We are slowly approaching the final week of competition in the 54th season of ESEA. If I recall correctly, we last wrote about the exploits of Young Stars Talents, competing in the Main division, nearly two weeks ago. Consequently, they have managed to play as many as five matches since then, which we will summarise today. How did they get on? In short, not too badly. Although, looking at their record, they will have to prove their worth in the final stretch of the season. Just to avoid repeating last season’s record, which they finished with a 7–7 result.
How did the start of the second half of the season go for Young Stars Talents?
Young Stars Talents [16:12] rzabka | Nuke
The match may have started rather sluggishly for Young Stars Talents. However, from the very first rounds, it was clear that it was shaping up to be a closely fought contest. After a few fierce skirmishes, unfortunately, it was the rivals who seized the initiative and ended the first half with a 5–7 lead. After the break, however, the “Young Stars” found their rhythm, quickly levelled the score and forced extra time. There, they left no room for doubt. The YS Talents team completely dominated their opponents, not conceding a single round. In such a fiercely contested match, jkbxD stood out in particular, recording as many as 30 eliminations with just 16 deaths, leading his team to victory.
Young Stars Talents [1:0] 🇳🇴 Nordix Esport | walkover
The second of today’s matches… didn’t actually take place. Nordix Esport failed to show up on the server, handing Young Stars an easy walkover victory. Although the players lost a few minutes waiting for their opponents, they gained extra time to rest or prepare for their next matches.
Young Stars Talents [10:13] 🇦🇱 MANA | Mirage
Unfortunately, it’s time for the less pleasant part of the recap. The match against MANA turned out to be the start of a dangerous slide back towards pre-season form. Although the contest seemed evenly matched from the very start, the first half clearly belonged to the opponents. They managed to build a solid lead of 4:8. After the break, Young Stars tried to turn the match around, but their opponents’ advantage proved too great. Consequently, the “Young Stars” ultimately had to concede defeat, losing 10:13. A definite highlight was the individual performances of jkbxD and Speed, who finished the map with a combined tally of 21 frags.
Young Stars Talents [16:19] :de: XPERION NXT | Train
The match on XPERION NXT did not go Young Stars’ way from the start. Their rivals built up a clear four-round lead, controlling the course of the first half. After the sides switched, however, the “Young Stars” regained their confidence, eventually forcing overtime. The clash proved so evenly matched that it took two overtime periods to determine the winner. Unfortunately, in this decisive round, XPERION took the initiative and ultimately closed out the map with a score of 16:19. In terms of statistics, jkbxD once again stood out from the rest of the team, finishing the match with 27 kills and just 19 deaths.
Young Stars Talents [6:13] 🇦🇹 ORGLESS | Mirage
The last of today’s matches initially looked set to follow a similar pattern to the previous ones. An extremely even first half ended with the opponents holding a narrow 5:7 lead. After the break, however, everything fell apart. The disorganised team played decisively and conceded just one round to the “Young Stars”. Thus, what had looked like a closely fought match quickly turned into a “one-sided affair”, ending with a score of 6:13. Unsurprisingly, jkbxD once again stood out from the team, being the only one to finish in the black, with 17 kills and 14 deaths.
What lies ahead for the “Young Stars” in the final stretch of the ESEA regular season?
After their last five matches, Young Stars Talents’ record stands at 6–5. This still gives them a realistic chance of improving on their result from the previous edition. However, the final stretch is not looking easy. The “Young Stars” now face three demanding matches that will determine the final standings. Tomorrow, 26 August at 20:00, they will face 🇵🇹 The Animals_; two days later, on 28 August at 8.00 pm, they will face 
VAKSA; and they will conclude the regular season on 30 August at 8.00 pm with a match against MVP Cyber Team. Will the Young Stars break the mould and improve on their record from the last tournament?
Young Stars (x.com — Facebook — team profile)
P.S. Apologies in advance if I’ve got any nicknames wrong; I took them from the Faceit platform
English 
Polish 