Since the first CS:GO Major was hosted in Jönköping back in late 2013, the community’s spotlights have always been directed towards luminaries like Fnatic, Envy, Australis, FaZe, and other teams.
Among the stars rising in the East was Illuminar Gaming, a brilliant CS:GO team formed in Poland. Recently, they met another Eastern Europe team and clashed in a back-and-forth battle which they ended up losing.
Read on to understand how Polish eSports team Illuminar Gaming lost to NaVi in the preliminary round in a selective group of the Intel Extreme Masters Rio Major 2022.
How NaVi Overwhelmed Illuminar Gaming
IEM Road to Rio 2022: Europe RMR Group B competition took place from October 4 to 9 and was a selective round for the IEM Rio Major 2022. All teams ranked first to 4th received official invitations to the great round in Brazil’s “wonderful city.”
Meanwhile, all teams ranked 5th to 8th must battle themselves to survive in the “Challengers Stage.” The face-to-face combat between Natus Vincere (NaVi) and Illuminar Gaming was in the first bracket of the group stage.
The match ended with a victory for Natus Vincere, which won a fierce challenge on the map Dust2 with a score of 16:5. The highlight of the match was the performance of Denis “electroNic” Sharipov, which managed to score 10 bloody deaths and 40 plus frags with a 3.07 rating.
Lucky gamblers who placed their bets on NaVi won big in match betting. Some websites even gave users special advantages, such as CSGORoll promo code.
Understanding the Teams – Illuminar Gaming vs. NaVi
Formed and located in Poland, Illuminar Gaming was first introduced to the professional CS:GO circuit in 2018. After an initial “part ways” in their original line-up, they followed to sign their winning team on July 2019.
After several changes in their line-up and approximately 191,905 won in prizes since their inception, the team is a well-established franchise among the world’s best eSports leagues. Also born in the “Eastern side of the block,” Natus Vincere (Latin for “Born to Win”) is a Ukrainian CS:GO pro-level team.
This powerhouse is significantly respected among the community due to their legendary feats on the world stage, which includes winning all Counter-Strike Majors within one calendar year:
- Intel Extreme Masters IV
- ESWC 2010
- WCG 2010
They were also the first CS:GO pro-level team to win a Global Offensive Major without dropping a map, which they did to get the number one prize in the PGL Major Stockholm 2021.
Currently, the team’s captain is Denis “electroNic” Sharipov, which explains his demonstration of a solid skillset and advanced leadership mindset.
What Lies Ahead for Both Teams Throughout the 2022-2023 CSGO Season?
Ranked first in the Road to Rio 2022: European RMR B tournament, NaVi was directly invited to IEM Rio Major. The team was followed by ENCE (2nd place), Heroic (3rd place), and OG (4th place).
Keep in mind that only the first three teams advance to the Major with Legend Status, while the other five teams from the top 8 advance with Challenger Status.
Illuminar Gaming ended up in 12th place. The first-round loss for Navi was followed by another fall in the hands of OG. A 2:1 win over FANTASY broke the losing streak.
Nonetheless, the victory was not enough to boost the team’s spirit to get by the next challenger. In the next stage, the Polish team was defeated by Sangal Esports in a 0:2 match.
This Major will be disputed by 24 world-class teams in Rio de Janeiro, a tropical dream city with lushing beaches, abundant nature, and the jaw-dropping “Cristo Redentor,” which is listed among the world’s seven wonders.
The Legends stage will take place between November 5th and 8th using a 16-Team Swiss System Format.
The challenging teams will face Elimination and Advancement matches on Bo3, as all other matches that follow will take place on Bo1. The Top 8 Teams proceed to the Champion stage.
The Major’s price pool is nothing less than $1,250,000, which is $500,000 paid to the winner, $170,000 paid to the team in second, and $80,000 paid to the teams in 3rd and 4th places. The winner will also receive an invitation to the IEM Katowice 2023.
Polish Esports Team Illuminar Gaming Loses Against NaVi – Summary
The IEM Road to Rio 2022: Europe RMR Group B witnessed a quick fall from Illuminar Gaming after a defeat to Natus Vincere (NaVi) in the first round. NaVi ended up being the overall winner of the tournaments and automatically classified for the Intel Extreme Masters Rio Major 2022.
Organized by ESL and sponsored by Intel, DHL, 1XBET, and Monster Energy, the Intel Extreme Masters Rio Major 2022 will take place between 31st October and 13th November in Rio de Janeiro.
