BetBoom Team secured a place in the IEM Beijing 2026 playoffs after a close series against Liquid. The team lost Nuke from a 9-3 lead, but it still won the Mirage decider.
So why does this story matter? Aleksandr “zorte” Zagodyrenko had a key moment in that decider, and it started with a bold buy call from his captain. Now he has spoken to HLTV about the win, his break from the game and the road back to BetBoom Team.
Why BetBoom Team Lost Nuke from 9-3
zorte did not hide the problems on Nuke. In his view, Liquid abused the A site, and BetBoom Team did not adapt in time. As a result, the team lost two crucial rounds, and Liquid gained the economy.
Liquid also played aggressively, while BetBoom Team did not show up in key moments. Therefore, stress grew once the score became equal. According to zorte, that was the main reason Liquid took the map.
The Mirage Ace and Boombl4’s Trust
The Mirage decider brought a different story. In the round before, zorte missed a costly shot on B site. However, he decided not to dwell on it. Then Kirill “Boombl4” Mikhailov asked him to buy an AWP, even though zorte could have dropped a rifle instead.
zorte answered with an ace that brought BetBoom Team to match point. Here is how he remembers the round.
Before this round, I missed a crucial shot on B site, but I think it’s just a game moment, you know? You just don’t need to focus on negative emotions on this side. And after this round, I have $7,000, and we just decide how we want to buy. Boombl4 called me to buy an AWP, but I could just drop an AK-47 and rifle. But I think he’s just a captain, believing or something like that. I don’t know.
He added that the shots were not easy, but Liquid did not play the moment properly. Meanwhile, he felt there was some misunderstanding on their side.
Respect for Liquid
zorte had not played Liquid much before this series. Even so, he praised their level in Beijing. He did not expect it, although they had also beaten MOUZ 2-1 in their opening match in Bucharest.
In his opinion, Liquid are trying to build a consistent team, but some players still need more experience. For example, he named Jorko. He also pointed to the pressure from the community, because the current roster has had some bad results. However, he thinks they will improve if they keep playing this way.
A Long Break and a Surprising Return
Back in June, zorte spoke about a long break that helped him realize he still wanted to play at the highest level. He explained that he had played year after year without much rest. At the same time, he was trying to balance different things in his life.
Later, Nafany and groove called him to play for TDK. After one month, he knew he wanted to continue. Then BetBoom Team had a visa problem and invited him to join the team.
I played for one month, and I realized that I want to play. I decided to stay, and somehow miraculous and BetBoom Team didn’t get a visa, and they just invited me, and somehow it worked. And now I’m here. But basically, one year ago I didn’t realize that it could be possible even so. Yeah. Life is really unpredictable. You just need to do what you really want in your life, just from the heart, and you will progress for sure.
Looking Ahead to the Singapore Major
At Cologne, a visa issue forced BetBoom Team to change the lineup at the last minute. Now the team has had more time together as a full five. However, zorte does not have special expectations for the Singapore Major. For him, it is one more tournament in his career.
Before the season, BetBoom Team wanted to climb into the top 10 and earn invites to tournaments. According to zorte, the team has achieved that goal. As a result, the focus can move to its own game.
We just need to focus on how we play as a team, and not care about points and stuff. And yeah, I think we just focus on this side, and for the Singapore Major, actually, I don’t care. It’s like one more tournament.
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What This Means for BetBoom Team
BetBoom Team now have a playoff spot at IEM Beijing 2026 and a clear mindset for the next stage. The team recovered from a painful Nuke loss, trusted its captain’s call on Mirage and moved on. Finally, with the top 10 goal reached, zorte believes the roster can concentrate on improving as a team.
