Inner Circle Narrowly Defeats Gentle Mates, Claims Spot in EPL S22 Stage 2

Inner Circle Narrowly Defeats Gentle Mates, Claims Spot in EPL S22 Stage 2

Inner Circle secured a berth in Stage 2 of ESL Pro League Season 22 by edging Gentle Mates (M8s) in a tightly contested 2–1 Best-of-3 matchup. The result sends them onward in the tournament and strengthens their position in the VRS race. 

The individual map results were:

• Nuke: Gentle Mates 13 – 8 Inner Circle

• Mirage: Inner Circle 13 – 10 Gentle Mates 

• Ancient: Inner Circle 13 – 11 Gentle Mates 

Thus, after dropping Nuke, Inner Circle rebounded on Mirage and pulled off a close finish on Ancient to clinch the victory. 

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Backdrop: Underdog Bracket & Match Stakes

This clash materialized after Gentle Mates stunned G2 Esports in a prior round, forcing G2 into the 1–1 bracket and opening the path for this showdown. 
That upset set up a do-or-die match between two non-favored squads: the winner would move on, while the loser would be eliminated from Stage 1 contention. 

In the prior stage, Inner Circle had dispatched Astralis and GamerLegion to build momentum entering this qualification match. 

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Key Performances & Turning Moments

Match Statistics & Standouts

• Dawy led the way for Inner Circle, posting a 1.39 rating and delivering consistent impact across maps.

• On Ancient, Flierax also shone in key rounds, helping the team fight back from a close deficit.

• For Gentle Mates, sausaol had notable contributions on Mirage, though ultimately it wasn’t enough to hold.

One critical turning point occurred in the second half of Ancient. After Gentle Mates built momentum, Inner Circle steadied themselves in defense and executed retakes effectively. The final stretch of rounds proved pivotal. 

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Implications: Stage 2, VRS, and Momentum

Advancing in EPL

With this victory, Inner Circle advances to Stage 2 of EPL S22, granting them more matches, higher stakes, and a greater chance to notch wins against tougher opponents. 

Stage 2 positioning also provides exposure, prestige, and improved VRS yield potential. Every win forward carries extra weight toward Major qualification.

VRS & Major Qualification Context

Inner Circle’s success here supports their standing in the VRS (Valve Regional Standings) model. As per HLTV’s projections, accumulating points and demonstrating consistency in EPL helps strengthen their invitation prospects. 

Gentle Mates, despite falling short here, showed resilience and the capacity to upset bigger names. Their run against G2 already moved them upward in VRS projections. 

Momentum & Team Confidence

Inner Circle’s ability to shake off a map loss, regroup, and close out a decisive third map speaks to improved maturity and composure under pressure. The match may serve as a confidence boost for future tight matches.

Gentle Mates, too, should be encouraged — while the result wasn’t in their favor, pushing a resilient opponent to the brink reinforces that they belong in the conversation among rising teams.