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It’s a mouth-watering first grand final of the Gfinity Elite Series this Saturday, with the two best CS:GO teams going head to head for an $80,000 prize.
Melbourne Order (1st, 4-1) fielded a reserve team for the first three matches – and they did the team proud. Hard-fought wins over the Brisbane Deceptors and Sydney Roar sandwiched a tight loss to their crosstown rivals Melbourne Avant, before the starters came back and stole the show.
They ripped Perth Ground Zero to shreds in Week 4, edged out the Chiefs in overtime in Week 5 and brushed past the Roar in the semifinals last week.
They come up against a Sydney Chiefs (2nd, 3-2) who took the hard road to the playoffs. A devastating early loss to the Sydney Roar had them on the back foot, but they scored convincing wins over Brisbane, Perth and Avant in the meantime before that thrilling loss to the Order at season’s end.
Where: Hoyts Gfinity Esports Arena, Moore Park, Sydney
When: 3:00pm (AEST), Saturday, July 14
How to Watch: Watch the Gfinity Elite Series LIVE on The Roar.
Season meeting
Week 5: Sydney Chiefs 17-19 Melbourne Order
It was a fitting end to the inaugural CS:GO season when these sides clashed in Week 5. We were promised a season-defining encounter – and that’s just what we got.
Order’s new line-up, coming off a devastating 16-7 win over Perth, looked set to repeat the dose against the Chiefs with a blistering opening. They got out to a 6-1 lead at one point, but the Chiefs didn’t break – claiming four of the next eight rounds to head into the half break down a respectable 10-5.
Once the second half resumed, it was Sydney who played like they’d recently been at an international tournament. The Chiefs won a whopping ten rounds to two at one point to hold a commanding 15-12, match point lead.
But we still had another momentum swing to come. Order found their rhythm again, staving off elimination in three straight rounds to knot it at 15-15 and send us into overtime.
Sydney looked to be on their way to a famous win when they took out the first two rounds of the extra period, but Order swung the pendulum back their way once more. Four straight Melbourne wins from there saw them rally back and steal a famous 19-17 victory.
Have you seen this line-up play?
Order’s top string CS:GO side are one of the top 40 rosters on the planet. Their second string side would be good enough to compete in the decider, but these guys are on a whole other level.
The contrast between these sides was only full display between Weeks 3 and 4. Where the Chiefs toiled hard for a 16-12 win over Ground Zero, Order blew the Perth side away in terrifying fashion – the 16-7 scoreline actually flattering the defeated team.
Melbourne’s comfortable 2-0 swatting of the Sydney Roar was also a stark contrast with the Chiefs’ thrilling – but arduous – double-overtime affair against Avant.
Put simply, this team have fried bigger fish than the Elite Series. They’re a world class organisation with world class players and easily have the talent to take home the title.
This team pushed Order all the way when they met – and definitely had chances to come out with the victory.
Between rounds eight and 28 in their last meeting, the Chiefs went 14-6 – a large enough sample size to show this team is capable of matching it and besting the opposition they’re faced with on Saturday.
As incredible as Order’s first year on the scene has been, no esports organisation in Australia quite has the same pedigree or legacy as the Chiefs.
Like a Manchester United or big Victorian AFL team, players walk a little taller wearing the Chiefs’ blue. With vocarious home support behind them, if the Chiefs get on a roll they could prove simply unstoppable.
As all-conquering as Order have been made out to be, the Chiefs proved themselves more than capable of matching it with them when they clashed in the game of the season in Week 5.
But, with Sydney playing another two gruelling overtime matches since, you’d have to suspect the stress of competition will be catching up to them. They’ll push their opponents to the limit once more, but Melbourne should emerge on top.
Order 2, Chiefs 1