Despite a slow start in the first two maps, G2 rallied in the third, led by Nikola “NiKo” Kova?’s outstanding performance, earning him a series-high 1.30 rating.

Quarter-Finals for @G2CSGO at #ESLProLeague Season 19! pic.twitter.com/arZWSI4n5b

— ESL Counter-Strike (@ESLCS) May 8, 2024

Rasmus “HooXi” Nielsen credited NiKo’s improved form to a change in their CT strategy, giving him a more active role in the game.

With this win, G2 advances to face MOUZ in the quarterfinals.

Liquid narrowly avoided a comeback from FlyQuest, winning 2-1 (13-10, 14-16, 13-10).

Despite building significant leads in all three maps, Liquid struggled to close out, with FlyQuest forcing overtime on Anubis.

IT'S TOP 8 OF #ESLProLeague SEASON 19 FOR @TeamLiquidCS pic.twitter.com/QkjR1tZjnr

— ESL Counter-Strike (@ESLCS) May 8, 2024

However, Liquid secured victory on Ancient, setting up a must-watch Counter-Strike series against Astralis.

The upcoming Liquid vs. Astralis match promises intrigue, especially with Casper “cadiaN” M?ller facing his former HEROIC teammates.

Liquid’s shaky form raises questions about their competitiveness against Astralis, who have been in top form since adding Alexander “br0” Bro.

FaZe secured revenge against NAVI, winning 2-0 (13-5, 16-14) after losing to them in the PGL Major Copenhagen finals.

FaZe dominated Nuke and narrowly won Mirage, setting up a quarterfinal clash with Vitality.

After taking down the current Major Champions @FaZeClan are now in the #ESLProLeague Season 19 TOP 8! 8⃣ pic.twitter.com/AF3rsP6NUO

— ESL Counter-Strike (@ESLCS) May 8, 2024

FaZe’s Finn “karrigan” Andersen led his team’s dominant performance on Nuke, while Robin “ropz” Kool and H?vard “rain” Nygaard anchored a strong Mirage defense.

Virtus.pro completed the quarterfinal lineup with a thrilling 2-1 (11-13, 13-6, 13-11) victory over TheMongolz.

After trailing on Ancient, Virtus.pro mounted a stunning comeback to win 11-13.

Mirage saw Virtus.pro take an early lead, thanks to Petr “fame” Bolyshev’s inspired play, while TheMongolz fought back but couldn’t overcome their opponent’s dominance.

On Ancient, Virtus.pro faced an 11-2 deficit but staged an incredible comeback to win 16-13, sealing their spot in the quarterfinals.

Despite Virtus.pro’s disorganized start, they showed resilience and determination, as highlighted by David “n0rb3r7” Danielyan’s post-match remarks.

Their thrilling victory sets up a clash against Complexity in the quarterfinals.

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Counter-Strike 2 commentator Henry “HenryG” Greer lauded TheMongolz’s performance, acknowledging Mathieu “Maniac” Quiquerez’s statement that it wouldn’t be fair to solely attribute the victory to G2’s underperformance.

CONGRATULATIONS @1mongolz

They are the FIRST team from group B to be guaranteed a spot in the #ESLProLeague Season 19 Playoffs! pic.twitter.com/ofOAzR99BR

— ESL Counter-Strike (@ESLCS) April 25, 2024

Indeed, while G2 struggled throughout the series, TheMongolz showcased exceptional skill and coordination.

G2 found themselves outclassed on both maps, managing only a minor resurgence on Anubis.

None of G2’s players managed a rating above 1, while every member of TheMongolz surpassed 1.25.

Notably, AWPer Usukhbayar “910” Banzragch stood out with a remarkable 1.51 rating, 37-16 KD, and 89.2 ADR, showcasing his prowess despite being overshadowed by his rifling teammates.

One highlight for G2 was a standout play from Ilya “m0NESY” Osipov, whose quad-kill on the A site with a scout briefly sparked hope.

However, G2 failed to capitalize, and frustration mounted as TheMongolz maintained their dominance.

