MIBR's LNZ praises tomaszin's fighting spirit as team adapts new lineup for VRS race

MIBR bounced back from an opening day loss to FURIA at StarSeries Fall with a victory against magic in the lower bracket, though the win was closer than MIBR's in-game leader would have preferred.

"Today was actually one of those days where it didn't click," Swedish IGL Linus "LNZ" Holtäng told HLTV after the match. "I feel like there's a lot of rounds we just shouldn't have lost."

Holtäng emphasized that the team's form remains uncertain early in the season. "At FISSURE we had a really good event, and I think we were coming in quite hot, but I think it's still very early in the team, a lot of things are maybe a bit random," he explained. "Things we haven't had time to talk about yet, so sometimes it will click, sometimes it will not."

The primary focus for Holtäng and MIBR right now is integrating Tomas "tomaszin" Corna, who joined the roster less than a month before StarSeries Fall. Holtäng credited Corna with bringing qualities the team lacked previously. "He has a fighting spirit that we maybe didn't have before in his role, and he can be very aggressive, and he shoots really hard," Holtäng said.

The adaptation process requires work on fundamentals. "I think it's maybe improving on the team play kind of stuff," Holtäng noted. "Helping out with the micro things, like calling spacing, and saying, 'Hey, let's swing here together.' It sounds basic for everyone, but when you're new to a team you kind of don't focus on that because you are thinking, 'Okay, on this strat, in this default, I'm doing this.' And then it's new voices, and you have to, in some maps, have a new role."

MIBR is competing for the second Americas Stage 2 Major spot in the VRS (Valve Regional Standings) race. The competition is intense, with multiple teams vying for qualification. "I think it's a real dogfight now for the second Stage 2 spot that is between FURIA, 9z, and us," Holtäng said. "FURIA is maybe more secure than anyone. And Legacy, of course, is also already in Stage 3. And then it's between us and 9z."

Holtäng noted that MIBR defeated 9z at the FISSURE event, and the rivalry remains competitive. "We beat them in FISSURE, and it's always a dogfight versus them. I think it's whoever gets the most points or keeps their points the most will make it."

After StarSeries Fall, MIBR will take a brief break before competing at Stake in October. The team plans to use that time to practice fundamentals with the new lineup before the final push toward the Major.