Match Prediction: Virtus.pro - Astralis | CS2 (CS:GO)
IEM Cologne 2021The short break at IEM Cologne 2021 is coming to an end. The playoffs of the first major LAN tournament in a year and a half begins tomorrow.
In the opening matches of the main stage, we will face a duel between Virtus.pro and Astralis. The match risks becoming one of the central confrontations.
Both teams showed very good performance in the group stage. Astralis made their way to the playoffs from the top of the bracket in Group B, and VP made a comeback at the bottom of the B bracket.
We are trying to figure out what to expect from the first playoff match, and who will advance further in the tournament.
Astralis shape
By good tradition, we start the review of the match with the nominal favorite. This is how the bookmaker sees the Danes from Astralis.
Those very Danes who once sowed terror on the competitive scene, but now do not pose such a visible threat. However, IEM Cologne may become a "revival" tournament for the Danish five.
Astralis Recent Results
- Defeat Extra Salt 2-0
- Lost at Gambit with a score of 0-2
- Defeat FaZe 2-0
- Defeat Heroic 2-0
- Lost to NaVi with a score of 1-2
Despite obvious problems such as the lack of a sniper, Astralis performed well in the group stage. They beat FaZe and Heroic with a fight, and also imposed a fight on NaVi.
Astralis Maps
The most successful Astralis map is Nuke. The Danes have 70% there with 10 games.
The worst card is Overpass. With 4 matches, the Danes have 1 victory there.
Astralis ignore Mirage.
VP shape
Virtus.pro will face the angry and hungry for victories Astralis. Having gone through difficulties of late, the 9th world team at IEM Cologne 2021 seems to have found their game again.
Before the start of the championship, VP's faith was low. After a dry defeat in the first match of the group stage, it became even lower.
However, having fallen into the lower bracket, VP still pulled themselves together. And the result is obvious.
VP Last Games Results
- Lost to Entropiq 0-2
- Lost to BIG 0-2
- Defeat Complexity 2-1
- Win over NiP 2-0
- Beat BIG 2-0
The Bears accelerated during the group stage, but faced a break before the start of the playoffs. This break will not be good for VP.
Virtus.pro maps
VP's most successful map is Inferno. There, bears have 62% of wins in 16 games.
The worst bear card is Mirage. 27% winrate with 11 cards.
Like Astralis, they ignore Ancient.
Results of personal meetings
In 2021, teams played each other 6 times. So far, there is parity in personal meetings.
The outcome of the fight
Based on the performances during the group stage, I would like to believe that both teams "woke up" and will show us a beautiful CS. Astralis look a little more confident, despite the problems I mentioned above.
However, I will choose the safe bet option. Handicap +1.5 on VP.
Result: handicap +1.5 on VP.
The most interesting event for the last year on the cs scene begins, only the best teams remain and five incredibly cool matches await us. It all starts with the quarterfinals and the first pair of VP-Astralis teams.
VP:
After the first match, it was unexpected to see them in the playoffs. A 10-15 win over CoL gave the team confidence in their abilities. It often happens that a team gets lost on the map, but there comes a moment when they take themselves in hand and start playing flawlessly. It should be noted the inclusion of Sanzhi, for him this tournament develops especially for the defense side, when he can defend the site in solo. VP should not be made an obvious outsider in this match and the grid as a whole, because there are plus or minus equal teams. During the break before the matches, they will have time to discuss cards and prepare for Astralis.
Astralis:
Against the background of Navi, Gambit and G2, the weakest team at the moment, which shows something mainly due to their experience of Lan tournaments. The lack of WUAs make the chances of winning against teams with a good sniper much lower. We beat Heroic, where there was a principled game, and the heroic showed that on LAN they still do not show what was online, they did not have those movements around the map and ingenious moves, due to which they smashed everyone online. There was a tense match with the faces, but it was affected by the fact that the latter had a very weak attack, while the Danes were pouring from a good whore. So far, the Astralis do not have the structure of the game that would allow them to reclaim the top 1, the lack of a stable sniper also plays a role in the team's results.
Mappool
We will not consider Nuke and Mirage, because these cards will definitely be in the ban, but we must say that Nuke is the best card for the Danes at the moment.
Dust 2
Astralis played 2 matches on it in the framework of this tournament, 2 victories over Faiz and Navi. Their game does not look like their strong card, constant mistakes and lost rounds, and the absence of main AWP reduces their effectiveness on this map.
For VP, this is an average map, on which many rounds are taken for defense. They played it 3 times, 2 wins of 19-15 over BiG and Col and one defeat to BiG13-16, where they won back from 5-10, but could not close the map.
The average map for both teams, it will be quite dangerous to take it to your pick.
Inferno
A pleasant card for both, Astralis played Inferno twice in this tournament: 2 matches against Geroik and Navi 16-11 and 5-16. A historically strong card for Danes in any composition, there is always a large pool of rounds for both sides and they know where and at what moment they can change their game.
VP plays this map well, has good connectivity, Sanji feels confident on the CT side, and Jayme has a lot of room for a sniper rifle.
Overpass
Competitive map for both teams. Astralis beat Heroic showing a normal attack on the map, the team worked on it, but that game cannot be drawn to conclusions, because their rivals made a lot of mistakes individually and Astralis, due to this, easily entered the sites.
The VP has rounds disassembled, they often play the same card. Jame also gets a lot of space here, the attack has his own developments, which are allowed to gain rounds. Probably the best card for breaking the total by rounds in this match.