TheMongolz displayed composure in a relatively low-stakes match, with more challenges ahead in the upper bracket final.

Meanwhile, Team Vitality secured their playoff spot with a comfortable 2-0 (13-4, 13-9) victory over BetBoom Team, setting up a seeding match against TheMongolz.

Vitality’s resurgence, particularly the improved form of Mathieu “ZywOo” Herbaut, was evident throughout the tournament.

The second team from group B to be confirmed for the #ESLProLeague Season 19 Playoffs is @TeamVitality!

Congratulations pic.twitter.com/JhUTPubdLc

— ESL Counter-Strike (@ESLCS) April 25, 2024

After a shaky start against Sharks, ZywOo’s stellar performances against BetBoom signaled his return to form.

Dan “apEX” Madesclaire credited Vitality’s success to strategic rest and preparation, highlighting the team’s dominance on Mirage and their proactive approach on Anubis.

As Vitality faces TheMongolz in the upper bracket, both teams aim for a spot in the quarterfinals, while BetBoom hopes to avoid elimination in the lower bracket against Falcons.

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The MongolZ are among the lowest-rated teams attending ESL Pro League Season 19, priced at $101.00 on the outright betting markets. On the other hand, Team Falcons are priced at $21.00 to win the trophy, which should be a good indication of how these two teams measure up.

However, we have to consider that Team Falcons have played just one game since the start of March and are on a five-game losing streak. The MongolZ have played 19 official games this month alone and are on an 18-game winning streak — granted, all their victories came against regional Asian opponents.

Despite their lacklustre form, Team Falcons deserve respect for what they showed at IEM Katowice 2024 in February, and they’ve since upgraded their roster with Peter “dupreeh” Rasmussen. Still, Falcons are rusty, so there’s a good chance this will be a much more competitive match than what the Counter-Strike esports betting odds suggest.

G2 Esports have close to establishing themselves as the world no.1 Counter-Strike team for nearly a year, but they consistently slip in the latter stages of big events. In March, they crashed out of the PGL Major Copenhagen 2024 in the semifinals, and they did the same at IEM Chengdu 2024 earlier this month.

TYLOO were once known as a tough team to play on the big stage; however, they are now struggling not only to make noise in high-profile tournaments, but also to keep their status as China’s best CS team. At IEM Chengdu 2024, TYLOO crashed out in last place, and although they have managed a 4-2 record since then, they’ve had the luxury of playing only regional opponents.

G2 Esports are one of few top-tier teams capable of humiliating themselves against inferior opponents on a bad day. However, the quality gap here is large enough to confidently predict a dominant victory from the current no.5 team in the world.

Esports betting tips

Both G2 Esports and Cloud9 recorded a dominant win and suffered a tough defeat on the opening day of the elimination stage. This series is going to be very tight, so the overs in the total rounds market look like the best play.

Virtus.pro recently defeated Heroic 2-0 in a best-of-three series where the maps went to 23 and 24 rounds, respectively. With both of these teams showing inconsistencies, the total rounds market appears to be the safest bet.

FaZe Clan has a chance to make a statement in this match by taking down a serious team in Eternal Fire. Expect FaZe to flex their muscles and dominate a slightly weaker team in a high-pressure clash.

Team Vitality have yet to show their best Counter-Strike through two matches this Major, while Imperial will be doing some soul-searching after a crushing 13-2 loss to Team Spirit on day one. Team Vitality have to win this to keep their Major hopes alive.

Best-of-three matches

MOUZ are deserving favourites in this clash with Complexity, and it is hard to see the world number four losing to North America’s only hope. MOUZ turned around two slow starts and converted them into wins on day one, but with a chance to progress to the playoff stage, expect a different team here.

Although TheMongolz and paiN Gaming are expected to play minor roles at PGL Major Copenhagen, this series has the potential to be one of the most exciting clashes of the day. It is hard to see either team winning this 2-0, so over 2.5 maps is the play.

