Field Level Media
26 Sep 2022, 03:10 GMT+10
Cloud9, FURIA Esports and Team Liquid locked up the final three playoff berths at ESL Pro League Season 16 as Group D action concluded Sunday in Malta.
Team Liquid handed Cloud9 its only loss of the group stage, 2-0, to cement third place in Group D. Despite the loss, Cloud9 still won the group and FURIA finished second after their 2-0 win over Evil Geniuses.
In Sunday's other matchup, Eternal Fire swept Movistar Riders 2-0.
The $835,000 Counter-Strike: Global Offensive event features 24 teams vying for a $175,000 first prize and a berth in the BLAST Premier World Final. Only the Season 16 champion will clinch a spot in the $1 million Final set for Dec. 14-18 in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.
The Season 16 winner also nabs a berth in the $1 million Intel Extreme Masters Katowice 2023, scheduled for Jan. 31-Feb. 12 in Poland.
The Pro League teams were divided into four groups for the initial round-robin phase. The four group champions advanced to the playoff quarterfinals, while the teams that come in second and third in each group moved on to the playoffs' Round of 12.
Cloud9 will join Team Vitality (Group A champion), G2 Esports (Group B) and MOUZ (Group C) in the playoff quarterfinals.
All matches in the group stage and the playoffs are best-of-three until the best-of-five final on Oct. 2.
Team Liquid defeated Cloud9 16-10 on Inferno and hung on for a 19-17 overtime win on Overpass. Mareks "YEKINDAR" Galinskis of Latvia starred for Team Liquid, scoring 62 kills on a plus-22 kills-to-deaths differential, while Canada's Keith "NAF" Markovic added 42 kills with a plus-8 differential. Russia's Sergey "Ax1Le" Rykhtorov had 47 kills on a plus-3 for Cloud9, and teammate and countryman Timofey "interz" Yakushin added 39 kills on a team-high plus-4.
The all-Brazilian FURIA squad outlasted Evil Geniuses 16-11 on Overpass and 16-12 on Nuke. Kaike "KSCERATO" Cerato had 55 kills and a whopping plus-27 K-D for FURIA, with teammate Rafael "saffee" Costa going for 41 kills on a plus-11. Sanzhar "neaLaN" Iskhakov of Kazakhstan led Evil Geniuses with 44 kills.
Eternal Fire went out strong by beating Movistar Riders 16-9 on Vertigo and 16-5 on Overpass. Turkey's Ismailcan "XANTARES" Dortkardes had 46 kills and a plus-23 K-D for Eternal Fire. Alejandro "alex" Masanet of Spain topped Riders with 32 kills.
The tournament continues Tuesday with two Round of 12 matches. The matchups had not been announced as of Sunday afternoon.
ESL Pro League Season 16 group standings
Group D
1. Cloud9, 4-1, 47, 12 points
2. FURIA Esports, 4-1, 38, 12 points
3. Team Liquid, 3-2, 12, 9 points
4. Evil Geniuses, 2-3, -7, 6 points
5. Eternal Fire, 2-3, -16, 6 points
6. Movistar Riders, 0-5, -74, 0 points
Group A
1. Team Vitality, 5-0, 40, 15 points
2. Fnatic, 3-2, 36, 9 points
3. Natus Vincere, 3-2, 6, 6 points
4. Team Spirit, 2-3, -9, 6 points
5. Ninjas in Pyjamas, 2-3, -31, 6 points
6. Endpoint, 1-4, -42, 3 points
Group B
1. G2 Esports, 5-0, 73, 15 points
2. FaZe Clan, 4-1, 39, 12 points
3. Outsiders, 3-2, 27, 9 points
4. BIG, 2-3, 3, 6 points
5. MIBR, 1-4, -62, 3 points
6. FTW Esports, 0-5, -80, 0 points
Group C
1. MOUZ, 4-1, 32, 12 points
2. Heroic, 4-1, 24, 12 points
3. Complexity, 3-2, -4, 9 points
4. Astralis, 2-3, 14, 6 points
5. ENCE, 1-4, -25, 3 points
6. HEET, 1-4, -41, 3 points
--Field Level MediaGet a daily dose of Iraq Sun news through our daily email, its complimentary and keeps you fully up to date with world and business news as well.
Publish news of your business, community or sports group, personnel appointments, major event and more by submitting a news release to Iraq Sun.
More InformationZURICH, Switzerland: The Swiss National Bank (SNB) lowered its key interest rate to zero percent on June 19 to respond to falling inflation,...
WASHINGTON, D.C.: The U.S. government is preparing to revise its influential dietary advice, with a significant shift: dropping the...
ZURICH, Switzerland: The U.S. saw an extraordinary rise in wealth last year, with more than 1,000 people crossing into millionaire...
THE HAGUE, Netherlands: The city that prides itself on being a beacon of peace and justice—home to institutions like the International...
BUENOS AIRES, Argentina: Since taking office in December 2023, Argentine President Javier Milei has implemented sweeping austerity...
LEMBATA, Indonesia: Indonesia's Mount Lewotobi Laki Laki erupted dramatically on June 18, generating substantial ash and smoke plumes....
WASHINGTON, DC - In a bid to defuse speculation, U.S. President Donald Trump says he will make his decision on whether to have the...
DUBAI, U.A.E.: As violence escalates between Iran and Israel, Tehran is turning to its Gulf neighbors to help broker a ceasefire —...
CALGARY, Alberta, Canada - U.S. President Donald Trump has announced he is leaving the G7 summit after just one day, and after refusing...
CAIRO, 21st June, 2025 (WAM) - Minister of Foreign Affairs, Emigration, and Egyptian Expatriates Badr Abdelatty made a phone call on...
SEOUL, 21st June, 2025 (WAM) - The UAE national rugby team (15-a-side category) defeated its South Korean counterpart 38-36 in the...
Tel Aviv [Israel], June 21 (ANI): The Israeli Air Force attacked and eliminated Amin For Judaki, commander of the second unmanned aerial...