Liquid Clutch Through Against Imperial to Persist at BLAST Open London

Liquid Clutch Through Against Imperial to Persist at BLAST Open London

Team Liquid narrowly survived elimination in the Group B lower bracket of BLAST Open London 2025, eking out a 2–1 victory against Imperial Esports. That crucial win keeps them alive in the tournament, while Imperial bows out early—a disappointing return for the Brazilian side. 

Map-by-Map Breakdown

• Dust2 (Liquid pick) – Liquid claimed the first map convincingly, 13–5, dominating both halves.

• Train (Imperial pick) – Imperial countered back with a strong 13–9 performance, leveraging home map comfort.

• Nuke (Decider) – Liquid edged out a tight 13–10 finish to clinch the series and stay alive.

The match featured the following veto sequence:

• Imperial removed Ancient

• Liquid removed Overpass

• Imperial picked Dust2

• Liquid picked Train

• Imperial removed Mirage

• Liquid removed Inferno

• Nuke was the decider.

Standout Performers

Key contributors for Liquid included:

• NAF: A strong 1.32 Rating 3.0 with a +17 K-D differential and 93.9 ADR.

• Twistzz: Delivered a 1.30 Rating 3.0, staying steady around 86 ADR.

• NertZ: Held solid with a 1.27 Rating 3.0 and 90 ADR.

On the Imperial side:

• VINI posted a 1.07 Rating 3.0, try had 1.04, and chelo posted 0.99—respectable but not enough to carry the team.

Significance and Broader Stakes

• Liquid, now driven deeper into the Group B lower bracket, must win two more best-of-three series to clinch a LAN spot. The emotional rhythm and energy must stay sharp.

• Imperial (currently ranked around #38 in VRS) exit the competition, missing out on precious LAN opportunities and VRS points. For a team reliant on domestic dynamics, this is a significant setback.

Liquid’s Position in the Event Flow

With the G2 result sending them into the lower bracket earlier, Liquid now face an uphill path similar to M80’s—requiring three consecutive series wins to reach the OVO Arena event. Their next opponent will likely be Legacy or Spirit, depending on bracket outcomes. 

Summary Table

Aspect	Detail
Match Result	Liquid 2–1 Imperial (Dust2 13–5, Train 9–13, Nuke 13–10)
Key Liquid Players	NAF (1.32), Twistzz (1.30), NertZ (1.27)
Imperial Standouts	VINI (1.07), try (1.04), chelo (0.99)
Future Matches	Liquid must win two more matches to reach LAN Finals
Event Format	Groups → Top 3 per group LAN qualification, double-elim leading to LAN
Relevancy	Liquid fighting to preserve VRS/LAN hopes; Imperial exits