Still got 9INE lives

Virtus.pro died so that Polish Counter-Strike could live.

Imagine saying that… wow, seven years ago now we suppose? Time flies.

9INE are the new names on the block, dragging Poland back to the heights they deserve to be at. Perhaps not quite the heights reached at the alpha stages of CSGO, but it’s nice to see them back at the omega.

The tier two-terrorising Poles swept through the bracket with n’ere a scratch on them, pipping G2 to the post, outlasting BIG and clobbering Vitality 2-0 in the BO3. They’re looking scary, and they’re led by a familiar face in hades.

The former-ENCE AWPer has taken more of a leading role in 9INE, and, so far at least, is putting up the performances to show ENCE why perhaps they could have given him a bit more freedom.

Not least because they’re… 2-2.

Having lost to both forZe and Monte in BO1s, ENCE have equalised the score in the BO3s with statement wins over… iNation and 500. It’s a start.

iNation joined Spirit in the 0-3 bracket after a rough draw, while 500 and Eternal Fire moved to 1-3 with Astralis.

The other 3-0 team, who we’ve not mentioned so far, is Heroic - largely because that’s all that was expected of them. Fair play, good work, move on. Reliable as ever.

Also going to Paris is dupreeh, and Vitality (obviously, that’s how this works). The French-ish team will at least give the home fans 2/5ths of a team to support, but perhaps more importantly, dupreeh has been to every single CSGO Major.

Think about that for a second. That’s ridiculous.

Not a single one he hasn’t qualified for, been away from the game, not been on a great team or not showed up. You can talk all you want about device being ‘Mr Consistent’ - dupreeh is actually that guy.

They’ll be joined by G2 powered by some ridiculous performances from m0NESY, not least against Cloud9 - and Monte.

Monte’s star man has been BOROS, which won’t be a surprise to anyone who’s seen the guy play before. He’s been frying big time - a 30-bomb in a loss to Heroic, back to back 26 kill games over ENCE and Cloud9 and a 28er in the qualifying map over forZe. He’s had some visa issues that seem to be over, and we couldn’t be happier.

That just leaves the 2-2 games, and the last chance qualifier. Settle in!

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