The first women's CSGO LAN of the year has just concluded, and wow did it deliver! There's a lot of excitement to get into, so let's dive in!
Champions Eternal
The Nigma Galaxy era continues! The best team in the world add their fourth ESL Impact trophy to their cabinet. Another fantastic performance from ANa, especially in the grand final against NAVI Javelins, saw her pickup her third MVP title as well.
They remain undefeated on LAN, but for the first time we saw teams push them to the very edge. It wasn't easy for the reigning champs, faltering first in their semi-final against FURIA - a match-up that until now had exclusively taken place in the grand final. This mini-final served up spice immediately, with both teams opting to let through their previous perma-bans. Previously, we had never seen Nigma Galaxy play Nuke, but with the introduction of Anubis into the pool late 2022, it appears they have adopted their previous ban and shunned the new map. Both FURIA and NAVI Javelins looked to exploit this opportunity, and both were caught off guard by the rock solid defence, and fell short against the titans.
FURIA almost eliminated NGX, pushing the third map decider of Ancient all the way to overtime. Unfortunately for the Brazilians, ANa's AWP proved too much to handle in OT, where they were only able to pick up a single round. It was a similar story in the grand final, with NAVI Javelins establishing a 14-9 lead, but struggling to find the final 2 rounds. Nigma Galaxy showed their true grit, grinding out to overtime again, and eventually closed the series in double OT to win the grand final.
Nigma Galaxy one again lift the trophy, but it's clear the competition has elevated to a level that their hegemony is no longer guaranteed!
A New Challenger Appears
Perhaps one of the most exciting storylines of ESL Impact Katowice was that of the home crowd heroines, NAVI Javelins. Despite being in the incredibly stacked Group B, the Polish squad impressed everybody in their opening matches. First on the block was CLG Red, a team with shoes that this time around seemed far too big to fill. NAVI were firing on all cylinders in the opening Bo1 on Ancient, and their CT side was airtight. Time is still needed for the NA-gone-international roster, and if they can take away anything from this event it's the motivation to come back even stronger for S3 - where they'll be the ones with the home-crowd advantage in Dallas. After knocking NA down a peg, NAVI took the fight to FURIA, in a vital match for both teams, as the winner would avoid Nigma Galaxy in the semi-finals and set themselves up for an easier path to the final. And wow, did NAVI impress, demolishing the number 2 team in the world in a 16-6 wipe-out on Nuke!
The Polish powerhouse continued to break Brazilian hearts, with a quick 2-0 over B4 Esports in the semi-final. The crowd was out in force for NAVI, with a packed house supporting them at each stage of the event. Though they couldn't get past the unyielding Nigma Galaxy, they made their fans proud, and have already made waves as the first new team we have had in a grand final since the beginning of ESL Impact. This is only a good thing for the competitiveness of the scene! A special shoutout must be given to both Angelka and vicu for their incredible performances throughout the event, with the former in pole position for MVP had NAVI Javelins won the final, rivalling ANa in her presence on the server.
Success for South America
Another success story this time around was for our second South American representatives, B4 Esports! This was the third ESL Impact LAN attended by the Demons, but their first time making it to the semi-final. They started strong, with a double OT comeback victory over HSG to kick off the event. They struggled against Nigma Galaxy - let's be real, who doesn't? - but their biggest win was the elimination rematch against HSG. The 3 map affair saw B4 take the victory, and crucially it was the triple threat of poppins, yungher, and nani that put in the hard yards for the team. Poppins in particular was a big talking point coming into the event, after struggling in her first international LAN last year. This time around those struggles were far behind her, and she fully embraced the spotlight as their superstar in the making. They may have fallen to NAVI in the semis, but a Top 4 placing with all key members stepping up is a huge win for B4.
Now you could make an argument that FURIA's results this time - 3rd/4th, rather than their usual 2nd - shouldn't count as a success. The number 2 team has a lot of expectations on their shoulders, but in reality their run at Katowice was one of the most stunning. Denied top spot in their group by NAVI, FURIA fought through a relentless 9 Pandas Fearless for their semi-final spot, only to have to go up against their long time rival Nigma Galaxy. And my god, they almost did it. A few small mistakes cost key rounds that allowed Nigma to establish map point and then win out in overtime, but there was a real reality where FURIA could have been the first team to beat Nigma Galaxy on LAN. This is particularly impressive when you consider this is the first event with their new 5th player bokor, who won some key rounds for the Brazilian squad.
NT for NA
It was an unfortunate run for both North American representatives. CLG Red, as already described, struggled in their opener against NAVI Javelins. It was always going to be a tough run in their group, but this immediately sent them into the Group B elimination match against 9 Pandas Fearless. Another tough match-up, with the Pandas proving too much for CLG Red to overcome, falling in a tightly contested 3 map affair. But I mean, what can you do when Victoria is hitting shots like this?
This is just a stepping stone on CLG Red's path to redemption, and for Season 3 they'll finally have their whole team in one place to grind out and seek their redemption in Dallas. Their Group A NA counterparts Saints had an even more difficult time, coming into the event with a stand-in, KiKi. Already the underdog, it was always going to be tough - especially when your opening game is against Nigma Galaxy! They may not have picked up any maps, but KiKi certainly delivered some great highlights for the team. Perhaps they will find their salvation next season.
2023 Begins with a Bang
ESL Impact Katowice was hyped to be the most competitive LAN yet, and on all accounts it delivered! Going into 2023 the storylines are already forming, with Nigma Galaxy's era extended, but hot on their heels are FURIA and the NAVI Javelins. With B4, CLG Red, 9 Pandas Fearless, and HSG all capable of flipping the script, it's going to be an incredibly exciting year ahead.
Season 3 will be kicking off next month (read all about it!), with the open qualifiers just around the corner, there's a lot be excited for!
