Trace Esports upset Leviatán to secure playoff spot at Champions 2024

Trace Esports Trace Esports China Rank #2 LuoK1ng Zhang Zhanpeng (张展鹏) Kai Lu Zhinan (卢智楠) FengF Song Xuefeng (宋学锋) heybay Ho Shun Hei Biank Zhong Jianfei (钟剑飞) Zhao have qualified for the playoff stage of Champions 2024, defeating LEVIATÁN LEVIATÁN Latin America South Rank #1 Demon1 Max Mazanov tex Ian Botsch kiNgg Francisco Aravena aspas Erick Santos C0M Corbin Lee 2-1 to earn the first slot from Group C.

Trace picked Bind and Leviatán picked Sunset, leaving Ascent as the decider.

Bind began with Trace running their double Sentinel composition with Deadlock, while Leviatán stuck to their Gekko variation of the standard Bind comp with Viper, Skye, Raze, and Brimstone. Starting on attack, Trace won the first pistol round to threaten a lead until Leviatán played meticulously to prevent spike plants. The pistol win and smart post-plant utility were enough for Trace to trade rounds evenly with Leviatán as they entered the half up 7-5.

Trace were up 7-5 at the half, and a classic 3K from Kai confirmed their second pistol round win. It was clear that Leviatán were struggling with planting the spike on time due to the delay ability from the two Sentinels on Trace. Heybay had a great map, with plenty of his utility singlehandedly winning them important rounds.

Leviatán started to mount a comeback as soon as Trace won 11 rounds, but a fumbled post-plant on B site led to a half-second defuse from LuoK1ng . The next round was a confident win from Trace as they upset the champions of Americas by taking Bind 13-10.

The series moved to Sunset, with Leviatán needing to win on their map pick to stay alive. aspas moved back to Neon while FengF stayed on Raze. Heybay moved to Breach but got three to win Trace their attack side pistol round. The patience and post-plant protocol from Trace shone as they built a 5-1 lead, but Leviatán adapted quickly. A 5-1 lead for Trace disappeared as aspas and C0M helped Leviatán win six rounds in a row to end the half up 7-5.

Leviatán tried to push aggressively into spawn to win their first pistol round of the series, but it didn't work. Trace had an opportunity to halt the momentum that Leviatán built, but aspas' Neon and a tex clutch closed out the map 13-9.

For Ascent, Leviatán went with the Deadlock and Cypher double Sentinel, while Trace went with the default Ascent comp with Killjoy. Leviatán won their first pistol round but immediately lost their anti-eco round. With Kai moving from Cypher to Jett, Trace got the Operator in his hands and started to pull away from Leviatán. For the first time in the series, a team was up significantly at the half, and it was the Chinese third seed up 10-2 over the Americas victors.

Leviatán won their second pistol to provide the slightest amount of hope of a comeback, but the team couldn't convert their bonus and Kai buying the Operator again signaled the end of the series. The map ended 13-5, as Trace completed their second upset in a row to secure the first playoff slot in Group C.

Leviatán will face the victor of Talon Esports Talon Esports Asia-Pacific Rank #15 Crws Thanamethk Mahatthananuyut JitBoyS Jittana Nokngam primmie Papaphat Sriprapha ban Joseph Seungmin Oh Governor Peter No and Team Vitality Team Vitality Europe Rank #8 trexx Nikita Cherednichenko Derke Nikita Sirmitev Kicks Kimmie Laasner Sayf Saif Jibraeel Less Felipe de Loyola Basso for their final chance to qualify for the playoff stage of Champions 2024.