Liquid vs 3DMAX Prediction — CS2 Expert Pick

Both Liquid and 3DMAX arrive at this IEM Rio 2026 lower bracket match in poor form, but 3DMAX have the edge in recent results and head-to-head history. Liquid's 3W-7L record in their last 10 is alarming — losses to Spirit (twice, 0-2), Sashi Esport (0-2), M80 (0-2), TheMongolz (0-2), Alliance (1-2), and OG (1-2) paint a picture of a team struggling to find consistency. Their loss to Spirit 0-2 yesterday in this tournament continues that trend.

3DMAX at 4W-6L are also inconsistent, but their recent wins over MIBR (2-1), PARIVISION (2-0), B8 (2-1), and Voca (2-1) show they can beat mid-tier opponents. Their loss to Falcons 0-2 yesterday was against a top-10 team. The head-to-head record favors 3DMAX 2-1, with 3DMAX winning the last two meetings (March 2026 and October 2025). The market prices 3DMAX at 1.72 vs Liquid's 2.00, reflecting this edge. 3DMAX's roster includes Lucky, Ex3rcice, Maka, Graviti, and misutaaa (signed February 2026), with NBK- as assistant coach.

This is a low-confidence pick given both teams' poor form, but 3DMAX's H2H advantage and slightly better recent record make them the data-supported choice. Liquid's 30% win rate in their last 10 is the key differentiator.