PGL Major Stockholm 2021 Challengers Stage

Astralis claim final Legends Stage spot over Spirit

29-10-2021 19:00

Astralis has managed to recover after a nightmare 0-2 start to the event, defeating Spirit on Dust 2 and Inferno in the last match of the Challengers Stage.

Astralis have survived their 0-2 scare in the Challenger Stage following a win over Spirit. After losing their opening BO1 matches, victories in the BO3s over paiN, GODSENT and now Spirit sees the Danes claim the final spot available in the Legends Stage.

Spirit managed to win all four pistol rounds and saw an impressive showing from Abdul "⁠degster⁠" Gasanov, but the star of the series was Lukas "⁠gla1ve⁠" Rossander, who particularly came alive on Dust 2 and ensured Astralis would be the team moving onto the next stage of the Major.

Returning IGL gla1ve led his side to success against Spirit

After losing the pistol, Astralis came out swinging on the CT side with Emil "⁠Magisk⁠" Reif and gla1ve each putting up strong performances. gla1ve and Philip "⁠Lucky⁠" Ewald took turns on the CT side, locking down multiple rounds with kills on the AWP. gla1ve carried his individual momentum into the second half despite Spirit once again winning the pistol. The Danes ran away with the map before Spirit were able to recover their map pick.

On Inferno, Spirit once again opened with the pistol round but Astralis replied with nine rounds straight as Peter "⁠dupreeh⁠" Rasmussen lit up the scoreboard after a quiet performance on Dust 2. gla1ve denied the Russian side a chance to string two rounds together after a 1v2 clutch on the B site but Spirit were able to put a pair of rounds together to close the half 10-5. The CIS side secured their fourth pistol in the series and saw the score tied up at 10-10 following a 1v3 from degster. Astralis then turned up the heat on Inferno and secured themselves a 16-12 victory.

PGL Major Stockholm 2021 Challengers StageBest of 3

Spirit

Matchpage

29th October 2021

Astralis

Dust2

Inferno

Spirit	K - D	+/-	ADR	KAST	Rating2.0
Abdul 'degster' Gasanov degster	38 - 33	+5	72.9	71.2%	1.16
Nikolay 'mir' Bityukov mir	32 - 39	-7	67.3	65.4%	0.91
Boris 'magixx' Vorobiev magixx	28 - 38	-10	64.7	57.7%	0.81
Viktor 'sdy' Orudzhev sdy	25 - 35	-10	63.0	67.3%	0.81
Leonid 'chopper' Vishnyakov chopper	21 - 39	-18	49.2	57.7%	0.68

Astralis	K - D	+/-	ADR	KAST	Rating2.0
Lukas 'gla1ve' Rossander gla1ve	43 - 33	+10	98.7	75.0%	1.41
Emil 'Magisk' Reif Magisk	39 - 30	+9	87.2	78.8%	1.28
Peter 'dupreeh' Rasmussen dupreeh	39 - 32	+7	81.5	69.2%	1.13
Philip 'Lucky' Ewald Lucky	31 - 23	+8	61.0	75.0%	1.12
Andreas 'Xyp9x' Højsleth Xyp9x	32 - 27	+5	60.7	76.9%	1.04

With Astralis now moving on, the Challenger Stage concludes as seen below:

Group Challengers Stage

3W - 0L

Copenhagen Flames

FaZe

3W - 1L

3W - 2L

2W - 3L

BIG

1W - 3L

0W - 3L

Kek

2021-10-29 19:00

7 replies

expected from 4 time major champs

2021-10-29 19:05

6 replies

Godsent, pain and spirit my ass

2021-10-29 19:17

5 replies

You try your best to "diminish" the effort. Fair enough. Considering what they've gone through regarding the lineup the last couple of years I think it's well done. But yes: Now the REAL challenge begins and we may not expect too much from the back-to-back-to-back Major winners. Yet again ... We've seen before that Astralis just gets better and better through these tournaments --- So: What's your prediction? Will they reach the semi-finals?

2021-10-29 21:49

4 replies

Cry loser

2021-10-29 22:12

3 replies

Weird comment. First of all I didn't play. I'm neither a winner nor loser. Second: Astralis won the match and are qualified for the next stage. Exactly WHAT are you trying to say?

2021-10-29 22:16

Found the Liquid fan in disguise bois LUL

2021-10-29 22:17

You bring shame on us

2021-10-29 22:32

1st

1 reply

2021-10-29 20:48

Nice

Spirit so bad

2021-10-29 19:01

I don't think so. The stronger team won today, but I don't think Spirit is a "bad" team.

2021-10-29 21:52

LOL wasnt expected after 0-2

totally planned astralis just better at bo3 and worse at bo1 compared to the other teams

2021-10-29 19:04

2 replies

didnt watch any ast games but that makes sense

2021-10-29 19:07

"Totally planned" ... 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

2021-10-29 21:55

I hate it here...

Then go out and enjoy the real world! But you have to be back by tomorrow and watch the legend stage with us all.

