{"id":416634,"date":"2026-08-15T14:39:50","date_gmt":"2026-08-15T14:39:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/community.skin.club\/?p=416634"},"modified":"2026-08-15T14:39:50","modified_gmt":"2026-08-15T14:39:50","slug":"navi-beat-the-mongolz-secure-ewc-2026-playoffs","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/community.skin.club\/en\/news\/navi-beat-the-mongolz-secure-ewc-2026-playoffs","title":{"rendered":"NAVI defeat The MongolZ to secure Esports World Cup 2026 playoffs"},"content":{"rendered":"

Natus Vincere have secured their place in the Esports World Cup 2026 playoffs after defeating The MongolZ 2-1 in the Group D upper-bracket semifinal. NAVI dominated Inferno 13-5, lost Ancient 9-13, and recovered on Mirage with a 13-8 victory. Valeriy \u201cb1t\u201d Vakhovskiy led his team with a 1.34 rating, while Drin \u201cmakazze\u201d Shaqiri followed closely at 1.28. The victory gives NAVI a perfect 2-0 start at the event and sends them directly into the playoffs.<\/p>\n

NAVI continue their winning start at EWC 2026<\/h3>\n
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Photo Copyright by BLAST<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

NAVI entered the series after opening their Esports World Cup campaign with a 13-9 victory over 3DMAX on Inferno. Their second match presented a much tougher challenge against The MongolZ, a team they have faced regularly throughout the season.<\/p>\n

The Mongolian squad also arrived with a victory behind them. They defeated magic 13-7 on Mirage in their opening match to set up another meeting with NAVI.<\/p>\n

This time, NAVI came out on top after three maps. The result guarantees them a playoff spot, while The MongolZ will have to take another route if they want to reach the knockout stage.<\/p>\n\n

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\n \n Scrawny First Impressions at New Map Elevation <\/a>\n <\/h3>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n
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NAVI take control on Inferno before The MongolZ respond<\/h3>\n
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Player statistics for the match \/\/ taken from HLTV<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The series started on Inferno, The MongolZ\u2019s map pick, but NAVI quickly took control. They built an 8-4 advantage in the first half before dominating after the side switch. The MongolZ managed only one more round as NAVI closed the map 13-5.<\/p>\n

Ancient produced a very different contest. NAVI picked the map, but The MongolZ established an 8-4 halftime advantage. NAVI attempted to close the gap after the break, but their opponents held firm and secured a 13-9 victory to force a decider.<\/p>\n

Mirage was left as the final map of the series. NAVI entered halftime with a narrow 7-5 lead before taking control on the CT side. They limited The MongolZ to three rounds after the break and closed out the map 13-8, completing the 2-1 series victory.<\/p>\n

b1t leads NAVI with a 1.34 rating<\/h3>\n
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Photo Copyright by ESL<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Valeriy \u201cb1t\u201d Vakhovskiy was NAVI\u2019s best performer across the three maps. He finished the series with 47 kills and 36 deaths, alongside 79.0 ADR and an 82.0% KAST. His overall rating reached 1.34. Drin \u201cmakazze\u201d Shaqiri also delivered an impressive performance. He recorded 49 kills, 94.6 ADR and a 1.28 rating. Aleksi \u201cAleksib\u201d Virolainen was another important contributor with a 1.13 rating. The MongolZ struggled individually throughout the series. Dugar\u0441uren \u201cDarkMeister\u201d Ireedui was their highest-rated player at 0.97, while none of the five players finished with a rating above 1.00.<\/p>\n

NAVI strengthen their VRS position<\/h3>\n

The victory also gives NAVI a boost in the projected Valve Regional Standings. They gained 34 VRS points, increasing their total from 1,825 to 1,859. As a result, NAVI are projected to climb from No. 6 to No. 5.<\/p>\n

The MongolZ lost seven points following the defeat. Their total falls from 1,679 to 1,672, although they remain at No. 15 in the projected ranking. For NAVI, the result therefore brings both a playoff ticket and another step forward in the global standings.<\/p>\n

NAVI extend their advantage over The MongolZ<\/h3>\n