The MongolZ advance to the ESL Pro League S23 playoffs after defeating 3DMAX

The MongolZ secured a hard-fought 2–1 victory over 3DMAX in the second stage of ESL Pro League Season 23. The series went the full distance across Dust2, Ancient, and Inferno, ultimately ending in favor of the Mongolian squad, who booked their spot in the tournament playoffs with this win.

Map veto:

1. 3DMAX removed Mirage
2. The MongolZ removed Anubis
3. 3DMAX picked Dust2
4. The MongolZ picked Ancient
5. 3DMAX removed Nuke
6. The MongolZ removed Overpass
7. Inferno was left over

The series opened on Dust2, where The MongolZ claimed a 13:10 victory. The team started the match confidently and managed to take control of the game through aggressive site executions and consistent aim in crucial moments. 3DMAX attempted to close the gap in the second half, but several key clutch rounds allowed The MongolZ to maintain their lead and secure the map.

On Ancient, 3DMAX completely seized the momentum. The French squad showcased a highly organized defensive setup and gave their opponents little opportunity to mount a comeback. After building early momentum and maintaining a strong economy throughout the map, 3DMAX confidently closed Ancient with a dominant 13:4 scoreline, tying the series.

The outcome of the match was decided on Inferno, where the battle remained extremely close. The teams traded rounds for much of the map, but in the decisive stages The MongolZ managed to win several key duels and break their opponents’ economy. This allowed them to finish the map 13:10 and secure the series victory 2–1.

Match MVP

The MVP of the match was misutaaa, who finished the series with an ADR of 89.8 and a 1.31 rating, making him the most impactful player of the matchup.

Following this victory, The MongolZ advance to the playoffs of the tournament. Meanwhile, 3DMAX will face a decisive match in the 2–2 pool, where their tournament fate will be determined. ESL Pro League Season 23 Stage 2 runs from March 6 to March 10, with 16 teams competing for playoff spots. The remaining eight teams will share a prize pool of $185,000.