2021-10-29 21:23

Or maybe watch golf or some 24/7 fishing channel ...

2021-10-29 21:56

#me3

2021-10-29 23:39

gj nice comeback after 0-2 start

2021-10-29 19:02

They've been called the Comeback Kings for a reason.

2021-10-29 21:58

yep

2021-10-29 23:43

nt spirit, gl astralis in main stage!

Phew, they had us after 2 BO1s not gonna lie. Good to see Astralis made a successful reverse sweep happen, but they have looked pretty vulnerable. I don't expect much from them in Legends stage. Changes are imminent for Spirit now. Chopper and SDY need to go.

I don't expect much from them either, and yes: When the opposition get's tougher they will be tested. Nuke and Inferno looks fine, but the rest?

2021-10-29 22:02

Rest just look.. bad. They keep gambling on Ancient and mostly Overpass sometimes but they don't work out for them either though the T side comeback yesterday was spectacular.

Of course we have to factor in the combined experience on this team with no less than FOUR back-to-back-to-back Major winners as well as Mr. Zonic in the back. Dev1ce or not: ANY team may have to prepare well!

2021-10-29 22:23

You can't ever take any team lightly and be unprepared.

2021-10-29 23:02

rip spirit

feeling bad for spirit

LMAOOOOO LDG

ez for real legends vs tier 5000 ruski bots.

2021-10-29 19:03

6-0 EZ

2021-10-29 19:06

if they win this major with lucky the other teams should just give up, period

pretty sure last game for Chopper in this lineup bad calls bad individually

Undeserved.. Azzztralizzzz booooring

Are you really trying to hold on to a critisiscm from way back in 2018 where they beat up everyone? THAT may not be the sharpest observation I've seen ... WAKE UP and smell the coffee, my friend! "Astralis now" is NOT the Astralis we've seen since Mag1sk joined back in January 2018. In other words: You are waaaay behind ...

2021-10-29 22:09

Sorry, I fell asleep.. You were saying?!

2021-10-30 23:21

So ... You found Astralis boring, now you fell asleep. Are you SURE everything's okay over there? Is there anything you find exciting?

2021-10-31 08:43

Yes, the one round against Nip was very exciting..

2021-10-31 10:11

Ha! I agree. They are obviously not ready for the "bigger" teams, and with Mag1sk and dupreeh not yet re-signed ... hmmm ... It may take years before we see them back at the very top. Catchyalater.

2021-10-31 19:49

still kick lucky

2021-10-29 19:08

Get to the choppa!

🤣🤣🤣🤣 +1

2021-10-29 22:10

Uh oh, astralis on a role now they gonna win another major

2021-10-29 19:09

deserved

cringe

2021-10-29 19:10

Feeling good rn

2021-10-29 19:12

gla1ve was on fire dudes

2021-10-29 19:13

They went 0-2 just to face two BR teams and eliminate them before proceeding to the Legends stage. Astralis are truly the evil empire.

2021-10-29 19:15

Rough start for astralis on this tournament. Lets see what will happen on the Next stage of the major. Still not the favourites to win. Cant see then winning their 5th...

2021-10-29 19:16

Yes, but they really came with some new energy and looked pretty good. If they keep it up they will go far, but no way they will win it.

2021-10-29 21:27

Glaive great leader gj

furia 0-3 pls

2021-10-29 19:21

Choppers calling is atrocious. They lost the comeback inferno because of that arches clusterfuck. Lost so many mid and late round 5vX’s. His veto was utter garbage too. They are utter trash on inferno and gla1ve anti stratted them with insane ease on d2. What a waste of top10 awper and rifler in degster and mir.

2021-10-29 19:23

His calling is totally OK but the fact that on many rounds they pushed one by one without any chance of trading blew their chances. They were simply unprepared mentally. Astralis is a such a team you cannot play PUG with. They will crush you with their tactics and teamplay. And remember Astralis lost all pistol rounds.

2021-10-29 19:34

+1. Its unfortunate that their igl couldnt keep their heads in the game. Chopper knows what the situation is, he went througj it with QBF. Ugh. Just upsetting.

2021-10-29 19:53

Chopper didn't play for QBF.

2021-10-29 20:58

Chopper played for Vega squadron...

2021-10-29 22:01

Spirit has lost spiritually unfortunately. :-( They mentally crumbled under the pressure - there were no other reasons for their loss today. They really need to hire a psychologist - the team has no other issues really. In terms of powerpower they are probably above Astralis.

2021-10-29 19:31

Cloud9 Boston is that you?

2021-10-29 20:16

2021-10-29 20:25

Good job boys, deserved

2021-10-29 20:53

Of course it's gla1ve carrying them over the line again after people saying he was no good anymore... Interesting part of major over Astralis win again

this is actually fucking scary right now

2021-10-29 23:11

astralis saved strats all group stage. They only try and play since being 8-15 cuz they needed to, and won against spirit cause they needed to. Not surprising at all since it's not the first time they have done it in a major.

2021-10-29 23:48