FlyQuest bows out winless in Stage 2 at IEM Cologne Major

Final OCE chances FlyQuest have exited the IEM Cologne Major, following a 2-0 (13-7, 13-10) loss to paiN in the 0-2 eliminator on June 8.

Hope for a deep Stage 2 effort, or even a surprise Stage 3 qualification, was snuffed out unceremoniously by the South American trio of 9z, Legacy, and paiN.

FQ looked out of it early into Nuke with numerous man-advantages lost on the CT-side as the Aussies just couldn't string together back-to-back rounds and were constantly forced into ecos to recover the economy.

story (13-14, 0.92) and jks (10-16, 0.97) rallied to give FQ a glimmer of hope at 4-8, and a successful forcebuy after the lost pistol on T-side saw the boys close the gap to 7-9, but paiN adjusted and put the map beyond doubt.

From there, it was all pain from paiN on Anubis. The Brazilians opened with seven-straight rounds, leaving several FQ members without a single kill, and were immediately broken following their breakthrough round.

Again, life from FQ at the death gave fans hope; Vexite's four-kill T-pistol and the team's subsequent conversion saw the margin cut to a few rounds, but a backbreaking Deagle anti-eco shattered FlyQuest.

FQ pushed on and managed to halt paiN's first two map points, but a disastrous mid-to-A split through smokes spelled the end of the Aussies' run 13-10.

It's a dismal end to FlyQuest's campaign — less so about the results on the scoreboard, but more about the fashion in which they lost. Cuts to FQ players as early as the pistol round in maps showed visible signs of frustration, and mid-pause comms shared on the main stream saw coach AZR and the FQ players speak of combating tilt.

It's believed FlyQuest will look at qualification for the Esports World Cup later in July, but questions are already being raised over who will pull on the FQ jersey after the player break.

Between a limited number of events and their poor form at the tournaments they have attended, criticism has been leveled at FlyQuest all season — criticism that is going to be hard to ignore heading into the second season and the lead-up to the PGL Singapore Major after today's loss.

TYLOO (2-1, Stage 2) and The MongolZ (Stage 3) remain to fly the flag for the Asia region at the Cologne Major.