Vertigo
Nice card for Astralis, played it right from the start and the Danes have a good structure on it, besides Dupree loves this card, it can become a good pick against VP in the quarterfinals.
The VP has little experience lately, and the one that is not very positive. At the moment, this is the most vulnerable map in their map pool, but it will definitely not be pockets with 0, because at least something the team can do on this map.
At the moment, this is the most vulnerable map in their map pool, but it will definitely not be pockets with 0, because at least something the team can do on this map.
Ancient
A terrible game Astralis with a shooting range of 1 scene, the map is poorly prepared, a lot of random movements and a lack of understanding of what is happening. Playing it against VP will definitely be a mistake.
VP played this map against NiP, and that match made it clear that the team had been working on it for a long time. There is a good structure and rounds that work, now probably only Navi Enshent is better. They can calmly protest against the Astralis.
According to the map pool, the situation is more inclined in favor of VP, they do not play the best card of the Danes, while having an Enschent in their pick, only Vertigo is problematic, but there may not be everything unambiguous. Otherwise, on many maps, the strengths are equal or the VP has a slight advantage.
Outcome
Bookmakers make the Danes a favorite, but for this stage the odds are too high for them and it is not worth taking the Astralis victory for 1.6-.165 in a match where they have no clear advantage. It is better to look towards the VP's handicap or their victory, the team has every chance of reaching the final.
Prediction for an amazing quarter-final with Virtus.pro and Astralis at IEM: Cologne 2021. Astralis managed to beat Heroic and FaZe Clan, but lost to NAVI without much chance. VP turned out to be weaker than BIG at first, but then took revenge and dealt with Ninjas in Pajamas and Complexity. The match promises to be very interesting and a lot will be decided at the stage of choosing maps.
Virtus.pro results at IEM Cologne 2021
- Defeated BIG with a score of 2: 0
- Defeated NiP with a score of 2: 0
- Defeated Complexity with a score of 2: 1
- Lost against BIG with a score of 0: 2
Virtus.pro maps statistics at IEM Cologne 2021
- Dust 2: lost against BIG with a score of 13:16
- Dust 2: defeated Complexity with a score of 19:15
- Dust 2: beat BIG with a score of 19:15
- Overpass: defeated Complexity with a score of 16:13
- Mirage: lost to Complexity with a score of 6:16 (!!!)
- Ancient: defeated NiP with a score of 16: 9
- Inferno: lost against BIG with a score of 12:16
- Inferno: beat NiP with a score of 16:11
- Inferno: beat BIG with a score of 19:16
Astralis results at IEM Cologne 2021
- Lost against NAVI with a score of 1: 2
- Defeated Heroic with a score of 2: 0
- Defeated FaZe Clan with a score of 2: 0
Astralis Maps Statistics for IEM Cologne 2021
- Dust 2: defeated FaZe Clan with a score of 16:13
- Dust 2: defeated NAVI with a score of 22:19
- Inferno: defeated Heroic with a score of 16:11
- Inferno: lost to NAVI with a score of 5:16
- Ancient: lost against NAVI with a score of 7:16
- Nuke: defeated FaZe Clan with a score of 25:22
- Overpass: defeated Heroic with a score of 16:12
Prediction: Astralis vs. Virtus.pro in the IEM Cologne 2021 quarterfinals
Virtus.pro abandoned Vertigo and Nuke at the tournament, are ready to play on Inferno, Dust 2, pleased with the preparation on Ancient, this is perhaps their trump card in the duel with Astralis.
Virtus.pro played not very strong opponents like NiP, Complexity and BIG, the Germans even fought them twice on Dust 2 and Inferno. In the decisive game VP still showed character and won a strong-willed victory in extra time with a score of 2: 0.
Astralis continue to abandon Mirage, and Nuke and Overpass are also banned. It seems to me that the Danes will be ready to play Nuke with Virtus.pro and they need to get rid of Overpass.
Much will depend on the sniper duel in this match, Jame individually is much stronger and brighter than dupreeh. Anything can affect this fight, do not forget about Astralis's experience at the LAN tournament, but now there is a different meta, a different situation in the team and the absence of a very skillful dev1ce, which is probably impossible to replace.
Purely statistically: Virtus.pro banned Vertigo/Nuke, Astralis banned: Mirage and with the ban of the second map the Danes have an advantage, but, most likely, they will get rid of Overpass. In general, Astralis needs to be ahead of the curve and take Nuke for themselves with their pick. VP can answer Ancient, on conditional Dust 2 and Inferno the chances are completely 50% to 50%.
The most interesting and important thing is that NAVI showed how you can beat Astralis on both Ancient and Inferno, but you should be wary of their Dust 2. I think that the situation with the map veto towards Virtus.pro is minimal.
Bookmakers give odds of 2.10 for Virtus.pro and 1.66 for Astralis. Very unjustified quotes, I don't really like VP's game, but they have a very good chance of taking this quarter-final for themselves purely due to a good map-veto. I believe in the guys from the CIS region, Jame should make a difference.
Prediction: Virtus.pro will beat Astralis in the quarterfinals of IEM Cologne 2021 - coefficient 2.10
Bookmakers & Statistics
All bookmakers have agreed that Astralis is the favorite. This can be noticed because odds on them are 1.633. This number in the favor of Virtus.pro amounts 3.212. Respectively, the last ones are the underdogs of the upcoming match.
If you are of the same opinion about the favorite of the match as bookmakers, we recommend betting at because this company offers the highest odds on a victory in the sum of 1.87. In the case you are sure that bookmakers are wrong, it will be better to bet on Virtus.pro at the bookmaker company with odds 9.