Group B
1. Sheth215-2
2. NaNiwa215-3
3. ClouD214-4
4. Stephano031-6
Stephano 0-2 Sheth
ClouD 2-1 NaNiwa
Stephano 0-2 NaNiwa
Sheth 2-0 ClouD
Stephano 1-2 ClouD
NaNiwa 2-1 ShethThe ESWC and IPL3 champion Stephano had a terrible second day, only winning one game in the group stage against ClouD, NaNiwa and Sheth. The player earning the exclamation mark in Group B was indeed Sheth who went five straight victories.

The first best of three showed us that this wasn't a regular Friday. ClouD defeated NaNiwa after first having lost a huge lead in the first game, played out on Metalopolis. In game two ClouD played with a an excellent marine, marauder medivac which NaNiwa countered a bit strange, seemingly to react against a three-barracks build when it in fact was five barracks.

The third game saw ClouD with a slick five-marine two-marauder and bunker attack to NaNiwa's fast expansion which proved to take more damage that initially predicted. NaNiwa lost his expansion, but attempted a counter-attack that failed to ClouD's scary marine, marauder force. NaNiwa would eventually call game to put ClouD off to a great start in the second group stage.

The Italian did his a bit of a brick wall to the wonderful Sheth who's been sporting a great Zerg play throughout the tournament. Sheth's mutalisks and zerglings was and constant aggression proved too much for ClouD.

But thanks to a somewhat quick series against the second day letdown Stephano, ClouD could land at 2-1 (4-4).

It didn't prove to be enough though, as home turf favourite NaNiwa had his tournament life at stake in the last series of the group, against Sheth. NaNiwa lost a tough first game after losing too many units in the beginning. He was able to take the second game with brute force and some slick immortal/zealot drops. And by defending to the skin of his teeth to an all-in zergling/roach attempt by Sheth in the third game, the Swede could get that important 5-3 round score advance to the finals.