The final day of the group stage in PGL Astana 2026 has come to an end, and the teams going into the playoffs are locked, but not without a fair share of upsets and surprises. G2, Aurora, and Magic became the final three teams who will be heading to the next round of play, and here is how it happened.
Gentle Mates vs Magic
In the battle of the underdogs, the more experienced side failed to deliver with their backs against the wall. Spanish powerhouse Gentle Mates dropped a performance they would like to forget, having lost 13-5 in the opening map, followed by a closely tied match on their own map pick that Gentle Mates were able to push over the line with a 16-13 win.
G2 vs Monte
Arguably, the most one-sided match of the day saw G2 make quick work of Monte with a back-to-back dominant performance. 13-2 win on Ancient, followed by a 13-4 win on Dust2, showcased why G2 can be a force to be reckoned with despite a drop in their performance following the departure of Malbs. As G2 head to the playoffs, we might see them come into form, but given the plethora of talent there, they will not find the next game to be as easy as this one.
Aurora vs MongolZ
In the high-voltage match of the day, MongolZ, despite being the favourite, got outlasted by the Turkish giants. Despite both teams being underdogs, MongolZ were predicted to have a slight edge based on their recent results, but two close losses saw them crash out without posing much of a challenge, which is truly sad. Aurora, on the other hand, has secured playoffs on the final day of the Group Stage, but their recent performances raise questions about how far they can make it in the next stage of play.
With playoffs coming next, there’s room for error that is next to none, and with all the teams eyeing to bag this opportunity in the absence of Vitality, PGL Astana will see teams break past their limits to get the lion’s share of the $1.6 million on the line.
