ENCE with their renewed roster made a real sensation at the Elisa Masters Espoo tournament, winning the trophy in front of their home Finnish fans. In the final, they defeated HEROIC with a score of 3-1. This victory was even more impressive considering the team had only five days to train with new players — Ryan "⁠Neityu⁠" Aubry and Kacper "⁠xKacpersky⁠" Gabara.

"This is incredible. No one expected us to win this tournament, not even us. We had the right mindset, and we just wanted to show a good level of play. But to win the entire tournament—it's a real miracle", said Neityu in an interview with HLTV after the final.

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ENCE's Path to Victory

ENCE approached Elisa Masters Espoo with a renewed roster, which raised doubts. The team was strengthened by two young players, Neityu and xKacpersky, who previously had no serious experience in international tournaments. Meanwhile, the captain was the experienced gla1ve, who not only managed to establish team play but also showed high individual skills.

"He was like a proud father who led us through the final", Neityu joked.

The Magic of the Tournament

ENCE didn't just win the tournament, they defeated serious opponents—such as 9z, The MongolZ and HEROIC, adding intrigue. In the group stage, HEROIC had already defeated ENCE, but the final was an opportunity for revenge. And ENCE succeeded.

"We were all on the same wavelength mentally, everyone gave 100%. We felt the support of Finnish fans, and that gave us strength. It was all real magic", shared Neityu about his feelings from the tournament.

The ENCE team did not feel fear before a strong opponent in the final, which became an important factor in their success. "We weren't afraid of HEROIC, and that gave us an advantage. They were the favorites, but we just played our game without feeling any extra pressure", noted Neityu.

Reactions and Evaluations

ENCE's victory drew attention to Neityu, especially after praise from Dan "⁠apEX⁠" Madesclaire, who noted that the French player will soon find himself in a top team. Despite this, Neityu believes that such attention only helps him: "It adds pressure, but I turn it into confidence. Now I think: 'Okay, I can really do this, and I will show it.' It motivates me".

Gla1ve also played a key role in the final, not only excellently leading the team but also contributing significantly to the frags. "Gla1ve was very confident, he made the right calls and gave each of us freedom on the map", said Neityu.

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Why This Victory is Important

ENCE proved that even with minimal preparation time, impressive results can be achieved. "We showed that we can compete with the top 10 teams in the world", concluded Neityu. This sensational victory was an important event for the entire team and inspires further success.

Source: HLTV