NiP beat Sprout; Vitality lead Group B after defeating Heroic

Ninjas in Pyjamas got their first points in the ESL Pro League Season 10 group stage after a three-map series against Sprout, while Vitality momentarily take first place in Group B after defeating HEROIC.

Ninjas in Pyjamas and Sprout started off their match on Mirage, the Ninjas’ map pick. Despite an early 2-0 lead by Sprout on the attack, it was the Swedes who managed to assert dominance in the first half, taking double the rounds of their opponents for a 10-5 half. The German side were able to take control on the defense and managed to take it all the way back to an 11-11 tie, but Ninjas in Pyjamas finally found the key on the attack, going on to close their map pick 16-13.

Sprout showed their best side on Nuke, and did so early on with an 11-round CT half. With Patrik "⁠f0rest⁠" Lindberg being the only Ninjas in Pyjamas player able to put up a fight on the map, Sprout didn’t take long to close it out, winning four rounds in a row on the offense to make it 16-4.

Inferno started with Sprout taking three rounds on the CT side before Ninjas in Pyjamas brought it back to a tie with three rounds of their own. The Swedes then won round after round to build a 9-3 lead on the way to another 10-5 half. Ninjas in Pyjamas hit 14 rounds right after the switch, and although Sprout made a serios comeback attempt, it was the Ninjas that eventually closed the map and series out in the last round, 16-14.

Vitality won the CT pistol round on Train, HEROIC’s pick, but were unable to follow it up, taking an early 1-3 deficit. Both teams then split the following six rounds as the Danes took a 6-4 lead, although Vitality managed to win the preferred side albeit just by one round, 8-7. HEROIC were able to get the best of the French side in the second half, but Vitality clawed their way back late in the map to bring it to round 30 although it was finally the Danes that closed the map out.

Dust2 was a very different story as Vitality stepped up their game and didn’t give HEROIC a chance. After winning the first three rounds on the attacking side, they went on to win the half never giving up the lead, 13-2. HEROIC made an incredible comeback attempt in the second half, taking the map all the way to 29 rounds, but it was finally the Frenchmen on a forcebuy who were able to push the series to a third map.

HEROIC took the lead on Nuke on the attack, trying to lock down the Group B first place and a direct invitation to the Finals in Odense, but Vitality had other plans as they regained their footing and won the half 9-6. HEROIC turned it back around, however, winning seven rounds in a row to take a 13-9 lead before Vitality managed to get to double digits. With the ball rolling, however, the French team started to find the crevices in HEROIC’s defense, winning the decider map 16-13.