ENCE lift their first trophy in years, as they win IEM Dallas 2023
The dust has settled, the cheers have faded, but the memories of an electrifying battle on the esports arena are still fresh in our minds.From the pulsating crowd to the intense competition, every element of IEM Dallas created an atmosphere that only the esports world could deliver. The final showdown captivated millions of viewers worldwide, as they witnessed the culmination of relentless training, strategic masterminds, and awe-inspiring plays.
It was ENCE who were crowned champions of Dallas, as they raised the coveted trophy, their first S-tier trophy in years. They proved to the world that they are no small team to be trifled with, as they beat MOUZ 2-0.
Map Picks & Bans:
MOUZ removed Anubis
ENCE removed Inferno
MOUZ picked Mirage
ENCE picked Nuke
MOUZ removed Overpass
ENCE removed Vertigo
Ancient was left over
The Final Game
Map 1: Mirage
ENCE kicked things off on Mirage in total domination, as they managed to pull off a 7 round win streak right off the bat. MOUZ only managed to claw back 4 rounds in the half, getting 2 a piece. They ended the first half 11-4 in favor of ENCE. MOUZ managed a decent start in the second half, as they took the first 4 rounds back-to-back. But ENCE answered back, as they allowed MOUZ only one more round after that stint, before they won the map 16-9.
Map 2: Nuke
Nuke started off with quite a bang, as frozen and JDC managed to take on the entire ENCE team to pull out the pistol round. This allowed MOUZ to take the next 3 rounds as well. But ENCE did not stay quiet for long. They had an explosive return to form, and managed to steal the half from MOUZ. The first half ended 9-6 in favor of ENCE. MOUZ had a great start in the second half, as they managed to take the first 4 rounds, but ENCE answered back with a 7 round win streak to end the map at 16-10, and won the series.
Watch the Full Game HERE.
The Accolades:
Alvaro "SunPayus" Garcia has been named the HLTV x 1xBet MVP of IEM Dallas. After ENCE's dominant victory over MOUZ in the grand final, they secured a $100,000 prize. SunPayus became the first-ever Spanish player to earn an HLTV MVP, showcasing his impact throughout the tournament. He consistently achieved ratings above 1.15 in every map win, stood out in close matches against Astralis and FaZe. And was ENCE's highest-rated player in most of their matches. SunPayus's impressive stats included an overall rating of 1.27 (#2), 0.79 kills per round (#5), 0.54 deaths per round (#3), 0.46 AWP kills per round (#1), and a 1.30 impact rating (#4). His main contender for the award, MOUZ's frozen, also had an outstanding performance.
In the End
MOUZ can find solace in their significant improvement shown at IEM Dallas. Considering their struggles earlier this year with early exits from tournaments. Despite a commendable performance by frozen and JDC in the final, they couldn't maintain their form consistently. They reverted to their previous underwhelming state. torzsi and xertioN had a particularly disappointing grand final. Which led to speculations about the need for changes within the team. On the other hand, ENCE will be ecstatic to secure a LAN title after undergoing a transition to a European roster led by Snappi as the in-game leader. The addition of NertZ before ESL Pro League proved beneficial, and SunPayus lived up to his reputation as a formidable player throughout the series. Thus justifying ENCE's decision to acquire him.