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I
I
Thank you for coming after such a long time,
I hope you liked yesterday's match.
Good?
There we go. So, today things are a little bit different. Before we get to the main event and the main matches, we've got some people you might know and love, ready to throw it down, put their pride on the line for a show match of all things.
Before we start our official match with Spirit vs. Maus, we have a show-match between two streamers.
Hello Team Strogo over here. Different looking Strogo. Welcome back Perfecto. You can talk
in your language. How are you? So what a draw. Question. Who is better? You or Strogo?
Actually me or Strogo. I think me, but one is good again.
So do you think that he sabotaged his team? He just said, okay, I'm not playing, so he can make sure you guys can get the win.
Thank you very much. That's how I want to see it going on. I had to get the information, I had to understand things, if you could explain it to everyone.
Yes, guys, they asked who is stronger, Perf, or Strog, and they didn't put Strog specifically in their team in order to win with Perf.
There we have it. Our teams have taken to the stage. Adren, come join us up here.
Nieland, come join us. Same team, different sides. I see what this is
looking like over here. Nieland, this is like young versus old and retired and
useless. Sorry my friend, I couldn't see you there. Old, retired and useless, right?
So this is an easy game for you. Well they have a replacement of Perfecto so
That's why they had to do it, right? Because he's going to be dead weight.
Yeah, 100%. But the thing is, the horse, they came back.
Okay!
Our next question is from Niu. Will it be easy to fight Fadron, as he is already old?
I don't know how to pronounce it on the stage next to you.
But you made a change in the form of a perfect, and now it will be easier, right?
Of course, it would be easier, but it would be even easier from the beginning.
Okay, they just want more rounds, more time on stage.
Nina, I'll give you an opportunity here for the crowd, the fun show match, all the viewers at home. Anything you want to say?
Thank you all for coming. It's a huge celebration for Kazakhstan.
Yes, thank you.
This is a great celebration for Kazakhstan. Thank you for coming.
Saliva Astana!
Let's cheer for our team and defeat the opponents together.
Let's cheer for them, let's light up!
in this one. So if you are a fan of team Strogo, make some noise!
So, who came here to support Booster?
Maybe a little more? Let's try. Team Strogo!
Everyone alright?
Yeah, I can even see there's a Strogo flag out there. I'm impressed by that. Good going little man over there.
What about Team Booster?
Maybe a little bit more.
But either way, let's get into the game, let's get into the show match.
Scorni and Launders, take it away.
Ooh, you know, the rumor on the street was last night was the game of the year.
Well, little did you know, it was actually this morning, Mohan, that the fireworks were saved for.
So here we go, show match on the big stage.
And, uh, wow, we got some old dog back in the server.
We got some fresh faces in the server.
We've got we've got breaking news journalists in the server too. Yeah, that's right
We'll see if the rubber meets the road here for everybody in this show match
I am personally really excited to see actually the substitution of perfecto playing and how high level the game becomes now because of it
It's a question. We always have to ask ourselves with each and every show match
Who's gonna end up being the sweatiest a guy like a dren letting kneeling pick the score line still just as you know
Honorable and humble as ever, but well, it's true that all show matches go all like the full distance every time first up
Whatever reason they almost always tie and if not go to overtime
Checking with production mohan to double check whether or not there is over. Oh, there definitely is their possibility. Absolutely
First of 13 wins, like every other game of Counter-Strike.
Now the real beauty of this show matches, we are delving into the depths of what, Mohan?
We're delving into the depths of cash. The best North American map of all time.
It's two North American commentators, and from what I can see on the player list,
player list, Stannis Laws in the server.
That's one of the greatest North American in-game leaders
of all time.
That's good luck to have that, for sure.
Cache is going to be awesome.
We've been waiting to be able to watch it, to be honest.
And I think, yeah, as James said, this is Adrien's era.
I don't think there's any hairs left, man.
Got to make sure.
I like it.
Yeah, you got to stay fresh.
Perfecto drove over here immediately.
He's setting up his PC.
Isn't that always the classic?
But they're still Team Strogo.
That's cultural impact.
Oh, Strogo.
I thought it was Team No Show.
Oh.
Got a bunch of showmen on stage.
And then life happens.
It must be nice to be in a place where you can just
pull out perfecto.
And they have a major MVP as well.
A lot of people forget Adrian's got the major MVP.
What would have happened if this show match was taking place in North America where cash belongs?
We would have had to call in who is the stand-in.
We would have gotten like, Flam or something.
Eric, I think maybe.
Oh, well, okay, that one not so bad.
Yeah.
Stand perfecto ready to hit the server.
Well, not quite ready, clearly.
But last second stand-in.
So respect for being able to roll out of bed and get ready for the big game.
Because this is going to define whether or not Perfecto gets to come back to tier one counter strike.
It is all based on this game and this game alone.
I hope we still let him in anyways, but yeah, it could be that.
It is non-boarding to Cash since Cash is coming back in.
Overdrives into the show match because he's looking for the next big thing.
Yeah, exactly. We're going to do some scouting. It'll be up to him if we can get Perfecto back on top team.
whoever kills overdrive the most gets the joint spirit I heard this guy's an
unbelievable talent
damn it I used all my jokes before the game started oh my goodness I don't know
what that means for each of us there in a half
Shadowkek, Stannis Law.
Oh, you're going to have fun with this, Mohan.
So you claim to know how to speak French, and, well,
I'm going to see whether or not you can nail,
by the end of this show match,
Crotton.
Four-time?
Crotton.
Crotton.
Crotton.
Give me that side-style.
That's French.
Crotton and Adrian, and for Sorzor,
Overdrive booster try to kneel in I like that
You know we're supposed to kind of keep a limit on the amount of actual pros slash expo players on this team
But we threw that out the book or at the window in the final five minutes before this one happened
I would have liked to have rolled out a red carpet for perfect over maybe tangled them in from the ceiling
You know we do this fake tech pause
Strogo know where to be found like Lady Gaga from the ceiling. Yeah head first like that straight down in a dress made out of meat
The real experience.
I just want to see this map right now.
I want all the wave of nostalgia to come back.
Cachry make a long time coming,
although not too many changes.
What, no new boxes about all that's changed?
Yeah, is that it?
Yep. As far as I can see, I haven't had a time to-
Put that window out in mid.
I have- Yep, no window.
That ladder to that window was not good.
Still white box, still the south-boost middle.
Still your favorite call-out of any map?
Useless. It's just such a nice call.
Yeah, because we can think of a useless on every single map,
like Shrek, for example, in Ancient. It's useless.
It's one of those broad terms.
We should be able to apply to everything,
but we just don't get a chance to.
The only problem with it is every time I play Cache and somebody says,
useless, I'm not sure if they're talking about the part of the map or me.
Oh, I see. You got to stop standing there just to make sure.
What's the useless part of Mirage?
The entire thing?
Don't say the whole thing.
Ah, I jest.
If you did that for Inferno, it'd be okay.
If Perfecto knew this was actually a show match, we could probably just give him any
other players' SSD.
Yeah.
Stick Donk's SSD in there.
See what happens.
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
That'd be a boost.
I'd do anything for Donk's SSD.
Like it's almost certainly got to be the settings right go ahead change it up for as long for the first semi-final later
Want to know what overdrive's crosshair is crosshair says a lot about you. Yeah, true
follow recoil
He's a follow recoil Maxi no, okay. Yeah, but I am
The people are out there. It's actually on the up and down you guys exist for sure
You know, it's on my default now when you first install the game
Oh, yeah, that's good.
Oh, right.
Oh, it's happening.
Let's get it to it.
It's new.
The start of the show match begins.
Yeah.
Okay.
This one's for all the marbles.
Oh, I already love it.
We've only got about four marbles, so it's really...
mistakes, except for your reputation.
This thing of beauty, isn't it?
Yeah, I think it's...
Yeah, it's perfect.
Looks great.
Oh, we still know our crossbows.
Nade's excellent.
Orzorzor in the back of the site with a very clean tap.
Could make it two.
Oh, the lateral USB, huh?
Lateral USB headshot in the show match on cash.
It's not every day.
Get a little flank from Tride.
The old Tride and Test, if they call it, the flank around A-Mane.
Perfecto.
Little up the clutch.
But it will be Team Booster with the first round.
Yeah, that's big energy over here from booster
We've never seen that strategy we should do that from now on headbutting your teammates when they win rounds
I'm giving them high fives. Yeah, this bumps are so outdated any fear or nervousness that you have could just be hit out of you
Your classic tech paws into pistol into tech paws perfecto's got to do two more settings
Going up one kill that round
Team No Show, let's go.
Fortunately, Strogo can join us today.
Healing under the weather.
This tech pause is actually for overdrive because he just realized he actually has to play.
Thought he showed up today to just be a coach.
He came to scout, yeah. I thought he was keeping an eye on the roster for talent.
You're pushing buttons, buddy.
We have Prius observing this match today.
Yeah, we flew them out just for this one specifically.
Hopefully we don't miss anything.
That's the biggest 6-7 I've seen.
Perfecto, it's not that deep, brother.
Just let it go.
This is what we need in the grand finals of the tech pause.
You can just yell at your opponents.
You can't talk to each other, though.
I could still be able to.
Think about how much more fun Apex would be if you didn't have to kind of shackle him in these moments.
Yeah, the era wouldn't have ended last night.
I think in show matches, you should also be allowed to throw things at your opponent.
Yes, definitely.
So, PGL said that one was a safety concern, so we weren't allowed to bring it to you today.
But on the mask, actually, that's funnier.
Yeah, that is funnier.
Yeah, I want to see you in game chat, too.
got two. We get a North Americans we have Neal in. Yep. The second best North American
in-game leader in the server right now. Okay. Second only to Stanislaw. Okay. Timebreaker.
We're not friends anymore.
Voided riffles.
Kill up next.
Is overdrive scrolling Twitter?
Yeah, I want to see a tweet about his teammates at the end of the game.
I want a full review.
I think he's just grateful that he didn't have to pay to play with them today.
Second round, shall we?
Nope.
The one's got a Zeus in this round, and we got the deco bike because it is a show match.
Tell me Jay Rads is still trying in the show match.
He's got to practice this, obviously.
Yeah.
He's not saving this for upcoming majors.
Yeah.
Come on, man.
Singapore's around the corner.
See, but this is what I want to see.
All right.
They're not here to play optimally. They're here to buy Desert Eagles.
And it's Overdrive dead. He goes for the ego peek into B main.
He was fueling himself after all that tech pause.
And while his momentum comes to a quick end.
Well, Deagle upside the head will do that to you.
Stannislaw wants another one because he's already got a hit.
Addicted to the Deagle. Can't blame the man.
We've got a good crossfire here. Flash, tactic, everyone's blind.
That's the level of CS we're going to bring. Neal and calling.
Adrien and Katam. And they're not going to find anything, but he thinks he might, so
he takes an extra second. And now he's going to come running at AMN. He's going to eat
a flashbang. Booster's got it. Yeah. Oh, well, that's okay. Yep. That's vigorous.
Oh, they have to decide. That's love right there.
They're playing next to Degster. Don't find a bomb plant. Flashbangs make the most of
that one. Flash into B main. Flash into A main. Tees can't fight around, but they will
You'll find guns at least, coming at around three.
Got the booster up.
And overdrive up to that.
I'm going to count the amount of times that overdrive dies first.
So far, it's one.
But you have to respect a man that looks to take space.
Speaking of which, if you get a push outside of the A site, you're not allowed to escape.
Perfecto's got you.
And they've also got a little mid control here.
Each Drogo, or past the attack, or Zorzorzorzorzorzor, is able to get the kill back.
No, he isn't.
It's an off kill from his teammate.
Oh.
Oh, you hate to see it.
It's a kickoff.
boasters got adjourned again and we're gonna find an empty B bomb site CT's
forgot there's two bomb sites on this map I'm loving how it's looking so far
yeah this is this is a free plant just needs to actually go over here
shadow kek I mean he's gonna get caught off oh yes and of course this oh okay
it's too hard to get that you can't get down there silently you know they made
that way bigger, eh? Yeah. Yeah,
that's the call out. Oh,
where do you think you come from?
There's only one guy left. Perfecto in a one on three.
Play from it in the site. Yeah. Oh, boy.
Perfecto fans salivating at the thought that he's going to pull this off.
Oh, that's a good one. Booster comes through with a second off kill.
And that's going to be a third in a row.
Oh, they're not doing it all one more time.
You want it? You want it? Come get it.
On the mouse hand? No, it's keyboard hand. We're all good.
Hey Jayras, can we get a fly by of the catwalk on A site real quick?
I want to show Launders how it's changed.
Look, it's not only thicker from the wall, but it's made of solid concrete.
Okay, different. Yeah, it's not metal anymore.
I don't know how often you go for floor bangs, Mohan, but it's made all the harder.
And also the railing is way less intrusive.
Just run off of it.
So that's like kind of cool.
It's also nice and grassy up there.
Nothing like some city foliage.
Here comes the fast A-play though.
Team Strogos already got players out.
Run through a smoke grenade.
Neal in at 4 ZorZor.
And 4 ZorZor again.
So down to the Tech 9s.
Fork with player.
Gets one back.
That's my gold stat.
But it is 4-0 and they're getting laughed out of the server.
of the server. This is quick work to kick off semi-final Saturday.
It's end of the round. We need a slap.
Almost dislocated his shoulder doing that.
I don't think we've ever had an injury in a show match yet.
They are real sports.
We're looking to break new earth here in Astana.
Double-op setup, so now this is the biggest sign of sweaty nerds in a show match.
If you pull out the double-op setup in a show match, you're a part of the problem.
Yeah, I thought the 13-11 superlamp was promised, but I'm not sure.
I like the idea there.
Another great flash tactic.
This goes from bad to worse, from strogo.
The agent said this was going to be easy and made even easier now that they have Perfecto.
Well, I don't see anything easy about these first four rounds, but he also said that they
can choose the score line.
So maybe it's just letting Buster get to 13 before they get there 11, but I don't know
if he realizes.
I've got an answer at some point.
Yeah, this would be nice for Stroko.
They've got mid, they're starting to go for the A-crawl.
Welcome right up my way, but Nelen is taking out Adren easily.
Orzo, it's a tight spot. He can't really move a lot.
Oh, he'll get cleared, but he nails that trade.
Expecto's got one pack, but Nelen with another headshot.
It's a 1v3 attempt for Stannislaw this time around.
You got low health on two, and Overdrive's got an on.
Okay, let's watch that overdrive off. I know we're all supposed to watch the clutch
But it's been a while since you've observed counter strike Prius
Actually, he just did the Ludwig land he said man that was hard
Let's go back to Valorant. Okay
Okay.
Mopper misses it, eats the flashbang, and it's all a bait and switch.
I like that.
Overdrive misses on purpose, so that the terrorist pushes out Amain into Nieland.
It's a much safer play.
A really big brain move for the 5-0 start.
Oh my goodness.
Didn't go for the slap this time.
Have we ever seen, is that Tom Cruise?
Have you ever seen a 13-0 in a show match?
the
the
the
the
the
the
The bombs look at that B site.
I think they've identified a weakness, but little do they realize Overdrive's about to start his playing career off this showcatch.
Ooh, and he's gonna have some pressure on him now.
He was trying to set him up.
I was clean.
Yeah, that was good.
Not a bad shot.
Ooh, a 2k!
Although that under heaven player's got the answer back.
2v4 coming together.
Booster's gonna stop it with a 5-7.
Give himself a flat.
Oh yeah, he's doing it.
Ah, he's got a red.
He's thinking about it.
about it he's thinking about it last five shot oh man not everyone can do it
like simple it's nice try though there's lots more rounds to try that I
would need to see it happen
oh and still for a source or with the impact yeah but he's coming up big 6-0
shout out to overdrive for the big 2k off in the back of the site three off
It was first one had him flustered. He's still reacted. Right. I mean he's putting his money where his mouth is here
He's got the Twitter fingers and now he's here in the server. So
You know what they say Mohan seventh times the charm
Yeah, where did they say that?
Oh, it never hurt that one.
Oh, I see.
Yeah, went for it.
Locked down.
That's a great flash.
Out of perfecto.
He can do support still.
But the ops are just raining down.
We've got three ops on the CT side.
Of course we do.
Oh, seriously though.
Not quite connected.
Quite like the others.
And now you got two ops trying to keep you inside of this midbox.
And, well, smoke grenades, try to alleviate that.
You're already committed and Tride's gonna come through with another headshot.
Stannis Law waiting for another 1v3 attempt.
Oh, it's a 1v4 in fact, but hey, you'll peel half of them off of the midplay.
Problem is he's gotta get that bomb.
And the bomb player already pushed out middle.
He knew the rifleman was over here.
What's overdrive gonna get up to?
Forzor, so low on health.
Hey, that's Forzorzor to you.
Forzorzor dies and now overdrive has to deny this clutch, a 1v4 brought down to a 1v1 by Stanislaw.
He's trying to make the read. Oh my god, he's setting it up. He's got the op up in heaven.
Then Brake gives him what he needs.
Oh, please.
Opper up in Heaven, goes for the P250 kill!
Oh!
It gets it!
Okay.
Overdrive another multi-kill!
Okay, he's playing the win.
And his first clutch.
He's not trying to make the moment.
He's playing the win.
He denies that 1v4.
He gets a clutch.
Do you think he'd like, you know, maybe smile or celebrate or...
No?
It's all business.
Take a lot of bullets.
Take a lot of bullets.
It's got the job done, though.
Oh, okay, the last one.
Not a bad clutch whatsoever.
Once you're going for the wallbangs, you gotta respect that.
Major 1 and 7, he'll have his pop-off movement soon.
But look at him so charitable, he's dealing with a tech knife.
Trying to find somebody in these smokes, he's got a whiff of it, but there's that
healing M-force still locked in the corner.
In fact, they're looking to get lucky.
Oh, and it happens.
They finally bring one home. I don't know. Buster's gonna make this hard.
And that AWP finds the man advantage back. CT's gonna just really twist the knife in this wound, but that aids well plays.
Big try down a little bit. Not just kind of queues him up for his head shot.
You don't poke the beast like that. Now overdrive another multi-kill.
Oh, the Nights out!
On a moment's notice, suddenly it's fun and games!
That's a crazy guy!
I love that.
This is the same guy who hasn't looked up from the screen,
AWPing as soon as he could.
He's got a multiple, multi-kills.
He's got a clutch to his name and a knife-frag.
Overdrive star of the show, the perfecto on for an ace.
Ah, denied by Tribe.
Oh my goodness, from snacks, Overdrive gets the knife kill, and that sounded like a team frag.
Oh, Team Booster have so much money to work with.
Get on the terrorist's wing.
Protectors thinking, God damn it, I should have rolled out a bit earlier.
Let's roll back that knife kill.
He like just turned enough that I think it was a back step.
Got him.
Perfecto's good and all, but to ask him for the ace, I don't think so.
Overdrive making that money, right back onto his op.
Buster, losing money via team kills, still back on his op.
Almost smoking, Adel.
Gotta be careful with the op up.
But almost only counts with frag grenades, not smokes.
Overdrive under pressure, it's because his teammate's all over him.
Get the hell out of the way.
Going for the full V8 pack.
I like this move from Tri.
It's on.
Oh, no.
Or maybe, yeah, okay, get on him to fall back.
Oh, Oster keeps the wallbangs going.
That's tried dead to a teammate.
How did that one happen?
Not sure.
It's a retake utility looking like, not much left over.
You know what they say, ninth times the charm.
Nielsen's flank starts to make this retake happen.
Please, not the 4v5 retake.
Oster dies to Shadowcat.
That's a clean wallbang.
And Neon still trying to buy his time, help out by that beating player, goes for the dual, and by God team, Strelto on the brink of it!
Finally!
They broke it through!
The round hits the scoreboard.
Nine rounds in.
You know what they're gonna do next.
B-pop.
How many ops?
On the CT side.
On the CT side?
They actually don't have money.
Somehow, they must have mismanaged their economy a little bit.
This is the way in for Strogo.
I've been having a real idea.
Shadow Keck looking for more, and it is a massacre out middle.
tried leftover he was hoping they'd come be yet again but that's not the case we
got team Strogo all over that A site bombs a little bit late but better late
than never they're calling for it they thought it was gonna be a repeat B pop I
did too but Strogo they have range they're not one no
We got a spotty record in calling these corner, so how many kills does Tride get?
In this one versus five with the bomb down?
Yeah.
Nine.
Okay.
Are you sure everyone's getting softened up?
It's true, they're really trying to give this to him, aren't they?
Saving, of course.
Oh, all of it.
Five alive.
I can only get predictions correct in show matches, not real games.
You're not supposed to ever save in a show match, it's actually, it should be made illegal,
you ask me.
I think either find them.
Oh, and they're forcing every round.
Full tilt.
Nades go over top and try to cast the HB bush.
It's gonna be taken. Strogo keeping it simple.
Good idea.
They just don't find the damage.
Desert Eagle kill on the spam doesn't line up.
The Tom is looking for the mid-hold.
Kill is always going to find shadow kek's blind.
You'd be a madman to believe in this retake, but let's get a little crazy.
Meal and fighting one.
Try against the next one, and it's all a big distraction.
It's all about for Zor-Zor.
Flanking around with that P250, he'll kill Stanislav, looking for Adrien, but nah, can't
stop him.
That's tried shot.
We go 1v1, bomb 12 seconds.
There's a world where he does this and then he decides to stop trying
Yeah, catch this one down. He dies and struggle pick up another around it's four deaths for them
Actually the bomb goes off to wipe the board but
Because they force team Buster they got tilted. They lost one round. They lost all their money. They bought
but one M4 in the previous round, now they're going for close to a max loss by, they've a scout, an autoshotty, an M4.
And here it comes, as promised, the B-Play.
There's a will, there's a way, that shotgun's getting set up to catch you off guard, you think it's just the M4, but here it comes, the new tube, the XM-1014!
Perfecto loses his head to it. He's gonna try to draw the man he wants to get him done for, but Shadow Keck and Stannis Law know that a fourth round is much needed here for Team Strogo, because this win is so important!
Most important round of their lives.
So don't worry. Walk away. Take your time. It's not like we have anything else to do.
They have the utility to try to sneak this one out. The smoke is too shallow. They can't
dip it for the bomb. They're flashing. They're hand-watching the flank.
Not getting tunnel vision.
He'll switch a roof. Shadowcat holds the flank.
And that one fizzles out.
Okay, the Buster can't really improve on this half.
Nine to three.
Overdrive's gonna take the range. He's calling the next pistol.
It's fine tuning the team. You said, hey, walk in kids.
Yeah, yesterday's game, that was something else.
I think I prefer this one.
Maybe I'm just a romantic.
I like that we give them the full minute to really talk things over.
You know, you got to make sure that you're coming into the second half ready to go.
Game is game.
God forbid you get caught off guard in the pistol round.
This is a make it or break it moment.
Buster gets to 12 rounds.
They should unlock Molledoy and have another sub over for Strogo.
We also dangle him in from the ceiling.
Please.
I'll speak of which.
Get me the crane.
Alright, let's see how CT-sided this map is.
I never recommend doing terrorism in shorts and sandals, but...
Is that like when you wear shorts on the plane?
Yeah, basically.
Buster not sure where he wants to take the team, but he will lead the charge and I got to respect that.
Adrian catching first blood in the CT hold, that's gonna flush Team Buster over towards the B site.
Stanislaw looking a little bit nervous, shaking in his boots.
As the B main peeks come through, that bomb's looking to cross underneath it. Stanislaw shooting the first target,
And that's just the perfect setup for for Zor-Zor-Minor
Trying to get that bomb on site Overdrive wants to plant the bomb because he's the main character and
His a-drone's getting closer to the retake for Zor-Minor gets another 3k no quad no ace
It's Neelan's job to try to shut this down. They're on the brink of double digits Overdrive sees his name up in the big lights
Goes for the bush misses all his shots
Uh-oh, the Knives are out!
And Overdrive ruins the fun to make sure Boaster get double digits.
That's not the first fire in the back line with the Knives approaching.
I can't think of a scarier situation than being a 1v3.
The economy's going to be in shambles for the rest of this game.
Oh, we did it!
What?
Oh, we did it!
Yep.
Time to go for a clean shave.
That's how I always feel when I get a wall bang scout headshot.
Nothing hits, like a wall bang and a fresh upper lip.
Oh, that was...
Hey, hurt the way.
Oh, it's...
Oh, it's all going south real quick.
That scout's got a mind of its own.
Neon likes to live dangerously.
Shadow Keck found out on the main push over drive, making sure he holds off on that flank.
Every team needs its pillar.
And that is what overdrive is.
11-3, Team Boaster League.
Might be Team Strogo home.
Cool.
We're both on a frag, right? So you get for a game like this.
Ah, none.
When you get the kill once, you gotta be doing that for the rest of the game now.
Just a wallbang battle.
That's where this one should end.
You know, like the good old American Civil War.
Line up.
Straight shots.
Ten paces and all that.
You know, that's what I'm all about.
If you're not packing gunpowder down your musket in between every single shot.
Okay.
It's just really lost its class.
Sure.
Oh!
See ya, sucker.
And that's a good split.
Last Knives out, another one coming.
Never mind, it's a no scope instead, just as stylish.
And Team Strogo.
Or like, Stroganoff, the way they're getting served up on a plate.
Okay. Okay.
More Knives, be mad.
Not another Knives, early.
Yeah!
Yeah, stick them like a pig!
Team kill in the middle, but be careful or else Perfecto is going to win a round.
To be honest, I thought that was the last frag, but I guess Perfecto is still alive on the other side of the map, still with this Desert Eagle.
And remember, this is his tryout game.
He thinks he's going to get back on Cloud9. He doesn't realize that, uh, well, they're not playing anymore.
Henry was giving. Oh, okay. Before he's even done peeking.
Get the soul patch.
I can't call this guy, Macbeard.
I need to know the lore.
It's called Psychosis.
They've done it, Moe.
Believe your eyes.
Also, that's just...
That's just...that's fair enough.
Team Boaster 12-3. They could end it here, but instead they decide it's gonna be real volvers.
Oops!
Nielin was asking for it!
You could get kicked from the server for the team damage.
It would be the funniest way to lose this game.
Just when you thought it was over,
we're gonna bring you a little more.
And if Team Strogo were to just push down these last two R8s,
we could get into round 17, but they're gonna hold a default.
I haven't even seen the Gav yet.
Imagine.
Bait him in.
Oh, there is one.
Jesus Christ.
Up and over it goes.
He tried to, it's the bait switch.
There's actually an AK on the field.
Now he's going to give himself the 1v5 attempt.
Because he knows they're going to try to knife him.
You get one, buddy.
The switches are great. One is all you get.
Oh, there's three! The revolver's back!
They're low! A quad! Off for the final! Nice fight denied!
It could have been gentlemanly.
The Dren's had enough. He robs away that R8 as well.
Yeah, the gun came out. Just gotta finish the job.
Only eight more rounds until overtime.
By the time this game's done, that kid's gonna be an adult.
You know the actual name of the T-side auto sniper and a few less letters G1
That's it.
Now I'm second guessing my set.
G3S G1?
For the ZEUS,
aka the X27.
Aka the Zeus X27.
G3S G1.
That was pretty close.
The old overdrive Nova, a gun as old as him.
It's the closest thing we do have to a musket.
Now this is a sweaty position.
No shotty drop in.
The sector is starting to get a feel for the game, but the Stanislaw over here in the sunroom has got the bomb in front of him and I... come on, bro.
Yeah, we'll see about this one.
You really want to save that thing?
See, he can do this because he actually has nothing better to do.
This is content right here.
Overdrives idea of a fun time.
Twitter guy comes out in real life.
Seven rounds to overtime.
See, but this is how you know that they're all still a bunch of try-hards, because where
was all this antics during the actual rounds?
Remember when we had a triple-op setup on Team Buster on their CT side?
Yeah, the CTs were sweating.
They played the win.
Oh, now it's all fine in games.
Now it's Novos, Zuses, and Knife Kills, because you think you've got it in the bag, but little
do you realize you got Stanislaw on an op here for Team Strogo?
This guy camped some room the entire round and tries to 1v5 again.
i'm gonna let change banks up on that stage
Zorzor is trying to bait him into Overdrive who has the
radiest, most hidden angle of all of cash.
But it's a great setup because he gets this headshot.
Now that bomb is thinking about going to plant over on the A site.
It's suced out of it.
Here we go.
It's going to be money, finally, for Team Booster.
Okay.
And Tried will be given a chance at a 1B3 with a Desert Eagle.
This is a legitimately winnable round, all set up by Overdrive
Because we know he sets up every team for success.
He's the reason spirit, one Shanghai,
but he's not the reason that they'll win this show match.
Not yet anyways.
Maybe with one more Nova kill from the Sun Room.
Six rounds.
They let it perfect.
They let it perfect.
They'll get warmed up.
See if they live to regret it.
That's what they needed, Mohan, an injection of money.
Looking at AK-47s on all of Team Boaster, except for Overdrive's Nova.
Because now he's addicted to the thrill.
Okay, there we go, he goes for the AK.
They step in, they say, enough fun and games.
Both teams seem to realize round 19 is going to have a more serious note.
Overdrive, entry fragger of the year some call him.
He eats a flashbang on the approach as teammates all still stuck behind him, but he gets his
job done by any means.
Oh, what?
So Tom hits that no-scope onto him, boasters got his kill out middle, and this house of
cards of Team Strogo seems to start crumbling, but then the perfecto curve ball.
Neal in with advanced tactics, drops the smoke, we've got the first one who's the 10th.
Oh, that would have been amazing.
It goes south and now they're stuck in the back of the site, no chance to pull it off
again, the retake utility comes through, the Tridescott Sanctuary in the back of this site,
Heaven Players dead, Neal is locking it in, and the clutch shut down, 13-6 as Astana goes
wild!
It's a very clean close. Perfecto could not get warped up in time. Deep Boaster with this clean shaven.
Off nose scopes, scout headshots, wallbangs. That gets this match at it all.
Everything you could ask for, everything you don't want, and a little more.
And at the end of the day my MVP medal goes to overdrive. I'm talking about Nova kills, Zeus kills, knife kill,
op holds, entry frags, momentum for that final round.
Maybe this guy does know what he's talking about.
Sending it down to James Banks to get a word from our victors of the PGL Astana 2026 show match.
Thank you very much for the wonderful scrawny and lordless I can see from your faces that
you had the most enjoyable time almost as much as I did but wait to see who we're gonna
get over who's gonna work this out from the team that got the victory in here team booster
is there hello hello that looked a little bit too easy for you guys at the beginning
Stop, Oleg!
What language do you need to speak?
You can speak whatever you want.
I can translate.
Very easy.
Very easy.
Very easy, very easy.
I don't know.
Thank you for the reception.
Really, Rahmet, it's very good.
The second year is a great event.
More and more.
We are waiting for the major to stop.
Major to stop. Let's go.
Yeah, yeah, let's go, let's go. Very good vibes.
Thank you for this opportunity to play here on this show much.
Really appreciate.
I really appreciate my mom and take care of your parents too.
This is the most important thing, guys. Family, esports.
That's it, that's it. As they say.
Keep your family close and safe.
Thank you to your mama.
And yeah, I'm seriously...
I got one other question for him.
I need predictions from him on who he thinks is going to win our next game.