FURIA will go into their clash with ECSTATIC as overwhelming favourites despite coming off two lacklustre performances, whereas ECSTATIC were impressive in a close loss against MOUZ. It is hard to tip either team to win this series, especially at the odds on offer with esports betting sites.

Team Spirit and Natus Vincere will play out the match of the day, with both teams coming into the series in very good form. Spirit triumphed 2-1 when these two met at IEM Katowice 2024, so expect a similar score line.

Esports betting tips

Although TheMongolz are on a three-game winning streak after advancing from the opening stage, the teams they were beating are not on the same level as this Natus Vincere squad. Expect the favourites to win well.

MOUZ and ECSTATIC last met in the PGL Major Copenhagen Europe RMR, where the former won rather easily, 13-8. Therefore, we will be taking the favourites to cover the round line.

Team Vitality and Eternal Fire will be one of the better matches of round one, and even though esports betting sites seem to think differently, it should be a close contest.

Virtus.pro will put their six-game win streak on the line against a shaky Imperial in their opening match of the Major. After the Brazilians struggled to close out best-of-one maps during the opening stage, the favourites should have little to no trouble winning this one.

PaiN Gaming earned qualification for the elimination stage off the back of two dominant wins over ENCE and SAW. Complexity will need to be on their game if they want to record a round one victory against an in-form paiN.

FaZe Clan and Heroic have played close matches throughout the last few years, and with both teams at the peak of their powers coming into the Major, we expect nothing different here.

G2 Esports were one of the more impressive performers at the Europe RMRs, while FURIA had to survive three straight elimination matches in the opening stage. G2 will win this clash to set themselves up nicely going into round two.

Two of the Major favourites with Counter-Strike betting sites will kick off their elimination stage campaigns when Team Spirit take on Cloud9. This best-of-one will be very close, so betting on the overs in the total rounds market looks like the play.

Esports betting tips

After suffering their first loss of PGL Major Copenhagen, Eternal Fire will attempt to qualify for the elimination stage for the second time against GamerLegion. With both teams ranked inside the top 15 in the world, this contest will be close, and all three maps are very likely to be seen.

The all-Asian clash between Lynn Vision and TheMongolz will be a rematch of the upper-bracket final of the Asia RMR, which TheMongolz won easily. With both of their Major lives on the line, it is expected that TheMongolz claim victory in two maps here.

Legacy will face Apeks in one of the most intriguing series of the day, as the former has struggled against European Counter-Strike teams, and the latter has struggled against Brazilian squads throughout the opening stage. This contest is too close to call, so betting on the overs in the total maps market looks like the play.

SAW’s 11-series win streak was snapped by Cloud9 on day two, while paiN Gaming destroyed ENCE in a best-of-one match. Expect SAW to kick off another win streak here with a dominant victory.

ECSTATIC and Imperial are set to play the match of the day as both teams strive to advance to the elimination stage. Both squads have shown good signs in previous series, so expect a tight three-map thriller.

ENCE and FURIA have been two of the most inconsistent high-profile teams during the opening stage, and it is hard to tip either squad with confidence in the final series of the day.

Esports betting tips

Cloud9 faced a tough challenge against SAW but managed to emerge victorious in a thrilling 2-0 (19-17, 13-9) match.

Cloud9 secures its spot in the elimination stage with a solid series win against SAW! SAW now holds a record of 2W and 1L at the Major. #PGLMAJOR pic.twitter.com/w4ggnW6Lj4

— PGL (@pglesports) March 18, 2024

Despite a rocky start, Cloud9 displayed remarkable determination, particularly on Nuke, where they clawed back from the brink of defeat in overtime.

Led by standout performances from players like Abay “HObbit” Khassenov and Kirill “Boombl4” Mikhailov, Cloud9 demonstrated their ability to thrive under pressure and secure crucial rounds when it mattered most.

Meanwhile, Heroic showcased their prowess against Eternal Fire, sealing their victory with a flawless 2-0 (16-14, 13-7) score line.

