Team Liquid Secure Stage 3 Spot After Convincing 2–0 Win Over Astralis at StarLadder Budapest Major
Team Liquid Secure Stage 3 Spot After Convincing 2–0 Win Over Astralis at StarLadder Budapest Major
Liquid Bounce Back — Astralis Falls Short in Major Return
In a decisive Best-of-Three at the StarLadder Budapest Major 2025 (Stage 2, Swiss Round 5), Team Liquid eliminated Astralis with a clean 2-0 victory, clinching their place in Stage 3 — the penultimate team to qualify.
Liquid’s path to survival in the Major was rocky: they began Stage 2 with two consecutive Best-of-One losses against B8 and PARIVISION, dropping them to the elimination zone. Still, they managed to stay alive by defeating MIBR, surviving a tight match with TYLOO, and delivering a dominant performance vs. Astralis to close out their Stage 2 run.
Standout Performances: “ultimate” & Liquid’s Depth
The defining map was Nuke, where Liquid’s Polish AWPer ultimate showcased a masterclass on the CT side — multi-kill after multi-kill, securing an 11–1 half and ending Nuke at just 7 rounds for Astralis (19–3 final).
On Mirage, Liquid’s win required more coordinated team play. Israeli-born NertZ led the scoreboard with 20 kills, while North-American veteran NAF made a key clutch play around 8–8, pushing through molotov and smoke to claim a critical swing round — a turning point for the map and the series.
This win highlighted Liquid’s depth and resilience: when under pressure, not only “ultimate,” but also NertZ, NAF, and others stepped up when it mattered.
Astralis’ Major Dream Ends Abruptly — Questions Ahead
For Astralis, this loss marks a bitter end to their first Major appearance since PGL Antwerp Major 2022. In Stage 2 they — like Liquid — had started 0–2 after narrow defeats to Ninjas in Pyjamas and M80, but had clawed their way back with wins over FlyQuest and Aurora.
Their lineup, patched up by a short-term addition Magisk after the absence of regular AWPer stavn, failed to deliver when it counted most. Magisk — after the match — admitted that Astralis “didn’t show up” on the day, conceding that they simply “have themselves to blame” for the failure.
With the Major dream over, doubts remain about Astralis’ short-term future: whether Magisk stays, whether the roster will be reworked, or whether this will mark a deeper turning point for the Danish squad.
What’s Next: Liquid Looks to Build Momentum
With qualification secured to Stage 3, Liquid now has the chance to regroup and build on their comeback arc — from early elimination danger to proving their worth under pressure. Their form has become increasingly reliable, especially when key players deliver clutch performances under high stakes.
For Astralis, the early exit will sting. The long-awaited return to CS’s biggest stage ended with a whimper rather than a bang — and now the organization must decide how to move forward: stick with temporary fixes like Magisk, or overhaul the roster to reclaim the heights once enjoyed.
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