Team Spirit, Team Vitality ahead of the pack at Stage 2 of ESL Pro League Season 21

Team Spirit and Team Vitality are setting the pace with 3-0 records in the first three days of Group Stage 2 at the ESL Pro League Season 21 in Stockholm.

The only team yet to lose a map in the event, Team Spirit won again Sunday against SAW, while Team Vitality swept 3DMAX.

The $400,000 Counter-Strike: Global Offensive tournament seeded eight of its 24 teams straight into Group Stage 2: G2 Esports, Team Spirit, The MongolZ, Team Vitality, MOUZ, Natus Vincere, Team Falcons and Team Liquid.

The other 16 teams began in Group Stage 1, which featured a Swiss system format of best-of-three matches. The top eight teams then advanced to Group Stage 2, which also employs a Swiss system format of best-of-three matches.

Eight teams will advance to the single-elimination playoffs. The quarterfinals and semifinals will be best-of-three before the best-of-five grand final on March 16. The winning team will receive $100,000.

The 16 teams were split into three groups Sunday: the high group, the mid group and the low group.

Team Spirit swept The MongolZ, winning 13-6 on Anubis and a tight battle, 13-11, on Dust II. Danil "donk" Kryshkovets of Russia led the way for Spirit with a 45-26 kill-to-death ratio (+19) with three teammates also on the plus side.

Team Vitality had less difficulty with MOUZ, taking Inferno 13-6 and Dust II 13-7. Mathieu "Zwy0o" Herbaut of France had a 43-18 K/D ratio (plus-25).

In the Round 3 Mid Matches, G2 Esports swept SAW 2-0, Team Liquid did the same to Eternal Fire, and Natus Vincere went 2-0 against paiN Gaming. 3DMAX worked a 2-1 outcome on Team Falcons, winning on Inferno 13-11, losing on Ancient 13-7 and responding in a big way with a 13-2 win on Dust II.

G2 Esports posted wins of 13-5 on Nuke and 13-6 on Dust II against SAW. Team Liquid emerged with a 13-11 decision on Inferno and 19-17 on Train against Eternal Fire. Natus Vincere was extended to 16-14 on Train and 13-6 on Mirage against paiN Gaming.

In the Round 3 Low Matches, GamerLegion swept TYLOO with marathon matches of 19-15 on Ancient and 22-20 on Inferno. FURIA emerged with a 2-1 win over MIBR, taking Anubis 13-9, falling 19-17 on Mirage and cruising 13-1 for the decisive map on Inferno.

Play continues Monday with two levels of matches:

Round 4 High Matches

--The MongolZ vs. 3DMAX

--MOUZ vs. Team Liquid

--GS vs. Natus Vincere

Round 4 Low Matches

--SAW vs. GamerLegion

--Eternal Fire vs. paiN Gaming

--Team Falcons vs. FURIA

ESL Pro League Season 21 Group Stage 2 standings

1. Team Spirit, 3-0

2. Team Vitality, 3-0

3. MOUZ, 2-1

4. Natus Vincere, 2-1

5. The MongolZ, 2-1

6. G2 Esports, 2-1

7. 3DMAX, 2-1

8. Team Liquid, 2-1

9. Team Falcons, 1-2

10. Eternal Fire, 1-2

11. GamerLegion, 1-2

12. paiN Gaming, 1-2

13. SAW, 1-2

14. FURIA, 1-2

15. MIBR, 0-3

16. TYLOO, 0-3

ESL Pro League Season 21 prize pool

1. $100,000

2. $50,000

3-4. $25,000

5-8. $18,000

9-11. $13,500

12-14. $10,500

15-16. $8,500

17-19. $6,500 -- FlyQuest, M80, Nemiga Gaming

20-22. $4,500 -- HEROIC, Lynn Vision Gaming, NRG

23-24. $3,000 -- Housebets, Mindfreak

--Field Level Media