Zonic: Poor starts can ruin Falcons’ entire game

Falcons’ IEM Beijing campaign ended with a 1-2 loss to Natus Vincere. The team had beaten HEROIC earlier in the day before facing NAVI in a rematch.

After losing Ancient in their opening match against NAVI, Falcons won the map in a close game in the rematch. NAVI then took Inferno and Mirage to eliminate Falcons from the tournament.

Falcons struggled after falling behind on Inferno. The early deficit affected their communication and prevented them from following their planned protocols, according to coach Danny “zonic” Sørensen.

“We got off to a bad start on Inferno,” zonic said. “Those few rounds kind of dictated the rest of the entire game, which is unacceptable. We have to be stronger mentally in those situations.”

Zonic described the problem as a recurring issue for Falcons this season. The team becomes stressed and impatient when it trails, which affects its communication and decision-making.

“When we get off to a bad start, it can destroy our entire game, and there we have to be stronger,” zonic said. “It’s frustrating to see because it is something that we are addressing and talking about daily.”

Falcons have also struggled to win their own map picks. Dust2 is currently the team’s most reliable option, although zonic noted that it does not guarantee a victory.

“The rest, I think it’s very difficult,” he said. “When it comes to our own [map pick], we fall flat, and I don’t know if it’s a mental part or starting on the T-side.”

Zonic added that Falcons often perform better after building early momentum. Winning the first three or four rounds can lead to a strong half, while a poor opening can affect the rest of the map.

Falcons looked stronger on Ancient against HEROIC earlier in the day. Zonic described the map as one of the team’s weaker choices and noted that Falcons had lost 13-5 on it in a previous match before winning the rematch in Beijing.

The tournament marked zonic’s return to Beijing seven years after he won the IEM Beijing title with Astralis in 2019. He praised the local fans for respecting the team during walks and public appearances.

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Reviewed and fact-checked by Alex Panasenko on November 4.