We've got Maus coming up against Spirit.
Is he siding with Spirit to go to the grand finals, back to back years in Astana?
Or can Maus do it? Give me his opinion.
My opinion is very interesting because I don't know who will win.
He doesn't know who's going to win.
But I think next match he will win Spirit.
Yes, and after we'll be close to the game, but magic versus Falcons, it will be a very
difficult game for magic, yes, but maybe something interesting will happen.
But maybe something good will happen.
Yes, yes, yes.
Well, thank you very much, congratulations on your win and for playing on the show, Matt.
Thank you very much, everything is very cool.
I
I
You
Make some noise! It's mouse!
Let's hear it for Aurora!
Now there is a chance for the retake.
Shouldn't be but walk take your right all of a sudden under pressure
It's got three players coming up from tunnels behind him soul flies down to 14 help
Madger's gonna be a late arrival out from middle so I'll fight
It's still costly
Cash for your efforts
He's got two players occupied insertions had enough a peek out of nowhere for Madger
So Matt would love to try to test this smoke so he gives himself that underhanded flash gets spades off the line
Molotov to the back of sight.
Wakadia will take it down.
It's got a smoke to cross, and they found their opening.
Madger trying to take his sweet time with this.
Wakadia just needs to survive.
And as they sit outside of the window, there's the flight for Madger.
Perfectly timed.
And with this amount of time, it's not going to happen.
Aurora.
Four players with rifles versus Soulfly.
He's got a pistol to try to play with.
They give him these duels.
He's still working with 50 health.
JL's low, multiple body spotted, he is drawing them into perfection.
Now they're starting to consider it, all the line up there.
Exertion's full health dead, still flowing.
P.J.L. don't leave!
Think of the value that got out of this!
Saviour looked close.
First blood.
Torsi finds his Zelex as well, it's just a sea of kills out of house.
Everybody putting in their work.
Please give it up for Niiiine Zee!
to give it up for magic.
That's kind of a tier two old lead to Rush.
ZGT TechKnight, Boss Ball's dead.
It's gonna be on Moon to stop it.
And despite his best efforts with the double kill,
Luchov's TechKnight also presses in.
What more can you do?
It's a low health top player that's coming.
There's an AK still out here on the field,
hunting heads and it's just not gonna happen.
A little lost to the saws this round.
Our magic and they better not die after.
Wait, they caught it.
No!
It doesn't look like you're gonna stop magic from getting inside of this A site.
Bomb gets dropped.
He'll try to press his slide.
And from the bottom of the health bar, three kills up there!
It's the exact bomb for Mayer.
Just all off the audio.
Madamella has no idea what he's done.
He's gonna cause AW to scramble.
He will find at least his one.
And then Tensey's catching Lucho.
Oh
He's gonna try to press in the boss wall and obviously loses
Pressure on to the captain takes one of the dome straight away, it's on their way over
but the lead will dislodge Hunter.
More damage put down range from Madness, there's a lot of low players here, that's his bit
of a headhunter.
Looks for his second, learns about the long player in Taneer as well.
They can't flush him out because still looking at Madness could be a difference maker on
for the ace in this four-spy.
7 has treated him well on that swing. Let's look down, but don't cut some pies to make sure it's not in vain.
One man made it across pitside, they don't know about heavy guard Joker in the pack.
That evil, don't make him pay.
Lock smoke to slow them down, the rest of the play is coming up short. Right in, the dog stall
Barrett is
Highest p2 from afar to do the dove he's born down low that p2 pit
He's gonna be a bit more considered now you've got Matt is tucked in taking next contact
And it's done with all the kills in this pistol round and there's the fourth is it really gonna be a dump
Oh! That is well applied!
To get him to B. Right now they're up the rampside. It's tight.
It's okay. It causes them problems.
It won't come to matter if the next death is Mattis out towards K.
Looking for this trade, Teneer will not let him get it.
And Spirit, two players ready to receive. Teneer is all that's required.
you gotta worry about Kiyosuke clean entry onto fuller.
Oh, there's the double-up.
Swing out for me, kid.
I won't be able to punish before it really fails.
He's all firing off, but they know they've got Karagin trapped here.
Oh, that's a lot of it!
Going a long way to try and make this feel recoverable.
The replay on the cards keeps Sukei top performer right plays right time.
Oh, he's hitting shots!
There's all of them!
Pace, disrespect, pissed off, your kid just had it up!
Oh, where's this come from?
Okay, William trying to play it safe for your kid now!
Last time they went over, able to stop him.
This time, it's a different story.
Line up into the tunnels, big damage from the rifle.
tries to be the guy fighting first, scared back from the window.
Side by side, we're falling, as this is for all the Marvels.
This is for those settings.
You're my whole family.
You're my whole family.
Welcome back to PGL Astana.
If yesterday was anything to go by,
you're not going to want to miss today.
I'm your host, Richard Lewis, joining me on the desk,
having to try and summarize the historic moments
that we saw. It is Maui Snake, it is Dursmere. Guys, I was up late last night like everyone
else watching what many are calling the greatest series of the CSU.
You said yesterday, I think you mean earlier today.
Yeah, today.
That's stretching to 1 AM.
You are correct.
I mean, that was unbelievable that we got those quarterfinals.
I think that's a little bit of hyperbole. It was just Pain vs. Gamer Legion, right?
Oh.
No, I meant the other series, Maui, what a match between Falkens and Furious.
I think that it's easily within the running of top three series of all of CS2.
I feel like if it was in, I mean, I think the arena lit up for it in the way that you
would want them to.
You saw so many incredibly tense moments.
Production brought this one up.
fact that monos to send it to double overtime was 281 milliseconds away from
actually getting that bomb or really fallen that is getting that bomb to
explode so the margins were razor thin and everybody was on the edge of their
seats in the Barras arena yeah I mean you look at new can you think of all the
crazy individual plays that you saw the one that you're referring to where
monos he just hits that falling off shot and lower and pulls off the clutch you
know you had this is where Nico nearly pulls off a 1v4 but just not quite
enough time to get the bomb to explode. You think about the Akindar speedrun 4k
into the upper bomb site. You know there's just so many crazy moments that
you could pull from that nuke match. So many individual impact plays, so many
clutches. It was just one of those games where let's just get out there and scrap.
And I mean it was such a fun game to watch. Yeah two veteran IGLs calling a
great game, two great squads with incredible players, but ultimately you
You know, either one would have been worthy winners, but at the end of the day, it was Falcons.
That's the best they've looked here in Astana.
I mean, it's got to be said.
So how are we feeling about them overall as Contenders?
Temperature check is red hot for Falcons.
The variety of looks that Kerrigan threw out there on those T-sides was exceptional and
unprecedented.
He was going through so many different opening formations that I've never seen Falcons run
calling by off by the seat of his pants. I saw players in positions that I don't
even think they were ready to necessarily fill. But that's kind of
speaking to testament to how excellent those guys on Falcons are, how complete
some of those players are that even when Falcons comes up or Kerrigan that is
comes up with something just at the spur of a moment, everybody can follow and
put together a plan. Yeah, Tess has called it on the HLTV interview with
note I believe it was where he talks about this Kerrigan taking them under
the wing when the pressure gets high and they're in those crazy moments and
just trusting in him to navigate through those turbulent waters and, you know,
past the obvious, you know, of monosidus going absolutely freaking bonkers and
looking like, you know, a top three player in the world outside of the fact that
Tessus was also really a big factor in that one. I think Kiyosuke also got
rained in. So there was just so many things that went their way.
And I think the biggest shot I'm going to give aside from Keringen's leading is
to someone like Tessus, who definitely a lot of scrutiny on this guy about the
courts of the year. I'm not going to lie. I was one of the ones that was kind of
doing it there for a bit, but man, did he really show up yesterday to help dragon
through some tough spots. My favorite Falcon. My favorite Falcon. So clutching so
many of those moments. Best round swing from the series actually doesn't always
have the greatest output, but a guy that we know that he's not going to create
losing conditions and he's always going to do what's necessary for the team to
move forward. Yeah, and look, obviously Molodoy did give it his best here in his
hometown. It didn't quite work out for him, but I mean at the end of the day
Nobody could point the finger at him or all the star players. I mean, I mean obviously if you're will be saddened
Yeah, get knocked out in the quarterfinals here
They don't have a chance to have my boy playing for the serene anymore and like a
Grandfathers appearance or third place to side or whatever it may be and following out early
But I think the one thing that you can really latch on to is that this guy's back in shape
This guy's back and he is a true knight for cosmic stand a guy who is putting up, you know
Well improved numbers in this tournament looked a little bit better in Rio as well at times
And so if you can get back to this level consistently this year all of a sudden fury gets back into that title contender conversation
And look, let's also talk about the other quarter final which I think has produced a very surprising result
We felt like in the groups who say 90 the best team that we had seen just in terms of delivery
How well drilled they were everybody hitting their levels and then they lose to magic
you. Chalker results, yes, but one that I think a lot of the fans here are happy
about the fact that Moon was able to help them get over the line there and I'm
gonna feel I feel bad for Mayeron because I think map 1 and 2 he did an
excellent job for them but map 3 that dude was completely swallowed up by the
stage missing a guy with the AWP. Oh yeah. Lanting the bomb not even moving he just
tried to flick too fast you could see in those moments that the pressure was
getting to him and he just couldn't hold his nerve. Yeah it's a tough one for
9z because they were having such a great story in regional play. They obviously beat, you
know, they had the hardest path to these playoffs, right? They'd be three top 10 teams in the
world to make it. So they did a lot of good work, but look over at magic and they're just
so fun, man. Like watching matches, they just do the most crazy bullshit you'll ever see
a team do. I mean, there's such unorthodox plays, but you also saw some more refined
calls as well. I think as fade, you know, the in-game leader of that team is actually
steering them in a crazy direction, considering where they came from, what they've accomplished
already in Astana so they're gonna be fun to watch it against Falcons a little bit.
Yeah and look obviously Falcons clear runaway favorites in this one but sometimes you just
can't prepare for crazy you know that's how I feel when I do desks but anyway let's talk about
what we're going to be preoccupied with which is our semi-final it's going to be of mouse first
spirit a lot of people have spirit as favorites for this one our talent predictions think only one
One person picked Falcons to win, everyone else, and Spirit locked in.
And I think that was bless.
What we're talking about, what we're talking about crazy.
But no, I gotta be honest, Spirit did impress me yesterday.
I have to say it, that was the best day of luck.
And I hadn't really been paying attention to what you'd been paying attention to, which
was this new utility, this soft era of coaching.
It is clear that with Softfig coming in, and probably a little bit from Magix as well,
they're using Utilities so much better.
The fact that with Softfig, they're now getting Flashesist 0.27 times per round, versus last
year, where they were the worst Flashesist team in all of Tier 1 Counter-Strike, they
are 50% more likely to use Utility in a round at this point, and it's just setting up their
players so nicely.
so much better to see instead of Donk, who is still the best rifler in the world,
have to fight up against a mountain every single time.
It's just a little bit easier.
They're paving the way for him with some better utility,
rolling out the red carpet a little bit more.
He's getting easier kills.
And I feel like that actually helps preserve some of that mechanical strain
that he's always going through every single game.
It's nice to just get some freebies here.
Yeah, I mean, Donk is just a crazy weapon.
And when you add this flash assisting that you're talking about to the mix,
you just hone it that much more.
And I think that it has been incredible to see Spirit
looked so revitalized, you know, in Rio and now in this tournament.
Because remember, this is a team that last year won a
prestigious event at Cologne.
They won a couple of bounties.
You know, they won, you know, Cluj last year as well.
I mean, they had some titles on the cabinet and a year was very hard to get.
Because Vitalio was one of most of them.
And you come into the major, they placed top four in Budapest.
And they didn't think that was good enough.
So they completely revamped the team.
And we saw in Rio that it finally bore fruit with the finals appearance.
And we're seeing it bear fruit here again as they're now in the semifinals
with a really good shot to make another final.
And we're seeing great performances.
Again, not a dog, obviously.
Shiro seems like he's back in shape as well.
And that time tier is looking more activated.
And those are the big things.
Yeah, and you can see the numbers here.
But the big storyline for me is how he's not here.
He's at home watching this.
A lot of people have been critical anyway.
They say he's too structured.
And when you have a team like this, maybe
structure is the enemy.
Let these guys off the chain.
Let them go crazy.
You know, you don't cage the butterfly, so to speak.
And obviously now he's took this period of leave.
And the team, I hate to say it, they're looking better without it.
It's true.
I mean, that's why for me, especially if they win here in Asana,
and they decide for the major to go with Sopfic behind them,
I'm not sure how VRS rules work through those kinds of substitutions.
But if they could, and they do, I would not blame them in the slightest.
I think that Sopfic has put a greater emphasis on utility for these guys.
I feel like he's also freeing up some of the individual players,
like Teneir, who now just looks like he has a little bit more autonomy,
a little bit more agency in how he controls his side of the map,
because Holly, to me, ruled with more of an iron fist.
Even looking back at his way and his experience with Spirit,
it was more about not messing up more than actually playing to win,
and now you can see that Teneir no longer is shackled,
and he's free to do what he wants doing around.
Yeah, I mean, you're taking a spirit squad that was already so well known for playing that death ball style of Counter Strike, where
Don could just be this unbelievable, you know, haymaker guy, you know, just being able to throw that crazy strong slug right at your face and take you out.
But now that jab's there too to open him up. It's the utility uses you're talking about as well as support from the rest of the team.
And you can just see, I mean, again, these numbers just speak for themselves. It's actually astronomical. He's the best rifler I've seen play Counter Strike.
It's the way that he goes for so many opening attempts the way that he succeeds at so many of them as well as obviously all the rating and the all the other
Nuts and bolts that go into being a skilled player that is trying to make a push or so challenge for number one
Yeah, I mean look that's be real the kid is a phenom. You know, we've been around the block for a long long time
I remember all the greats coming through and I can't remember one that I would put on my Mount Rushmore
That's had the immediate impact that this kid has as I said one of the great
Tragedies when we get to the end of Counter-Strike history whenever that may be is we're gonna look back at 2025 and realize
We should have given him the greatest player that year, but that's fine. Can't fix that now
You know into a got off to a rough start in 26, but with this new look spirit. He is back to his best
easily the best rifler that we've had in the game ever since he joined spirits
that's continuing into this year I like what you bring up there that
historically also it's just so unprecedented we never really saw
players get one kill per round and now we've had multiple instances where
Donk is practically at that level through these I mean he in these kind of
HLTV sort of heat maps of what these players are good at we never 100 fire
is so many different metrics. It kills per round win, it's damage per round win,
it's total damage, entry frags, all of these things, and he's the only guy that
is always at 100. Like this guy, even in a down slump, it's almost that everybody
just gets closer to 100 where he still sets the benchmark at that number.
Yeah, and you want to talk about rejuvenation, so let's talk about miles.
Obviously a lot has changed. They brought their own rookie in, change in leadership,
you know, Brawland's gone out, Zershyn is picking up the reins.
I will always quote this every time I talk about it,
but the second interview, I want to usher in an era of fragging IGLs, right?
Because let's be real, a lot of in-game leaders, they do get to coast, don't they?
I'm not having kills, not putting up numbers.
Well, let me tell you, I think I looked at it this morning.
Zershyn might be number two behind Donk at this event, which is insane.
Yeah, indeed he is. You can look at these numbers and he is just leading this team to new heights.
Remember, this is a squad last year that made five grand finals.
They won a title, obviously, in Cluj.
They had so many other top four finishes and they basically played second fiddle to the Vitality era for the first half of the year.
But the second half of the year, other teams started passing them by.
Furio won four titles.
Right. Spirit were out there winning the first two titles of the season.
They all of a sudden were no longer the Bridesmaid to the Vitality.
They were just another team in the mix in the top five.
They have ambitions to do more than that.
That's why they made these drastic changes even with the major coming after this where they're gonna have to swap that to some
You know their older players to see them take this risk and it's paying off
You know in dividends in my opinion like they've looked very very sharp this event
But it really has been a lot of zershin
That's the only thing I would bring caution to is the fact that his numbers are so well and above what you would think an in-game
Leader would be and above what he would be when he wasn't even the in-game leader
It's actually crazy how he's performing
But some other people are going to have to step it up if they're gonna challenge here on that stage
I've got some good news for you. Maui spent all late last night watching Maus Beavos
to see if Zerzion is actually legit a good caller,
or if it's just some bizarre honeymoon period.
And wait till you hear what he's got to say.
I mean, I would just say that, obviously, the T sides were strong for them in that matchup versus Aurora,
but I would say that in realistically speaking, you break the rounds down,
look at the starter, look at the middle of the round, look at the finisher,
All but maybe one round that was successful for Maus
was just based off of the fact that they got entry kills,
that they were able to convert off of the map control that they got.
To me, that's just going through the motions of what is already a great structure.
So we have yet to really see exertion pushed as a caller.
And I feel like that's going to happen a lot more here
because when he's putting up great numbers, that's fine.
You're always going to be able to get in the zone,
be able to figure out what's to come next
when you're still alive and getting kills.
But Spirit is one of his worst opponents, historically speaking.
The only tier 1 team that he has a lower rating against with above 15 maps is Vitality.
So this has never been a comfortable matchup for him,
and so you're not expecting him to put up those kind of
blistering numbers that we've seen throughout this event before facing them.
Well, I'm glad you're bringing up the history, because historically,
this is where Maus usually stumble, right?
We're in the semifinals of a big event in a stadium.
Stopping even for this before, guys,
and they're taking on the likes of Team Spirit,
and here's what we're talking about when they do.
Yeah, this kind of showed you a little bit of the last season
that we had starting in Cologne
and kind of running you through the rest of it
where it really has kind of been the spirit show.
And even, you know, you go to more recent times
throughout, you know, the end of 2025
and what we've seen so far in 26
and spirit are just so dominant.
Obviously, you know,
Mouser now a much different team
than the last time they played spirit.
You know, now is version of in-game beatings up
coming up in the academy team.
JL coming in for what seems to be a trial period to figure out what the long-term vision of mouseports will be
But again as you've already kind of indicated a lot of it has come down to their entry success
I mean Zershin's putting up equitable numbers to talk as far as how he's able to create openings and rounds on the T side
We've seen flashes from Alex at times. I'll give him that we've seen in pet moments from JL at times in the quarter final
Those are good
But my bigger concerns are the fact that Spinks has been kind of shaky overall if I'm honest
He used to be the pillar of this team.
That needs to be addressed.
And the other one for me is that I thought Torsi was kind of a recovery.
Remember, he played his worst two events of his career with Mousesports at Rio and Rotterdam.
It was like 0.88 or something like that.
It was a ridiculous rating for an offer.
To Rota a lot of this tournament, he seemed to be back on the right path.
But he was a little bit shaky in that last match that this played in.
You can't afford to be that when Dolph and Shiro are in top form right now.
Not only has Spinks changed up some of his positions to Slot, Zelex and JLN,
But he's also communicating a lot to become now seemingly in my eyes the secondary caller for this team
Yeah, that little comms clip we got to that demonstrated or it really showed round 24 versus Aurora on dust 2
Spinks was micro wing exertion
So I think it almost is that exertion is I'd say he's the beneficiary
Weirdly enough even though he's donning the title of IGL of everybody else coming together and in the aggregate
feeling out where they need extra help in the mid-round. So it's typical to see
someone fall off a little bit for those couple of reasons. And just quick
because obviously we will be going on the stage soon. For me JL is the X-Factor.
I've got to mention him. If he ever gets back to what he was on Na'Vi, this
mouth team will be formidable. Yeah JL has come in and done pretty well
considering the circumstances of such a limited amount of time with the squad. In
some instances he gets to be featured in roles he used to play on Na'Vi when he
He was one of the best teams in the world and winning a major, you know, I think of like Inferno Banana for instance or some of the stuff that he does, you know, and some of these other maps as well, Ancient and other one, you know, but other times he's had to sacrifice, be more of an anchor, be a more supportive element, but he's doing a great job and yeah, he's going to be needed today.
He's certainly going to be needed today.
Get a temperature check because we're off to the stage right now.
Astana!
Well, yesterday you were treated to one amazing game of Counter-Strike.
This arena showed the world why we love to come back to Kazakhstan, to see great Counter-Strike
in great moments exactly like that.
But there is still so much more to come, and oh my, when we look at these semi-finals we
we have on our hands, we have a team that could go for back to back finals here in Astana.
We have other teams looking to challenge and cement themselves as teams that deserve to
be lifting a trophy, but have been eluding them multiple times.
So before we get into today, let me ask you, are you ready?
Well, you certainly sound it.
For our first team taking to the stage, they made an impressive comeback against Aurora.
They've been through their changes, they've got new players on the team, but their leader,
not only has he developed, being able to lead a team, he has fragged out and done better
than we've seen in any recent times.
We've had a new level of confidence, but this confidence will be tested.
The team they are facing is a familiar foe, who they have struggled against for nearly
a year, unable to win a series.
So let me hear it, it's Maus!
And their opponent, with a new coach standing in behind them, familiar to some of the players.
This team, they are dominant.
This team are the reigning champions here in Kazakhstan.
But Shirro said just yesterday, the way they are playing is disgusting.
we've seen flashes it improves 50% but that team work it looks better than ever
and when you've got donk on the team it can be the scariest thing to face for
even the very elite so let's make some noise for Team Spirit!
Jail, come on up here. Donk, come join us. Yeah, yeah, you Jail.
Donk, for you right now, looking at how you guys played yesterday and what the team showed,
What does it do to your confidence and understanding right now of the team's level, how you are playing together, how you are communicating together and working towards this trophy?
So, it's not gonna be so hard against Marius, we're prepared.
Okay, I like that. So, in terms of you performing better than even in Rio,
we had that second place, it was vitality.
Tell me what difference we are seeing in spirit.
What is it that is enabling you guys to play this better?
A lot of people have said positive things about Sofik.
He obviously was your old coach on the academy.
Can you break it down for me?
I don't know, we're just playing better than Diablo. I'm in normal form.
Ah, something about the software?
Something has changed, we're coming to it. Something has changed with the software.
A fan favorite, a crowd that loves you wherever you go.
Did you enjoy yesterday just being back on the stage, feeling it all again?
I'm sure you missed it.
Yes, of course, 100%.
And looking at your performance.
Still not the best jail who's the big game player.
Is this here where it changes?
Today is a big game, sir. We'll see.
There's a lot of time.
We've been seeing this throughout the tournament, I'm not looking at ratings, but I'm looking at impact.
You've had multiple, multi-kill rounds, you've been doing what the team needs you to do.
But if I look back at history, Navi struggled against Spirit, Malz struggled against Spirit.
So how does that change today?
I mean, another team had Xersion doing 150 ratings throughout the whole tournament, not dropping a single negative rating.
So, I mean, if we keep that up, we're going to win.
We had such a great performance during the group stage that we could win with him, even though we had problems with Spirit and Muzak and Ignite.
But I know this arena is probably going to be maybe more on the spirit side,
but I would like to think that Mao's got some love.
So if there are any people supporting Mao's in the house right now, let me hear you!
Okay!
Okay, that I was expecting, but I just need everyone to have good energy.
You know, we had such incredible games. We saw what this arena could do.
So, Crystal, man, can you help me get this arena going a little bit?
Back in about...
Now, guys, I know that you love Counter-Strike.
These guys are fighting for a chance and a spot in the grand final.
Give it to me. All your energy, all your noise.
Are you ready?
Already indeed, and you heard it there from JL.
Today is a big game. We wonder which version of JL was going to turn up.
We were talking about that before we went to the stage.
He's looking confident, and then let's turn our attention to the veto.
We're probably going to see a dust deal with Supercut and Dry.
Well, what else is going to happen to us?
Yeah, I mean, I think the Dust 2 is going to be an obvious one.
I think that Mouse will likely pick Nuke,
which I think is actually a smart play
because it has been a vulnerability of the Spirit side
since they made this new roster configuration we've seen this year.
And so, yeah, the Permabands are coming out at this point.
Obviously, we know we should be seeing Mouse come out with the Anubis,
and then from there it should be straightforward.
I agree, totally.
I don't even feel like this has even that much suspense to it.
It'd be just a total shock if we get anything other than the maps that you listed does.
Both of these teams have clearly outlined what their favorites are in terms of picking.
We do get the Dust 2 to come out on the Spirit side.
If you're right, I'm right.
If really the stats are right, then it's going to be a new pick here for Maus as it is.
And I'll just say, I mean, I feel like that when it comes to this series,
obviously JL brings up the fact that, you know, it's a big game and everything like that.
Unfortunately, Rich has been pretty for JL in the past for Spirit.
I think that's why he was a little bit timid there on the stage.
In the entire time he played for Novi, they faced Spirit 11 times.
He never beat them in an arena, not a single time, only won two games.
One's a studio, one was a seating game.
So this guy has no experience feeding Donk when the pressure is actually on.
Yeah, and look, Donk said today you've got no chance.
Also was kind of keeping his cards close to his chest about how they've changed.
He said, look, we're just playing better.
We're just getting better in the 2026.
We're just vibing right now.
Yeah, Dust2Dust, you're like no chance to kick off this experience.
It's been the second most dominant team on Dust2 next to Vitality's incredible resume.
14-2 record on this map with this five, beating the best in the best time and time again.
Again, it comes down to just their deathball style of Counter-Strike that obviously is headed
by Donk's amazing entry power, but this is also one of those maps where Taneer has really
come online.
You know, they pull him off of the Xcerny rolls a lot and allow him to be more of a trade
fragger on their executes.
I think he's also done very well as an anchor defensively.
I think this is the map you're seeing. Chiro get back into shape with the op-width and having loads of impact,
you know, particularly in kind of holding passive lines and anchoring down locations with the AWP.
But then it goes into what Maui was talking about earlier as well, the superior utility usage that Spirit's been using in this tournament
to help these attacks have more potency to them. They make it a little bit easier onto Nier and Balthus create these openings and close down rounds,
but they are vicious on this map.
So let's talk about the specifics, Maui. How can Maui's possibly get an edge on this thing?
I mean, nothing has really actually spelled that to me, right?
So I could try here, but I'll tell you what they need to improve on, okay?
Because from the group stage, Zelex and Spinks were a very porous duo
when it came to B site defenses.
Teams have just been running at them because they have not found a way
to play off of each other as well as you would hope, which is expected.
I mean, Zelex is in a new spot himself, but at the same time, they need to just be better.
I think that Spinks needs to play a little bit more on the bomb side.
He needs to stop pushing into lower every single round
because why are you inviting a fight against Spirit who through their map control procedures are just vicious?
So I feel like this has got to be a little bit more hunkering down and getting towards these off-involved to wouldn't hurt.
Yeah, it's gonna be huge because again, you know, Spirit are really good at mid-b attacks and just, you know,
standing 4-5 into B tunnels and just popping onto the site.
That's gonna test Zellets who's, you know, a rookie in the stage environment aside from their game yesterday.
And so that's gonna be a huge test.
Then also, Zershin has to continue to be the X-Factor.
Well, he certainly will be, but for now we're going to throw you over to our commentators.
Maus are in the house, so I'm going to bring you a couple of cool cats.
It is Koss, Launders, and Scrony.
Yes, thank you so much Rich, and another fantastic desk.
This is going to be an amazing matchup.
Now, obviously, from what we understand, Maus do not beat Spirit, but it's a new circumstance.
and Magix is still learning it as an IGL.
Zershin has had some time as a secondary caller.
They're going to try to throw this up on its head.
Nuke coming into the veto is something interesting.
Dust2, if that's an upset, everything is out of the window.
So we're looking for Zershin to be able to be a better entry than Dong today.
Yes, his stats throughout this tournament have been fantastic,
but Dong still clears him by a mile.
Yeah, and then beyond that Zershin top performing on the side of Maus,
We have four Maus members that are barely beyond a 1.0 rating
It is gonna have to be all-zersion as it has been and it's gonna be Astana's action-packed
semi-final Saturday coming to its start
Spirit on the attack Maus on the defense
This one is going to have to supersede the stats and I think Doc said it cold-blooded murder
No chance
The team spirit, we'll see if they can actually tap into it right now, the long fight comes up Shiro and Dawn.
We've got damage here for Torsi to have the stomach, so certainly not ideal.
But Jail's gone unnoticed, and she shoots too.
Who is it that's going to step up alongside Zershin?
That is what we're asking ourselves as we come into the semi, a shot from Torsi that somehow finds the kill.
And as he just jumps back down into the CT spawn, springs on the departure, this actually spanks to try to creep up.
Does he get wild here? No. Just doesn't want him to know about the position.
This is a very long rotation coming out of Torsi, but he's also springing at the entire time.
They don't know if Magic slaps the site, but he's sitting on default, so surely he's just gonna get killed?
Yes. Torsi takes him out. A fantastic round for Torsi.
That's also somebody who we're looking for to play better than he has previously.
At this tournament right now, this team is so top-heavy,
with Zershin carrying so much, so much G-side impact overall, but Torsi, we know the op that he can be,
we know who spanks the star player that he can be, we know the potential of a player like JL,
it's just that ball in the face of Spirit, they have to be in rare form.
Not what you can normally count on.
So, Trades look pretty good, best thing about this round for Spirit is that bomb plant of course.
And it's a kill from Torji in the end.
Bye comes back instantly.
Donk, Scott, the AK.
One to Leal to support a good amount of utility.
I think this is a map where someone like Xalex, we kind of said,
okay, you know, you can be the fifth guy on this team.
You're coming in.
lots of last pressure on him but this is a match now everybody on this team knows
how hard it is to win. Zellix hasn't had that experience yet but very well get
thrown to the walls. Or step up to the challenge. You can talk about how in the
head-to-head it's just always coming up team spirit and Zellix doesn't know that.
He's not a part of that struggle throughout 2025 and Maus does just
kind of have this bit of a shield around them and that it's the first outing with
Zershin as this head of the projects
Now there's no wounds on this mouse that's what they kind of shake off by having two players cut from their previous struggling roster
Fresh face Zershin
Leaps and bounds above the rest finds the first one. Oh jail dies the fact
It's a big kill for Don but expect more of it not this round now
They go as shiro kind of chirps through those players down beneath them
It's gonna be the Torsi 1v2 with both these players over towards the site still but the bomb is just gonna leave
Yeah, it's out of here, and it's easy for magics to leave as well Torsi can start running around
But once they get this ball planted Torsi's got it off and he doesn't have any utility
The best case for him is to try to find the rotation if you can't find that
Okay, he's gonna try to find a place to save because that's about all he'll be able to do and oh
Okay
Ah, he will just walk right into the kill, and now there's actually...
Wait, he torches, doesn't know that it's the B site. Oh, okay.
Oops.
Yeah, that just turns into an off-save.
The Spirit will pick this round up, they get all the trades, they run aggressively over Cat,
they're all willing to peer over the railing, everybody who's trying to rotate up through CT dies.
We see that Zershin puts himself in a good spot to catch the first guy dropping down.
jumping down, that sets his teammates up to feel confident that they can all rotate through CT.
What they're not ready for is Spirit being comfortable, and actually everyone from Spirit dies.
I'm really committed to the cause on that one.
Shiro did the escape.
Respect.
It's good to see that Spirit are making improvements on T-Sides with the calling.
Don still, you know, the best player on the team that's, things still look pretty good.
