In the year 2024, gla1ve is dominating Counter-Strike tournaments in front of large audiences, but not with Astralis. At the Elisa Masters Espoo 2024, gla1ve secured his first LAN victory since the BLAST Pro Series Global Final 2019, leading ENCE to a convincing 3:1 win over Heroic.
Curious about how they achieved this feat? Keep reading to uncover more.
ENCE Triumphs in Their Debut
Credit: Elisa Esports
Despite a tumultuous year, ENCE turned the tide after replacing Kylar and Goofy, the remaining members of the 9INE core, with xKacpersky and Neityu. This change instantly transformed ENCE into a formidable team at the Elisa Masters Espoo 2024, hinting at a brighter future for the organization.
In the Grand Final, ENCE rallied back from a map down to secure a 3:1 victory. A tense moment occurred in map three on Vertigo, where ENCE squandered an 11:2 lead, forcing overtime. Nonetheless, they persevered and clinched the win, making map four feel like a formality. ENCE’s triumph on their debut outing is truly commendable.
Delving into the standout performers of the series, the MVP title belonged to gla1ve, who dominated with 82 kills, including 39 on Vertigo. Additionally, xKacpersky and sdy delivered stellar performances, with sdy showcasing composure during challenging moments for ENCE.
A Tough Loss for Heroic
Credit: Elisa Esports
For Heroic, the Elisa Masters Espoo 2024 represented a missed opportunity to claim a victory. Facing a debutant ENCE squad with two relatively inexperienced players in xKacpersky and Neityu, Heroic fell short after a tough loss on Vertigo and a disappointing performance on Dust2.
While the Elisa Masters Espoo may not be the most prestigious tournament, winning it would have been a nice achievement for Heroic. Nevertheless, coming off a Semi-Final finish at IEM Rio 2024, Heroic’s progress is evident, and they now gear up for the Thunderpick World Championship 2024, providing them valuable preparation for the upcoming Major RMR.
