Cloud9 keeps American hopes alive at PGL Major Krakow

The sole American team at the PGL Major in Krakow has kept hopes alive for one more day.

Standing on the brink of elimination, Cloud9 managed to defeat Mousesports 16-11 on Train to propel themselves to the final round of the group stage.

Mousesports managed an even start to the game as the defending side, taking a narrow 8-7 lead into the second half. But Cloud9’s defense proved too strong for their European counterparts, particularly with some of Cloud9’s star players coming up big.

Timothy “autimatic” Ta was on top of his game, accruing 29 kills to top the scoreboard and securing multiple rounds for his team on the back of his raw fragging ability. And while Tyler “Skadoodle” Latham was a ways back as Cloud9’s second highest contributor, his 19 kills included multiple clutch plays the likes of which Latham has become known for.

Cloud9 have been on a roll through much of July, including a second-place finish at ESL One Cologne. An overtime loss to G2 Esports on day three of the major rocked the side and forced them to fight for their tournament lives. They’ll be one of only six teams competing for a playoff spot Thursday.

“We’re still in it,” Jordan “n0thing” Gilbert said in a post-game interview. “That’s the key message we’re saying, we’re still in it.”

The weight of North American fans rests entirely on Cloud9 as the team was the only American squad to qualify for the major. Fellow top sides Team Liquid and Optic Gaming came up short in the qualification process.

For Mousesports, the exit is a disappointing one. The team came to Krakow in good shape with hopes to secure a spot in the playoffs. Instead, they will be forced to qualify for the next major along with the other teams already eliminated.