As ESL Pro League Season 20 enters its second week, the upper bracket final of Group C brings an exciting clash between Imperial and M80. Both teams have surprised many by reaching this stage of the tournament, but only one can move directly to the quarterfinals, while the other will have to fight their way through round 2 of the playoffs. This match promises intense action as both teams have been on a roll, but with vastly different backgrounds and expectations coming into the event.
Imperial's Recent Form
Imperial Esports entered the tournament in good form, and they have only solidified their standing with back-to-back victories against BIG and MOUZ. Imperial’s roster changes, particularly the addition of Santino "try" Rigal as their AWPer, have paid dividends. Despite losing one of their best players, Henrique "HEN1" Teles, to make room for try, the team has shown they can still perform at the highest level. The young Argentinian talent has quickly become their most consistent player, delivering stellar performances in crucial matches. His stats speak for themselves: rating 6.4, 0.72 KPR, 71 ADR.
Imperial has relied on the collective strength of its roster, with each player capable of stepping up when needed. They defeated BIG 2-1 in the opening match, followed by an impressive 2-0 sweep against MOUZ, securing their place in the upper bracket final. The team’s synergy has been evident in their map control and versatility, particularly on Dust2 and Mirage, where they secured hard-fought victories against strong opponents.
M80's Surprising Journey
While Imperial’s playoff spot might have been somewhat expected, M80’s run has caught many by surprise. The North American squad not only lost a key player in Mario "malbsMd" Samayoa, but they were also considered underdogs coming into the tournament. However, the remaining roster has stepped up to the challenge, with players like Fritz "slaxz-" Dietrich delivering key performances. His stats from the tournament so far: rating 6.4, 0.73 KPR, 73 ADR.
M80’s path to the upper bracket final included an impressive 2-0 victory over Complexity and a dramatic, marathon match against fnatic, where they secured a 2-0 win, including an unforgettable 37-34 scoreline on Anubis. The team's ability to withstand pressure and come out on top in these critical moments has shown that they’re not to be taken lightly. For M80, this is their first-ever appearance in the playoffs of a top-tier CS event, and they are eager to make history.
Expert's Take
For this matchup we also contacted the Maincast analyst Oleksandr “Shoker” Osheka and asked him to share his expert opinion:
Both teams have been impressive at this EPL, and it’s funny because I didn’t expect either of them to be in the playoffs stage. Imperial is a team that can’t really boast about consistency, and the regional differences make it harder for them. However, defeating MOUZ convincingly—that’s impressive. They still have some macro issues, but their individual skills can pull them through tough spots.
As for M80, I honestly thought their results would plummet after losing malbsMd, but they’ve completely surprised me. Lake has been a revelation, s1n is solid as the IGL, and slaxz- is shining on the AWP. Their endurance against fnatic was remarkable, and they displayed excellent ideas in their match versus Complexity.
For my prediction, it’s hard to say, as both teams are pretty evenly matched. However, M80 seems more structured and is showing real progress. My bet is 2-1 in favor of M80—they deserve to move on to the deeper stages of the tournament.
Map Pool Comparison
The map pool heavily favors Imperial, especially with their strong form on Mirage and Dust2, both of which are among their top-performing maps. Imperial has won their last seven matches on Mirage, making it a likely pick for this series. Their map control and individual prowess, particularly on these two maps, give them a clear advantage.
M80, on the other hand, is also comfortable on Anubis and Ancient, where they’ve shown remarkable resilience. Their victory over fnatic on Anubis was nothing short of legendary, and with an 80% win rate on both Anubis and Ancient, they are well-equipped to challenge Imperial on these maps.
However, M80 has a weaker Dust2 (33.3%) and tends to avoid Nuke, which is likely to be their permaban. This could play into Imperial’s hands, as Dust2 has been one of their best maps, with a 76.9% win rate. Overall, Imperial’s more confident and balanced map pool gives them a strategic edge in this match-up.
Predicted Map Veto
- Imperial pick Mirage (seven wins in a row)
- M80 pick Anubis (six wins in a row)
- Decider: Inferno
Prediction: Imperial 2-1 M80
Given the current form of both teams, this is expected to be a close match, but Imperial's stronger map pool and consistent performances give them the upper hand. M80 could certainly take a map, most likely Anubis, but Imperial’s experience and versatility should allow them to secure the series 2-1 and advance directly to the quarterfinals.
For M80, even in the case of a loss, their run has been impressive, and they will still have a strong chance to make a deep run in the playoffs, starting from round 2.
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