SLAKE have been in truly superb form since the changes to their squad. We recently reported on them after 8 matches, with a record of 6:2 (more HERE). We now have the results of their next two matches, and it’s clear they’re not letting up. They are edging ever closer to the play-offs – and even to Group A.
The clash against the Turks – SLAKE vs Altay Espor
SLAKE’s next match was against the Turkish team Altay Espor. The team features players of a very similar calibre to our partner, and at first glance the match looked set to be a closely fought affair, particularly as it was taking place on the de_nuke map. Our partner started on the attacking side and took the lead right from the start, thanks to winning the pistol round. However, it wasn’t just a lead – it went from 2–0 to 4–0 in no time. The opponents tried to fight back, though they only managed to do so once, and SLAKE immediately got back to winning rounds. The Turks halted them again at 6–1, but once more it was only for a single round. This gave the Poles a boost, and they went on to reach a score of 10–2 by the end of the half.
A good start to the first half, however, is not the end of the match, and there are still three rounds to win. This would prove particularly difficult, as our partner failed to win the second pistol round. We did, however, manage to win round 3 in this half, bringing the score to 11–4. Our opponents attempted a comeback, but this was thwarted by SLAKE, and the match ended 13–6. With this, our partner has now added a seventh victory to their already impressive record.
| SLAKE |  |
13–6 |  |
Altay Espor | | | Nuke |  |
Intermediate S53, Matchday 9 |
A battle for a record that could secure a play-off spot – SLAKE vs RoadToTokyo
The next day, it was time for another match. This time, a win would likely secure a play-off spot for our partner. It was once again the de_nuke map, only this time SLAKE started on the defending side. They also began by losing the pistol round, falling behind 0–2. Their opponents didn’t stop there and extended their lead to 3 points. Nevertheless, the Poles fought back, quickly levelling the score at 3:3 and even taking a 4:3 lead. Their opponents were not to be outdone, however, and fought back to level the score. SLAKE managed to regain the lead once more, but their opponents responded swiftly once again. The end of the half, however, belonged to the Russian team, and it was they who finished the half with a 7–5 lead.
After the first half, our partner had to head back, and a win in the pistol round would certainly have made things easier. Unfortunately, we failed to secure it, and the opponents extended their lead to 9–5. We had to wait a while for a response from the Poles, and in the meantime, the opponents continued to extend their lead. SLAKE’s response finally came, but it was a little too late. The match ended 13–6 in favour of the Russians. As a result, our partner has not yet secured a place in the play-offs and will have to fight for it in their next matches.
| SLAKE | |
6:13 | |
RoadToTokyo | | | Nuke | |
Intermediate S53, Matchday 10 |
Who will SLAKE be up against in the race for the play-offs?
- vs 🇪🇺 The One, Wednesday 14 May, 9.00 pm
- vs 🇪🇺 Albin The Gang, Thursday 15 May, 8.00 pm
SLAKE (x.com — Facebook — team profile)
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