As you probably know, the playoffs of the 52nd ESEA season have recently begun. Teams have started their battle for advancement to the next stages of the competition, with emotions running high from the very first matches. Most squads have already played their opening games — either on the server or by winning by default. Today, we’ll take a closer look at how our partners have performed so far.
Is this the end for Saturlity Esports? Loss by forfeit!
- Hetero5 2:0 Saturlity
- Train, 1:0
- Dust, 1:0
- Ancient, potential decider
If this match had been played as scheduled, we could have seen plenty of excitement and likely a different veto. However, due to Saturlity’s absence, the maps were selected randomly, which could have made for an interesting spectacle – but this time, Hetero5 won by forfeit. Fortunately, it’s not the end for Saturlity, as the ESEA playoffs follow a double-elimination format. If the team shows up in full force for their next matches, they still have a shot at advancing to the Intermediate division or the newly established Entry division.
- vs disbanded team
It’s hard to tell whether it’s luck or bad fortune, but after their forfeit loss, Saturlity faced a disbanded team — earning another win without playing. However, this is just the beginning of their journey in the lower bracket. Will we finally see Saturlity fight on the server in their next matches?
- Monday, 10.03. 20:30, NOBILIS
Saturlity’s next match is scheduled against the Russian team NOBILIS. Whether this clash will actually take place, we’ll find out on Monday. For now, all we can do is keep our fingers crossed and hope to finally see the team in action.
Panico eSports’ fantastic Playoff start!
- Panico eSports 2:1 G78
- Ancient, 13:6
- Nuke, 9:13
- Mirage, 13:7
Panico’s first match was incredibly close, and all three maps were needed to determine the winner. The first map, Ancient, was a tight battle, but Panico came out stronger. The first half was closely contested, ending 7:5 in favor of Panico. However, the side switch gave our partners a boost, and they quickly closed out the map, losing only one round in the second half.
The next map, Nuke, didn’t go as planned, with Panico struggling to get into the game. The first half ended 4:8 in favor of G78, but after the switch, Panico showed a much stronger performance. Unfortunately, the significant lead that G78 built in the first half was too much for Panico to overcome.
The deciding map was Mirage, where Panico dominated the first half, leading 7:5. After the switch, they lost two rounds, but that was still too little for the opponent to threaten them. In the end, Panico secured the win and took the match.
- Panico eSports 2:0 Astellia eSport
- Ancient, 13:10
- Dust 2, 13:4
- Inferno, potential decider
Quite unexpectedly, the second match was much easier. Panico swiftly closed out the entire series with a 2:0 victory. However, on the first map, Ancient, they had to struggle a bit. After a strong start, they ended the first half with a 7:5 scoreline, but the side switch didn’t provide the same advantage, and the opponents continued to put up a good fight. Fortunately, thanks to the lead they built in the first half, Panico was able to close out the map with a win.
The second map, Dust 2, was decidedly one-sided. After the first half, the score was 10:2 in Panico’s favor, and they wrapped up the second half with five more rounds. As a result, there was no need for a third map, which would have been Inferno.
- Tuesday, 11.03. 19:30, Bearded Pirates
Panico’s next match will be against the German team Bearded Pirates. If the team maintains their current form, we’ll definitely see Panico eSports in a new division.
And how are our new partners Traker Esport doing?
- vs disbanded team
As I mentioned in the previous article, where I introduced our new partner, in their first playoff match, they faced a disbanded team, which resulted in a forfeit win.
- Traker Esport 1:2 KELA Gold
- Inferno, 11:13
- Nuke, 13:9
- Anubis, 6:13
The match between Traker Esport and KELA Gold was much more evenly matched than initially expected. The first map, Inferno, was a close and hard-fought battle, with both teams fighting for every round. The first half ended in a 6:6 tie, and after the break, both sides tried to tilt the scales in their favor. Unfortunately, KELA Gold kept their composure and ultimately won the map 11:13.
On Nuke, Traker responded with an excellent performance, winning 13:9. After a narrow 7:5 lead in the first half, it was the crucial rounds after the switch that allowed Traker Esport to dominate and close out the map in their favor.
Unfortunately, the final map, Anubis, proved to be harder to handle. Despite a good start, Traker Esport ran out of steam, losing the first half 3:9. Despite their efforts in the second half, they couldn’t turn the tide, and KELA Gold maintained their advantage, closing out the map 6:13 and securing the 1:2 victory.
- Monday, 10.03. 20:30, Potuzhnist
Of course, it’s not all lost yet. Traker Esport still has a chance to advance by competing in the lower bracket. On Monday, they will face the Ukrainian team Potuzhnist.
Our partners Social Media
* Panico eSports (x.com)
* Saturlity Esport (x.com)
* Traker Esport (x.com)
