PARIVISION kept their chances of reaching the Esports World Cup 2026 playoffs alive after defeating 100 Thieves in a quick two-map series. For the team, this was an important result after the opening loss, and head coach Dastan “dastan” Akbayev explained after the match why the roster was changed in the off-season, why FL1T was brought in, and why the main task now is to become a stable tier-1 team as quickly as possible.
PARIVISION stayed in the fight
After losing in Bo1, PARIVISION needed not just a win, but a confident response. The match against 100 Thieves gave them exactly that: the team looked much sharper in individual duels, communicated better, and did not drag the series to a dangerous third map.
dastan admitted that he expected a harder game, but was satisfied with the team’s reaction. At the same time, he immediately emphasized that even after the win he still sees weak points: the young players need to be controlled more, and the team is still in the process of building a stable structure.
Why the team signed FL1T
One of the main questions was the transfer of Evgenii “FL1T” Lebedev. For dastan, this was not a random signing, but a player he had worked with for a long time and had wanted to see on the team even earlier. The coach explained that FL1T’s experience, game intelligence, and age fit the long-term logic of the current roster better.
I was thinking about FL1T maybe a year ago. It would have been good if we could have taken him, but back then it was difficult because he was part of the core and the leader of that roster,
dastan said. According to him, a break from official matches and a change of goal still require time to adapt, even from such an experienced player.
A young roster and the problem of experience
The coach separately spoke about slaxejezzz. He admitted that it is difficult for a young player to immediately adapt to this level, especially because of the lack of tier-3 experience before joining PARIVISION. He has the individual level, but team information, map reading, and voice in the game still need to grow.
His individual level is good. His mouse grip is similar to donk’s. But in terms of what he sees around him, how he gives information, of course, it is difficult for him,
dastan explained. The coach expects that in half a year or a year, slaxejezzz will become much stronger if he continues working on communication and understanding new maps.
Changes without conflict
dastan also explained why nota and BELCHONOKK were removed from the team. According to him, the reason was not a conflict, but a drop in individual level. The coach directly said that the team needed a new step, new energy, and more stable firepower.
The reason is individual level. They dropped off in terms of frags and kills. There were no problems between us, and it was not a dramatic kick,
the coach noted. He added that both players are still young and can become stronger in two or three years, but for the current stage of PARIVISION, the changes were necessary.
The match against MOUZ and the confidence factor
PARIVISION’s next opponent will be MOUZ, and dastan does not hide that they are the favorites going into the match. He noted their form, their victory at Bounty, and their overall level of confidence after strong results, but he does not consider the upcoming game hopeless.
I think it will be a close match. MOUZ are always good. They have new players. Right now, we are in a similar position in some ways, but the difference is that they have three experienced players, while I have two,
dastan said. He also added that B8’s victory over Vitality could have psychologically helped his team believe in its own chances.
The main goal is stable tier-1
PARIVISION’s global goal for the season is to qualify for the Major without unnecessary nerves, gain enough points, and consistently receive invites to big tournaments. To do that, the team needs to reach playoffs more often and gradually establish itself among strong opponents.
Since slaxejezzz, xiELO, and zweih are still in their first or second year at tier-1, I understand that there will be mistakes. I need to be patient and try to make us a stable tier-1 team as quickly as possible,
dastan concluded. The main takeaway is simple: PARIVISION already have ambitions and individual strong results, but this roster still needs time to turn potential into stability.
