In a clash that will be remembered as one of the most thrilling matchups in the history of esports, Natus Vincere (NAVI) triumphed over Eternal Fire in the grand final of the ESL Pro League Season 20 on September 22, 2024.
Tournament Overview
The ESL Pro League Season 20, which took place from September 3 to September 22 in Malta, had a grand prize pool of $750,000. 32 teams from every corner of the globe filled out the roster, but none were as dominant as NAVI proved to be in both the group and knockout phases.
NAVI proved excellent skill and teamwork throughout the entire competition as they went through several grueling matches. Their journey includes an exciting semifinal against G2 Esports, and with the bonus now on its side in the grand final, all of the world was in stitches to see if NAVI would come through with a memory.
Match Analysis
There was a lot of back and forth the whole match, with two strong teams contending in terms of both skills and strategy. In the earlier stages of the series, Eternal Fire played spectacularly, setting the pace early with aggressive plays and superior tactics. NAVI responded excellently to it, proving their own strengths to level out the series on the basis of a number of closely contested rounds.
- Nuke
Result: Eternal Fire 13 – 8 NAVI
In the early play of this match, Eternal Fire stormed out from their side on CT and dominated the first moments of the game. This overpowered the effort of the opponent team, NAVI, to show force during the early game. Such a high K/D ratio by Woxic and Calyx went on to set the phase for the total dominance that this round proved for Eternal Fire. NAVI could not break through the defense of the Eternal Fire and hence lost, but they tried to regain the initiative.
- Anubis
Result: Eternal Fire 11 – 13 NAVI
NAVI were going down and out after they lost in Nuke. The game was a tight spot, but Anubis was a map that favored them to play their best. All this was played out to win everything for NAVI. The close win and the tie at one map apiece made the match come to be headed to victory in a nail-biting finish.
- Ancient
Result: Eternal Fire 11 – 13 NAVI
Taking the momentum they had won in Anubis, NAVI emerged wallowing in continued success in Ancient. The communication is just seamless, and they capitalized upon their opponents’ mistakes. Another closely contested game that went down to the wire ended with NAVI taking yet another win, taking a critical lead in the competition.
- Inferno
Result: Eternal Fire 13 – 4 NAVI
Expectations were really high from both sides by the time the fourth round started. However, Eternal Fire took the game quickly from the starting rounds as they dominated NAVI on the Inferno map. They debilitated NAVI’s strategies round after round, making it impossible to put an end to the ferocious team, which forced them to take the match to the fifth map somehow.
- Dust II
Result: Eternal Fire 10 – 13 NAVI
The last map of the epic showdown was Dust II. Both teams began with high stakes but it was NAVI that managed to maintain that pace and eventually made a comeback. In the heat of the moment, some impressive plays from XANTARES proved not enough to rally his team back into contention as NAVI won the match on Dust II with 13-10.
The match was nerve-wracking, especially at the end with that final map, and went all the way to the last line. Showing the ultimate stability and spirit, NAVI sealed their victory standing at 3-2.
Impact on Competitive Gaming
Of course, such a victory at ESL Pro League Season 20 is huge not just for NAVI’s legacy but also for the tremendous community of esports in one go. Not only does it add another huge title to their already glorious history in competitive gaming circles, but the buzz around this particular match speaks of how much esports has grown as a profound sporting pursuit.
Conclusion
As the dust settles over this commemorative face-off, ESL Pro League Season 20 puts NAVI in a powerful reminder of the thrilling unpredictability that defines the world of competitive gaming. With this win, that match will thus remain a reminder of why we love esports.
