Tempo Storm’s newly minted Brazilian side shocked North America’s top teams in the IEM Katowice Counter-Strike qualifier just days after the players signed with the organization.
With just one North American spot in the event available, many fans expected sides like Cloud9, Team Liquid or Counter Logic Gaming to compete for the slot—but all three teams fell to the Brazilian underdogs.
After a 2-1 victory over Liquid and a clean sweep against CLG, Tempo Storm contested a thrilling final match against Cloud9 in a shootout for the Katowice berth. Though Cloud9 took 11 and ten rounds on each of their counter-terrorist halves, they weren’t able to convert on the other side allowed Tempo Storm to stage a comeback in both games.
In the final game of the series, the teams went to overtime before Tempo Storm finally emerged victorious 19-17. After securing the victory, the upstart Brazilians celebrated euphorically. The moment was captured by team founder Gabriel “FalleN” Toledo, with players from across the world congratulating the team:
I dreamed this moment. Me and my brothers in a international event. 2-0 beating 3 top NA teams. Just applauses. pic.twitter.com/A4G3htJBpF
— Gabriel FalleN T. (@FalleNCS) February 15, 2016
@LG_FalleN Fucking awesome, love the passion. Grats to the tempostorm boys
— Aaron Ward (@Azr) February 15, 2016
@LG_FalleN You guys are fucking crazy, but i love it 😀
— Dan Madesclaire (@ENVYUS_apEX) February 15, 2016
Elsewhere in the bracket Optic Gaming enjoyed another measure of success, reaching the top four with a victory over Enemy.
Tempo Storm will compete alongside some of the best sides in the world at IEM Katowice, including Fnatic, EnVy.Us, Astralis and Na`Vi, as well as Toledo’s Luminosity Gaming.
