Matches with a 2:2 record leave teams with only one chance to determine their further fate in the Swiss Stage. There is no longer any opportunity to correct an unsuccessful result: victory opens the path to the playoffs, while defeat immediately ends the tournament run.
Tournament context
ESL Pro League Season 24 takes place with Group Play in a Swiss Bo3 format. Teams with a 2:2 record play a decisive series: the winner finishes the group stage with a 3:2 result and advances to the Playoffs, while the losing team leaves the tournament with a 2:3 record.
FURIA and 9z met in the decisive match. The Brazilian roster immediately took the opponent’s pick on Nuke, then played their own Inferno even more convincingly and closed the series without needing to play a third map.
How the match unfolded — FURIA vs 9z
Series score: 2:0 in favor of FURIA
- Nuke (pick 9z) — 13:7 in favor of FURIA
9z could not convert their own map pick. FURIA quickly seized the initiative, played the key rounds much more consistently, and did not allow the opponent to create a serious threat in the closing stage. - Inferno (pick FURIA) — 13:3 in favor of FURIA
On their own pick, the Brazilian team’s advantage became even more noticeable. FURIA almost completely controlled the course of the map, allowed 9z to take only three rounds, and confidently secured their place in the Playoffs.
Player of the Match — Danil “molodoy” Golubenko (FURIA)
- K–D: 36–14
- ADR: 108.8
- Rating 3.0: 1.94
Key contribution: molodoy had a dominant series and became FURIA’s main individual force. He finished the match with a huge positive frag difference and a 1.94 rating, consistently creating advantages for the team on both maps.
VRS results
- FURIA — +13 pt → 1832 pt
The victory brought FURIA 13 ranking points. The team kept 6th place in VRS, while the main result of the series was advancing to the Playoffs after finishing the Swiss Stage with a 3:2 record. - 9z — -7 pt → 1570 pt
The loss cost 9z seven ranking points, while the team remained in 12th position in VRS. The tournament result was much more painful: a 2:3 record means the end of their run at ESL Pro League Season 24.
What’s next?
FURIA finish Group Play with a 3:2 record and advance to the Playoffs of ESL Pro League Season 24. There, the team will continue the fight in the single elimination bracket, where every following loss will mean elimination.
9z end the tournament with a 2:3 record. The team reached the decisive match of the Swiss Stage, but after losing to FURIA, they no longer have a chance to continue the fight at ESL Pro League Season 24.
Match summary
FURIA played one of the most convincing series in the decisive 2:2 group. The team first took 9z’s pick on Nuke with a 13:7 score, and then closed their own Inferno almost without resistance — 13:3.
The main factor was an extremely strong performance from molodoy with a 1.94 rating, 108.8 ADR, and a 36–14 K–D. As a result, FURIA earned a 2:0 victory, +13 VRS points, and a place in the Playoffs, while 9z ended ESL Pro League Season 24 with a 2:3 record.
