ESports: Natus Vincere Claims CS:GO Championship at Esports World Cup
Nov 5, 2022; San Francisco, California, USA; Fans follow the game between T1 and DRX during the League of Legends World Championships at Chase Center. Mandatory Credit: Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports
Natus Vincere dropped a tight contest on Map 1 but rallied to complete the reverse sweep against G2 Esports Sunday to claim the $1 million CS:GO tournament at the Esports World Cup in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
With the victory, NaVi earned the $400,000 grand prize and 1,000 club points.
The grand final was compelling from the start, as G2 grabbed the early advantage with a 16-14 overtime victory on Ancient. Nikola “NiKo” Kovac of Bosnia and Herzegovina and Mario “malbsMd” Samayoa of Guatemala teamed to score 50 total kills for G2 with identical plus-6 kills-to-deaths ratios. NaVi was paced by Finland’s Aleksi “Aleksib” Virolainen’s 22 kills.
Natus Vincere rallied strong with a 13-6 win on Nuke. Four of five gamers finished with positive K-D ratios, led by Valeriy “b1t” Vakhovskiy of Ukraine, who went 17-8. NiKo finished plus-1 for G2.
On the final map, Inferno, NaVi again prevailed 13-6 to wrap up the championship. All five of G2’s players were held to negative K-D ratios, while b1t racked up 19 kills (plus-10) and NaVi teammate Mihai “iM” Ivan of Romania contributed 16 kills (plus-7).
Esports World Cup CS:GO $1 million prize pool (money, club points)
1. $400,000, 1,000 points — Natus Vincere
2. $175,000, 600 — G2 Esports
3-4. $85,000, 275 — Virtus.pro, MOUZ
5-8. $40,000, 60 — Team Vitality, Team Spirit, FaZe Clan, FURIA Esports
9. $25,000, no points — The MongolZ
10-11. $15,000, no points — Sashi Esport, M80
12-15. $10,000, no points — JiJieHao, FlyQuest, MIBR, Complexity Gaming
In conclusion, Natus Vincere’s victory at the Esports World Cup was a testament to their skill and determination. The team’s performance in the grand final showcased their ability to adapt and overcome challenges, ultimately leading them to claim the championship title and the top prize. Congratulations to NaVi on their impressive win!
