From overtime drama to roaring crowds: Inside the PGL Astana grand final

The day kicked off with a battle for third place between MAGIC and MOUZ. Starting on Mirage, MOUZ dominated Magic’s map pick, closing it out with a decisive 13-2 score.

Moving onto Inferno, MOUZ faced a stronger pushback from MAGIC, though it was not enough for the young roster to secure third place. Sticking to their structure and preparation, MOUZ ultimately overpowered MAGIC once again, taking the map 13-7 and securing the series and the third place.

One of MAGIC’s players, Kazakhstan-born Abdurakhim “moON” Issa, said during the post-game on-stage interview that reaching fourth place was already a major achievement for the roster in its first Tier-1 tournament appearance.

“I’d like to say that this is our first Tier-1 tournament, and it turned out to be a really good story. We went from 0-2 to the semifinals. Fourth place is a good result for us, as this is our first Tier-1 tournament, and it’s a great way to gain experience. I hope we can play even better in the next tournament. Thank you all for your support,” he said.

The most anticipated match of the tournament then brought together reigning champions Team Spirit and this year’s standout roster Team Falcons, a team many fans described as being in its “prime era.”

The grand final opened with a nail-biting Dust2 that immediately went into overtime, once again highlighting not only the professionalism of both teams, but also their resilience and hunger for the trophy. Despite Falcons throwing everything at their own map pick, Spirit ultimately secured the overtime victory 16-12.

On Mirage, Spirit’s map pick, the crowd could already sense Falcons' hesitation following the first loss. Although Falcons attempted a comeback after the halftime side swap, Spirit maintained control throughout the map and closed it out 13-7, moving one step closer to the title.

Almost tasting victory already, Spirit entered the third map, Ancient, with full confidence, bulldozing through their opponents early on. While Falcons fans believed this roster was entering its prime, Spirit arrived determined to cut that era short.

The nerve-racking final map kept the crowd waiting for a Falcons comeback, but Spirit ultimately secured the championship for the second consecutive year with a 13-10 victory.

HLTV named Team Spirit’s donk the MVP of the tournament, a result that came as little surprise to fans watching his dominant performances throughout the event.

Last year’s Qazinform News Agency report from the sidelines of the PGL Astana 2025 grand final can be found here.