FaZe Clan rally for win in CS:GO Esports World Cup opener

FaZe Clan overcame a nine-point deficit to defeat BetBoom Team 13-11 on Nuke as the Counter-Strike: Global Offensive competition got underway on Wednesday at the Esports World Cup in Paris.

Denmark's Jason "JBOEN" Boe Nielsen recorded 19 kills and a plus-2 kill-death differential for FaZe Clan in a Group B upper-bracket quarterfinal match.

The event features 32 teams divided into four groups in the double-elimination opening stage. All opening matches consisted of a single map, while the remaining group-stage matches will be best-of-three.

The top four teams in each group will move on to the single-elimination playoffs. Playoff matches will be best-of-three until the grand final on Aug. 22, which will be best-of-five.

The championship team will receive $600,000 and 1,000 Esports World Cup club points. The runner-up will get $340,000 and 750 points.

In the other Group B upper-bracket quarterfinal matches, Team Falcons topped K27 13-6 on Dust II, Astralis downed MIBR 13-6 on Inferno, and Legacy routed Ninjas in Pyjamas 13-5 on Cache.

In Group A, JiJieHao edged Team Spirit 13-10 on Mirage, GamerLegion trounced Luminosity Gaming 13-3 on Nuke, G2 Esports nipped M80 13-11 on Mirage, and BIG bested Aurora Gaming 13-9 on Cache.

In Group C, Team Vitality blitzed 100 Thieves 13-4 on Nuke, B8 pushed past PARIVISION 13-11 on Cache, FUT Esports outlasted TYLOO 13-10 on Mirage, and MOUZ handled Lynn Vision Gaming 13-8 on Dust II.

In Group D, Natus Vincere beat 3DMAX 13-9 on Inferno, The MongolZ toppled magic 13-7 on Mirage, 9z Team blasted paiN Gaming 13-3 on Cache, and FURIA dumped Wildcard 13-10 on Inferno.

The upcoming schedule:

THURSDAY

Group A upper-bracket semifinals

JiJieHao vs. GamerLegion

G2 Esports vs. BIG

Group B upper-bracket semifinals

Team Falcons vs. Astralis

FaZe Clan vs. Legacy

Group A lower-bracket quarterfinals

Team Spirit vs. Luminosity Gaming

M80 vs. Aurora Gaming

FRIDAY

Group C upper-bracket semifinals

Team Vitality vs. B8

FUT Esports vs. MOUZ

Group B lower-bracket quarterfinals

K27 vs. MIBR

BetBoom Team vs. Ninjas in Pyjamas

Group C lower-bracket quarterfinals

100 Thieves vs. PARIVISION

TYLOO vs. Lynn Vision Gaming

SATURDAY

Group D upper-bracket semifinals

Natus Vincere vs. The MongolZ

9z Team vs. FURIA

Group D lower-bracket quarterfinals

3DMAX vs. Magic

paiN Gaming vs. Wildcard

Group A lower-bracket semifinals

Teams TBD

SUNDAY

Group B lower-bracket semifinals

Teams TBD

Group C lower-bracket semifinals

Teams TBD

Group D lower-bracket semifinals

Teams TBD

Counter-Strike: Global Offensive -- Esports World Cup prize pool (with money winnings and Esports World Cup club points)

1. $600,000, 1,000 points

2. $340,000, 750 points

3. $190,000, 500 points

4. $110,000, 300 points

5-8. $60,000, 200 points

9-16. $35,000, no points

17-24. $20,000, no points

25-32. $10,000, no points

--Field Level Media