"If we can compete with [Liquid], then we can compete with any team": MNM yet to drop a map after three 2-0 wins

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Only two sides will go to Day 4 of the Six Invitational 2023 with a perfect record: MNM Gaming and Soniqs.

While Soniqs were expected to look strong, especially after the signing of Ben "CTZN" McMillan, fans were perhaps not as optimistic about MNM Gaming.

But three days into the Six Invitational 2023, the marshmallows have silenced all the doubters. A strong showing against Wolves Esports, where the team only conceded five rounds, was followed by another great performance on Day 2, this time against Dire Wolves.

Despite that bright start, Day 3 was, on paper, the biggest challenge. The Jönköping Major grand-finalists Team Liquid, who had started with a painful loss against Soniqs, would have been out for blood.

Against all odds, MNM Gaming defeated Team Liquid 2-0 after a 7-4 victory on Kafe and an 8-6 win on Clubhouse.

"Liquid was a big test for us, not just for this game but also for the rest of our tournament," explained Nathan "Nathan" Sharp in an interview with SiegeGG after the conclusion of the match.

MNM's latest signing, who also played for them before his stint with NAVI, has adapted perfectly to his new (and old) team. It was a transition that was "easy", since the player was "friends" with the MNM players for a "long time".

His first match of the SI 2023 group stage was against the French side of Wolves Esports, who they had also played in Dec. 2022 in the EUL Finals. Then, the marshmallows had defeated the Wolves in a very comfortable series.

"Funny enough my last official (match) with NAVI was against Wolves and it was the same for the rest of the guys," shared Nathan. "So, we all were familiar with their play style and map pool, so preparation-wise nothing really changed but we were confident in our game plan and ban phase."

Now, after their three 2-0 victories, MNM are qualified for the SI 2023 playoffs and sit at the top of the standings of Group B with just one opponent left to play: Soniqs.

MNM's match against them tomorrow will not only be an exciting game for obvious competitive reasons, but it will also be Ben "CTZN" McMillan's return against one of his former organizations, MNM Gaming, and one of his former IGLs, Leon "neLo" Pesic. As such, tomorrow's clash has all of the ingredients to become one of the best matches of the group stage.

While still being labeled as a Cinderella team due to MNM's stature as an organization and the lack of experience its players have compared to other Siege teams, the marshmallows have been playing well to a point that the label is quickly becoming outdated.

Read more: "We almost never give up, and we always think that we can win": neLo on the MNM mentality that got them to the Major

"From the outset when I first joined, it was very clear that they didn’t want to just make events, but to go far and start winning them. So far that’s going to plan but that first place is what we’ve had our eyes on from the very beginning," Nathan explained.

Before traveling to Montreal, Canada, the team's coach Loïc "Eden" Sennepin admitted that MNM Gaming is a "team that needs momentum" and "the mood to perform", and Nathan echoed that sentiment after their Liquid win.

"With the experience and skill those guys (Team Liquid) have, we knew that if we can compete with them then we can compete with any team," he finished.

MNM Gaming will face Soniqs tomorrow at 10AM (UTC-5) with the goal to top Group B's standings by the end of the day.