Astralis eliminated from PGL Cluj-Napoca 2026 after loss to Aurora

The elimination match at PGL Cluj-Napoca 2026 between Astralis and Aurora ended in bitter disappointment for the Danish side. Astralis were very close to securing the win but lost their advantage on Dust2 and fell 0–2. As a result, Astralis are out of the tournament, while Aurora advance to the playoffs with a 3–2 record.

Map veto:

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

Astralis started confidently on their own map, winning the first two rounds on the T side. However, Aurora took control in the third round and went on to dominate most of the half, finishing it 9–3. Astralis opened the second half with a three-round streak on the CT side but failed to maintain momentum, eventually losing Overpass 7–13.

On Dust2, Astralis delivered an incredible CT-side performance, shutting down their opponents in the first half 10–2. Much of that success came thanks to Staehr, who posted a 21/6 scoreline and helped build a crucial lead. The situation changed completely after the side switch, as Astralis struggled heavily on the T side and managed to win only one round. Aurora completed an impressive comeback from 2–10 to close Dust2 13–11.

MVP of the match

Despite the loss, Staehr was the standout player. He did everything he could to secure the victory, but it is difficult to carry a team alone. His final stats: 93.3 ADR and a 1.47 rating.

Astralis ultimately let their chance slip away in this elimination match and finish PGL Cluj-Napoca 2026 in 9th–11th place, earning $15,625 in prize money (with the same amount allocated to the organization). Aurora move on to the playoffs with a 3–2 record.

PGL Cluj-Napoca runs from February 14 to 22, featuring 16 teams competing for $225,000 for first place, with a total prize pool of $1,250,000.