@heroicgg secures their spot into the Elimination Stage at the PGL CS2 Major Copenhagen 2024 with a clean sweep series against @eternalfiregg #PGLMAJOR pic.twitter.com/mTNd6HFQYG

— PGL (@pglesports) March 18, 2024

Despite facing early setbacks, Heroic rallied back with impressive displays of teamwork and individual skill.

Ren�� “TeSeS” Madsen led the charge with confidence, highlighting the team’s seamless coordination and strategic prowess.

Both Cloud9 and Heroic’s performances underscore their status as formidable contenders in the tournament.

With their resilience, adaptability, and talent on full display, they have set the stage for thrilling matchups in the elimination stage of PGL Major Copenhagen.

At the other end of the standings, KOI and AMKAL were the first two teams to be eliminated from the Major after recording their third loss of the opening stage.

TheMongolz and AMKAL played out a tough three-map series, but it was the Mongolian squad that would record the 2-1 (13-2, 8-13, 13-10) victory.

FURIA returned to form with a dominant 2-0 (13-6, 13-9) over KOI, as the Brazilians took care of their lesser-ranked opponents in the second of the elimination matches on day two.

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Going off the first two matches that both Imperial and Apeks have played, Imperial look to be in better form after playing out two close maps on day one.

Although paiN Gaming surprised a few with an opening series win, ENCE come into this match as heavy favourites with the top Counter-Strike betting sites, and we expect to see them winning this match well.

Both GamerLegion and Legacy have proved to be no pushover during their opening two matches, and this clash could be one of the closest best-of-one series on day two.

Given the up-and-down form of both ECSTATIC and Lynn Vision, it is hard to back any team with confidence; therefore, we will take the overs in the total rounds market.

Best-of-three matches

With their Major future on the line, TheMongolz and AMKAL will clash in a do-or-die best-of-three series, with both teams seeking their first win of the opening stage. Although both teams have 0-2 records, this series will be close, and we expect to see all three maps.

Eternal Fire have been impressive in their opening two clashes, defeating TheMongolz and paiN Gaming easily, while Heroic struggled to beat Imperial in overtime. Due to their recent form, we will be siding with Eternal Fire in this contest.

Both FURIA and KOI have struggled in both of their matches, and they will have to win here to stay alive in the Major. FURIA are the higher-ranked team and clear favourite here, so we will be siding with Brazilian squad.

Cloud9 and SAW will seek to earn promotion to the PGL Major Copenhagen elimination stage after recording back-to-back wins on day one. Given that SAW defeated Cloud9 in a best-of-three series two weeks ago, we are going to side with the underdog in this series.

Esports betting tips

Both teams bring solid form into their opening match of the Major, and we expect to see a close game between Cloud9 and ECSTATIC.

Although Eternal Fire enters this match as a red-hot favourite, The Mongolz have shown improvement on the world stage in recent times, therefore, we will be taking the underdogs at the handicap.

The betting says otherwise, but the ENCE vs Imperial clash has the potential to be one of the closest matches of the day. We will be taking the overs in the total rounds market.

Apeks appears to be one of the safer bets of the opening day, as they clash with paiN Gaming, who were one of the last teams to qualify for the Major. We anticipate a dominant win by Apeks.

9 Pandas and AMKAL played out a close three-map series in the Europe RMR last month, with two of the three maps covering the 21.5-round line; therefore, the overs look like a great bet here.

Esports betting sites have got this one right. Heroic should dominate Lynn Vision here if the world number 12 thinks they have any chance to contend for the Major.

FURIA and Legacy will meet in an all-Brazil clash, with both teams putting their three-game win streaks on the line. These matches are normally very tight, so we will be taking the overs in the total rounds market.

SAW will put their nine-match win streak on the line against KOI, and we believe the favourites can extend that streak to 10 with a victory here.

Esports betting tips

While they dominated on Mirage, experiencing a smooth win, the battle on Ancient proved challenging as TheMongolz staged a comeback from 12-8 down, only to fall short in overtime.

Boris “magixx” Vorobiev, reflecting on the match, expressed mixed feelings due to some shaky moments.

