Ninjas in Pajamas advances to IEM Katowice 2023 group stage

The Ninjas in Pajamas team defeated Team Spirit with a score of 2:0, thanks to which they were the first to make it to the group stage of IEM Katowice 2023. According to the results of the Play-In stage, the Swedish team got two wins to get into the main draw of the tournament. In turn, the "dragons" went to the lower bracket, where they will play with the winner of the match Evil Geniuses - Sprout.

The first match for a place in the group stage started on the Nuke map, which became the choice of the Russian team. But if the starting rounds were left for the Swedes, then Team Spirit managed to take control of the game and run ahead. However, towards the end of the first half, Ninjas in Pajamas was able to seize the initiative to finish the side with a comfortable margin — 9:6. After the change of sides, the Swedish team continued to bend its line, blocking the opponent's oxygen. At the same time, the “dragons” invariably failed in ideas, allowing the opponent to dispose of the advantage. As a result, Ninjas in Pajamas confidently closed half of the attack to take the lead in the series — 16:7.

Next, the teams moved to the Mirage map, which turned out to be the choice of Ninjas in Pajamas. Here the Swedes took to immediately increase the pace, rapidly running forward. And yet, in the very ending, the “dragons” were able to wake up in order to reduce the backlog to a minimum – 8:7. However, in the second half, the intrigue quickly disappeared from the server, as the Swedes immediately took control of the game on defense and began to extinguish the opponent. While Team Spirit did not come up with anything in attack, Ninjas in Pajamas confidently brought the series to victory and advanced to the group stage of IEM Katowice 2023 — 16:8.

IEM Katowice 2023 takes place from 1 to 12 February in Katowice at the Spodek Arena. As part of the championship, 24 teams from the CIS, Europe, North and Latin America, Asia and Oceania are fighting for a total prize pool of $1,000,000, as well as a ticket to IEM Cologne 2023 for the winner.

Prize pool distribution at IEM Katowice 2023

• 1st place: $400,000 + ticket to IEM Cologne 2023
• 2nd place: $180,000
• 3rd-4th place: $80,000
• 5th-6th place: $40,000
• 7th-8th place: $24,000
• 9th-12th place: $16,000
• 13th-16th place: $10,000
• 17th-20th place: $4,500
• 21st-24th place: $2,500