G2, Monte, and Gentle Mates Eliminated at BC.Game Masters Day 2 as Cologne Major Race Heats Up

Day two of the BC.Game Masters Championship Season 1 delivered major upsets as G2, Monte, and Gentle Mates were all eliminated in the quarter-finals, shaking up the race for IEM Cologne Major qualification.

With the losses, BetBoom, SINNERS, BIG, and HOTU advanced to the semi-finals, gaining valuable VRS points and momentum in one of the most competitive qualification cycles of the year.

G2 fall to SINNERS in first event with NertZ

G2’s early exit headlines the day, as the European squad lost 1-2 to SINNERS in a tightly contested series.

Overpass: 9-13 loss

Dust2: 13-5 win

Mirage: 17-19 loss

The match marked G2’s debut with Guy “NertZ” Iluz, who recently joined from Team Liquid in a high-profile roster swap.

Despite the disappointing result, head coach Eetu “sAw” Saha emphasized long-term progress over immediate results:

“We are using these tournaments to improve ourselves for the bigger events.”

The defeat does not critically damage G2’s Cologne chances but raises questions about how quickly the new roster can stabilize.

Monte eliminated by BetBoom after comeback loss

Monte were knocked out in a 0-2 loss to BetBoom, a result that significantly weakens their position in the Major qualification race.

BetBoom completed a strong comeback on Anubis after trailing 3-9, eventually winning 13-10, before closing the series with a 13-9 victory on Nuke.

Standout performances included:

Pavel “S1ren” Ogloblin — 1.53 rating (Anubis)

Kirill “Magnojez” Rodnov — 2.00 rating (Nuke)

The loss leaves Monte with limited opportunities to secure enough ranking points ahead of Cologne.

BIG defeat Gentle Mates in crucial Major race clash

In one of the most important matches of the day, BIG eliminated Gentle Mates in a direct VRS standings battle.

Both teams entered the match with identical projected qualification odds (~57%), making the result especially impactful.

BIG’s victory:

Moves them to #16 in the Global VRS ranking

Strengthens their path toward Cologne qualification

Key performers included:

Johannes “tabseN” Wodarz — 1.88 rating (Ancient)

Josef “faveN” Baumann

Benjamin “blameF” Bremer

Gentle Mates now face a must-perform scenario at upcoming events to stay in contention.

BC.Game Masters semi-finals set

Following the quarter-final results, the semi-final matchups are:

BetBoom vs. SINNERS

HOTU vs. BIG

The matches will determine the finalists and further shape the VRS leaderboard heading into the next stage of the CS2 competitive calendar.

Related CS2 news: G2 roster changes and BC.Game circuit expansion

G2’s performance comes shortly after their major roster move involving NertZ and Mario “malbsMd” Samayoa, signaling a strategic rebuild ahead of top-tier events.

In a recent interview, malbsMd said:

“I want to be the malbs that I once was, and I’m hoping to find myself again.”

Meanwhile, BC.Game has announced plans to expand its tournament ecosystem throughout 2026, with 11 additional events and $650,000 in total prize pool, further increasing the importance of these competitions for teams outside the Tier 1 circuit.

What this means for the IEM Cologne Major race

G2: Still likely to qualify but needs stronger results soon

BIG: Major boost in VRS ranking and qualification chances

Monte: Qualification path becomes significantly harder

Gentle Mates: Must perform in upcoming events

With multiple qualification spots still undecided, every result in the coming weeks will play a decisive role in shaping the Cologne lineup.