Historic Astralis win and intense clutches: What else PGL Astana semifinal will be remembered for
May 17 marked the second day of the biggest esports tournament in the CIS region, held in Kazakhstan’s capital. The PGL Astana 2025 semifinals brought unexpected victories and crushing defeats, Kazinform correspondent reports from the event.
Two matches were scheduled for the day, promising not only exciting gameplay for fans but also a chance for the teams to make history—something the Astralis vs. Aurora match will certainly be remembered for.
Starting off strong, Aurora won 13–11 on their map pick, Mirage. However, Astralis responded confidently on their own map, taking the win with a score of 13–8. Riding that momentum, Astralis delivered the final blow on Train, giving up only three rounds and claiming the overall victory 2–1.
The win was historic for the Danish team, as Astralis reached the final of a tournament for the first time in five years. Tomorrow, they will have a chance to compete for the championship title at PGL Astana.
The next match of the day—coincidentally one of the most anticipated by fans—saw FURIA and Team Spirit face off in an energetic and intense showdown. On the first map, despite a 10–2 lead in favor of FURIA and a potential comeback from Spirit narrowing the score to 7–12, a clutch by KSCERATO in Round 19 against magixx crushed the dragons’ momentum, and FURIA closed the map with a 13–7 victory.
The second map was close throughout; however, Spirit regained control and secured the win with a score of 13–9. Mirage, the third and final map, beloved by many longtime players and well known to fans, became the deciding ground in the clash between two fan-favorite teams.
Spirit started off with six straight rounds and maintained their advantage throughout the match. Despite a determined performance from FURIA and loud support from the crowd, especially for the Kazakhstani player Danil “molodoy” Golubenko, the team ultimately fell short, losing 7–13.
Team Spirit advanced to tomorrow’s final match, while FURIA will still have the opportunity to compete for third place. Kazinform correspondent will continue to report on the results and highlights from PGL Astana.
