The Royal Arena in Copenhagen is one of CS:GO’s most fabled settings, having hosted numerous S-Tier during its competitive lifespan. However, one thing it has never seen is a Danish org winning on its stage.
That changed on Sunday evening when Casper “cadiaN” Møller led Heroic to a grueling win at the 2022 BLAST Premier Fall Final over FaZe Clan. Read on to learn about how the Danes brought CS home here at Gamelevate.
Silencing The Doubters
Heroic emerged from CS:GO’s online era as a genuine force at the top end of competitive play. The side had won ESL One Cologne and ESL Pro League Season 13 in 2020 and 2021, however, one of the big criticisms labeled at cadiaN and co. had been the difficulties translating these results onto the stage as CS:GO returned to LAN events.
Heroic took their biggest leap forward at the 2022 Rio Major, losing out in the grand final to a tricky Outsiders side, but came into the BLAST Fall Final as one of the firm favorites.
Playing on home soil, the Danes finished 2nd in Group A before overcoming G2 and Team Liquid to book a spot in the grand final against FaZe Clan.
A Gruelling Final
FaZe had beaten Heroic 2-0 in the Winner’s Match in Group A earlier at the BLAST Fall Final, and it looked to all the world that the international org had arrived at the tournament with a point to prove after their disappointing Rio Major run.
Heroic had needed 2-1 wins over G2 and Liquid to get to the final but flew out of the blocks with a 16-11 on Overpass. It was a vital win with Inferno lined up as the second map, a pick that FaZe seldom ever lose. A 16-12 win in favor of FaZe took the game to a decider on Mirage, which Heroic once again flew out of the traps on by taking an 11-4 lead at the half.
FaZe still didn’t look at their best throughout the tournament, but the ‘class is permenant’ tag is reserved for situations like this. On the back of some stellar moments from Twistzz, Ropz, and Rain, they dragged the game back and eventually forced overtime.
But this was Heroic’s moment, and they weren’t about to let it slip. Four round wins were all the Danes needed to send the home crowd into raptures, scoop up $200,000 and book a spot in the BLAST Global Final. It was a superb showing from cadiaN, who out-called Karrigan throughout the final, with his mid-round reactions proving to be the chief difference-maker on the day.
Heroic’s BLAST Fall Final win marks another side taking home one of CS:GO’s biggest trophies, further cementing 2022 as one of the most stacked years in the game’s history.
