipe the Bottom Left corner, and we have 2-2 and Overtime! 1 Goal for elimination. Timi gets a clear away from the goal but Denial can collect the ball to go onto offense straight away. A corruptedG mad whiff which strikes the crossbar and Sad can't follow up and score. Mijo takes full advantage of this miss play and can score the winning goal of Game 3.

 

Game 4

Delaying the inevitable? Or is this the Selfless Revival? It starts with possession from Selfless and Mijo can't quite get an angle for a shot. The ball falls to the middle of the Denial box but no one can do anything about it and a counter from Denial means they lead in this crucial, crucial game. A few midfield contest and Lethamyr gets a pass from Sad and he can boom it to the goal. 2 Goal cushion, 2-0 Denial. A clear from CorruptedG with half the game gone can only reach Plu'oh who is urgent to get his team back on offense. Sad and Corrupted nearly connect with some Aerial passing to put the nail in the coffin but a miss play, and a counter sees Selfless come so so close to getting one back. 10 seconds and Lethamyr gets another goal off the back wall rebound to move on to face Northern Gaming, and knock fellow NA team Selfless out of the Competition. Also Denial get another goal on 1 second.

Summary

In a well paced and controlled series from Denial, they knock Selfless out of the World Championships and move on through the lower bracket.

 

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