This victory marked their second title win in a row, successfully defending their crown as Pro League champions.
MOUZ OWN ESL PRO LEAGUE.
@mousesports ARE YOUR BACK TO BACK #ESLProLeague CHAMPIONS ON DIFFERENT VERSIONS OF THE GAME
— ESL Counter-Strike (@ESLCS) May 12, 2024
“It feels amazing, back-to-back,” exclaimed Jimi “Jimpphat” Salo after the game.
“It means a lot, especially with this team, with Ludde (Brollan). It’s good to win a tier-one trophy again.”
Despite their consistent presence in the playoffs of Counter-Strike events, MOUZ had struggled to perform beyond the group stage in previous events.
“Group stage merchants, but also Pro League merchants,” joked Kamil “siuhy” Szkaradek, highlighting their reputation.
The grand final showcased MOUZ’s dominance, with Mathieu “ZywOo” Herbaut unable to replicate his stellar form from earlier in the tournament.
Vitality faltered, with key players like William “mezii” Merriman and Dan “apEX” Madesclaire posting disappointing performances.
Vitality’s coach, Rémy “XTQZZZ” Quoniam, expressed disappointment, citing poor communication and execution as reasons for their defeat.
ZywOo, despite his quiet finals showing, still received HLTV’s MVP award, but MOUZ’s Dorian “xertioN” Berman emerged as a standout player in the title decider, leading the charge with stellar performances.
For MOUZ, it wasn’t just xertioN shining; the team as a whole outclassed Vitality.
With siuhy boasting a 1.26 rating and Ludvig ‘Brollan’ Brolin stepping up when needed, MOUZ secured the victory convincingly.
The grand final was one-sided, with Vitality struggling to gain momentum on any of the three maps.
MOUZ’s strong performances on Inferno, Mirage, and Nuke left Vitality unable to mount a comeback.
MOUZ’s victory showcased their prowess in ESL Pro League, solidifying their status as elite contenders in the Counter-Strike scene.
Despite their previous disappointments, this youthful squad has found success on the Pro League stage, defending their title in impressive fashion.
Their flawless run in the tournament, coupled with a convincing grand final victory, was a stark contrast to their semi-final exit at the PGL Copenhagen CS2 Major.
MOUZ’s dominance in the studio setting was evident, with players like ádám ‘torzsi’ Torzsás emphasizing their prowess.
While questions remain about their performance in larger arenas, MOUZ’s back-to-back Pro League victories are a testament to their potential.
As for ZywOo, despite missing out on the grand final, his exceptional performance throughout the tournament earned him another MVP award.
MVP No. 1⃣9⃣ pic.twitter.com/MgBYjJG7p6
— HLTV.org (@HLTVorg) May 12, 2024
]]>
MOUZ is entering the Counter-Strike 2 era without their young star, Jimpphat, who is currently facing visa issues.
MOUZ ROSTER UPDATE
?Due to visa issues, we are making a roster change for #IEM Sydney.? ?@NexiusCS2?
@jimpphatCSGO? ?If we can resolve the visa issues in the coming days, Jimi will join the team in Sydney later.
?#VAMOUZ pic.twitter.com/G3jYULR0qp— MOUZ (@mousesports) October 14, 2023
To fill the void, MOUZ has temporarily brought in Bram “Nexius” Campana for IEM Sydney 2023 until Jimpphat’s visa matters are resolved.
Following their significant roster upgrade after the BLAST Paris Major, MOUZ has been on fire.
They not only added Jimpphat’s explosive talent but also acquired Kamil “siuhy” Szkaradek, formerly the face of GamerLegion, who led his previous team to the finals of the Major with his fearless and fluid in-game leading style.
Jimpphat played a crucial role during their victory at the ESL Pro League Season 18 Finals, earning praise for his clutching abilities.
While losing a player of Jimpphat’s caliber is a setback, missing only part of IEM Sydney is manageable.
MOUZ has its sights set on more significant prizes, particularly the inaugural CS2 Major, which is just around the corner.
Other high-profile tournaments are also on the horizon, and MOUZ is expected to be at full strength for those.
In the meantime, they can rely on Nexius to fill in until Jimpphat’s visa issues are resolved, which could be sooner than later.
This means that Jimpphat still has a chance to join his team down under should they make a deep run in the tournament.
IEM Sydney 2023 appears to be plagued with high-profile absences and potential in-game bugs, making it an explosive and unpredictable event.
One of the most notable absences is s1mple from NAVI, often considered the CS:GO GOAT.
According to NAVI’s release, s1mple will not be attending IEM Sydney due to issues related to his EU residency papers.
According to sources, the reason s1mple isn’t attending IEM Sydney with NAVI is that his EU residency papers are not yet ready. If he traveled to Sydney, there was a chance he would not be able to get back to the EU.
B1ad3 is replacing s1mple at the Australian event. pic.twitter.com/1l0QnhgQC8
— Luís Mira (@luismmira) October 15, 2023
Team coach B1ad3 will be stepping in to complete the roster, but this is seen as a significant downgrade, as B1ad3 hasn’t played at this level since his days with FlipSid3 Tactics.
S1mple’s decision to take a break may be well-founded considering his recent criticism of the state of CS2.
