Team Spirit and Team Vitality are setting the pace with 3-0 records in the first three days of Group Stage 2 at the ESL Pro League Season 21 in Stockholm.
The only team yet to lose a map in the event, Team Spirit won again Sunday against SAW, while Team Vitality swept 3DMAX.
The $400,000 Counter-Strike: Global Offensive tournament seeded eight of its 24 teams straight into Group Stage 2: G2 Esports, Team Spirit, The MongolZ, Team Vitality, MOUZ, Natus Vincere, Team Falcons and Team Liquid.
The other 16 teams began in Group Stage 1, which featured a Swiss system format of best-of-three matches. The top eight teams then advanced to Group Stage 2, which also employs a Swiss system format of best-of-three matches.
Eight teams will advance to the single-elimination playoffs. The quarterfinals and semifinals will be best-of-three before the best-of-five grand final on March 16. The winning team will receive $100,000.
The 16 teams were split into three groups Sunday: the high group, the mid group and the low group.
Team Spirit swept The MongolZ, winning 13-6 on Anubis and a tight battle, 13-11, on Dust II. Danil “donk” Kryshkovets of Russia led the way for Spirit with a 45-26 kill-to-death ratio (+19) with three teammates also on the plus side.
Team Vitality had less difficulty with MOUZ, taking Inferno 13-6 and Dust II 13-7. Mathieu “Zwy0o” Herbaut of France had a 43-18 K/D ratio (plus-25).
In the Round 3 Mid Matches, G2 Esports swept SAW 2-0, Team Liquid did the same to Eternal Fire, and Natus Vincere went 2-0 against paiN Gaming. 3DMAX worked a 2-1 outcome on Team Falcons, winning on Inferno 13-11, losing on Ancient 13-7 and responding in a big way with a 13-2 win on Dust II.
G2 Esports posted wins of 13-5 on Nuke and 13-6 on Dust II against SAW. Team Liquid emerged with a 13-11 decision on Inferno and 19-17 on Train against Eternal Fire. Natus Vincere was extended to 16-14 on Train and 13-6 on Mirage against paiN Gaming.
In the Round 3 Low Matches, GamerLegion swept TYLOO with marathon matches of 19-15 on Ancient and 22-20 on Inferno. FURIA emerged with a 2-1 win over MIBR, taking Anubis 13-9, falling 19-17 on Mirage and cruising 13-1 for the decisive map on Inferno.
Play continues Monday with two levels of matches:
Round 4 High Matches
–The MongolZ vs. 3DMAX
–MOUZ vs. Team Liquid
–GS vs. Natus Vincere
Round 4 Low Matches
–SAW vs. GamerLegion
–Eternal Fire vs. paiN Gaming
–Team Falcons vs. FURIA
ESL Pro League Season 21 Group Stage 2 standings
1. Team Spirit, 3-0
2. Team Vitality, 3-0
3. MOUZ, 2-1
4. Natus Vincere, 2-1
5. The MongolZ, 2-1
6. G2 Esports, 2-1
7. 3DMAX, 2-1
8. Team Liquid, 2-1
9. Team Falcons, 1-2
10. Eternal Fire, 1-2
11. GamerLegion, 1-2
12. paiN Gaming, 1-2
13. SAW, 1-2
14. FURIA, 1-2
15. MIBR, 0-3
16. TYLOO, 0-3
ESL Pro League Season 21 prize pool
1. $100,000
2. $50,000
3-4. $25,000
5-8. $18,000
9-11. $13,500
12-14. $10,500
15-16. $8,500
17-19. $6,500 — FlyQuest, M80, Nemiga Gaming
20-22. $4,500 — HEROIC, Lynn Vision Gaming, NRG
23-24. $3,000 — Housebets, Mindfreak
–Field Level Media