The marathon for Counter Strike fans has started for good. The 15th season of the ESL Pro League has started and the first week is a thing of the past. The teams from Group A, in which the favorites for promotion were selected in advance. Meanwhile, the team from the very top in the world ranking dropped out of the list of participants very quickly. CS: GO proved again that in its reality nothing is absolutely certain.
ESL Pro League. Favorite overboard – G2 eliminated
Looking at the list of Group A, there were no doubts about a sure candidate for promotion. All six of the six G2 Esports stood out. The fourth team in the world ranking in the eyes of everyone just had to move on without any discussion.
Only that bad luck from the beginning of the “Samurai”. First, the coronavirus eliminated Aleksi “Aleksib” Virolainen from the first days of the competition. It was necessary to add a reserve, which was quickly reflected in the results. While G2 easily won in the first series with Looking For Org, other rivals imposed much more resistance on them. They were beaten by the MOUZ. It was also a defeat against Fnatic, which everyone predicted would be a failure. The question of being boiled down to the series with Entropiq. “Aleksib” came back to the game and it seemed that G2 would finally show its full potential.
And what am I, but the match provided emotions of the highest caliber. Full three maps and three extra periods. Beautiful individual shows on both sides. However, it was not G2 who enjoyed the result in the end. After a fierce match, the Russians defeated their opponent and it was they who secured their advancement to the play-off phase.
To say that G2 was not very revealing. They were favorites to win in the whole league, meanwhile they said goodbye to the competition in its first phase. Too early to talk about the crisis, nevertheless, it is a huge slip-up and a stain on the honor of the organization. The season is still long and broad, but there are no more stumbles of this kind.
ESL Pro League. Fnatic is surprisingly good
Fnatic was on its way to Düsseldorf as it was on a cut. Their composition has been exhausted by various kinds of turmoil and the case of the coronavirus. The form did not shine before. Eventually, in Germany, they played with two academy players and a matched stand-in. Overall, only two players were from the original roster of the organization.
Perhaps this took the pressure off the British organization, because the team became more and more focused as the group progressed. It started with a failure, but then gradually improved its balance sheet. The series with G2 and MOUZ showed the steadfast character of the team. It was not easy, but Fnatic took three wins, which was enough for a smooth promotion. Nobody had anticipated such a scenario.
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The leaders of the organization, rather, did not expect such a turn of events. The warehouse is currently undergoing a major reconstruction. Owen “smooya” Butterfield recently retired, and the fate of Ludvig “Brollan” Brolin is now in question. If the Swede had gone his way too, they would have already vacated two vacancies. What they will come up with in Fnatic and who will definitely take care of them is an extremely interesting question that will guide the next weeks around the brand. Certainly, thanks to appearances in the EPP, there appeared a completely new perspective of building a team on young players.
ESL Pro League. Australians won the hearts of viewers, but not the table
Raisin not only in Group A, but also on the scale of the entire tournament. Australian Looking For Org appeared in the ESL Pro League as the only representative of their region. As the name suggests, the gentlemen are not contracted by any organization. In the EPP, quite rightly, no one gave them greater chances. They may not have defended themselves with the results, but they provided a fantastic atmosphere and showed something more than a good game.
Instead of the coach, the father of one of the players came with them. He proudly represented the colors of the team, additionally wearing a T-shirt with a QR code leading to a page where potential employers can submit an offer to the Australian five. The players remained in a good mood all the time, even after losing all five games.
The disposition of Australians was very fond of Internet users. The team may return home, but they will surely be fondly remembered. It would be a real success if someone really gave them a chance by offering contracts. Such a proposal is an opportunity for development. So who knows – if a specific employer appears, maybe soon Australians will be treated seriously at tournaments, and not as some kind of mascot.
ESL Pro League. Group A table
- Ninjas in Pajamas ~ 12 points 4-1
- Entropiq ~ 12 points 4-1
- Fnatic 9 points 3-2
- MOUZ 6 points 2-3
- G2 Esports 6 Points 2-3
- Looking For Org 0 points 0-5
Ninjas in Pajamas, Entropiq and Fnatic came out of Group A for the play-offs. G2 Esports, MOUZ and Looking For Org left the tournament.
Source: Sport
Tristin is an accomplished author and journalist, known for his in-depth and engaging writing on sports. He currently works as a writer at 247 News Agency, where he has established himself as a respected voice in the sports industry.
