Leeds United crown themselves ePremier League 2022-23 champions
29 March 2023
After about five months’ worth of prime FIFA23 action, the ePremier League 2022-2023 season came to an end in the weekend of March 25th and 26th. The Grand Final saw Leeds United facing Tottenham Hotspur and it was the former side that managed to take the title home by winning the first leg in convincing fashion and then holding their North London opponents to a draw in the second leg. While everything and everyone Leeds was elated over their side’s victory, Tottenham’s esports team was understandably disappointed, especially as the club’s first team is not giving fans much to cheer about either this season.
Surprising 2022-2023 champions
When the Group Stages for the ePremier League 2022-23 Finals were announced, few fans of esports in the UK had Leeds marked down as a favourite for the title. The Whites were given a spot in Group C, together with Chelsea, Manchester United, Newcastle and West Ham. In other words, one of the most difficult groups of the tournament, if not the most difficult. The future champions managed to make it through though, clinching second place and qualifying for the quarterfinals.
Unfortunately for Leeds, they were lined up against tournament favourites Liverpool in those quarterfinals, so many people saw the end of the line for the West Yorkshire esports outfit. Many people were wrong though, because Leeds managed to turn around a 1-0 defeat in the first leg, thanks to a 4-2 victory in leg two. Up next was Crystal Palace and the Eagles brought Leeds to the very edge of elimination by winning the first leg 3-1, but the Whites once again managed to overcome upset by winning the second leg 4-0. On the other side of the Finals schedule, Spurs had made it to the Grand Final by beating Aston Villa in the quarterfinals and West Ham in the semi-finals.
No initial upset for Leeds in Grand Final
The Grand Final of the ePremier League 2022-2023 tournament took place on Sunday, March 26th, 2023, at innovation and technology campus Here East, located at the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park in Hackney, East London. Contrary to the quarterfinals and semi-finals, Leeds did not have to use the second leg of the encounter to overcome an unfavourable result from the first leg. Quite the opposite in fact, because the Whites started with a resounding 0-3 victory over Spurs in leg one, followed by a tense 1-1 draw. Besides the prestigious ePremier League 2022-2023 title, this victory was also good for £ 30.000 in prize money for Leeds players Olle “Ollelito” Arbin and Tom “Stokes” Stokes (£ 15.000 each) and a spot in the FIFA23 Global Series Playoffs.
“It has been a tough couple of days but I’m so happy that we managed to get over the line”, commented a happy Tom Stokes after the Grand Final, “The quality of this year’s finals is the highest that I have known, so we had to work well together throughout the tournament. Credit to Tottenham Hotspur, it was a tough Grand Final and they didn’t give us an easy time. What a win”.
Image credit: e.PremierLeague.com