Team Spirit defeat Inner Circle in a tense series at the start of ESL Pro League Season 22

Team Spirit kicked off their ESL Pro League Season 22 campaign with a 2:1 victory over the Ukrainian roster Inner Circle. Despite being the clear favorite, Spirit faced strong resistance — Inner Circle pushed them to the limit on every map and nearly forced overtime, showing impressive progress over the past few months.

Ancient (13:4 Team Spirit)

Despite facing a higher-ranked opponent, Inner Circle managed to take four rounds in the first half on their own map pick. After switching sides, Spirit moved to the T side, where the Ukrainian team struggled to withstand their relentless pressure.

Nuke (13:4 Inner Circle)

On their opponent’s pick, Inner Circle delivered an incredible performance. Throughout the first half, Spirit looked completely unprepared for their own map choice. Inner Circle dominated, finishing the half with a crushing 11:1 lead. In the second half, Spirit managed to take three rounds, but Inner Circle closed it out confidently, winning 13:4. The standout player was cairne, who posted an ADR of 134.4, Swing +14.7%, and an astonishing 2.45 rating.

Mirage (13:11 Team Spirit)

On the deciding map, Mirage, Inner Circle initially held a slight advantage, leading 7:5 at halftime. However, after switching to the T side, Spirit went on a five-round streak that turned the game in their favor. In the closing rounds, the Ukrainian squad tried to force overtime, but Spirit managed to take the final crucial round and secured the map 13:11.

Match MVP

The best player of the series was Team Spirit’s AWPer, sh1ro, who recorded an ADR of 84, Swing +3.27%, and a 1.26 rating.

Considering the level of Team Spirit, Inner Circle delivered a commendable performance and came close to both overtime and a potential upset. Just six months ago, the Ukrainian roster was competing on the tier-3 scene, ranked 228th on HLTV, but now they’ve managed to challenge the world’s No. 2 team. Team Spirit, meanwhile, start the tournament with a win and move into the 1-0 pool. The ESL Pro League Season 22 main stage runs from October 4 to 12, with the winner earning $100,000 for the team and $150,000 for the organization.