Paving the Way for IEM Katowice

Virtus Pro captures their first trophy of the year 2022 before the preparations for one of the biggest esport events of the season – IEM Katowice. This latest addition to their trophy chamber will serve as a great boost of confidence ahead of the challenges they will soon have to face.

ESL Challengers February was a tough tournament, since the group stage and the playoffs were nothing less than amazing. Virtus Pro had the difficult task of winning four matches in the group stage, and two in the playoffs, followed by a dominating performance in the finals, against FURIA Esports. What makes this achievement even greater is that they cleared all the maps during their title run.

The American region has a lot to be proud of considering three of their teams qualified for the playoffs only two days into the tournament. The seriousness of the competition is best portrayed by the fact that teams like HEET and Movistar Riders ended the tournament after the group stage.
The Shooting Frenzy

One of the most exciting duels to bet on took place in the early stages of the championship, where FURIA and 9z tackled each other without holding back. Max Gonzales presented the biggest threat to Brazilians, forcing the match into the third map, but unfortunately, his efforts were not enough. The last map was easily conquered by Rafael “saffee” Costa and his squad, showing the rest of the other teams that they were serious about winning the whole thing.

But while FURIA was dealing with their opponents, Virtus Pro was also taking care of the business against Complexity. Although their matchup was not as competitive, the fans still got to enjoy a lot of exciting highlight plays, and the masterful performance by Mareks “YEKINDAR” Galinskis.

Once the finals were about to start, there was no doubt who are two of the best teams in the tournament. Both Virtus Pro and FURIA demolished their competition on the way to the top, and all there was left to see was which one of them was definitely the biggest fish in the pond. After the slow start of the Brazilian team, Virtus Pro was able to capitalize on their mistakes and take the early lead on the first map Inferno. FURIA struggled to find their offensive rhythm which resulted in their total oblivion and 16-5 score.

The next map, Overpass, was picked by Virtus Pro, and it turned out to be a perfect choice since FURIA could not get a grasp on their strategy whatsoever. Virtus Pro was gaining momentum round after round, and soon enough there was nothing that Brazilians could do, except to congratulate their rivals on a fair earned victory.

The Wrap Up for Virtus Pro

The whole tournament passed in a very electrifying atmosphere and if the book can be judged by its cover, this year will be phenomenal based on how it started. Given the fact that February is still ongoing, and there is a lot of time for these guys to hone their skills before IEM Katowice, all there’s left for us fans is to sit back and wait eagerly for the next round of best eSports excitement.