Vitality beat NAVI 2-0 to reach the PGL Masters Bucharest playoffs, according to Esports.net. Stand-in jL played for Vitality, and NAVI now face Spirit in an elimination match.
On Dust2, Vitality came back from 3-9 down and closed the series with 10 straight rounds. jL went 13-5 with a 1.58 rating across the series. mezii posted a 19-9 record and a 1.86 rating. The report says NAVI's Mihai "iM" Ivan died in every round of the first half on Inferno without a kill and finished that map at 5.1 ADR.
Vitality named jL as a substitute in August for BLAST Open Porto and PGL Masters Bucharest. He is covering for apEX, who is on paternity leave. HLTV reported that Vitality must play at least five games at the event, which makes jL the player on their invited Major roster, not apEX. Vitality's only defeat so far came against FUT, which won 2-1.
Spirit dropped into the elimination match after a 2-1 loss to MOUZ. Aurora took the third playoff spot by beating Liquid 13-10 on the Cache decider. G2 and 9z are already out at 0-3.
The event runs until October 31, with a $1.25M prize pool. The champion receives $450,000. Results will shape Valve Regional Standings positions and decide which stage teams start the PGL Major Singapore, which runs from November 24 to December 13.