M80 secure first Big Event playoffs appearance after marathon win over fnatic

A record-breaking octuple overtime win on Anubis gave way to another set of extra time on Inferno to see M80 through to their first Big Event playoffs.

M80 secured their place in ESL Pro League Season 20 playoffs after a marathon victory over fnatic, which saw the North American side clinch a record-breaking Anubis map after eight overtimes (37-34) and Inferno in another set of extra time (16-13).

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The victory comes as a crucial breakthrough for M80 and for the struggling North American region. Michael "⁠Swisher⁠" Schmid and company ensured the organization's first deep run at a Big Event in their fifth attempt and became the first North American team outside of Complexity or Liquid to make it to Big Event playoffs since EPICENTER 2019.

To say the achievement came hard-earned would be an understatement given M80 played a total of 100 rounds over the two maps and faced several deficits that looked nigh impossible to overcome.

The North American team first came back from 8-11 on Anubis to then battle through octuple overtime on the opening map. Nothing could separate the two teams for nearly three hours until Ethan "⁠reck⁠" Serrano and Swisher finally closed the record-breaking map in round 71 with this surprise move in a 2v3 post-plant situation:

As if one comeback and eight overtimes weren't enough, M80 also overturned a 5-11 scoreline on Inferno with a superb run on the T side with Mason "⁠Lake⁠" Sanderson leading the way to another victory in extra time.

Although they've already ensured their place in the playoffs in Malta, M80 are still to play for first place in the group against Imperial and a chance to move straight into the event's quarter-finals.