Another week of competition in the 54th season of the ESEA has come to an end. Some players are climbing the playoff ladder with increasing confidence. Others, however, are having to say a painful goodbye to their dreams of promotion. Unfortunately, as fate would have it, the Hussars have this time joined the ranks of teams eliminated from the Entry Division. Our Hussars started the play-offs quite promisingly, showing potential and determination. However, successive matches gradually robbed them of any chance of continuing their campaign this season. The Hussars’ journey therefore ends sooner than many fans might have expected, but the experience gained may well bear fruit in future seasons.
I’d also encourage you to check out the previous round-up of their campaign. And now let’s take a closer look at the match against Rhadamanthys, which sealed their exit from the competition.
A painful end to their ESEA Entry adventure
Hussars [1:2] Rhadamanthys 🇷🇸
13:10 | Inferno
The first map of this do-or-die clash was Inferno, selected by their opponents. The start of the match looked better for Rhadamanthys. They got off to a better start and controlled the first half. It seemed that choosing this map had been a stroke of genius for them. Hussars certainly had their moments, but it wasn’t enough to turn the tide of this half of the game. Ultimately, their opponents led 5–7 at the end of this half.
After the sides switched sides, however, the game took a completely different turn. Hussars began to consistently win round after round, gradually regaining the initiative and building a lead. Rhadamanthys tried to fight back, but they were unable to stop the rampaging Hussars. In the end, the Poles closed out the map with a score of 13–10, showing that they can turn things around when the going gets tough. Karwix deserved special mention, as he helped the team to victory by racking up as many as 21 kills with just 12 deaths.
7:13 | Mirage
Following a successful comeback on their opponents’ map, it might have seemed that Hussars would ‘seal the deal’ on their own pick, Mirage, and close out the entire match with a victory. Unfortunately, reality turned out to be far more painful. The first half was very evenly matched, full of tension and back-and-forth rounds, with neither team willing to give an inch. It ultimately ended in a draw, which still offered hope for the rest of the match.
After the sides switched, however, everything took a completely different turn. Rhadamanthys took full control of the game and quickly built up a lead. Husaria managed to snatch just one round, whilst their opponents comfortably closed out the map with a score of 7–13, levelling the match. SNowRC stood out from the rest of the team; despite the defeat, he posted solid individual statistics, finishing the map with 16 kills and 13 deaths.
2:13 | Ancient
The decisive map, Ancient, proved to be a true display of Rhadamanthys’s strength. The Hussars managed to win only two rounds in the first half, which effectively sealed a swift end to the match. After the sides switched, the rivals added further rounds, conceding none more and closing out the map with a score of 2:13.
Hardly anyone expected such a one-sided clash, especially after two closely fought previous maps. This time, it’s hard to find any positives in Hussars’ statistics, although Rab1 finished the match with a balanced tally of 11 kills and 11 deaths.
Experience that will pay dividends
Although the Hussars’ journey in the 54th ESEA season has come to an end, the team has certainly gained valuable experience that may pay off in the future. It’s important to remember that every team’s journey is full of ups and downs, and the most important thing is to learn from it and come back stronger.
Hussars (x.com — Facebook — team profile)
English 
Polish 