Liquid continued their run at FISSURE Playground 2 with a confident 2:0 victory over Aurora in the quarterfinals. This win allowed the North American roster to advance to the semifinals, where they will face The MongolZ. For Aurora, however, the tournament ended early despite their attempts to put up a fight.
FISSURE PLAYGROUND 2 — TOURNAMENT CONTEXT
FISSURE Playground 2 is a prestigious LAN tournament that gathered the top teams of the global scene. In the playoffs, series are played in a BO3 format, while the final is BO5. For Liquid, this tournament became an opportunity to return to the top after inconsistent results during the summer. Aurora, ranked #7 in the world, had the chance to confirm their steady progress and secure their place among the elite.
ROAD TO THE MATCH
Aurora entered the quarterfinal after a confident streak of victories over TYLOO, Astralis, and Heroic. The team showed strong form, particularly thanks to woxic and XANTARES, but a recent loss to The MongolZ in the group stage was a worrying signal.
Liquid, meanwhile, regained confidence after a shaky start to the season. Wins against FaZe and TYLOO restored belief within the roster. The key figures remained siuhy and Twistzz, who set the pace of the game and consistently closed out crucial rounds.
MATCH TIMELINE
- Mirage (Liquid pick) — 13:9 for Liquid
Liquid looked confident from the opening minutes. Twistzz dominated in duels, finishing the map with an incredible (+16 K-D). Aurora tried to keep up through woxic’s efforts, but it wasn’t enough against the coordinated play of the North American roster.
- Inferno (Aurora pick) — 13:8 for Liquid
Aurora went for their comfort pick but couldn’t impose their game. NAF and siuhy made the difference, each surpassing 100 ADR. In key moments, Aurora looked disorganized, while Liquid confidently closed the series 2:0.
PLAYER OF THE MATCH
Russel “Twistzz” Van Dulken was the star of the match. His aggressive yet composed play on Mirage practically decided the outcome of the series.
- K-D: 39–23 (+16)
- ADR: 100.5
- Rating 3.0: 1.45
- KAST: 88.4%
TEAM PERFORMANCES
Liquid showed clear team balance. Twistzz was the driving force behind the win, but NAF and siuhy confidently kept up the pace. Ultimate added stability by locking down key positions on both maps.
Aurora, on the other hand, underperformed. Woxic tried to carry the team, finishing with a 1.35 rating, but XANTARES and Wicadia’s collapse on Inferno broke their structure. Aurora displayed some bright moments but lacked the necessary team stability.
HEAD-TO-HEAD
Over the past six months, Aurora held the advantage in direct encounters: 4 wins to Liquid’s 2. However, it was often Liquid who stopped them at big tournaments. This series confirmed that the North American roster knows how to adapt against the Turkish squad, especially in decisive matches.
WHAT’S NEXT?
Liquid advances to the semifinals, where they will face The MongolZ. This will be a key test for the roster, which currently sits at 15th in the world rankings. A victory could not only open the path to the final but also bring the team back into the HLTV top 10.
Aurora, despite their elimination, remain ranked #7 in the world. For them, this painful defeat highlights their weaknesses in decisive matches. The team now has time to recover and rethink their approach in order to maintain their place among the elite ahead of upcoming ESL Pro League events.
