npl Blames Mid-Round Decisions for B8’s Early Exit at PGL Cluj-Napoca 2026

B8’s campaign at PGL Cluj-Napoca 2026 ended in disappointment, and rifler Andrii “npl” Kukharskyi delivered a brutally honest assessment of the team’s performance. Following their elimination, the Ukrainian player pointed to poor in-game calls, repeated mistakes, and a lack of adjustments as the main reasons behind the team’s struggles.

“I don't know what to say, actually, because we played very bad. Bad mid-round decisions, bad calls, in my opinion, so we weren't able to show our game.”

The statement reflects a growing theme around B8’s performance in tier-one CS2 events: the team shows promise but struggles to convert opportunities into deep runs.

Repeated Mistakes Cost B8 a Playoff Spot

According to npl, the team’s biggest problem was not a lack of skill but an inability to adapt during the tournament.

“I think we had a chance. I can say that some players or the whole team didn't want to fix mistakes during the tournament, and every game we just played like we did before, making the same mistakes, so it was very hard to play.”

This admission highlights a critical issue in high-level Counter-Strike: teams must constantly adjust between matches. Without rapid improvement, even competitive games quickly turn into eliminations.

B8 Results at PGL Cluj-Napoca 2026

B8’s tournament run included losses to several strong opponents:

Defeat vs Aurora in the elimination series (2–0)

Loss to The MongolZ in a competitive three-map match

Earlier loss to FURIA

These results placed B8 among several notable teams eliminated before playoffs, alongside organizations like FaZe and HEROIC, showing how competitive the event’s group stage was.

s1zzi’s Debut: A Bright Spot Despite the Loss

The tournament marked the debut of Daniil “s1zzi” Vinnyk as B8’s new AWPer. While the young player couldn’t shine statistically, npl defended the newcomer and blamed the team’s tactical issues for limiting his impact.

“He wasn't able to show his performance because we were making bad decisions and bad calls, and we couldn't do our strats, so it was impossible for him to do anything.”

Despite the disappointing debut, npl emphasized the long-term value of the signing:

“Obviously, he has that X-factor. That's what every tier-one team needs, and if we want to become a tier-one team in the future, we need it.”

This suggests B8 views s1zzi as a key piece of their future roster.

Wider Tournament Mood: Other Teams Also Searching for Answers

B8 weren’t the only team reflecting after elimination. HEROIC’s camp also admitted the need to adapt and recover, showing that Cluj-Napoca’s group stage exposed weaknesses across multiple squads.

The event highlighted a clear trend in CS2 esports: mid-round calling and adaptability remain decisive factors separating playoff teams from early exits.

What’s Next for B8?

The team now faces an important rebuilding phase. Key priorities include:

Improving mid-round communication and calling

Developing synergy with s1zzi

Converting close matches into wins against tier-one opponents

If B8 can address these issues, the roster still has the potential to climb into consistent tier-one contention.