There were definitely a lot of doubts, but you look at their recent matches, like they're
winning every game.
It's just they're losing vitality, as everyone, most people do.
You can say that now.
Not wanting to just sit back immediately.
We're going to get this move, right?
You don't want to be a scared version of yourself, but unfortunately a little labored there.
I guess it's got multiple targets.
Zershin's going to be held in by Zontex.
They'll wear it.
Ooh, that's fast.
Donk with the Galil.
Just going to clean up Torsi out of the window.
And doing what Maus couldn't,
we've got a conversion around Q'd up.
The Donk Opswap.
Now, of course, this should be the gift for Shiro moving forward,
but maybe we get a Donk shot.
Yeah!
Enjoy it while you can.
No clutch attempt offered up.
You see this kind of electricity out of Donk.
He just moves out through the tunnels, clears out that site.
I think with, you know, Donk kind of saying,
kind of saying and keeping his cards close and saying we just got better. He didn't give us a lot
in terms of like pulling back the curtain as the wise spirit improved, but I like that the final
note on stage is just no chance. No chance. He believes that. He said they're really well prepared.
I got the feeling I didn't want to despair Italian in any way and just said like you know this is
something that we we've worked on where we're getting better but they still have that environment
where they're still a team. Everybody has contributed to building the system and I think you know
for magic that can be the same whether it's chopper who's a previous ITL the remnants of that have still
Resulted in the system that we see for the most part
They're trying to build on top of it not necessarily tear it all down
It's a very valid point actually doc has always been a player that has taken time to appreciate those that built him up from the
Very beginnings of his career on that first year of HLTV awards
I mean he made sure to kind of give respect to those people who were there first
You are right. In a community that's maybe kind of looking to kind of add a little drama to the situation or to criticize Ali or whatever their motivations.
I'm not going to be that guy. I respect that.
Never speak ill of your friends.
This pistol stack up through the mid-doors out of mouse who would have loved to have carried forward the pistol win momentum but are now in a dash in reality.
This could be a real moment of exposure because now we've got, you know,
Azershin who's going to be really over-encumbered. Number one,
Malus as a team have not proved that they can take out spirit. Number two,
his individual form as at an all-time high as a caller. That's worked for
everyone else because he's probably been a little bit more comfortable, but now,
as Malus brought up, the team that he struggled with second most is spirit as
an individual too. So he's got a lot weighing on his mind, he's got a lot of
responsibility as a caller. It's very possible that both those things fall apart or he shows us that like, you know
This truly is his calling to be the ideal of the team
And that he's found a way to set himself up so well that he can hand to go cramity
One of their most important head to head which I'm sure is one of the reasons why roster moves happen to mouse in the first place
While we can sit here and talk about how Zershin's really found his groove statistically in this run up to the semi-finals
It's also still been a talking point this week that there is a downtrends from some other pieces, right?
You've got Torsi who can't quite get his game going. Spinks, who's meant to be a pillar, also not quite there.
So if Zershin's pop-off is getting you wins, that's fantastic.
But at some point the rest of Maus are gonna have to find that groove as well.
And we can talk about time. This is an incredibly fresh roster.
Maybe many didn't think that it would hit the ground running as much as it did this week, but now it's crunch time.
We're talking semi-finals, and a beast in front of you in spirit,
due to all the accolades, like you mentioned, in the head-to-head skew.
But, Maus, it's a blunder in round two.
They have to wait and they've got their guns back,
and Spirit don't want to play any waiting games.
It's an immediate long A-take.
They're going to use Dock, as they do, as the weapon up front.
Yeah, full-on long take.
All the CTs are going to feel back.
Reset spot here.
A little bit dangerous, because Maus don't come into this round with a kit.
And it's very hard to win by elimination versus a full-on long control take.
You get a couple of kills early, you can maybe force a save, but if they start scaling then
there's a very high likelihood that this is maybe some kind of 3v2 retake that time
could be an issue.
No further info has been taken.
Oh, I saw a phone.
Yeah, that'll be very effective.
But they're looking actually to draw some burst to your utility. What mouse can do is save it now.
Problem is they just needed to block that because they don't have a lot of utility to fight against this.
Ooh, jail. Man, no flash. Really?
Trying to call out. Oh, and they left this gap to go die as well. Oh, no too late Donk over top
Yeah, you're dead right off that jail. I will love the way I mean
It's not a news flash. It's more the same the moment Donk senses blood in the water
He just jumps on that one and you see mouse kind of scrambling around but a question mark around jail going for the fight
No, you look at the utility
They had no kits and they had no way to get info back. They could have gone for a tunnel squish earlier
in an active prophylaxis, they could have tried to push into lower tunnels early.
Something to make up for the fact they're very low in utility.
Ideally for the CT side, they can match the amount of mollies and flashes
so that when the cross comes out, they can break that smoke open constantly.
Instead, they body block.
So they give themselves a chance to use their own vision as a resource,
sort of as a utility.
And I think in the back of JL's mind, he's hoping,
well, we don't have a lot of utility.
If I check and there's no one long, maybe that can allow us to rotate out of this.
But it's the full punish and I think they did at least have a flash to support that which they didn't throw so too much of a risk
That one falls apart way too easy for spirit
It's like best case you catch one worst case that happens and spirit are ready to go
Not just the one-off duel it is Donk just
slams the hammer down long
Confidence extremely high now for spirit as it kind of felt coming into this game and justifiably with the start
They've got pistols back for Maus. They're looking to interrupt this momentum, give Spirit something to chew on.
And that'll help. Donk only getting one kill is always a silver lining.
These are guns to be grabbed for the 5-7s to upgrade into.
And we'll see Team Spirit in the meantime still just transition away from it.
It's a little awkward because they just smoked themselves out of mid to support their lurks.
So they're at a disadvantage. The CTs can actually roam frame now.
And they know they have a little bit more time.
Stop, stop, stop, stop, stop, stop, stop!
But still tying up 2-0 and long.
It looks like Malus want to believe
that they're just going to go for this late.
It's very flimsy defense over here with Zelex.
He's only got Desert Eagle.
Desert Eagle, okay.
New kid on the block.
Desert Eagle versus 2.
There's an AWP trained on him if he gets flushed out,
but he's still just hanging onto this angle.
Hit that headshot.
And this round still under question.
If the mid hold also goes well,
But he misses his chance, a little damage there for Shiro, that's all they've got of Stubbick.
And now Zontics makes it even harder for Zelex, this time the Nade is well placed because they know exactly where he is.
Yeah, he was just going to die eventually.
Trying to, you know, find that home and really did hinge on him, heading the Desert Eagle headshot.
Maybe you get that mid kill simultaneously.
Oh, Zontics can actually hunt this down and make it worse.
Two guns, they'd love to save.
Instead, doesn't feel like that AK is getting out of here.
or rather M4 on Torsi, they will slowly come and find you.
And so Spirit, even though they lose Donk over towards Long,
even though there's an uptick here for Maus working with Lest in this round
and still getting some kills, you're not going to expect Spirit to just collapse.
Systematically, Team Spirit have a protocol and we see them just put that squeeze on the B site.
Anything left for Maus to contend with just fizzles out.
Zershin, it's gonna be a hard fought battle here with this AK, but it'll be valuable if he's able to save it.
Round is spirits, 5-1 the start on their map pick. This T-side going swimmingly.
If anything, it's insult to injury, you lose pistol, and you still go up 5-1.
Definitely. Yeah, they're over, they're teaming with confidence. They look really good, and I think that we needed to see a couple more moves there, because this is awesome.
Okay, that's fantastic.
Definitely an uncured matchup when you look at it like that.
But Mauser used to be the underdog.
Unfortunately used to being the underdog and then this head to head used to losing.
This is where Mauser is supposed to kind of break out of those shackles.
That's why it would be so unexpected.
And it's so fair to me like they still need more time. They've taken some good wins here,
but we have like some things to flag and I mean, again, if they're going to be building,
Let's use a magic reference of Voltron, sort of exertion, where everything is called around him and his individual level goes up.
What kind of counter is that to someone like Donk?
He's walking out the mid-doors. I like that exertion gets active on the catwalk, so there was something gluing for Maus.
We saw that fall back at exertion.
A concern about middle now is Zontics on the side of the smoke. It's the kill on Spinks.
That clear is insane.
And it's going to be another moment where Zalix has a ton of pressure on and he goes for the midfielder, Zontix collects another, he is 12-3, 7 rounds into this game.
It's absolutely perfect out of Zontix. It's just so careful. And even though Spinks is also careful, his crosshair placement's a touch better.
That edge of the smoke didn't matter at all. Zalix gets shown to the door, bomb gets planted, and Mauser's saving again.
quickly and easily this is a level that we didn't even think they would
necessarily need to tap into to win today but it could be a win condition to
stomp again the last four times last four maps they played against spirit
single-digit losses each time
Come on now. Third time to the charm. Resertion just makes the job all the easier. So we get
two, three Ks from each team. Pressure still on. The JL is allowed to hang on to that off,
so we'll see Torsi with it in the next one. They have so much money, but it's such an
unfair position with the AWP and rifle working together. They decide to save it. So keep
Take your guns, to be honest, every time they've been taken a site, they've been allowed to get a kill or two and force like a two or three player save.
If Mel's aren't building more connection, their rotations aren't a little bit better than they're going to consistently lose this easily.
But when Xantix walks out mid, like that, in the middle of a round, there's not really a mid-b-play coming, towards you gets cut off.
Your plans are revealed. The CTs have no way to coax you into believing that they're actually stacked towards B or something.
Clearly, we're thinking it's going to be the A site.
Torridge has already made his rotation.
You know, we've already seen Donk kind of off the leash at times for entries.
Oh, my.
Good.
Off the leash?
Off the leash right now.
Magic has a P90.
Oh, okay.
Magic has a P90.
Well, here's the thing.
I was about to say, Donk off his leash, you know what that looks like.
That's his version of confidence.
I think that walkout from Zontics in middle is his version of confident counter strike.
And he also sticks the landing.
So now you're just getting different flavors of spirit. All of them are lethal.
Thank goodness that P90 gets sold, but it is still gonna be Magic's version of confidence.
He calls for the All-In Rush.
Zalex, this time with a multi-kill, wasn't ready for that third, but Dog did instantly kill him.
Plays with his food a little, hunts him down into the corner,
and even though that 99 damage done on Dog is secured, he is still alive and kicking.
Ham's busy on the bomb plant. Surtian wants to get in on this. They know that play.
Oh, he got another kill.
It's going to be a little late, and yet Dong is still able to bring one down with him.
This is Timir's chance now.
He's got two in front of him, takes damage, and it will indeed be Maus' second round win.
It is an all-in aggressive Maktan entry towards that B site.
It seems to be going well, but we finally get a chance to see Zellix's praise.
He hangs on to two kills and sets up Dong's death too.
Yeah, definitely. I mean, yeah, a headshot for headshot there on Dong's enough,
even though Dong gets another kill.
Let's go boys, let's win this fucking run and let's go 6-6, okay?
Yeah, it's good energy out of Torsi.
We didn't really get the comms listening in from him and it felt like his performance so far.
I feel like he's been kind of in the dumps a little bit, so let us see him looking alive.
Especially with back and even the brolin mouse, there was that moment where Torsi kind of became the leader of mouse
spiritually, running into Budapest, etc. So trying to stoke the flames here off of mouse.
Another Molly.
Step one of two secured. They did win that round now gunning for the six six hats
Shoot for the stars. That looked like a very convincing attack that was gonna come in no matter what so a lot of utility users response
They've got two kids to work with we're you know, like you can't armor it just to show you that now they're spending
Pretty much to their bottom dollar
Got a few bucks left over
Second falling utility coming towards the B site and it doesn't really elicit too much.
It's a good moment to go mid B. Insertion won't have any utility here.
There won't be a need to break open this mid B smoke.
You might have to do something a little crazy.
See if it comes his way.
Kind of a moment he can have here facing four players out middle.
Spirit right now, and you can hear the ruffling of it if your Zershin, Matt, he tries to hold it, he'll go down with one,
he's not behind it again, it's gonna need to be Zealots, he's been called on far too many times!
And this one again, just added to the pile of Black Luster impact from the B site.
But if anything, Zealots has gotten away with more than Spinks, and that's not what you've come to expect.
That's true, he should be kind of leading the way on the, on the Franks, but it's the, the style of attack,
and again, we saw Zershin have to push through his smoke, no utility.
No one behind him to break that smoke open no flash to try to come through it no way to punish at all
And he knew that this is gonna be a mid-beat. It's a great call from magics identifies another weakness here on the mid-beat
Finds a good time to do it
It's very vulnerable and you see the difference in the firepower too don't gets the trade on Zershin
Don't gets the trade on the entry and that's gonna happen
basically every round
Proof is at the pudding
This kill is just to be cracking up her spirit out of the bag.
Slot 6 is going to get that bop down, so no sniper for Toraji moving forward.
And the dream of the 6-6 half has just gone up in smoke.
Five rounds, best case for Mous.
A spirit lead, 7-2.
I really want to try to win out, but I can't believe it's maybe half the battle.
At least they've got that.
But if you're spirit, can you really fault them for, you know, really putting a lot of pressure on the new player over on that side of the map?
And that new combo too, where Spinks has to figure out how to build chemistry with him.
Flash is out and you find JL trying to approach.
Oh, that's not me.
Smoke.
Extra follow-up flashbang doesn't find Dawn, so he stares at it and will find a second kill mere seconds into this round.
The 10th not looking any more comfortable than the majority of this T-side so far.
Spirit are absolutely having a field day in this semi-final.
And while Sontex is yet again crept out towards middle,
he will catch Zellex, the solo B player, dead already.
And now they have that side of the map.
So long control, options to go and avoid these last two players.
They know they're A players.
Still got them just surrounded.
Team Spirit hit the pause button and they're just going to let Donk go and confirm it.
On Tsar, you still survive the gunfights versus Donk, so you don't need to move a muscle if you're the rest of the team's spirit.
Just let Donk do what he does best, tear heads off shoulders,
chases down the AWPer and will get cut down.
That's going to get that bomb moving over to the B site, all but guaranteeing the rounds here for the A2B.
Literally all they're looking for is to be doing a terrible supply right now.
They know that they're going to win this round, and as soon as he knows it, he's getting approached from every position.
Spirit are running through this game.
We have that absolute battle between Falcons and Furia yesterday in a quarterfinal.
Just trying to find momentum as this game and the event goes on.
Team Spirit don't look for that kind of match today.
They are looking for a different essence and that is a total stomp in the semis.
They look insanely focused.
They have done everything correctly so far.
fraggers are online. It's actually like just looking like a nightmare matchup for the time being.
I'm not even really seeing the ideas for mouths that are so good at creative to tell us that like
they can outsmart spirit and make up for it. And that was the worry I think coming into the
game. Again as soon as there's an individual level drops off a little bit, which I'm not praying on,
but it's just that it's so new and it's like crazy that it's been so consistent. This is the kind
team that's going to make that way that's going to expose it essentially so
And I think in a way unfortunately JL maybe subconsciously kind of revealed the plot in that pregame
He said if Zershin can get another 1.5 rating today, then we can win this
But that's a huge in in the face of a team spirit that has absolutely hit the ground running also a 1.5 rating sounds really impressive
Until the only other player at the event has a 1.6 rating across the entire event
Yeah, that 1.6 player is off to the races again in this one.
It is Donk, Magix and Tenir to open up with what was a 5 versus 2.
And it all gets shut down so quickly.
Absolutely called.
This is a 16 and 7 Donk, a 14 and 6 Zontics.
Yeah, of course he gets to the top of the board anyways after Zontics started off so well.
I want to mouse-crack in 10 kills as we get into round 12 to round down the half.
Every little bit could matter.
You know, maybe.
With that 6-6-1 half, you're not going to find it, but at least Daunt is dead in this
one.
We'll see if a 5v4 to Mouse's favor can actually put at least that third round on the board.
You said it.
One could matter.
That is also to preserve the spirit.
It'll have struggles once they swap,
but that's still the unknown entity.
That was half made one comeback and it was great,
but it was also one of the clearest chokes
I've ever seen from a aura.
So, it would take more than that.
And now Torres, he's gonna get himself a second kill here
and insertion on the cat push.
So at least something a little fresher out of mouse
in the dying moments of the CT side.
They take a swing at it and it could come up
for their third, but this 2v5 is under way with Taneer catching his fifth kill of the
half hasn't had to really be called on, with Donk and Santic being so top-heavy at the
moment. They've got all the time to try to embarrass Amauze in this twelfth round of the
half.
I mean, Sphinx coming up 2-11 to round up the half is just not something you normally see.
And problematically, I mean, a key piece to that early pressure, you know, if he did decide
that this was going to be the game that he would kind of find his groove.
They actually have a chance to catch rotations on both ends of this because they're not coming up cat
They're actually walking potentially out mid and there's a beef layer who needs to watch B. So
Man long control surely they walk into this fight. Okay, but Taneer does not win it
So like catching rounds done. And now we can talk about Zealots actually having a moment or two again
That B site still kept crumbling. We're gonna grasp it straws to discuss mouse's chances
Zontics 10 seconds left over just kind of forced to get active. They really needed that farm obviously not to die
So fighting every step of the way mouse three CT rounds all one-offs
The first the last and one sprinkled in the middle
Feels like team spirit have total control of this semi-finals, but I think the start is happy about that one
Nine rounds deep and they will switch over to see if the CT side can also take early control
Scariest part is mouse have a pistol as one of those three rounds and then got completely blown out
So even if they win the next one again, you know spirit on dust to it's just home turf. They're gonna be super comfortable
Spinks just has to have a better day today because his average
Consistency is so high and he's not someone who's like an entry fragger who if they have you know a few off-baps
It's just a high volatility position
No, he actually puts himself some spots to take his fights as slowly and carefully as possible
possible, you expect him to consistently have impact even if it's not going to be top of the board.
Across this event, unfortunately, he's not been himself.
Around history, one last reminder of how bleak that was felt for Maaz.
Go JL, smoke grenade for the T-side pistol.
Raid boss Donk with two Berettas, Kevlar.
Him and Zontics just basically having a race to the top of the scoreboard.
We'll see who finishes first.
Essentially playing mini-games in such a flat first half, and that made Cujara have placed
better on Spinks. That's the other thing they said they're well prepared. It's not just the
frags. But the frags sure as hell help. That's true. But frag grenades.
It's actually a good-looking position here for me as despite taking that nade
square between two people. Flash is out, utility pops. We're gonna drop down to
to get instantly, so no entry allowed by Zershin.
Tanir holding on to the long doors
means it's a 5 with P3, and so that just
means you know Team Spirit will come barreling it this week.
What in the crowd is he doing?
How does he do it?
I don't know if he saw anything.
Explain yourself.
Go for fights.
It's the only way you're going to win here.
Spinks and Zelex.
You turtle up too much.
They're coming at you.
It's those two B defenders from the first half
trying to hang on to a bomb site again
with the plant in front of them.
Donk is going to pop up.
Everybody's already got five players up for spirit.
Double-digit secured.
Throw in the towel, unless you can win potentially this force by Naxx because Team Spirit are sprinting to Grand Finals.
Just like no heroes today here, unfortunately for Maus. Absolute dominance for Spirit.
Maybe there was a question if Maus won the pistol.
But we have yet to see if Spirit will fail the conversion.
He just looked so perfect.
That's just that guy every day.
There should going up against the only individual that has outshot him here at Asana.
One player that has outshot him is also propped up by some strong performing teammates.
Magic's Shiro and T'Nier haven't been called on too often with Zontecs being right there alongside Donk, but...
Haven't had to call out a whiff. Haven't seen a bad call from Spirit.
It really is difficult to speak any ill of Spirit so far on this opening map, and so justified pick.
And a struggle of a start. CT smoke pops right in front of this 5 man pack.
And we'll see if it's shred of bust down through it.
Magic's got a nade that's going to land amidst the pack.
One player soffin. Skeleton the back drop.
Bomb is ready to go. He's blinded in the process.
And still Magic's will be able to mow down too.
Taneer takes some damage in the process.
But all this does is sets up Shiro to be the closer.
And that'll be made all the easier with the bomb down in front of him.
in front of him, and towards you left 1v4,
dying through the smokes.
This is untouchable team spirit.
Yeah, you don't see a reaction except Magic's smiling here.
They're just having fun.
This is the important round for them.
Now his money is now totally screwed.
They're getting brutalized here.
Third, three rounds to 11.
Almost 13, Mohan.
Yeah, it feels like that.
We're almost there.
We're almost there.
Analyzer has got a 7280 RS because of the exit kills, really like.
Long swing, right into the Desert Eagle, goes down with nothing.
Our analysts barely had time to sit down before they're going to have to somehow try to revive the storyline of how Maus can make this happen on Nuke.
Counter-Strike to map to map, but this is the sort of individual level from Spirit right now
that almost feels untouchable.
That does feel like it's gonna transcend the veto.
Right. Sometimes.
Those expectations aren't always accurate,
but we'll soon find out, I'm sure.
And this one.
It doesn't transcend the veto
in terms of such a lopsided score again.
It's still gonna be at least five rounds
before Spirit are gonna have to take a step back,
look in the mirror and go,
oh, maybe we need to evolve.
Maybe we need to kind of settle down.
You just know that off of a win like this,
They are going to try to steamroll Maus on Muke.
But they're still playing to win, they safe, they have the tech pause excuse me, they've
got Cyclone to try to come in and contribute an idea, like they just need to try to pry
back some dignity rounds here, that's the very least they could do for themselves.
Even if it's not a full comeback, any kind of comeback, I think, honestly, is worth it.
Sometimes there is a thought just get it over with, but Felix has been really shown the
true power of spirit right away.
First match for spirit, wants to be a kind of part of changing that storyline, but maybe
Maybe it's going to take more time.
We talk about the upheaval that Maus have gone through coming into Astana, new in-game
leader role for Zershin, two new players in the team.
Despite Cyclone's reputation as being able to move the system from one piece to the next
and keep teams afloat, Maus hitting the ground running in Astana's group stage, bodes well
for the future of this roster, but slamming into a brick wall of reality here in the semis.
Because Team Spirit have gone through that transitional phase, right? You know, even a
guy like Apex has talked about how the criticisms of magics who can probably see a bit of himself
insertion shoes right now, fresh to the roll, trying to make it work immediately.
All easier said than done.
Let's drop it into this.
So Spirit here to win.
Five kills from a 13-3 close on Dust2.
And Zershin just the one man move out through that cat drop.
Zellex will activate with the headshot.
You've got that mid hold at least going your way.
But Donk is now on the scene.
Beautiful sequence from Zellex with that triple kill this round.
You've got Tenir.
Two kills in, needs another double.
And as he goes over top to the ramp, that's his next frag.
frag, bomb is down here for him, he got a confirmation of the CT walk up, and he will just chew through what's left of you.
13-6 is the score of Tenir as he finishes. This was nothing short of domination.
She said she loves you, but she can't love me!
But I love you!
I
Won't play window anymore
The human body was built to move, not to enter the desk in one singular posture for twelve
hours a day. It's time your chair evolved. This is Secret Lab Titan Eva.
Ergonomically engineering for you. Gamers. Hybrid workers. Artists.
And in your every move.
Yeah, welcome back to PGL Astana.
Me if you've heard this one before semi-final big tournament spirit versus miles miles nowhere to be seen
And indeed caught in the trap. Yeah, they were muddy mouths up until this point looking like dead mouths after that game
I mean
Listen they were kicking their ass so bad that's not just going for headshots. I know it's hit
The body shot master's like, you know what screwed I'm gonna go ahead and clip some head myself
And look, I mean, getting away from some of the jabs there,
we kind of set this up in the pregame
about how that mid to B defense was going to get tested.
And that was going to be the big moment where Spirit could
really overwhelm their opposition.
That's exactly what happened.
Brozontics was pushing out double door,
sometimes getting a multi frag.
Dalk was obviously having the freaking field day
wherever he felt like it.
Senators getting the entries through the window.
And then, because they put so much pressure there,
it weakened up some of the other areas of the map later
on in the half, where, again, Dalk and Company
just absolutely dominated.
This is what Spirit look like when they actually know how to throw nades.
I don't care in that pregame interview about how Donk said that Softfit changed absolutely nothing.
You don't go from being the team that is the lowest Flashesess in the world to then the best.
Like what they're doing at this tournament with Utility is unprecedented for them and even for other teams.
The number, if you took what Spirits Flashesess were at Astana, compared that to everybody last year,
They would be the world number one team by a significant margin.
Like, about for 30% better than what Vitality was doing last year.
That's how much of a difference the utility is making.
And people will look at this and say,
oh, it's just Maus, everything's working.
The reason it's working so well is because the people on Maus
are so consistently blind on all of these Spirit entry attempts,
like Xelix was blind, Spinks was blind.
Torsi got one opening duel this entire game
because he's getting flashed off of every angle
that he wants to take a fight on.
Yeah, and look, let's also be real. I mean, sometimes blind or not, you've got to be able to just have those moments
unplayable on this too right now, Spirit. You can see Donk there with a 1.9 rating.
We said what's interesting about the Siteration of Spirit is, because their utility's so good, they don't have to rely on Donk.
Well, Donk's decided to show up today. And that's bad news for Mouse, unfortunately, because look at that kill feed.
We call him the destroyer for a reason because he absolutely wreaks havoc on the server.
No matter where you put him at, he is going to find success.
And again, it was just a situation where Don could do whatever he wanted in this game.
And the entirety of Spirit could really just send it wherever they felt was best and find, you know, success ultimately.
And yeah, you're right.
It wasn't just off this time, although he was the leader on the scoreboard.
Again, this is probably one of the best games I've seen Xoptix play since he came back.
Yeah. So I was kind of getting that.
And then again, I'm loving that Taneer just keeps getting a little bit more and more invest.
I think it was kind of fun. He got the finish off the game.
What was a pretty cool kind of clutch moment there on the A platform.
And yeah, you're seeing him kind of express himself more because I'm telling everyone right now
if Taneer is able to build himself up to be a true consistent third star player for spirit,
they will challenge vitality. It will be for real.
Yeah, that's what's getting exciting about watching this tournament unfold is the way that spirit just looks like
they shipped it into a new gear, one where they've just thrown out the tactics book from last year.
They've completely developed a new one and now they are just so much sharper. They're cleaner. Their t-sides are so there's so much more
Even though last year they did run some similar plays. It's just the precision with utility makes such a big difference
So then a team like mouths that's still in a fledgling state
They just look like they have no chance because they already were gonna probably get outdulled in 50-50 gunfights
But when Spirit are finding all of these edges on their own terms because of all those nades
Well, then it's just lights out perform. It's also just a synergy which makes their spacing so tight
You know you're never facing one spirit guy at time
It's bad enough if you got a 1v1 against off
But it's even worse when you're got a 1v1 against off in the 10 year
It's about a half second away from swinging you to and that is what we did not see from our sports
There's a lot of rounds where it was kind of one guy being isolated a little bit out of position
You know the few t rounds we got to see them play was kind of one by one counter strike
Where it was easy for spirit to take tools just like holding position. But yeah, this is a
a zontics that you know is interesting this is a zontics that did look like a
very solid player when he was on this team before his departure for a season
and yeah and if they can keep getting this firepower clicking that just makes
them more and more dangerous I mean I'll be real like I was never a fan I
thought he was like mr. mediocrity you know if you asked me like who is the
most guaranteed 1.0 rating can't remember a single thing they did in the match
player he would have been right up there and then when he came back I was like
Well, we'll see how long that lasts, but I'll tell you this, I've always liked these interviews.
Sure, sure.
I love his stoicism.
Get more than one word out of them, actually, so that does help.
I would consider them precocious or just wise beyond his years, but those are for things
out of the server.
It's funny, thinking about Zontics' highlights, even within a spirit jersey, a lot of them
are just kind of like bowdowns with body shots.
Yes.
Kyosuke literally plays some of the same spots this guy plays, and they're the best highlights
you've ever seen, with Zontics, you're almost thinking,
how's he not dead already?
That's like every highlight I see.
But I'll say this, if they can get him to perform like this
with frequency, that is terrifying for all you
of the teams out there.
Yeah, I mean, I think Zontics is kind of an interesting story
because he came up at the same time as Doc.
You know, there were both rookies coming in that 2024 year.
And obviously, Doc goes on to be.
The rookie of the year goes on to build himself up
over the last couple of years into the greatest
swifel of ever seen.
Zontec just didn't quite have that same level of, you know, phenom, I guess you could say, in him.
But there's still a lot of time for this guy to develop. He is still very young.
He had to take obvious sitting, sitting break. He's come back to the team.
They've given him all his old spots back. They've pivoted to near to make that happen for him.
And I think part of this year has been working off for us and trying to get back into
sake of the meta and how to approach the situations that he hasn't had to face in a long time.
And you're absolutely right. If he can, I'll say this, you don't even have to be that good.
If you can just be like a 1.1 level player or something like that, it's not just Tenere's popping off, you having a firepower now to challenge anyone.
Well, let's talk about Tenere as well. Obviously, a player that was earmarked for greatness and then came in the spirit, it was a little bit shaky to begin with.
Got to say, his development, his trajectory, very impressive indeed.
It is because it's a bounce back. When he was on Heroic, it felt like such a natural fit to put him on a team-like spirit where you have a little bit more of an X factor on his extremity lurks, because that's what he was so good at with Heroic, that he could just be a turret, sometimes even create his own fate by making some kind of play on the other side of the map.
and you saw that in little doses, but it felt like that's why I'm highlighting the whole
soft fit for Holly difference here is that in Rio, we saw this guy taking so many duels on
extremity plays. In fact, he was so desperate to get spirit into that grand final versus
vitality. He started just challenging Robs head to head frequently on the A side of the map of
Mirage. Not going to happen today, obviously on Nuke, but we're still seeing that he has a little
bit more flair that he's just going to poke and prod a little bit more that he recognizes
He's one of the sharpest individuals in the world.
And so he's willing to take those kinds of fights
that can frequently upset the balance.
But now, I would even say in this tournament,
now he's in the flow of things.
He was constantly on aggressing routes with Donk,
throwing the flash above to the side of them
so that they can just scale with extra utility
on top of the fact that his trading spacing was great.
Yeah, I think it's kind of a twofold thing for Taneer.
For one, with him being an extremity playmaker,
all of a sudden that gives you an opportunity
to open up two fronts on your opponent.
That split pressure that all of a sudden
makes you really question what's happening
because if you're facing Dawkins on the mid-portion,
you got to know your attacking extremity.
Now the options are open for spirit.
It makes it very hard for you to rotate and understand
what's coming your way.
And then the second thing is exactly what you said.
The fact that they have really made a concerted effort
in these last two tournaments with Sotfic behind them
as a coach to get to nearer and more trading positions,
to pull them off the extremity, to get them into the pack,
get them into these punchy plays.
And that's why I think he can kind of come in,
second, third guy out with Dawkins leading in front of him.
And then yeah, he's just gonna feel super comfortable
to use his mechanics to be able to get those trades.
So we've got to set up Nuke, obviously Maus' pick.
I mean, just forget all about us two at this point.
Like that's one of those.
Couldn't have gone worse in many ways.
But Nuke, they're a good team on this map,
been very competitive here in Astana
with this new lineup.
Tell me about it.
Well, it's a map that Maus at the beginning
of this tournament lost actually to 9Z.
