The fifteenth CS:GO Major has come to✨ its conclusion, cementing Astralis's place as the greatest team to ever touch🥃 the game. The Danish side put up a dominating performance at StarLadder Berlin, crushing Avangar in the most one-sided Major final to date.
The future looked bleak for Avangar before the match even started, as the CIS underdogs had never made it this far in a Major before. Previous Major winner Dauren "AdreN" Kystaubayev was among their ranks, offering the only Major play-offs experience within the team. On the other side of the server stood Danish giants Astralis, who were looking to win their third Major title in a row. Regardless, the Avangar fans in the Mercedes-Benz Arena gave all their passion to the CIS squad. With the stage set, the series kicked off on Astralis's map pick of Inferno. The Danes cruised to an all-too-easy 8-0 lead, leaving Avangar scrambling to put any rounds on the board.🅷 Three rounds would have to suffice for their CT half, as Astralis took 12 rounds on their offensive side. Despite a pistol round w⛦in and two more conversion rounds, Avangar were stumped as Astralis got back onto full buys in the second half. Stringing four rounds together, the Danish squad finished the map at a dominating 16-6 scoreline.
The series then went to Dust2, the map choice of Avangar. Astralis once again took a commanding lead, soaring to a 7-1 scoreline before Avangar managed to find their footing. The CIS squad would put up three rounds to Astralis's four to close out the first half at 4-11. A pistol round victory from Avangar teased a possible comeback, though the immediate force-buy response from Astralis all but ended the game. Five straight rounds came all too quickly for the Danes, and they closed out the map at a devastating 16-5 scoreline. This is Astralis's third consecutive Major championship, and their fourth overall. They are the first team to ever win four CS:GO Major tournaments, and the fir𝓀st to win three in a row.
Niꦆcolai "device" Reedtz put up a blinding performance in the grand final, ending the series with over⛦ 40 kills across the two maps. Device was as the MVP of the event, making him the second ever player to win two Major MVP awards.
Avangar's next LAN showing will come at the BL♕AST Pro Series Moscow CIS Play-In next week, while Astralis will next play at ESL One New York later this month.