Apeks dominate FURIA, secure Espoo semis spot

Tim "⁠nawwk⁠" Jonasson and company join HAVU in the top-four stage in Espoo, Finland.

Apeks have clinched the top spot in Group B and secured a spot in the semi-finals of Elisa Masters Espoo. The European squad followed up their double-overtime opening win over MOUZ with a convincing beating of FURIA on two maps.

The Brazilians fall to the group decider to face off against the winning side from the MOUZ and Complexity elimination match on Friday.

Date	Matches
Elisa Masters Espoo 2023
01/12/2023	FURIA 18:50 MOUZ	Match

nawwk, Joakim "⁠jkaem⁠" Myrbostad, and Aleksandar "⁠CacaNito⁠" Kjulukoski powered Apeks in their second win, with the Swedish AWPer sitting atop the board with a superb 41-11 score and 1.81 rating.

The trio were key to their Inferno T side getting off to a flying start, combining for a second-round forcebuy win and a 2v4 turnaround in round seven. They only let go of one gunround in the whole first half and closed the opening map on the CT side without too much trouble.

Vertigo turned out even more one-sided, with nawwk spearheading a great first half with 16 kills and two clutches. Another fumble from FURIA in a 5v3 situation in round eight and a 2v1 loss to the Swede a couple of rounds later left them with no room to breathe heading into the second half, and Apeks ran out 13-3 victors.

jkaem spoke to HLTV following the match saying the run straight to the semi-finals came "a little bit unexpected" given that two in-form teams in MOUZ and Complexity were in their group.

The Norwegian credited their performance to a change in approach and looser atmosphere. "We are now trying to be looser, have more fun, not have this 'It’s a business, it’s a game that’s your job, take it super serious,' we are trying to put that one away a little bit."