NiP Edge Past NRG in Thriller to Avoid ESL Pro League S23 Stage 1 Elimination

Ninjas in Pyjamas defeated NRG 2–1 in a tense elimination series at ESL Pro League Season 23 Stage 1, narrowly avoiding a last-place finish in the tournament. The European squad survived a dramatic double-overtime decider on Anubis, powered by a standout performance from Kacper “xKacpersky” Gabara.

The win keeps NiP alive in ESL Pro League Season 23, while NRG exit the tournament with a 0–3 record in the Swiss stage.

NiP vs NRG Match Summary (ESL Pro League S23)

Final score:

Mirage — NiP 13–4 NRG

Ancient — NRG 13–7 NiP

Anubis — NiP 19–16 NRG (double overtime)

The series was part of the 0–2 elimination pool in Stage 1, meaning the losing team would finish last in the group.

NiP started strong by dominating Mirage, but NRG responded with a convincing victory on Ancient before the teams battled through an intense overtime thriller on Anubis.

xKacpersky Leads NiP Comeback on Anubis

The decisive map saw xKacpersky deliver one of the best individual performances of the series.

Across the match he recorded:

70–47 K-D

100.1 ADR

1.48 rating

His impact was especially visible on Anubis, where NiP required overtime to close the map 19–16 and secure the series.

Without the Polish rifler’s performance, NiP would likely have been eliminated from ESL Pro League Stage 1.

Grim’s Dominant Ancient Performance Nearly Saves NRG

Despite the series loss, Michael “Grim” Wince produced the most explosive map performance of the match.

On Ancient, Grim posted:

27–11 K-D

2.15 rating

1 ace

two 1v2 clutches

His performance helped NRG level the series and push NiP to the brink of elimination.

Snappi: NiP Struggling to Translate Practice Into Official Matches

NiP’s in-game leader Marco “Snappi” Pfeiffer had previously addressed the team’s struggles earlier in ESL Pro League.

After falling to 0–2 in the Swiss stage, Snappi admitted the roster had serious issues converting practice results into official wins.

“We are two different teams in practice and official. Either we solve it within the next few weeks or we won’t go to the Major.”

The narrow victory against NRG did little to silence those concerns, as NiP required overtime to defeat a team that eventually finished last in the group.

NRG’s 2026 Roster Changes and Grim Signing

NRG entered ESL Pro League Season 23 with a recently rebuilt lineup. The organization added Grim, previously known for his time with Team Liquid, as part of its roster overhaul.

Earlier in the year, Josh “oSee” Ohm also returned to NRG’s active lineup, explaining his decision in an interview:

“What I’ve been doing my whole career is AWPing, and I didn’t want to stray away from that.”

Meanwhile, Zack “XotiC” Elshani stepped down from the starting roster, citing difficulties balancing professional Counter-Strike with business commitments.

ESL Pro League Season 23 Format

ESL Pro League Season 23 features:

Stage 1 Swiss format (online)

Stage 2 Swiss format (online)

LAN Playoffs in Stockholm

Stage 1 runs from March 1–5, determining which teams advance to the next phase of the tournament.

What’s Next for NiP

With the victory over NRG, NiP remain alive in ESL Pro League Season 23, though they must continue fighting through the elimination bracket.

The team’s next challenge will determine whether they can recover from their shaky start and reach Stage 2 of the tournament.