PGL Astana 2025: Aurora, Astralis, FURIA & Spirit march into semifinals

With the PGL Astana quarterfinals behind us, check out who claimed victory on Friday and who they will face in the upcoming semifinals.

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by Ciaran Jackman

May 17, 2025 0

The quarterfinals of PGL Astana 2025 delivered redemption arcs, fresh heroes, and familiar dominance, as four teams secured their spots in the final four of the $1.25 million Counter-Strike 2 event.

Aurora break playoff curse

Aurora opened the playoffs with a cathartic 2-0 win over The MongolZ, snapping a six-match losing streak in playoff series and exorcising long-standing demons. The win was particularly sweet, as it came against the same team that handed them their first loss in that streak — back at IEM Katowice.

It wasn’t without drama. Anubis went to overtime after a string of failed post-plants threatened to derail Aurora once again. But Özgür “⁠woxic⁠” Eker’s heroics (31 kills) helped close it out in extra time.

Ali “⁠Wicadia⁠” Haydar Yalçın dominated Mirage with 122 ADR. The duo’s firepower was too much for The MongolZ, who once again fell short of converting a strong group stage into stage success.

For a team yet to make a roster change in nearly two years, The MongolZ are now facing serious questions. Azbayar “⁠Senzu⁠” Munkhbold showed signs of life, but the inconsistent tactics of Garidmagnai “⁠bLitz⁠” Byambasuren and underwhelming performances from Usukhbayar “⁠910⁠” Banzragch and Sodbayar “⁠Techno⁠” Munkhbold compounded their playoff woes.

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Astralis shock NaVi in style

Astralis continued their resurgence under Rasmus “⁠HooXi⁠” Nielsen, stunning Natus Vincere 2-1 with a masterclass on Nuke (OT win) and a clinical finish on Ancient.

NaVi looked in control for much of the first map, up 9-4 at one stage, but clutch force-buys from Nicolai “⁠device⁠” Reedtz and strong calling from HooXi turned the tide.

Mirage was all NaVi, with Ihor “⁠w0nderful⁠” Zhdanov guiding a dominant 10-2 counter-terrorist half, but Ancient saw Astralis dictate terms once more. HooXi’s dynamic terrorist side led the way, with Victor “⁠Staehr⁠” Staehr shining throughout the series.

NaVi, meanwhile, looked disjointed. Aleksi “⁠Aleksib⁠” Virolainen was outcalled, Valeriy “⁠b1t⁠” Vakhovskiy struggled, and although iM and jL had moments, it wasn’t enough.

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FURIA’s dream run continues

Danil “⁠molodoy⁠” Golubenko’s LAN debut couldn’t have gone any better. Backed by a roaring home crowd, the 19-year-old led FURIA Esports to a 2-0 win over MIBR, posting a stunning 2.11 rating on Train to follow a composed display on Nuke.

FURIA needed overtime to take Nuke, but their composure and adaptability — led by molodoy and a revitalised Mareks “⁠YEKINDAR⁠” Gaļinskis — saw them through. Train was a rout, with MIBR looking lost against FURIA’s disciplined defaults and sharp executions.

This FURIA lineup, forged just weeks ago, now has momentum and belief. Whether it’s a honeymoon phase or the real deal remains to be seen, but their semifinal clash with Spirit is now one of the most anticipated matchups of the event.

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Team Spirit stay perfect

Tournament favourites with esports betting sites, Team Spirit, made light work of Ninjas in Pyjamas by claiming a 2-0 victory to extend their unbeaten run in Kazakhstan to eight maps.

Train was relatively straightforward at 13-8, but Dust2 offered drama. NIP battled hard, pushing Spirit to the brink on a map they have owned all year. But a triple kill from Myroslav “⁠zont1x⁠” Plakhotia halted the Swedes’ momentum, and Spirit closed the game from there.

Spirit remain the heavy favourite to lift the PGL Astana trophy — and with every match, their grip tightens. As for NiP, their Cinderella run — from fringe qualifiers to a top-eight finish — ends in admirable fashion. Wins over Virtus.pro, HOTU, and G2 Esports proved they belong, even if the final hurdle was too high.