EnVyUs, G2 Esports and Hellraisers claimed the final three spots in January’s ELEAGUE Major, winning out in the final round of qualifying matches.
Hellraisers managed to avoid an embarrassing slide from 2-0 to 2-3, knocking out perennial North American contenders Cloud9 in their final match. In doing so, Hellraisers qualified for their first Major since ESL Katowice in March 2015.
Cloud9 ran Hellraisers close in their final game on Overpass. Neither team managed a lead of more than a few rounds as they traded back and forth. Tied at 13-13 the game was evenly balanced, but Hellraisers managed to surge just at the right time for three straight rounds and the 16-13 win.
For Cloud9, the result is reminiscent of the ESL One Cologne qualifier, where they fell at the final hurdle to G2 Esports.
Avoiding Cloud9 this time around, G2 Esports had perhaps the toughest draw of the final three matches against Immortals. With the Brazilians looking to reach their first Major, G2 secured a return with a tense overtime win.
Despite three of Immortals’ players either equalling or bettering G2’s top fragger, Adil “ScreaM” Benrlitom, G2 managed to win the crucial pistol rounds and forcebuys to sneak out in front by the end.
EnVyUs had the easiest matchup of the final round on paper against upstarts Vega Squadron, but the Russians were not to be underestimated after taking out Ninjas in Pyjamas in their second to last match. The French side managed a solid performance to snuff out any hopes of an upset, despite Vega threatening to run it close at a couple of points.
The three last teams join GODSENT, FaZe Clan, Mousesports, OpTic Gaming and Team Dignitas in qualifying for January’s $1 million ELEAGUE Major. There they will meet the top eight sides from the last Major, ESL One Cologne—Fnatic, Team Liquid, SK Gaming, Virtus Pro, Flipsid3 Tactics, Astralis, Gambit Esports and Natus Vincere.
