NRG defeat B8 in a tense series and advance at IEM Krakow 2026

The American squad NRG secured a hard-fought but crucial victory over Ukraine’s B8 in the opening stage of IEM Krakow 2026. The best-of-three series unfolded with contrasting narratives: a confident showing from B8 on Dust2, complete control by NRG on Mirage, and a nail-biting battle on the decider Inferno, where the outcome was decided in key rounds.

Map veto:

1. NRG removed Ancient
2. B8 removed Nuke
3. NRG picked Dust2
4. B8 picked Mirage
5. NRG removed Anubis
6. B8 removed Overpass
7. Inferno was left over

Dust2 (13:4 B8)

The Ukrainian team looked confident on their opponent’s pick. Playing on the CT side, B8 built a solid defense that earned them a 9:3 lead by halftime. After the side switch, NRG failed to find their rhythm and managed to win only one round on defense. The final score on Dust2 was 13:4 in favor of B8.

Mirage (13:2 NRG)

B8’s own map pick ended in a crushing defeat. From the very start, NRG completely dominated the map, giving their opponents no room to breathe. The first half ended in a commanding 12:0 lead for NRG. In the second half, B8 managed to claim only the first two rounds before NRG closed out Mirage 13:2.

Inferno (13:11 NRG)

It initially seemed that the decider Inferno would be a comfortable win for NRG. They dominated on the T side in the first half and finished it with a 9:3 scoreline. B8 responded with a strong run of rounds after the switch and came close to forcing overtime, but NRG held their nerve and closed the map with a narrow 13:11 victory.

Match MVP

The standout player of the match was oSee, who finished the series with an impressive 1.54 rating.

B8 entered the match as cautious favorites but were unable to maintain control in key rounds, sending them to the lower bracket where they will face paiN. NRG, meanwhile, secure an important win and move forward. IEM Krakow 2026 Stage 1 runs from January 28 to 30, with only 8 of the 16 teams advancing to the main stage.