Team Nigma Galaxy Claims the title at ESL Impact League S1 Finals

The good news is coming from Texas, where ESL Impact League Season 1 has just ended. The CS:GO tournament organized for lady competitors was nothing less than a spectacle, and it hints toward the bright future of women’s esports.

The European team won the first ESL Impact League after defeating FURIA in a three-map series.

Nigma Galaxy won the ESL Impact League Season 1 Finals title in Dallas, Texas, after defeating FURIA fe in a three-map series that resulted in the European team taking home the $50,000 lion’s share of the prize over their South-American opponents to bring the three-day LAN event to a close.

The Finals Recap

Nigma Galaxy began their epic post-season with a 2-1 series win over BIG EQUIPA before the grand final. The Russian-majority team fell behind 0-1, dropping Ancient to the Iberian team, before winning it in two very dominant performances on Inferno and Overpass.

FURIA fe, on the other side, got off to a shaky start, surrendering their Vertigo selection 3-16 and falling behind 10-14 on the Mirage map, CLG Red’s pick, but the Brazilians recovered and won the game in overtime to get to the third map – Dust2.

Karina “kaah” Takahashi and her teammates thrashed the North American squad 15-0 on the offensive before winning 16-2 in the grand final.

The tournament’s final match took place on Mirage, FURIA fe’s choice, where they showed to be the better attacking side by winning the first half 9-6. Nigma Galaxy, on the other hand, didn’t give up and turned the tables on their own terrorists, leading 12-10 moving into the latter phases of the round before the FURIA, led by Mariana “mari” Preste and Olga “Olga” Rodrigues, changed things around the last rounds.

Ksenia “vilga” Kluenkova, a veteran, then blitzed the Terrorists’ side of the Vertigo map with exactly 20 kills before the transition, putting her team up 11-4. On the CT side, Nigma Galaxy gained command and dominated the game, winning 16-5 to send the series to a deciding map.

Overpass, which was the map that both of the finalists experienced during their group stage duel, decided the series in an overtime close finish for the Europeans. On the Counter-Terrorists side, Nigma Galaxy was quick to assert their dominance and go on a run to end the half 14-1.

FURIA began to re-enter the map after winning a pistol round but were cut short by Alexandra’s twenty”3quad”-kills. Nigma Galaxy won the tournament in Dallas and hoisted the trophy when Timonina led her side to match point, which they converted 16-7.

The Conclusion

The tournament we have just witnessed has played a huge part in the development of women’s esports, and one day will definitely go down in the history book as the event that set the highest standards in terms of organization quality.

However, we are cheering for the ladies’ tournaments to become even bigger in commercial terms, because they deserve to be rewarded for all the entertainment they give us with their amazing performances.