"We're Still Getting Used to Each Other": Natus Vincere Swept 2-0 in Beijing as Yesuntumur "nin9" Gantulga Reaches the Counter-Strike 2 Grand Final
By sweeping Natus Vincere (NAVI) 2-0 in the semifinals of IEM Beijing 2026 on Counter-Strike 2, Mongolian powerhouse The MongolZ locked in their spot for the best-of-five grand final in the Chinese capital. Yet according to 28-year-old veteran Yesuntumur "nin9" Gantulga speaking off stage in Beijing right after the match, the roster coached by Erdenedalai "maaRaa" Bayanbat is still far from its ceiling. Brought in shortly before the tournament to stabilize a reshaped lineup, the rifler offered a remarkably candid assessment of a squad that is already one series away from lifting the trophy.
Finding Team Chemistry on the Fly During an Undefeated Playoff Run
Check Counter-Strike 2 deals on Allkeyshop→
Having topped Group A after taking down HEROIC and FURIA to earn a direct semifinal bye, the Mongolian five entered their clash against NAVI with serious momentum. Even so, playing alongside captain Garidmagnai "bLitz" Byambasuren, Sodbayar "Techno4K" Munkhbold, AWPer Usukhbayar "910" Banzragch, and young rifler Anarbileg "cobrazera" Uuganbayar still requires daily fine-tuning according to nin9:
"Right now we're still getting used to each other. We still haven't fully become comfortable with each other yet. But game after game, we're getting better, and fixing most of our small mistakes and doing good work, I'd say."
That ability to iron out mistakes mid-series proved decisive on the opening map, Cache, which Natus Vincere had selected. Already tested earlier in the week when FURIA reverse-swept NAVI in the IEM Beijing 2026 group stage, the European roster immediately fell behind against a sharp Mongolian T-side that built an 8-4 halftime lead. Although NAVI mounted a second-half rally after switching sides, multi-kills from cobrazera and high-pressure clutch duels won by Techno4K allowed The MongolZ to regain control and close out the opener 13-10.
A 1.49 Rating Masterclass From bLitz and a Humble Take on the "Two IGLs" Tag
Moving onto their own map pick of Inferno, The MongolZ initially trailed 5-7 at the break as Natus Vincere threatened to force a third map. Instead, second-half adjustments spearheaded by bLitz completely flipped the momentum. Leading the server from the front, the Mongolian in-game leader finished the series as the highest-rated player on the stage with a 1.49 rating, 42 kills, and 96.2 ADR, guiding his squad to a tight 13-11 victory and a 2-0 sweep.
Asked in Beijing about his vocal presence inside the server, nin9 also brushed off the generous praise from his teammates earlier in the tournament. A few days ago, when Techno4K described playing with nin9 as having two IGLs alongside bLitz thanks to his former captaincy stint with The Huns, the dynamic caught plenty of attention. For his part, nin9 made sure to credit bLitz for steering the ship:
"That's just Techno being generous with the compliments. Personally, I don't think I'm doing that much. Right now I don't think I'm doing too good vocally, but I still do my part. And if there are some obvious setups or things, I call them out, while leaving the main decisions to bLitz."
While Natus Vincere drops into the third-place decider, The MongolZ now await the winner of the second semifinal between MOUZ and BetBoom Team for the best-of-five grand final at IEM Beijing 2026. For a roster that admits it is still getting comfortable together, fighting for a premier international title in Beijing is a striking statement ahead of the end-of-season battles.
Counter-Strike 2
Explore official trailers, technical specs and all latest coverage for Counter-Strike 2.
Born and based in Montreal's Mile End district, Maëlle "Kaelen" became close friends with Chaya during their university software engineering years, bonding over late-night coding labs, campus LANs, and World of Warcraft raids alongside Grimtag and Heimdall. A game systems balancing consultant and lifelong theorycrafter, she cut her teeth in the early 2010s writing boss walkthroughs, frame-data breakdowns, and competitive meta guides for specialized French-language MMORPG and esports portals, including Mondes Persistants, as well as North American strategy collections. On Pro-Gamer, she leads in-depth walkthroughs, build optimization, and tactical esports coverage.
