Vitality Eliminated by Eternal Fire in Quarterfinals of EPL Season 20
In a stunning quarterfinal clash at ESL Pro League Season 20, Turkish squad Eternal Fire shocked the world by eliminating Team Vitality. The underdogs pulled off the upset to earn their spot in the semifinals. This unexpected triumph came after a grueling three-map series that saw Eternal Fire rise to the challenge and overpower the current Number 1 team in the world.
The Journey to the Quarterfinals
Team Vitality entered the quarterfinals after an impressive run in Group D, where they finished at the top, securing a direct pass to the quarterfinals.
On the other hand, Eternal Fire had to fight their way through the playoffs. They finished second in Group A after losing to Natus Vincere, but secured their quarterfinal berth with a win over The MongolZ in the Round of 12.
Eternal Fire 2-1 Team Vitality
The series kicked off on Eternal Fire’s map pick, Anubis. Despite Vitality taking an early lead and reaching map point first, Eternal Fire made a brilliant comeback, pushing the map into overtime. With nerves of steel, the Turkish side clinched four out of six overtime rounds to win 16-14.
Vitality responded fiercely on their pick, Nuke, where star players Mathieu "ZywOo" Herbaut and Lotan "Spinx" Giladi unleashed dominating performances. With a flawless CT side, they crushed Eternal Fire 13-5, forcing the decider.
The final map, Inferno, proved to be a thriller, with both teams pushing the game into another overtime. However, it was İsmailсan "XANTARES" Dörtkardeş who stole the show, dropping an astounding 41 kills. Eternal Fire emerged victorious with a 22-20 score, eliminating Vitality and advancing to the semifinals.
With Vitality eliminated, they have let another chance to win a trophy slip from their hands. With their only piece of silverware of the year being from IEM Cologne, they have not had the most spectacular season this year.
This victory adds to Eternal Fire's list of upsets, following their dominance over MOUZ at BetBoom Dacha Belgrade #2 2024. After a strong showing at the Copenhagen Major, the Turkish squad continues to prove they are a rising force in the CS2 scene, capable of challenging any top-tier team.
They have now secured their first-ever appearance in the semifinals of the ESL Pro League, marking a significant milestone for the team. However, they will have to keep up this level of performance if they have any hopes of lifting trophies soon.
Stay tuned to the playoffs to witness which of these teams will claim the trophy on ESL's official Twitch & YouTube channels.
For real-time updates, follow the official ESL Counter-Strike account on X (formerly Twitter).
You can also track all the action on the official Strafe Android and iOS apps, as well as the Strafe website.
Featured Image Source: Screenshot from livestream/ESL
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