win.gg
Win.gg Counter-Strike Two teams out at StarSeries Season 7, two more advance to playoffs

Two teams out at StarSeries Season 7, two more advance to playoffs

Steven Rondina
Steven Rondina Published 01/04/2019
Google Preferred Source

The first three rounds of the StarSeries & i-League CS:GO Season 7 group stage has been completed, and with that comes the first set of eliminations.

South America’s PaiN Gaming and China’s Panda Gaming have been knocked out of the tournament with 0-3 records in the group stage. They share a 15th-place finish and will walk away with $4,000 prizes.

The pace for PaiN’s run in the event was set in its series against FaZe Clan. Playing against an enduring staple of the European scene, the Brazilian underdogs exceeded expectations by putting up a solid fight but never came particularly close to taking a map. In round two, the squad faced Team Spirit. Though the series with the Russians was a furious one with two of the three maps going to overtime, PaiN once again fell short.

PaiN would need to step over BIG in order to survive at the brink of elimination. Once again, the team put up a strong fight against considerably higher ranked opposition but still suffered the same fate. PaiN dropped the series 2-0 and was eliminated from the tournament as a result.

While Panda Gaming washed out of the event alongside PaiN, the team didn’t enjoy the same moral victories.

Panda’s event started with a brief series against MiBR, where it was squashed with 16-6 and 16-5 losses. Though it took a step down in competition in its next series opposite fellow Chinese team TyLoo, it didn’t fare any better as it took a similarly lopsided 2-0 defeat. Panda teased it may have had some skills by taking North to overtime in its first map of round three but was eliminated shortly after when the Danes secured the sweep by routing Panda 16-2.

While this is a disappointing finish for Panda and PaiN, it comes as little surprise to fans.

The two teams entered StarSeries with the longest odds of winning, working their way into the event through thin qualifier fields. Though both have taken wins over solid opponents in the past, the competition for this event in Shanghai was stiff enough that an early exit felt like an inevitability.

On the flipside, the end of round three also delivered the first pair of teams qualifying for the playoffs.

Despite an ugly start to the year that included early exits from both the 2019 Katowice Major and WESG 2018, Fnatic coasted through the group stage with a 3-0 record. The Swedes are joined by the boys of Renegades, who continue building their reputation as a newly elite CS:GO squad.

The group stage will continue on next with three more teams advancing and three more being eliminated. Meanwhile, Fnatic and Renegades can kick back and relax until the playoffs begin on April 4.

Steven Rondina Steven Rondina
About Steven Rondina

Steven Rondina is a true lifelong gamer. His earliest memories are of playing video games, and he has continued playing them throughout his life with no plans to stop any time soon. Steven’s favorite franchises in gaming include Pokemon, Dark Souls, and Counter-Strike. He has previously published with Bleacher Report and other gaming outlets.

View full profile
Read Also
IEM Cologne Major 2026 CS2 Stage 3 Pick’Em Predictions Counter-Strike
IEM Cologne Major 2026 CS2 Stage 3 Pick’Em Predictions Owen Harsono It’s that time of the year again, as the next Counter-Strike 2 Major is right around the corner. The IEM Cologne 2026 Major is set to start on June 2, meaning you still have some time to lock in your Pick’Em predictions. The Pick’Em Challenge is one of the most exciting parts of the CS2 Majors, as it allows you to test your knowledge and predict which teams make it ...
Team Spirit concede just 10 rounds in Stage 2 of the IEM Cologne Major Counter-Strike
Team Spirit concede just 10 rounds in Stage 2 of the IEM Cologne Major Owen Harsono It was pretty weird seeing Team Spirit having to start the IEM Cologne Major from Stage 2, but they quickly proved why that was a mistake. With donk shooting on all fronts, the Eastern Europeans speed ran the competition to book their spot in Stage 3. With how they’ve been playing, it’s hard not to wonder whether they can actually win the entire thing. These boys can sometimes be known ...
BIG pull off 0-12 comeback to stay alive – IEM Cologne Major Stage 1 recap Counter-Strike
BIG pull off 0-12 comeback to stay alive – IEM Cologne Major Stage 1 recap Owen Harsono We’ve just witnessed arguably the worst choke in Counter-Strike Major history, and we’re only on the first stage of the IEM Cologne Major. If you didn’t tune into the Stage 1 matches, here’s what you need to know heading into Stage 2. Many fans tend to underestimate Stage 1 teams for fair reasons, but some survivors in this tournament look extremely promising. Two Eastern European teams, BetBoom Team and B8, ...
Who will win the IEM Cologne Major 2026? Counter-Strike
Who will win the IEM Cologne Major 2026? Owen Harsono If you’re looking to play it safe and back one team at the Counter-Strike 2 IEM Cologne 2026 Major, traders prediction markets platforms have a clear frontrunner – it’s Team Vitality. But if it’s not meant to be, there are a few other candidates that could lift the trophy. Here’s what traders on Polymarket and Kalshi think. If you haven’t been watching CS2 this year and are only jumping on ...
The 10 best CS2 players who have never won a Major Counter-Strike
The 10 best CS2 players who have never won a Major Owen Harsono In Counter-Strike, winning a Major immediately puts you into legend status. It’s an achievement that proves you won the game’s biggest trophy. However, there have been some really good players that could never get their hands on the biggest trophy that Counter-Strike esports has to offer. Here is WIN.gg's list of best CS2 players who have never won a Major. ScreaM is one of Counter-Strike's most famous players for one ...
IEM Cologne Major 2026: All the teams, favorites, and outright betting odds Counter-Strike
IEM Cologne Major 2026: All the teams, favorites, and outright betting odds Owen Harsono Mark your calendars, as the IEM Cologne Major kicks off on June 2, 2026. We’re going to see the best teams in the world compete, but which ones are actually favored to take the title? This will be the first time in 10 years that IEM Cologne will return as a Counter-Strike Major, so the stakes this year are much higher than they’ve been in a decade. In this guide, ...
All IEM Cologne winners and rosters in Counter-Strike history Esports Betting
All IEM Cologne winners and rosters in Counter-Strike history Owen Harsono IEM Cologne is one of Counter-Strike’s biggest events, happening every single year. Some seasons, the event is labeled as one of Valve’s two Counter-Strike Majors of the year, but if not, still stands as one of the big events every player chases to win. With the IEM Cologne 2026 Major right around the corner, let’s take a trip down memory lane and check out every single winner of the tournament, ...