Natus Vincere confidently defeated HOTU with a 2:0 score in the fourth round of the ESL Pro League Season 22 Swiss stage. For the Ukrainian team, this result means advancement to the 2:2 stage, where they will continue their fight for a playoff spot, while HOTU ends their run in the league with a 1:3 record, exiting the tournament.
ESL PRO LEAGUE S22
The ESL Pro League is the main seasonal tournament in CS2, determining the teams that advance to the final stage of the ESL Pro Tour. For Natus Vincere, this match was crucial: after a rough start, the team returned to stability and preserved their chances to reach the playoffs. HOTU, on the other hand, failed to keep up with top-tier opponents, concluding their debut league appearance.
NATUS VINCERE VS HOTU — 2:0
- Ancient (HOTU pick) — 13:7 for Natus Vincere
Although HOTU chose Ancient, NAVI immediately took control of the map. b1t opened the match with a brilliant series of clutch rounds, while iM maintained the pace steadily through the mid-game. - Train (NAVI pick) — 13:9 for Natus Vincere
The second map was more contested: HOTU tried to put up resistance, but Aleksib’s coordination and makazze’s aggression in the final rounds sealed the series 2:0.
PLAYER OF THE MATCH — VALERIY “b1t” VAKHOVSKIY
- K-D: 45–24
- ADR: 116.9
- Rating 3.0: 1.97
The Ukrainian player delivered a phenomenal performance, dominating on both maps. His consistency, precision, and composure in clutch situations were the keys to NAVI’s convincing victory. 61.8% of fans voted for him as the best player of the series.
VRS RANKINGS AFTER THE MATCH
- Natus Vincere: +27 points (1759 → 1786, retaining #9)
- HOTU: −4 points (1407 → 1403, remaining at #25)
NAVI maintains its position within the world’s top ten, showing signs of recovery and renewed stability after a string of inconsistent performances. For HOTU, the loss was not critical within the VRS system but solidified their position in the lower part of the top 30.
WHAT’S NEXT FOR THE TEAMS
Natus Vincere advances to the 2:2 stage, where they will play a decisive match for a spot in the ESL Pro League S22 playoffs. Their next opponent will be determined after the Aurora vs MOUZ match, but regardless of the outcome, NAVI appears confident and ready to face any rival.
HOTU, meanwhile, concludes its run in the tournament with a 1:3 result. Despite the elimination, the team gained valuable experience competing on the LAN stage against top-tier opponents and managed to retain their ranking status thanks to the VRS system.
