by G2 Esports secured their spot in the quarterfinals of ESL Pro League Season 19 after a hard-fought 2-1 (13-10, 7-13, 13-6) victory over 3DMAX.
Despite a slow start in the first two maps, G2 rallied in the third, led by Nikola “NiKo” Kova?’s outstanding performance, earning him a series-high 1.30 rating.
Quarter-Finals for @G2CSGO at #ESLProLeague Season 19! ? pic.twitter.com/arZWSI4n5b
— ESL Counter-Strike (@ESLCS) May 8, 2024
Rasmus “HooXi” Nielsen credited NiKo’s improved form to a change in their CT strategy, giving him a more active role in the game.
With this win, G2 advances to face MOUZ in the quarterfinals.
Liquid narrowly avoided a comeback from FlyQuest, winning 2-1 (13-10, 14-16, 13-10).
Despite building significant leads in all three maps, Liquid struggled to close out, with FlyQuest forcing overtime on Anubis.
IT'S TOP 8 OF #ESLProLeague SEASON 19 FOR @TeamLiquidCS ?? pic.twitter.com/QkjR1tZjnr
— ESL Counter-Strike (@ESLCS) May 8, 2024
However, Liquid secured victory on Ancient, setting up a must-watch Counter-Strike series against Astralis.
The upcoming Liquid vs. Astralis match promises intrigue, especially with Casper “cadiaN” M?ller facing his former HEROIC teammates.
Liquid’s shaky form raises questions about their competitiveness against Astralis, who have been in top form since adding Alexander “br0” Bro.
FaZe secured revenge against NAVI, winning 2-0 (13-5, 16-14) after losing to them in the PGL Major Copenhagen finals.
FaZe dominated Nuke and narrowly won Mirage, setting up a quarterfinal clash with Vitality.
After taking down the current Major Champions @FaZeClan are now in the #ESLProLeague Season 19 TOP 8! 8?? pic.twitter.com/AF3rsP6NUO
— ESL Counter-Strike (@ESLCS) May 8, 2024
FaZe’s Finn “karrigan” Andersen led his team’s dominant performance on Nuke, while Robin “ropz” Kool and H?vard “rain” Nygaard anchored a strong Mirage defense.
Virtus.pro completed the quarterfinal lineup with a thrilling 2-1 (11-13, 13-6, 13-11) victory over TheMongolz.
After trailing on Ancient, Virtus.pro mounted a stunning comeback to win 11-13.
Mirage saw Virtus.pro take an early lead, thanks to Petr “fame” Bolyshev’s inspired play, while TheMongolz fought back but couldn’t overcome their opponent’s dominance.
On Ancient, Virtus.pro faced an 11-2 deficit but staged an incredible comeback to win 16-13, sealing their spot in the quarterfinals.
Despite Virtus.pro’s disorganized start, they showed resilience and determination, as highlighted by David “n0rb3r7” Danielyan’s post-match remarks.
Their thrilling victory sets up a clash against Complexity in the quarterfinals.
