9z win XSE Guangzhou; HUASOPEEK says team ‘close’ to tier-one

9z captured the XSE Pro League Guangzhou title in Guangzhou, China, securing the organisation’s first international LAN trophy. Matias ‘HUASOPEEK’ Ibañez received the tournament MVP award. The South American roster defeated PARIVISION and TYLOO on its way to the final.

Before Guangzhou, 9z reached the playoffs at PGL Astana and advanced to the quarterfinals at the IEM Cologne Major, where the team registered a win over Team Vitality. Those results preceded the XSE Pro League event and contributed to the squad’s tournament entry list and seeding.

“For me it’s amazing, my first tournament in China and also my first MVP,” HUASOPEEK said after the final. He described learning more about his role as an entry player at Cologne and arriving in Guangzhou with higher confidence after focused practice and mental preparation. He added that those adjustments helped his performance across the event.

The team lost two group-stage matches in Guangzhou, to EYEBALLERS and Alliance. HUASOPEEK noted that losses like those are not typical for established tier-one teams and identified them as areas where the roster must improve.

HUASOPEEK outlined the team’s targets for the coming season: reach the playoffs at every tier-S event, win additional tournaments and qualify for the next Major in Argentina with the aim of competing for that title.

Organisers reported technical delays early in the Guangzhou event, including a four- to five-hour interruption on one of the first days. HUASOPEEK said the local crowd’s energy and support helped the team and other competitors cope with the disruption.

With the XSE trophy and an individual MVP, 9z have a recorded international win and a roster statement of recent results. The team will enter upcoming tier-S events and pursue qualification for the Major in Argentina as stated in their short-term objectives.