Fluxo Demons, 9 Pandas Fearless progress to ESL Impact League playoffs

Three-time ESL Impact League champions Nigma Galaxy have suffered their first LAN loss in history.

poppins helped Fluxo Demons overcome Nigma Galaxy

The ESL Impact League Season 4 Finals have officially started, and day one culminated with two teams booking their place in the playoffs of the $123,000 event. Fluxo Demons and 9 Pandas Fearless both advanced from the opening fixtures undefeated to secure spots in the knockout stages in Valencia.

The biggest talking point of the day revolved around Nigma Galaxy, the dominant force in female Counter-Strike, as they experienced their first LAN defeat. The Russian team fell to Fluxo Demons in the group stage to end their remarkable 21-match winning streak, and will now need to fight for a playoff spot on Saturday.

The Brazilian team had begun their campaign in Group A with a hard-fought victory against Mounira "⁠GooseBreeder⁠" Dobie's FlyQuest RED. Despite being touted as an underdog against Nigma Galaxy, Fluxo Demons came out swinging and dominated the CT side of Vertigo to win the half 9-3, and did more than enough to secure a comfortable 13-6 victory with the help of Nadjila "⁠poppins⁠" Sanchez Rodrigues's 1vs3 clutch.

Shortly afterward, they were joined in the playoffs by Group B winners 9 Pandas Fearless, who secured a 13-10 opening victory against FURIA fe that qualified them for the winners' match, where they demolished NAVI Javelins 13-3.

In the final match of the day, Shimmer were eliminated from the competition. The squad, which is competing with Aida "⁠Aidy⁠" Garcia instead of Abigail "⁠abby⁠" Deters after the North American player fractured her wrist a day before their opening match, leaves the Spanish tournament in last place following defeats to NAVI Javelins and FURIA fe.

Date	Matches
ESL Impact League Season 4 Finals
08/12/2023	Nigma Galaxy Finished 13:10 HSG fe	Match
08/12/2023	FlyQuest RED Finished 12:16 Fluxo Demons	Match
08/12/2023	FURIA fe Finished 10:13 9 Pandas Fearless	Match
08/12/2023	NAVI Javelins Finished 13:7 Shimmer	Match
08/12/2023	Nigma Galaxy Finished 6:13 Fluxo Demons	Match
08/12/2023	9 Pandas Fearless Finished 13:3 NAVI Javelins	Match
08/12/2023	FURIA fe Finished 2:0 Shimmer	Match

The next day of competition at ESL Impact League Season 4 Finals will begin with an elimination match between Olga "⁠Olga⁠" Rodrigues' HSG fe and FlyQuest RED before NAVI Javelins face off against FURIA fe in the Group B decider match. Nigma Galaxy will then take on the winner of HSG fe vs. FlyQuest RED for a playoff spot in the final match of the day.

Date	Matches
ESL Impact League Season 4 Finals
09/12/2023	HSG fe 11:00 FlyQuest RED	Match
09/12/2023	NAVI Javelins 13:20 FURIA fe	Match
09/12/2023	Nigma Galaxy 16:45 HSG fe	Match