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BBL emerged victorious over EYEBALLERS with a 2-0 scoreline in the third upper bracket quarter-final of the PGL Bucharest Closed Qualifier 2026 on Friday, October 16th. This win solidifies their position in the upper bracket of the playoffs.
The best-of-three series didn’t reach the third map, but the journey was anything but easy. The first map lasted a grueling 79 minutes before BBL secured the win. The second map concluded in a quicker 40 minutes.
BBL breaks a three-match losing streak
This victory comes at a critical moment for BBL. Their previous three matches all ended in defeats: a 2-1 loss to JiJieHao and a 2-1 loss to Liquid at Stake Pulse Beat III 2026, followed by a 2-0 defeat to NIP at ROG Journey Autumn 2026. Prior to this rough patch, they had secured back-to-back 2-1 victories against FOKUS and BC.Game Esports at the same ROG Journey event.
On paper, the outcome of this match was expected. BBL entered the game ranked 123rd in the Elo power rankings with a rating of 1618, while EYEBALLERS were placed 165th with a rating of 1572. BBL now holds a balanced record of 15 wins and 15 losses across 30 rated matches, reflecting the ups and downs of their autumn season.
A repeat victory over EYEBALLERS within a month
This marks the second time in less than a month that BBL has triumphed over EYEBALLERS. The two teams previously clashed on September 18th at Logitech G Play Connect 2026, where BBL secured a single map victory by a score of 1-0. In the recent series on Friday, BBL expanded their margin of victory.
For EYEBALLERS, this defeat extends their losing streak to three series. Prior to this, they suffered a 2-0 loss to K27 and a 2-1 loss to magic at 1win Private Club #1 2026. Their last victories came at Logitech G Play Connect, where they secured 1-0 wins against Infinite and Inner Circle Esports. Despite featuring seasoned players like KRIMZ and JW, EYEBALLERS hold a record of 41 wins and 38 losses from 79 rated matches, showcasing experience but limited recent success.
ex-RUSTEC awaits on Saturday
The remaining upper bracket quarter-finals have set the stage for the qualifier. Betclic Apogee Esports narrowly defeated Eternal Fire 2-1, Team Nemesis overcame Nuclear TigeRES in a three-map battle, and ex-RUSTEC swept GamerLegion 2-0. Nuclear TigeRES quickly bounced back in the lower bracket round 1, securing a 2-0 victory over Eternal Fire.
The clean sweep by ex-RUSTEC now poses a challenge for BBL in their upcoming match. The two teams are set to face off on Saturday, October 17th, with BBL aiming for a consecutive series win to maintain their momentum after the recent slump.
Read also: ex-RUSTEC defeated Nordic Partners Gaming 2-0 on their path to the PGL Bucharest qualifier title
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