PGL Major Antwerp 2022 Picks, Betting Predictions May 19-20

• NIP’s excellent record against FaZe gives them a real chance
• ENCE will want to exact revenge on Copenhagen Flames after faltering in their last match
• Heroic will have to put it all in against formidable Natus Vincere

NIP

NIP vs FaZe Predictions

NIP, ranked number 7 in the world, will be facing FaZe, ranked number 1 in the world, in the quarterfinals of the PGL Major Antwerp Tournament on 19 May, 2022, in a best of three (LAN) match.

The two sides have faced each other three times in the past with NIP coming out on top all three times. Their last meeting was on 1 October, 2021, in the IEM Fall 2021 Europe with NIP comfortably the better side with 16-8 victory on the Ancient map.

Prior to that, the two sides faced each other twice on 15 March, 2021, with NIP winning by a score of 16-14 and 16-11. NIP almost seem like a bogey team for the number 1 ranked team in the world and it makes sense to place a bet on them going into this one because of the value they’d provide.

Nip Have Got Nothing to Fear

NIP can head into this match knowing that FaZe are under greater pressure to win and should just play freely. They won their last match against FURIA, ranked 11 in the world, which is good preparation for what’s in store. FaZe have got a 100% record on Ancient in the last three months but NIP beat them quite convincingly, showing just how good they are.

FaZe also have a better record on overpass in the recent months with a 67% win rate compared to NIP’s 57% but NIP were victorious when they last played on the map. The maps won’t possibly have a big factor here.

The players always will and NIP’s star man is 24-year-old Swede, REZ, who has averaged 0.76 kills per round, 0.64 deaths per round, has a KAST of 74% and dealt 83.9 damage per round in the last three months. He has an all-time K/D ratio of 1.06.

FaZe Are on a Nice Little Winning Streak

FaZe have won their last three CS: GO matches and will be hoping to make it four on the trot. They’ve had some tough opposition in that run including world number 4, Cloud9. They’ll be well aware that NIP pose a very real threat but will have to leave history aside and approach this like a new game.

Crucial to that will be 21-year-old Latvian, broky. In the last three months, he has averaged 0.76 kills per round, 0.57 deaths per round, a KAST of 76% and dealt 76.4 damage. He has a highly impressive all-time K/D ratio of 1.14.

Spirit vs FURIA Pick

K23

Spirit vs FURIA Predictions

Spirit, the Russian side ranked number 14 in the world, will be facing FURIA, the Brazilian side ranked number 11 in the world, in the quarterfinals of the PGL Major Antwerp Tournament on 19 May, 2022, in a best of three (LAN) match.

The two sides have only faced each other once before and it was less than a week ago with Spirit coming out on top with a score of 16-12 on the Nuke map in the same tournament. This victory will give Spirit the edge in the tie.

Spirit Are on a 5-Game Winning Run

The Russian side have been in extremely hot form with a 5-game winning run that includes a victory over their upcoming opponents. In the run, they also beat 6th and 9th ranked Heroic and Astralis.

Key to this run has been 20-year-old degster, who has averaged 0.79 kills per round, 0.53 deaths per round, a KAST of 76.6% and dealt damage of 80.2 per round. He has an all-time K/D ratio of 1.31, which is as good as it gets.

FURIA Should Treat This as a New Game

FURIA might have lost recently to their next opponents but it was also on a map that they’ve got a poor record on with a win rate of just 45% from 11 matches in the last three months.

If the match takes place in maps like Overpass, where they have a 100% win rate recently, or Vertigo, where they have a 88% win rate, they should be far more confident. Their last match was a fairly tight encounter and they’ll know that they have enough to get the win.

Key to their chances will be 22-year-old yuurih, who has averaged 0.74 kills per round, 0.59 death per round, had a KAST of 72.5% and dealt 83.2 damage per round in the last three months. He has an all-time K/D ratio of 1.19.

