European Masters Group Stage Recap

The European Masters Group Stage has come to an end and the Finals are just around the corner.

Group Stage Recap

The European Masters Tournament has passed through two stages and it’s coming into its third and final one. The Group Stage saw sixteen teams from all over Europe compete for one of the eight spots in the Finals and right now we are going to have a look at how things turned out and what we have to look forward to.

Group A

Group A concluded in an expected manner. The third day of the tournament saw Illuminar Gaming go up against eSuba. It was absolutely vital for the Polish team to claim this victory as it was the only way for them to qualify for the next stage. Luckily, Illuminar was able to bring in the win after almost 40 minutes of play.

The next match of Group A was between Ninjas in Pyjamas and Outplayed and surprisingly, Outplayed managed to best the veteran team for what would be the pinnacle match of the Group. Outplayed also proved to be the better team in their match versus Illuminar Gaming. As a result of the matches, Ninjas in Pyjamas and Outplayed will be advancing to the Finals.

Group B

Group B featured not as many exciting matches, as the qualifying teams were already determined, but it was worthwhile to see nonetheless. Misfits Academy faced off against Team Echo Zulu for third place in the Group. Despite the fact that there was nothing at stake, both teams played well and delivered a game lasting more than 50 minutes, one of the longest in the tournament.

The next game in the Group was ASUS ROG ELITE vs Gentside for first and second place. Both teams were already qualified for the Finals so this match was more about bragging rights than anything else. Gentside clearly had the advantage throughout the game and it continued its winning streak in the series. The match concluded just before the 40-minute mark, with Gentside having an 11,000 gold lead and 9 Tower kills to ASUS ROG ELITE’s 4.

Avec un @Brosak_ intombable nous remportons ce dernier match de phase de poule face aux ASUS ROG Elite. Nous sommes à 3-0, et attendons notre adversaire en 1/4 de finale. GG

GENTSQUAD ! 🤜🤛 pic.twitter.com/W1kMP2Ds7y

— Gentside Esports (@GentsideEsports) September 20, 2018

Group C

Group C had by far the largest number of matches for the last two days of the tournament. Team Atlantis scored its first win for the stage against Panathinaikos A.C. eSports, despite the fact that the Greeks had the statistical advantage with 4,000 more gold, a 7-players kill lead and 2 Baron kills as opposed to 0 from Atlantis.

After that, it was time for MAD Lions to test their mettle against Szata Maga+6. It was the first game for MAD Lions and they certainly lived up to their name. The match was relatively quick, ending just after half an hour and they had a substantial lead with more than a 20,000 gold advantage and 11 Towers killed.

The final day of the event was opened by Szata Maga+6 and Team Atlantis. The game was certainly contested and there were many ups and downs for the whole match. It took more than 53 minutes to bring the game to a close and both teams scored 44 champion kills combined. In terms of statistics, both teams were mostly evenly matched, though Szata Maga+6 did lead by one Dragon kill and 14,000 gold. Ultimately, Szata Maga+6 won the game and prevented Team Atlantis from having a shot at the Finals.

The last match of Group C was MAD Lions versus Panathinaikos A.C. eSports and it was arguably the shortest game of the tournament. Panathinaikos was dominant throughout the match and ultimately, it concluded before the 20-minute mark, with the surrender of MAD Lions.

🇬🇧| Eventually, @PanathinaikosES makes a good fight and ends the game.

We get the second seed of group C of #EUMasters. Sorry, this is not the face we want to show you.

We will roar again. #FearTheLion #MADWIN 🦁 pic.twitter.com/eue0vKyFGX

— MAD Lions (@MADLions) September 20, 2018

Group D

Group D saw three excellent matches being played out and the surprise return of EURONICS Gaming to the top rankings. EURONICS Gaming certainly shined in the second half of the Group Stage, following their loss to GamersOrigin the previous day. They overcame For The Win eSports and Turing eSports, dominating in each match.

GamersOrigin also showcased their skill in the closing game of the Group against For The Win eSports. With this win, GamersOrigin secured their spot at the Finals, boasting a record of 3-0 in the Group stage.

With this last victory that guarantees us the first place of the Group D ! 😁 GG @ftwesports #GOWIN 💪 #EUMasters @SocieteGenerale pic.twitter.com/XbVh9b7Xfv

— GO (@Team_GO) September 20, 2018

Finals Stage begin tomorrow

With the group stage over and done with, the Finals of the tournament are ready to start. Based on the results from the Group Stage, the following teams will participate in the Finals:

The #EUMasters Summer 2018 playoffs bracket is up! 🔥🔥🔥

Join us on Saturday at 18:00 CEST as we kick off the Quarterfinals! pic.twitter.com/z3AHRXQpV5

— ESL LoL (@ESLLoL) September 20, 2018

Additionally, the match schedule for the event has also been revealed and you can expect to view the following games:

The games for the Quarter-Finals and the Semi-Finals will be best-of-three, while the Finals game will be best-of-five. The Quarter-Finals will take place on 22 – 23 September and will be streamed and played online. On the other hand, the Semi-Finals and the Finals will be played in front of a live audience at Katowice, Poland on 29 – 30 September.