The opening round of Group B at FISSURE Playground 1 brings a clash between Brazil’s paiN and China’s Rare Atom — two teams from different regions, philosophies, and playstyles. This match marks the start of the battle in the lower half of the bracket, with more than just a win at stake — valuable ranking points are on the line in this new $1,000,000 event.
Team Lineups
paiN
- dgt
- biguzera
- dav1deuS
- nqz
- snow
Rare Atom
- kaze
- ChildKing
- LihaNg
- Summer
- Trash
paiN enter the match with a stable roster and are considered one of the strongest American teams after recent changes. The integration of dgt and snow has been smooth, while biguzera and nqz form the core of their aggressive but controlled style.
Rare Atom, in contrast, have been constantly experimenting with their lineup. Legendary AWPer kaze has returned to action, with a young and risky core built around him — including LihaNg and ChildKing. Trash remains a wildcard — he could be either a weak link or an unexpected trump card.
Team Form
paiN are the favorites coming into this match, not only due to their higher ranking (#11 vs. #53) but also because of their consistent play in recent months. nqz maintains solid form (1.06 rating, 1.03 impact), and the team shows strong structure and synergy in positional play.
Rare Atom, while less experienced, have some exciting tools. Both L1haNg and kaze have shown explosive individual moments, and their overall playstyle is fast-paced and aggressive — capable of throwing paiN off their rhythm, especially if the Chinese squad picks up early momentum.
Map Pool & Potential Veto
Map stats (last 3 months):
- Dust2: paiN — 56%, Rare Atom — 0%
- Mirage: paiN — 40%, Rare Atom — 86%
- Inferno: paiN — 43%, Rare Atom — 57%
- Nuke: paiN — 43%, Rare Atom — unplayed
- Train: not played by either
- Ancient: paiN — 43%, Rare Atom — 75%
- Anubis: paiN — 29%, Rare Atom — 75%
Expected veto:
- paiN bans Mirage — Rare Atom’s strongest map
- Rare Atom bans Dust2 — their weakest and a comfort pick for paiN
- paiN likely pick Inferno or Dust2
- Rare Atom likely pick Ancient or Anubis
- Decider could be Nuke or Inferno, depending on veto dynamics
On paper, the map pool looks dangerous for paiN. While they have solid stats across several maps, Rare Atom holds high win rates on key battlegrounds like Ancient, Anubis, and Mirage — areas where paiN can be shaky.
Key Duels
- nqz vs kaze — A sniper showdown between the primary AWPers. Both are consistent, but kaze can dictate tempo on open maps like Anubis.
- biguzera vs Summer — A clash of IGLs with contrasting styles. biguzera is methodical, Summer improvisational.
- snow vs LihaNg — Two young guns who can swing rounds singlehandedly. The one who wins more entry duels could tilt the economy in their team’s favor.
Prediction
Favorite: paiN
Given their structure, LAN experience, superior preparation, and more consistent recent performances, paiN are the logical favorites. However, that doesn’t mean this will be an easy series. Rare Atom have the tools to cause problems — particularly if they execute well on Anubis or Ancient.
Predicted Score: 2:1 for paiN
Rare Atom are likely to grab a map (probably Ancient), but paiN should look stronger on Dust2 or Inferno. Their mid-round decision-making and late-round cohesion should give them the edge in close scenarios.
paiN vs Rare Atom is a classic “structure vs chaos” matchup. If paiN maintain composure and don’t get dragged into the tempo of the Chinese side, they should advance. But underestimate Rare Atom — and we might witness the first major upset of Group B.
