The Round that saved a Nation
The ANZ Counter-Strike Scene had been floundering in the previous overseas tournaments. The Peanut Gallery asking why two Australian teams are invited to ESL Pro League if none of them will make playoffs. The same questions were asked about IEM Dallas, IEM Cologne and list could go on.
The main focus of this criticism started to swirl around FlyQuest and in particular, Alistair. The outlook was not very positive as sentiment even domestically was demanding the removal of Alistair before Cologne, ESL Pro League and even before ESL Challenger Atlanta.
FlyQuest had always been a team that could always match it with some of the Tier 1 teams but they could never maintain it. They could make a deep run occasionally but they were never in the running of winning the entire tournament.
ESL Challenger Atlanta was another one of those events where most punters were expecting a M80, a SAW or a BIG to be lifting the trophy. However, it came down to a dominant FlyQuest taking on BIG in the Grand Final.
After both teams traded blows on each others' map picks, it came down to Dust 2 where the initial rivalry began at Leipzig 2020. FlyQuest were once again floundering as BIG started to gather steam. BIG were closed to tying the game after winning a score of rounds in a row.
The pressure was on FlyQuest and they needed something to stop BIG and deliver the trophy into their eager hands. The score was 10-9 to FlyQuest who were entering into another gun round.
Round 20 - FlyQuest v Big - Map 3 (Dust 2)
FlyQuest started the round by aggressing short with Dexter crossing the smoke and Vexite jumping down into CT off a flash from Alistair. BIG were able to fend off the aggression with Vexite and dexter falling to tabseN and JDC.
INS tried his luck by pushing through long doors. However, Krimbo was waiting in the midst and took his quarry on FlyQuest's star rifler. The burden laid upon Liazz and Alistair to convert a 2 v 5 into an 11th round for FlyQuest.
The task seemed impossible as both liazz and Alistair were smoked off at short. JDC had retreated into CT momentarily after taking some damage from Vexite in the initial duel. tabseN took damage as well but anchored up at ramp.
JDC tried to hold an off-angle position at short to catch Liazz potentially unaware. Liazz threw a HE Grenade towards CT which nailed JDC which turned it into a 2 v 4.
The entry had to be perfect. There could be no mistakes on the entry with JDC out of the picture, the only person the site was tabseN. Alistar threw a molotov to ramp where tabseN peeked and engaged with Liazz.
Liazz fell to 36 hp but tabseN had been burnt to a crisp by Alistair's molotov. rigoN attempted to end the heroics with a timely flank from short but Alistair had already prepared for that scenario. rigoN could only watch on in horror as Alistair's scope was directly trained on him.
Liazz and Alistair take A site with Krimbo sitting in pit on Long and syrsoN rotating on short. A small lapse in play as Liazz and Alistair run into each other. Alistair and Liazz both focus on long noting that INS had contested Krimbo at long moments before.
Alistair plants the bomb at safe to pile further pressure onto BIG. It was time for BIG to feel the burn. During the plant, Krimbo finishes off Liazz leaving Alistair in a hopeless 1 v 2.
Alistair was stuck on the A Site with Krimbo pressuring from long and syrsoN (unrevealed) from short. There was no help coming for him as the crowd watched on. For extra cultural impact, Hailey Welch was also watching on.
Alistair dodges between the boxes on the site training his scope on long or short. He is essentially hoping that syrsoN or Krimbo will make a fateful peek. The bomb timer ticked ever so slowly...
Krimbo fired a few shots to draw Alistair's attention towards long. syrsoN took this opportunity to push short and take his shot. Krimbo and syrsoN missing their crucial opportunities. Alistair had all the information that he needed.
Krimbo had enough and pushed long. He went for a jump shot from just under site hoping for the miracle one-tap. It didn't land. Krimbo and syrsoN both tried to engage Alistair at the same time. Alistair isolated syrsoN in the open and buried him with a shot between the eyes.
Alistair scurried behind the boxes knowing that an imposing Krimbo was now stomping at his doorstep at ramp. Krimbo had enough and jumped from ramp onto the site.
Alistair peeked as the jump was made. Alistair had no time to scope up and had no time to think. Alistair closed his eyes and pulled the trigger. Anything but a leg shot would do it.
The shot landed in Krimbo's chest. The enormous beast, Krimbo flung back completely lifeless. The disbelief in his eyes were clear for everyone to see. Krimbo, the nightmare who had been tormenting FlyQuest the entire series was defeated.
Alistair had completed the impossible. Alistair had shifted the momentum of Dust 2 back into FlyQuest's favour. Krimbo was shattered and FlyQuest's victory was inevitable.
This clutch quashed any rumours that Alistair would be benched after the Asia RMR. The clutch effectively saved his career. The clutch brought a Trophy to FlyQuest. The overseas drought for the ANZ scene since 2017 had been broken.
It bought belief and hope to a scene that has had little of it in the last 4 years after 100 Thieves fell apart. This trophy didn't just save Alistair and FlyQuest. It saved an entire scene.
Thank you so much for never giving up even when the world was against you.