He expressed frustration with the game due to numerous bugs and server issues, even going so far as to advise against playing it in its current state.
With an unstable online environment, IEM Sydney may witness its fair share of bugs and glitches in its early days.
Furthermore, s1mple has been experiencing a frustrating streak, with NAVI underperforming in the final days of CS:GO.
Taking a break might help alleviate these frustrations within the team and on the server.
Regardless of whether s1mple participates in the first CS2 tournament, he remains one of the greatest CS players of all time.
He will have plenty of opportunities to compete for glory in CS2, including the highly anticipated first CS2 Major set for March 2024.
]]>Their journey to this triumphant moment was nothing short of impressive, as they overcame a challenging line up of opponents, including FURIA, FaZe Clan, G2, and ENCE.
This image will go down in history.
The last CS:GO LAN CHAMPIONS
@torzsics @siuhycs @jimpphatCSGO @FROZENNcs @xertioNNCSGO@sycronecs #ESLProLeague
pic.twitter.com/xkyAYIeuX8
— ESL Counter-Strike (@ESLCS) October 1, 2023
The young in-game leader, Kamil “siuhy” Szkaradek, who had previously guided GamerLegion to the grand finals of the BLAST Paris Major, played a pivotal role in MOUZ’s success.
His aggressive play calling style blended seamlessly with the team’s abundance of talent.
One standout player in the finals series was the 17-year-old Jimi “Jimpphat” Salo, who displayed exceptional performance with a 1.25 HLTV rating in the final match.
Jimpphat’s youth and clutch kills in critical rounds made him a shining star for the squad.
MOUZ’s victory at this event not only secured them the ESL Pro League Season 18 title but also elevated their status in the rankings among pundits and analysts.
Their clean sweep in the finals showcased their dominance and resilience in a competitive field.
On the other hand, NAVI, although falling short in the finals, had an impressive performance leading up to the match, not dropping a map throughout the Pro League.
In the grand final showdown, MOUZ asserted their dominance right from the start on Inferno, winning crucial rounds and establishing a 4-0 lead.
Despite NAVI’s efforts to catch up, MOUZ maintained their edge, thanks in part to Valeriy “b1t” Vakhovskiy’s struggles on the T side.
MOUZ secured a 16-10 victory on the opening map.
The pressure mounted on NAVI as they headed into their pick, Overpass, and MOUZ continued their dominance.
A remarkable performance by ádám “torzsi” Torzsás and Kamil “siuhy” Szkaradek gave MOUZ an 11-4 lead at halftime.
Although NAVI showed signs of life with a pistol round win and a five-round streak, the 17-year-old Jimpphat’s rifling skills halted their comeback, ultimately leading MOUZ to a 16-9 victory.
In the final showdown on Mirage, NAVI put up a better fight, with Oleksandr “s1mple” Kostyliev making his presence felt.
NAVI briefly took the lead at 5-3, but MOUZ regained control, securing a 9-6 lead at half-time.
Despite NAVI’s efforts to mount a comeback, MOUZ maintained their composure.
NAVI couldn’t stage a comeback, and MOUZ sealed their victory with a sweep in overtime, ultimately winning the ESL Pro League Season 18 grand finals.
After turning in a massive performance throughout the season, ádám “torzsi” Torzsás was awarded the HLTV MVP for season 18.
MOUZ’s remarkable journey through this tournament, featuring a young and talented roster led by siuhy, solidified their place as a force to be reckoned with in the Counter-Strike world, as they look forward to continuing their success in the upcoming CS2 era.
]]>Following his outstanding performance for GamerLegion at the BLAST.tv Paris Major in April, siuhy’s name has been on the radar of a lot of teams during the Counter-Strike player break.
The Poland-born 20-year-old will take over as the in-game leader for MOUZ’s main roster after the organisation parted ways with previous in-game leader Christopher “dexter” Nong on Friday, June 30.
Siuhy has a lot of history with MOUZ, as he led their development squad to four consecutive WePlay Academy League titles in 2021 and 2022, so there was never any doubt about who he would join if he was to leave GamerLegion during the break.
With siuhy returning to MOUZ, he will also rejoin two of his former teammates and his coach from the development squad, with Adam “torzsi” Torzsas, Dorian “xertioN” Berman and coach Dennis “sycrone” Nielsen already on the roster.
After the announcement of his return, siuhy released a statement thanking everyone that helped him along the way from GamerLegion.
To a very special team that will always have a place in my heart.
Thank you @GamerLegion!
pic.twitter.com/xUG9Uan7Kz
— Kamil Szkaradek (@siuhycs) July 3, 2023
Meanwhile, MOUZ released their own statement on the MOUZ esports website speaking about what siuhy will bring to the organisation and CS:GO roster.
“Siuhy’s return infuses the team with a fresh mindset, but also familiarity, providing a solid foundation for their journey ahead,” a MOUZ statement read.
“As they navigate the challenges and opportunities presented in CS2, MOUZ and siuhy aim to cement their place as one of the top contenders in the scene.”
After replacing dexter with siuhy, there is still one more move that MOUZ needs to make after they benched Jon “JDC” de Castro on June 29.
There are numerous reports that suggest that 16-year-old academy prospect Jimi “Jimpphat” Salo will be promoted to take fill JDC’s place and complete the five-man roster.
]]>