Virtus.pro secure Esports World Cup spot with Wildcard victory

Virtus.pro have secured their place in the MLBB Mid Season Cup Group Stage after an intense 3-1 victory over China’s Rare Atom in the Wildcard Grand Final, closing out the qualifying phase at the Esports World Cup in Riyadh in fittingly dramatic fashion.

The Russians entered the series as the slight favourites at -161.29 on BetOnline, while Rare Atom were live underdogs at +121 with the top esports betting sites—and those odds proved spot on as the match swung wildly before Virtus.pro finally slammed the door shut.

The MSC Wildcard, which ran from July 10-13, saw eight hopefuls randomly drawn into two double-elimination groups, each scrapping through best-of-three matches to reach the single-elimination Wildcard Playoffs.

Virtus.pro weathered a few close calls in the earlier rounds but found their stride as the stakes rose, leaning on explosive plays from stars like Andrew “Andoryuuu” Lew Flora and Егор “Super Egorka” Бугаев, whose Kimmy was one of the most decisive heroes across the entire Wildcard, boasting a whopping 77.78% win rate.

In the Grand Final, Virtus.pro roared out of the gates in Game 1 behind a suffocating gold lead and precise rotations, only for Rare Atom to punch back with fury in Game 2, dismantling the Russians 16-1 in one of the shortest games of the tournament at just over eleven minutes.

Game 3 flipped the narrative again as Denis “BadKot” Bogomolov’s Phoveus locked down Rare Atom’s mobile heroes and Andoryuuu’s Ling cleaned up fights, putting Virtus.pro on match point.

Game 4 became a gritty slugfest where Virtus.pro’s experience ultimately trumped Rare Atom’s aggression; a crucial Lord fight finally broke the stalemate and sent Virtus.pro charging into the base to seal the series.

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The triumph means Virtus.pro now move on to the Group Stage from July 23-27, where 16 teams—including powerhouses from MPL ID, MPL PH, and MPL MY—will battle in a double-elimination format for just eight coveted knockout spots.

As the Eastern Europe and Central Asia first seed, Virtus.pro join Pool 1, ensuring they’ll avoid drawing another EECA squad in their group due to region protection rules.

For Rare Atom, the heartbreak is real, but they leave Riyadh with heads held high, proving they can slug it out with top-tier squads on the global stage.

Meanwhile, Virtus.pro turn their eyes to a minimum US$100,000 payday and precious Esports World Cup Club Points as the MSC war continues in Saudi Arabia.