Astralis ease past GamerLegion to reach EPL Group A lower bracket final

Astralis are one victory away from the playoffs, whereas GamerLegion now have only one life left in the triple-elimination group stage bracket.

Astralis sent GamerLegion to the ESL Pro League Season 18 Group A last chance bracket with a 2-0 victory. The Danes showed particular prowess on the defensive halves, setting themselves up to take both Vertigo and Inferno off the back of solid CT sides.

The series kicked off on Vertigo, where Astralis got off to a flying 11-1 start on the defense before giving up the final three of the half. GamerLegion tried to make a game of it on their own defense, winning four in a row to make it 8-11, but ultimately let the comeback slip as Benjamin "⁠blameF⁠" Bremer flexed his muscles with a 1.48 rating (27 kills, 108 ADR). He was followed closest by Nicolai "⁠device⁠" Reedtz with a 1.27 rating.

If GamerLegion’s attack on Vertigo left much to be desired, their default-heavy Inferno was even weaker. blameF and device, once again taking point for their team, finished a 14-1 CT side with 19 and 16 kills, respectively.

The Danish side hit match point immediately but were made to wait for victory by GamerLegion's second-round forcebuy. The European squad shouted and smiled after the round, knowing that they weren't just going to be wiped out of the server.

These few extra rounds allowed for a nice four-kill round by Isak "⁠isak⁠" Fahlén, who was defending A Short from Graveyard during an execute, but ultimately it was just applying makeup to the scoreboard in what ended up being a cosmetic comeback that ended 16-8 in favor of Astralis.

The Danes are now just one best-of-three away from rectifying their opening loss to Ninjas in Pyjamas and making the playoffs through the lower bracket. Their final series will possibly be a grudge match against Hampus "⁠hampus⁠" Poser and company if the Swedish-majority side can make it past FURIA in their own lower bracket semi-final.

GamerLegion, who have one life left after losses to Movistar Riders and now Astralis, will play the loser of the aforementioned series between Ninjas in Pyjamas and FURIA in the last chance qualifier semis.