After two unsuccessful attempts, Vandals Clan have finally achieved their goal. The organisation secured promotion during the third round of qualifiers for the Galaxy Cup, thereby securing a place in the LAN finals, which will take place on 15–16 August at the Kinguin Lounge in Gdańsk. The team has thus become the first of our partners to secure a place in the tournament’s most important stage.
However, the road to qualification was not an easy one. The organisers had arranged as many as four open qualifiers, each offering the chance to secure a place in the finals. It was only the third round that proved to be the lucky one for Vandals Clan, who were in excellent form from the very first match and left their opponents with little hope.
Interestingly, the third qualifying round differed markedly from the previous ones. In earlier rounds, places in the finals were most often secured by foreign teams. This time, however, alongside Vandals Clan, a second Polish team, Fast Layners, also secured a place at the LAN event. This is a positive sign for the domestic Counter-Strike scene, demonstrating that Polish organisations are effectively competing for places in the Galaxy Cup finals.
Although there is still one round left before the qualifiers conclude, there will certainly be no shortage of excitement. In Saturday’s matches, another two teams will secure their places in the Galaxy Cup finals. It is therefore possible that another of our partners will join Vandals Clan.
A smooth run through the quarter-finals and semi-finals
Vandals Clan began the competition with a bye in the first round, allowing them to prepare calmly for the main part of the tournament. The real challenge only began in the next stage, where they faced Fang Esport. Although the match was already at the quarter-final stage, the Vandals players showed from the very first rounds that they were approaching the qualifiers with complete focus. After all, the stakes in every subsequent match were to get one step closer to their dream spot at the LAN finals in August.
The match, played on Anubis, was dictated by the Vandals Clan players from the outset. The team controlled the pace of the game, capitalised effectively on their opponents’ mistakes and consistently built up a lead in both attack and defence. Despite a few successful moments from Fang Esport, the Vandals did not allow their opponents to turn the match around and confidently sealed the victory with a score of 13–8, securing their place in the semi-finals of the qualifiers.
Our partners made an even greater impression in their next match. In the semi-finals, their opponents were TheNightClub, a team well known on the Polish Counter-Strike scene. This clash promised to be far more challenging, but reality quickly proved the pre-match predictions wrong. From the very start, Vandals Clan dictated the terms of the game and practically never relinquished the initiative to their opponents.
On the Ancient map, the Vandals players displayed a very mature and disciplined brand of Counter-Strike. Effective defence, well-prepared plays and confidently won duels meant that TheNightClub were unable to put up a close fight. The final score of 13:4 perfectly reflects the course of the match and confirms that Vandals were in superb form that day. Two convincing victories saw the team reach the qualifiers’ final, where only one step remained… Winning the BO3 series and securing the coveted place in the Galaxy Cup finals.
A smooth ride to the final. Vandals Clan sealed their promotion
The final hurdle on the road to promotion was the 95Vikings squad. At stake in the final match was a place in the Galaxy Cup LAN finals in August. It was therefore to be expected that the contest between the two teams would be fiercely contested. However, Vandals Clan went into the match on the back of two very convincing victories, which was clearly evident in the decisive BO3 series as well. From the very first rounds, our partners displayed confident and well-organised play, not allowing their opponents to get into their stride.
The first map was Anubis, selected by 95Vikings. Although it was the opponents who chose the map, Vandals Clan took the initiative from the very start. The team controlled the pace of the match very well, capitalising effectively on every mistake made by their opponents and consistently extending their lead. 95Vikings tried to get back into the game, but the Vandals players maintained full control over the match, closing out the first map with a confident 13–6 victory.
After the arena change, the contest moved to Nuke, Vandals Clan’s pick. It was here that the Vandals’ superiority was even more evident. The team impressed with their effectiveness in one-on-one duels, executed their prepared tactics very well and gave their opponents virtually no room to make up for their losses. The result was a dominant 13–4 victory, which sealed their win in the series.
The 2–0 result meant that the Ancient map, scheduled for last, was no longer needed. Vandals Clan wrapped up the third qualifying round in fine style, securing their place in the Galaxy Cup finals, which, as we mentioned in the introduction, will take place on 15–16 August at the Kinguin Lounge in Gdańsk. This is yet another very strong performance by the organisation in recent weeks and confirmation that the team is capable of maintaining the highest standard even when qualification for the season’s most important events is at stake.
Last chance before the Galaxy Cup finals
There is still a fourth and final round of qualifiers to be played. This Saturday, we will find out which team will be the last to join the line-up for the Galaxy Cup LAN finals. It is quite possible that another of our partners will be among them. For now, however, it is certain that Vandals Clan have done their bit and, as the first representative of our partnership programme, have secured their place in the Galaxy Cup finals.
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