What a fantastic year for the Portuguese team, SAW! They have fought harder than any other squad to end up where they are today. These guys came from humble beginnings, they were once one of the worst squads in the scene, but that is all in the past. SAW managed to break the curse after losing five consecutive finals and could finally lift the long-awaited title at the ESL Masters.
But it didn’t stop there for the Portuguese team. Christopher “MUTiRiS” Fernandes and his teammates close the 2022 year by lifting two more titles in one day! In fact, they defeated Team Spirit in the Grand Final at the ESL Challenger 43 and, hours later, won the OMEN WGR Retake.
There is no doubt that SAW closes the year in the best possible way, with results that will have a prize for next season. Speaking of the 2023 season, the guys have already secured their spot at ESL Pro League Conference Season 17. So, let’s take a closer look at the team’s chances to continue their streak in the upcoming event.
A Change In Scenery
After missing out on the North Europe series and losing five consecutive finals, SAW was looking for a new challenge. In that light, the Portuguese team was not willing to miss the final at the ESL Challenger League Season 43 and attacked at a spectacular level to claim their first major trophy.
The Portuguese had a fantastic route on their way to the Grand Final, defeating the former Team Finest, forZe, and BLUEJAYS, the champion of the IESF World Esports Championship 2022, among other top teams. More matches of Arki’s team are available at the https://cover.gg/matches/finished platform. Below, we will outline their last two wins in 2022, curiously received on the same day.
Victory for SAW in ESL Challenger
The Portuguese roster won the league by taking down Team Spirit in the Grand Final. This was the second time SAW won against the Russian team during the event. In fact, the latter did their best to get revenge, but it was not enough.
SAW took the lead on Nuke in the first half but hardly managed to keep it with a tight 16-14 after rowing a lot from the CT side. Spirit, however, dominated in Overpass, which meant 12-16 and 1-1 on the scoreboard. The third map was a heart attack for Arki’s team. Although they started badly in Vertigo defending, they were able to come back in the second part and put the 19-17 final to get ahead on the scoreboard.
As a result, SAW won $20,000 for the tournament win. In addition to the monetary prize, they have also secured the spot for the next edition of the ESL Pro League Conference.
Another Victory at OMN WGR Retake
With the first major trophy at the ESL Challenger, the fame for SAW didn’t end there. Hours later, SAW beat FTW 2-0 to lift the OMN WGR Retake and $6,000 in the monetary prize.
Therefore, after many disappointments, the Portuguese show that they are one of the great teams of the Iberian scene with these two titles. Arki’s will be at EPL Conference 17 next year in a beautiful DreamHack Valencia. But the question still remains: could they continue their win streak at Malta’s championship?
Can SAW Continue Their Momentum?
With this first Major win, will the Portuguese open and allow themselves to dominate the CS:GO scene as they already have done? Time will tell, but we can say for sure that we are tipping SAW to take the event on their calendar. The next contest viewers and punters can see will be the seventeenth edition of the ESL Pro League Conference.
It is hard to predict the SAW’s chances of winning the tournament. As for now, it became clear that the new signings have been slow to adjust, but the last competitive weeks of the Portuguese team were perfect. However, they have many other teams nipping at their heels.
Most of the EPL Conference’s attendees have a score to settle with the Portuguese roster, including Team Spirit, CASE Esports, Outsiders, MIBR, and Sprout. Therefore, the break for SAW may come at the worst possible time due to the fitness of these players. Anyway, it’s time to rest and prepare for 2023, which promises a lot for Arki’s team.
