Credit: PGL

PGL Stockholm Major 2021: New Legends Stage Recap

From 15 teams, only 8 remain in the PGL Stockholm Major 2021.

2021-11-03 | @undefined

8 teams from the New Challengers Stage join the Legends Stage to compete for one of eight playoffs spots. You can find the Challengers Stage recap below.

PGL Stockholm Major 2021: New Challengers Stage Recap

One of the first two teams to be eliminated was unexpected by many, while the other was expected by nearly everyone. ENCE followed up their strong start from the previous stage with a 0-3 record in the Legends stage, ending their journey on a 0-2 series against MOUZ. Evil Geniuses, though seeded in the Legends Stage, was a team many would argue to be the worst team in the entire event. They did indeed go 0-3, but managed to surprise as they won one map against Vitality, but lost to the Frenchmen 1-2 to get eliminated from the Major.

The next three teams to follow were hard to swallow for many fans. North America’s last hope, Team Liquid, Reigning Major Champions Astralis, Lithuania, Estonia and Australia’s only hopes, MOUZ, were all eliminated from the Major with 1-3 records.

Astralis end their journey with a 1-2 series loss after a heartbreaking 3rd map, 14-16 against Team Vitality. Similarly, MOUZ lost in an intense double overtime third map, 18-22 against Virtus.pro, and Team Liquid got swept 0-2 after nearly bringing the series to the third map against FaZe Clan.

FaZe ended Team Liquid’s run, but they could not keep their own run alive. After a back and forth series against Virtus.pro, FaZe was next to be eliminated.

The last two teams to fall short of the playoffs, were Entropiq and Copenhagen Flames. And with their elimination from the Major, it saw the end of the 2 Cinderella stories of the event.

Despite starting 2-1, Copenhagen Flames failed to close out their final 2 series’, losing 1-2 against Heroic and Ninjas in Pyjamas. Meanwhile Entropiq, despite handing both Team Liquid and Gambit losses in the first two rounds, failed to secure a series win against their last 3 matchups. The Russians ended their Major run with a 1-2 defeat against Team Vitality.

Over on the other side of the Legends Stage, Natus Vincere and G2 Esports both rolled through the competition securing their playoffs spot without even losing a single map.

Following them were Heroic, FURIA Esports, and Gambit, who qualified for the playoffs with 3-1 records. Heroic qualified by taking revenge on Copenhagen Flames for their Challengers Stage loss, Gambit qualified by sweeping NiP 2-0, and FURIA qualified by handing Entropiq their 2nd loss of the Legends Stage.

The Final 3 teams to qualify, had to deal with the burden of sending home 3 other hopeful teams and denying them a playoffs spot.

Virtus.pro beat FaZe Clan in an intense 3 map series, again defying the odds after many doubted them due to their short notice roster swap.

Vitality denied the cinderella run from Entropiq in a series that went all the way to the third map.

And NiP beat Copenhagen Flames to eliminate the final dark horse of the tournament.

With the New Legends Stage done, all that's left is the Champions Stage. You can check out the bracket below.