Vitality reverse-sweep Falcons to reach ESL Pro League Season 24 playoffs

Team Vitality advanced to the playoffs of ESL Pro League Season 24 after a 2-1 reverse sweep of Team Falcons in the tournament's 2-0 pool. The series marked the first meeting between the sides since the IEM Cologne Major quarter-finals, where Falcons won en route to their first Major title.

Vitality dropped the opening map on Anubis 9-13 after struggling in opening duels. Ilya "m0NESY" Osipov led Falcons with a 10-1 opening duel record and a 1.87 rating on the map. Vitality responded on Dust2 with a dominant 13-4 victory, powered by Shahar "flameZ" Shushan's 2.10 rating and strong calling from captain Dan "apEX" Madesclaire.

The decider on Mirage saw Vitality close out the series 13-8. Robin "ropz" Kool and William "mezii" Merriman held firm on defense, limiting Falcons' entry onto bombsites. Falcons narrowed the gap after a pistol round win but could not complete the comeback.

The victory snapped a five-series losing streak against Falcons dating back to the ESL Pro League Season 22 final nearly one year ago. ApEX told the broadcast that the Cologne Major loss "stung" more than other defeats, which had come in lower-stakes matches. Vitality becomes the second team to clinch a playoff berth at the event.