Outsiders became the third team to secure a place in the group stage of IEM Cologne. On June 5, she defeated BIG in the top set of the play-in stage and thus advanced to the next stage. Earlier in the day, Heroic and Spirit qualified for the group stage.
Outsiders beat BIG on two maps. The first of these was their chosen Inferno, and on it the German team managed to gain a slight advantage at first. However, they gradually lost control and by the middle of the card draw the Outsiders were already leading 9 – 6. After changing sides, the Russian team managed to maintain their advantage, leaving this map with a score of 16 – 13. On Dust2, the game evolved in much the same way. In the first rounds the German team managed to gain a slight advantage, but gradually Outsiders increased the pressure, and BIG could not counter it. As a result, the Russian team also recorded this card with the same result (16 – 13).
The loss was an unpleasant surprise for BIG, because just a week ago the team won the Roobet Cup by defeating FaZe in the grand final of the tournament. However, BIG still has a chance to reach the next stage of IEM Cologne via the lower grid. To do so, she will have to play against the Astralis on July 6.