PARIVISION’s Dastan on Big-Stage Calm: “Zero Pressure Was the Difference Against Falcons”

PARIVISION’s Dastan on Big-Stage Calm: “Zero Pressure Was the Difference Against Falcons”

PARIVISION coach Dastan “dastan” Akbayev identified composure and lack of stress as the key factor in his team’s defining quarterfinal victory over Falcons at the PGL Cluj-Napoca 2026 Major, in an interview following their best-of-three triumph.

PARIVISION — a young roster with three players making their first appearance on a Major main stage — overcame expectations to eliminate Falcons and reach the semifinals. Despite being underdogs, their calmness contrasted sharply with Falcons’ visible pressure. “We played calm, we didn’t have pressure … zero pressure, that was the difference between us and them right now,” Dastan said.

Composure and Big Moments

Dastan stressed that the psychological edge was crucial. While he believes the overall game was balanced, he noted that Falcons lost control after an anti-eco round, which significantly shifted momentum in PARIVISION’s favor. From that point, the match was decided by fine details — and PARIVISION executed them better.

One of the most impactful moments came on Dust2, where PARIVISION staged a comeback from a 5–10 deficit. Early in that map, BELCHONOKK turned around a poor start, and later Emil “nota” Moskvitin converted a high-pressure 1v3 clutch, swinging the match’s narrative and energizing his team.

Experience and Mindset

Dastan credited his own prior experience with top CIS squads like AVANGAR and Virtus.pro for helping him guide his players through the pressure of a Major quarterfinal. He emphasized the importance of staying relaxed and not being overwhelmed by expectations, saying that excessive stress can prevent players from performing at a tier-one level.

This victory is PARIVISION’s first major win against an elite team on a big stage, something Dastan hopes will boost the confidence of his players moving forward. While consistent success against top competition requires time and experience, he believes this breakthrough result proves they belong at the highest level.

Looking Ahead

With their semifinal opponent yet to be determined — likely NAVI or MOUZ, two teams that have historically beaten PARIVISION — Dastan expects a different challenge. He noted that both teams typically enter matches confident and experienced, and while they may underestimate PARIVISION, his team is focused on finding solutions and sticking to their composed approach.

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Key Quotes

• “We played calm, we didn’t have pressure … zero pressure, that was the difference between us and them right now.”

• “For me, the game was equal, but they threw the anti-eco against us … it was their fault 100 percent.”

• “Dust2 was an example of how you can return to the game.”