The first round of groups A and B at Northern Arena has been played out, as Immortals, NRG and Echo Fox picked up wins in their initial matches.

Group A's favourites Immortals faced off against a relatively unknown side Synthetik to kick off Northern Arena taking place in Toronto, Canada.

With the pressure of leadership off his shoulders, Ricardo "⁠boltz⁠" Prass shone above all in a one-sided affair with the Canadians, which saw his team emerge victorious following a 16-6 scoreline on Cobblestone.

Northern Arena 2016 - TorontoBest of 1 ImmortalsMatchpage 16 6 1st September 2016 Synthetik 16Cobblestone 6 News tags:

Immortals	K - D	+/-	ADR	Rating 2.0
Ricardo 'boltz' Prassboltz	29 - 13	+16	136.3	2.01
Lucas 'LUCAS1' TelesLUCAS1	17 - 10	+7	89.2	1.30
Henrique 'HEN1' TelesHEN1	19 - 11	+8	82.9	1.30
Wilton 'zews' Pradozews	12 - 12	0	79.4	1.25
João 'felps' Vasconcellosfelps	17 - 11	+6	62.8	1.11

Synthetik	K - D	+/-	ADR	Rating 2.0
Patrick 'theguy' Duponttheguy	16 - 18	-2	87.0	0.97
Jérôme 'jayy' Tessierjayy	13 - 18	-5	63.1	0.71
Kevin 'wAKKa' CataphardwAKKa	12 - 19	-7	64.5	0.70
Mathieu 'TaM' LandryTaM	10 - 19	-9	52.4	0.68
Abdo 'c4Lypso' Aghac4Lypso	6 - 20	-14	41.5	0.40

Northern Arena 2016 - TorontoBest of 1 ImmortalsMatchpage 16 6 1st September 2016 Synthetik 16Cobblestone 6

Immortals	K - D	+/-	ADR	Rating 2.0
Ricardo 'boltz' Prassboltz	29 - 13	+16	136.3	2.01
Lucas 'LUCAS1' TelesLUCAS1	17 - 10	+7	89.2	1.30
Henrique 'HEN1' TelesHEN1	19 - 11	+8	82.9	1.30
Wilton 'zews' Pradozews	12 - 12	0	79.4	1.25
João 'felps' Vasconcellosfelps	17 - 11	+6	62.8	1.11

Synthetik	K - D	+/-	ADR	Rating 2.0
Patrick 'theguy' Duponttheguy	16 - 18	-2	87.0	0.97
Jérôme 'jayy' Tessierjayy	13 - 18	-5	63.1	0.71
Kevin 'wAKKa' CataphardwAKKa	12 - 19	-7	64.5	0.70
Mathieu 'TaM' LandryTaM	10 - 19	-9	52.4	0.68
Abdo 'c4Lypso' Aghac4Lypso	6 - 20	-14	41.5	0.40

In the other Group A encounter, CLG started off the better as Terrorists on Mirage, but the favoured NRG took control of the situation quickly.

They grabbed six and five rounds in a row and James "⁠hazed⁠" Cobb's team picked up single rounds to stop the streaks, as NRG ended up letting only four rounds slip away during the first half thanks to great sniping from Peter "⁠ptr⁠" Gurney.

ptr spearheaded NRG's way through CLG

Jacob "⁠FugLy⁠" Medina then won a 1v2 situation in the second pistol round only for CLG to push back with a successful forcebuy and two rounds on top of it.

It was all for naught in the end however, NRG won four out of five gunrounds afterwards, securing a place in the winners' match against the Brazilians with a 16-8 scoreline. Despite the loss, 19-year-old newcomer Yassine "⁠Subroza⁠" Taoufik made a good account of himself, topping the scoreboard among CLG.

Northern Arena 2016 - TorontoBest of 1 CLGMatchpage 8 16 1st September 2016 NRG 8Mirage 16

CLG	K - D	+/-	ADR	Rating 2.0
Stephen 'reltuC' CutlerreltuC	15 - 15	0	71.2	1.05
Yassine 'Subroza' TaoufikSubroza	21 - 20	+1	89.7	1.00
Ethan 'Ethan' ArnoldEthan	12 - 16	-4	59.2	0.92
Kenneth 'koosta' Suenkoosta	14 - 18	-4	58.3	0.83
James 'hazed' Cobbhazed	7 - 19	-12	56.0	0.68

NRG	K - D	+/-	ADR	Rating 2.0
Peter 'ptr' Gurneyptr	24 - 11	+13	92.2	1.44
Fatih 'gob b' Dayikgob b	16 - 10	+6	77.0	1.21
Jacob 'FugLy' MedinaFugLy	14 - 12	+2	60.9	1.11
Johannes 'tabseN' WodarztabseN	18 - 17	+1	83.3	1.11
Nikola 'LEGIJA' NinićLEGIJA	16 - 19	-3	82.2	1.07

Due to Luminosity dropping out last-minute, the organizers decided to play Group B in a round-robin, best-of-three format between the remaining three teams.