I mean, we saw the polish that 9Z had in the group stage,
but then Maus started actually tinkering with it.
They were able to beat Aurora a couple of times now,
And it's one where the starters are just so good for them.
They're so varied.
There's so many different variations of smoke walls
that they use towards outside.
JL has been such a crazy extractor player for them
as well, just kind of filling in, slotting in.
And that's what you get when you bring in an experienced big
stage guy like him, that even if Zellix
dies on that initial entry outside,
and he will, don't get me wrong.
That head-to-head versus Donk is never going to be easy.
JL is able to recognize, read defenses,
and be able to pull off flank plays.
That's what he did versus Aurora yesterday.
And so I think that that's going to be really your win
condition.
Can Jail make great live reads because they need some kind
of X factor in this game now.
The reality is you're not going to be knocked straight up
with just the fire powers left in search.
And yeah, search has been an X factor all tournament
long.
He's had a crazy rating.
He's had crazy entry success.
But now all of a sudden you're up against the best
when it comes to that role.
And so it is going to come down to what we saw them succeed
with in their nukes throughout the Crushers tournament.
Like despite the fact that this has been a roster that's not
been together long, their upper set pieces and some of these
heavy utility plays they make are actually very fine tune.
That's going to what it's going to take.
Dislodge with these players.
Make them uncomfortable with your utility,
and then find a way to get your trades.
And that's going to be the big thing for me.
That's going to be a big text for Zellox's insertion.
Meanwhile, when you go to the other side, Spirit,
they've lost all three new games they played with the five.
That must be said.
It used to be such a strength for them
because of someone like Daunt being such a menace
in the yard on both CT and T side,
but they just kind of lack a little of the finesse
and some of the play calling to have other options
they could audible to.
It's no longer the case now. Now you're seeing them look a little bit more diverse.
We've been hyping up their flash assist and how they use utility better.
And also Shiro is just such a nuisance with the AWP on this map as well.
I think, you know, Torsi is really struggling in these playoffs.
So I think all those things really do put it in Spirit's favor,
even if they haven't won the map yet as a five.
And JL with the right smile there, as well he might have.
I mean, it's good that they asked the label to smile.
Miles in these situations in the past, we've seen them capitulate.
Where about to find out if this is the next stage in mouse history?
Well, I feel like mouse at least have a little bit of proof in what they've done in the past.
A reminder, back at the Austin Major, spirit against them.
I mean, Nuke was mouse's coup de gras, the way that they were able to outcall Donk.
And given how Donk has been trending as an individual, we saw it on the screen briefly there.
Nuke's just not one of his favorite maps.
He's just not having a great time trying to ascertain what the opposing team is doing
when they use those varieties of smoke walls.
And a lot of teams now that are just using
NAID after NAID after NAID to maintain information,
that's not always, that always doesn't set up Donk.
I mean, if Torsy's on the other side
with the T side presence op,
then he might break the smoke and it's to his own demise.
All right, then.
So we're going a nuke after a mouse,
a meltdown on just two,
and that means I hand you over to the ever explosive,
scrawny, Anne Launders.
Just the most daunting task at hand now for Mouse,
to have to look yourself in the mirror,
Pick yourself up piece by piece in order to just go up against this spirit now.
We'll hope that maybe their comfort zone of Nuke can turn it around.
We'll hope for Maus' sake that, yes, these struggles with this five team spirit squad
on this map specifically comes through right now.
But there's a lot of, I think, unquantifiable energy in the server
after what we just got at a team spirit.
That's the kind of confidence that could boil over
and just absolutely smother Maus out of Semi's.
Normally I don't like to go from map to map and assume that it's all going to go wrong.
In fact, I always bet that it changes pretty drastically.
But in this situation with the storyline of Zershin and Dong, I'm just starting to wonder here.
Now, obviously the game that they brought back versus Aurora on Nuke was really impressive,
and that speaks to their mental resilience, just kind of flat out.
But in terms of the tactics and depth of the T side come back, I'm not totally convinced still for Maus.
So, on their Nuke alone, they're happy to play it, they've busted it out four times here at Astana, 1-3,
lost to 9-Z, obviously. I know they're going to feel a little bit better than Dust2, but that might not be enough.
That's a question of how much better they can feel and also how poor Spirit might feel about this map in particular.
You know, this isn't where they do their absolute best work, but I think with how easily the Analyst Desk was able to just kind of put a pin in this exact beat,
map to map, mataboo, matabing.
There's no doubt in my mind, Spirit, have something for this.
So if we're going to get this kind of upwards trend for Spirit, moving back,
on the brink of getting into back-to-back Grand Finals here in Astana,
well, year-to-year, they're looking to do exactly that.
So, you know, what they bring to the table, whether Maus can kind of shake them off their back,
it just seems like a massive ask on top of having to find this new individual level.
Huge rebound needed here by Maus going into Map 2.
Nuke could give them a little comfort to work with but they will be on that T side and so if the economy starts to go against them
If the CT advantage can be flexed by spirit then Maus may be still in shambles
second map of the first semi-final
And we will have spirit on the defense leaning back waiting to see if Maus can answer at all
In this game. Yes
That's fucking go boys, that's fucking go we going on here two more mess yeah
Since the start of Shiro's Beretta slide off the hook, and it is a rock solid hook, and
four kills, or rather survivors on Spirit's side.
All that pep talk there for Torsi, I'm glad we sprinkled it in, because as much as you
may want things to go well, welcome to reality.
You're gonna have to force it up too, and I will say that no matter how good the CT side
starts to look, we won't necessarily have a good idea of the outcome of the match.
For Malus, they're going to be expected to win some rounds here.
It's just that spirit, if there's one thing that's good about their nuke,
it's their CT side is incredibly strong.
It's just that their T side is kind of the opposite.
This is where magics might also struggle to call a good game.
So I think like a pistol to kick off can make a difference
when we get into the later hours of this map.
A lot to be learned as things go on.
We'll have to take it one round at a time.
You limp into this one with your Glock's, and his spirit that just looked to continue
to roar their way forward through the playoffs.
That's going to be an invitation for Donk to come over and try to feast.
Pistols at this range?
I don't think so.
It's that Zershin Desert Eagle that they're hoping hits any kind of headshot.
low and even lower now that that thing's gonna have to be picked up off his corpse so
Everybody ready to just kind of flex their advantage. You do rush the box though. You try to skip a step
That's what mouse we're hoping for if Zershin doesn't get the headshot
And maybe somebody gets a little too confident
So an MP9 to the wayside at a tenir and that is all mouse will get for their efforts in round two
Well, it's been a little nicer
You know it's near gets the MP9 kills instead of it being going to the M4 but the fact that that's the only gun
they get dropped. It's just no sweat for Team Spirit. They handle that one nicely. It's not really
enough kills for Maus and around like this to make this one as scary. A little bit saved up,
but the buy comes back. It looks nice. Now let's see right away an establishing shot of the game
for mouse for exertion calling this T-side.
What is the plan?
For now it's going to be Donkervating Thimble.
And they've used their AGs preemptively to try to soften up the player's crossing.
This one comes out late.
Right now, I mean, it's going to be time to move.
Donk to talk in the turn, this is going to mini or...
Here's that movement up top, right?
Zershin,
announced to Donk,
will have him fade back and play behind on breakable.
This is drawing attention over.
Really just all going.
Okay, and they get the vent drop at the same time.
This is kind of nice.
It's hamstrung the rotations a little bit.
They'll have to quickly get out towards ramp.
Sontak's already down lower.
Trying to take over control panels.
Zershin will be left outside.
Given CT's a little bit of time to get organized,
But still moving into positions on six years. The door starts to swing
He's gone unnoticed up in the rafters good for the double
Xalex emerges with a double kill back. That's what they needed now is having a moment off of the newest piece
And it's Xalex goes wide for a triple kill. He's got doc at bat next
This is a man advantage in a post plan all made possible by Xalex to near gets that kill back
They're gonna know that the bomb planters got to be on this site
So Doc is just gonna go like a hound dog and hunt him down.
Oh, this lurk is a little bit too late.
It looks like they could stick this inside of the smoke.
This is Doc with the kit.
Wait, the smoke fell in the water.
Oh, this opens the door for Zershin.
They're not sure where he comes from.
He'll have to announce himself.
Yes, this week.
D.T.U.S. down to a second and the cover's good.
Doc comes up with the kill.
That is Doc off of the D.T.U.S. with the headshot,
just to go back onto it.
Has ample time to do so.
And so Team Spirit, all they had to really face
is this nice triple kill sequence out of Zellix, that gives you hope, maybe.
Yeah, a little bit. It was really good to see his individual level shine through on this round.
The round itself is just so uncomplicated. It's a lower walk, they get everyone to cross,
they have Zershin hanging back. I mean, the cool move they made was sneaking,
spanks down the vent in like this mid-round timing, not early on,
but it just, it wasn't enough. They didn't, Spirit didn't necessarily need
everyone to rotate through secret through through the vent which I think
miles are hoping for instead really also oh was it on Zontics who was sitting
there at Zanteris who got the two kills of lower the rafters he only has one for
some reason my head's safe oh shiros okay it was an assist on the second oh
Oh, okay.
But I did say he didn't get both.
Oh, I thought so too, so...
Yeah.
Just a couple filthy liars.
He's shooting.
It's an air.
On spanks, opens up.
They're doing the same round, but with worse guns.
And so that's gonna be a better result?
It's gonna...
Yeah, we'll see. We'll let them prove it one way or the other.
But it is quite literally the same round.
Zershin is the second lurk, spanks, couldn't get down the vents.
Ooh, doors off the hinges though already.
Oh, spot that.
Oh, Zellex again is going to find his mark on this lower bong site.
And then they get Shiro tagged low.
Doc isn't going to be afraid of you though.
He just puts that pressure on and Torsi continues to crank out this damage.
Although there's going to be a double door peek in a second.
Zershin's revealed himself upstairs.
That'll be held by Tenir inside the vents and he will close shot triple kill Tenir
And so there are supported pieces of team spirit already coming forward with the impact you've got dog and
Shearow with six frags to near on five
We already talked about Zontik back on dust 2 doing his thing
So we are really having to watch mouse handle all of spirit throughout this series
Yeah kills are coming down. I mean the same round working again in the same way
They do have secret open they get the lower cross of course
They don't have great guns, so Spinks isn't always going to be able to steal the vets away, but Spirit weren't playing in there
They didn't have the early rotation lower either, so
It's pretty fine. They get the bomb plant. They're just backing some kills now
Zelek stop fragging by a mile here for maps
The thing about Zershin as well as you know the other half of his job is
He can play better, but he's got to make sure everyone can still play the same and activate that balance.
Donk waits a little longer for the NAVE, does get confirmation. Oh, Spray gets away from him!
JL with his second kill of the map on Donk for the 5v4 in Maize's favor.
And Spinks has looked to have slipped the net inside of Ramp, but now as he starts to look over towards Outer instead,
what is he going to make of this moment? Can he really find that line on Shiro towards Bronze?
Because Zontec is going to get a Ramp kill. Spinks' position has been revealed, but worth it with the kill,
but you've got players downstairs to the air, almost able to snap that onto JL. Instead, he's got his double kill.
double kill. The bomb's lower. Spinks is up in heaven. And they know that he got this
kill here. Surely a little bit scary. But the other CTs haven't made it down. Zontics
is low. Of course he plants the bomb. I think they're just going to be trying to running
from Spinks. It's just too many layers on this round for I think Spirit to keep a clean
idea as to what the hell exactly just happened. Yeah. They'll be scratching their heads. Looking
to soften the blow if they can get away with the Zontics and Magic save.
So, Maus go back to it again and again, and this time it is going to rack up a round win at least.
I love a T side round like this that involves a lot of lurks, because on Nuke there's tons of timings.
If there's not a bally blocking ramp, and you take a risk of your operon on coming turnpike,
and you drop down lower because you heard a vent dive, then there's a lot of places where someone can just walk out for a phrase.
Mouse find one of these with Spix. They tried to do it in these previous couple of rounds getting lower, getting bent control and having Xershil mark outside.
So, extremely lurky and up until this point, Spirit have dealt with it quite well.
But here's a moment where the game plan looks good.
Heh heh heh.
Can't be trusted.
I saw Donko down empty-handed last round. We'll see how many times that might actually happen.
Sphinx catching a kill, but Shiro's got the answer.
Ooh, top name held by Donk. Not this time, JL. That head-to-head tips back in Donk's favor.
Ooh, Zershin's really hanging back with the bomb right now.
Could make this round very awkward if things get very stringy.
You've got a player downstairs in the form of Torsey,
but what do you want?
An AWP lurking lower on its own with that AWP.
And it stinks.
He goes out of her, but he peels back instantly,
and now he's got them searching for ghosts.
This round starts to get weird.
Shiro's on the line.
Shot goes between the two, still recovers.
Under pressure, up close and personal.
Zershin's on the corner, doesn't expect Shiro to go that wide, and now sure enough, Torsi has been roped up and just left downstairs.
He gets just really chill here, it's gonna be lonely, it's gonna be cold, maybe a little bit damp down here.
It'll be hard to kill with time, but that's what it'll have to do.
So it's nothing but a one-off round win previously four miles. They pick up the fifth, after two consecutive bomb plants downstairs, they win one round.
We'll see the money be in an okay state, but it is spirit right back to winning ways and doing it with four alive, right?
Not banking on clutches yet, not banking on these kind of back-and-forth trade frags, just another shutdown.
There's been no real free passage outside except the one round they win when JL kills Donk.
But the thing is, it's going to be very hard to keep Donk pinned down, and we see that this round.
Always happy to sign up for those fights, clears the player top name, and gets spirit right back to winning ways.
I wonder if they're using this as attack or assertions this thinking, but maybe it's a moment where the Cyclone could contribute a little bit before they get into the next round.
This T side again, it's so imperative they get something.
And yeah, so they'll jump into a timeout.
Right now it's feeling a little bit one dimensional, which is where they're going.
going. The secret works. I think it kind of sucks for them because they're getting two or three guys down
secret safely even one time when they cross jail. Got a kill on Donk at the very least so feels like
when you get all that space like finishing the round is not the hard part and it might be a bit
of some cost in the sense that they think all right well we've got two third of the rounds in
place we just need to make sure we figure out how to entry better into the B site but
It's tough. Zershin is, you know, new to this position. He's got a lot on his plate.
And now we're starting to watch him taper off too, right? Yeah. Comes into this
semi-final as the second highest rated player at the event. I'm glad he's still prioritizing
how to call the best round possible, but they were relying on him to frag. We were wondering what
the calls would kind of turn into when you're not the guy that's getting all the frags.
We've always discussed about how you can kind of just enter that flow when you're taking over a server.
Each call comes easier than the next, when you're the guy putting up all those frags.
Now you're 1 and 6, map 2 down on the big stage.
And a head-to-head that you simply cannot win either over Spirit.
While the new pieces of Maus may not know what that curse feels like, Zershin does know damn well.
Just how badly they get trapped.
Shiro is going to get blinded off the line.
We have a little peek from the back of that. He lets a lot of his health go shero, but it's worth it if you drop JL.
Selleck's on the answer.
He's trying to beat that beacon of hope, but Donk activates from deep inside a garage and Torsi was too pretty occupied.
He's now sitting one at five, and it's man advantage.
Re-secured by Spirit, a nice push forward by Magix.
That one's gonna net and open a kill inside of Lobby, and so the pressure just continues to mount here on Maus as this round count continues to favor Spirit.
It's turning into pretty much a full fall apart. This is off the tack pause and
The idea to take ramp could have been good
But shiro was willing to sack some of his HP in order to get a chance to get that off shot. It's the right play
Everything working too well
So, let's see if they're going to be so fortunate as to allow a ball flat.
I mean, as it stands right here, the near, oh, if he goes down, well, actually, they've
got an interesting chance now.
They don't have control side.
They don't have Dekon, they have to play reactive, but there's still a chance.
Thor, Zelex, knows that this retakes now, happening.
We're down to 20 seconds on that bomb.
Spinks is going to let them exit through the control panel, great tracking on Magix's head.
But it's going to need to be Zelex for the last two bombs in 10 seconds.
Oh, the fallen dog, a quick run over top, that's 7 on the clock.
Block, his defuse is secure, and that is Team Spirit to the 6-1 lead.
Oh, okay. Clean stuff.
They played it properly. Perfect to trade.
Didn't know where the positions were, but knew they had a fair amount of map control.
Didn't hear the Dekon door string open.
Odds were not on Maus's side.
At least this time they find a bit of footing, right?
And opening in a bomb plant.
We can look at these silver linings, but you're not just looking for a nice, friendly match
of close counter-strike rounds at this point.
That's great in the group stage.
This is do or die on the stage itself.
You trail by five on a difficult T side after getting it smoked back on Dust2.
Team Spirit's high hopes. Never higher.
So it's going to be a fast flurry instead, changing the pace and hoping that will be the solution.
But it's three deaths on the side of Maus already.
A bit of an answer back by JL. This will confirm the last two pieces of Maus.
They swing and JL trying to do it all here.
His two kills in has Donk on 17 health, but an unknown saunt takes still a part of the problem.
JL, the funniest thing about him as an entry fragger has put up some of the best clutches in big games.
Not often you're seeing him alive and alone in this position, but here's one.
James Banks asked him about his struggles in this event, whether in the big games he was going to find his groove.
He said, well, this is the big game.
And so this would be a hell of a time for him to collect and double mouse his rounds
We thinking about making this into a lower play. He has enough time to actually walk anywhere. He wants
Not seeing a push so far. Oh
Yeah, and he is gonna try to drop down but look who's already waiting for him
He's hoping that utility would keep them busy little does he know
hook, line, and sinker!
Jail smiles.
Zontics just locked in on that B bomb site, not too worried about it.
It was a tough spot to be in low health, but yeah.
A site versus 17 HP versus Donk.
That's where he maybe had a chance.
Instead, it is Spirit to lead 7-1.
It's just a bit of a Greek gift to give him that much space
to make all those decisions.
And it could have been a moment where he planted upstairs
and we actually saw an exciting finish
and a clutch for Jail on the stage,
But instead, it's just more of just two so far here for Spira.
We're trying to make it out of the hood.
I know those closing thoughts from Dawn were pretty gangster.
The jail.
No chance.
I wondered if it was just fighting words, but the reality is, at this point on Nuke,
with Dust2 the way it went, no chance.
It's feeling like a very apt description of what Maus had been able to bring in versus
spirit in the semis.
Miles go to sleep last night and they think, oh man, we're just on it right now. Everything's changing.
The tides are turning and then spirits show up and say, well, we've got our own story to write.
And we don't have to do anything new.
This is fresh, trying to play the smoke wall. We'll see if Magix gets ahead of it, but it's into the credit card.
It's like slips. Yeah, they're nervous about all the right things there
You can see they're watching on both sides of it. No, it's great comes as well. Great trade
Yep, upper play wasn't in place yet. Still a few steps off and so Tiniere given a chance to just lock in
Literally couldn't have better positioning for that strat exactly a double layer of work
That's like an old fury of play to get into many first guy could take contact get traded
You don't expect the second guy to walk in like everybody else upstairs
But they weren't ready to pop out of the hut just yet and spirit were so active outside
They weren't expecting it spotted at that moment. So called out from where the smokes landed another great round for spirit
I don't forget tired of saying that
Because also this could have been a game where magic showed that he couldn't you know
he hasn't really evolved that much as an ideal or something like that's a lot of that's a narrative a lot of people are thinking is
Real right now as well, but they have had
Considerable strides and right now they're winning almost all of their series
Just hoping to get by crossing your fingers looking for a little luck our mail pistols lower
Flush Magix off the top of right. Teniers going to confirm.
Bodies downstairs almost gets them off.
But Torres, you will give him something to think about while Don blocks down that ramp.
Exits, optics off the present.
Downstairs is just here to take your hopes away.
Again, you tried to play with just the timing, thinking you could get downstairs.
Lo and behold, it is another round for Team Spirit to scoff at Maus's attempt.
And I know it's just a debut and I want to give them a lot of grace, but they're really shriveling up here.
I mean, even when Prolin joined the team immediately after Shuhei, same doubts for him.
But actually, the debut in the honeymoon was really strong and it wasn't just one player who was delivering all the kills.
They had a faster start, but not all starts are made equal.
And even though they never achieved what they wanted to with Grollen and breaking that semi-final barrier,
they still had an incredibly high level average pretty much the entire time.
Yeah. And at least, you know, by the way, it was even higher in the first game.
Starting with the wing and Cluj.
Yeah.
Kind of set your hopes like anything's possible. This is a dire reminder.
of the struggles Maus has on stage.
Shirou opens up, it's a Zellex wall bang death to put him down.
Tenir starts to get active.
We're at that point in the half where Spirit know they can see the finish line.
And because of that, with so much money in their back pockets,
it's not a shock to see them get a little wild and send Tenir into his death.
Could have been the 10-1 lead off of that push.
There's that devilish voice in the back of Spirit's mind just whispering,
You've done enough
But in a 4v4 they'll slow back down
We're gonna have a pack of players coming dogs away nice headshot on JL
The rifle work does allude him and so a single kill all he winds up finding
Now Torsi on the brow outer using that AWP we see the crossover is on takes good to tap away
The sniper trades back and there's one versus three with a second kill to Torsi's name
Don't do anything drastic and try to drop that someone's waiting for you
Gotta wait this smoke out is looking like an open a site, but it's not actually
Because they are quick to respond if you try to go for that plant
There's a bit of distance between spirit and the bomb site
Of course you wraps around so that lobby now that he knows all of this is clear
Eventually towards these hands are tied. He has to put the bomb down
So won't be any more checking this flank don't know if there's gonna be a fake plans
And it's wide open.
It's, you get that scrambling magics quickly moving.
And if he offers up an audio distraction,
it's all for the hot guy to exit, but Shiro just missed it.
Korsy sitting back side thinks there's a problem in the heavens.
Praise to his god that he can pull off this one
and give Maus at least a chance to double the rounds
on the attack.
Quick scope connects.
And Shiro dead.
Magics almost next, but he survives it.
Off the reload.
It's going to give a space over to Magics,
He confirms that he's pushing in fourth kill right here for Torsi.
And it's a quad kill needed, but a quad kill delivered.
Wow.
Mows will take that second.
Oh my goodness.
I can't believe he actually found the gap.
Getting out through hot, Chirol was right behind him the entire time.
Missed him by just a couple of frames
as he wrapped around the back of the site.
So a second off of a clutch.
I mean, genuinely, one more, and they actually do put a little bit of pressure on Spirit to close on T-sided.
That's so far, I mean. The one pistol, they won. We got converted against them. The second one went to Spirit. The third one went to Spirit.
First half of Dust, who also had a really low frag count. It's the same thing right now for Maus.
Let's see if they can make it three.
Oh, hell of a gap.
Going towards the ramp, they'll roll, trying to maybe draw attention outer, but that's not what they get.
Shiro has moved onto this line.
Ooh, wallbangs.
They did you a lot, but oh, Zershin finishes that off.
Take that one you can.
Sontics is going to be overwhelmed by the sheer numbers of Maus.
And you said it, one more for the road, and maybe just maybe Maus will be able to try to contend what they do swaps sides.
It puts pressure on Spirit if they don't get double digits in this first half.
Look at the kill, man.
It has four kills immediately back.
Just when it starts to feel like thousands of found momentum,
Spirit ripping from their cold, clammy hands.
Even just Donk pushing in through that Molotov, getting Torsi.
They were forced to exec right away.
Not a comfortable spot.
They had to go forward.
They wanted to come back to try to fight Donk.
He's got the high ground advantage.
So just in front of that Molly was the big thing.
10-2 half-map to Team Spirit.
There are trends coming together as we look to conclude the first season of 2026.
Spirit take the flight to Astana and look to not only defend their title here,
but also find their game and look to improve on the run to the Major.
It is important the team spirit find victory here versus the rest of this opposition to really thrust themselves forwards as a genuine contender a
Frontrunner and a team that can do it with magics at the helm
The people in the crowd just want more spirit action
Unfortunately for those of you in attendance this one might be done quick you'll have to come back tomorrow
more spirit. That's what it's starting to feel like. Mao's a much-needed pistol to give themselves
a little self-confidence, to give themselves any hope of extending the semis, to just not walk away
from the stage feeling so small. A feeling that this roster, this organization, was hoping to shake
with the change-up of two players ahead of the Major. Sellex, that, Tenir, on the climb-ups,
He's got another one in front of him.
Thought he was going to get that over his shoulder.
And so a double man advantage.
Eyes set forward towards this A site.
Hope set forward to a trophy lift two.
That is what Team Spirit are here for.
Not just to make a meal out of Maus, but to win it all.
And this is the kind of counter strike
that could damn well get them there.
They're a team that can see Grand Finals
no matter what tournament that they attend.
And Maus have always just hit a bump in the road
for them. They're here to scare whoever their opponent is going to be about that grand finals tomorrow.
I'm scared to look at the kills after this. These two maps are over for Maus. He's going to
absolutely spoil the stats for Zershin. And what was other, a pretty incredible
debut as an IGL dragger for the team. But that's three pistols, one in these two maps for Spirit,
and the one they lost, they converted anyway.
You guys want radar?
I'll talk to my people.
I gotta know.
Maybe it's better if you don't watch this.
Yeah.
Unless you're a spirit fan, then enjoy it.
true. This is what you're paying for. The rest of the world that would hope that
Maus could try to get back to their contending form and while again the group stage and
Zershin being able to pick up the reins and still find good individual level,
it's a good sign of those things to come for Maus. Assuming that the rest of the pieces of
that this roster will be able to find an uptick in performance.
But it is quite simply put, not enough to contend with the likes of this team spirit.
It wasn't on Dust2, it wasn't here on Nuke.
And a force by Hail Mary in round 14 of this second map is all that Maus are hoping to bank on.
Maybe a gap in between some of these players. A chance for JL to turn heads with that Desert Eagle.
That's the perfect position in this default. Look at the gun that's here to try to search back and
I'm really gonna tie it up inside a secret. They're trying to wait this out, but I'll get spotted
I don't know if I want to go for that push now
There's really no reason for Tineer to move. No
Oh, okay, actually that's um
It's good use of that mp9
That's one's a bit more up for grabs maybe
So you can stay down there. We're not gonna let you get up bent either. Zellix could be an easy kill for him.
He's wide on it. Finishes off the little left of Magix.
Committing to the spray down, Shiro.
Mac 10 of Zontics pressed into the hut.
He's gonna find you trying to get scurly from the corner.
Spinks late to the scene. Lines up those two but can't get anything out.
A team spirit have absolutely taken over the stage.
We'll give themselves 10 map match and Grand Finals points, inspiring the crowd to believe
that not only our spirit now fighting back to back Grand Finals in two events but also
year to year here in Astana.
Of all the teams that could have gotten blown out at this tournament so far, could have
been Magic, it could have been 9-Z and instead those teams are some of the most impressive
but this matchup right here, this is going to be the one.
And watch the way they'll just try to bounce immediately down that vent.
Big pressure on Maus. A Maus that is trying to keep this game afloat.
Trying to keep their system alive.
They've got Fursion in the bomb site. Get it in instant.
Team Spirit have not skipped a beat. They've not skipped a step.
They have given Maus every piece of the protocol.
And from start to finish, this has been a battering.
Maus we're just looking to get some motion on the big stage.
Trying to evolve, trying to find their game, trying to rebuild, and instead Spirit looked to stuff all that progress
into their back pockets.
Torsi and JL to the retake.
Amolotov to the back side, now Flesh Sonic's into the open, but with the form that he's brought to the table, he is looking for these kinds of duels.
More and more utility sent out. JL will get that first one.
Stuff right there in there!
And Astana has always been home to the Dragons, but this form in 2026 leaves Maus as nothing but scorched earth.
And so they move back looking to defend their titles and looking to impress the world on the run to the Major.
This is exactly what they need.
Step by step, piece by piece, Team Spirit return to form.
They don't give anything back. They make Maus look small.
They spoiled this debut from Zershin, unfortunately a little bit.
Not that there isn't good things that came from it, impressive things that you couldn't expect.
And they're still new, they're still time to grow with JL overall.
But if you're spirit, you didn't even let a fake comeback happen.
You crushed them. You pulled off the biggest upset of the event and weren't semi-finals.
Sorry, not even upset. Just crushed your opponent away, no one else has.
You leave no room for doubt.
They didn't even get to play the second half of either of those maps.
And they go into Grand Finals feeling like they've already won the event.
Spirit absolutely dominate their way to the Grand Finals.
Estana makes the noise!
Sokri, Spirit are playing amazing right now.
Looking at this they do seem unstoppable.
When you're looking at this game, how are you prepared? Does it come down to preparation? Does it come down to the reads? Or are you just better?
I think we're just not on the team ourselves, we just play our game. We can play like this, we're on the stage and we just play our game.
We were playing our own game and he said that they didn't think about how it was like in the previous series.
much stronger, and I think we believe in ourselves more, because even if we play bad series, sometimes we have like...
I would say when we lose pistols and when we lose close rounds and we have no economy, anyway, I think we want to win, no matter what.
We show very confident counter-strike when we doubt ourselves the most difficult moments.
Even if you lose a pistol or some kind of a match-round, it doesn't matter.
Now also when I've been talking to some of your players, they've been praising your work and what you've been doing.
What approach have you been taking with them when you're trying to stand in for Halley right now and help the team out?
What is maybe different between you and him?
I don't really know what would be the difference. I just let players do whatever they want together and that works.
It does work.
All I do as a coach is to do everything they want on the server.
such individuals, he's public art.
And he is developing and he is doing very good right now.
The question is, how do you like Boris now?
He's a major as an EGL, as a team leader.
The thing is, when you're in a team with such skilled players,
it's very difficult to control them,
but he's doing a great job in the perfect environment.
Thank you very much for the ball, thank you for the game, I'm going to pass it to you.
I don't know what rodent is smaller than that, but that is one of the most perfect semi-final displays I've seen.
It's a good thing we're not paid by the hour, because we'd be freaking broke after just asking.
I've just got it in my ear, you are indeed paid by the hour.
That is tough. I guess I'll be homeless when I move back over across the ocean.
No man, I mean, this was just an absolute battering by spirit.
Just looking superb in every aspect of the game.
It's exactly the type of sharpness that you want to see out of the squad,
out of the squad because obviously,
nobby just beat Vitality the best of three.
And then they have the number one contender
to an era-defining squad that is now the vote in Vitality.
But the other teams that we pegged as teams
that would be potential suitors to try to challenge Vitality
at the major or just in general was Falcons
because of all the talent they have on paper
and then this Spirit Squad.
They were kind of cool a lot of this year adjusting
to Magix coming in and IGL and Slotix returning off the bench.
But now Rio, they made a final.
They've just made another one and they're beating everyone that they're supposed to be so you really have to be excited if you're a spirit
I agree
What we'll do now is I think we can go back over to the stage and we're gonna hear from Cyclone
Thank you very much Richard. I do have Cyclone the coach of mouths in here
And it's a lot of changes a lot for you guys to to deal with and handle you had such an impressive
Group stage but this again spirit it didn't even look like the same team
Can you tell me what you see is the difference? Is it just getting shot out the server? Is it as simple as that? Or is there more?
