Liquid eliminated from BLAST Open Rotterdam 2026 after loss to The MongolZ

Team Liquid have been knocked out of BLAST Open Rotterdam 2026 following a hard-fought two-map series against The MongolZ. Despite a close contest and a comeback on their own map pick, the North American side failed to close things out, while the Mongolian squad showed composure in key moments to secure a 2-0 victory.

Map veto:

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

Ancient (14:16 The MongolZ)

The series kicked off on Ancient, picked by Liquid. However, The MongolZ looked stronger on the CT side in the first half, taking an 8:4 lead. After the side switch, the Mongolian team maintained their momentum on the T side. In round 17, Liquid managed to break their opponent’s pace and mounted a comeback to force overtime. In the extra rounds, however, Liquid secured only two rounds, allowing The MongolZ to close the map 16:14.

Mirage (10:13 The MongolZ)

Mirage also ended in a narrow win for The MongolZ. The first half was evenly contested, finishing 6:6. After switching sides, neither team gained a clear advantage. However, starting from round 19, The MongolZ took control of the game and eventually closed out Mirage 13:10.

MVP of the match

Despite the loss, Jonathan ' EliGE ' Jablonowski was named the MVP of the match. He posted an impressive 103.2 ADR and a 1.48 rating.

The MongolZ stay alive in the tournament and will play a decisive match against the winner of Spirit vs 9z for a spot in the playoffs. Meanwhile, Liquid finish their run in 9th–12th place, earning $7,500 for the team and $25,000 for the organization.

BLAST Open Rotterdam 2026 takes place from March 18 to March 29, featuring 16 teams competing for the championship title and a $250,000 prize pool.