ENCE upset FaZe to become Legends

A battle of wits was on the schedule as FaZe went up against ENCE. Qualification on the line, the two teams went to some of the most tactical maps in the pool, allowing karrigan and Snappi to battle it out tactically.

The match commenced on Overpass, with ENCE securing an early advantage as Dycha picked up 4 kills on the pistol. However, FaZe quickly responded with a forcebuy win on the A site, courtesy of ropz's impressive spray transfer. Clean entries became FaZe's trademark as they swiftly established a 5-1 lead. Sensing the need for a strategic adjustment, ENCE called a timeout, allowing coach SAW to offer crucial insights.

The timeout paid off as Snappi and his squad orchestrated a remarkable round win, including another impressive 4k, this time from the IGL himself. Traded rounds kept the score tight, with both teams teetering on the edge of their economies. Despite ENCE's valiant efforts, FaZe managed to pull away with a 9-6 lead at halftime.

Moving on to Nuke, a map both teams relished, FaZe seized an early advantage on the CT side by claiming the pistol round and converting it into a 3-0 lead. However, ENCE swiftly retaliated, equalizing the score at 3-3. Snappi's tactical acumen shone through as ENCE embarked on an astonishing run, securing six consecutive rounds on the attack. The team's dominance continued, dismantling FaZe's defence and concluding the half with a remarkable 11-4 scoreline, including a stunning 1v4 play by maden on the B bombsite.

With a commanding lead, ENCE appeared poised for victory. FaZe, however, demonstrated resilience, winning the pistol round but falling victim to ENCE's forcebuy prowess. With ropz and broky leading the charge, FaZe staged an impressive comeback, narrowing the gap to 13-11. ENCE managed to put up a solid defensive round on the B site, thanks to Snappi's contributions. Despite their efforts, FaZe broke through, reaching 14-13 before ENCE could secure another round. In a tense finale, ENCE capitalized on their match point, closing the map with a 16-13 victory.

On Anubis, the final battleground, ENCE carried their momentum from the previous map, clinching the pistol round and boosting their confidence. A close second round swung in FaZe's favour as Dycha was caught reloading his M4, giving them the advantage. ENCE's force-buys failed to yield results as FaZe methodically rotated between the A and B sites. ENCE retaliated with a spectacular AWP round from Sunpayus, sparking a streak of three rounds. Both teams traded blows, reaching a tense 7-7 tie, with ENCE securing the final round to secure an 8-7 halftime lead.

FaZe managed to claim the pistol round but faced a humbling defeat in the subsequent forcebuy from ENCE, even with Dycha's accidental teamkill. ENCE's stars shone brightly as they converted the forcebuy win into a 12-8 lead, forcing FaZe to call for a 3-man save away from the B site.

Everything seemed to align perfectly for ENCE as they confidently marched toward match point, leaving FaZe struggling to find an answer. In a poetic reflection of the entire match, Snappi delivered the final blow to karrigan and solidified ENCE's 16-8 victory. With an impeccable 3-0 record, ENCE not only emerged as the victors of this intense clash but also secured their qualification for the legends stage.

Meanwhile, FaZe, a favourite for the whole major, will be forced to fight again to secure their ticket to the top 16.

BLAST.tv Paris Major 2023 Challengers Stage

Bo3

ENCE

2 - 1

FaZe

All maps

ENCE	K - D	+/-	ADR	KAST	Rating 2.0
Pavle 'Maden' Bošković	60 - 52	+8	80.9	67.9%	1.14
Guy 'NertZ' Iluz	56 - 53	+3	74.2	71.6%	1.09
Paweł 'dycha' Dycha	49 - 54	-5	80.0	72.8%	1.03
Marco 'Snappi' Pfeiffer	52 - 53	-1	76.4	70.4%	1.02
Álvaro 'SunPayus' García	52 - 52	+0	59.1	74.1%	0.97

FaZe	K - D	+/-	ADR	KAST	Rating 2.0
Robin 'ropz' Kool	80 - 50	+30	103.7	75.3%	1.50
Helvijs 'broky' Saukants	60 - 50	+10	70.8	76.5%	1.14
Russel 'Twistzz' Van Dulken	41 - 54	-13	60.0	71.6%	0.89
Håvard 'rain' Nygaard	42 - 58	-16	60.4	72.8%	0.87
Finn 'karrigan' Andersen	39 - 59	-20	66.6	65.4%	0.86