G2 and Alliance complete FISSURE Playground 3 playoff field

G2 and Alliance claimed the final two playoff berths at FISSURE Playground 3 after surviving the lower brackets with 2-0 victories over 5star and magic, respectively.

G2 ended 5star’s surprise run with wins on Inferno and Ancient, powered by an outstanding series from MATYS. Alliance had a more complicated route against magic, needing overtime to escape Ancient before taking control of Inferno and closing the series in two maps.

The results complete the eight-team playoff field and set up two quarter-finals for September 11: MIBR against Alliance and FURIA against G2.

Quick Summary

Detail	G2 vs 5star	Alliance vs magic
Tournament	FISSURE Playground 3	FISSURE Playground 3
Stage	Group A lower bracket final	Group B lower bracket final
Result	G2 2-0 5star	Alliance 2-0 magic
Maps	Inferno 13-9, Ancient 13-4	Ancient 16-13, Inferno 13-7
Standout	MATYS — 1.63 rating	twist — 1.24 rating
Outcome	G2 advance to playoffs	Alliance advance to playoffs

Both series were best-of-three elimination matches, with the winners moving directly into the quarter-finals.

G2 end 5star’s upset run

5star entered the deciding series as one of FISSURE Playground 3’s biggest surprises. The Mongolian side had already eliminated The MongolZ 2-0 and then recovered from an opening loss against Astralis to beat the Danish team 2-1, putting themselves one series away from the playoffs.

G2 proved to be the end of that run.

5star chose Inferno and produced enough early pressure to keep the map competitive, but G2 became increasingly comfortable once the gun rounds developed. They took a 7-5 lead into halftime and won six of the next ten rounds to close the opener 13-9.

MATYS was the central figure. The Slovak rifler recorded 24 kills and a 1.85 rating on Inferno, providing G2 with the individual output needed to prevent another 5star upset.

Ancient was far less competitive.

G2 built a 9-3 first-half advantage on their own pick and conceded only one round after the break, finishing the map 13-4 and the series 2-0. HeavyGod led G2 on Ancient with 16 kills and a 1.57 rating, while huNter-, r1nkle and NertZ all finished the map above a 1.30 rating.

Across the full series, MATYS finished 38-21 with 106.3 ADR, an 84.6% KAST and a 1.63 rating. HeavyGod followed at 1.31, while huNter- posted a 1.20 rating.

Inferno — G2 win 13-9

5star picked Inferno and showed why early, but their strongest stretches came at the beginning of the halves rather than over sustained gun-round sequences.

Once G2 stabilized, MATYS became difficult to contain. His 24-9 performance gave G2 the firepower to turn a potentially awkward opener into a controlled 13-9 victory.

Ancient — G2 win 13-4

Ancient exposed the gap between the teams more clearly.

G2 controlled the first half 9-3 before rapidly finishing the series after switching sides. Unlike Inferno, there was no prolonged recovery from 5star, and G2 needed only five rounds of the second half to reach 13.

The loss ends an impressive tournament run for 5star, who leave Suzhou having taken series victories over both The MongolZ and Astralis.

Alliance survive Ancient scare before closing out magic

Alliance’s 2-0 scoreline against magic was considerably less straightforward than G2’s victory.

magic selected Ancient and came close to forcing Alliance into a three-map series despite falling into a deep deficit. Alliance held an 8-4 halftime advantage and at one point moved ahead 11-4, but magic fought back and pushed the map into overtime.

Alliance eventually stopped the comeback, winning overtime 4-1 for a 16-13 victory.

twist was particularly influential on the opener, finishing with 21 kills, 105.8 ADR and a 1.68 rating. eraa and avid also posted positive performances as Alliance survived the most dangerous phase of the series.

Inferno was much cleaner.

Alliance established another 8-4 lead at halftime, but this time there was no comeback. The Swedish team won five of the first eight rounds after the break and closed the map 13-7.

eraa finished the two-map series with 39 kills against 27 deaths, while twist posted Alliance’s highest overall rating at 1.24. bobeksde also contributed 39 kills and an 84.5 ADR.

magic's MaSvAl was actually the highest-rated player in the series despite the defeat, recording a 1.35 rating.

