G2’s start at PGL Masters Bucharest has not turned into the kind of run they hoped for after their strong showing at FISSURE Playground 3. Two close series have still produced two 0-2 losses, and coach Eetu “sAw” Saha says the team’s problems are showing up in the final moments of rounds.
Speaking after the defeat to Aurora, sAw argued that the results are not being decided by one-sided maps, but by a pattern of missed opportunities in clutch and post-plant situations. In his view, G2 are getting into playable positions often enough, but failing to finish them together when rounds become messy and fast decisions matter most.
Close maps, but not close enough
G2’s opening two series in Bucharest both ended 0-2, yet the maps were competitive. That, however, is not enough for sAw, who made it clear that a narrow loss still counts as a loss.
He pointed to specific round-deciding moments, including a 2v5 clutch from woxic and a 3v5 situation where kyxsan was able to punish G2 at Sandbags. For the coach, those rounds were examples of how small lapses in coordination can swing an entire map.
According to sAw, the issue is not simply that players want to force the finish. It is also about reading the situation correctly, reacting together and trusting the team structure instead of taking separate actions at the wrong time.
The late-round problem
The coach repeatedly returned to the same theme: G2 are not always aligned in the last seconds of a round. In his words, the team needs to make better individual decisions, but also link those decisions together better as a unit.
That means patience, cleaner communication and more confidence in letting a round play out instead of rushing to end it on one player’s own terms. sAw described these situations as a recurring talking point for the team, especially after the earlier event where they also struggled in similar XvX and after-plant scenarios.
He also stressed that these problems are not limited to one factor. Some moments look mental, others are tied to gameplay understanding, and some come down to communication. In practice, he said, the team needs to be more on the same page in the crucial seconds where a round can still be closed out.
A work in progress with r1nkle
sAw also addressed the attention surrounding Artem “r1nkle” Moroz, whose signing was seen by many as one of G2’s more surprising roster moves. He acknowledged that the change was always going to take time and said the team expected a period of adjustment.
Rather than forcing r1nkle into a fixed comfort zone, G2 are trying to balance support with development. sAw said the team wants to give him enough structure without overloading him, while still building toward something stronger over time.
He praised r1nkle’s mindset and openness, saying those traits have stood out positively. At the same time, he noted that the AWP role remains a work in progress and that the team is still in the process of figuring out how to get the most out of him in official matches.
More than one issue, but no time to wait
Despite the recent slide, sAw did not frame G2’s situation as a complete collapse. He said the team has also had moments where players stepped up, including early T-side success on Inferno and clutch rounds won by MATYS and HeavyGod.
Still, the overall verdict was clear: G2 are not moving forward fast enough. sAw said the team feels like it is stagnating, or even slipping backward a little, especially after getting more practice time between events.
With qualification pressure building in Bucharest, G2 now need to turn close rounds into actual wins. For CS2 fans, the message is simple: the team still has the pieces to compete, but unless its late-round decision-making sharpens quickly, close maps will keep ending the same way.
