IEM Cologne Picks, Predictions, Best Bets July 5

• Heroic, ranked 9 in the world, are easily favorites for their match against Sprout
• Astralis also should have a strong play-in for IEM Cologne
• Spirit, Complexity could play out quite an even contest

The IEM Cologne 2022 Play-In is currently underway with many of the best CS: GO teams in the world taking part. Each match is a best of one. It should be another exciting and enthralling day in the CS: GO esports world.

Here’s a preview for four of the matches from the upper-bracket round of 16 matches for Tuesday!

Heroic vs Sprout Picks

Pick: Heroic

Heroic vs Sprout Predictions

The Danish side are ranked 9th in the world and clearly one of the top teams in the tournament. They have been in outstanding form recently, having won five matches in a row and will surely be entering this match as the firm favorites. They’ve beaten some really good teams on the way to that run like Astralis, BIG and Finest. They aren’t very good on Ancient and Nuke but have enough in most of the other maps.

Their star is 20-year-old Stavn. In the last three months, he has averaged 0.77 kills per round, 0.63 deaths per round, had a KAST of 72.1% and dealt damage of 84.5.

Sprout are ranked 34th in the world and are capable of springing a surprise. Sprout go into this game as the clear underdogs but their chances of winning this match will be a lot higher if one of the rounds takes place on Inferno, where they’ve got a 90% win rate in the last three months. They have a win rate of 50% or more on maps bar Mirage in the last three months and a better record than Heroic on five of them in recent months. This will provide them with some much needed optimism against a difficult opponent like Heroic.

Sprout will be hoping that 17-year-old Dane, Staehr, can show some of his recent form in this tie. In the last three months, he has averaged 0.73 kills per round, 0.67 deaths per round, had a KAST of 69.4% and dealt 82.6 damage per round.

The two sides have never faced each other before, which should provide an interesting dynamic heading into this tie. Sprout will back themselves to get something but they haven’t been in the best of form. They’ve only won one game in their last seven. Heroic have beaten some top sides recently, so this looks like a win for Danes.

MOUZ vs paIN Picks

Pick: Mouz

MOUZ vs paIN Predictions

This is another meeting between two sides that have never faced each other before but are quite tight in the rankings. MOUZ are ranked 17th in the world and paIN have a ranking of 26th in the world. None of that will matter as much when they face each other soon.

MOUZ have not been in great nick recently, having lost three of their last four matches. They’ll want to put that right quickly by getting a win but it won’t be easy because their Brazilian opponents have been on fire recently with four wins on the trot. A big reason for their success during this run has been 25-year-old pro, biguzera. The Brazilian has averaged 0.74 kills per round, 0.63 deaths per round, had a KAST of 75% and dealt 82.3 damage in the last three months.

They also have a superior record to MOUZ on five of the maps in the last three months. They have a decent record on Ancient as well with a 75% win rate but MOUZ have got a 100% record on that map in the last three months.

For MOUZ, torzsi will have to put his best foot forward. He has averaged 0.75 kills, 0.56 deaths, had a KAST of 71.2% and dealt 74.6 average damage per round in the last couple of months. MOUZ go into this match as the favorites but the form suggests paIN are more likely to win this. They also have a much better record on most of the maps in recent months. It’d be hard to not to overlook them with MOUZ in a bit of a bother at this moment in time.

Spirit vs Complexity Picks

Pick: Complexity

Spirit vs Complexity Predictions

Spirit, ranked number 10 in the world, were on an extremely hot form with a 6-game winning run but it has abruptly come to an end and they’ve now got two losses in a row. Things can be extremely volatile in the CS: GO circuit with matches coming thick and fast. They’ll be well aware that they can’t rest of laurels and becoming complacent because a losing run is just as likely as a winning run.

In recent months, Patsi has averaged 0.74 kills per round, 0.70 deaths per round, had a KAST of 68.6% and dealt damage of 84.5 per round. The stats don’t read as well as when they had degster in the side and it’ll take a while for the team to get used to competing without him.

Complexity, on the other hand, are a decent side with a ranking of 33 in the world but they’ve been in disastrous form recently. They’ve lost their last seven matches on the CS: GO circuit and need to desperately turn things around because this could easily spiral into something much worse.

They’ll need 22-year-old American, Floppy, to be at his best along with his teammates. Floppy has averaged 0.70 kills per round, 0.68 deaths per round, had a KAST of 72% and dealt damage of 79.9 per round in the last three months.

Spirit, as is expected, have the better record on all the maps in recent months bar Inferno and Overpass, where they haven’t played enough games for any data. The two sides haven’t faced each other before.

Despite Spirit’s recent slip ups, Complexity’s terrible record in recent weeks gives them little chance of winning this one. For Spirit, this is a great chance to once again show everyone that they’re one of the top sides on the CS: GO circuit. For Complexity, it could be yet another nightmare.

00Nation vs Astralis Picks

Pick: Astralis

00Nation vs Astralis Predictions

00Nation, ranked 31st in the world, will be facing Astralis, ranked 12th in the world. Much of 00Nations’ hopes in this match will be around 18-year dumai to step one. The former GODSENT member has joined the team recently and has some very impressive stats. He has averaged 0.83 kills per round, 0.62 deaths per round, had a 75% KAST and dealt 90.5 damage per round in the last three months.

Astralis have been the world number 7 before and will be expected to win this match but will have to be wary of 00Nation. 00Nation have improved massively and are on an incredible 7-game winning run. The two sides have never faced each other and Astralis will have to be careful to not underestimate their upcoming opponents.

Having said that, they’ll still be expected to win this match. BlameF will expected to carry most of the load in this match. In the last three months, he has averaged 0.83 kills per round, 0.61 deaths per round, had a KAST of 73.9% and dealt damage of 90.3 per round.

00Nation are not be taken lightly. They’re not only in great form, have one of the in-form players in game but also have a better record on most of the maps in recent months. This match is a lot tighter than expected and 00Nation are definitely worth the punt in this one.

How to Watch the IEM Cologne 2022