Virtus.pro win EMS One Katowice
Virtus.pro have won EMS One Katowice 2014 after defeating NiP 2-0 (16-9 de_mirage, 16-10 de_inferno) in the grand final to win $100,000.
Home team Virtus.pro started off the grand final by quickly taking out NiP in the B bombsite of de_mirage to go up 3-0. Their fourth round B attack was stopped by NiP, but another try at B broke the Swedes' defense.
Down 1-4, NiP went for a risky AWP buy that did not pay dividends. After a full save round they were able to stop Filip "NEO" Kubski & co in A, but once again Virtus prevailed with a similar hit round after.
Now up 7-2, the Poles attacked B for a change and forced NiP to save. Adam "friberg" Friberg almost clinched a one-on-three clutch in the save round, but ultimately fell short against the last terrorist.
Richard "Xizt" Landström's aggressive push dug a deeper hole as NiP went down 2-10, but the Swedes finally found some answers to Virtus' attacks and were able to get four rounds before switching sides.
Xizt kept NiP's hopes alive for a brief moment on both maps
Unfortunately for them, Virtus.pro were able to win the second half pistol round as well. Robin "Fifflaren" Johansson called for a second round buy, and Landström bailed his team out in a one-on-two situation in B.
Two save rounds got NiP to 7-12, but Janusz "snax" Pogorzelski's two double kill M4A1-S rounds, first one cleverly waiting in B halls and second in B, got the Poles to fourteen rounds.
The Ninjas were able to snatch one more round away, as well as the following save round, but that was all she sang for the Swedes before Virtus.pro claimed a convincing 16-7 win on de_mirage.
On de_inferno Virtus.pro had another flying start, winning the counter-terrorist pistol round and besting NiP's early buys to give them a 5-0 lead. A triple by Friberg got NiP on the scoreboard in round six, and NiP won the next round in B.
Jarosław "pasha" Jarząbkowski and Paweł "byali" Bieliński combined for four kills to give Virtus a 6-2 lead, and another two kill round by Jarząbkowski, followed by a triple on a banana save round mow down put the Poles up 8-2.
The home crowd was definitely on Virtus.pro's side
A shaky NiP squad were able to win a three-on-two after plant in B to give them a third round, but then Pogorzelski and Kubski shut down B completely with smart use of an Incendiary grenade.
Down 3-9, NiP tried to attack A but Jarząbkowski played the hero once again, this time with a four kill AWP and CZ75 round in the A site, with a neat quick scope and some close range action.
Once again broke, NiP were forced to save, putting them down 3-11. Final round of the half gave them a glimmer of hope, as an A bombsite hit won them their fourth round of the half.
Four rounds wouldn't be enough on de_inferno either. Former captain Landström once again bailed NiP out with a one-on-one win in the A site on the pistol round against Kubski.
Virtus came very close to winning round two thanks to two great entry kills by Pogorzelski in A, but Christopher "GeT_RiGhT" Alesund, mostly invisible through the grand final, helped stop the attack in B.
pasha happy after Virtus.pro's victory
Another save got NiP within four, and they were able to masterfully retake the A bombsite in an odd five-on-five after plant situation in A with two defenders still lurking alive in the pit.
Patrik "f0rest" Lindberg then woke up as he put up four nice M4A1-S kills from A pit to cut his team's deficit to two, once again able to retake the A bombsite after Virtus.pro planted the bomb.
Lindberg's nemesis Kubski then won an incredibly important two-on-three after plant in B with three AK47 headshots despite being down to red health, giving Virtus a 12-9 lead and some breathing room.
After losing five straight rounds, Virtus.pro would never look back. A save gave them round thirteen, and doubles from Kubski and Pogorzelski got them to fourteen rounds.
NiP managed to put one more round on the board, but that wasn't enough as the local heroes marched to a 16-10 win on de_inferno to complete their cinderella story with a 2-0 series win.
Virtus.pro
K - D
+/-
ADR
Rating 1.0
58 - 28
+30
-
1.60
47 - 25
+22
-
1.49
45 - 26
+19
-
1.42
35 - 26
+9
-
1.12
22 - 30
-8
-
0.75
NIP
K - D
+/-
ADR
Rating 1.0
33 - 38
-5
-
0.92
33 - 42
-9
-
0.90
32 - 41
-9
-
0.78
28 - 42
-14
-
0.73
9 - 44
-35
-
0.28
EMS One Katowice 2014 final standings:
1.
Virtus.pro - $100,000
2.NiP - $50,000
3-4.LGB - $22,000
3-4.dignitas - $22,000
5-8.compLexity - $10,000
5-8.fnatic - $10,000
5-8.HellRaisers - $10,000
5-8.LDLC - $10,000
9-12.Titan - $2,000
9-12.Clan-Mystik - $2,000
9-12.3DMAX - $2,000
9-12.Reason - $2,000
13-16.Vox Eminor - $2,000
13-16.Natus Vincere - $2,000
13-16.mousesports - $2,000
13-16.iBUYPOWER - $2,000
Although EMS One Katowice is now over, we still have some highlights coming up, as well as some post-event articles already in writing, so keep your browser at HLTV.org for post-event coverage.