Imperial overwhelm Liquid at PGL Antwerp Major

PGL Major Antwerp 2022 is underway and delivering the thrill of the top-level CS:GO action the esports fans have been starving for. While the tournament is full of exciting matches, the Imperial Esports vs. Team Liquid match on the first day was an interesting one to watch. The teams met during the second round of the Challengers stage on Inferno, and the match concluded with Imperial’s first victory at the PGL Antwerp Major. 

Team Liquid was outfoxed in a tight match by the Brazilian squad decorated with CS:GO stars including Gabriel “FalleN” Toledo, Fernando “Fer” Alvarenga and Lincoln “fnx” Lau. FalleN and crew had suffered a disappointing loss to Team Spirit earlier in the first round and they were desperate for a win. Team Liquid faced a similar fate when they were defeated by G2 at Inferno in the first round.

The stakes were high for both teams and any misstep could have put them one step closer to elimination. The match marked the first time Liquid fought against their former teammate FalleN, who left Liquid in December 2021.

Imperial superiority

Imperial took an aggressive approach from the outset of the game to take an early lead. They caught Team Liquid off guard on multiple occasions and quickly punished them. Liquid attempted to fight back, but as Imperial’s blows became more severe, their defences began to crumble.

After a few more rounds, Liquid launched an aggressive counterattack in an attempt to make a comeback, however, the strategy backfired as Imperial were able to keep the defences intact. While the rest of Liquid’s players were ineffective versus Imperial, Keith “NAF” Markovic put in a fantastic performance and helped his team win vital rounds.

Fer and Ricardo “boltz” Prass continued to drive past Liquid’s defence to extend their lead and maintain the momentum. Their performances were outstanding throughout the game while giving Liquid no chance to recover. Boltz’s KDA marked 22/12/6, while Fer’s KDA was 27/12/2. This allowed the Brazilian team to conclude the game without facing too much resistance. After conquering Team Liquid 16-10 in an action-packed matchup, Imperial Esports won their first game of the tournament, and their hopes for a title remain alive.

Can the teams make it to the next stage?

The Challenger round will conclude on May 12, with the top eight teams progressing to the Legends stage. Team Vitality, G2 Esports, forZe esports, and Team ENCE are currently the top four teams in the standings, each with two wins. Team Liquid is now ranked 15th, while Imperial is ranked 8th.

Both teams have three more chances to make it to the top 16, but it will be difficult at the very least. Despite having opportunities left, one more loss, especially for team Liquid, might get them eliminated. As the Challenger stage approaches its end, the competition will undoubtedly heat up, thus both teams will need to step up their game if they want to continue their journey in the PGL Major Antwerp 2022. 

Header: Imperial Esports