# I G N I T E T H E F I R E

ALGS Championship Recap

ALGS Championship Recap

By Brandon Hatfield

Coming into the 2022 ALGS World Championship GODFIRE (formerly Elevate)  was far and away the dominant South American squad. Posting a commanding 190 total pro points, the #1 seed was quickly locked in. Alongside them, 4 other Brazilian teams ensured a dominant showing for the country in what would ultimately be a stacked field.

Group Stage

Once all the teams were confirmed and locked in the group draw would begin. On completion, the GODFIRE squad would end up in Group C. “C” would ultimately find itself chock full of household names, as the likes of Team Liquid, NRG, Fnatic, and others were also placed into this group as well.

Slow to start, the GODFIRE squad found themselves fighting an uphill battle. Finishing 17th, 12th, and 16th respectively in their first 3 sets of 20 teams, the boys found themselves entering Day 2 with their backs against the wall.

Losers Bracket 1

With the start of bracket play the format shifted, now 8 games would determine who would survive to play again and which 10 teams would be leaving early. Once again our boys started slow, falling early in their first 3 games. Entering game 4 they needed not only a miracle but a momentum-defining moment as well.

In what would ultimately be a highlight reel final circle, the boys clutched a win from the hands of Alliance shooting them right back into the heart of the pack. With their foot on the accelerator, the squad would proceed to finish the remaining games being eliminated no earlier than 9th while adding 13 additional KP to their final score. This shift would ultimately propel them into Losers Bracket 2.

Losers Bracket 2

With the 10 winners of LB1 decided, the remaining field of 10 would be determined by the results of the 1st winner's bracket. A winners brackets for the ages, we would end up seeing the likes of TL, TSM, Optic, and 100 Thieves (as well as other iconic organizations) fall to the losers bracket, filling the 10 remaining spots. 

Over the first 5 games, GODFIRE would find themselves fighting valiantly to hold on to a top 10 position in hopes of continuing on to championship Sunday. Unfortunately, Alliance would have their revenge from the previous day on the back of a VERY early rotation and early elimination of our boys in game 6. Coming into games 7 and 8 every team played with their backs against the wall, resulting in absolutely chaotic final circles and massive point swings. With 10 teams being separated by only 10 points, and bodies falling left and right in game 8’s final circle, the team waited with bated breath for what would ultimately be heartbreak. 1 single point would separate 10th through 13th place, ending our team’s ALGS run.

While it's not the result we wanted, this moment ignited a fire in this team. They will be back for what belongs to them.