IEM Cologne Major Stage 1 Day 1: Upsets, 2-0 Runs, and Broken Pick’Ems

IEM Cologne Major Stage 1 started with pure BO1 chaos. Favorites slipped, underdogs hit hard, and plenty of 0-3 Pick’Ems got cooked on Day 1. Here’s a quick look at the biggest upsets, early 2-0 runs, and teams already fighting for survival. Read the full Day 1 breakdown.

Best-of-One Chaos Sets the Tone in Cologne

The first round brought eight BO1 matches on June 2, 2026, and the field split fast. Some favorites handled business, while a few early results already made Pick’Ems look shaky.

THUNDER dOWNUNDER Smash MIBR and Wreck 0-3 Calls

THUNDER dOWNUNDER opened with one of Day 1’s early shocks, beating MIBR 13-6 on Inferno. Many had the Australians as a possible 0-3 pick, while MIBR looked like a safer team to advance, but the server told a different story.

Sharks Push HEROIC Into an Early Crisis

Sharks kept the upsets coming with a 13-10 win over HEROIC on Nuke. HEROIC started well and led 5-2 on the CT side, but Sharks stayed close, reached five rounds by halftime, and handled the messy force-buy stretch better.

The main numbers stood out:

• Máximo “maxxkor” Cortina led Sharks with 18-12 K/D, 89.1 ADR, and a 1.52 rating.
• Danilo “doc” Barros added 23-16 K/D, 100.4 ADR, and a 1.32 rating.
• Yasin “xfl0ud” Koç fought back for HEROIC with 18-15 K/D, 91.3 ADR, and a 1.50 rating.

HEROIC later lost 13-11 to Lynn Vision on Dust2, dropping to 0-2 with seven straight match losses.

M80, B8, GamerLegion and BetBoom Take Control of the 2-0 Race

The 2-0 group finished Day 1 with four teams in control: M80, B8, GamerLegion, and BetBoom. Each of them avoided the messy middle of the Swiss stage and moved one win away from Stage 2.

The cleanest runs came from different angles:

• M80 beat Lynn Vision 13-8 on Inferno, then handled Sharks 13-6 on Mirage. Josh “JBa” Barutt led the second win with 16-8 K/D and a 1.51 rating, while Elias “s1n” Stein added 15-7 and a 1.44 rating.
• B8 opened with a 13-6 win over TYLOO on Mirage, powered by Artem “kensizor” Kapran’s 19-12 K/D and 1.98 rating, plus Andrii “npl” Kukharskyi’s 22-13 and 1.78 rating. They later edged THUNDER dOWNUNDER 13-11 on Dust2.
• GamerLegion beat NRG 13-10 and FlyQuest 13-11, with Fredrik “REZ” Sterner going 22-14 and posting a 1.61 rating against FlyQuest.
• BetBoom had the loudest day, beating Gaimin Gladiators 13-4 and Liquid 13-9 on Dust2.

Liquid’s Opening Win Gives Way to a BetBoom Reality Check

Liquid’s day started with a needed 13-10 win over BIG on Nuke, a meaningful result for a team that entered with a poor recent best-of-one record. Keith “NAF” Markovic was voted player of the match after posting 18-14 K/D, 92.7 ADR, and a 1.61 rating. Jonathan “EliGE” Jablonowski was just behind with 21-15 K/D, 103.4 ADR, and a 1.59 rating.

BetBoom then brought Liquid back down in the 1-0 pool. Liquid never fully recovered from the early deficit on Dust2, even though Mario “malbsMd” Samayoa battled with 16-14 K/D and a 1.34 rating. The loss placed Liquid in the busy 1-1 middle bracket, where every next match now carries real pressure.

HEROIC, SINNERS, TYLOO and Gaimin Gladiators Enter Elimination Territory

After Day 1, the 0-2 pool already looked unforgiving. HEROIC, SINNERS, TYLOO, and Gaimin Gladiators all dropped two maps and now need three straight BO3 wins to stay alive.

BIG’s 13-1 win was the roughest result. blameF led it with 19-5 K/D, 133.1 ADR, and a 2.15 rating.

Stage 2 Berths on the Line After a Brutal Opening Day

Round 3 brings the first real split in Stage 1. Some teams can lock a Stage 2 spot, while others are already one series away from going home.

• GamerLegion vs BetBoom: Stage 2 berth on the line
• M80 vs B8: another 2-0 qualification match
• TYLOO vs SINNERS: elimination match
• Gaimin Gladiators vs HEROIC: elimination match

Matches from 1-1 pool:

• NRG vs FlyQuest
• Sharks vs Lynn Vision
• Liquid vs MIBR
• THUNDER dOWNUNDER vs BIG

Day 1 did not decide Stage 1, but it made every next match feel sharper. Four teams are close to safety, four are fighting to survive, and plenty of Pick’Ems are already in trouble.