paiN defeat Virtus.pro to secure playoff spot at Belgrade Arena

paiN defeat Virtus.pro to secure playoff spot at Belgrade Arena

Brazil’s paiN Gaming have clinched the final playoff berth at FISSURE Playground 2, edging out Virtus.pro 2–1 in a tight Best-of-Three matchup. 

Match Recap

Map 1 – Dust2: paiN started strong, racing to a 9–3 lead and controlling Virtus.pro’s attempts to build momentum. After the pistol round, VP briefly fought back, but paiN closed out the map in convincing fashion — anchored by a clutch 1v3 Galil from biguzera.

Map 2 – Mirage: Virtus.pro responded more aggressively. ICY and FL1T combined for 28 kills and helped their team to an 8–4 lead at halftime. They kept the pressure up and looked poised to tie the series.

Decider – Inferno: With the momentum swinging, paiN regrouped. On the T-side after the switch, they dropped only one round, closing out the map 13–9 and sealing the series. Virtus.pro’s efforts, especially in the first half, were not enough to withstand paiN’s post-switch dominance.

Significance & Comments

This win is more than just a playoff berth for paiN. In their pre-match interview, Rodrigo “biguzera” Bittencourt made it clear how much this meant for the team:

“It would mean a lot … For us, it's not just the playoffs, but we can also be Legends at the Major. We're not just fighting for the playoffs.” 

paiN are currently ranked #12 globally, while Virtus.pro held #18 at the time of the match. 

Additional Context from paiN

In an earlier HLTV interview, biguzera emphasised that beyond time off or tournament breaks, what was more vital was the team’s mindset. He acknowledged that paiN had played relatively few official matches since the summer break, which affected their consistency and confidence. 

His attitude reflects a belief that alignment across the team—in thinking, in strategy, in approach—is what will allow them to reach and maintain their highest level. 

What’s Next

With this victory, paiN advance to the quarterfinals of FISSURE Playground 2. Virtus.pro, meanwhile, are eliminated from contention. 

paiN will hope to carry this momentum forward, especially with the Major looming, as they try to turn these playoff appearances into deeper runs.