That's definitely a big part of it, right? I think Spirit Farm momentum on Dust2, they were winning all the M-fights
I think many of their players had good moments even SunTex
I think any chance he got he he shut us down on Dust2 and
Yeah, I think in terms of the reads of the prep we were had going into the game
It was still very similar to the previous days
But we lost a lot on the aim factors today, and once that team has confidence, it's tough to beat them.
Now, we've obviously been talking a lot about Xershan taking over the calling, right?
And he's had a great individual performance at the same time.
What is it in particular maybe that you saw in him as a player, as a chance of him being an in-game leader,
and how do you see it translating already in the few games you've played?
With the search and I've tried to convince him for a couple of years now to try and take up this mantle.
I think he has a really good ability to communicate and facilitate around him.
He's the fastest thinker I've ever worked with.
At the very moment something happens, he instantly has an idea about it, and it's to a level where it impresses you, right?
And I think he's had a flair for that. He has other things to conquer, right?
Part of it is also the mental game. If you have to lead the boy, you should be mentally strong.
You can't weave that much in your composure, so there's still steps to go and ways to go there.
I think this was a good starting point for him, right?
I don't think it could have turned out better for him, and I'm excited to do the work and prep going into tomorrow with him.
Sarkron has been asking Sergius to become captain of the team for two years, because he has great communicative skills and great ideas that come to him immediately, and he is ready to perform from start to finish.
And he thinks that it was a great start at this tournament in order for Sergius to find himself as a new role.
I think overall the team was a bit flat on energy, right?
And if you lose that many aim duels,
probably there's something to watch that,
if you look for the conclusions.
I think we didn't lose that much mentally this game.
I don't think the pressure was that high.
Also, the expectations are different for us now, right?
We wanted to try and fail in different ways
that we've done before.
It's been maybe 15 plus playoff runs in a row for us.
And it's nice to have different things to look at.
I think also Justina and Adrian go
for a bit different mental profiles
than what we had before.
and it's exciting to try something new, right?
And looking at JL as an example, right?
Obviously, what your expectations were of him
coming into the team. Is he meeting it so far? Is he bidding your expectations?
Like, are you getting what you need from the man?
With Juicy, it's more about the intangibles.
You know, it's about looking for someone who can be a glue guy,
that when the pressure comes to us, I don't expect it to be at this tournament.
But if he can show up, you know, he can be there for us,
he can be a team-first kind of guy, he can create the vibes and energy.
Because I think for years now, Adam has been the only one trying to pull us over the line.
And I think we need one or two more guys who can do that when it's needed, because it's a tough job, you know, and it should be on all of us, but someone's got to do that job as well.
I think that's what I'm looking for from him. I think you see him on the street, he's smiling, he's happy, you know, he brings a good vibe and atmosphere.
In terms of the gameplay, I think he said it himself, he is maybe a bit rusty, but to be honest, he also has a lot of new positions, and you're not supposed to be sharp and deliberately super confident yet.
Their new player showed himself in the best way, although of course it was expected that he would be very nervous, but this is exactly the person with whom Sikron is ready to develop together and achieve the highest.
once again you cracked the code.
Thank you for the compliment as well.
It's more the questions maybe than the answers here.
So I think Adrian for 17 years has a really good head on his shoulders.
He's very smart and calculated.
The other day he was out with JL for food and JL came back and he told me,
for a 17 years he's a smart guy.
And the game we had just now and played,
we're not playing our best, I think you can all see that.
But in one of the moments that guys,
I didn't know he was behind me, he used to call Defconn's better.
So, I think being able to do that and understanding what the game takes at that age is pretty impressive.
And lastly, I know it was massive spirit-favorite in this arena, but there was still a pop for you guys.
There were still a lot of cheers coming your way.
And if you want to say to everyone in the arena and the mouse fans back home.
Thank you for sharing. I promise you guys gonna come up. We're gonna come in fighting tomorrow
We're gonna do everything we can to win first place. Yeah
We're gonna give this jar on a fetish is much as a pretty nice day. I'm still I'm so much to the brite of Richard back to you
Thanks a lot James and look Cyclone one of the greatest coaches. We've ever had in CS
I have nothing but respect for the man and now I'm about to say look, okay?
You've gone through a lot of changes. You've changed a lot of protocols
But what we saw today same old same old and to get like having a bar them in no country for old man
If all your changes have brought you to this, what was the point? Yeah
I mean we used to say the guarantees in life were death taxes and mouse falling in Sydney finals
I mean that's just kind of been the trajectory for the last year here in a few months
However, you want to call it but they used to have a negative connotation to it
You know, we're always just like they just can't win right there consistent top five squad
Look, Havana team's out on the top five envy them.
They'd love to be in that position.
But this, I come at it with more of a positive light
when I see it, because I think it's
nice to see that mouse haven't necessarily lost anything
in this transition.
They haven't gone down.
They haven't had poorer results.
They haven't suffered from the roster changes
that they have made.
In fact, they have looked a little bit sharper, in my opinion.
I think we did see a lot of positives throughout.
And yeah, it is going to take some time
to embed Zelex in the tier one level
to figure out what's going on with JL, to get searchin' up to speed on being the primary
car. That is a lot of moving parts, so it's a semi-final run, not too shabby for given
that context.
Eventually, I expect that the novelty of this lineup will wear off. I don't necessarily
see this iteration as pure contenders to the other big four that I'm looking at in
CS right now. Falcons, Vitality, I would even say Furia to an extent, but definitely this
this version of Spirit and Navi.
Those four or five teams definitely look sharper for me
for individual sake, but I'm glad to see them
make this kind of change
and I'll also throw it back to Cycro.
I mean, he's the coach that I voted for number one
of last year and I'm glad that after a contract extension,
he decides that he wants to take matters into his own hands,
doesn't like the results that they've been having
and he goes for kind of a home run swing here.
And to me, even though they fall to Spirit
same fashion that they always have. I'll pick up where dust left off there that doesn't feel like
this is any different, but it gives you hope for the future that you should look at this team who
is now going to learn. They're going to get a little bit better. Zellix is going to get more
used to playing this level of opposition. I'd say the whole tournament, Zellix has actually been
pretty bad on the T side of Nuke, despite the fact that it's become their pick. And that's
something that he'll get better with with more reps. Playing tier one T side Nuke is an immensely
hard task, especially when people like Donk and Spirit are running every single set up
possible to counter you.
I'll get production and just run a repeat of the last death segment we did talking about
this guy once again.
Because what more can be said?
I mean every single time he's tested, every single time you think he might take his foot
off the pedal, he's back and he looks as good as he ever did and you really start having
ask yourself, you know, when is it gonna end? Like, is it ever gonna end? Like, how much
more is this guy gonna do in his career? It's actually terrifying.
Yeah, I mean, it's just one of those things where he's so good it's not even cool to sound
cocky anymore. It's kind of a fun line that I kind of think about. It's just, it's actually
kind of tough because we run out of words. Like, we run out of things to say. It almost
kind of dulls the impact whenever you explain how good he is, which is unfortunate because
The reality is what he is doing is something that no other entry rifle is really done
And this is all up to date by the way what you see on your screen there
So look look at the players. He is clearing by magnets. Oh, yeah
I mean he's been doing this for a long time
Especially in some of those, you know opening tea rounds is really kind of the biggest one
But just in general a star CT player a guy who's self-sufficient
But now he's got a team around him who's bringing in more support to make him even better
Now they have other weapons where he doesn't have to be the guy
We have seen games throughout this tournament where he started a little bit cold and some of the other guys were able to be a
Little bit more on the spotlight and still keep this team in the right direction
So I think we all knew that thought we'd be able to maintain a very high level
I think the more exciting thing for spirit fans should be the fact that some of your other guys are coming online
And the team plays getting better and their playboats getting deeper and that's gonna make them a real content
I was a little bit worried for Don this year. His playoffs have actually been pretty bad throughout throughout this
by his stand in a bad bad actually bad like barely above a 1.0 rating for a
handful of the playoffs that he's played this year so it was easy for me to
actually say in my list of the top 20 players today of the year played thus far
he was fifth I mean all these other players have much better playoff
ratings so to see him here in Astana hit this level of form off the back of a
team structure that seems to have been elevated and refined that's a welcome
site, but also, again...
Reptip default now?
No, he's probably second, if not third right now.
It's hard to look past some of what Vitality's guys are doing,
but for keeping the conversation here,
I mean, what Donk's gap between the second best player
at this event is probably along the lines of what
Molo-Doy looks compared to someone like Zelex.
Like, that's how vast it is and why even going beyond at all,
I mean, it's not even just the best entry fraggers ever,
it's the best players of all time.
That's what we're talking about when we have Donk,
at a tournament, every single successive game, you are watching a guy who will eventually
lay claim for the best player in Counter Strike history.
So stay strapped in, be sure to tune in for the Grand Finals because it's all history
in the making for him.
Yeah, and look, I've got to say as well, overall, some of the changes that have been made vindicated,
right?
There was this mockery of like, oh, they're the vibes team, and then things didn't click
immediately.
They brought Magic's back.
They brought Zondling's back.
We all really know what's going on behind the scenes.
It's not like these were the only players available at the Spirit.
These are dunks, guys, right?
And so it turns out you keep him happy,
give him the team around him he wants,
you get some extra support staff, some new ideas.
Spirit can get right back to being title contender.
It was a free experiment, is the way that I look at it, right?
You're just bringing guys back off the bench
that you already have under contract.
You didn't go have to make a huge transfer
to bring in an outside in-game leader
to try to put this team in better suiting,
you were able to go internally and do it.
And so far, it seems to be trending in the right direction.
Again, they've now made back-to-back grand finals.
Vitaly's the only team that's really toppled them
in a big playoff moment thus far.
They're beating everyone that's ranked at their level
or below them.
And they've been the most dominant force so far
in this tournament.
I think they've only dropped one map the entire tournament
in what is now like five series played.
So it is remarkable the improvement we have seen
on this squad in the last month or so.
Yeah, I mean, look, I'll ask you as well,
do you think we could be at a pivotal moment?
Because I was up late last night,
I was one of the handful watching what was happening
in Atlanta as well as keeping my attention on here.
And, you know, obviously Vitality,
it was a bonus event for them, they said as much.
It was really just to secure that grand slam
if it was possible, but, you know, a loss is a loss is a loss.
And Spirit, I wasn't that impressed with them
on day one in Astana,
I thought they looked a little bit scruffy,
But, I mean, if that is the spirit to come,
if that is the ghost of Christmas future,
everyone should be pretty terrified.
Without a doubt, this is now leveling the playing field
for what's to come at Cologne,
where we're getting, at the same time,
a Vitality team that looks like it's getting
to the end of its rope in terms of burnout.
I mean, they just have to take a vacation again,
or everybody's talking about how tired they are
on that team, whereas you have an incredibly hungry spirit,
a Falcons team that has everything to play for,
even though they've care against giving the excuse of targeting a later date.
I don't buy that at all.
That's just a ridiculous thing to say.
And then you also have a Navi team that finally has drawn blood themselves.
So to me, you have a four-way contender kind of bout here
between a handful of teams that are vying for the crown.
Obviously, Vitality is going to still stay the favorite.
Nobody's going to doubt that.
But if Spirit is actually going to make market improvements,
not just in individuals playing better,
but very clear and obvious and statistically significant,
Just structural changes.
Then you have a team that is leveled up in a way
that Vitality hasn't even played before.
You're at a point now where people
are getting bored of this Vitality era.
This chase of being the greatest of all time,
which I think they've already achieved.
People are like, man, I really want
to see someone else have a chance.
It's beginning to happen.
It used to be that the gap between Vitality
and everyone else was so vast.
And you're starting to see that gap shrink a little bit,
because you're right.
Navi has been a true number one contender to them for some time.
And as you said, they drew blood in Atlanta.
And so that's a big moment for them.
So they're kind of sitting maybe your number two slot, but spirit and Falcons are fighting for third and both of them have looked very impressive spirit
You know probably have the longer ten years
So you probably give them the slight knob
But what we saw what happens to yesterday in those overtime games against Furia and the fact that Furia are still fiery in their own way
Like you're starting to see more and more contenders start to line up and things to get really interesting
Well, don't you see all that happening? I mean one of things interesting just to talk about Falcons before we got a break
I think what's interesting in is we're seeing spirits. They're becoming more polished
Falcons yesterday were just winning in chaotic fashion
It was like sheer force of will and then you had two
Interviews you got tess s and monocie both saying it's caragon like we don't know what he's doing
But what he's calling is just somehow getting us through these rounds and if they really start to believe and can pull out
what we used to call
professionally, the FaZe Bullshit. If you add the FaZe Bullshit to the Falcons mix, Falcons are a scary team too.
They got magic today. They really should be in the fight.
That's pretty clear. It's Kerrigan bullshit. That's what it really is, right?
I think people need to realize that. I think, look, if Falcons already look this good with such limited time with Kerrigan,
you're already starting to see, hey, they have some clutch factor to get through some tight moments.
I think eventually they're gonna clean things up in some of these early and mid stages,
and then they're gonna be even more damaged down the road.
So I think so far, if you're a Falcons fan,
I know there's a lot of hate watchers out there.
You're about to start not eating so good here very soon.
I mean, like, you're starting to get real nice over there,
you know, with Kerrigan being the right guy
to wrangle in those stars.
So they keep improving.
Yeah, they are very, very dangerous.
I'm not sure what I could attack this one.
I don't know.
The semantic discussion of Kerrigan BS versus FaZe BS,
it wasn't Kerrigan that 2V4'd Spirit with a jumping
opshot when it was raining robs on the retake.
But did he call to do it?
He definitely didn't call to do that.
It was Faze also carrying that torch there.
But Kerrigan just keeps you guessing
on what's the next look to come.
That's what I noticed in the Fury game
is that the opening formations were drastically different
round to round to round.
He is every single round coming up
with something in the spur of the moment
that's going to upset the balance,
and that Fury is going to be left scratching against.
I mean, when Apex even mentioned what he thinks of this move,
he reveres Kerrigan.
He knows he is such a tactical mastermind,
Because he has such a brain that's at this point just been completely molded and pressed to just play counter strike and command
The only person who didn't reveal him was Nico and he's had to eat humbuckers
Exactly
I'm glad you picked up on that by the way because obviously I think a lot can get lost in that new game that they played against you yesterday
Because it was down to a lot of individual playmaking and clutch moments and just utter chaos unfolding
But really when you look at that Dust 2 double overtime game, you're absolutely right
like they had a lot more variance in how they approached them out with their
openers and then they were able to throw a lot of misdirection make these huge
rerouting moves to the other side of the map. And that's where Kerrigan
thrives. He thrives in those chaotic mid-round moments where he is the one
that sees the vision of where things need to go. And he's also a guy who can
get tricky in the pick-band phase of a series as well. And so this is exactly
the guy that you need to mold a young up-and-coming player in Kyosuke, wrangle a
bunch of star personalities. You know, Xonak assist there and grabs the bag and
This guy takes them to big things.
Yeah, well, that might be happening.
Let's see if they can overcome magic.
I got a feeling they might.
Guys, great talking to you.
And yes, as I said, magic will be in the building
in more waves than one because they
will be taking on Falcons in about an hour.
But their panel will be coming in in about 45 minutes.
That'll be Tech Girl, Prof, and Blair.
So make sure you join us then.
She said she loves you, but she can't love me.
But I love you!
I won't play Windu anymore.
What's going on?
The human body was built to move.
Not attractive desk in one single posture for 12 hours a day.
It's time your chair evolved. This is Secret Lab Titan Eva.
Ergonomically engineered for you, gamers, hybrid workers, artists, and back in your every move.
So blind, everyone's been blind.
Oh, yeah, Zellex with a swing!
And he's on for the ace.
Zellex just gets mopped up straight away
as he rounds the corner.
This is an Aurora round.
Diffuse attempting.
Oh, wait, JL with a cover!
I line up right.
Oh, that's so good.
JL scrapping and Torsche looking down the barrel of this hole.
Oh, that's a lovely flick! Torsche, why stop there?
Sampias is living on borrowed time and that time's expired and another 4k from Torsche.
And the light is worse.
Oh.
Is it Will?
Now Modesty looking for the refrag back sight has just enough time.
Bomb plants?
Oh.
that he's there, he's going to sit on this position and end it through the round, four
kills to his name.
Niko runs through that molly, it does find a cave player.
Niko able to shut him down, V-Mas dead, climbing up through heaven.
You've been able to claw this one back, there's 2v4 and you're 2v2 and you've got the bomb
planted.
Niko low on health, doesn't care.
On absolute mission!
Ugly spray for Tessus. One more where that came from.
But is it too late? Apparently not.
Kiyosuke has kept the dream alive and now a chance at that plant.
Kiyosuke just staying gun on.
The late plant for Monosie.
Easily done. The double or post plant.
2v5. 4k from Kiyosuke.
Come on, cancel it!
Oh!
Come on!
There's still time for it!
Oh, you can just cancel it!
Molotov-D.
Oh, he hit!
Boy!
It'll have to be Yuri to try to clutch out 1v2, X-Floward's hands, busy Yuri ops, not to jump out through the window immediately.
But this is 52 health for Nylo, and he is sitting back by bench now.
Yuri's got to figure out where he's at.
Oh, oh, he's a high enough, you're out!
Time is a big problem, 10 seconds left, one kill in the right.
Oh, that's it!
And you could win this!
Doc is just out in the open looking for duels as he dies, and that is why.
The bomb has been picked back up, but we can see the damage that's been done on all the Furia player, dude.
Clean up on the box site.
The way he's just out of your swing, in case Rado could still deal with this, if not for dog!
Ah, nice distraction. Offers up the Molodoy line side.
Nice shot.
Shiro's got the recovery under way as he drops down pistol in hand.
Giving more and more time for your kid, Dark.
Shiro.
Oh, you get the kill?
Line side it.
Oh, you messed it up!
Oh, no!
It's what multiple players coming up on banana now.
He really wants to lure them in to this position for Luchov and he's gonna come out shooing
and he did get Molotov.
And Lutter is gonna be putting a bit of a wrinkle in this round as he wants to try and
get closer.
Flashbang is good but Luchov falls in position.
Third player company that's now one ever perivision if you want a chance to get in here but Luchov
is just estimating them. Another headshot looking for another ace in this first half.
He is 17 and 2 hunting for the ace and he gets another one in the first half.
Maxim might be able to find a kill here on Cecello who's playing up by the church position.
You're very deep towards church as well, all but it's a bit of a sloppy fight at the moment.
Runs out of bullets, knife is out, and on the other side too, it's all around highs!
Okay!
Wallabong will force the Bay Day out at the very least, it's now it's the open and no man's flying.
But they're gonna call upon him, I'm gonna stick an 8W through your hollow!
He goes to 4 and it's all of the soldiers of 9-10 as AWP!
So it'll be sort of an execute but a cow the smoke is coming out, they're bumping into each other!
Matt, listen, the smoke moon, is he going to be able to find anything?
He's joined the T side somehow but now he's dead instead!
Tensy with 3 kills!
Oh and a headshot straight through! How has he done that?
He can be the insurance policy, Tensy's made a kill for P's, he's out all on Tensy!
Time is ticking here, though. Five seconds, you gotta get this kill and take it back in two!
Oh my god, heroic! How have you let that slip?
The steps heard by G2, and you're not mistaking the sound of NERDS picked up without a kill,
and it's chased with JL, finds Hunter back in the spawn. Matt is playing through the smoke.
EZ is here a moment, wrestles with the...
OHHHHH! Matt is knocked some down!
Oh
We're gonna get away with the multi-kilber the bomb was dropped there on that spam out of a target
Close he won't follow up on a belcher knocking now the dualies firing back
Yeah!
Oh, they just got hit!
Oh, no!
We're cardiac!
Soulfly attempted the clutch, but with the AWP here,
it should be a safe round for paravision.
Thank you.
Tom's not parking for long.
It's his, Belchinock.
Soulfly knows on that deep view, it's Belchinock.
Can't do it.
What a weird round.
Crazy.
Some of the other maps, well that's an eye for the party here.
Make some noise!
It's mouse!
Let's hear it
The real chance of the retake shouldn't be but walk's take your right all the sudden under pressure
He's got three players coming up from tunnels behind him, Soulfly's down to 14 health.
Madger's going to be a late arrival out from middle.
Soulfly dropped him forward.
It's still costly.
Oh, he got a flying knife!
He got a flying knife!
Cash for your efforts.
He's got two players occupied and Zershin's out enough, but he got a nowhere for Madger.
Saw that.
Would love to try to test this smoke, so he gives himself that underhanded flash,
gets Spades off the line.
Mola talk to the back of site.
Wikadia will take it down, he's got a smoke to cross, and they found their opening.
Madre trying to take his sweet time with this, Wikadia just needs to survive.
And as they sit outside of the window, there's the flight for Madre, perfectly timed.
And with this amount of time, it's not going to happen.
Aurora, four players with rifles versus Soulfly.
He's got a pistol to try to play with, they give him these duels.
He's still working with 50 health.
JL's low, multiple body spotted.
He is drawing them into perfection.
Now they're starting to consider it. All the line up there!
Exertion's full health dead, still low HP, J.O. though!
Think of the value they got out of this!
And he's dead on the wall!
Saviour looked close.
First blood.
Tourist he fights in Zell X as well. It's just a sea of kills out of mouse everybody putting in their work
Please give it up for
Give it up for magic
Oh
Awkward kind of a tier 2 always let the rush like that DGT tech 9
Boss balls dead. It's gonna be on moon to stop it and despite his best efforts with the double kill loot chops
What more can you do it's a low-health farm player that's
Whoa!
There's an AK still out here on the field, hunting heads,
and it's just not going to happen.
A little lost in the sauce this round.
Our magic, and they better not die after.
Wait, they caught!
Help!
No!
Doesn't look like you're going to stop magic from getting
inside of this A site.
Bomb gets dropped.
He'll try his to press his bomb, and from the bottom
of the health bar, three kills left there!
Jackpot for Mayer.
Just all off the audio. Baszler has no idea what he's done.
He's gonna cause AW to scramble. He will fight at least as one.
And then Tenz he's catching Lucho. Voss Voss Voss.
Oh!
Oh, got himself the double.
He's gonna try to press into Voss Voss and obviously loses.
It's on their way over, but the Needs will dislodge Hunter.
More damage, quick down range from Mattis. There's a lot of low players here. Mattis, but if a headhunter looks for his second, learns about the long player in Taneer as well, they can't flush him out!
You can still look at Mattis to be a difference maker on for the ace in this 4-spy.
5-7's tweaking him well. On that sweep, let's get down, but he can't survive to make sure it's not in vain.
One man made it across pitside, they don't know about heavy guard jokers in the pack!
Oh, that evil!
They'll make him pay!
Walks smoke to slow them down, the rest of the play is coming up short.
Right in! The dog stalker at us!
As P2 from afar, two to the dirt, he's bought down low.
That P2P he's gonna be a bit more considered now. You've got Mattis tucked in taking next contact
And it's Donk with all the kills in this pistol round
And there's the fourth. Is it really gonna be a Donk?
Oh! That is well applied!
They get in to B right now they're up the rampside. It's taking it back home.
It causes them problems
It won't come to matter if the next death is Mattis out towards Cade looking for this
trade to Nier.
Will not let him get it.
Spirit 2 players ready to receive to Nier is all that's required.
Caravans selling this, but it is the b hit, and you're going to worry about Kiasute,
Kinsuke, clean entry on the fallen.
Oh, guys, they double up.
Swing out from your kid, don't want to be able to punish,
but finally will be all firing off,
and they know they've got carrying traps.
Yeah, that's it.
It's a long way to try and make this feel recoverable.
The replay on the cards, Kinsuke.
Top performer, right plays, right time.
Oh, he's hitting shots.
There's all of them!
AAAAAAAAGH!
Pace, disrespect, PIST OFF!
You can't just hand it off!
Oh!
Where's this come from?
Okay!
I'm trying to play safe on a kickoff!
Last time they weren't able to stop it.
This time, it's a different story.
Line up into the tunnels.
Big damage from the rifle.
Try to be the guy fighting first scared back from the window side-by-side with forward
This is for all the marbles. This is for those sevens.
YAY!
I have Lutrov with me from 9Z. I've got Gentlemates Martinez with me here, JL from MAUS.
We're going to be looking at Inferno.
So three things are not correct on this image.
What could it be?
Okay, I saw one already.
Okay.
This is easier, I think.
Okay, on pull, pull that sandbox is not good.
The...
In pull, there's something that usually don't...
What is it?
That thing, I don't know.
On the, yeah, so we call them like sandbags?
You enter B and the right side.
Yeah, where should it be? Where it should be somewhere else?
Yeah.
The easiest of them all. 100% locked in guest towards the pool.
There's a sandbag that doesn't belong there. Move it back, please.
Thank you. Thank you, big boss.
Oh my God! It's so easy. I've got to figure it out.
And triple, like, it's not the pillar, it's like a wall on triple.
The bench of triple? I don't know how to say, but five of them, I think.
The bench is not supposed to be there, I know, because I've been on that bench.
It's not there, it's supposed to be in, I don't know where it's supposed to be, but it cannot be there.
Move that bench now.
Thank you.
Oh, so that was the change.
I thought it was going to be bench there and the triple box missing, so that's three.
Okay, then I need one more, right?
One more.
The stairs.
They joined the wall on this side.
Yeah, there's no entrance.
It's like you have, I don't know who to say, but yeah, close to the ball, you have to
cross the side.
When you go in the side.
Yeah.
There you go.
Yeah, the wall missing.
Boom.
This one is easier.
That one's easier?
Yeah.
I've got Aurora's newest member with me, Soulfly.
Yukinda with me from Furia, G2's Maddy's with me here.
Three things on here that have changed.
Okay, so I need to go closer to the monitor.
Is it the A on the city part, looks weird.
That one has to be...
Okay, is the A thing?
Yeah.
Not there?
The elevator, the sticker, I think, right?
Yes, correct.
And we're done.
But we're done?
You can't say, and we're done.
Wait, so are there like all these ones?
Uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, what else?
Is there any small info?
No.
OK, my eyes is not the best, first of all.
No, no.
Books are fine.
There is a tree window on the wrong side now.
No, that is not the one.
Oh, okay. The sticker on the left, no? It's supposed to be down, or it's supposed to be there.
What are you talking about, sticker? What is it exactly? Tell me the thing you're talking about.
The culture, no? The goose should be from the right side, I think.
Okay, so the goose is on the... It's not on this side, I think the goose is on the other side.
I don't... Oh! But I said it! This is the back or what?
Oh, yeah, it's a goose.
Oh, it's a dog!
Bro, I saw the sticker, I told it's a cultured on Mirage, you know, jumping and killing people.
Really?
I saw the sticker.
On the go, you know, like if you go here, we call it goose.
Yeah.
What is it in Turkish?
It's a goose as well.
So how did you not know it was a goose?
A goose, but it looks...
Yeah.
You see what I mean?
Yeah, I get it now.
Oh man.
Okay, so one more.
One more.
Difference, right?
This one's really hard though.
Is it a hard one?
Or am I missing something?
I think it's hard.
You think it's hard, right?
Maybe the sign on the right, the blue one.
I'm not sure.
No, not the sign.
And then, then, then, then.
The red windows or something?
No, no, no, no, that, that, that's...
Ah, no clue then.
Is there something in the background that I'm missing?
Car is fine.
There's nothing above.
Do you like driving?
Oh, the car, yeah.
The car is, they move to do much more, right?
There is something with the car, why don't things are moving?
There is a lot of more space, no?
The car is moved.
There we go!
I was expecting it to start.
Maybe a little push in the direction, you were like, the car is fine.
I'm like...
Let me reveal it to you and see if you've noticed how deep the car was.
See?
Okay.
I was not even looking that direction.
I thought this was a great map for you guys.
They're going to...
You really?
bad verse to me, I believe it.
Yeah, the cars, you know, like I'm thinking, oh, the car is there, the car is there.
Yeah, the car, it's a nothing show.
Yeah, right, exactly.
Cash is back in Counter Strike and I got someone who's definitely got a lot of cash
experience under his belt of it I want to ask you though in terms of what you
would like to see if cash was added who would you like to see be removed which
map would go it's hard not to say an Ubi's honestly because it's a map that
people are avoiding to play like you can see on every matchup it's not even
picked sometimes it's video seconds sometimes you go first so I think that
people really don't really like a map that can be so one-sided and even with
the upgrades that Valve came with I think it added something but I don't
I still don't think it really changed what needed to be changed.
Not that I know what needed to be changed, but it didn't really get to a point from the other maps.
I don't like Inferno.
Oh, you don't like it?
I don't like Inferno. I hope it's going to be replaced.
And it's going to be more, you know, some actions, I think, like this.
Because Inferno is about, like, macro, nades, something like this.
I'm thinking if cable mint in the apps, you know.
Honestly, two weeks ago I would say Mirage, but now we are playing much better, so I think
overpass, because I mean for example Inferno, I think they will remove Inferno, but bro, how are
you gonna remove Inferno? The only thing that you have to do is just remove the building on banana,
so that this can play and can just do things around there, so I don't know, it's gonna be
overpass or inferno but I think it's gonna be inferno but I would like to be overpassed.
Yeah I could see it coming into the map pool maybe instead of Anubis or yeah.
Mirage, definitely Mirage all day all long like because it has been here for a long time
if Cache deserved it if Cobblestone deserved it Mirage deserving to you know like go out
bro go out and come back later you know like you have been there for a long time one one thing
added like a bench and stuff and that's it like they need to some like they
need to do some really adjustments anything like different like you know
back in the days I played the 1.6 with my friends like I don't know maybe half
then like one year I don't know one year before I think we play like I casual
Mirage and we played like kind of five versus five bro everything is same like
now you know like bro that that map has been there like for decades maybe more
And now this is still the same, nothing changed, I think it has to be gone.
Thank you very much for sharing Voxic, there you go, some moments when it comes to cash.
I do agree with Voxic as well, no mirage, bring cash in, that'll be the best way to do it.
Let's see what happens.
I have Luchov with me from 9Z. Falcons, Munisey with me here today. JL with a gold mouse logo.
Overpass. Three changes. This is what you're looking at, what you cook them with.
Oh no. You've been playing more than once?
Yes. Too much.
Okay. Oh my god, I don't play this map, man.
Okay, no battles, no battles.
Barrio. The easiest of them all.
The 100%, 100% of the 100% they're barrels on the left are missing.
Yes. Yep. Yep.
Two more.
I don't see anything.
No graffiti, right?
Help you. Okay.
Something on the wall?
Ah, okay. In the dildo.
Ah, you're correct on that. On the pillar?
Yes.
Painting on the dildo pillar is missing.
Painting on the dildo is what you wanted to say, but you quickly corrected yourself.
yourself. I can't say it's against my rules. If I say you just say religion I know
you're lying. I guess my PR training you know what I mean. Oh against the PR training okay
but one more and it's very obvious that you're gonna be like what the hell. What the hell. I don't
need to help you. And the looky barrels back graffiti is back something inside right in the
middle or I'm mistaken. Nope. One more very obvious one. Crazy bro it's huge. Nasty. Like me.
Sorry.
This one's an added and moved, it would not normally be in this position.
Oh my God!
It's on site next to the sandbags.
No.
The graffiti behind is not...
Where should that be?
Yeah, where does it normally...
