BetBoom defeated Vitality 2–1 in the Group A upper bracket and secured a place in the IEM Atlanta 2026 playoffs. After the match, CS2NEWS spoke with team captain Kirill Boombl4 Mikhailov about preparing to face the world’s best team, his emotions after the victory, and the distribution of voices within the revamped roster.
What emotions are you feeling after the win? How did you prepare for Vitality, and what were your expectations going into the match?
We did not have any particular expectations—we simply wanted to play. You do not often get the chance to compete at a tier-one event against Vitality, who are currently the best team in the world.
— Boombl4
We prepared and discussed the veto. Fierce reviewed their latest matches. But the players had only just returned from vacation, so you can only prepare so much from their last two or three demos. They are still capable of doing much more.
We understood that a lot would be decided during the game itself. We needed to make the right calls after trades and avoid wasting precious seconds whenever something happened.
As for the emotions, I think I was in shock for the first hour after the win. Now I feel joy and happiness, but we need to refocus because there are still more matches ahead.
What are your expectations for the tournament now?
The expectations are still the same. We want to stay here for as long as possible, play as many matches as we can, and prepare properly.
— Boombl4
We need to build momentum before the Major by playing official matches on LAN. It is nice that we have already secured at least one match in front of a crowd.
The further we go, the better.
Many people say that the roster has too many voices following the arrivals of zorte and FL4MUS. How would you respond to that?
