AGO claim EU MDL title and ESL Pro League spot
The first match played at the Global Challenge weekend saw the European MDL finals take place between the Polish AGO and the Slovakian/Czech eXtatus. The winner of the match secured a slot in Season 7 of the ESL Pro League, and the Group A spot for the Global Challenge. The runner-up headed into the ESL Pro League relegation tournament, and the Group B spot. The maps to be played were Mirage, Train and Cobblestone.
Mirage started off with eXtatus securing the pistol round on their T-side, but AGO instantly replied on their force. The Poles were unable to push on immediately, as their Slovak/Czech foes did even the game once again, but a run to a lead followed afterwards thanks to another forcebuy. Dominik "GruBy" Swiderski and Michał "snatchie" Rudzki were pivotal for their side as they secured a 7-2 lead.
The remainder of the half was on eXtatus' side, with Jindřich "ZEDKO" Chyba and Martin "MonttY" Melišek taking pivotal kills as they edged closer to their opponents. AGO managed to secure one more round in the first half, before eXtatus claimed the rest of the rounds in the half, for a narrow 7-8 deficit.
The second half kicked off with AGO taking the pistol round on their CT-side, but in a repeat of the first half eXtatus forced into the second round and evened the score. AGO answered back and raised theirselves up to a 12-9 lead, thanks to a strong performance from Damian "Furlan" Kislowski. But eXtatus weren't done there, their young talent of David "frozen" Čerňanský took his team back into the game, first evening the score then pulling ahead. The two sides traded rounds but it was eXtatus in the driving seat, 14-13 up.
AGO weren't to be sent out just yet, as the Polish team woke up and managed to even the game out once again. At 14-14 it could've gone either way but the Poles narrowly took themselves to match point, before securing their final round to take the first map 16-14.
With Train up next, AGO continued their advantage by taking the pistol on their CT-side. They followed this up by taking the first anti-eco, before eXtatus forced up into the third round to get a round on the board. frozen followed this up with an ace in the next round as they send the Poles onto an eco. With eXtatus taking a lead, AGO instantly even it out before going ahead once again.
AGO managed to take four rounds without reply, but with the rounds so close and their economy depleted as soon as eXtatus took a round they went onto an eco. On that full eco, the Polish side instantly replied and continued their lead in the half. From there Mateusz "TOAO" Zawistowski helped his team secure the final rounds in the half, for a monumental 11-4 lead at the half.
The second half kicked off with eXtatus taking the pistol and first anti-eco, before AGO answered with a force-buy and the following three rounds. With AGO in touching distance of match and game point, eXtatus responded to keep them in the game. With Patrik "DEV7L" Stuchlík remaining consistent in the half, the Slovak/Czech team secured three rounds in a row to prevent AGO from immediately taking the win.
Before eXtatus could secure double figures, AGO secured match point to give them the upper hand. However ZEDKO wouldn't let his side be sent out just yet, picking up two multi-kill rounds to keep them in it. However the Poles weren't to be forced out on their map, taking the game 16-11 and the match 2-0.
eXtatusAGO| eXtatus |
K - D | +/- | ADR | KAST | Rating 2.0 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Jindřich 'ZEDKO' Chyba |
47 - 40 | +7 | 88.5 | 70.2% | 1.22 |
 David 'frozen' Čerňanský |
39 - 40 | -1 | 67.5 | 71.9% | 1.03 |
| Richard 'queztone' Strnátko |
34 - 45 | -11 | 74.8 | 70.2% | 0.94 |
| Patrik 'DEV7L' Stuchlík |
34 - 38 | -4 | 66.8 | 71.9% | 0.94 |
| Martin 'MonttY' Melišek |
37 - 45 | -8 | 74.1 | 64.9% | 0.91 |
| AGO |
K - D | +/- | ADR | KAST | Rating 2.0 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Damian 'Furlan' Kislowski |
46 - 35 | +11 | 82.0 | 80.7% | 1.25 |
| Tomasz 'phr' Wójcik |
43 - 40 | +3 | 80.0 | 78.9% | 1.14 |
| Michał 'snatchie' Rudzki |
43 - 40 | +3 | 77.7 | 63.2% | 1.06 |
| Mateusz 'TOAO' Zawistowski |
39 - 36 | +3 | 72.4 | 64.9% | 1.05 |
| Dominik 'GruBy' Swiderski |
37 - 40 | -3 | 82.0 | 73.7% | 1.04 |
This result saw AGO join the ESL Pro League for Season 7, and enter Group A for the Global Challenge. With eXtatus' loss, they join the relegation tournament where they'll initally face-off against GODSENT, as well as becoming the European team in Group A.
The next match today will see the NA MDL wrap-up, with Rise Nation facing off against SoaR.
