Following a gruelling 11-game Match Point marathon, GoNext win the EMEA Regional Final in Split One of the Apex Legends Global Series.
The roster, comprised of UK player Caleb ‘iHenchman’ Nicholls, Spanish player Pedro ‘KIND4’ Maldonado Vega, and Brazilian/British player Thomaz ‘Atinum’ Ferreira Brasil, defeated EMEA’s most dominant team, Alliance, to take the title.
EMEA teams’ power struggle eventually results in GoNext Win
The EMEA Regional Final held significant importance for many teams in the lobby. Overall, regional standings were separated by only a few points. Slight improvements over fellow competitors had the potential to launch struggling teams into LAN qualification.
ALGS Regional Finals are held in a Match Point format. This means that teams must accumulate 50 points through placements and kills. After meeting this threshold, they must then win a game outright to take the title.
Alliance were one of the few teams blessed with pre-qualification for the Esports World Cup, where the ALGS Midseason Playoffs are due to take place. However, they did not hold back, spending several games in a dominating position.
Nevertheless, the Regional Final ended with a GoNext win following 11 games.
As the number of teams on Match Point rose, so did the tension in the lobby. Teams like Zero Tenacity and FaZe Clan consistently disrupted the efforts of teams trying to win the competition.
Following their eventual win, GoNext are back in the hot seat with their new roster. Before signing their current players, they won the Year 4 Championship with Jose ‘Uxako’ Llosa, Filipe ‘Hiarka’ Morgado, and Kyllian ‘zhidan’ Brun in Sapporo.
How it happened – a game-by-game breakdown
Game 1 – Storm Point
| Top 3 Teams By Placement Points | Top Three Teams By Overall Points |
| Onic | Onic (19 – 7kp/12pp) |
| UAIM | Ronin (15 – 10kp/5pp) |
| 10k | UAIM (12 – 3kp/9pp) |
As expected, Alliance immediately emerged as a team working quickly towards match point. They promptly adopted an aggressive playstyle, taking out Cybercats not long after dropping in their POI.
10k’s playstyle also emerged early. Casper ‘Gnaske’ Præstensgaard’s signature zone playstyle was quickly in force, with the team focusing on early rotates and placement points over kills.
Game 2 – Broken Moon – Ash Banned
| Top 3 Teams By Placement Points | Top Three Teams By Overall Points |
| Alliance | Alliance (25 – 13kp/12pp) |
| Dragons | Dragons (18 – 9kp/9pp) |
| Zero Tenacity | Cybercats (11 – 7kp/4pp) |
Alliance expanded their dominance in Game 2, winning in decisive fashion. While many teams became caught in a tough rotation across the map, Alliance avoided becoming caught in a chokehold while picking off kills.
Their navigation of the final zone also showed impressive game mastery. Joined by Dragons and Zero Tenacity as the final three, Alliance’s Andre ‘Unlucky’ Türk poked and prodded at the two teams, pushing them into a fight with one another so Alliance could clean up any players that remained after.
Game 3 – E District – Alter Banned
| Top 3 Teams By Placement Points | Top Three Teams By Overall Points |
| GaminGladiators | GaminGladiators (16 – 4kp/12pp) |
| GoNext | GoNext (16 – 7kp/9pp) |
| 10k | Aurora (14 – 9kp/5pp) |
GoNext first appeared in the top three after Game 3. At the time, their 16-point game did not place them in any particularly unique position. Sitting behind EMEA giants, Alliance, they remained under the radar.
Alliance also had a good game, picking up 13 points with 10kp. By the end of Game 3, they were already two points away from reaching the match point threshold at 48 in total.
Game Three was also vital to GaminGladiators. Sitting on the edge of the Esports World Cup qualification bubble, they needed a good performance in the Regional Final overall to solidify their position at the next LAN.
Game 4 – E District – Ballistic Banned
| Top 3 Teams By Placement Points | Top Three Teams By Overall Points |
| NAVI | NAVI (20 – 8kp/12pp) |
| SJP2 | GaminGladiators (15 – 8kp/7pp) |
| GaminGladiators | Cybercats (12 – 7kp/5pp) |
During Game 4, teams started the game with a more cautious approach. Uncertainty over where exactly the game would end on the map resulted in hesitancy on rotation.
Despite their impressive performance in Games 1-3, Alliance was eliminated in 20th place, the first team forced out of the lobby in Game 4. This barred the team from reaching the match point threshold.
Game 5 – Broken Moon – Wraith Banned
| Top 3 Teams By Placement Points | Top Three Teams By Overall Points |
| GoNext | GoNext (19 – 7kp/12pp) |
| Zero Tenacity | Alliance (19 – 12kp/7pp) |
| Alliance | Zero Tenacity (13 – 4kp/9pp) |
Alliance wasted no time bouncing back from their disappointing Game 4 performance. Unlucky and teammate Miron ‘Effect’ Novikov were able to push to a third-place finish as a duo after their IGL John ‘Hakis’ Håkansson was eliminated earlier in the game.
Unlucky and Effect were undeniably the best fraggers in EMEA’s regional final. By Game 5, they had cemented their places at first and second in the kill leaderboard.
Game 6 – Storm Point – Bangalore Banned
| Top 3 Teams By Placement Points | Top Three Teams By Overall Points |
| Onic | Onic (20 – 8kp/12pp) |
| 10k | Aurora (19 – 12kp/7pp) |
| Aurora | 10k (10 – 1kp/9pp) |
By Game 6, a strong pattern was emerging for 10k’s roster. Although the team had managed to finish three games in the top 10, they were picking up very few kills.
