Blacklist Rivalry has delivered a significant surprise in Group A during the Play-In stage of Riyadh Masters 2024. Despite not being on anyone's radar for this event due to a rough start to the year, they have emerged as the unexpected leaders.
Background and Performance
Four teams from each group will advance further in the tournament. Blacklist Rivalry was largely overlooked for Riyadh Masters 2024, having had a disastrous first half of the year. The team failed in almost all qualifiers, missing out on all LAN events and The International 2024. However, they secured a second-place finish in the Southeast Asia qualifiers for Riyadh Masters 2024, earning one of two regional tickets to the inaugural Esports World Cup. Considering their previous performance, Blacklist Rivalry was considered a dark horse in Group A, especially since four of the six teams in this group are also qualified for TI13.
Blacklist Rivalry's only international competition this year was Elite League Season 1, where they finished 15th-16th. Thus, the Esports World Cup represents their primary chance at redemption with their talented Filipino lineup.
Day 1 Highlights
At the end of Day 1, Blacklist Rivalry stood out as the only team in Group A to achieve a clean 2-0 victory in the single round-robin format. They currently lead the group with three matchups remaining.
- Match 1: BLR started the day with a draw against beastcoast, a team they had not faced this year;
- Match 2: They then secured a dominant 2-0 win against G2 x iG. The Chinese powerhouse managed only eight kills in each game, while the series was dominated by Blacklist's star mid-laner, Abed Yusop.
Abed Yusop was flawless throughout the series, finishing without a single death. His performance in Game 1 was solid, ending with a 1-0-6 KDA on Templar Assassin. However, he truly shone in Game 2, leading his team with a 14-0-8 KDA on Timbersaw, securing the win.
Upcoming Matches
Day 2 of the Riyadh Masters 2024 play-ins will see Blacklist Rivalry face off against LGD Gaming and Virtus.pro. Another clean win would likely secure them a spot in the next stage of the tournament and pave the way for a potential redemption story at the Esports World Cup.
Blacklist Rivalry's surprising performance in the Riyadh Masters 2024 has put them in a strong position, and their continued success could redefine their competitive trajectory for the year.