Roobet Cup 2023 marks Astralis' first tournament since the transition to CS2. After losing to 9INE on October 26th, we played an all-or-nothing elimination match against Apeks. It was a close game, going the distance to the third and deciding map, but in the end, Astralis were eliminated from the tournament.
The Astralis team started with a 0-7 deficit on the first map, Mirage. One exhilarating comeback later with a wellplayed 2v4 round, and the team found themselves in overtime. Then another one, and a third one at that. It seemed as if Astralis had the upper hand in the second OT, but Apeks succeeded in prolonging the map and finally closed out Mirage in triple overtime.
The Astralis roster entered the second map with renewed energy and looked dominant on their map pick of Overpass. Giving away only a few rounds on their T-side, while closing out the map with an impressive 8-1 score on the CT-side. Christian Møss "Buzz" Andersen played an impressive map, ending with a 107.5 ADR, while Nicolai "Device" Reedtz secured a 21-11 scoreline.
On the third and final map of the series, Astralis started with a bumpy run on the CT-side of Ancient. After switching sides and losing the pistol round, it was due time for a comeback from the squad. Fighting the five map points secured by Apeks, the team secured some necessary rounds, including a 1v2 clutch by Nicolai "Device" Reedtz. Eventually, the tide turned, and the Astralis guys lost out at 10-13, and were eliminated in the Group Stage.
After the game, Nicolai "Device" Reedtz joined Astralis Watch for a quick Danish interview about the match and the team's transition to CS2
"Especially on the T-side we were great in many rounds - we were aggressive and brave. On the CT-side we had a great balance between not forcing it and being too keen, but still aggressive. Generally, though, our CT-sides were too poor today."
The Roobet Cup 2023 was Astralis' main roster's C2 debut tournament, and the team only got to play two matches.
We will see the team back on the server soon, as they will play in the CS Asia Championships 2023 in Shanghai starting November 8th.
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