Meanwhile, Alliance were still able to finish in fourth place thanks to Effect, who lurked between rocks and dealt out damage continuously, reminding viewers why he is considered one of the best fraggers in Apex Legends history.
Game 7 – Storm Point – Pathfinder Banned
| Top 3 Teams By Placement Points | Top Three Teams By Overall Points |
| Dragons | Dragons (28 – 16kp/12pp) |
| MOUZ | MOUZ (19 – 10kp/9pp) |
| Nephilim | Nephilim (16 – 9kp/7pp) |
Match Point teams Alliance and Onic both found themselves caught in unwanted early-game fights. Game 7 ended quickly for Onic, but Alliance were able to scrape further through before falling to a questionable battle they may not have needed to take.
Significantly, Game 7 marked the point where several teams joined Alliance and Onic at Match Point, including the winners of Game 7, Dragons.
Game 8 – Broken Moon – Newcastle Banned
| Top 3 Teams By Placement Points | Top Three Teams By Overall Points |
| Cybercats | Cybercats (26 – 14kp/12pp) |
| Ronin | Ronin (24 – 15kp/9pp) |
| 10k | Team Nemesis (14 – 9kp/5pp) |
Despite desperate plays and a determined attitude from Gnaske, 10k continued to struggle with point acquisition. The team only managed three kills, resulting in a final points total that was lower than that of fourth-place Team Nemesis in Game 8.
The end of Game 8 ensured a total of 10 teams were on match point ahead of Game 9. This list of teams included Alliance, 10k, and eventual winners GoNext.
Game 9 – Broken Moon – Catalyst Banned
| Top 3 Teams By Placement Points | Top Three Teams By Overall Points |
| Zero Tenacity | Zero Tenacity (27 – 15kp/12pp) |
| war | NAVI (14 – 7kp/7pp) |
| NAVI | Dragons (11 – 6kp/5pp) |
With eight legends now banned, ALGS EMEA stats for Legend picks became particularly interesting in Game 9.
Without popular picks like Ash, Alter, Ballistic, Wraith, and Catalyst removed, Valkyries, Wattsons, and Fuses re-entered the game, reminiscent of Apex Legends’ early days.
As Game 9 reached its final stages, it looked as though the end was nigh. With seven teams remaining, five were on match point. However, war and Zero Tenacity swooped in to take first and second place, forcing the competition to continue.
Game 10 – E District – Wattson Banned
| Top 3 Teams By Placement Points | Top Three Teams By Overall Points |
| FaZe Clan | FaZe Clan (20 – 8kp/12pp) |
| GaminGladiators | GaminGladiators (15 – 6kp/9pp) |
| UAIM | Ronin (11 – 8kp/3pp) |
Like a vampire rising from its coffin, FaZe seized Game 10 and drained the hopes of ten Match Point teams praying for a victory.
After struggling to reach end-zones, FaZe broke through to gain a masterful victory. However, in a painful twist, they finished Game 10 on 49 points – a single point away from the Match Point threshold.
Game 11 – E District – Fuse Banned
| Top 3 Teams By Placement Points | Top Three Teams By Overall Points |
| GoNext | FaZe Clan (23 – 16kp/7pp) |
| NAVI | GoNext (19 – 7kp/12pp) |
| FaZe Clan | NAVI (15 – 6kp/9pp) |
With ten Legends banned, Game 11 featured a fascinating pool of team compositions. The lobby featured Valkyries, Ramparts, Maggies, Lifelines, and even Revenants.
Despite FaZe Clan putting up another strong effort, picking up 16 kills, they were caught out in the final fight. Ali ‘Naghz’ Naghawi, who led the team to victory in the 2024 EMEA Regional Finals, could not repeat his past success.
After 11 gruelling games, GoNext win when it counts the most – they finally closed out the game and took the Regional Final victory.
Who Qualifies with GoNext for the Esports World Cup?
The EMEA region holds eight qualification slots for the Midseason Playoffs, due to be held at the Esports World Cup.
Alliance had pre-qualified through their placement in the ALGS Open. Therefore, seven slots were left open. These seven slots are awarded to the winner of the Regional Finals and the remaining top teams in the overall Regional standings.
Therefore, the following EMEA ALGS teams will be at the Esports World Cup:
- Alliance
- NAVI
- Team Nemesis
- GoNext
- Zero Tenacity
- MOUZ
- GaminGladiators
- Ronin
Despite Gnaske returning to pro play after his controversial separation from team Ronin earlier in the season, he fell just short of qualification.
He joined 10k for the last weeks of Split One and carried the team’s damage statistics through the Regional Final.
Through heartbreak and several hours of intense gameplay, the participants for the ALGS Midseason Playoffs have been chosen.
With 11 games behind them, GoNext win the EMEA Regional Finals with style.
Hannah is a writer specialising in the esports, gaming, and technology sectors. Working for outlets such as Dot Esports, Esports Insider, and of course ENUK, she has developed a love for wider esports and Apex Legends, although it may never surpass her drive to passionately beat her friends in every game of Mariokart. You may have seen her at various esports and gaming events, including ESI London, EGX, Discover: Esports and many League of Legends watch parties.
