BetBoom edge past M80 to reach EPL S19 playoffs

M80 have been relegated to the Last Chance Stage despite a spirited performance.

BetBoom have qualified for the ESL Pro League S19 playoffs after a marathon series against M80 (Ancient 7-13, Mirage 13-6, Anubis 16-14).

"It's always nice to play these long games, but it's even nicer when you win them," said an elated Aleksandr "⁠KaiR0N-⁠" Anashkin in the post-match interview. "There were a few rounds where we should have had stuff more under control, but we kept on being quiet and focused. They were screaming in the first map, and it's really nice to scream back."

The teams had met earlier in the tournament, when BetBoom prevailed in a close three-map series after winning the Mirage decider 13-11.

Vladislav "⁠nafany⁠" Gorshkov and company were able to complete the double over M80 in another close affair, with the Elias "⁠s1n⁠" Stein-led squad relegated to the Last Chance Stage. They will now need to win two consecutive matches to book their EPL S19 playoff spot, with TYLOO the first team standing before them.

Date	Matches
ESL Pro League Season 19
27/04/2024	TYLOO 16:30 M80	Match

The series began on M80's pick of Ancient, where Michael "⁠Swisher⁠" Schmid and company got eight rounds on their offense, which put them in the driver's seat for the map. While they faltered to BetBoom's second-round forcebuy, they quickly recovered to post a 13-8 victory and get themselves one map away from the playoffs.

Mirage began terribly for BetBoom, who collected just three kills in the first five rounds before they bounced back to tie up the scores at 6-6 with the help of Aleksandr "⁠zorte⁠" Zagodyrenko's AWP. They took that momentum into the second half and put up a flawless CT side, winning 13 out of the last 14 rounds to tie up the series and force the decider.

Anubis was the final battleground, where M80 won the pistol but were visibly second-best throughout the rest of the first half as they struggled to counter Kirill "⁠Magnojez⁠" Rodnov's aggressive plays.

The new boy continued to find impact in the second half and stopped a B attack with three swift kills, which enabled his team to go up 9-5. That lead wasn't enough for BetBoom to close out the match in regulation, though, as M80 forced out overtime, only to fall at the final hurdle as BetBoom picked up a 16-14 victory.