FURIA tags Honda to replace junior at BLAST Premier event

Jan 15, 2021

Reading time: 2 min

The newest member of FURIA’s Counter-Strike: Global Offensive roster, Peytyn “Junior” Johnson, won’t play in the team’s upcoming BLAST Global Finals matches due to passport issues, according to an Instagram story from one of the organization’s investors.

FURIA had originally announced that it had signed Triumph Gaming’s rising AWPer a day before it was forced to announce another promotion after CSGO’s infamous visa issues struck again. With Junior unable to travel to Europe, FURIA announced the signing of FURIA Academy player Lucas “Honda” Cano to take Junior’s place on the team over its tournament run at the BLAST Premier Global Finals.

O DNA FURIA baseia-se na constante busca por evolução e crescimento, tanto pessoal quanto profissional.

Na escolha do 6º jogador da nossa equipe de CS:GO, daremos mais uma grande oportunidade para um jovem talento brilhar.

BEM-VINDO, @h0ndaog!#DIADEFURIA #FURIACS pic.twitter.com/RpTPmQVnxK

— FURIA (@FURIA) January 14, 2021

Honda to stand in for FURIA’s Junior at BLAST Global Finals

FURIA announced it had signed the American AWPer almost immediately after it parted ways with long-time player Henrique “HEN1” Teles earlier this month. Despite the transfer and acquisiton of Junior reportedly having been in FURIA’s plans for some time, the team seems to have been caught unaware when it came to Junior’s ability to travel outside the United States on short notice. Thankfully for FURIA, it is one of the only CSGO organizations to actively carry an academy team in CSGO.

Fans have seen it go down the other way. Just last September, Owen “oBo” Schlattery left Complexity just days prior to the playoffs of ESL Pro League Season 12. Complexity’s coach put in a valiant effort when he was forced to stand in for the young star, after going 5-2 in the tournament’s group stage, the team clearly missed its young rifler as it finished the tournament in fifth place without him.

That won’t be the case with FURIA. Honda is set to make his debut on one of CSGO’s top teams when FURIA takes on G2 Esports on BLAST Premier’s opening day. scheduled for Tuesday, January 20. The team is looking for revenge against G2 after the defeat G2 handed FURIA during the BLAST Premier Fall finals on December 9. HEN1 led FURIA in all categories during the team’s 2-1 loss to G2 that sent it home from BLAST’s fall competition outside of a top-three finish.