G2 Ends Astralis' Winning Streak, Secures Spot in IEM Cologne Grand Final

G2 ended Astralis' seven-map winning streak on Ancient and secured a spot in the IEM Cologne title decider. The international roster, led by Rasmus "HooXi" Nielsen, dominated the two-map series against Astralis. They first triumphed on Ancient with a score of 16-12, putting an end to Astralis' winning streak. G2 then continued their impressive performance, comfortably defeating Astralis on Inferno with a score of 16-9.

This victory marks G2's first appearance in a Big Event grand final since their success at IEM Katowice in February. Despite facing challenges since then, including an early exit from the BLAST.tv Paris Major, the team appears revitalized in Germany. They will carry this momentum into the grand final against ENCE on Sunday at 17:00.

In a post-match interview on stage, Nikola "NiKo" Kovač expressed the team's confidence, stating that they are playing exceptional CS and believe they can win the event.

For Astralis, their journey in IEM Cologne ends in 3-4th place. However, they can find consolation in achieving their best result in over a year, particularly in just their second tournament with Johannes "b0RUP" Borup and Victor "Staehr" Staehr on their roster. Throughout the tournament, Astralis defeated several top teams, including Natus Vincere and Heroic, securing a commendable top-four finish at the LANXESS.

In the semi-final against Astralis, G2 showcased their dominance right from the start. Excellent performances from Ilya "m0NESY" Osipov and Nemanja "huNter-" Kovač helped G2 secure a strong 10-5 scoreline on the Danes' newly-established home map.

Although Benjamin "blameF" Bremer's ace in the second pistol round provided a brief boost for Astralis, G2 quickly regained control once their economy stabilized. They went on to claim Astralis' map pick, Ancient, with a 16-12 victory, forcing the deciding map, Inferno.

On Inferno, G2 maintained their pressure on Astralis, with NiKo leading the charge with an outstanding performance, achieving a 20-9 KD and a 2.30 rating. G2 secured a comfortable 9-6 lead at the halftime interval. Although Astralis secured the pistol round in the second half, G2 swiftly regained momentum, ultimately winning the map 16-9. This secured their place in the IEM Cologne grand final.

Bogdan Lashchenko

Bogdan Lashchenko – content manager at EgamersWorld.Bogdan has been working at EGamersWorld since 2023. Joining the company, he began fillin the site with information, news and events.

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