📝 Team Liquid vs. Team Peps Full Match Recap

In the fourth match of Day 3 at the Stockholm World Finals, North America’s top seed, Team Liquid, met Team Peps, EMEA’s surprise underdog, in a high-stakes elimination match. For Peps, this series was a chance to prove that their presence in the World Finals was the result of genuine competitive merit, not just regional bracket luck. But Team Liquid, fresh off a strong showing against Team Falcons the previous day, entered the server with confidence and a sharpened focus.

Following the loss to Team Falcons, Liquid head coach Cas “Casores” van Andel told OWTV: “If we can take away the things we learned and go up one more level… I think we have a really good shot.” On facing Peps, he remained direct: “We just need to beat every team we face now, so they’re one more roadblock in the way.” That sense of urgency defined Liquid’s play throughout the series.

Map 1: Ilios (Team Liquid pick), Team Liquid ban D.Va, Team Peps ban Echo

The opening stage, Lighthouse, saw both teams lean into comfort compositions. Team Peps fielded the Lucio–Kiriko backline with William “WillyS” Ersson on his best hero, Hazard. Liquid went on their comfort comp with a double-flex support look, and Boston “ Infekted” Fine on his trademark Wrecking Ball.

Peps struck first blood as Leo-Kristian “Zorrow” Sundin picked off Elliot “TR33” Chu, but despite the opening, Liquid’s backline stabilisation earned them the first capture. The opening fight dragged on, eventually going Peps’ way, though not before Liquid built 62% on the board. WillyS locked in a clean double kill to secure Peps' second fight win, but Liquid answered back with a collapse that punished Peps after they lingered too long on the point.

The round spiralled into a back-and-forth brawl of fast flips and scattered trades. Peps hit 90% but failed to convert the final fight after Liquid regrouped, retaking the point and closing out Lighthouse.

On Ruins, both teams swapped comps, Infekted to Ramattra, WillyS to Zarya. Rupal “Rupal” Zaman opened the round by picking off Zorrow, giving Liquid early control. Peps eventually committed a Kitsune Rush to break through, but not before sacrificing 69% on the objective. Despite the ultimate advantage in the final fight, Peps mistimed their resources, rushing into point with an early Kitsune and failing to layer the Graviton Surge in time. Liquid punished immediately, flipping the point and sealing the map.

Map 2: Kings Row (Team Peps pick), Team Peps ban Ramatra, Team Liquid ban Mei

Peps opened their attack with Zarya + Echo, hoping Florian “Dip” Lefèvre could find room in Team Liquid’s backline while Liquid stayed on their trusted double-flex with Infekted piloting Sigma. Echo produced little value into Liquid’s ranged control, forcing Dip to swap to Genji after 90 seconds. A Kitsune Rush push got Peps close, nearly two ticks, but Liquid’s poke pressure denied the cap.

Peps eventually broke through after Zorrow found an opener on Rupal and support ult trades stalled Liquid long enough for FDGod’s Sound Barrier to swing the momentum. They captured first with just over a minute left.

Towards the second point, Liquid swapped Infekted to Winston, opting for more proactive dives to slow Peps down. A Peps Kitsune Rush was immediately shut down by a TR33 double kill, halting their momentum. Liquid briefly attempted a spawn hold but overextended, burning Primal early. The next fight saw a chaotic stack of ultimates, Brice “FDGod’ Monsçavoir’s Beat, Dip’s Blade, WillyS’ Graviton, but TR33 again dismantled Peps with a massive flank Dynamite into a backline B.O.B. In the final seconds, Peps tried a Reaper–D.Va adjustment, but Xavier “zeruhh” Zambrano’s Blade ended the push.

On Liquid’s attack, they kept their dive composition while Peps shifted Dip back onto Echo. A pick onto Benjamin “Xeriongdh” Nambruide gave Liquid the space they needed to pressure first, capping more than two-thirds before Peps forced a reset through strong ult cycling. But Liquid’s second dive cycle was airtight, clean engages and perfect timing overwhelmed Peps, granting Liquid the point.

The second point quickly unravelled for the EMEA squad. FDGod returned to Lucio, Dip tried an early Duplication, and zeruhh punished them with another Blade. With only 10 meters remaining on the payload, Dip managed to even the score with a revenge kill, but Liquid’s next dive was the finisher: Infekted jumped in with Vega’s Tidal Blast behind him, forcing an uneven Beat that left Xeriongdh exposed. Liquid dove in, cleaned up the fight, and closed the map and the series.

With the 2–0 victory, Team Liquid eliminated Team Peps from the Stockholm World Finals. Despite the loss, Peps’ fans roared proudly in the arena, celebrating the underdog run that carried EMEA further than many expected.

As for Team Liquid, they move on with purpose and a date against T1 in a Bo5 later in the day.