ESL One Katowice Group Stage Day 1 Recap
The first day of group stage games at ESL One Katowice concluded yesterday, and it brought unexpected twists and turns for some of the teams. Newbee, Evil Geniuses, Mineski, and Team Liquid, who were considered favorites, now find themselves in the lower bracket and at the risk of being eliminated. The best-of-one format of the early rounds has intensified the competition, with these teams potentially losing their chance at the title after just two days of play.
EG, in particular, faced difficulties in breaking away from their recent struggles in the Pro Circuit. They suffered a defeat against LGD Gaming, with LGD’s star player, Lu “Somnus丶M” Yao, delivering an exceptional performance as Dragon Knight. In just 26 and a half minutes, EG was halted by LGD, thanks to Yao’s 11-0 score.
On the other hand, Vici Gaming, LGD, and Team Kinguin showcased impressive resilience and skill by prevailing in best-of-one matches. VG and LGD’s advancement in the upper bracket wasn’t much of a surprise, but Kinguin’s victory over Newbee was truly remarkable.
The offlane matchup between Natan “Exotic_Deer” Michaelewicz and Damien “kpii” Chok stole the spotlight of the day. Exotic_Deer, playing as Kinguin’s safelane Nature’s Prophet, demonstrated absolute dominance over kpii. By strategically using his summons to win the deny battle, Exotic_Deer gained a two-level advantage over his opponent.
Upper and Lower Bracket Matchups
As a result of the first day’s games, the upper bracket matchups are set: VG will face Virtus Pro, Team Secret will play against LGD, and Fnatic will go head-to-head with Kinguin. In the lower bracket, Mineski will face OG, Liquid will go up against OpTic Gaming, Infamous will compete against EG, and Newbee will fight to avoid elimination against Natus Vincere.
The excitement at ESL One Katowice continues today at 7am ET. Don’t miss the action!
