We are in for an exciting clash between M80 and HEROIC in the first stage of ESL Pro League Season 22. The American squad comes into this match in relatively solid form, while the Danes are trying to break out of a long losing streak. Both teams have different strengths, which makes this encounter promising to be tense and unpredictable.
How the Bookmakers See It: M80 as Favorites
Bookmakers are cautious in their assessments but still give a slight edge to M80. The American team has shown more consistent results and possesses a stronger map pool, which makes them the favorites in this matchup. However, the advantage is minimal: despite their losing streak, HEROIC remain an experienced squad capable of troubling even strong opponents. Therefore, M80 should not expect an easy win — this match has every chance to be close and hard-fought.
Current Form of M80: What to Expect
The American team enters ESL Pro League Season 22 in fairly good shape. Over the past three months, M80 played 83 maps and won 62 of them, showing stability and a high level of performance. In June–July, the team participated in several tournaments: ESL Challenger League Season 50 North America Cup (1st–3rd place), BLAST Open London 2025 Finals (5th–6th place), and Thunderpick World Championship 2025 Closed Qualifier (9th–16th place).
- Roster: Swisher, slaxz-, s1n, Lake, HexT
In their last five matches, M80 secured two wins — against fnatic and NAVI — but lost to OG, MOUZ, and ENCE. This shows that the team can beat strong opponents but is still inconsistent against top-tier competition.
Current Form of HEROIC: What to Expect
HEROIC are currently in serious crisis. Over the past three months, they have played 42 maps and won only 17. In July, the team competed at FISSURE Playground 2, finishing 15th–16th, adding another disappointing result to their record.
- Roster: LNZ, yxngstxr, xfl0ud, nilo, Alkaren
In their last five matches, the Danes suffered five straight losses — to Gentle Mates, Team Liquid, paiN, Legacy, and Aurora. This losing streak reflects both individual struggles and team coordination issues.
M80 Map Pool
In a bo3 series, M80 usually start by banning Train, their most frequent removal. For their pick, Overpass looks like the most likely choice, where the Americans boast excellent stats — 18 maps with an 83% win rate. Another possible pick is Ancient, with a strong 78% win rate. Their second ban will most likely be Nuke, which remains uncomfortable for them. Overall, M80 will look to dictate the pace on Overpass, with Ancient as a strong backup option.
HEROIC Map Pool
HEROIC typically begin with a ban on Inferno, and there is little reason to expect a deviation from this pattern. When it comes to picking, the Danes often try to exploit their opponents’ weaknesses, but their own stats show significant struggles on Ancient and Dust2. The most realistic pick for HEROIC is Mirage, where they hold a 50% win rate and perform more confidently than on other maps. Their second ban is likely to be Dust2, removing the risks of playing a weak map. As a result, the most probable decider will be Ancient, where both teams are comfortable, although M80 will still have the edge.
Head-to-Head Matches
In the past six months, M80 and HEROIC have not faced each other. This match at ESL Pro League Season 22 will be their first head-to-head encounter.
Prediction for M80 vs HEROIC: ESL Pro League S22
The teams’ current forms stand in sharp contrast. While M80 are not entirely stable, they have proven capable of beating strong opponents and possess a wide map pool with high win rates. HEROIC, on the other hand, are stuck in a slump with no wins in their last five matches.
Considering the statistics and the psychological confidence factor, the advantage clearly lies with M80. The expected outcome is a victory for the American side — either 2:0 or 2:1, depending on how the battle plays out on HEROIC’s pick.
Prediction: M80 to win 2:1
