Monte beat Eternal Fire to win ESL Challenger Jönköping 2023

After showcasing an unparalleled display of prowess against Eternal Fire in the finals, Monte emerged as the undefeated champion at ESL Challenger Jönköping 2023.

DreamHack Winter 2023 witnessed the Ukrainian organization’s impeccable performance, as they secured their first international LAN trophy by defeating the formidable Turkish squad, Eternal Fire. Monte’s journey to victory was nothing short of spectacular.

The grand final unfolded at the Elmia Convention Center, a small arena in Jönköping, Sweden, with a capacity of only 1,087 spectators. Sergey “lmbt” Bezhanov’s men, the highest-ranking team at the tournament, showcased their prowess by triumphing over TYLOO, Nouns, and Virtus.pro before sealing their undefeated run with a decisive 2-0 victory against Eternal Fire.

.@Monte_Esports ARE #ESLChallenger JÖNKÖPING 2023 CHAMPIONS! 🏆 pic.twitter.com/TdVVn3koOw

— ESL Counter-Strike (@ESLCS) November 26, 2023

 

The first map, Vertigo, witnessed Monte’s early lead being challenged by the Turkish squad’s resilience. However, Viktor “sdy” Orudzhev and his team managed to steal the map 13-10, showcasing their strategic brilliance and clutch moments. The second map, Anubis, proved to be a nail-biter, with both teams displaying remarkable skill.  Alexander “br0” Bro’s outstanding performance, including a comical 1vs1 victory, ultimately secured the map 19-16 for Monte.

Monte wins their first LAN trophy

Monte’s started off the 2023 season by winning back-to-back B-tier tournaments including, CCT Central Europe Series #5, ESL Challenger League Season 44: Europe, CCT West Europe Series #2, and Serie #3. The team, however, failed to win any S-tier event despite making deep runs in many prominent CS:GO events.  The team reached the quarterfinals of the BLAST.tv Paris Major 2023, where they were ultimately ousted by the eventual runners-up Gamer Legion.

As the season progressed, the team finished in the top four at Thunderpick World Championship 2023, Roobet Cup 2023, and ESL Pro League, but a title victory never materialized until the ESL Challenger Jönköping.

Monte’s triumph marked their first LAN trophy and earned them a substantial $50,000 grand prize and an invitation to the prestigious ESL Pro League Season 19, scheduled to take place in Malta from April 23 to May 12, 2024.

Eternal Fire secured the second spot, while MIBR and Virtus.pro claimed the third and fourth positions, respectively. Nouns, GamerLegion, TYLOO, and 3DMAX also earned recognition and prizes in this fiercely contested championship.

Monte’s journey from a quarterfinals run at the BLAST.tv CS:GO Paris Major to lifting the ESL Challenger Jönköping 2023 trophy reflects their resilience and growth as a team. With their eyes set on future victories, fans can expect even greater achievements from Monte in the upcoming ESL Pro League Season 19 and beyond.

Header: ESL