Ancient — Alliance win 16-13

Alliance nearly allowed their first map to slip away.

An 11-4 advantage should have put them within touching distance of the finish, but magic recovered strongly enough to force overtime. Alliance then regained control when it mattered, taking four of the five overtime rounds.

That escape proved decisive. Instead of entering Inferno under pressure at 0-1, Alliance carried the series lead onto their own map pick.

Inferno — Alliance win 13-7

Alliance were much more convincing on Inferno.

Their 8-4 first half provided another strong platform, and they did not repeat the problems that had allowed magic back into Ancient. eraa supplied consistent output while Alliance maintained enough control after halftime to finish the series without requiring Dust2.

Why these results matter

G2 and Alliance were playing with no safety net. Both matches were lower-bracket finals: victory meant a playoff berth, defeat meant elimination.

For G2, qualification also represents a recovery from an opening 2-1 defeat to Astralis. They stayed alive by beating BIG 2-1 before sweeping 5star in the qualification series.

Alliance took a different route. They opened their campaign with a 2-0 upset of FaZe before losing 2-0 to Legacy. From there, they worked through the lower bracket and ultimately secured the final Group B playoff place.

Their reward is a place in a playoff bracket already featuring MIBR, Legacy, FURIA and BETBOOM.

Key Players

MATYS — G2

MATYS was the defining player of G2’s qualification match. His 38-21 record, 106.3 ADR and 1.63 series rating were comfortably the best numbers on his team, with his 24-9 Inferno performance doing much of the work when 5star were still threatening an upset.

HeavyGod — G2

HeavyGod provided the strongest support to MATYS, ending the series at 31-23 with a 1.31 rating. His biggest contribution came on Ancient, where his 1.57 rating helped G2 turn the second map into a rout.

twist — Alliance

The 31-year-old veteran topped Alliance with a 1.24 series rating. His 21-kill, 1.68-rated Ancient was especially important as magic erased much of Alliance's lead and forced the opening map into overtime.

eraa — Alliance

eraa produced the best K-D differential on Alliance at 39-27 and maintained a 1.20 rating across the series. His output became particularly valuable on Inferno as Alliance converted their map advantage into a clean 2-0.

Interesting Facts and Context

G2’s qualification came entirely through the lower bracket after their opening defeat to Astralis. Their route required victories over BIG and 5star.

5star leave the tournament with two significant scalps despite missing the playoffs. They eliminated The MongolZ 2-0 and Astralis 2-1 before running into G2.

Alliance also recovered from defeat, bouncing back after their 0-2 loss to Legacy to claim the Group B lower-bracket playoff berth.

Both qualifying series ended 2-0, but Alliance needed overtime on Ancient, while G2 conceded only 13 rounds across their two maps against 5star.

What Comes Next?

The FISSURE Playground 3 playoffs begin on September 11.

Alliance will face MIBR in a best-of-three quarter-final at 08:00, while G2 meet FURIA at 11:00.

The MIBR-Alliance winner advances to a September 12 semi-final against Legacy. On the other side of the bracket, the winner of FURIA-G2 will meet BETBOOM.

That gives G2 an immediate step up in opposition. FURIA enter the quarter-final ranked No. 5 on HLTV, compared with G2 at No. 7, with FalleN's side fielding molodoy, yuurih, FalleN, KSCERATO and YEKINDAR. G2's current five consists of r1nkle, MATYS, huNter-, NertZ and HeavyGod.

Alliance, meanwhile, will take their all-Swedish lineup of twist, eraa, bobeksde, upE and avid into the quarter-final against MIBR.

FAQ

Who qualified for the final FISSURE Playground 3 playoff spots?

G2 and Alliance secured the final two places. G2 defeated 5star 2-0, while Alliance beat magic 2-0.

What was the G2 vs 5star score?

G2 won 2-0, taking Inferno 13-9 and Ancient 13-4.

Who was the standout player for G2?

MATYS led G2 with 38 kills, 106.3 ADR and a 1.63 rating across the two maps.

What was the Alliance vs magic score?

Alliance won 2-0, surviving Ancient 16-13 in overtime before winning Inferno 13-7.

Who do G2 and Alliance play next?

G2 face FURIA in the quarter-finals, while Alliance take on MIBR on September 11.