Aurora continues its confident performance at PGL Masters Bucharest 2025, earning a decisive 2:1 victory over Astralis in the playoff qualification match. The Turkish lineup showed stability, especially on their own map picks, and became one of the eight teams to reach the quarterfinals. Astralis, meanwhile, concludes its journey in the tournament.
Tournament context
PGL Masters Bucharest 2025 is one of the main tournaments of the year, taking place in Bucharest, Romania, from October 26 to November 1, 2025. Sixteen teams are competing for a total prize pool of $1,250,000.
The tournament is part of the Valve Regional Standings (VRS) system — its results affect the distribution of qualification slots for the next Major. The Swiss System format means that teams with a 3:2 record or better advance to the playoffs, while those finishing 2:3 are eliminated.
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How the match unfolded — Aurora vs Astralis
Aurora defeated Astralis with a 2:1 scoreline (10:13 Nuke, 13:8 Train, 13:10 Mirage) in the decisive match of the Swiss stage.
- Nuke (Astralis pick) — 10:13. The Danes started confidently, effectively utilizing their tactical strengths on their map choice. jabbi and Magisk secured control in most duels, but Aurora didn’t allow them to gain too large of a lead.
- Train (Aurora pick) — 13:8. The Turkish squad regrouped after the loss, taking full control of the match’s tempo. woxic and Wicadia displayed excellent synergy, forcing their opponents into mistakes during key rounds.
- Mirage (decider) — 13:10. On the decisive map, Aurora demonstrated championship-level composure. With XANTARES’ aggressive play and jottAAA’s consistent entries, the team closed the match in convincing fashion.
Player of the Match — Özgür “woxic” Eker
- K–D: 54–38
- ADR: 75.5
- Rating 3.0: 1.29
- KAST: 68.7%
woxic became the true hero of the match — his confident AWP performance, accurate shots in decisive moments, and remarkable consistency made him the most valuable player of the series.
Roster Update — Astralis without device
Astralis suffered a major setback ahead of their decisive match against Aurora. Team captain and AWPer Nicolai “device” Reedtz missed the game due to a medical emergency, as announced by the tournament organizers shortly before the match began. His place in the lineup was taken by coach Casper “ruggah” Due, who was forced to step onto the server.
Astralis entered the match in the 1–2 bracket, following losses to B8 and Legacy, but managed to stay alive with a victory over 3DMAX in their previous game. For ruggah, this is not the first time he’s served as a stand-in — he previously played at IEM Katowice 2023 for OG, where the team fell to Outsiders with a 0–2 scoreline. In that series, the coach recorded a 0.56 rating, finishing with a 2–12 score in opening duels.
Lineup update for PGL Masters Bucharest 2025: ruggah will stand in for dev1ce in Astralis' match against Aurora, due to unfortunate sikness.
— PGL (@pglesports) October 30, 2025
VRS rating after the match — Aurora vs Astralis
- Aurora: +21 points (1763 → 1784 VRS), rising from #10 to #9 in the world rankings
- Astralis: –9 points (1650 → 1641 VRS), dropping to #15
This victory strengthened Aurora’s position among the world’s top 10 teams, while Astralis lost its chance to reach the playoffs and will likely finish the tournament outside the global elite.
What’s next for the teams
Aurora moves on to the Quarterfinals, where on October 27 they will face B8. This will be a serious test for both teams — the Ukrainians are in excellent form, while Aurora aims to confirm its status as one of the tournament favorites.
Astralis ends its run at the event, finishing in the 9–11th place range with a $15,625 prize. The team failed to realize its potential after several close series and will now focus on preparation for the next season.
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Match summary
Aurora proved its class and mental resilience by defeating a historically strong opponent. This victory not only secured a playoff spot at PGL Masters Bucharest 2025 but also boosted the team’s world ranking.
Astralis, on the other hand, ends the tournament on a disappointing note — lineup instability and the replacement of coach ruggah due to medical reasons negatively impacted their performance.
Ahead lies the decisive stage of the competition. The upcoming Aurora vs B8 match on October 27 promises to be one of the most exciting encounters of the quarterfinal stage.
