The first five most interesting matches of Challengers Stage at PGL Major Antwerp

The Challengers Stage within PGL Major Antwerp 2022 will start next Monday, the 9th of May. 16 teams, eight Contenders, and eight Challengers will fight for slots for the next stage, Legends. 16 matches will be held on the first game day, all are bo1. Here you will find the five most interesting matches of the first round in Challengers Stage.

Vitality vs Complexity

The rival between Team Vitality and Complexity will be open this Major. Both teams changed the roster ahead of this season. The Danish trio, players Magisk, dupreeh, and coach zonic, joined the French core of the team: misutaa, apEX, and ZywOo. The new super team started the season successfully, finished in the top three at BLAST Premier: Spring Groups. But then, on two LAN events, IEM Katowice and EPL S15, Team Vitality didn’t reach playoffs. After that, Vitality failed at Pinnacle Cup III, lost against Skade in the quarterfinals. Fortunately for fans of the French team, Vitality managed to prepare for RMR tournament, where they won Dignitas, Eternal Fire, and MOUZ, secured the spot at the Major.

At the beginning of this season, Complexity returned to North America, signed Extra Salt core, former FURIA player junior, and Grim from Team Liquid. CoL didn’t have a good start to the season, finishing last in almost all tier-1 tournaments. But they were able to show a good result at American RMR, where they secured the spot at the Major. After that, they came back to their home region, where earned the slot for IEM Dallas 2022. CoL comes to the tournament in a good mood.

In this match-up, in my opinion, Vitality looks stronger. They have more experience players, their level is higher than CoL’s. Yes, it’s a bo1 match, anything can happen, but Vitality’s ambitions don’t allow them to stumble on the first match.

[match_prediction match=”team-vitality-vs-complexity-gaming-09-05-2022-08-00″ team=”team-vitality-csgo”]

Bad News Eagles vs Eternal Fire

Both teams qualified for this event with the last attempt. Not many people waited for Bad News Eagles and Eternal Fire at PGL Major Antwerp 2022. But they managed to do this and will meet with each other in the first round.

Bad News Eagles, the first team from Kosovo, who will compete at CS:GO in Major. Many can remember the incredible emotions of these players after defeating Sinners in the deciding match. They were so happy that they accidentally broke two mouses. But you shouldn’t blame them for that. They made history, and they deserve to be here.

Eternal Fire has made history as well. The Turkish team returns to the Major since 2018. XANTARES and woxic, who returned to Turkey, are ready to make their country great on CS:GO map.

It’s hard to predict the favorite in this match. Both teams have good players, strategies, and map pool. I’d say that here, the balance is 50-50. But we need to decide, who will win this match. My prediction, thanks to experience, Eternal Fire will take victory over Bad News Eagles.

[match_prediction match=”bad-news-eagles-vs-eternal-fire-09-05-2022-08-00″ team=”eternal-fire-csgo”]

G2 vs Team Liquid

G2 and Team Liquid will compete in the main match of the first game day. The last time these teams met in this February, at IEM Katowice 2022. Then G2 easily beat their colleagues from North America. But a lot happened during that period. G2 had a not satisfactory result at EPL S15, while Liquid made top-8. Both teams didn’t have problems at their RMR events, both lost only one match, and won three. After that, Liquid returned to NA, and claimed the slot for IEM Dallas 2022.

This match is intriguing for the m0NESY major prodigy debut. A 17-year-old boy proved himself well in the first months of the G2, helped the team to take second place at the IEM Katowice 2022.

shox from Team Liquid will play his 17th Major event in CS:GO. In addition, Xyp9x with Astralis and dupreeh with Team Vitality reached the same record. It will be interesting to see the nitr0 returning to the Major, who reached two times the finals of Major-events in 2016.

G2 is the favorite here, but I wouldn’t question Team Liquid. They are somewhere more experienced, with a good coaching staff that can qualitatively prepare the team for this match. All the more bookies give them a very interesting coefficient, and here you can take a chance.

[match_prediction match=”g2-esports-vs-team-liquid-09-05-2022-08-00″ team=”liquid-csgo”]

Imperial vs Team Spirit

The young Russian team will meet with the Brazilian edition of “Last Dance”. Fallen & co are returning to the Major. Especially it’s important for fnx, who competed only at two Major, and both he won. Imperial took 3rd place at American RMR and claimed the spot for IEM Dallas 2022. Remind, me how much experience these players have, I guess I don’t need it.

Team Spirit, who after failure at last Major in Sweden, invited Patsi and s1ren from the academy roster, managed to secure the spot in Antwerp. But they faced the problem just a few days before the tournament. ESIC published a new investigation about a coach bug with a camera, and Spirit’s hally received a ban. He will not be with a team at this Major. Certainly, this incident makes an effect on players.

According to all Spirit problems and Imperial experience, I can confidently say that the Brazilian team will win this match.

[match_prediction match=”imperial-vs-team-spirit-09-05-2022-08-00″ team=”imperial-csgo”]

ENCE vs 9z

In the last match of the first round within Challengers Stage, ENCE will meet with 9z. The European team made huge progress last month, took 2nd place at EPL S15, and qualified for the Major and BLAST Premier Spring Finals 2022. Now they are in 4th place in HLTV World Ranking.

9z made a miracle run at American RMR, came back from the score of 0:2 in Swiss Stage, won five matches in a row, including victories over Evil Geniuses and paiN. But like Team Spirit, 9z faced the ban of their coach, zakk. As hally, the Brazilian coach will not attend the Major with a team.
ENCE is the favorite here, but 9z can surprise their opponents.

[match_prediction match=”ence-vs-9z-09-05-2022-08-00″ team=”ence-csgo”]

PGL Major Antwerp 2022 will take place in Belgium, starting on 9th of May, and ending 22nd. The event will have three-phase. New Challengers Stage, during 9th-12th, where 16 teams will fight for eight slots for next phase. Then will be a one-day break, and a New Legends Stage will be played, where 16 teams will try to make the playoffs. Finally, playoffs will take place during 19th-22th May, a single-elimination bracket, all matches are bo3. The prize pool is $1,000,000.