FL1T breaks down PARIVISION's Inferno collapse against NAVI at IEM Beijing

PARIVISION's run at IEM Beijing ended in the quarter-finals after a defeat to Natus Vincere, and Evgenii "FL1T" Lebedev has given HLTV his account of how the match slipped away.

Lebedev said the team had felt in command for much of the contest. "It feels very frustrating, because as a team we felt pretty comfortable and at the time it seemed like we were controlling the flow of the game," he told HLTV.

He pinpointed Inferno as the turning point, with PARIVISION unable to close out a 7-2 advantage. "At one point on Inferno, from a score of 7-2, we gave away the key rounds there and gave the game over to their control," he said, adding that the setback was "very frustrating" despite the team's broader progress.

On the map selection itself, Lebedev said NAVI's decision to take Mirage and remove Cache was not unexpected. PARIVISION had shown strong form on Cache and had beaten NAVI there previously, while NAVI had earlier beaten Falcons comfortably on Mirage, leading PARIVISION to anticipate the pick.

Lebedev also addressed Dastan "dastan" Akbayev's pattern of calling early pauses during the event, a trend also noted by caster SPUNJ, who said Akbayev wanted greater control over the early rounds. Lebedev backed the approach's overall effect, saying it helped the team hold the start of games and dictate map flow, even if there were occasional downsides.

He linked the tactical shift to a broader change in Akbayev's mentality, telling HLTV that the Kazakh player has been working to stay less emotional. Lebedev contrasted the current version of Akbayev with the player he knew from 2020 to 2022, saying he is now doing "colossal work on himself" alongside teammates including Lebedev, Abay "HObbit" Khassenov and an experienced Jame.

Khassenov's return to the active lineup, after standing in for Lebedev previously, was another topic Lebedev was keen to praise. He said playing alongside Khassenov brings noticeable composure. "You can feel the insane experience; you can feel his coolheadedness," Lebedev said, describing him as a player of his generation and a leader within it.

Looking ahead to the Major, Lebedev was candid about where PARIVISION's individual form currently stands, saying it is "probably not the best" as the team continues prioritising collective structure over solo performance. He pointed to sides such as Vitality, FURIA and MOUZ, who have played together for two or three years, as having an advantage PARIVISION are still working to close.

Lebedev outlined the team's preparation plan before the Major, which includes deathmatch sessions and practice matches aimed at sharpening individual skill alongside the ongoing work on team cohesion.