{"id":367419,"date":"2026-03-10T19:32:07","date_gmt":"2026-03-10T19:32:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/community.skin.club\/?p=367419"},"modified":"2026-03-10T19:32:07","modified_gmt":"2026-03-10T19:32:07","slug":"navi-defeat-3dmax-epl-season-23-playoffs","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/community.skin.club\/en\/news\/navi-defeat-3dmax-epl-season-23-playoffs","title":{"rendered":"NAVI eliminate 3DMAX to reach EPL Season 23 playoffs"},"content":{"rendered":"

Natus Vincere secured the final playoff spot from the 2\u20132 bracket at ESL Pro League Season 23 \u2013 Stage 2, defeating 3DMAX 2\u20131 in a decisive Swiss round series. The match determined which team would advance to the LAN finals and which would see their tournament run come to an end. After trading map wins on Dust2 and Inferno, NAVI delivered a confident performance on Ancient to close the series and secure qualification.<\/p>\n

Path through the tournament<\/h3>\n

The result concludes a dramatic Swiss stage run for both teams.<\/p>\n

For Natus Vincere, the victory pushes them to a 3\u20132 record, allowing them to secure one of the final playoff spots at ESL Pro League Season 23. Earlier in the stage, NAVI had recorded wins against Monte and B8, while suffering defeats against G2 and Legacy before surviving the decisive elimination series.<\/p>\n

For 3DMAX, the loss ends their tournament run with a 2\u20133 record. The French squad started the stage strongly with wins over FURIA and FUT, but losses to Spirit, The MongolZ, and ultimately NAVI prevented them from reaching the playoffs.<\/p>\n\n

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read more<\/h3>\n
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NAVI 2\u20131 3DMAX<\/h3>\n

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Dust2 \u2014 NAVI start strong (13\u20135)<\/strong><\/p>\n

The series opened on Dust2, the pick of 3DMAX, but NAVI quickly took control of the map. Strong early-round aggression and consistent opening duels allowed the Ukrainian organization to build momentum.<\/p>\n

Drin \u201cmakazze\u201d Shaqiri and Ihor \u201cw0nderful\u201d Zhdanov repeatedly found key picks that prevented 3DMAX from establishing their T-side structure. NAVI steadily extended their lead and eventually closed the map 13\u20135.<\/p>\n

Inferno \u2014 3DMAX answer back (13\u20135)<\/strong><\/p>\n

3DMAX responded convincingly on Inferno, their defensive setups completely shutting down NAVI\u2019s attempts to gain map control. The French side dominated the tempo of the game and punished several slow executes from NAVI. With strong defensive holds across both sites, 3DMAX secured a commanding 13\u20135 victory to tie the series.<\/p>\n

Ancient \u2014 NAVI close the series (13\u20135)<\/strong><\/p>\n

The decider Ancient ultimately belonged to NAVI. After a competitive opening half, NAVI\u2019s structure began to take over the game. Coordinated executes and strong trading allowed them to consistently break through 3DMAX\u2019s defenses. NAVI gradually built a comfortable lead and closed the map 13\u20135, securing the 2\u20131 series victory.<\/p>\n

Match statistics<\/h3>\n

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Player of the Match \u2014 Drin \u201cmakazze\u201d Shaqiri<\/h3>\n

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Across three maps:<\/p>\n