Behind.
Exactly, on the monster.
On the monster, but the T-Site.
You need to remove something that is not there normally.
Like this thing close monster?
Yeah, but where should it be?
What should it be?
I'm like, yeah, man.
It's a monster, right?
Ah, oh my God, it has to be opposite of a monster, like, towards the T side.
Yeah, above the...
Yeah, exactly, man.
What is... oh no, oh my God!
That painting on monster!
Yeah!
It's supposed to be above the monster tunnel.
Yes, that's what it's called, the monster tunnel.
Yeah!
Not the monster wall, you know what I mean?
Exactly.
God damn it.
That took me a little bit too long, so I checked.
That was, that was, sorry chat, you're not streaming bro.
Am I?
That's not streaming.
It's live streaming now.
You're a chat that can get a W please.
I
Welcome back to PGL Astana, Spirits has speed run their way through to the grand final
and now we're about to find out who will join them.
Will it be Magic or Team Falcons?
Before we do that though, I have a little message for real CS followers, the ones that
have been watching for a long time.
You've probably heard the story of the curse that Blair and I have on the second analyst
on a table.
Because it would appear in the last two years, every time you put Blair and I on a desk,
the third person either cancels themselves or never works again.
However, I knew it needs to point out that I believe the curse may be broken because
Prof made it all the way through the group stages and he made an epic epic game
yesterday in this arena and not once has he got cancelled yet. Well it's in
tour was not done yet right we still have the finals taking place tomorrow so
let's let's wait on that Sam but yeah no listen epic game I think that's what
we'll have to touch upon yesterday listen I feel I was having some sleep I was
having dreams of some of the rounds we saw in that particular match of a Prof
What a game we're blessed. Yeah, I mean the adrenaline was high after that one and I feel like my position
The cancel ability not high unless play you leave our messages from this morning or any other
But that aside
You wouldn't believe what's going on between the two of us it's very a lot of a lot of good stuff
Yes, generally sharing our outfit
I didn't want to know about that because I was like I didn't get the memo that we were
tracing similar no one no one in here to me in that chair.
Well the guy that used to do that is he's also cancelled so you know maybe we shouldn't
be going down that path.
Talking about the games today we have I was looking at the schedule it says Falcons Magic
but I thought we saw that yesterday so what the hell is going on.
Well played there I like that one I mean that is the truth though what is kind of funny
We have to point out, obviously, we finished quite late last night.
I think we were all in the shuttle, heading back to the hotel at like two in the morning.
Delirious after a hundred rounds of counter strike.
But one of the things that we all started giggling about is,
we said, if there ever was a team that could lose in a semi-final,
after the game we just saw, it would be Falcons.
Yeah, I can see that.
But listen, coming into this match, I know what's been happening with Carrigan's face recently.
every losing it virtually everyone even freaking fanatic or crying out loud right so that was it's been a rough time for them for sure overall
But I feel like this is a different falcon what we saw from them yesterday
I looked at some of the numbers
I looked at all the games that falcons have played in the previous line-up
They had where they start off a best of three with losing the first map and against like a top 20 a top 30 team
They've lost they've only managed to pull up the reverse sweep only three times
Which is kind of crazy to think about it
So, honest to God, I feel like yesterday was the turning point for this Falcons team.
So, sure, there is a chance, but I think it's minuscule.
I mean, also just add to that, this year in playoffs,
teams they have been losing to, uh,
Paravision in the final of Bounty, they won a few games in Bounty,
but other than that, any real arena, they have not won a game in playoffs.
They lost to Paravision two times, they lost to Spirit,
Spirit who they've been dominating.
Falcons versus Spirit, Donk versus Niko and Monosy.
Niko and Monosy always had the number.
they go to an arena, they lose.
That's why when people say, like, oh, you're glazing,
care again too much, you look at the stats
and all of these things, this kind of a performance,
that this, he brings something they need.
And it might be in tangibles, it might be tangibles,
but without them, they wouldn't be winning that game.
We can talk about the intangibles for days,
we'll never know, but there is always a personality shift
when you remove a piece at one
and those personalities change.
But there are some tangible things we saw yesterday.
There were actual things happening in the server
where we went, that could be the addition of Terrigan.
Yeah, I mean, I think the obvious one
has to be young old Kiyosuke, right?
Like, he was being, he's been having his woes.
We touched upon how his playoffs performances
is more Kyosuke than Kyosuke.
But yesterday, he was the difference maker.
Sure, they were around this,
and I had to throw it in, right?
It's been in my head.
I've been waiting, because I've done this.
Blaine drops these things quite a bit in the green room.
And I've been waiting, because I was like,
it's gonna drop on the desk at some point.
So I wondered when it would come out.
No one did it, so I had to drop it down.
Anyway, the thing is, yesterday, sure,
there were rounds which he single-handedly threw
for his team, but at the same time,
there's so many impactful moments,
and this is the game, by the way.
This is a series where he put up
one of the most impressive arping performances
I have personally ever had a chance to witness,
and despite that, he was just completely all out.
This obviously starts across the entire tournament,
but Kyosuke, I think that's the immediate effect,
The immediate kaugen effect that we're seeing, right?
I mean, it's easier to call him Kyosuke after he puts out a performance like this, right?
Then it's kind of like a joke.
But if it was two days ago, it would sound a lot meaner, right?
And I mean, for me, definitely the main of the match yesterday, despite the fact that
Monasi was obviously a superstar, and you have to look at the series all together.
And Kyosuke was putting in a huge performance, in my opinion, his best playoff performance
ever in his career and his first step towards greatness.
And I was promised when this guy was signed.
And especially as well considering how heavy the pressure was as well, right?
When the chips were down, when it's looking super rough, he did deliver when he really had to.
So I feel for me, that's him starting to finally break out of his cocoon.
There's something very artistic and almost poetic about the fact that when you see this team on the stage,
Kerrigan sits in the middle and he places these two young superstars on either side of him,
Kiyosuke and then Manasi as well, who yesterday, my gosh, like, where has that, I know Manasi
consistently does well on a stage, but it's been a long time since I think we've all been
speechless and had our breath taken away by his performance and that was what he did yesterday.
I mean that was the flash in his peak, right, first map, Molodon had his number, but on
Nuke and especially on the T side, how difficult it is to up on the T side.
When I think about the best offer you think about, Saiwu, he's not even going to pick
pick up the AWP, some halves on the T-side, he's just an rifle, because it is so difficult
to find picks, but this guy was finding a left-righted center, the Tessus interview that came out
later, he was like, yeah, I didn't, like, he couldn't really explain what happened on
the T-side, he was just like, I'm honestly, he picked up the AWP and somehow he just found
openings round after round, and that made it for such an entertaining game of Nuke, and
a game of Nuke that I don't think we'll see repeated maybe ever.
It's also like, we had X-ray on, we had the radar on, and even then we were wondering,
Wait, how did he even get the kill?
One round comes to mind, which is still bamboozled to me,
where he buys the AWP, kind of a four-spy from him,
one deagle for his team, three glocks,
and he gets four opening kills,
and there are single-handedly, that was superlative,
like an incredible showing,
which I don't think even Monosy
will be able to replicate anytime soon, honestly.
That was once in a, I don't want to say a lifetime,
but once in a blue moon performance.
Do you think that like, if Zonic is watching these discs back,
there is a level of frustration now,
because he's been putting this team together for how many years,
and then you just bring in Karrigan and suddenly we're like,
oh, well, that's actually all you needed.
It kind of feels a little bit like we're saying,
well, hey, Zonic, you're not really needed.
You just needed this good IGL.
Honestly, if anything, I think he should be happy
we're not mentioning it more,
because he had most of these pieces for the longest time,
and he couldn't make it work.
He couldn't figure out the positions.
He was trying with Kixxan.
I mean, all of these players, in some ways,
were decided by him, right?
He had a big say in bringing in the players.
Maybe Kyosuke wasn't as ideal, but that is a superstar player
that you're bringing in a rookie of the year to be,
which he wasn't.
It was stolen away by Molotovic.
But he was in control of this lineup.
And if anything, seeing how good they look with Kerrigan,
how some things are clicking that Zoni could never figure out,
I feel like it's a bit of a rough look for him.
It's also, I mean, yes, sure.
I'm going to pick that up.
He lifts the trophy, no one cares.
That's not his goal.
Of course.
Of course.
End of the day, if they're winning, then everything's fine.
then they're going to be like, well, you know,
is he really doing anything if they're winning so easily?
The classic exit task conversation comes into play.
Listen, it's different from being a coach.
You might have the best laid plans,
but then in the server itself,
it's a whole different ball game, right?
And I feel that's always the thing that gets overlooked.
You can be the coach, you can have the best plans.
You can try and tell them what to do,
but when it comes crunch time, you can see them crumble.
You can see them struggling, and that's a character thing.
He's in the server in the moment,
make telling them this is how we're going to approach things.
Also, can't forget, you know, Tessa's mentioned in interviews,
Well, I think Monosy as well where he's like just the that energy that vibe he brings to the team
This is something we never saw in a previous iteration the Falcons right when the chips were done
He could say everyone looking grim even you know
You could see even kicks and be a little bit quiet
It was on you trying to hype them up
Kagan's gonna hype you up every single round till the game ends and I think that's a big difference
I mean, this is one of the things I wanted to touch about because you talk a lot about in tangibles with with Karrigan
but there are also some tangibles that he brought in into this specific line-up
in setting certain roles.
And what Tessus was saying after the win yesterday, he was like,
yeah, we, Kerrigan decided Niko needs to be the closer.
He's going to take that role, and Tessus is going to be,
sometimes needs to be selfish, sometimes Niko needs to wait,
but sometimes he'll be the sacrificial player as well.
And it is a much clearer definition with Kerrigan and Kyosuke taking point,
and then Niko being on the closing part of the game.
Sometimes kinda invisible, but sometimes doing the key stuff.
Okay boys, I think we've glazed Falcons enough.
Time to move on.
Let's talk about magic now.
A team that came into this,
I think this was their third LAN as a team together.
And now they are here in the semifinals.
I mean, I love the line that's groaning used
where he said it's not a miracle, it's magic,
but does the magic run out now?
I actually was looking at some of the numbers, crunching some numbers, lying my head, wondering what I'm going to be wearing, and I'm like, all right, I want to take a look at how many land games, not big event games, how many land maps that these young four or five players have played, combined in total, not the lineup, right?
And then I compared that to Karrigan, and the difference was just ridiculous. I think Magic combined, they have like 220 maps played, land maps played, in the entire careers, total up in different teams, different lineups.
Karaklan's got about 2,000 just by himself. Not bringing in Niko, not bringing in Tessus and all these guys.
So when you're talking about just the Gulf sheer disparity and experience, I don't think I've ever seen something like this.
I mean, that is true, but Moon is playing on LAN every weekend because he is in Kazakhstan.
But it's not HLTV?
It's not, it's not. But there is also something to, I don't know, it's not the same, it's not the same, it's not the same for sure.
but I want to say there is a certain element that these young guys are bringing to the table
that does show that in some ways they don't care.
Moon, he said it in a quote, he's like, yeah, our internet is so bad that we can't really play online,
so we just play local LAN tournaments all the time and we get experience like that.
And obviously it's a completely different ballgame playing in front of thousands of people
and playing in a little LAN cafe in Almaty, but it does really feel like they brought something
from bad fearlessness and left it on stage yesterday against 9z. Hopefully they can do
something similar against Falcons. You know what sound this reminds me of? There's a certain player,
the first Kazakh superstar and I'm sure everyone remembers. Also a major winner is one of the form
of Adren, right? He came onto some of his old guys radar back in 2005 WCG when it was Counter
Strike Source. No one really talks about that game but still he placed second in the tournament WCG
coming out of nowhere and that was the recurring trend for all the players in this country and
how much they struggle when it comes to the ping and it's not something you can fix you can't
fix ping it's just pure distance it's pure geography right but the fact that we're still
finding such a healthy land culture here the playing amongst themselves where we're finding the
likes of a moon the likes of a Maldodoi the future of counter-strike in this country is bright.
I think back now to last year and the buddhapest major and and what we saw from
Karrigan leading phase and how in the group stages against lesser known teams
Pretty dismal and then yes
They go on to make the final when they when they play better opposition it drastically improves
And then I think about the phase we've seen in the last few months having to go to these small lands and really
Struggle against these tier 3 tier 2 teams
Magic is one of those teams. You don't know what you're getting from them
There's no protocols in place, it's kind of just an empty space.
Maybe Karrigan's kryptonite? Could it be?
I don't want to say there's no protocols, but it's pretty much outside of the box of regular Counter-Strike,
modern meta or what the top teams play. They're really happy to do whatever they feel like,
can give them a win in a certain moment.
And we saw against 9C how it worked sometimes, and then how it would backfire completely.
The thing is, I think what can help Falcons here is they have a back room staff that is huge.
That can actually even, you know, before they were back in the hotel, start preparing for Magic and get, you know,
get Sonic and Keregan a full brief of what's going on.
How much time? Let's be realistic. I know it's time we all got to bed.
Those players hadn't even eaten. How much time, realistically, have they actually had to prepare for this matchup?
That's hard to say, but I think I agree with Prof. I think there's a very fair point you bring up where you know
They're like listen, you're gonna have a backup stuff and tell you this is what you're gonna
This is what you're gonna do, but if I'm faculty's coming in you're not over prepping for this matchup
You're not gonna be looking at magic demo even if you had time you're not going to be going in deep to see oh
This is complete bullshit. We don't know what the hell they're doing right?
You don't want to deal with that just go in with your game plan
You are the better team you have the stars you have the major winners you have everything going for you
You're coming in as a favorite and they should be playing this game like they are the favorites
Do you think that will?
It should.
Yeah, I mean, for me, Magic have an opportunity to do something very funny.
I know it, right?
It could happen.
It could happen.
It's not going to happen.
It would be the funniest thing ever.
It would be such a 180 in the community after what Falcons brought yesterday,
the win against Heria, that's super memorable.
It would just put such a damper on all the mood.
And it would definitely take away from that game that we watched yesterday.
They're now saying like, game of the tournament, game of the year, but if that's, you know,
if they just lose now, what do we make of it?
Falcons hate watches, you just gave them a little bit of hope that might be crashed in
a little bit.
Okay, we've had a lot of fun here, but the real fun is happening on the stage.
Let's go check it out.
Salam Astana!
Our next semi-final game is about to get under way, and for one team, they are massive underdogs.
The magicians, by name, by nature, are players who have shown that they can fight their way
up.
But this is their toughest test yet.
They play a game of chaotic counter-strike, but this is also where their opponent thrives,
and that is what they must be careful of.
away they deserve your respect for getting this far so please make some
noise put your hands together it's MAGIC!
And on the other side, we have a team that yesterday played what could have been better.
And on the other side, we have a team that yesterday played what could be a grand final.
They played the best game we've seen so far this year, with a new leader, Manasi doing
the unthinkable.
Kioski looking stronger than we have seen him.
But they are still two games away from the goal and lifting this trophy.
they know better than many other teams that it is certainly not a given to win
even against opponents they are favored against. So let's hear it for Team Falcon!
AW, come on join us up here, everyone else can get down to their seats.
Nico, a smile on your face as you enter this stage, but I've got to ask you, how much did you sleep?
How did you reset in terms of how crazy were that adrenaline and everything that was flowing yesterday for that game?
Yeah, it was definitely one of the craziest games I have ever played.
It was too intense and obviously we tried to get as much rest as possible.
I got enough sleep, I feel rested and I think it's important that we put a game behind us
and we just collect the confidence from yesterday and we need to bring the same energy that we had yesterday,
maybe even more. But we are feeling very good.
First being for us and the players this season as well, so we are feeling good so far.
So far.
I know it was only one game on the stage, but it is a game with Karagun.
Is that the difference that's being made already?
Is that what you would quantify as?
Or is there more to it that you might be able to explain?
I mean, I think Finn is known for shining on the stage.
He definitely brings different type of energy
than any other player we know that he strives.
And he's here to help us to get over the edge.
And he did an amazing job yesterday.
He kept us in the game.
And yeah, we have full trust in him.
He has full trust in us.
And it's good to share a stage with him after eight years.
Playing with Karrigan after 8 years of break-up, Karrigan gives a lot of team, especially in terms of energy, ideas and calls.
That's why he gave a lot of impact for yesterday's victory.
even if maybe they're not as big known names, they can certainly prove to shoot hard and be difficult to play against.
Yeah, I mean, they have a really impressive run, you know, it's not easy coming, I believe, all the way from qualifiers.
There are 0-2 down in group stage, so they show some very good resilience so far at this event,
and we can't underestimate them at any point in the round.
Yes, as you said, they can bring some chaotic CS, but we try to prepare as much as we can for it,
This is also very, very striking, at least with yesterday, hopefully, with today, and yeah,
just hoping maybe for a little less rounds today, so you can get some good rest tonight.
I'm joking, I just hope it's going to be fun, it's going to be very fun.
AW, following on from that. The chaos that we see from your team and how you guys play,
how does it work, who is making the calls? We know Sv8 is the leader, but how much input,
how much of the other team members are being vocal throughout this?
I would like to say Salam Astana!
I asked how many...
How many impacts your teammates have had? How many did they have yesterday? How active were they?
Oh, we have all the active teams, and I think everyone has an impact on this victory.
I don't know what else to say. Today will definitely be an easy game for Falcons, and we will try to win them.
For everyone on the team, this is the biggest stage, the biggest moment.
It's the biggest team these players have ever faced up against.
What mentality needs to be brought to this game? How do you handle all of that?
How do you manage to get on stage and play against one of the strongest teams you've ever met?
How can you prepare for that and what do you need to do to win?
I think we don't have a choice. We have to play with them to death.
And this is all our mentality, just playing every game.
in magic now let's find out
okay okay but what about falcons
that's that's hard that's kind of close try again okay
And what about Falcons?
Alright, what I need from everyone here though, you're going to help me out with this crystal
mate, to make sure everyone understands, we're going to cut our way through this and get
ourselves closer to the game.
Let's go!
Let's go!
I just really quickly, I mean two shoutouts. One, PGL for the Sun and the Lightings that I've seen in the stadium. What a way to just make it rock before the game.
And also two to Crystal May, because now we have that translation, we can get a little bit more out of it.
I mean all we got is this is a deathmatch, but there you go, I mean at least it's more than most.
Also, what is the banks joining us for karaoke? That voice could go hard.
That was some crazy sustainment.
Actually, that was a Linkin Park, you know in the end. Yeah, you could do that. I do like the I do like what you you know
Some fighting words here. I like that from a deputy is not like yeah, that's all for the good games
I know we're gonna get that much baby. So he's saying fighting talk, but where was the last time you heard me gurgle
It's gonna fun day like they look excited to play counter-strike the game
Joy has a way of returning
I saw my thoughts on Falcons after Kerrigan joined the lineup and Niko reunited with him.
He says eight years, seven and a half years since their last playoff game together.
It was a loss to Liquid in 2018, but yesterday I think they mended a lot of the old wounds.
Okay, the video is coming up, but let's be fair, how much are we actually putting into this?
There's one question.
We don't know anything about these two.
Do Magic try something weird here, right?
Go for an August.
Go for an August.
This is the only question I have about the Vito, but that ancient...
Alright, no. They look good yesterday on it, right?
I do believe it's becoming a drug magic.
I'd be extremely surprised if Falcons went with Mirage, right?
Even though Duster makes a little bit more sense,
I guess it's going to be a bit of a shake hand on Mirage.
I don't see magic banning it out,
and I do believe Anubis should be banned out by Falcons.
They really would not be looking to risk anything on this.
So a map pool, which I think if I'm magic, you're kind of happy with this.
Yeah, actually going to Inferno for the last.
I think that's kind of nice because Mirage has been a staple for Falcons,
even though it has been really good for magic.
They also showed a lot of weakness and readability against 9z,
who dominated them on that map.
So a bit of a curve wall maybe there at the end,
but I think Ancient Dust 2, Inferno and Mirage, those were the four maps
and it wasn't going to be like a big surprise.
I would have loved to see a curveball of Anubis being thrown in, even though the only wins Magic has.
It's against lower hero position, but it's not a map that Falcons historically liked a lot or won a lot on.
I'd never really liked it, I guess, and they had so little time together,
but I think they just wanted to go with what they know and what they practice rather than being completely random.
They're not being gimmicky, and here's the thing though, Sam, there's a problem.
I said they like dragging their opponents down into the mud and wrestling, but they got mud wrestling champs on the other side, right?
You've got Karrigan, you've got Modesty, you've got Nika, so it's not going to be easy for these young Davids here.
Can we just also give a little bit of props to Tessus, who I think yesterday was great.
I still think the comments that I see where they say we need one more superstar, they should get rid of him.
Hello, that guy is a workhorse of note.
I said that quite a few times, but also I love this as a human being, I love him as a player.
I just think he's in such an unenviable position with the expectations that Falcons has.
And also the fact that this guy has been changing roles every six months,
because whoever new comes in, it's like, oh, well, Renee, now it's your turn to make space for this guy.
And it's really difficult. And now he's again finding himself playing, he's playing beyond us too.
He said he's dying in a way a professional player should never die.
and then on Mirage as well, so it's a tough adaptation.
I don't know what world we're living in,
because I'm starting to feel a little bit like a Falcons fan.
So there we go.
I know that the Kazakhstan audience might be concerned.
They've already taken down Molotoy.
Moon, another Kazakhstan player,
stands in their way before they can make the grand finals.
Let's find out if the Falcons are going to do it.
One of the biggest underdog stories
we've ever seen on a stage in Counter-Strike,
Magic with local Kazakh moon all the way from the online open qualifier now to the semi-finals taking on team Falcons
This is David versus a team of Goliaths a superstar stacked roster in Falcons versus a squad that shouldn't even been here
I mean the best team they beat was 9z to get to this point. So for the idea of magic
There's no expectation for Falcons. It is steady. So it's time to see if they can deliver once again
the game. It's been the brand
of CS the magical played
throughout the groups and into
the playoffs. And it's chaos
that Falcons look to instill in
that quarterfinal yesterday.
They thrived in it.
Promising start here in the
pistol. They've got themselves an
an MPB site. If you can get a couple of comfort rounds early on, that would really help quell
any nerves you have ahead of this semi-final. Hawkins on for the retake, but a lot of space
has already been taken away. Asfalt gets out with the first, Monocy will start breaking
through on these goal foretters. Talk about a hell of a start for Monocy, three for him,
It's down to this 1v1.
This is the kid AW knife, Paul's knife sound.
Oh, he'll stab him to death.
This star is heavy.
What a way to open.
AW studied the blade.
And maybe fans of Falcons here, but I think the arena
are going to enjoy every round.
The magic pick up, it's the underdog story.
It's hard not to love.
They have the home crowd hero of the Molotovs elimination.
And so AWP, that single most experienced piece of magic showing up when they need him here in this pistol.
Boon has brought a lot of energy to these games of magic, especially on the stage.
They were taking for a ride against 9z, it was high, low and then a high again to finish off the job on this very map.
And they will beat them in the middle, ace for Tentie in the second round.
This semi-final has kicked off.
We said to expect chaos.
Knife kill already.
Ace in the second round.
What's next?
I don't know, but I'm here for it.
A right smile on Magic's coach.
This whole event likely felt like a bit of a fever dream for Magic.
Let's not forget, they would just stay game away from elimination
all the way back in the groups.
Two, having to come back for an 0-2 down,
backs against the wall the entire time.
And now they're in the semis,
playing not just any roster,
the multi-million dollar super team Falcons project.
Very nice to see them get off to a good start, right?
At the end of the day, they are still underdogs,
but giving them a fighting chance
with his pistol getting converted,
not even the T side, calling their own shots.
They didn't seem nervous in their quarter-final.
That's one thing that they work in their favor on a C though.
Reddy and Middle, it is a clash and a bash for the Falcons,
and they come up ahead chasing down onto Niko.
He wants that fight.
He will deliver dead.
AW takes the trade or picked up in a 2v2.
Chaos ensues.
And they're going to try to get weird with it around this smoke.
Good timing found.
Heals for AW at the back.
And we'll go on a double up.
Karagan doesn't need the help there.
gets it done on his load soon.
Oh, Synergy's back now.
And then Sonic's struggling with the fistbombs, but...
No problem now for Falcons.
They had enough rounds on this very stage yesterday.
A hundred round best of three.
With over times aplenty.
So Falcons break in early in this game.
No celebration for Magic. Their money is on notice.
The late mid pop last round was ready for a three strong.
It's time they play towards their bombsites.
I don't know about you, but I think in a underdog matchup kind of as apparent as this one.
If you're magic, you want to kind of win with almost shock and awe, right?
I don't think in a long game, if we get something even close to resembling to what we had yesterday,
that's where things can fall apart very, very quickly.
This is the youngest team of the entire playoffs, hands down the least experienced squad in this type of environment,
up against a team of veterans, really, with the exception of Kiyosuke,
even then, you think about his rise, all the hype around him, feels like a young veteran in many ways.
At the info, spotted on the ramp, the Falcons with a Flock,
Oh, middle-loss, that's a bit awkward, they can just abandon ship.
Back to the bomb site with you. Falcons in this 4-on-4 will stay moving.
We commit in the cave.
Magic outside of B with that bomb.
With Monosy, back on the A side, Falcons are fine to play heavy on B.
Tenty found that mid-pick. There is fear of a lurker. Right now, only two players in this site.
He block is nice from Tess as a means for they're going to try and come through it gives him a bit of an edge in these fights huge multi-kill for Tess as and you'd like to think that's done enough.
And he might have been ace to his name already, but he's in no fighting shape here six points of health shot away from death. It's the or to face him first.
That needs to do it.
Honestly doesn't need to overthink that one there.
that one there. You told us all the work for him. And so an early equaliser here out of the Falcons, a shut down for
Tessus right inside of the group stages. I was getting a little worried sometimes on ancient because when you see that this
B site has caragon and Tessus on it typically. It's, you know, not the strongest pieces of Falcons right now. It's okay.
Getting very involved on this B site, though, at least Tessus puts on a big double kill to hold down. And he was for
sure a surprise factor in that series yesterday in very limited positions put
on a lot of multi kills. I think he bailed Falcons out of so many rounds.
We saw teams try to abuse that people on site in the group stages.
Maybe Magic will do the same.
Let's see what type of honesty we're getting in this semi-final.
Is it going to be a slow start?
Omri is to build up into it or does he just hit the ground running right away?
A couple of swings and misses here.
It's all the magic way back here in Maine.
I think still you've had that all fire off.
You know who's wielding it.
You know who you're going into.
Huge kill out there towards mid.
Tensy's feeling it.
Mechanics have really shined for Magic. In the group stages that was one thing. Keeping it up in the playoffs has been nothing short of impressive.
Malcon's have reclaring that this timing is awkward. If Magic were to just walk out right now, they're going to have a lot of space.
Converting this round is a whole different question. But element of surprise perhaps in their pocket.
One of the problems you're going to have here is, where do you go when you get the site control, right?
You kind of want that donut space, but it's occupied.
Monacee sits back here with the AWP, and he's anticipating, well, they want this area, they want this space.
He's just going to try and hold on to it.
And if you just get trapped in at the site, it feels very claustrophobic.
You don't really feel that there's many places to hide.
Monacee's AWP continues to cut through this post plot.
The rest of his team show up and it's only AW with this eagle.
Shot won't connect.
Big multi-kill for Monosy, and Tess says mopping up two more on that retake.
It's not a problem.
Yeah, so it's steady. Monosy goes fishing, and all magic takes the worms.
Easy round for the Falcons, despite conceiving A, able to pick it up clean and clinical in that retake.
Leave this game three to two, three straight rounds on the CT side.
We've got a four by now for Magic back on this T side.
Moon has definitely been hit and miss with the AWP,
but I enjoyed watching his recovery towards the end of the 90 game
and a couple of massive kills, impactful kills and clutches
towards the end of the game, even if his numbers weren't there,
it was kind of undeniable.
So, on this very map, Magic's pick, Moon brings out AWP in.
He's actually sold it.
No armor, so...
And a stick of rifles, Magic's want to play combat.
It's better than having an armless AWP, I think on T-side Ancient it's already a hard map for AWPers, when you consider the U-Till Falcons are throwing an elbow. It's a painful map as well.
Hi Renne, we see him through the RAP side, has a teammate with him, carrying and hoping for the trade.
Flash is good, and this is really trying to get some value out of this RAP push. AW feasts upon the Falcons.
That smokes a problem, they would have loved it on short, gives Falcons Rift across, but doesn't matter what stage ups you down like that.
That's a good stuff for magic,
right? I would just repel a part
for the course ramp take. Ends
up being a birdie feast for a W.
That's explosive element. Some
of these magic players right
That's an explosive element of some of these magic players, right?
Hot hand, Pharisee. When they get one, they just go right back in.
That's why they were set up as this chaotic team,
this team that could catch you off guard,
but Trep will only get you so far against.
Magic will run at you. They will not respect you.
Listen, they kept hunting for this AK. Niko is fouled.
Magic maximum damage.
I think how we're here in Astana Falcons benefited from a bit of relief and expectations, right?
I think it's one of the things with this squad.
With how much money has gone into it.
The names you have in this roster,
there's always been expectations and results.
And they've at least been able to take some of that pressure off
of the idea that they've changed IGLs.
This is a bit of a warm-up, a chance to see where they're at.
Good job, well done.
You're doing great, Andrey, well done, guys.
But in this game, they are the heavy favorites.
And so those expectations are kind of back again. Let's see if that causes them to buckle in any way
I mean after BC Fury in the way they did there's no way you can have any doubts on Falcons making the final
How much for magic believe it might not matter?
Eco shuts down a double in a main
Turn of control
Here are the AWP, Tensy not committing.
Montesy's actually rotated CT.
There's a gap in that push timing for Tensy.
He walks out into the site, smoked behind him.
Would he go? Would he really go all the way through?
Putting a lot of trust in your read of this situation,
the idea that you're here on a forward timing
and the Falcon just aren't ready for it.
Tensy, this is such a bullsy move.
He goes check against...
Oh, no!
Eko has just saved Montesy's life.
he hit his keyboard or something he just knocked his trigger that is so
awkward that was the rounded up arm of his hand two entry kills the orb can't
save them
might be a save
to get into that position.
What a check for Nico, though. He still walks back in clear CT. I don't even know why he
would do that. Realizing there's a very small window, small gap. They find a play retake
on A, clearly based on the some of the moves we've seen from Falcons in the late round.
So Warp still has the threads, will hold his own for a second, Montessy is chasing it down.
Falcons still in full control.
We've had noticeably less show voting from Carrigan, I would say, here.
Yeah.
Series yesterday didn't exactly give you a lot of breathing room
to do so.
Got more to focus on, I'd say, in this event.
You mentioned the pressure being on or off,
or wherever it's at, where Falcons are feeling.
I mean, Nico was saying, coming into the playoffs,
like, I don't think the expectations, maybe
trying to diminish them somewhat,
I don't think the expectations are on us
to take the trophy at our debut event with the same game leader.
Well, now they are.
Tenshi trying to get out through middle, Faustin's looked to be in here.
And it's a very commanding start to this game out in the eco.
He's hoped to be hyperactive, very involved all across the map.
Now he's given a bit more freedom.
He's got all his own shots here.