Despite beating Apeks and TheMongolz, magixx acknowledged tougher challenges ahead but remained confident, stating that replicating their practice game performance would make facing stronger Counter-Strike rosters in the group stage manageable.

.@Team__Spirit manage to fend off the @MongolzCs in OVERTIME to close out the series 2-0

13-2 Mirage
16-14 Ancient#IEM pic.twitter.com/Ww6AboBNdq

— Intel? Extreme Masters (@IEM) February 1, 2024

In another matchup, Janusz “Snax” Pogorzelski’s strategic brilliance propelled GamerLegion to a 2-1 (13-3, 5-13, 13-9) victory over Virtus.pro.

Sebastian “volt” Malo? credited a well-prepared game plan, Snax’s exceptional calling, and Frederik ‘acoR’ Gyldstrand’s AWP prowess for their success.

Virtus.pro faced difficulties on Vertigo, with GamerLegion dominating and securing a convincing victory.

Despite Virtus.pro’s comeback on Inferno, GamerLegion closed out the series with victory on Overpass, advancing to the group stage in Katowice.

.@GamerLegion close out the series against @virtuspro 2-1 and advance to the #IEM Katowice 2024 Group Stage!

13-3 Vertigo
5-13 Inferno
13-9 Overpass pic.twitter.com/0IE6xxoI7v

— Intel? Extreme Masters (@IEM) February 1, 2024

M80 asserted their dominance against Rooster in a 2-0 (13-3, 13-7) victory.

Head coach Rory “dephh” Jackson, filling in for in-game leader Marcus “?maNkz?” Kjeldsen, showcased improved performance.

M80’s strategic prowess and individual displays led to victories on Inferno and Vertigo, earning them a chance to qualify for the IEM Katowice group stage and ultimately eliminating Rooster from the Play-In stage.

Cloud9 faced a challenging battle against BetBoom, recovering from a quadruple overtime loss on Overpass to secure a 2-1 (22-25, 13-6, 13-7) victory.

Kirill “Boombl4” Mikhailov’s improved AWP performance played a crucial role.

Cloud9’s resilience and strategic developments were evident on Anubis and Ancient, securing comfortable victories.

After two underwhelming performances from BetBoom Team, they have found themselves eliminated from the IEM Katowice in 13-16th place.

In a highly anticipated showdown, ENCE delivered a decisive 2-0 (13-10, 13-4) victory over Astralis, eliminating the Danish superteam from IEM Katowice early in the tournament.

The matchup held extra significance as Lukas “gla1ve” Rossander faced his former teammates, including Nicolai “device” Reedtz.

The Finnish squad showcased their prowess on Vertigo, outplaying Astralis with superior mid-rounding.

Krzysztof “Goofy” G��rski and Pawe? “dycha” Dycha provided crucial individual moments, securing ENCE’s victory on the first map.

The real standout performance came from gla1ve on Ancient, where he delivered a rare carry performance with an exceptional 2.25 rating.

His dominance haunted Astralis throughout the map, leaving the Danish squad seemingly broken.

With this victory, ENCE keeps their hopes alive for advancing to the main event.

Apeks triumphed over FURIA with a 2-1 (13-9, 10-13, 13-11) victory in the Play-In stage.

Dominating on Inferno with a 10-2 lead, Apeks eventually closed the map 13-9.

Mirage saw a stellar performance from Tim ‘nawwk’ Jonasson, but FURIA mounted a comeback, winning 11 rounds in a row.

The series concluded on Ancient, with Apeks securing a 9-3 lead at the break and ultimately eliminating FURIA.

With one day left in the IEM Katowice Play-In stage, four series will take place on Friday, where the winner of each will advance to the group stage and the loser will be eliminated.

Friday’s IEM Katowice Play-In matches

• Virtus.pro ($1.61) vs Cloud9 ($2.20) @ 4:30pm CET
• TheMongolz ($2.50) vs ENCE ($1.50) @ 4:30pm CET
• BIG ($1.60) vs Apeks ($2.30) @ 7:30pm CET
• Rebels Gaming ($2.90) vs M80 ($1.38) @ 7:30pm CET

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