Clash for Cash: Virtus.pro vs Astralis

Ahead of the much-anticipated rematch of the ELEAGUE Major 2017 grand final between our CS:GO roster and the Danish team Astralis, we’ve prepared a recap of previous matches between the two teams in 2017.

Virtus.pro (1) vs Astralis (2) at The ELEAGUE Major 2017

The grand final of the Atlanta major was the starting point for the standoff between the two squads. Both teams were in optimal form for the match, and played their best. The Polish five showed some excellent set-piece play on Nuke, and started the match with a victory (16-12).

Vetoing order:

  • Virtus.pro removed Dust2
  • Astralis removed Cobblestone
  • Virtus.pro picked Nuke
  • Astralis picked Overpass
  • Virtus.pro removed Cache
  • Astralis removed Mirage
  • Train was left over

The Danes responded with stubborn attacks on Overpass and Train. Astralis’s lead over VP.G2A was to a great extent due to their aggressive ecos and force buys, which broke the Poles’ economy. Wiktor “TaZ” Wojtas promised to crush Astralis in the next tournament, and he would eventually keep his word.

Virtus.pro (2) vs Astralis (1) at DreamHack Las Vegas Master 2017

As chance would have it, VP ran up against Astralis in Vegas. This time, the two teams faced off in a semifinal, but at that point, it was already clear that the result of that match would determine who were the prime champion hopefuls. The exact same three maps were played, almost as though there’d been an arrangement between the teams.

Vetoing order:

  • Virtus.pro removed Cache
  • Astralis removed Cobblestone
  • Virtus.pro picked Nuke
  • Astralis picked Overpass
  • Virtus.pro removed Mirage
  • Astralis removed Inferno
  • Train was left over

Virtus.pro G2A performed brilliantly on Nuke, overwhelming Astralis with a die-hard defense that only allowed the Danes to take three rounds. Winning the pistol round enabled the Poles to end the first game within three rounds (16-3). Once again, Astralis prevailed on their home map, Overpass. VP could not contain the opponent’s offensive, repelling only five attacks (9-16).

Virtus.pro (1) vs Astralis (1) in ESL Pro League Season 5 Europe

The next match between VP.G2A and Astralis was a double best-of-1 in the fifth season of the ESL Pro League. It was not particularly affected by the Polish five’s notorious difficulties in online play. Virtus.pro defeated the Danes on Inferno after winning 13 rounds on CT.

Playing with a temporary substitute (zonic instead of dev1ce), Astralis bested the Poles on their home turf of Nuke. However, the overtime and their offensive play certainly contributed more to determining the winner, as both teams showed an excellent ability to defend until regular time runs out.

Virtus.pro (1) vs Astralis (1) in ECS Season 3

To date, the most recent match between the Poles and the Danes was in the third season of ECS. The format was similar to the one used by ESL: two best-of-ones. Astralis prevailed on Inferno, where they’d previously failed to put up a good resistance while playing with a substitute (9-16).

Unabashed, Virtus.pro G2A responded to the Danish success by winning Train. The first map half was an equal fight; Astralis took seven rounds on offense, looking more than confident, but after switching sides the Poles delivered an even greater surprise to the opponent. VP’s own offensive playstyle was forced upon the Danes, who found no way to answer it except in one round.

Virtus.pro vs Astralis at Clash for Cash

On June 16, Virtus.pro and Astralis will face off in a show match in Atlanta—for the fifth time this year, or third if we only count LAN tournaments. What can we expect from it? Virtus.pro G2A has been in a downturn since DreamHack Masters Las Vegas 2017, while the Danes have not only maintained their optimal form but also gained momentum, as can be glanced from the 16-1 results popping up every now and then, as well as their recent LAN record.

The Poles are in the middle of preparing for this summer’s main event, PGL Major Kraków 2017. Neither the bootcamp with Natus Vincere G2A nor Virtus.pro’s showing in online leagues can be said to inspire fans’ hopes of victory in the upcoming match; yet this is exactly the kind of situation in which our squad shows the kind of play that VP.G2A is known and loved for.

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