NAVI defeat 3DMAX and advance to the ESL Pro League S23 Stage 2 playoffs

NAVI defeated 3DMAX 2–1 in the ESL Pro League S23 Stage 2 match, securing the victory after three maps. The series turned out to be tense: NAVI confidently took Dust2, 3DMAX responded with a win on Inferno, but on the decider Ancient the Ukrainian squad regained control and closed the match in their favor.

Map veto:

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

On the first map, Dust2, the Ukrainian team immediately took the initiative and demonstrated confident play on both the T and CT sides. NAVI controlled the pace of the game and barely gave their opponents any chances for a comeback. As a result, the map ended with a convincing 13–5 victory for NAVI.

However, on Inferno, the initiative shifted to 3DMAX. The French team managed to impose their pace and effectively used key positions on the map. NAVI struggled to find consistency on the T side, allowing their opponents to build a comfortable lead. In the end, 3DMAX confidently tied the series by winning the map 13–5.

The fate of the match was decided on Ancient, where NAVI once again showed a much more structured performance. The team confidently controlled the map, consistently winning key duels and clutch rounds, which quickly gave them a significant lead. As a result, NAVI closed out the decider 13–5 and won the series 2–1.

Match MVP

The best player of the match was makazze (NAVI). He delivered a consistently strong performance throughout the series, finishing the match with 92.7 ADR and a 1.29 rating, making him a key factor in his team’s victory.

Despite a hard-fought series, 3DMAX finish their run at the tournament in 9–11th place, earning $11,500 for the team and $22,000 for the organization. ESL Pro League S23 Stage 2 takes place from March 6 to March 10, where 16 teams compete for a spot in the playoffs. The remaining eight teams will share a $185,000 prize pool.