A thrilling week of Counter-Strike has left us with no shortage of highlights. As the dust settles on Astralis’s victory in Poland, let’s take a look back at the top 10 moments at Spodek.
10. Allu Gets At Least 4 Kills (FaZe Clan vs. Ninjas in Pyjamas)
There are certain mysteries in life. Why is the sky blue? Why is the grass green? Why haven’t Cloud9 dropped shroud? The pistol round of FaZe vs NiP has created another unanswerable question. Did Allu get the ace? Did Xizt pull off a miraculous 1v5 clutch? We may never know. In the crazy world of IEM production, nothing is for certain.
9. Byali 3 HP Clutch (Virtus.Pro vs. SK Gaming)
For most people, being trapped in pit in a 1v2 with no health sounds like an unpleasant situation. Of course, Byali isn’t most people. A ticking bomb and impeccable aim were all byali needed to pull off a miraculous clutch over SK Gaming and bring VP within 2 rounds of victory.
8. NiKo Eco 3ko (FaZe Clan vs. Immortals)
NiKo’s debut on FaZe has been nothing short of mind-boggling. The consistency with he lands deagle shots is unmatched in the competitive scene. This eco win was one of many for FaZe, largely off the back of NiKo’s powerful deag. If you’re interested in top-notch pistol play, look no further than FaZe.
7. NEO 1v4 on 1 HP (Virtus.Pro vs. Cloud9)
With a player as experienced as NEO, anything is possible. But a 1hp 1v4 is a bit of a stretch even for him. Unfortunately for Cloud9, NEO made that stretch, punishing Cloud9’s sloppy setups and turning a throwaway round into an eye-popping clutch. You can’t underestimate a Counter-Strike legend.
6. Intelligent 1v3 from Karrigan (FaZe Clan vs. Astralis)
Karrigan’s 1v3 clutch is the first grand finals highlight on our list, but it certainly won’t be the last. In this 1v3 retake, karrigan showed off both aim and brain, thoroughly outplaying his former teammates on Astralis. Karrigan’s clutch was crucial for FaZe, stopping Astralis’s comeback momentum and giving his team the economic advantage. What a round, indeed.
5. GOD Allu AWP Ace (FaZe Clan vs. Astralis)
The BOT Allu we all know and love went missing on Inferno. In the final round of the first half, Allu went massive with an unassisted ace against Astralis. Though FaZe went on to lose the series, Allu won our hearts with this play.
4. Hen1’s Ninja Deags (Immortals vs. FaZe Clan)
With total site control and 2 kills already on the board, FaZe looked poised to win another anti-eco. So it must’ve been a shock when Hen1 pulled the round back for Immortals in a couple of seconds. The Brazilian AWPer went sneaky beaky like, only peeking from Firebox at the exact right moment. Hen1’s incredible discipline and sick 180 kill earned him 4th on this list.
3. GuardiaN Ace To Save the Map (Natus Vincere vs. Astralis)
With a 2-man advantage on map point, Astralis looked set to take the first map in their best of 3 quarterfinal. Not unless GuardiaN had anything to say about it. On the brink of defeat, Vintage GuardiaN burst onto the map, showing off the highly accurate flicks he was known for in his prime. Astralis eventually closed out the map 16-12, but GuardiaN’s valiant efforts will not be forgotten.
2. Dupreeh No-Armor 1v3 Clutch (Astralis vs. FaZe Clan)
Winning a 1v3 is never easy. But how about winning a 1v3 without armor in front of 10,000 people? Dupreeh managed to do just that in game 3 of IEM’s grand finals. The Danish D didn’t miss a shot, showing up clutch with 2 one taps when his team needed it most.
1. Dupreeh Deagle Ace (Astralis vs. FaZe Clan)
How could anything else be number one? Dupreeh’s deagle ace will go down as one of the greatest plays in CS:GO history. His pinpoint precision singlehandedly changed the series’ momentum, and carried Astralis to a win on Overpass. Dupreeh turned a $1350 investment into $100,000 on this eco round.
