The 43rd season of the ESL Challenger League Europe has a full schedule with six matches total, four of which are win or go home.

The upper-bracket semi-finals are set with matches between Team Spirit and FTW, along with a clash between SAW and BLUEJAYS. 

The other four matches will be for a chance to keep playing at this event. Those matches feature the likes of Sprout, Endpoint, 9INE, forZe, fnatic Rising and Movistar Riders.

Each of those matches are win or go home, as the third round of the lower bracket takes place. The winning teams will advance to round four with a possibility of still reaching the Grand Final of this event.

Let's dive deeper into the matches that make up Tuesday's slate:

BlueJays is ready to strike

What: sAw vs. BLUEJAYS, ESL Challenger League EU
Where: Europe
When: 18:00, Tuesday 13th December 2022
How to Watch: CS:GO Twitch Channel
Odds: sAw -165, BlueJays +125

It wasn't an easy path for either of these teams as both had to fend off some stiff challengers to reach the upper semi-finals. Now sAw will look to build off its 2-1 victory against Case. The team has one loss in their last six matches overall.

Looking at BlueJays they enter this match on a four-match winning streak. They were also able to beat IHC 3-1 in a recent match. BlueJays and sAw have never faced-off in a head-to-head setting.

The match-up to keep an eye on is ewjerkz and CacaNito as both players have been the top-rated players for their respective teams. CacaNito has a chance to really steal the show with his recent average of 0.80 kills per round. 

This match-up won't be settled in two maps, so three maps is the likely outcome. SAW is favored, but it's too hard to pass on BlueJays at +125.

Tight fight favours Team Spirit

What: FTW vs. Spirit, ESL Challenger League EU
Where: Europe
When: 18:00, Tuesday 13th December 2022
How to Watch: CS:GO Twitch Channel
Odds: FTW (+1.5) -110, Spirit (-1.5) -120

The odds are very close in this match-up as FTW and Spirit meet-up. A spot in the Upper bracket final is on the line. FTW has done a nice job to reach this point as the #65 ranked team in the world. They have a chance to get a win against a team of importance.

FTW has lost two of its last three matches against sAw who could be a team they see again in this event. They can't look past Team Spirit who is always a tough team to beat.

Spirit has won four of its last five matches with the lone loss coming against Heroic. They needed three maps against both HEET, and a tough match against Sprout. W0nderful is going to be the player that FTW must find a way to stop. He was a key reason why Spirit reached this match.

This match is going to be close, but Spirit has the edge to cover at -120.

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9INE has the firepower to advance

What: Endpoint vs. 9INE, ESL Challenger League EU
Where: Europe
When: 18:00, Tuesday 13th December 2022
How to Watch: CS:GO Twitch Channel
Odds: Endpoint +140, 9INE -185

Endpoint has pretty much lost any advantage that they were hoping to have coming into their next match. They have lost their last two matches in three maps. Those losses were against ENCE, which is understandable, but losing against PROSPECTS wasn't expected.

Now they must focus forward to a clash with 9INE, who is fresh off a win against ECSTATIC. These teams have had one head-to-head meeting. That match was during the IEM Road to Rio 2022 event, and Endpoint was able to win on Overpass 16-11. 

They aren't quite the same team and could have some trouble with KEi and the rest of 9INE. This match favours 9INE and it isn't close.

Fnatic Rising could surprise, but forZe should cover

What: forZe vs. fnatic Rising, ESL Challenger League EU
Where: Europe
When: 18:00, Tuesday 13th December 2022
How to Watch: CS:GO Twitch Channel
Odds: forZe (-1.5) -125, Rising (+1.5) -105

A big rematch for Fnatic Rising as they will try to send forZe home early in a lower-bracket round three match. 

Both teams couldn't stay in the upper-bracket and now are in a due or die situation. For forZe they have to rebound from three losses in their last five matches overall. As for Fnatic Rising, they were able to eliminate ex-Finest and AGO, two common foes that forZe has also played.

The only difference was forZe couldn't find a way to beat AGO when they played them. A head-to-head match with fnatic Rising has already been played during this event. 

That match went forZe's way as they won Mirage 16-12 and Inferno 16-8. The Fnatic academy team has already proved they are one of the better Academies in CS:GO.

Volt and the rest of fnatic Rising have a real shot to make this match interesting, but they have already seen what happens if they lose an opening map against their opponent. It's a tough choice, but forZe has their number and should cover in this match at -125.