Ninjas in Pyjamas have exorcised some of their demons at the start of the
Rocket League tournament at the Esports World Cup. The Swedish team found themselves facing two opponents in the Group Stage against whom they had suffered defeats at the Paris Major two months ago: Shopify Rebellion and Twisted Minds, the tournament's runners-up. NiP began their campaign by taking down the Rebels on Wednesday, putting an end to a five-match losing streak against Western teams.
The Ninjas then showed considerable resilience to overcome Twisted Minds on Thursday, despite trailing by two goals in Game 5. Following the match and the playoffs qualification, Ole "oaly." van Doorn spoke to
Sheep Esports about how the team regrouped after a disastrous Major campaign. The Dutch player also discussed Nassim "nass" Bali's inclusion in the Netherlands' roster for the
Esports Nations Cup.
What do you think about the team's performance today?
Ole "oaly." van Doorn: “I think we played really well. There were some moments where we kind of faded away, but we picked it up well. We just got to keep it up for the next matches.
You had a rough Major in Paris. How did you fix the issue you had back in time?
oaly.: We just got like a new mentality. Like, we're going all in, we've got nothing to lose. This kind of mentality, and it seems to be working. Everyone feels great in the game.
Is this new mentality what helped you bounce back in the fifth game today? I think you were two or three goals behind.
oaly.: There's no point really giving up. We might just try and get a goal closer to equalize. If you get a goal, they start to crumble a bit as well, so you can attack them more, get more space, and hopefully win the match.
You had some issues against NA and EU teams these past few months. How does it feel to get that off your back against Shopify, who defeated you in Paris?
oaly.: Yesterday definitely felt really good. It was like a confirmation that we could actually keep up against the best in the world because we haven't shown that really. So definitely a nice confidence booster and we'll try and beat more EU and NA teams this event.
You also fell in Paris against Twisted Minds. What did you guys change besides your mentality to win today against the Major finalists?
oaly.: I don't think we changed much. We kind of crumbled in the Paris Major. We weren't really following what we were practicing during the weeks before, and I think what we're doing now is pretty much the work that we've done over the past few months.
Do you think that having a break, like no competition, no official matches, helps you to be more prepared for today?
oaly.: Honestly, I hated it. The entire two months we were away, I kept seeing the top 12 and I just wanted to change it, so I was waiting to play again.
Was there any change to your approach for EWC compared to last year with Geekay Esports?
oaly.: There are two different teams really. On NiP, we've got an entire structure and an idea of how we want to play. And GK was more of like, we've got two tournaments ahead of us, we haven't really done anything in the season, so we try and be as confident as possible and make the best of it. So I think it's two different ideas.
You finished second last year with GK. What will it take to make another run of that caliber this year in Paris?
oaly.: We're on a good path to make that happen again. If we keep playing like this, we'll grow into the tournament. I think that's pretty normal. So all we've got to focus on is keep our heads straight, keep the confidence up, and just play our game.
We have seen some teams and favorites like Karmine Corp or NRG fall down. You have the momentum with you today. How can the momentum help you for the remainder of the competition?
oaly.: It can definitely help. It can also be a bit tricky because we've got an off day tomorrow, on Friday. Sometimes you want to just keep playing every day. But an off day is definitely nice, watching other games, analysing a bit. An off day could work, but could also work against you.
Are you surprised by these upsets?
oaly.: I mean, NRG didn't look great in Paris as well, so maybe not that surprising,
but TSM is a tough loss. Spacestation defeating KC, I mean, that's very surprising in my opinion. I think they would at least get to the final pretty easily, considering how they played in Paris a few months ago.
How does it feel teaming with fellow Dutch player Joris "Joreuz" Robben?
oaly.: It's great. We also play FIFAe Nations League and eWorld Cup together, of course. I mean, it was pending for a few years already that we were teaming. But it's been really nice having a guy who speaks the same language and just to bond with. That's definitely a strength we're using to our advantage right now.
And you will have Nass with you at Esports Nations Cup. What does he bring and what do you think about it?
oaly.: I think it's great. After the Boston Major, I was like, “Please, can we get this guy?” I think I'm just going to sit back, do some 50s and just let the guy play.
So you think you had a role in bringing him in, playing for the Netherlands?
oaly.: I mean, a role, kinda, I guess. It was a bit back and forth with the federations. I pretty much asked if he was down and if it was possible, and luckily it was.
Which two teams do you see in the EWC finals on Sunday?
oaly.: We're definitely making the final, NIP, and give me Gentle Mates. I like Gentle Mates.
Why Gentle Mates?
oaly.: I don't know, I just have a feeling. I don't think from watching... They played Falcons earlier today, but I just don't think they're done yet.”