ENCE vs Copenhagen Flames Picks

Copenhagen Flames

ENCE vs Copenhagen Flames Predictions

ENCE, ranked number 3 in the world, will be facing Copenhagen Flames, the Danish side ranked number 15 in the world, in the quarterfinals of the PGL Major Antwerp Tournament on 20 May, 2022, in a best of three (LAN) match.

The two sides have only faced each other plenty of times, six to be precise, with Copenhagen Flames coming out on top four times to ENCE’s two.

The two sides met only a few days ago in the same tournament with Copenhagen Flames beating ENCE quite convincingly on the Ancient map with a score of 16-8. This will give the Copenhagen Flames the slight edge in this tie and also makes them a more valuable bet.

ENCE Will Want to Exact Revenge

The two sides have faced each other six times in the last two months and ENCE will feel a bit inferior to the Danish side because of the head-to-head record. It’s been difficult to read too much into the results because their first match against each other was the only one that was a bit tight.

Every other match has been won quite convincingly by either. It seems like getting a good head-start and pre-match preparation is going to be the key factor in this match.

ENCE will need 21-year-old Spinx to be on his best game. He has averaged 0.77 kills per round, 0.64 death per round, had a KAST of 71.8% and dealt 82.8 damage per round in the last three months. He has an all-time K/D ratio of 1.14.

Copenhagen Flames Will Be Hoping Roej Is in Form

Copenhagen Flames have been on a patchy run, winning 50% of their last six games. They’ll be hoping that they can leverage that superior head-to-head in some way and key to that will be experienced 28-year-old roej.

He has averaged 0.78 kills per round, 0.67 deaths per round, had a KAST of 70.7% and dealt 86.9 damage per round in the last 3 months. He has an all-time K/D ratio of 1.09.

Natus Vincere vs Heroic Pick

Natus Vincere

Natus Vincere vs Heroic Predictions

Natus Vincere, ranked number 2 in the world, will be facing Heroic, ranked number 6 in the world, in the quarterfinals of the PGL Major Antwerp Tournament on 20 May, 2022, in a best of three (LAN) match.

These are two of the best CS: GO teams on the planet and have shared a long history with one another, facing each other 24 times. Natus Vincere have come out on top 16 times, Heroic have come out on top six times and two matches have gone into overtime. Natus Vincere’s considerably better head-to-head gives them the edge heading into this tie.

Natus Vincere Will Want to Continue Their Winning Streak

They are on a five-game winning streak and will want to make that six with a victory over their old foes. In that run they’ve been NIP, G2 and Vitality, who make the top 10 of the CS: GO world rankings. It’s hard to see someone stopping them from getting a place in the semi-final and the phenomenal 24-year-old Ukranian, s1mple, has been key to that in recent months.

He has some of the best stats in the game. He has averaged 0.87 kills per round, 0.58 deaths per round, had a KAST of 76.9% and dealt 87.6 damage per round in the last three months. That takes some beating. He also has an incredible all-time K/D ratio of 1.34. He is quite simply one of the best players on the circuit.

Heroic Will Take Encouragement From Their Last Two Wins

There’s almost nothing in this tie that suggests Heroic are going to win but the Danish side came out on top in their last two meetings, which took place almost exactly a month ago in the PGL Major Antwerp 2022 Europe RMR A.

The last victory on the Nuke map was also quite convincing, beating Natus Vincere 16-9. They also have a better win rate on four of the maps and should look for the smallest of signs to believe that they can come out of this tie victorious.

Heroic are no mugs themselves, it’s just that their opponent for the day is quite formidable. They’ll have nothing to fear heading into this and will be hoping that 20-year-old stavn puts on a good performance.

His stats would match up against most players not named S1mple. He has averaged 0.79 kills per round, 0.64 deaths per round, had a KAST of 72.9% and dealt 86 damage per round in the last three months. He has an all-time K/D ratio of 1.07. They aren’t ranked number 6 in the world if they didn’t have some pedigree but it’ll take a valiant effort to take down a machine like Natus Vincere.

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