Vandals Clan are having a fairly good season in ESEA Entry. They managed to start with a 6–2 record and are gradually working even harder to improve. However, their recent results haven’t been quite as impressive, raising concerns as to whether the record they finish the regular season with will be enough to secure a place in the Play-offs in Pot A, where they would be guaranteed promotion to the Intermediate league and have a chance of advancing to the Main. We’ll certainly find out in the coming week.
An unfortunate end to the winning streak
The first match since the last article was against the Danish team Mot Gang. This side had a fairly good record and, given their form, one might have expected them to win the match. Of course, anything can happen, and Vandals Clan could have spring a surprise. The map didn’t quite suit our partner either, because although Nuke is a fairly good choice, a better one could certainly have been made.
The first half, which began with our team on the CT side, wasn’t ideal, and there were quite a few mistakes on display. The opponents were taking the bombsites far too easily, and their retakes weren’t going down too well either. This resulted in a rather poor start to the match, with a 3–9 defeat in the first half. In the second half, they had to make up for a significant deficit. Despite a good start, however, they failed to capitalise on winning the pistol round, allowing their opponents to gain momentum and close out the half with four consecutive rounds. As a result, Vandals Clan unfortunately suffered their third defeat of the season, though their 6–3 record still looked quite impressive.
A fierce battle right down to the final rounds
Next, the Vandals faced off against the Dutch team ChocomelPeek. This match promised to be one of the most interesting, as both sides are aiming to fight for promotion this season, whether from Pot A or from Pot B. This time, our partner was drawn on a more favourable map – Ancient – where the Vandals play and win matches fairly regularly.
The start of the match, with us on the attacking side, was also very promising. Both in terms of shooting and tactics, it looked nothing short of perfect, and it was clear there was a chance of victory. Minor problems arose when the opposition started winning rounds, but they managed to deal with this quickly and take an 8–4 lead. The second half, however, was a slightly different story. On the defensive side, Vandals Clan had quite a lot of trouble, particularly with their shooting, where apart from Mordej and Szczyk, the rest just couldn’t cut it. This ultimately led to extra time. During extra time, however, our team kicked into sixth gear and won round after round, leaving the opposition with no confidence whatsoever. This led to an excellent 15–12 scoreline at half-time, and in the second half, sealing the match was a mere formality, which was achieved as early as the first round.
The joy and winning streak didn’t last very long…
Vandals Clan had to wait until 11 November for their next match, when they faced the Norwegian side Kruse Knallknull. Like most teams at this stage, this side had no intention of slowing down and were keen to secure a place in the coveted Group A. Our partner was determined to put a stop to that. The map this time was completely different, but certainly not unfamiliar to the Poles, as it was Mirage.
The first half, as is customary for Vandals Clan, went fairly smoothly and, most importantly, successfully. Most of the players managed to secure as many frags as they needed, which allowed them to take a 7–5 lead. In the second half of the match, however, we ran into slightly bigger problems. That’s when our opponents began to dictate the terms and took the lead quite quickly. It wasn’t over yet, though, and there was still a chance to fight back. They managed to close the gap considerably, but fell one crucial round short of forcing a tie-breaker. Consequently, the opposition won the match 13–11, leaving our partner with yet another defeat to add to their record.
A consolation win
Walkovers are very common in the lower leagues and are an integral part of the regular season. At this advanced stage of the Entry league, however, they are quite rare. And yet! Vandals Clan were due to play IR Academy in Round 12, but for some reason unknown to us, the match did not take place and our favourites won without a fight. Thanks to this, they managed to add another win to their tally and move very close to the Play-off Pot A. Their fate will be decided by the next two matches, which are also the final ones of the regular season. I invite you to watch them below.
Here is one of the final matches of this season’s regular season
- vs SelDeGuerande, Monday 17 November, 8.30 pm
Vandals Clan (Facebook — x.com — team profile)
English 
Polish 