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G2 Esports has secured a spot in the playoffs of ESL Pro League Season 19 after a thrilling victory over M80 in the Group B Last Chance Stage.
Their revenge win included a nail-biting triple overtime on Ancient as the two Counter-Strike teams traded rounds late, before a tense match on Inferno.
In their previous encounter, M80 had sent G2 to the Last Chance Stage after a surprising upset, dominating on Ancient but barely edging out a victory on Vertigo.
The FINAL team from Group B to advance to the #ESLProLeague Season 19 Playoffs! 🙌
Congratulations @G2CSGO 🥳🥳 pic.twitter.com/2W3m9yOlva
— ESL Counter-Strike (@ESLCS) April 28, 2024
G2’s journey through the Last Chance Stage was exhausting, as Nikola ‘NiKo’ Kovač mentioned in the post-game broadcast.
Their fatigue was evident, especially for NiKo, who struggled at the start of Ancient, facing disadvantageous duels and missing timings.
M80 initially took the lead, but G2 fought back, led by Nemanja ‘huNter-‘ Kovač and with NiKo making a monumental recovery in the later stages.
NiKo’s clutch plays helped G2 force multiple overtimes and eventually secure the win.
Moving to Inferno, M80 faced an uphill battle, unable to beat G2 in their previous encounter.
Although they had some close rounds, G2 ultimately dominated, with NiKo delivering another standout performance, including a crucial smoke defuse that shattered M80’s hopes.
Meanwhile, Virtus.pro secured their playoff spot after successful wins against Fnatic and SAW in the Last Chance Stage.
Welcome to the #ESLProLeague Season 19 Playoffs @virtuspro! 🙌🎊
They managed to finish 4th in Group A, advancing to the RO16 🥳 pic.twitter.com/zXnS6Wwizf
— ESL Counter-Strike (@ESLCS) April 28, 2024
This victory marked their fifth consecutive win over SAW, with Evgenii ‘FL1T’ Lebedev and Petr ‘fame’ Bolyshev leading the charge.
Denis ‘electroNic’ Sharipov, VP’s newest addition, highlighted the team’s ongoing adjustment process, emphasizing the need to find the right balance in their gameplay.
Vertigo, a map previously permabanned by electroNic, became a part of VP’s strategy, with the team performing well on it throughout the tournament.
In their series against SAW, Virtus.pro dominated Vertigo, showcasing their strength on the map.
Despite some early clutches from SAW on Overpass, Virtus.pro’s solid defence and individual performances secured their victory, sealing their place in the playoffs.
After the first week of play, we bid farewell to M80 and SAW, along with Imperial, Sharks, Fnatic, Team Falcons, Eternal Fire and TYLOO.
Meanwhile, Astralis, 3DMAX, FaZe Clan, Virtus.pro, Team Vitality, TheMongolz, BetBoom and G2 Esports advanced to the playoffs from Groups A and B.
The 19th season of the ESL Pro League will continue on April 30 as the teams in Groups C and D kick off their campaigns.
