Close games in Moscow: A forZe to be reckoned with

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Round 1 & 2 of BLAST Pro Series Moscow 19 have been played and that means Day 1 is officially over. Close games in Round 1 and even closer games in Round 2 made this an exciting first day of BLAST Pro Series Counter-Strike.

Here are the current standings after Day 1:

One team that stands out is the qualifier underdog team forZe - the only team to end the day with a 2-0 score. Fans are coming to VTB Arena tomorrow to cheer for NAVI, but maybe they shouldn't sleep on forZe who also happens to be a Russian team and they surely proved that they deserve the full support of the Russian fans.

Tune in tomorrow at 12.30 CEST when Round 3 starts, followed by Round 4 and 5, the BLAST Stand-Off and, of course, the Grand Finale. Everything can happen at this point.

Below you will find a detailed run-through of today's matches.

21:15 CEST Round 2

NiP vs. MIBR

Map: Train

TIE: MIBR (15), NIP (15)

(22.27 CEST) Equal forces at work. The game ends in a tie, 15-15.

(22.24 CEST) MIBR taking match point, 15-13.

(22.19 CEST) MIBR closing the gap, 13-12 for NiP.

(22.12 CEST) NiP with a narrow 12-10 lead.

(22.03 CEST) MIBR tie the score, 9-9.

(21.55 CEST) First half ends 9-6 in favor of NiP. 

(21.48 CEST) NiP continues their hot streak, now leading 8-3.

(21.43 CEST) NiP is on fire. The Swedes take the lead 5-3.

(21.35 CEST) Tied up, 3-3.

(21.32 CEST) NiP gets their first round. 3-1 for MIBR.

(21.26 CEST) MIBR takes the pistol and the following round, leading 2-0.

forZe vs. AVANGAR

Map: Dust2

WINNER: forZe (16), AVANGAR (14)

(22.29 CEST) forZe wins their second game of the day, 16-14 against the Major finalist AVANGAR.

(22.28 CEST) Down to the wire. 15-14 for forZe.

(22.24 CEST) forZe getting close to their second win of the day, 14-13 against AVANGAR.

(22.19 CEST) Still very close, 13-12 for AVANGAR.

(22.13 CEST) Close game as it's still a tie, 11-11 between the two teams.

(22.02 CEST) Tied up at 9-9.

(21.56 CEST) forZe wins first half, 9-6 against AVANGAR.

(21.48 CEST) 7-5 for forZe now.

(21.44 CEST) AVANGAR are biting back. The score is 6-4 for forZe.

(21.38 CEST) forZe are not messing around today. Leading 6-1 against AVANGAR.

(21.33 CEST) AVANGAR gets their first round, but forZe are leading 4-1. 

(21.27 CEST) forZe leading 2-0 against AVANGAR.

NAVI vs. ENCE

Map: Train

TIE: NAVI (15), ENCE (15)

(22.41 CEST) It's another tie as ENCE claims the 30th round, 15-15.

(22.38 CEST) NAVI wins a forcebuy and takes matchpoint, 15-14.

(22.37 CEST) 14-14 for ENCE now.

(22.34 CEST) ENCE looking to take the game all the way. 14-13 for NAVI now.

(22.31 CEST) 14-12 for NAVI. 

(22.25 CEST) Close game on Train, NAVI ahead one round, 12-11.

(22.18 CEST) The Finns tie the game 10-10.

(22.14 CEST) ENCE are not giving up. 10-7 still in favor of NAVI.

(22.05 CEST) First half end 10-5 in favor of NAVI.

(21.55 CEST) 6-4 for NAVI currently.

(21.49 CEST) NAVI in a good lead, 5-2.

(21.30 CEST) Good start for NAVI, but ENCE just got their first round. 4-1 for NAVI.

(21.27 CEST) NAVI leading 3-0 over ENCE.

19:45 CEST, Round 1

ENCE vs. forZe

Map: Inferno

WINNER: forZe (16), ENCE (4)

(20.30 CEST) ENCE was nowhere to be found as they are demolished, 4-16 by forZe.

(20.28 CEST) forZe already on match point, 15-4 against a dazzled ENCE.

(20.25 CEST) forZe are running away with the game, 13-4

(20.19 CEST) Beautiful first half for forZe as they lead 11-4.

(20.15 CEST) ENCE are tring to get back into the game, but are still trailing 9-3.

(20.06 CEST) forZe are on fire, leading 7-1 against ENCE.

(20.02 CEST) Comfortable 4-1 lead for forZe

(19.57 CEST) 2-1 for forZe in the first three rounds.

(19.53 CEST) forZe takes the pistol round against ENCE

AVANGAR vs. NiP

Map: Overpass

WINNER: NiP (16), AVANGAR (12).

(20.58 CEST) NiP comes back and wins the game, 16-12!

(20.56 CEST) AVANGAR has lost control of the game. NiP at match point, 15-12

(20.53 CEST) The Ninjas has taken the lead for the first time in the game, 12-11.

(20.51 CEST) NiP bites back and ties things up again, 12-12.

(20.47 CEST) AVANGAR distancing themselves from NiP, now leading 12-10.

(20.42 CEST) 11-10 for AVANGAR, but the rounds are close.

(20.37 CEST) Without a doubt todays closest game. All tied up at 9-9.

(20.31 CEST) All tied up, 8-8.

(20.26 CEST) Close game with AVANGAR leading narrowly, 8-7 in the first half.

(20.15 CEST) AVANGAR has the upper hand in this game, leading 7-3 currently.

(20.07 CEST) The Ninjas are fighting back, 5-2 for AVANGAR.

(20.00 CEST) AVANGAR are on fire as they take the lead 5-0.

(19.57 CEST) First three rounds go in the way of AVANGAR, leading 3-0.

(19.53 CEST) AVANGAR takes the pistol round against NiP

NAVI vs. MIBR

Map: Train

WINNER: MIBR (16), NAVI (12).

(20.49 CEST) MIBR takes down the home soil favorites, NAVI, 16-12.

(20.47 CEST) MIBR at match point 15-12.

(20.42 CEST) This is turning into a close game as 14-12 for MIBR.

(20.37 CEST) Back and forth rounds, but MIBR are still leading 13-9.

(20.31 CEST) MIBR finally gets a round again. 12-7 for the Brazilians.

(20.26 CEST) NAVI closing the gap, 11-6 for MIBR.

(20.20 CEST) MIBR managed a good first half despite their start, leading 11-4.

(20.16 CEST) NAVI has not had much luck since the pistol round, behind 8-4 against MIBR.

(20.07 CEST) MIBR on fire as they have taken the lead, 6-3.

(20.01 CEST) MIBR are slowly clawing back, tying the score 3-3.

(19.58 CEST) 3-0 lead for NAVI.

(19.53 CEST) NAVI secures the pistol round against MIBR.