Gambit beat North; to ESL One New York

Gambit topped the European qualifier and will attend ESL One New York after beating North in four maps, winning Dust2, Mirage, and Overpass, despite a one map deficit due to coming from the lower bracket.

The first map, Dust2, kicked off with Gambit on the attacking side taking the early lead after Abay "⁠HObbit⁠" Khassenov scored a triple on the pistol. The Kazakh-Russian side then carried a heavy lead into the first half with an 11-4 partial. The second half took a turn for the worse for Gambit, as North took control, winning 10 out of 11 rounds to steal the lead, 14-12. Ultimately, though, Gambit were able to adjust and save the map to make it 1-1 as the Danes had the map advantage coming from the upper bracket.

Train started out going the way of Gambit, on the attacking side once again, but this time North didn’t let the Kazakh-Russian side run away like on the previous map as there was a draw on the board after ten rounds. Having taken the lead, 8-7, into the half, North were then able to keep the ball rolling in the second half by winning the match out on the Terrorist side, 16-7.

The first half of Mirage was a disputed affair as Gambit on the CT side and North as Ts kept it close during the early and middle of the first 15 rounds, but with a strong finish the Danes were able to take it 10-5 before the switch. With a clean pistol round on the attacking side, Gambit were able to stay in the game, but were reset in the the third round of the half. Gambit then mounted the comeback, as North watched them take the map in the last round, 16-14, taking it to the decider.

Overpass started going the way of Gambit, who on the attacking side won the pistol round, and despite losing the first gun round were able to break North’s economy twice to take an early lead in the first half and riding it out, 11-4, after giving the last two rounds of the half to the Danes. North then won the pistol round, but lost to Gambit against the forcebuy. The Kazakh-Russian side weren’t able to double up, though, giving North a chance at coming back. Finally, however, it was Gambit who was able to bag it on the defence, 16-10, to take the match and qualify for ESL One New York.

With one spot left for the winner of the North American qualifier, the current roster confirmed to attend ESL One New York in Septmeber is: