AZIO win ESEA Intermediate

At the end of a 32 team bracket came the ESEA IM grand final, where AZIO Esports met PUG LIFE in a best-of-three showdown. The maps were vetoed down to Cache, Inferno and Overpass.

Cache was where AZIO saw themselves on the backend of a strong deficit from PUG LIFE, as the latter went 11-4 up on their CT-side. A mirror of the half came up next, as AZIO started to mount a comeback. The first overtime saw a similar pattern to the rest of the game, with the CT side gaining a narrow advantage every time. The second overtime was practically the same before the final overtime saw AZIO take the best of it with a 25-22 win. The strong performance from AZIO's seziwana, dropping 40 kills by the end of the map, was only overshadowed by PUG LIFE's DaneJoris on 45.

Inferno started off with AZIO firmly in the lead, with them taking a strong 10-5 lead at the half. But in a a similar fashion to the first map, the CT sides were strong. PUG LIFE repeated AZIO's score at the end of the game to send the two sides into overtime. This overtime, however, was sorted in just one set. AZIO, led by JackZ on 45 kills, took the game 19-17.

With this result, it leaves the ESEA-IM prize table looking:

1. AZIO - $2,400 
2. PUG LIFE - $1,600
3-4. Thunderstruck - $1,200
3-4. cronadsCOATTAIL - $1,200
5-8. Kaizen - $400
5-8. WeFall - $400
5-8. Lose Young Lee - $400
5-8. End Effect - $400

AZIO have now given themselves the best possible shot at a promotion to the next season of ESEA MDL — though they will surely move up to ESEA Main at minimum.