Alliance continued their impressive run at XSE Pro League Guangzhou 2026 with a convincing 13-6 victory over B8 in the 1-1 pool of the Swiss Stage. The Swedish squad improved to a 2-1 record and now stands just one win away from securing a playoff berth, while the Ukrainian side dropped to 1-2 and now faces elimination in every remaining match.
Road through the Swiss Stage
Alliance have now won two matches in a row after opening the tournament with a loss 13-4 over PARIVISION, followed by a 13-3 win against Ninjas in Pyjamas. After defeating B8 13-6, the Swedish side improves to 2-1 and is now just one victory away from qualifying for the playoffs.
B8 started the event with a hard-fought 16-13 victory over MIBR before losing 10-13 to Nemesis in Round 2. The defeat to Alliance leaves the Ukrainian squad at 1-2, meaning every remaining match is now an elimination series.
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Alliance stay in control as B8 fall to the brink
The third round of the Swiss Stage brought together two teams looking to recover after splitting their opening matches. Alliance once again showcased disciplined Counter-Strike, taking control of Ancient from the opening rounds and never allowing B8 to mount a comeback. With the victory, Alliance move into the 2-1 qualification pool, while B8 fall to 1-2 and will now need to win three consecutive elimination matches to reach the playoffs.
Alliance dominate Ancient
Ancient was the only map played after both teams removed several comfort picks during the veto. Alliance established control early, using a well-organized defense to build momentum before closing out the map 13-6 without ever giving B8 a realistic opportunity to recover.
Markus “upE” Johansson led Alliance with a 14-7 K-D, 70.8 ADR, and a 1.57 rating. Simon “twist” Eliasson continued his excellent tournament with a 1.46 rating, while Jonatan “bobeksde” Persson also made a strong contribution with a 1.15 rating.
B8 struggled collectively throughout the match. Danylo “s1zzi” Vinnyk was the team’s highest-rated player with a 0.99 rating, while none of his teammates managed to reach the 1.00 mark.
Best player of the match
Markus “upE” Johansson earned the Player of the Match award after delivering a composed performance on Ancient. The Swedish rifler finished with a 14-7 K-D, 70.8 ADR, and a 1.57 rating, consistently finding opening kills and helping Alliance maintain control throughout the game.
Road through the Swiss Stage
Alliance have now won two matches in a row after opening the tournament with a dominant 13-4 victory over PARIVISION, followed by a 13-3 win against Ninjas in Pyjamas. After defeating B8 13-6, the Swedish side improves to 2-1 and is now just one victory away from qualifying for the playoffs.
B8 started the event with a hard-fought 16-13 victory over MIBR before losing 10-13 to Nemesis in Round 2. The defeat to Alliance leaves the Ukrainian squad at 1-2, meaning every remaining match is now an elimination series.
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What’s next?
Alliance will play in the 2-1 qualification matches, where a victory will secure a place in the XSE Pro League Guangzhou 2026 playoffs. B8, meanwhile, drop into the 1-2 elimination bracket and must win their next match to keep their tournament run alive.
