The MongolZ Defeat paiN and Advance to EWC 2026 Playoffs

The MongolZ secured a place in the Esports World Cup 2026 playoffs for Counter-Strike 2 after defeating paiN 2:0 in a Group D lower-bracket match. For the Brazilian team, this loss marked the end of their tournament run.

The first map, Nuke, was fairly even. The teams traded rounds for a long stretch, while paiN repeatedly kept up the pace thanks to individual plays from Rodrigo “biguzera” Bittencourt. However, The MongolZ gradually took the initiative and ended the first half with a 7:5 lead.

One of the key players was Garidmagnai “bLitz” Byambasuren, who delivered two important triple kills. In the final stages, The MongolZ held on to their advantage and closed out Nuke 13:10.

On Inferno, paiN offered much weaker resistance. biguzera started the map brightly with an ace in an eco round, but the Mongolian team soon took full control of the game. Sodbayar “Techno” Munkhbold also recorded an ace, and the first half ended in The MongolZ’s favor - 8:4.

After the side switch, the team won its fourth pistol round out of four in the series and did not allow their opponent to mount a comeback. Five successful defensive rounds in a row helped them quickly close Inferno 13:4.

EWC 2026 CS2 Group Stage Final Day Schedule

The series ended 2:0 in favor of The MongolZ. The team will continue its run in the EWC 2026 playoffs, while paiN exits the tournament in the group stage.