Cologne 2015: Team EnVyUs are the first finalists

Team EnVyUs secured their spot in the grand finals by taking down Team Solomid 2-1 and will now wait for the winner of the match between Fnatic and Virtus.pro.

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The first semi final match featured the French squad EnVyUs taking on the Danish team Solomid. Both teams had the same set goal ahead of them, which was taking the champions title here in Cologne. However, one of them had to drop out after this match and it was hard to predict which one will go packing home.

The match started on de_cache, a map which is known for being one of the favourites of Team EnVyUs. However, Team Solomid is also very stable on this map, which was proved by a very convincing win over Ninjas in Pyjamas during the group phase of Cologne 2015. The French team started this map with a very strong T side claiming 10 out of 15 rounds which was more than anyone could expect. However, TSM still managed to get back into this match. But as EnVyUs consolidated their firepower, there was no escape option for the Danes who suffered a 16-12 loss on this map.

The next one to follow was de_dust2. By looking back through the stats, it's pretty clear that Team Solomid is one of the best teams on this map and whoever comes fighting them on this map will have a hard time. They proved it once again by taking seven consecutive rounds on the T side. EnVyUs were rushing into the force buys, which cost them more than they could afford. However, they still managed to get back into this match by winning six rounds and getting the score back to 6-9. But TSM didn't stop in the second half. On the contrary, the Danes just extended their lead and it was already clear that we will be watching a third map between these two giants.

However, the third map brought something that no one could ever predict. If we asked the most fired up French fans prior to match what the score would be at the first half where EnVyUs is starting on T side, it's pretty obvious that no one would expect such a huge lead. EnVyUs demolished Team Solomid. The French team broke down the whole Danish economy and even when they managed to get some big guns into their hands, the French executed fast pushes leaving them without any option and giving them only three rounds on the CT side. However, TSM didn't just give up. They continued fighting and they quickly managed to get a few rounds on board as they switched to the T side. Unfortunately for the Danes, EnVyUs is known as one of the best teams on de_inferno and it would be a real miracle seeing them drop such a huge lead. EnVyUs ended up closing this semifinal with 16-9 score, securing themselves a spot in the grand final of ESL One Cologne.

The next match in line is between Fnatic and Virtus.pro. The second semi finals will see the current reigning champions of ESL One, Fnatic, taking on one of the community favourites, Virtus.pro. The grand finals will be played straight after this match.

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