Faker U. December 18, 2018
Two of Europe’s top up-and-coming teams are set to square off in the first ever WINNERS League final.
Bpro and x6tence Galaxy triumphed in their respective semifinal battles, setting a date for the competition featuring some of the best young Counter-Strike talents in Europe.
X6tence Galaxy was first to qualify, though it was no easy feat. The Swedish side faced off with Belarusian team Nemiga in the semifinals and was walloped in the first game of the best-of-three series, losing 16-2 on Dust2.
Nicolas “Plopski” Gonzalez Zamora wouldn’t see his team go down so easily. Plopski managed an outstanding 55 frags combined across the next two games, leading his team to tight victories on both Mirage and Nuke. Andre “BARBARR” Moller was also a big contributor, winning multiple clutch rounds that would prove vital in securing 19-16 and 16-14 scorelines.
Bpro was next to have their chance, battling Poland’s X-Com in the second semifinal series. Like x6tence Galaxy, Bpro got off to a slow start, losing their first game on Cache. But the Bulgarian side would not be deterred.
Nikolay “nik1” Pantaleev and Emiliyan “spyleadeR” Dimitrov each contributed 27 frags in game two, and every one of those frags was required to power Bpro to a 16-14 victory that forced a decisive third game.
That last game, played on Inferno, would prove a simpler affair. Bpro opened a 12-3 halftime lead with a successful attacking side. X-Com couldn’t respond in kind, and Bpro cruised to a 16-8 victory to close out the series 2-1.
Neither finalist has had an easy road to the final. X6tence Galaxy has gone the full three games in every playoff series the team has played, while Bpro has played two three-game series with only their opening playoff match finishing in a sweep.
The two sides emerged from the same group to qualify for the playoffs. The final series will now determine who takes home the lion’s share of the WINNERS League prize pool.