The FaZe vs. Liquid rivalry continued in matchday one for the LATAM division of the R6 Pro League. The matchup served as a demonstration of the even keel gameplay fans have come to expect from both teams.
Despite early rounds on Kafe going back-and-forth, FaZe kept up a strong defense and adjusted strats well enough to pull ahead. It doesn’t hurt that Gabriel “cameram4n” Hespanhol and Leonardo “Astro” Luis destroyed Liquid’s roster in round six to give FaZe a lead of 4-2 at the half.
Fans also got to see how Latin America handles defending the new Kitchen site. Overall, attacking and defending looked a bit more balanced than how the European division handled the newly reworked site.
Liquid finally found momentum after a round-seven win, which showcased why fans and broadcasters place these two teams next to each other. The team seemed to adjust their roam game, which helped keep FaZe at bay for another round—bringing the match to 5-3 in FaZe’s favor.
João “HSnamuringa” Deam joining the Liquid roster furthered the sense of healthy rivalry between the two Latin American giants. Muringa had a stay on the FaZe roster for a time before leaving for Black Dragons and just recently joined the Liquid roster. Despite looking forward to seeing a breakout performance from Muringa, it seemed Liquid preferred a reserved approach overall.
Despite holding a strong lead of 4-2 at the half, FaZe allowed Liquid to bring the match back to 5-6. Heading into round 12, it seemed pretty clear that the match would most likely result in a tie. FaZe ultimately wouldn’t allow the tie and gave Liquid a heartbreaking defeat in the form of a 7-5 victory.
Liquid’s next matchup is against Team oNe and judging by the looks of both teams it’s going to be a spicy one. FaZe gains a leg up on the first matchday, and has an easy matchup against ReD DevilS e-Sports on Friday.
Going forward, FaZe looks to have it a bit easier early season than Liquid. But as fans know, everything can change in one matchday. Season nine was a brutal reminder that predictions mean little to nothing in this scene, so it will only get more exciting from here on out.
The Latin American division returns Friday, June 21 for matchday two. Fans can catch the official broadcast here.
