Double-elimination tournaments leave no time to warm up. One weak match instantly shifts the balance of power: someone gains a comfortable position in the bracket, while someone is already fighting for survival. These are exactly the series that show who is ready for the long distance.
Tournament context
IEM Kraków 2026 Stage 1 is a ranked LAN stage of the Intel Extreme Masters series that directly affects the distribution of Valve Regional Standings (VRS) points.
16 teams compete in a double elimination Bo3 format: winners in the upper bracket retain the right to make one mistake, while a loss sends a team to the lower bracket, where every next match becomes decisive.
For Astralis, it was a chance to stabilize their position in the top-15 and avoid early pressure from the lower bracket. For paiN, it was an opportunity to establish themselves among consistent playoff contenders and not start the tournament in elimination mode.
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How the match unfolded — Astralis vs paiN
Score: 2:0 in favor of Astralis
- Dust2 (paiN pick) — 13:10
On the Brazilian team’s pick, Astralis quickly seized the initiative. The Danes managed their economy better, consistently won mid-rounds, and did not allow paiN to build aggressive attacks. ryu looked especially confident, regularly creating numerical advantages in opening duels. The map remained competitive until the middle, but in the decisive moments Astralis played far more cold-bloodedly. - Overpass (Astralis pick) — 13:7
On their own map, Astralis fully controlled the tempo. They read their opponent’s rotations, closed key positions intelligently, and consistently broke paiN’s economy. The Brazilians tried to stay in the game through individual plays from vsm and nqz, but Astralis’ overall structure was clearly superior. The second half turned into a systematic closeout with no real chance of a comeback.
Player of the Match — Gytis “ryu” Glušauskas (Astralis)
It was ryu who became the main engine behind Astralis’ victory.
- K–D: 34–22
- ADR: 83.8
- Rating 3.0: 1.59
Key impact: Consistent firepower on both maps, aggressive control of key areas, and confident decision-making in crucial rounds. His play on Dust2 allowed Astralis to maintain the tempo, and on Overpass he finally broke paiN’s resistance.
VRS results
- Astralis — +37 pt → 1580 pt (#14). A significant strengthening of their position in the top-15 and improved chances for stable seeding at future LAN events.
- paiN — –12 pt → 1556 pt (#22). A drop in the rankings and increased pressure in the fight for a stable place among the top-20.
For Astralis, this is one of the most important victories at the start of the tournament. For paiN, it is a painful blow to their ranking stability and a serious complication of their tournament path.
What’s next?
Astralis advance to the upper quarter-finals of IEM Kraków 2026 Stage 1. The team retains the right to one mistake and gains more comfortable conditions to reach the later stages of the tournament.
paiN drop to lower round 1. Now every match for them is an elimination match. Any loss will mean the end of their tournament run.
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Match summary
Astralis demonstrated tactical maturity and confident individual form. They calmly secured the opponent’s map and closed their own without issues, never allowing the series to turn into a truly tense battle. This victory establishes Astralis as a serious contender for a deep run in the tournament, while paiN are now forced to take the most difficult path through the lower bracket with no room for error.
