At ESL Pro League Season 22, a decisive elimination match kicks off: FURIA vs M80. Both teams find themselves on the brink of being knocked out in the very first stage of the tournament. The winner will keep their hopes alive, while the loser will exit the competition early. The Brazilians approach the game as favorites, but the Americans will try to flip the script and upset their opponent.
How Bookmakers See It: FURIA as Favorites
Bookmakers are giving the edge to FURIA in this matchup. The reason is clear — the Brazilians have shown consistent results on the international stage, collected recent tournament wins, and boast a stronger map pool. Their experience and form make them the main contender for victory.
M80, despite strong statistics over the long run, are currently on a downswing. A series of defeats against top-tier teams and issues in executing their own map picks reduce confidence in the North American squad. As a result, bookmakers rate their chances as significantly lower, predicting that FURIA will come out on top with a 2:0 or 2:1 scoreline.
Current Form of FURIA: What to Expect
FURIA enters the first stage of ESL Pro League Season 22 in good form. Over the past three months, the Brazilian squad played 38 maps, winning 24 of them. Last month, they lifted the trophy at FISSURE Playground 2 and secured a 3rd–4th place finish at the BLAST Open London 2025 Finals.
- FURIA lineup: yuurih, KSCERATO, FalleN, molodoy, YEKINDAR
In their last five matches, FURIA defeated Fluxo, The MongolZ, and Team Falcons, but suffered losses to HOTU and Legacy. This highlights some inconsistency, yet also shows they can prevail against strong opponents.
Current Form of M80: What to Expect
The North American side M80 played far more maps in the past three months — 87 in total, with 64 wins. This indicates both practice and team synergy. However, their recent tournament results are less encouraging: 5th–6th place at the BLAST Open London 2025 Finals and a disappointing 9th–16th place at the Thunderpick World Championship 2025 Closed Qualifier.
- M80 lineup: Swisher, slaxz-, s1n, Lake, HexT
In their last five matches, M80 managed to win just once — against Rooster. Losses to HEROIC, ENCE, OG, and MOUZ reveal their struggles against higher-tier opposition.
FURIA Map Pool
The Brazilian squad almost always bans Ancient, which will likely be their first removal. For their pick, FURIA is expected to go with Inferno, where they have a 65% win rate and well-structured gameplay. They could also consider Train or Dust2, but Inferno remains their most stable choice. As for the second ban, FURIA will likely remove Dust2 to avoid leaving a comfortable option for their rivals.
M80 Map Pool
M80 typically opens with a Nuke ban, as it is their weakest map. For their pick, the team could choose Overpass — their most played map with a 79% win rate. Another potential option is Ancient, but given FURIA’s likely ban, that choice will be unavailable. For their second ban, M80 will most likely remove Train to prevent FURIA from capitalizing on a map where they have positive results.
In the end, the most probable decider looks to be Mirage — a comfort pick for both teams (82% for FURIA and 81% for M80). If the series goes the distance, it promises to be an intense battle.
Head-to-Head
In the past six months, FURIA and M80 faced each other only once — at the BLAST.tv Austin Major 2025. That match, played in a bo1 format on Dust2, ended in a confident 13:8 victory for the Brazilians. This result gives FURIA a psychological edge heading into the rematch.
Match Prediction: FURIA vs M80 — Last Chance to Stay in ESL Pro League S22
FURIA’s form looks more convincing, especially considering their recent international results. They have confidence on key maps and a far better record against elite opponents. M80, despite solid overall numbers in the past three months, are struggling with consistency and are coming off a losing streak against strong teams.
It is expected that FURIA will capitalize on their map pool advantages and experience. The prediction for this match is a FURIA victory, 2:0 or 2:1, depending on how the decider plays out.
Prediction: FURIA to win 2:1
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