Astralis are still alive in Poland. After a shaky start in their lower bracket clash against FUT at IEM Kraków Stage 2, the Danish squad managed to find their footing, securing a 2-1 victory and a date with FURIA for a spot in the playoffs.
The series began on Mirage, where FUT looked dominant in a 13-7 victory. Astralis appeared sluggish and struggled to find answers for the Turkish side’s aggression. However, a narrow 13-11 escape on Overpass turned the momentum completely, leading to a 13-2 demolition on Nuke.
Following the match, ESL reporter Eefje “Sjokz” Depoortere spoke with Gytis “ryu” Glušauskas. The 21-year-old Lithuanian has been a revelation for Astralis since joining, and his steady hand was vital in navigating the high-pressure elimination game.
The Wake-Up Call
The shift in energy between Mirage and the final two maps was palpable. According to ryu, the turnaround started with a blunt assessment from their coach, Casper “ruggah” Due.
“We had a lot of struggles on the first map. We came into the game kind of slow,” ryu admitted. “After the first map we had a really good talk and we kind of woke up.”
When asked if the veteran coach had to resort to yelling to get his point across, ryu clarified that it was more about honesty than volume. “I don’t think it was that harsh. He just said how it is. He said we didn’t play well, and it was an elimination game, so it truly matters. So he just woke us up.”
You can see the interview here.
Finding Consistency under Pressure
While Astralis has shown flashes of brilliance in Kraków, consistency remains the final hurdle for this new iteration of the roster. For ryu, the team’s ability to process feedback in real-time is their greatest asset in fixing those dips in form.
“Some games are inconsistent. But I think we have a lot of good conclusions after the game and between them, so I think that helps a lot,” the rifler explained. “Everyone is pretty open-minded and handles criticism well in the team, so it always helps when it’s like that.”
The HooXi Factor
A major part of ryu’s individual success – delivering solid numbers despite the pressure of the big stage – comes down to his relationship with the team’s captain, Rasmus “HooXi” Nielsen. The synergy between the young star and the experienced IGL has been a bright spot for the Danes.
“We agree on a lot of things in the game,” ryu said regarding his captain. “It’s pretty nice when you have an IGL who always has your back and who trusts you, so it’s really nice to play with him.”
Astralis now enters a “win or die” scenario today against FURIA. With the momentum of the Nuke blowout behind them and the Lithuanian newcomer finding his comfort zone, the Danes are one Bo3 away from the main stage in Kraków.
