The second group stage of the StarLadder Berlin CS:GO is in the books, as eight teams advanced through the Legends stages to qualify for the Champions stage.
The victors of the Challengers stage faced off against the returning Legends from IEM Katowice. The sixteen teams battled in another swiss format group stage, again needing three victories to advance to playoffs of the StarLadder Berlin major.
In addition to a spot in this major’s playoffs, the eight teams who advanced through Legends stage also earn a place in the Legends stage of the next major, which will be in spring 2020.
The location and details of that major haven’t been announced yet, though.
The Legends stage was not short on surprises. Despite plans to replace in-game leader Aleksi ‘Aleksib’ Virolainen with Miikka ‘suNny’ Kemppi after Berlin, ENCE ran through their competition with a 3-0 record.
NRG Esports also picked up an impressive 3-0 record that included huge wins over favorites in Team Liquid and Astralis.
Team Liquid’s struggles continued after their loss to NRG, getting stunned by AVANGAR in overtime to send them into the 1-2 pool.
But the defending major champs performed their best with their backs against the wall, with 2-0 series wins against North and mousesports to qualify on the final day.
Speaking of backs against the wall, Renegades found themselves down 0-2 to start Legends stage. But the boys from Australia dug themselves out a hole by winning three straight series against DreamEaters, FaZe Clan, and G2 Esports.
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ENCE were in that same spot in Katowice, and ended up in the grand finals of the past major, so hopes are high for Renegades.
Hopes were high for other teams as well, but a lot of big names ended up on the wrong side of the table after all was said and done. North, FaZe, and MiBR were all eliminated with 1-3 records.
G2 and mousesports were eliminated on the final day. Ninjas in Pyjamas went 0-3, and won’t even have a Challengers spot guaranteed at the next major, along with DreamEaters.
There were no 16-0 shoutouts this stage, but plenty of overtime maps, including an Astralis-NRG Train map that tied the previous major record of 59 rounds (set at MLG Columbus 2016), and then an Astralis-CR4ZY map on Dust II that broke the record with 60 rounds.
Despite losing both of those grueling maps, Astralis still qualified for Champions stage with a 3-1 record.
Champions stage first round matchups
- ENCE vs Renegades
- Team Vitality vs AVANGAR
- Astralis vs Team Liquid
- Natus Vincere vs NRG Esports
Eliminated from Legends Stage
- CR4ZY
- Mousesports
- G2 Esports
- MiBR
- FaZe Clan
- North
- Ninjas in Pyjamas*
- DreamEaters*
*Finished 0-3 and will not obtain a Challengers spot at the 2020 spring major