Two Unexpected Upsets at ESL One Katowice
ESL One Katowice witnessed two major upsets in the recent matches. Vici Gaming emerged victorious against Virtus Pro in two closely contested games, while Fnatic outplayed Team Secret in a thrilling three-game series.
In the first upper bracket series, Vici Gaming showcased great resilience as they defeated the Russian and Ukrainian squad. Despite being at a 13,000 gold disadvantage in the first game, Vici Gaming stayed in the fight and eventually turned the tables. The second game went even better for Vici Gaming, finishing with a 26,000 gold lead after 52 minutes.
Vici Gaming’s cores, Zhang “Paparazi” Chengjun and Zeng “Ori” Jiaoyang, played crucial roles in their victories, along with Zhang “LaNm” Zhicheng. This impressive performance has secured Vici Gaming a place in the semifinals, while Virtus Pro has now dropped to the quarterfinals.
In the other group, Fnatic surprised everyone with their stellar performance against Team Secret. Abed “Abed” Yusop’s exceptional 15-3 display on Invoker helped Fnatic secure a win in the first game. In the entire match, Team Secret struggled to gain control as Fnatic maintained their lead in net worth.
Team Secret made a remarkable comeback in game two, overpowering Fnatic with a staggering net worth advantage of 53,654 gold. Marcus “Ace” Hoelgaard, Yeik “MidOne” Nai Zheng, and Adrian “Fata” Trinks stood out with their exceptional gameplay, leading Secret to a 35-kill advantage.
Game three was an absolute roller coaster ride. Although Fnatic was initially in control, Secret managed to turn the tables and establish a 17,000 gold advantage. However, Fnatic’s previous destruction of Secret’s tier 4 towers proved to be the deciding factor in the end.
UNiVeRsE’s game-changing Dark Rift teleport allowed Fnatic to secure victory despite losing two players to Secret’s final push. This move left Secret disappointed, especially Clement “Puppey” Ivanov and his team.
Fnatic’s impressive performance guarantees them at least 75 Pro Cirtuit points, placing them in the top 4. With only a 20-point difference from OG, Fnatic’s win over Secret brings them closer to closing the gap. However, if they want to make a big impact, they will need to maintain their momentum in the grand finals.
As for the lower bracket, EG crushed Team Kinguin in a two-game series, ending the hopes of the Polish team. On the other side, Newbee emerged victorious against LGD Gaming after three intense matches, solidifying their dominance in the Chinese region. EG and Newbee will now face each other in the final group stage match of the event.
ESL One Katowice, Vici Gaming, Virtus Pro, Fnatic, Team Secret, upsets, Chinese teams, EG, Newbee