- Heroic defeated MOUZ 2-0, although both maps were very close
- MOUZ often took the early lead at the start of halves
- It’s a signal MOUZ is back in business after a disappointing IEM Katowice run
Heroic secured a spot at the ESL Pro League quarter-final but not before MOUZ gave them a real run for their money on Nuke and Inferno.
Heroic Defeat MOUZ
The ESL Pro League in Malta is nearing its final stages and teams are busy duking it out for a spot in the event’s quarter-finals. The most recent match for the coveted berth went to Heroic after the Danes defeated the mixed European roster of MOUZ. This victory once again raises Heroic to the status of favorites that they had coming into the event’s Group C but failing to deliver as much as they promised.
Nevertheless, Heroic got the job done and now look forward to an easier playoff route. Meanwhile, MOUZ can take pride in the fact that they made it quite difficult for their opponents, despite ultimately losing 2-0. With a score of 16-12 on Nuke and 16-14 on Inferno, it was certainly a close game, meaning MOUZ are finally back in business after a disappointing run at Katowice.
It Was a Very Close Game
Starting on Nuke, both teams displayed an excellent and very close level of play by picking up eco wins as rounds were traded back and forth. MOUZ eventually took an early lead by stabilizing their T-side using a carefully coordinated offense that punished Heroic’s aggressive CT maneuvers.
The European roster then quickly gained a stable 8-3 lead before their opponents could respond. And that Heroic did, by topping an A rush cold. The Danes then quickly regained the momentum to close out the gap to 8-7 by the end of the first half.
Heroic continued their assault in the second half, aided by a pistol round win, helping them to eventually get a 10-8 lead. However, MOUZ struck quickly back with two clean defensive efforts when guns came up. Heroic’s eco was now bad and the Danes opted for a string of partial buys rather than a save. The second of these worked for the team and Heroic maintained enough control throughout the rest of the half, which allowed them to win Nuke 16-12.
Inferno, Heroic’s pick, started well for the Danes with the team gaining a stable 4-0 lead before a five-seven force-buy from MOUZ made them worry. This allowed the European roster to build up a good defense which was constantly tested by Heroic’s full and force buys. However, MOUZ eventually found success in disrupting Heroic’s attempts to take advanced map control and managed a healthy lead of three rounds at the end of the first half.
Things were looking like they might go to the third map as MOUZ took the T-side pistol round in the second half. Heroic responded by taking a few rounds before their European counterparts responded with a force-buy and regained their lead with a 13-9. With the map looking like it will end in MOUZ’s favor, Heroic sprung into overdrive, solidifying their defense to equalize the score to 13 points for each team.
With the final round being traded by the two teams, it was Heroic who, thanks in large part to Jakob “jabbi” Nygaard’s ace, took the map 16-14 and secured a place at the ESL Pro League quarter-final. The match was nothing else but a close call, with Heroic’s members later congratulating MOUZ’s players for their skills.
