Arguably the most anticipated game of group A, SK Gaming took on mTw with the winner almost certainly securing a place in the knockout stages. However, a winner could not be found, as both teams put up 13-2 halves on de_train.

SK Gaming vs. mTw (de_train - CT 13:2, T 2:13)

SK took the pistol round and had all the correct responses for mTw's aggressive pushes. Prioritizing the B bombsite, the Danish side often got the plant down but were instantly dropped by the SK defenses. mTw began to switch things up half-way through the first side, but their rushes were quickly halted.

Highlights from the SK team include Robert 'RobbaN' Dahlström picking up an important double kill to secure the 11th round, as well as Patrik 'f0rest' Lindberg ruthlessly displaying his prowess with the AWP. At 13-2, things looked good for SK while mTw had to rally together in the hope of pulling off a comeback.

Things started well on the CT side for mTw as they took the pistol round, but Johan 'face' Klasson won a 1 vs. 1 to secure the first gun round for SK. From thereon however mTw replicated the exact same thing that happened to them, and completely shut down all incoming SK approaches. Though the rounds were close, mTw were just that little step ahead when it came to crucial scenarios such as rotations and opening frags.

Martin Alexander 'trace' Bang Heldt was a nuisance to the SK team throughout, locking down the outer bombsite seemingly on his own with the AWP. Alexander 'ave' Holdt and Timm 'ArcadioN' Henriksen, who had a torrid first half, were the keys to the ever-increasing mTw comeback.

face won another 1 vs. 1, brilliantly outsmarting minet, to bring SK to match point; but mTw took the following round. At 15-14 and the game on the line, a flood of flashes and deagles came through the outer site from SK, catching the entire mTw squad off guard. The move almost paid off but for mTw coming up big in the resulting 2 vs. 2 encounter.

Follow the IEM European Finals via our coverage page.