Team Vitality vs SAW - CS2 IEM Cologne 2024 Semifinal: Prediction, where to watch, and more

As the concluding stage of IEM Cologne 2024 approaches, day 2 is bound to get intense with the Team Vitality vs SAW matchup at the LANXESS arena in the cathedral of Counter-Strike. While the French force, Vitality, will try to restore their former glory by winning the Cologne trophy, Portuguese fans will root for their home team, SAW, to finish on top. The winner of the first semifinal will secure their ticket to the upcoming grand final, facing either NAVI or MOUZ.

This article will explore a few key factors that might impact the outcome of the first semi-final of playoffs day 2. Additionally, we’ll provide a brief prediction ahead of the Team Vitality vs SAW clash.

Note: Some aspects of this article are subjective and solely reflect the writer’s opinion.

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Team Vitality vs SAW: Who’ll qualify for the CS2 IEM Cologne 2024 Final?

Prediction

Day 2 of the playoffs will start with a thrilling Team Vitality vs SAW match. Both rosters will look forward to securing their ticket to the final while showcasing their peak performance on the center stage.

Vitality had a flawless start to their journey, managing to secure several wins during the group stage. Starting their first-ever match in Cologne, the French powerhouse thrashed FURIA with a 13-2 and 13-3 scoreline. ZywOo showcased a stellar performance throughout the Bo3 matchup.

Meanwhile, the organization also clinched a few wins against big names like MOUZ and FaZe Clan, qualifying directly for the Semifinals. While ZywOo struggled in the rest of his matches, the Rifler trio: mezii, Spinx, and flameZ provided much-needed backup. Under apEX's captaincy, the team looks perfectly in synchronization.

It's high time for the French force to assert dominance in the Counter-Strike world. Hence, fans will be rooting for Team Vitality to be the next winner of IEM Cologne 2024.

On the other hand, SAW is still representing the entire Portuguese CS esports scene. They became the first-ever Portuguese team to qualify for the IEM playoffs. The CS2 community was rendered speechless by the stellar performances of ewjerkz and story. The Portugues side surely has a lot riding on them, especially because they have come this far.

Based on HLTV's statistics, Team Vitality is most likely to opt for Mirage. Interestingly, the French side hasn't lost a single match on Mirage for the last couple of months. SAW might go for the classic Nuke/Dust 2 pick. For the decider map, we predict that both powerhouse teams have to face each other on Vertigo.

Judging from the recent performances in CS2, the scales are slightly tipped towards Team Vitality. However, the way the Portuguese roster kept surprising the fanbase with their exemplary strategies, they surely will give their opponents a run for their money.

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Head-to-Head

Team Vitality and SAW have never faced each other in Counter-Strike 2 tournaments before.

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Recent results

Heading into the Semifinal matchup, Team Vitality secured a flawless win against MOUZ in the upper bracket final clash.

Meanwhile, SAW won their previous quarterfinal matchup against FaZe Clan with a 2-1 scoreline.

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CS2 IEM Cologne 2024 rosters (Team Vitality vs SAW )

Here are the expected rosters for the upcoming Team Vitality vs SAW match:

Team Vitality

• Dan “apEX” Madesclaire (IGL)
• Mathieu “ZywOo” Herbaut
• Shahar “flameZ” Shushan
• Lotan “Spinx” Giladi
• William “mezii” Merriman
• Rémy “XTQZZ” Quoniam (Coach)

SAW

• Christopher “MUTiRiS” Fernandes (IGL)
• Ricardo “roman” Oliveira
• Michel “ewjerkz” Pinto
• João “story” Vieira
• Rafael “arrozdoce” Wing
• Danny “BERRY” Krüger (Coach)

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When and where to watch Team Vitality vs SAW?

CS2 fans across the world can navigate to ESLCS’ (ESL Counter-Strike) Twitch and YouTube channels to witness the nail-biting Team Vitality vs SAW.semi-final 1 Bo3 (Best of 3) matchup.

Here are the dates and timings for the nail-biting Team Vitality vs SAW matchup:

• PT: August 16, 2024, at 6:45 AM
• CEST: August 16, 2024, at 3:45 PM
• IST: August 16, 2024, at 7:15 PM

You can also watch the live broadcast of the match on the following websites:

• To watch Team Vitality vs SAW on Twitch: Click Here
• To watch Team Vitality vs SAW on YouTube: Click Here

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