Falcons did not start BLAST Open Porto as convincingly as expected after their Major victory. The team nearly lost to Lynn Vision in their first match of the tournament, but still managed to pull out the series after a difficult comeback on Dust2. For zonic, this match became not only a signal of problems, but also an important test of character.
A difficult victory instead of a calm start
Falcons came into BLAST Open Porto under obvious pressure. After the big title in Cologne, the team has not yet looked as stable in the new part of the season: first there was a loss to 100 Thieves at BLAST Bounty Season 2, then an elimination in the quarter-finals of Esports World Cup after the match against Legacy.
Against this background, the game against Lynn Vision was supposed to be an opportunity to calmly restore confidence. Instead, Falcons got a very nervous series and were forced to come back from 2:9 on the deciding Dust2. That is why after the match zonic spoke not so much about the quality of the game, but about the team’s reaction in a crisis moment.
The comeback as a positive signal
According to zonic, the Falcons camp has long understood that the team sometimes has problems specifically against opponents of this type. This is not only about the opponent’s level, but also about style, tempo, and the lack of fear toward the names facing them on the server.
It was good to see from a mentality perspective that we were able to come back from a very difficult game.
This quote clearly explains the coach’s main takeaway. Falcons did not show perfect CS, had problems with individual form, communication, and sharpness of decisions, but they did not collapse after a disastrous start. For a team that is now looking for a new balance after the Major, such a comeback may be more important than a simple confident victory.
The problem with lower-status opponents
zonic separately admitted that Falcons get frustrated too easily in matches against teams that are not among the main favorites. Against top opponents, in his opinion, such a reaction would hardly show itself so strongly, but against lower-status teams, the team sometimes loses its composure.
Unfortunately, we are at a point where we still get frustrated too easily when playing against teams like this.
This is an important admission, because it shows that Falcons’ problem is not limited only to shooting or tactics. The team may have a class advantage, but if the opponent plays without fear, breaks the tempo, and makes the favorite nervous, the series quickly becomes dangerous. That is exactly what happened against Lynn Vision.
A rematch against Legacy is ahead
Falcons’ next opponent will be Legacy, and for the team this is clearly a match with additional subtext. It was Legacy who already beat Falcons at Esports World Cup, so now zonic and his players will have a chance to quickly respond to one of the most painful losses of the start of the season.
The coach admitted that on paper this should be a rematch, but at the same time emphasized Legacy’s strength. According to him, they play quality CS, understand each other well, and definitely are not afraid of Falcons. In other words, the victory over Lynn Vision does not remove the questions — it only gives Falcons the opportunity to approach the next series with a slightly better psychological background.
Not a Major hangover, but a new stage
zonic did not agree with the wording that Falcons are going through a classic “hangover” after winning the Major. At the same time, he admitted that for many players, this victory became the end of a major personal chase, and now the team needs to find new sources of motivation.
This especially applies to a roster that is still being rebuilt around karrigan and has many things to implement. Falcons remain one of the strongest teams in the world, but now they need to prove their stability again. The comeback against Lynn Vision did not solve all the problems, but it showed the main thing: even on a bad day, the team is still capable of pulling out difficult matches.