TSM were waiting on the sidelines while Echo Fox and Null element, who are fielding Peter "⁠stanislaw⁠" Jarguz instead of Tarik "⁠tarik⁠" Celik in Toronto, played the first best-of-three. 

Sean "⁠seang@res⁠" Gares's squad put in 10 rounds as Terrorists on Cache to start it off and had little to no trouble closing it out after only nine rounds on the second half, winning map one at 16-8.

Dust2 was a similarly comfortable affair for Echo Fox, who once again found themselves at 10-5, that time as Counter-Terrorists, at halftime and came out victorious at 16-9.

Northern Arena 2016 - TorontoBest of 3 OpTicMatchpage 0 2 1st September 2016 Echo Fox 8Cache 16 9Dust2 16

OpTic	K - D	+/-	ADR	Rating 2.0
Oscar 'mixwell' Cañellasmixwell	44 - 37	+7	92.0	1.25
William 'RUSH' WierzbaRUSH	34 - 37	-3	63.1	0.89
Keith 'NAF' MarkovicNAF	25 - 41	-16	61.0	0.73
Peter 'stanislaw' Jarguzstanislaw	26 - 41	-15	71.8	0.72
Damian 'daps' Steeledaps	15 - 36	-21	48.2	0.58

Echo Fox	K - D	+/-	ADR	Rating 2.0
Shahzeb 'ShahZaM' KhanShahZaM	41 - 26	+15	91.8	1.43
Sean 'seang@res' Garesseang@res	41 - 30	+11	78.9	1.30
Ryan 'freakazoid' Abadirfreakazoid	37 - 26	+11	78.0	1.30
Daniel 'roca' Gustaferriroca	38 - 30	+8	83.9	1.29
Ronnie 'ryx' Bylickiryx	35 - 32	+3	84.1	1.21

Next up in Toronto is the winners' match of Group A between Immortals and NRG, as well as the second best-of-three of Group B featuring TSM and OpTic who need a win to have a chance to advance.

Peter 'ptr' Gurney Age: 26 Team: NRG Rating 1.0: 1.05 Maps played: 259 KPR: 0.70 DPR: 0.63 Synthetik Mathieu 'TaM' LandryJérôme 'jayy' TessierPatrick 'theguy' DupontKevin 'wAKKa' CataphardAbdo 'c4Lypso' Agha Jacob 'FugLy' Medina Age: 21 Team: NRG Rating 1.0: 1.00 Maps played: 390 KPR: 0.68 DPR: 0.66 NRG #43 Fatih 'gob b' DayikNikola 'LEGIJA' NinićJohannes 'tabseN' WodarzJacob 'FugLy' MedinaPeter 'ptr' Gurney Tarik 'tarik' Celik Age: 20 Team: OpTic Rating 1.0: 1.10 Maps played: 405 KPR: 0.77 DPR: 0.68 CLG #67 Stephen 'reltuC' CutlerJames 'hazed' CobbKenneth 'koosta' SuenEthan 'Ethan' ArnoldYassine 'Subroza' Taoufik Echo Fox #26 Sean 'seang@res' GaresRyan 'freakazoid' AbadirShahzeb 'ShahZaM' KhanDaniel 'roca' GustaferriRonnie 'ryx' Bylicki Ricardo 'boltz' Prass Age: 19 Team: Immortals Rating 1.0: 1.08 Maps played: 345 KPR: 0.72 DPR: 0.64 OpTic #20 Tarik 'tarik' CelikWilliam 'RUSH' WierzbaOscar 'mixwell' CañellasKeith 'NAF' MarkovicDamian 'daps' Steele Peter 'stanislaw' Jarguz Age: 22 Team: No team Rating 1.0: 1.00 Maps played: 264 KPR: 0.69 DPR: 0.68 James 'hazed' Cobb Age: 27 Team: CLG Rating 1.0: 0.99 Maps played: 394 KPR: 0.68 DPR: 0.69 Sean 'seang@res' Gares Age: 28 Team: Echo Fox Rating 1.0: 0.89 Maps played: 378 KPR: 0.60 DPR: 0.68 Luminosity #42 Renato 'nak' NakanoBruno 'BIT' Fukuda LimaVinicios 'PKL' CoelhoLucas 'destiny' BulloGustavo 'yel' Knittel Immortals #17 Wilton 'zews' PradoHenrique 'HEN1' TelesLucas 'LUCAS1' TelesRicardo 'boltz' PrassJoão 'felps' Vasconcellos TSM #21 Kory 'SEMPHIS' FriesenPujan 'FNS' MehtaSkyler 'Relyks' WeaverHunter 'SicK' MimsRussel 'Twistzz' Van Dulken Yassine 'Subroza' Taoufik Age: 19 Team: CLG Rating 1.0: 0.94 Maps played: 18 KPR: 0.69 DPR: 0.75