9z Team just walked into the IEM Cologne Major 2026 quarterfinals and punched well above their weight class. The squad took down FURIA 13-8 on Dust2 on June 18, grabbing a 1-0 lead in their best-of-three series.
9z entered the match ranked 15th globally in the VRS rankings, while FURIA sat comfortably in the 5-to-11 range.
How 9z controlled Dust2
A 13-8 scoreline on Dust2 isn’t a squeaker decided by a lucky pistol round or a single clutch. It suggests sustained pressure across both halves, the kind of performance that requires winning your fair share of gun rounds and staying composed when momentum shifts.
The result puts 9z in a commanding position heading into map two. In best-of-three series, winning the opening map shifts the psychological burden entirely onto the trailing team. FURIA now has to win two straight maps with no margin for error.
