Liquid reach ESL Pro League NA playoff final

Team Liquid showed their mettle Friday, advancing to the grand final of ESL Pro League Season 11's North American competition with a 2-0 victory over Evil Geniuses on Friday. Team Liquid came from behind to edge Evil Geniuses 16-14 on Nuke to open the best-of-three upper-bracket final of the Counter-Strike: Global Offensive event. Liquid finished off the victory with a 16-12 decision on Dust II.

It was Team Liquid's second victory over Evil Geniuses, following a 2-1 round-robin win April 3 that featured a deciding 22-19 decision on Inferno. Both teams had 3-2 records in round-robin play. The first team in Sunday's best-of-five grand final is now set, with Team Liquid prepared to face the winner of a matchup between Evil Geniuses and FURIA Esports in Saturday's lower-bracket final. FURIA advanced with a 2-0 victory Thursday over MIBR in the first round of the lower bracket.

Liquid will open the final with a one-map advantage. The winner of the $219,000 event will claim $75,000 -- in addition to money earned for group-stage victories -- along with 550 Pro Tour points and 1,400 BLAST Premier points.

The ESL Pro League Season 11 was due to be held in Malta, with 24 teams set to compete for a $750,000 prize pool. However, the tournament was moved online and split into regional events due to the coronavirus pandemic, with 18 teams in the European event and six in the North American competition. Prize pool ($USD, Pro Tour points, BLAST Premier points)

1. $75,000, 550, 1,400 2. $30,000, 400, 700

3. $18,000, 250, 438 4. $13,000, 150, 438 -- MIBR

5. $5,000, 90, 0 -- 100 Thieves 6. $3,000, 60, 0 -- Swole Patrol

Teams also earned $5,000 for each group stage win: $15,000 apiece for Team Liquid, Evil Geniuses and FURIA Esports

$10,000 apiece for MIBR, 100 Thieves and Swole Patrole --Field Level Media