ELEAGUE Last Chance-Qualifier Wraps Up with Virtus.pro and mousesports Advancing to Playoffs
Yesterday, ELEAGUE’s last chance-qualifier concluded, with Virtus.pro and mousesports securing their spots in the playoffs of the $1.4 million tournament.
It comes as no surprise that these two European squads were considered favorites to advance into the final stage of ELEAGUE. Virtus.pro, in particular, has been on a hot streak, being the only team to defeat ESL One Cologne champions SK Gaming throughout the event.
The confrontation between Virtus.pro and surprise contenders Renegades turned into an intense battle, with outstanding performances from both sides. Wiktor “TaZ” Wojtas in particular shined in the series opener, dominating the scoreboard and showcasing his skill.
While Virtus.pro comfortably won the first map, Cobblestone, with a 16-9 scoreline, the second map, Mirage, defied all expectations. Renegades’ Karlo “USTILO” Pivac and Aaron “AZR” Ward delivered heroic performances, turning a 3-12 round deficit in the first half into a 15-15 tie. The match even went into overtime, hinting at a third deciding map.
However, the longest-standing lineup in Counter-Strike: Global Offensive history, Virtus.pro, closed out the second overtime and secured their spot in the ELEAGUE playoffs.
In the final series, the contrast between two teams, FaZe and Mousesports, was evident. FaZe heavily relies on the individual fragging power of its players, while Mousesports has Nikola “NiKo” Kovač as its x-factor. Despite the discussions surrounding NiKo’s performance, Mousesports emerged victorious in the series, potentially signaling a shift in their dependence on star player NiKo.
The ELEAGUE playoffs will begin on July 21, featuring Fnatic, EnVyUs, NiP, Astralis, Na’Vi, Cloud9, Virtus.pro, and mousesports.