Astralis defeat paiN in the opening match of IEM Krakow 2026 Stage 1

Astralis confidently kicked off their campaign at IEM Krakow 2026, defeating paiN in the opening match of Stage 1. The Danish side closed the series 2–0, showing composure in key moments and strong individual performances. The standout player was Astralis’ newcomer ryu, who was named MVP of the match and helped his team take an important step toward reaching the main stage of the tournament.

Map veto:

1. paiN removed Ancient
2. Astralis removed Anubis
3. paiN picked Dust2
4. Astralis picked Overpass
5. paiN removed Inferno
6. Astralis removed Mirage
7. Nuke was left over

Dust2 (13:10 Astralis)

The game on Dust2 was tense throughout for both teams. In the first half, it was difficult to name a clear favorite, as the teams traded rounds and finished the half tied 6:6. The battle continued in the second half, but Astralis managed to edge out their opponents and secure a 13:10 victory.

Overpass (13:7 Astralis)

Astralis started strongly on Overpass on the T side. Despite the early initiative from paiN, Astralis took control of the game and ended the first half with an 8:4 lead. In the second half, paiN tried to break through Astralis’ defense but ultimately fell 7:13.

Match MVP

The best player of the match was Astralis’ newcomer ryu, who finished the series with a 1.59 rating.

Astralis secure an important victory in their opening match at IEM Krakow 2026 and advance further, while paiN drop to the lower bracket. IEM Krakow 2026 Stage 1 runs from January 28 to January 30, with only 8 of the 16 teams advancing to the main stage.