And then Kiyosuke put a real bit of hurt on this mid-take,
and so you've shut Magic's early game down.
That deep smoke from Karagin towards Cable also just threatened Magic so much.
They don't have the confidence to walk through it and go to heaven.
That would have been the only way to punish Falcons in that setup.
There was a chance, but Svay doesn't take it.
Holly in middle, Magic will recommit later.
Feel like a more standard game of ancient here with the mid control.
I see on the cross. There is a smoke to block him. Do you want to use it?
So he's saving it for B.
Oh, you can't afford to pay the monosy tax. You've seen the shadow.
And if just trying to skirt by in mid, it's going to cost you a player.
You don't have the numbers to deal with that.
Monosy, sure that shot sails on past, but it doesn't do a lot for Magic here.
Monosy's given a second chance.
Heaven is no tax haven here for Magic. Monosy just knocks him out.
You're seeing magic now sort of stumble into these setups.
Modesty and Niko are picking them apart on this CT side.
Honey now broken.
If you're Falcons, you've got to be cooling, especially for that next round.
Watch out for one of these fast calls out of spawn,
because that's how magic got in this game to start off.
It does feel like the best way is to catch Falcons off guard and overwhelm them when sight hits.
Either that, or you go into Niko, Honesty and Kiyosuke in middle.
I'd rather not.
Kiyosuke has been very active on these B rotations.
Always ready to help.
No threats yet.
Hero AK for Tenzi.
They're going to take a swing at B.
He says in Carrigan bombsite.
Only one that's giving you any doubt for the Falcons.
Price has no rotation. He can't stick it over here. ASAP starts to move.
They'll get here in time, so now a triple stack and they're not playing back.
They're not playing retake here. It's two players in the site.
He says concealed and tucked it up close.
and a convincing shutdown over this be hit. No worries for the Falcons. Two B site players
with all five kills. Kiyosuke just there. Lay down some suppressive fire.
Magical waiting for the smoke to bloom in cave so they can come out together. But yeah,
the atmosphere, the quiet on the map, they haven't shown anything. It feels all too
obvious Falcons move their third man into position. Barely required. Shutdown on the
The eco now comes a fire out. If magic want to make anything of their map pick, it's got to start now.
Pudas not had his AWP on his T side. That is a shame.
His elbow smoked and monosy punishes again.
He sat in that molotov. I don't think their smoke put it out. They tried to pre-smoke it. It didn't even matter.
It's a monosy day.
Lost like one of your five starter players here, right?
Tenzy gone. Gonna look elsewhere. A-W tries to open a backdoor.
Another route for Magic to use in this round.
He's gained a lot of space out here towards B.
Let's see how he's rotated over.
They last saw him out here in middle.
What were you expecting in the cave so quickly?
It's got the early warning system with Karagan holding the other side.
Although giving away that fight, Monacee now has a lot to bear in mind.
He's getting backstabbed.
Oh, he doesn't even check it.
Honestly, he just gets to look ahead.
Niko's walking right in to AW on this smoke.
You can feel it.
That's a really awkward team flash,
but honestly, he tried to help.
It made matters worse.
Now he's got something to make up for.
Honestly, getting pincid there on both sides of him.
Mood's got his weapon of choice.
And so you're left looking at Kiyosuke in this clutch.
clutch, AWP on the line, Moon lets him have it!
Dude, the patience for AW in that round.
I think everyone realised what was going on.
He's hiding in the smoke.
Niko is calling, I'm walking into something.
There's something going on, and that flash time,
he couldn't have been worse.
That smoke fading, Niko hung out to drive by Monosy.
Of all people, I don't often see something like that occur
between these two.
And Monosy cannot make up for it,
because AW refuses to give him the kill.
They go together.
Nice and magic, win that round.
Now we can see these moves going to pick up an AWP, and now we get to see what he's made of on this T side.
It's a really frustrating B-Hit. It could have ramifications.
The thinker just comes of AWP running through the smoke.
Magic of Fearless and Niko is counting on it.
It's wild to see the type of player AWP is in this team,
compared to only last storm in Paravision as well.
You can see they've always played James Extreme style.
They're here, very prone to risk-taking.
Looking like a completely different guy to the one you've seen already.
Space taken out here towards A.
And this is a big round for Magic.
If they're able to find it, chances splitting in half.
Falcons won't have a lot of money going forward.
Oh, they're not committing because they've got Tensin in position.
They're hoping he can get a kill before they jump in.
Look at that bomb.
It's eventually going to edge its way over, but this is tentative here for Magic.
Missed-owner smoke could be punished.
Trying to goad Falcons into a peek.
Trying to get that opener on Tensy.
Hasn't come through, but offered nothing.
So it's Niko, edge down around this smoke, taking the first down.
Room will respond with one.
Not alive for long.
Just got to get past this other donut player.
Niko dealt with cleanly.
Burke is perfection for this post plan.
Maybe play around that bomb.
Honestly, Karigan all could round in front of them here.
Money on the line for the Falcons.
They want it.
How bad?
He's looking for a way in, Temple's side is Tensy to contend with.
He's not biting down on these footsteps and so nothing given to the Falcons, even a hunt at the end for AW.
He wants to make this expensive!
And that's magic! Well on their way to break him back in at the tail end of this half!
So many ways that round could go wrong for magic and I thought they already did.
Tensy off the angle, Nico gets through that failed donut smoke.
I thought that was going to be a punish for magic.
They had to dig so deep.
But man, do they make Falcons nervous, rooted in place,
even in positions where Falcons know where magic are.
They just won't peek.
They will stay still.
Why are they still?
Why are they still?
It's all going down at the start of today.
Whoa, Karrion is very blind!
Much to Falcons this May, because it's given up two of these openers out towards the cave.
And again, you're left wondering, can Ilya be a difference maker?
As we say, can he get called in a question? Falcons still not rotating over, they've got faith in the Monosy Orb.
It's Monosy versus the World.
They're gonna find him, up rampside, Tenzi with the entry.
Magic just two kills away from splitting this half.
What an explosive game for Magic.
If they didn't get bogged down,
you're trying to fight for middle for four rounds in a row.
What this half could have been?
But staring down the barrel of six,
Moon waits patient, the Kazakh connects.
Niko 1v4 not to be.
And Magic are here to play in this semi-final.
They are here to threaten the Falcons.
Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.
in the air.
You just got to soak this in.
Very surreal experience.
The idea that already for someone like Moon, right, the
Kazak player inside of this magic
squad, he's made it as far as Molledoy ever has here in Astana.
True. Wouldn't it be wild if he's the guy to go on and make the final first.
Oh, we're getting on this early. Still a ways away from thinking about it,
but this resilience they've showcased here right Falcons had them right where they wanted them
for a little while it looked like they could have been just a one rifle round half right you
were six three down hadn't had a lot of success since the pistol and then you get you your breakthrough
yeah I mean this is magic's pick in the series but keep in mind the core of Falcons Nico
Tess as a monosy are 23 and six on this map alone from early in 2025 this is not unknown ground
to Falcons, this is a great map, they've even put win streaks together.
So are they ready for this pistol, T side rush into a main fake deny by Bruce Jules?
And they see the bomb outside of B.
Magic won't fall for it.
Flashback in, offers a kill, offers a chance.
Falcons don't take it.
Now that the kill is falling how they did, it's unlikely Magic have shuffled the defence around too much.
Moon's making moves.
With that push from Moon, it's allowed everyone else to move over here to B.
Falcons are going into a stack. Missed U-Till in the pistol.
Long angle left open.
Inks on two. No kit.
Gotta be perfect on these peaks.
Ending time to Moon on his back stab.
He'll now arrive with the door barrettas, putting pressure on Ramside.
Only choice for Falcons is to battle forward, and Niko will take the space.
Moon now needs the ace clutch.
Talk about it, trial by fire.
Forget the Moon, the Sun is set on that round.
It's Falcons securing the pistol, three on five.
Yeah, Carrigan knows how to play on a stage, he hears a bit of a pop from the crowd.
apart from the crowd. He goes swinging out in that two versus one, but there is no stick in sight.
There is no chance for magic, despite Moons' best efforts, some good dinks from Falcons' blocks,
and Nico and Monacee swing long at just the right time, right before Moon can play.
So that was a really nice try for magic, but it's not meant to be. They come down to a 4-spy in round 14.
He's got his mid control flashes, Lee Falcons blind, you had to capitalize while you had
Kiyosuke out in the open.
Kiyosuke 3 intact, I mean hard to call him a playoff choker when he had.
Game of his career yesterday showed up across every map of the series, even the one that
Falkens got trounced on on Mirage.
Look at AW and Moon.
They've gone all the way through AMA, double push.
Ready for one guy, sure, but you've got no idea AW's in behind enemy lines.
You still need something on this B site.
Even if spade can just stay alive, right?
You can put some stock in this flank, you can afford to wait for it.
So far away.
They need some pressure, flank is still moving, but Falkens get that bomb down,
and it just feels like an impossibility.
Nico's even going to go back and check it.
AW with one, punished from Tessa's out middle.
This is getting scary.
Ring around the rosy, dancing to the site,
and Karagun back-to-back closes,
denies clutches on this B site.
All right.
Kiyosuke may be struggling,
but Karagun making up for it right now.
Joint second top of his team
They must say we're carrying it certainly feels like
Individually, it's kind of a performance that they used to seem to grade over the course of the series right not uncommon for him to start off
Looking pretty fine. It's by the time he gets about three that he's relying a lot more on the team
So I think for now you can almost forgive the slowest off computer suitcase, but you can't do this all series long
Well, yeah, the question is will there be three maps in this series? I think
It's ancient just a requirement for magic
But at the same time see a squad's on dust to
based on the few rounds we've seen in this first half, I'm counting nothing out of this series.
How can some stabilised looking for a three round lead here before the guns come back out?
It'll be a good time just for Kiyosuke to get some kind of confidence building kills,
try and build himself back into the series early on, only up against the pistols.
pistols and be playing in tandem with Karrigan on that Mk10.
Ambulance, blurring, running forward.
Another triple from Karagin!
This gun round is gonna tell quite the story here for Magic, whether they can hang or not in this first map.
You've only got two more four-pies, and Falcons keep this up.
Yeah, you can very quickly run out of runway here.
Curious what type of a round we get from them,
because we know this team prone to taking risks like the chaos.
Do you feel the freedom, if you're spaded to call something like that,
at this scoreline? Or is it going to be a bit more standard?
I think if you're the Falcons, you're almost hoping for the latter.
I think crazy off the rib, which is the 2-1-2, it's all that AA main aggression in the previous round.
Maybe looking to go back to it.
Honestly, put up on a boost.
They're here ready for that, and that's one hell of an opening.
You don't think twice about this one.
They start looking to take the space here, moving up rampside.
Honestly, to control these rotates doesn't stop the spillover, but Niko will.
Good catch for Kiyosuke Ogre in cave, and this B site crumples under the weight of the Falcons.
The opener from Monosy just rolls out the red carpet.
That just feels like prep, right? That's the power that having support staff, having analysts can get you right.
He pre-aimed for the jump spot. That must be something Maswell's doing along.
Monosy's been told to watch out for it.
Instantly boosts our first gun round, shuts down the B player, and Falcons just surge ahead.
So a nice bit of homework paying off here for Falcon surely to find their 10th round
Preparation pays off
Magic
You just want to play with this AWP on moon. You'll have to hold off just a kind of potent reminder as to why this is such a
Underdog type matchup for magic
difference in experience, difference in support staff. Hell, you look at the highest earning player on the Magic roster.
It's AW coming in at $35,000 total in his career. I would wager Niko gets more a month in the Falcon.
I would, yeah, I would take you up on that bet and you're onto something.
Look at that for you, and that just instantly for the boost.
We'll just slot into place here as Magic walking to crosshairs.
Straight out middle here for Magic looking to fight this time they gave it up.
Oh spotted on the jump careful, deep grenade to keep Valkyrie's honest.
Getting out with relatively little damage.
He goes to look for these kills, he's starting very strong at this map.
Magic pullback.
He's earned a lot of utility, establishing control of the head-middle.
He has been good-standing with one smoke left. Moon holds for Monocy. Who's quicker?
Gonna molly him out.
Oh, the flash instead, rather. Pushes Moon back. Monocy gets the line.
They mollyed themselves, they missed it.
Hensie's thinking about getting aggressive.
All this moon looking over his shoulder.
A site's been completely vacated for magic. They're relying on the Reed here.
Tess is looking for a smoke. He's meant to do an A fake, I guess, but he can't find a smoke.
Someone's dropped, have they even dropped it?
Oh, there it is, a bit late. It's going to get a C2 smoke here instead.
30 seconds and Magic aren't buying it. They've still got three players on B.
AWP starting to lean away and maybe Magic biting down on a single smoke player.
How could he get?
Speaks to the nerves, right? All it is is one piece of Util,
but it's dragged the setup out of position and properly cleared the cave.
House fade allowed to hang out there. It's Tessa is controlling these rotates,
proven to be a nuisance.
Now he's got to care about that heaven look.
He connects on that shot, AW bought down low, and Matisse closing in cave side, doesn't even
need to play it forward here. He knows Fade is in an uncomfortable position, looking for
a clean sweep on this round. No chance to save, no money going forward. Falcons dominate
on this T side. Just playing off each other so, so well. Everyone just one-two punch.
No one making individual moves, no one getting caught off guard.
Great jiggle for Tess's punish, it's that retake from flank.
And Magic just can't get their foot in the door.
At Pistol felt like the best opportunity,
getting those advantages up on a main,
but Falcons win out a 3v5,
another on a hot streak on this T-side.
Five straight rounds.
Magic putting money in.
An act of desperation.
We get to really without on any area of the map in the second hall.
mid-round activation.
Magic feel like they've been flying blind in these rounds,
so push down rampside, it's going to give them info.
Info that they're in the wrong place,
on the wrong end of the map.
As you try and remedy this,
you might go walking right into Niko.
Start back in this corner of the cave.
It's actually leaving.
And Nico heard him drop, he's called to bomb back.
Svay, might catch players here, but they know about his position,
so they're going to be hyper-vigilant in this clear.
4v3, and Magic pushed to the wrong side of the map.
What a great mid-round call here from Falcons.
He still needs to group and cover that bottom.
They don't know, certainly, that he is clear.
All they know is Magic have over-rotated, 30 seconds remain,
and Magic are just rooted in place in the wrong place.
have won this round. And it just feels rough, you know, you try to find solutions, that's
faith that the captain looking for answers right? What in town a bit more info is how
to approach that round as it really starts to grow desperate here on their map. And that
information leaves him in the wrong place that. One noise heard from Nico over in the
The cave just tees up Falcons to take that point and they get to do so with no resistance.
Ego could have hunted that kill, he didn't need to, he just told his team to watch out.
Threat of a retake here, but that smoke falls short.
Magic will be walking away with their three rifles, Falcons onto that point on the magic pick.
We're seeing great cons, and Falcon's not flustered at any point in this T-side.
There was a window of opportunity, Magic certainly seized it in that first half, but past that point, is it one-sided?
Falcon's don't need to worry about money, that's for sure, 12-6 up.
And at this point, it's a fight for survival, you know, you no longer thinking about taking
this map if you're magic, Balkans are right there ready to cross the finish line, they're
eyeing up a grand final appearance.
Far is there concerned, the big match was yesterday and I don't know if they came into
this underestimating their opponents by any means, they've seen what magic are capable
They know they hit hard, that's why this falcon squad was put together, they hit hard as well, clean trades out here in middle
Kept to the advantage of magic, maybe a bit more before the door closes on ancient
These are the rounds I want to see Falcons try and put together, see how they deal with a difficult situation
Magic is not out of the woods yet, Monacy is still alive
On this slide, Monacy just creeps right into the crosshair, it's an ICZ shot
looking for the triple. He might have been
carrying it at no challenge up against that AWP.
Great to see Moon getting his highlight here on the stage.
Showing up in his home country individually in a big way.
But a near impossible challenge levied against Magic
to find his six round streak into overtime.
Full A rush for the Falcons.
You're out of position. It's a test of your retake.
Test of your protocols here in a high pressure situation for Moon.
Will led to Hell helping hand.
Hell of a shot onto Monacy.
Karrigan backstabs closing in and he'll get his value from the captain.
Okay.
Tessa is clawing back even more ground here and the advantage flips around.
They've got Karrigan isolated, they're not able to deal with him.
Karrigan!
Niko looking to deal the killing blow and there it is!
Falcons!
A decisive victory on Magic's map pick.
And while this Cinderella story for Magic come to a decisive
of clothes as Falcons and now a map away from those grand finals.
I won't play Windu anymore.
What's going on?
Play your role, run its path.
The human body was built to move, not directed to death in one singular posture for 12 hours
of day. It's time your chair evolved. This is Secret Lab Titan Evo.
ergonomically engineered for you. Gamers. Hybrid workers. Artists. Back in your every move.
During the group stages of PGL Astana, Niko said in an interview that it was unrealistic
to expect this team to lift a trophy here at PGL Estona.
In fact, they said it was unrealistic to expect trophy lifts
in the next few months as they get ready to change
and adapt with their new IGL Karrigan.
And then yesterday, they went to Toy with Furia,
arguably one of the top teams in the world.
They beat them, and now those expectations are there.
There's no doubt in my mind that the crowd here in Kazakhstan
and many people at home now expect this team to lift the trophy,
but standing in their way is magic.
And in this first map, Magic's pick, they make quick work of them.
Yeah, I mean, like, I honestly had no doubt about it, in all honesty, right?
Sure, Magic, they won the pistol round, where there's a knife in the smoke, little chaotic.
And then there was a moment in the first half, when they rounded out, like, three rounds in a row,
and you're like, okay, this is very reminiscent of the game against 90 yesterday,
but switching over to the second half, the sheer gulf in the individuals,
that's what's shown through, right?
We're talking about modernity, profligate, from the tests, having great time.
Niko. However, I want to touch upon Karrigan. People are talking shit about my man.
But they're like, yeah, they're like, oh, he got frag, he got frag to save his life.
I'm sorry, he was just popping off there, just getting all these kills while Kyusuke just had
five, so it's good to see Karrigan flexing a little bit against weaker opposition, but I'm sure
it's going to help his confidence as well, heading into tomorrow potentially.
Yeah, and I mean, when you think about magic, I mean, that's one of the rounds that the Magic
1 team fought from Monosy on Niko in a very winnable situation. As you mentioned, the kind
of recovering at 6-6-1. Overall, pistols split equally 1-1, and the conversion
were fine. 10-10, then the opening kills, clutch went magic's way. Like, there were
there some things that were good for them, but at the end of the map, you look back
and you're just like, oh, that's worth 3D in control throughout, and I want to give
some more props for the T side, and then Scarecrow definitely slowed it down and
just waited it out and made magic so uncomfortable. They are looking for info,
they are looking for a duel that they couldn't find, and they are falling for
or the simplest of fakes that were being thrown from Falcons.
And I think that's, even though there's always been a caveat
that it is against magic and all of that,
Sam, just the fact that they were able to look so convincing
and so calm and composed.
And that's something we were talking about,
Fioria yesterday.
So yeah, very impressive performance from the Falcons.
Can we just give a shout out to Moon?
Obviously, this is his home country.
He is the last Kazakhstan player standing here
in this event and he was trying.
And that's the thing, like he is really fragging out.
We spoke a lot about how he didn't step up
during the group stages, a very different story here in playoffs.
Yeah, pretty strong performance on the CT side.
Unfortunately, I don't think he got going that much
because of just how out-positioned Falcons were.
He wasn't really able to get that much impact.
But overall, a good showing gives him some hope
moving into Dust2, obviously, on Alper's paradise.
Yeah, no, I think for Moon as well yesterday,
even though it was super close game against 9C,
we had a map where it was a little bit quiet.
but overall Mirage comes to mind, for example.
Not Mirage, I think it was on Dust2 as well.
It's finding a lot of opening kills as well.
So it's good to see that he's continuing to deliver
in the arena, you know, the pressure reset,
the pressure might get to him.
So it's gonna be cool to see how he's gonna deliver
in Dust2.
Still looks like losing effort for me, Sam, again.
I'm not trying to hate you, I'm a realist,
but it's cool to see another Kylezak,
our kind of shining under the bright lights.
I do think we have to be realistic.
And that is the fact that we've spoken about this before.
We'll say it again, Magic has played
total of three lands, including this one, as a lineup. They have never been in playoffs,
and I'd argue that as a team, they have not played this level of competition.
I mean, also there's one aspect about it that Moone spoke about in interviews previously.
You know, the IGL and the coach of the team preparing in-depth, not sleeping, you can't
really prepare for thousands that much. They don't have that much tape with Kerrigan.
You don't really know what they're going to be doing to be able to throw in these curveballs
that they have been very successful at doing in earlier games.
So that's just a thing that they had to, you know, just be okay with.
Unfortunately, they couldn't win on the individuals.
And in the fog of war, they weren't able to find the right information once it was needed.
And even if you're going to look at a table of Dust 2 from Falcons yesterday,
are you really going to be looking at that map against Fury and be like,
yes, that's what we're going to be trying to target?
There is nothing to gleam from that.
There is nothing you could take from that, surely.
other than be scared of monosy.
Yeah, I mean, I think everyone's scared of monosy.
Okay, fine. Let's try to pretend to be a little realistic here.
If they're going to be targeting something, I think Tessus,
you know, he mentioned the interviews while he was.
The B bombsite was a bit of a problem for the side of Falcons.
And I feel like that's probably the only jink in the arm
or they can try and, you know, take advantage of.
But yeah, overall, just getting outclassed and honestly,
there's no comment that, like you're being,
you look at the names on the server against you as well.
So yeah, it would be interesting though, Prof, because yesterday they were found out, they were kind of exploited on this particular map.
Yeah, I mean, you're just touching on the B site, I want to touch on that a bit more for Falcons, because it's not like Kiyosuke and Tessus are bad,
it's just about specific situations where they don't deal with it that well.
I feel like mid-to-Bs are that area they're fine with, but actually being, even when they're in the position to just hold a B direct site hit from the tunnels,
tunnels, they just don't connect in the right way.
And that's been a problem for them.
Similarly, as Maus, with Zelecs and Spinks earlier
in the tournament.
Yeah, I mean, if you look at the map over there,
look at Tessus and Kyusuke.
And we saw so many moments yesterday, for example,
against Furia.
They had the right read.
They had three players on the B bomb site.
And you had Niko tucked in towards a car position, right?
And you're expecting them to kind of set up the trap,
set up a crossfire.
What does Kyusuke do?
Sings out why.
Just goes through a spray, into the smoke.
And I get it.
you're trying to kind of get a couple of multi-kills.
Instead, if you play a little bit more smart,
you set up a crossfire, peak on Niko's contact,
you've won the round.
Instead, that round led to overtime, right?
And we saw the same mistakes being made by Tessus as well.
So again, it's a bit of a learning experience,
I guess, for Falcons.
And what worries me for Magic coming into this map is,
yesterday, they got to win against 9-Z,
because they said they've been working a lot
on the map overall, but that's 9-Z.
And historically, it's a map that they have kind of
struggled on quite a bit.
So if you take the two teams out of the server
and you just look at Dust2 as a map,
what is the win condition?
Well, I mean, it's definitely playing with the rotations,
getting first the map control.
That's going to be a question mark.
How much will Falcons let them get into short,
get into mid to Bs, all from the T side, right?
And then on the CT side, just not being pushed too much.
Falcons, I think when you have monosy patrol in top mid,
you're really limited from the opposing side.
Like how much aggressive plays you can pull out because this guy is on form and he will punish you for any little misspeak you have.
And also, I think one thing they were good with against 9-Z yesterday, across all the three maps actually was how they were able to manipulate the rotations as he said, right?
Instead of playing super fast, they would try to go for this mid-fights and whatnot, and then try and get a pick towards extremities, and then try and catch opponent off guard.
We saw that in ancient as well yesterday, but that's a problem when you have someone like Kyosuke towards mid.
You have Montes is going to be potentially anywhere on the map.
And then of course you have something you don't could be carried.
It could be Nico trying to be a little bit more cheeky.
Getting this opening kills is going to be so very hard.
So suddenly you're down five versus four.
What do you do? What's your plan B?
And I don't really feel like they have a plan B on this.
Let's talk a little bit more about Falcons in the bigger picture here
because we saw tests in the court that we brought up during the pregame
mentioning some of the changes that they've made.
They've got Nico now being their main closer.
I mean, what do we think about these changes so far that we've seen?
I think that's super interesting because you look back a few years
then Nico was 2022 opener of the year, 2023 opener of the year,
2024 finalist for opener of the year, so top three in that category.
And now the last year has been like somewhere in between,
depending on who came in, they're moving him all over the map in different positions.
They're trying to figure out how they want to use them.
And you know, now they came out and said we want him to be our closer,
wanted to close our round clutch to lurk.
And this is not something that Niko has never done before, obviously he's been 10 years in a role at top 20 players,
he's played with many different iterations of different lineups, and he can do it, but it's not really what he's been doing recently,
and the meta has shifted, so it's a new experience for him as well, to be just the guy lurking around.
And I feel like he would be the right pick, right? The other person I would have is maybe Tessus,
but I feel like Tessus works better working in the pack, for example, right?
Yeah, he's a sacrificial lot more.
of Karrigan, who is literally the sacrificial lad himself or a sacrificial captain or whatever
you want to call it. But I feel for Nico, considering the experience he's had, and he is a cerebral
player, right? He's not like just a brain that guy is just running on in. I feel like
this could be the intermediate step to what will eventually be him becoming an IGL at
the end of his career. So I 100% agree. I feel like it's a worthwhile investment, especially
when you have someone like Kyosuke, when you have someone like Karrigan is going to be
just running on in. Why do you want someone like Nico? Because he's the guy who's not
going to make those mistakes.
Yeah, I mean, in some ways, it is a sacrifice for Niko.
It's not like this is a sacrificial role necessarily, but it is recognizing who else
on this team has more experience than him, right?
Who do you want to leave in a 2v2 towards the end of the round?
Do you want it to be Monosia Niko, or do you want it to be Monosia Kyosuke Riteses?
I think Niko makes the most sense out of the people that they have, and then just letting
the rest do the crazy work.
Also the fact that those two have been playing together for the longest time, right?
Like, you couldn't mind saving together some of the G2 days, so it just makes a lot of sense.
I can't like that yesterday against Furia, to be fair.
Like, I think there were moments where I could see what the thinking was, and it looks interesting.
Yeah, I still feel like Niko had a good event, has been playing pretty well, the last map, you know, MVP of the map.
But it feels like you watched the game and you're like, I didn't really see too much of him.
I think this is something that we need to get used to, that this is now where Falcons will be using him more.
Just like sometimes, you watch Robs, you don't really see much, but then at the end of the game he has like one or two key rounds
and you're like, that's the annoying guy that you, at some point, will pop off when you do the crucial round
and that's kind of the position where Niko will be moving forward.
I do also want to touch upon someone we haven't had to say much about, perfect, this guy right here on the screen, right?
Kevin had to say much about him because he's basically just dominated the scoreboard.
But the really cool thing is after yesterday's performance where he was just going above and beyond, even by his super high standards,
I was like, you know what, if he starts off today being a little slow, a little quiet, you know, a little bit hungover from the game he had yesterday,
I feel like it'd be understandable, but then he picks up the AWP and just hits that insane shot, and he was just hitting so many shots,
I'm like, alright, you know, he's not slowing down, and if he continued to get his monosy heading into tomorrow, if they make it to the grand finals,
Going up against Duncan Chiro, my oh my, I'm ready for that.
We'll get into that. We don't want to jump too far ahead, because we do still have...
I'm jumping in the bits!
...and possibly a decider. But the truth of the matter is, when we see what we've just seen on Ancient,
when we look at what this form of Falcons looks like, they should be closing this one out.
Yeah, 100%, and they're super relaxed going into the second map, right?
Even if something crazy would happen, they still have a decider to play.
Everything went pretty well on the first map there, that little, as you said, streak of rounds,
where Magic was looking dangerous, but overall they are comfortable, they are in control,
they know that individually they're better, that tactically they're better, and that
they should just close it out here on Dust2.
And also Dust2 is a map that played, I think, the most so far in this tournament as well,
right? They've been playing almost every single series, and we've seen a T side gets better
and better the more we've seen them play. Yesterday was pure chaos, sure, but overall
this should be where it kind of comes together and where they close this one out.
Unfortunately, Magic is somewhat finite, and it does run out. I do believe Falcons may
have emptied those coffers. Let's find out if they can make it through to the grand finals.
Falcons arriving this semifinal looking at laser focus. They're thinking about one thing and one
thing only and that's getting into that grand final versus team spirit tomorrow. They dispatch
of magic with ease on Magic's pick and now we're going to what is becoming home ground for the
Falcons. A bit of dust too as their pick in this series a map away from those finals.
Monosy firing on all cylinders, cooling rings around this magic squad.
They don't just need magic, they need a miracle.
Topaga's paradise here on Dust2, magic can shoot hard,
but Falcons showed yesterday it's not just brawn, it's brains as well.
Paragon cooling, a litany of rounds to get through Furia in multiple overtime on this very map.
Niko tap and Falcons make their intention clear of the dawn of this pistol round.
No respect from Niko.
5v4 and they settle back into their site. They even take tunnels as well, so your safety is not guaranteed.
That's a bomb spotted.
Katsuki back to B.
How long? Up short, but Moon still investigating and they're getting pulled into these short retters.
This is almost messy, saved by Monosin.
This is all full, you feel like you got a bit of room as a result, but Niko's still here and still a threat out on the short side, stops this from getting weird.
I'm dropped and away from Magic, Mass Val cut down at Falcons.
And these pistol rounds today, even though they've been a bit of a contentious point for the Falcons, they've hit hard.
They just got picked apart, didn't they, Magic?
And yeah, Falcons were the worst team,
or had the worst record on pistol rounds
in that group stage of all the playoff teams.
The only team below them, Fisher College.
Falcons have learned their lesson here in the playoffs,
splitting with Furia and now running away here on Dust2.
Magic got a full eco.
I do like how as it goes on and you know we're getting the grips with this new falcons a little bit more we're hearing more and more of kind of the philosophy they're arriving at inside of this team.
out of this team.
That says in the interview talking about how the idea is to kind of have Niko as more of a closer.
Just nice as well to see, you know, for a guy who is so quick to be willing to kind of give everything away to
give so much to Kiyosuke and really buy into the idea that he's the X-Factor piece, that next generation.
Nice to see more of a limelight put on Niko in this squad.
Obviously, there is that history between him and Karrigan.
I think with that comes a lot of mutual respect.
You know, they've been learning about each other all over again,
nearly a decade on from when they last played together on that phase T.
Clean sweep here, up against the pistols.
So no early road bumps, but the gun round gets to come out early for magic as a result.
Sonic sitting in the background laughing right now. That's the pressure. The Falcons are feeling none of it at the moment
after a quick dispatch on ancients
Have expectation of more of the same here on Dust2. Modesty's AWP. I'm waiting for it
was
Incredible to watch on this stage yesterday
Magic for now just full AKs
Falcon's still on their bonus round
So, a good opportunity for Magic to strike while the iron's hot.
I'll be keeping a keen eye on Tess's.
Had a mixed bag of results on Dust2 across this tournament.
I think it's, for me, it's Karrigan, because he was, without a doubt, really weak individually
on those CT sites specifically, right?
When Cat Splits came in, when Long Takes came in, there were few and far between.
It was a very B focused game, but Karrigan really struggled to hold his own on CT sites
specifically, so you'll see if Magic can try and exploit him.
For now, he's doing everything he can to waste time, hit a good nade, bounce the smoke,
and now he's climbing back up as they have to cross.
There he is with the opening.
Monesty able to help out from the short-sided.
Oh, problems right now. There is a player out through B.
This relies on the bomb being able to get out of there.
Niko's got it trapped. His backstab closes in and tightens the net around Magic.
And this is where you just see the gap, right?
Falcons and Magic on a head-to-head, on a team level, on an individual level.
So many moves being made by the Falcons. So much confidence on show.
Eco collapses upon them, and Magic can't even pull back to play off that lurker.
Who's it at long?
They also missed that re-smoke on the cross. That made matters worse.
A simple start to this game for the Falcons.
Put some three to the good, and we have an Eco for Magic move with a scout.
Honestly, we'll meet him there.
Why not try it?
That's why you don't if there's one guy you don't want to meet in this big fight. It's monosy
Speck of all
Feels like they are just
Cycling this out to look to fight him
He is right in that assumption
Honestly already two kills to the good on this partial buy out of magic
It's already left him in what should be an unwinnable position.
I don't have any util here as they make their way up short, but they are being given a bit
of room with Niko tucked in.
Honestly, you could go down there.
Steps made on short, and Tenzi never got the info.
It's a shame there was definitely a window opportunity, but how Monoski eyes on and Niko
can swing, that you're going to go out in the mid to beat.
No smoke makes this very difficult indeed.
If you try to show some cat presence first to get Monosy off this line.
Monosy ready and waiting.
He's got the angle now, or perhaps rather, but...
Swing for the king, you better not miss.
Okay, he will.
Now we're even ready for Nico here. That was a very drawn out bait and switch
Nico just really hoping to go over look the damage won't come to matter though
is it's only mass file left
Karagan's got his number
Yes it says get down Mr. President
Body blocks Karagan but it's still a nice clean start before the guns come out for magic
That's okay, I'll take the spot.
Boon's off, and I don't know, do you want to risk it, your first AWP on this T-side, do you want to take that mid-fight, or C?
It's late to it, with the Nade, but honestly nowhere to be seen.
Aggressive round for Valkyries.
Honestly, I absolutely love this fight.
this fight in particular, going out Catwalk early, scoping up with the AWP,
looking for these alternate angles into suicide.
This time, though, he's got his teammates creeping up top mid alongside him
and expecting this reaction in through the lower tunnels.
Sure, the shot misses. Kiyosuke here to keep the advantage belonging to the Falcons.
You lose Karigan alongside.
It's a magic they've got a small window here to try and pick up the pace.
This flash plays through, might disrupt everything.
Kiyosuke online.
And with a hat-trick of kills, one on a Karagin can be forgotten about.
It's Moon's first AWP of Dust 2, and it's left in a very tricky spot.
Important pick up onto Monacy.
They hear this runaway.
I think she's being tricky right now.
Falcons aware of the fullback and wait here for a while, see if Moon appears. It doesn't.
So he can get one step ahead of this.
Isolated, though. Are they not convinced? Tessas is low. This is suddenly winnable.
So here's the footsteps. Could just go late. Moon thinks he has space.
And so you can chase him down on that pop top. Very well handled from Tessas.
Scary, though, splitting up in that position. Falcons no worries in the end, able to convert him.
able to convert it. We're seeing magic with a tendency to take long right now, not looking
to abuse B. Unlucky for them, B was the weak point in that round. To be fair, Falcons haven't
really played heavy long or denying this position, right? Even in the Fury game, we weren't seeing
three or four man setups, very common on long. So, Karrigan is keen to just give it up and
play for flashbang through the smoke. It does work, it punishes magic, it'll get full blinded.
But it's often just Karrigan on his own, throwing utility and then conceding the position if
Magic really wants it.
I think we're very, very close to that point of no return for Magic.
What a get going soon.
I think there's a certain point where you kind of just lose the initiative, you lose the
intrigue, you start to feel deflated, remember this is the first time for these guys that
They're experiencing many of these emotions.
That's time making it to a stage at this time.
This size, rather.
That's time playing versus a team of this caliber.
Even AWM Parabasian, they went on that run back in Budapest.
They didn't play a team like this.
They'd beat a top squad.
So this is still a new test for every single player.
On this magic side,
Hasn't helped us to realize, but Karagin clears his corners.
And Moon, not long for this world, 1B5 Modesty Flick.
And he is loving it right now, looking
to make a quick game out of this semi-final.
It's reassuring to see Falcons make quick work of them, right?
I think everyone was still holding onto this idea
that maybe Magic can surprise.
Maybe this Cinderella story isn't over.
They could shock Falcons, take a map.
the pressure of having to win this game, but all of that is dissipating pretty quickly
in this series.
Falcons are good for it.
Honestly, that's been so keen to take this mid-fight.
I mean, he was willing to do it versus Moldedoi all throughout the quarter-final.
That's a very fast, very knowing quantity, doesn't feel the same level of threat from
moon right now. Back to this long control, back to Karrigan's half of the map. Flash
put the fear in him. Now one shot leads to his downfall. They come out, just laser focused
on his position pushed up at the doors. Getting past Karrigan hasn't been the issue. That
says aggression out through the tunnels that gives away the advantage. This has to be the
start something for Magic first time in a very very long time that they've had the advantage.
A reader and a regroup here in a 4v3 absolutely don't waste this opportunity they still have
a player faking long that bomb goes back around the world to join up on the entry.
So as Fade's going to reunite Mazval's going to try and fake he's got no more nays to do it though.
Really wants a gunfight here Falcons aren't taking it double cat side even Kiyosuke moving out of B.
So if Magic walk-in right now, this is their first round on the board, lying in wait.
As Vell Fakes starts to move.
He hasn't got any contact yet.
And so right now, could be paranoid about a stack over towards B.
His team aren't moving as a result.
He really is to get a move on.
They're creeping out into the B site anyway.
He cleared it, he'll play late.
The way Falcons are aware that he's here, you should put this bomb down, you go to clear
long nice check for Kiyosuke man.
Falcons are really out of position.
I don't know if you go for this, you're too far.
They have a lot of money though and they are dominating in this game and that can sometimes
lead you to do wild things.
I'd rather the AK's on Niko and Kiyosuke at this point in the map.
You can concede one, they're going to hang around and look for an XL, I really don't
I don't think Falcons will force end.
It is a late round move. Hope Magic leave.
No mistakes being made by Magic, they're hanging on.
Go creeps in, down a try, down and give it a go.
But Magic at the dawn of what will be their first round on Dust 2, 7 rounds deep,
but not going to leave anything to chance.
No mistakes made there for Magic, really well played.
They just walk right in,
Mazzo doesn't even have to play on long.
And that bomb goes down, signaling the end of the round.
Double AWP.
Said they got money, let's use it.
They got money let's use it
This UK intentionally firing this off through the mid smoke
Just the sound can be enough but there it is ringing out with a kill and they get forced into the second door out on shore
Just pick the car by the AWPs.
Really nothing you can do against this guy right now.
11-2, if you're not double flashing him, you are dead.
And it is relieving that this is no issue for the Falcons.
I think he's always done his best work when it's a little unexpected and struggles with
being the favorite.
I'm thinking back to Copenhagen major right at the start of their CS2 campaign where Faiz
in every final.
Wandsori, that's the players, the underdog.
Yeah, it'd be quite a change in the narrative.
If the Falcons could level up now, not just at the start,
but right ahead of the Major as well, also be a contender
to take that trophy, just sort of like Talisman in Atlanta,
knowing that they can bleed.
Falcons historically have had a great head-to-head
in that matchup at the same time, so there's all these factors
in for Falcons to level up just at the right time.
Bob skip and a jump with the knife pulled
It's his down over to be one
Strong position for moon if he takes his back, you'll know where they're coming from. This is a winner ball
Vacu-raying here because if you let them cross into the site, they've got an orb to cover this can become a very tricky round indeed
and he's got a clutch in front of him.
Moon swings, takes the fight early.
Honestly, he replies and Moon gets eclipsed.
Monacy's shining bright all the way towards those finals.
14-2, an absolute monster here for the Falcons.
body has shown up, but Monacee is still taking the headlines.
A nice try from Moon, the young Kazak on his home soil,
but too hot to handle, a fight he had to take with that bomb
position.
And Monacee is more than willing to beat him there.
Eight-one game for the Falcons right now.
I think we're well past that point of no return.
I think the question now becomes just how dominant
can Falcons make this statement ahead of a team spirit
in a grand final.
It's not just Falcons levelling up in time for a major.
This is a Falcons who won a trophy,
something they'd never accomplished with this roster
ever since Niko and Monosie joined.
A team that has fumbled on the big stage
in the big moments, even when they're the favorites.
And they will absolutely have to earn it if we see them against Spirit, because this
is no sleeper in Team Spirit, leveling up themselves to defend their title in these
last two tournaments of the season.
I'm going to try and get him.
Garaguin that punished again.
They found him a couple of times in his T side, but it's a B-Hit brewing.
2K first to arrive.
Tess has here to back him up.
Swing out.
Both players give the fight to Magic.
Cross on a damage taken though in these exchanges,
Tenzi will keep things in their favor,
brought down to one HP with that tag.
Once he's suspicious, doesn't know where the second man is.
Really trying to bait a reaction out of the flank.
You see he's always looking over his shoulder.
AWS have been spotted throughout this round,
but that knee dropped right there.
Could prove to be a big problem.
One point of health on Tenzi.
He's not gonna find him.
So, Monace is going to have to hit one hell of a transfer, they're swinging together.
Still got fundamental some magic, right?
These guys are here for a reason, nice to see them play that position as well as they
possibly could, not allowing Monace to isolate a single duel.
He has to face them together, even with the M4, it's too much.
Magic again, converting their second round off of the B side once more, it's the only
position they've managed to find success in.
Often just due to Kiyosuke rotating out and supporting middle would like to just see hard anchoring here for the Falcon
And it's the only site that you really can't concede
It's cost Falcons two rounds
No cause for concern of course, but
So Falcons still just trying to make this one a quick day in the office make up for lost time last night
It really would be you know both extremes
100 round series versus Furia, only to go on and breeze through this one in under two hours.
BO3 yesterday longer than any BO5 we've had this year.
That's vitality's fault.
I'm aware, whether Magic would cross or not, there wasn't smoke down on the long side so
Falcons are feeling fearful.
No block there, Kiyosuke is going to have to try and do this with the flash.
He was a flash for him.
Kiyosuke sent out wide, Moon's got the cover.
He's locked down, they've got to commit.
Honestly, this is the timing on that first player getting in, but the spot there from
Niko at least gets the gun on in the right place.
What?
What?
Monacy never even saw him, that's just a feeling.
Moons in with the reply, he'll be able to match Monacy.
What about heading away?
With how he's playing, he's been called back.
Even the rest of the team egging it on to give it a go.
You've got to give it some magic right now, they're all putting everything out there.
They are grabbing every opportunity they can,
punish on Karagun again on the long side,
and this time Antifas are able to trade out effectively
as they're learning from their experience,
massive stage experience,
playing some of the world's best players
and still seizing a couple of rounds
down the tail end of their T side.
But alright, Magicab bought themselves a bit of breathing room and a chance now to play
Falcons while they don't have that monosie AWP freedom for Moon.
W tries to take space away on Short, he's got a lot of ground very very quickly.
to set him up for it and you're putting a lot of pressure over here towards a
Alcans haven't entirely bit down on it yet with two players floating around
middle Tess is still anchoring they have more bodies available on this B
side of the map than they do at the A bomb site the magic to somehow put that
one together they might feel like they've done enough
No utility for Falcons. A single flash adorns his entire team.
He'll be down to a big individual moment.
Enough. This is the team meant to provide exactly that.
Short left entirely open and playing retake on A.
Falcons are hedging their bets.
This triple setup, two on the car, Moon is looking for a kill and no one's giving him anything, he's going to have to work it through the smoke at the time, it could not be worse for NazVal.
You lose NazVal long and with it, you want to go B now, you're going into the stack, you're playing right in to the hands of the Falcons.
Tess says, clamping down on the first, Kiyosuke swings up to that contact.
And every one of these peaks, there's so much intent behind them.
Just decimate that B-play and get out with a very clean half.
Reality hits hard here for Magic in this semi-final.
It was always going to be an uphill battle, and the Falcons have leveled up.
clinical CT side on Dust 2.
Six straight rounds before we even see Magic show up.
But it might be too little, it might be too late here in this playoff match.
I will have a lot more time to kind of digest, you know, what this means for the Falcons.
There, the team will see play again tomorrow in those finals if they're able to complete
this this domination on dust who for the magic run I still think you know even
though this has been a rough showing in the semi finals you've got to sit up and
take note of what this team was able to accomplish here in Astana right they
were a game away from elimination back in the groups they were playing in that
dreaded o2 position all the way into the playoffs they seize one hell of an
opportunity in the court of finals versus 9z they recognized that the chance
that they had to make this deep run happen squad where the kind of most
No one quantity and the most familiar piece was a w the guy that wasn't good enough to be on paravision
So it has been an impressive run
Let's see if they can stay on this stage any longer monosy with the pistol out long side whole team in behind him
Alkins looking for both pistols on dust 2 and that would spell the end of this magic run
It puts Falcons so close to those finals.
Oh, he saw him.
Tessus waits, but Mazver with the jump does take his head off.
There's a 2v2, but it's Monosy.
It's Nico.
It's Tensey maybe having the jump shot.
Denies Nico. Monosy over the top.
And he could put that bomb down, but does he even want to find that final player?
Mazver falls closer, and Monosy looks for his 20th kill in just 13 rounds.
Over the top, Monacee awaits.
Mazval, heart beating out of his chest.
Monacee, oppressive over the top of the site
and you don't know where he's gone.
Slips back, goes forward.
Monacee moves and Mazval survives.
A very scary pistol indeed for Magic are still here.
To step in the right direction
in what would have to be a marathon comeback for Magic.
You know, you mentioned Magic being 0-2 in the group stage, and the dynastic shows to even get into the playoffs from that point, let alone the semifinals, keep in mind, this very team started in the online qualifier, right?
brutal they are, and this is a team that's talked about the difficulty of playing online,
ping, having bad internet, the difficulties that have gone down there out of a shot.
And so, to not just do that in a single elimination format, but to make it to a semi, I think we'll
be seeing more of this team, more of these players.
I hope now on the CT side, feeling like you kind of have nothing left to lose.
They hope to go out on their terms.
This has been a bullseye start to this anti-eco round, running it up mid.
Magic's certainly feeling a little more tempered in their aggressive moves
in this semi-final series. It comes with the occasion.
Comes with not wanting to feel like you throw this away,
but at this point, the hour is desperate, the score line is against you.
You weren't the favourites coming into it, and so I hope they elect to go out on their terms and they show some of these
more aggressive tendencies
It's time to shine
And a hits
Nico's even got a rifle on that long position. He's gonna find his way through a W moon pressure on right now
But this could be Falcons finding an eco win unless moon steps up big that scout and the bomb in the slope moon comes hunting
No, right. It's a hell of a shot.
Can Nico bail him out?
Still want to win this fight on mom?
Tensy Sharp deals with him.
And 10 seconds, Karagun.
It's not realistic at all.
Tensy keeps his one under lock in key.
And Magic got his skin in their teeth.
Deal with the eco.
up until now you've been riding the higher the success in the pistol this is the real
test obviously so confident in his speed he's got an awkward helmet not fearful of those
A4's, A1S's.
Let's use Quicker on the trigger.
Magic giving nothing, a nice gamble being made in a round like this.
Putting three together.
Even two on the bomb site.
Karagin lurking long, will have no fight for now.
Falcon's uncertainty, but Niko out mid and Tessa still back up B.
This Catwalk control could just be a fake.
What's Karagin cooking?
They're so good, Sal and something. Are they buying? He burns alive.
Hear that tick as well. This Triple B couldn't be better placed.
It says coming back and we're carrying it out on the long side.
Oh! All right. Tell it to catch for monosy.
Gotta go back.
Just gotta commit.
No one watching!
I was here, but back turned there on Masfell.
hands over another in the eco the play still coming up through the catwalk right now falcons are playing for all the space all the fights
They'll take down they are all of them s fade the only guy left standing and really it's those chaotic rounds of carragans
The carragans cells in right they had multiple options available
They are just calling from the seats of their pants grabbing the opportunity when it presents itself
And it's not a set up strat
That is, Falcons pure reactive and they were able to bail out of both plans and still end up on catwalking 20 second rounds, it clutched out.
Just all over the place.
So those rounds that Kerrigan brings to this team and full faith from Falcons to follow his plan.
It's just so hard to get a handle on that, if you're magic, I think obviously having your back turned on the mid to be is a big problem, elapsing communication, that's how one come falling down.
So give Falcons guns, they'll give you rounds.
And how expensive that round was versus the one scout pistols for Falcons.
Falcons. It's not like Magic get a triumph and second try here and save day K. They got
one more rifle alongside it. They're all in in this round. Falcons poised to deal the
killing blow.
play down into wards lower.
Karagin leads the charge, Kiyosuke in behind him,
playing a trade.
I lost out on this long control,
but Tess says he's floating around over there
and heard them take it, flash played it,
try and bring you into a fight here.
Dodge.
More good engagement than one that Spade just doesn't want.
It's for the best, I mean.
That says, I saw that one coming.
That's fair, I would not have gotten away with that kill.
Toys of this mid control, magical crossfire can't be open forever, especially that lurk smoke down.
This is Falcon's barely out middle.
At a minute on the clock, they have more util and more opportunity to go wherever they want and that mid to be is tempting.
In fact, it's the weakest weaponry of magic on this B-Site, 257s to stop all the Falcons.
Here we go.
It's something on the first fight.
If you don't get it, this becomes so claustrophobic, one man can't withstand this, and Tess has
Spine served the perfect timing there, spot for Karagin.
They know that Tensi's here, so it's only a matter of time.
They just choke out that B bomb site.
And the two rifles last to get to play,
left to save on the extremities, not even that's a guarantee.
Clinical for Falcons. Nice to see them looking comfortable on Dust2 as well,
right in a B05 final.
I mean, it's Spirit's first pick, every match of this series.
Oh, dear, what a turn.
So, it's expected to see it very early in that B05.
Spirit are not going to feel scared of the Falcons on this very map.
So, Falcons know they need theirs looking good, looking strong right now.
The Illuminous are in chaotic moments,
but right now, just pushing Magic out of this match.
Magic, no money, they're gonna take the eco and over at the final point.
Moon's gone, a little quiet but he's not really had the opportunity to pull this orb into
this game all too much.
Picked first in this round.
I think this series has just been a matter of kind of getting to sit back and appreciate
Monacy, what he's capable of and God doesn't it feel good to see some of these big performances
just not going to waste?
Almost did yesterday.
But Monacy is still here, still playing, still surging towards a final and we are just lucky
we get to watch it.
25 and 6, it's just been deathmatch.
And whatever we get out of this game, it's still nice to see another Kazak player into
the arena from the obsession of some of the people we've met here in this city,
Kazakhstan with a bright future in Counter-Strike, so many young players.
But today they meet their makers, they met their heroes and Falcons right there on Grand Final Points.
And just to say they did it without even breaking a sweat.
12 rounds total for Magic in the entire series.
They're a very rough set of cards by the Falcons.
Comes down to this final by-round.
The Falcons close it clean on their map pig.
The Grand Finals just around away.
Just one monosy highlight away.
A very different game to that quarter final.
And now, not jumping the gun right, keeping it low, slow, know that they're in full control.
Not the guys feeling pressure here.
As Falcons posture out towards A, that's going to keep three players here.
Looking to be another solid call.
and misdirect early, keeps attention on the wrong side of the map.
And now bracing themselves for this mid to be here.
This is it, the beginning of the end.
Smokes down, Spain might have to go through
because his team are crumbling in nappy bombsite.
Maswell's all that survives and not for long.
Falcons with all five coming in together.
Niko double entry and an excellent map from Niko to match Modesty
as they want to punch all their way to the Grand Finals.
Valkans do it in two, they do it with ease,
and they take down the Cinderella story of magic.
Yeah, breezing into those Grand Finals,
setting them up for a head-to-head
versus the reigning champs of Team Spirit.
This is their first outing with Karagud
and their first Arena Final all year.
That's on top of showcasing that amazing resilience,
the best they ever have in a playoff game,
Just yesterday, things are really starting to look up for the Falcons.
Yeah, eight years on from Karaghan, deemed the problem and removed from the phase roster,
reunited with Niko, looking like the solution on the stage,
dealing with chaos, dealing with match points against them.
Falcons stay resilient, they persevere, they go all the way,
and this is a Falcons with a great head-to-head against Spirit,
who get to take them on in a best of five tomorrow for all the Marbles.
Joining spirit in the Grand Finals, it's the Falcons!
Kiosk, it was, I would say, a comfortable game for you guys, but looking at what you
went through yesterday, coming back into this game, was there any worries for you or any
nerves at all just because you went through so much and maybe not as much sleep or preparation
I think it was just an unusual game for us. It was a hard game yesterday, but today it wasn't really comfortable for us to play.
We had some mistakes and some good issues, I would say, but we still managed to win.
Yesterday was a very difficult game. Of course, after such a short period of time, it was not difficult at all.
Today, from the nerves and pressure, we just played our normal game and showed the class and won the opponent.
Now, I spoke to you when you qualified for the playoffs, right?
This is off camera, but you were very happy.
You were talking about Karagun.
You've now played with him on a stage as well.
What does he like for you as an in-game leader?
How does it help enable you more?
Bro, he's insane. I would say he's a fucking crazy guy.
I would say two things that I like about him.
It's mid-round calling.
I think he's really good at it.
You can just recall everything.
You see him with, like, micro-detail and he can recall because of his detail.
And second thing, I think it's the atmosphere and energy inside of the team.
He brings a lot of jobs and energy, and I really enjoy to play with him.
It's fucking amazing.
Awesome.
Kergan is incredibly good.
He brings a lot of energy, a lot of humor,
and also gives great calls in the middle of the round.
Now he has the smallest details.
So it's the most fun to play with him.
And looking at that, what you're talking about with Karagin,
how much does that help you, this mood, this understanding,
And how much do you, as a young player, just believe in everything he's saying?
Bro, I believe in Hader Krochen.
Everything he's saying, I just trust it.
Everyone in the team just trusts him.
In every mid-round, in every round, we just trust him.
And it works.
It does work, it's been working.
And looking at this now, you're in the grand finals, you're facing spirit.
How ready is this Falcons?
How ready are you for that challenge in a best of five looking at this trophy tomorrow?
Pro, we are ready. Scandal person, we are ready.
It's going to be a good fight against Spirit, yeah.
I'm sure it will be.
Tomorrow we are going to have a great fight against Spirit, we are 100% ready for this battle.
Now, I've spoken to you in other events and stuff before.
I'm feeling a different energy right now, it's a very positive one.
But what do you want to say to this crowd, to all the people at home, everyone supporting?
I want to say thank you to everyone who supports us and my team, we love you very much and thank you for your support, you guys are amazing. We love you.
They called him the next don.
They said he was a superstar in the making.
Massive amounts of money allegedly spent to get him on that Falcons lineup.
And then we spent a good few months asking where he was.
And now he stands on the stage smiling, confident, swearing into the mic, no issues.
Suddenly talking, something we never really heard much from him at all, smiling.
And all I want to say is mark this moment in your calendars.
Because in a year's time, if he does become the best player in the world,
It will be this moment that we will remember when Kerrigan took him under his wing and allowed him to fly.
Have you ever seen that spark in his eyes before?
No, all the interviews have seen from him every time.
I saw it only when they were in China dancing and then one after party came on a scene.
Fair enough. That's the only time I saw him this time.
And that's the party night of vibes that Kerrigan brings to the team, I guess.
But I've never seen him so... Did he see how he immediately...
Animated. Animated.
Animated. He's like, all right, it was a good game. What do you think about Kerrigan?
Oh my god, he's fucking great. He's straight up, right?
And I think that is exactly what we've been talking about, right?
We've talked about a couple of things that brings to the table here.
Number one, the mood.
And number two, just overall, just grabbing control, taking the reins off these four little
weapons we've got, and trying to just drain them in and turn them into the force they
were always destined to be.
I mean, if people want to say that we glazed here again on the desk, that amount of glaze.
That's a real glaze.
Yeah, that is glazing.
And I don't know what to say about it.
I don't care what people say.
I will glaze the whole lot of here again.
There is a difference between an IGL.
There is a difference between an IGL and a captain and I think this is something that
CS fans can sincerely misunderstand.
He is fourth and what Falcons was laughing was a captain.
Yeah, I mean, and he looks also a rejuvenator.
I feel like he looks three years younger than he did three months ago when he was trying
to qualify for the major.
But winning does.
Yeah, it does and just rejuvenated.
Swai Apex was younger every month.
And also the confidence, Kisuka said, talked about the confidence that he hasn't cared
that confidence that Kerrigan didn't have in Kerrigan anymore.
It doesn't matter the fact that he left, maybe, unexpectedly in all of these things.
Kerrigan instead of seeing himself, he doesn't think he would last long on that phase roster.
He comes over here and he brings something that was sorely needed,
that injection of confidence, of mood, of vibes, and just being a guy that doesn't really care.
I feel like everyone on this Falcon's roster kind of has this aura of like, we're kind of cool.
Kerrigan doesn't need to be cool.
He can be the idiot in the room, he can be the smartest guy, and he can do it both at the same time.
Honeymoon's a romantic. That's where we're at. We're at that romantic stage. Everyone's in love.
It's feeling really great. I'm curious about what happens when we get home and suddenly someone has to wash the dishes, because it's coming.
The event's not even done yet. You're not supposed to bring this up, Sam. Just let them enjoy it right now.
He was looking at Nico smiling again, it's been seemingly ages since we've seen this from almost all these players actually, right?
Even Sonic being like, you just sit down, relax and be like, yeah, he's got this.
Yeah, I mean, just a great showing going into the grand final, right?
We saw them be super resilient yesterday against Furia and then now against an underdog, just clear house.
Of course, Magic has had this miraculous run through this event.
They were two games down in the group stages, they clawed themselves back and were able to make the semi-finals up against Falcons.
We're also not saying goodbye. They could still finish third in this event.
I'd love to hear though how they felt about that matchup and how they felt about the experience so far.
And that's exactly what I will try to find out for you, Sam. I've got Mazva with me here from Magic.
First of all, this is obviously a tough game for you guys, the hardest team you've ever had to face.
What differences do you see and feel when you're going up against a team like Falcons compared to the other teams you faced in this tournament?
Of course, there's a big difference between the teams we played before and Falcons. They give you control of the map, pressure constantly on you. It's very difficult to play against them.
It's been a damn and another thing that we've played already.
Now looking at the run you've had here, you were 0-2 down, now you've made it all the way to the semi-finals.
How has this experience been for you and how much are you growing as a team from each and every game, just being on the stage, everything involving in this event?
We had a lot of experience from this tournament, a lot of sports, so we find new mistakes for us,
so we're going to fix it more, a lot of material to learn about.
And that's really vital for a new team, a younger team as well, trying to come up.
Tomorrow though, you still got one more game to go, a third place decider against Malz.
Malz is a team with a lot of experience, they've been in this situation before.
Do you feel like your team and you are hungrier for that win?
that win you want it more than them yeah we are hungry and we we can beat them 100%
oh I love that I love that man I like that confidence as well all right anything you want to
say to the final amount of fans in here and everyone at home thank you very much we hear
everything in everyone I love it I appreciate it I like the confidence we're seeing from this young
man as well. Sam, let's go back to you to close out the game.
It's the mighty duck story that Blair has hated on since the group stages and here it
is. I mean, even though they are now taking the fighting for third place, it's still, it's
just as romantic really as the Falcons then considering the lack of experience.
I mean, it's a great run altogether from the online qualifiers going down 0-2 in the grand
final to K23, winning that 3-2 K27.
K27, not correct, K23. K23 even cooler because it's a Kazakhstanity indeed.
But yeah, then they come here, they go 0-2 down in the 3rd stage, make it to the playoffs, then beat 9-Z, also a crazy game there.
So top 4 and tomorrow potentially a chance to get some more VRS on the line.
There are 46 in the world on VRS before this tournament, 20 seconds right now.
And that's such an overall cool story.
And listen, I know you think I hate it on Mighty Docks, but Mighty Docks is one of my favorite movies ever.
It's just that I just don't want us to get too carried away, but I agree with the VRS points that matter.
But also more importantly just getting these reps against top tier opposition in an arena like this when it's going to be the next
Opportunity they can really get that right. We don't really know. I'm sure they don't as well
So a hundred percent going in tomorrow. They're not gonna be rocking up being like yeah
It's a third place aside or no
I think I think it's very seriously and be looking to go in for the kill
That's the beauty of VRS right because if they do a deep run here
They set themselves up after the major and then more opportunities on land become available to you
And that is kind of, I think, what Val was hoping for when they introduced the system.
Obviously, we've seen it's the abuse, liquid quite a bit.
But for the most part, it is meant to allow these young teams to rise up.
Just catching strays, aren't they? All the time.
It's just so easy.
Realistically, like Magic played the same amount of arena games as Faze this year.
I mean, when you put that in the context, it's a crazy thing to think about, to quantify.
So obviously, happy to be here and one more game to gain more experience tomorrow.
Let's take a look at what you can expect tomorrow.
We've got two games.
Of course, that big grand final, a best of five,
spirits up against Falcons.
That is the one that everyone's going to keep their eye on.
Of course, can Karagan lead those gents to victory?
Will they be able to lift a trophy?
Or will Don the destroyer do just that?
We'll find out.
And then, of course, Miles up against Magic,
that brand new lineup facing off against these young guns.
I think for both of those teams, a very important game.
sometimes right off that third place game but it is actually extremely important
for both of these teams. One for Maus from a confidence point of view and for Magic those last two.
And Naviera's points for Maus as well. I think for a lot of teams you saw the
the scramble of this season when the cutoff was coming in we had even Aurora who were
guaranteed you know the stage one invite. Oh no we need to play a few more lands so I think
every game indeed does matter but I think he also had that nail on the head there for Maus
especially with his very young new lineup. I know they're going to be playing CSE
in just like about a couple of days, somebody want to get as many reps as possible,
even if it is against a so-called lesser opposition.
Yeah, I mean, we saw some great games from them, but mostly it was just exertion,
carrying them throughout the tournament.
Where is the rest of the team? How can they activate the rest of the team?
Because that's not a sustainable way of winning.
We know exertion has a lot of potential.
In the past, it was a great star for them. This year kind of fell off.
But where are Spinks?
Whereas, how can we use that?
Like, is JL the guy for this team?
There's many questions to answer.
Lots of questions.
We'll be able to talk about some of them tomorrow
when we lead into that game.
But for now, from all of us here at the arena,
thank you so much for watching.
We're giving you an early night, so you
can make sure you're well-prepared for tomorrow
as more Counter-Strike is underway.
PGL is starting.
Make sure you're here and watching, and we'll see you then.