Astralis shut out Cloud9 with second ever 16-0 major score
Cloud9’s first day in the Katowice Major’s Legends Stage took a nasty turn against the world’s best team.
Shortly after starting its day with a dominant victory over MiBR, the fan favorite squad was pitched a 16-0 shutout by tournament favorite Astralis. This is just the second time a 16-0 score has been posted in CS:GO major history.
Train has proven to be a tricky map for every team at the Katowice Major. The CT side owns a serious advantage under any circumstances, but with the entire meta breaking in favor of defense, it is especially difficult for the Train T side to gain sustained momentum.
Astralis took that a step further against Cloud9. After getting off to a strong start, Astralis went from refusing to cede rounds to refusing to even give up kills, savaging Cloud9’s economy and giving them no hope of a comeback. That led to a 15-0 first half, and Astralis sealed the sweep by taking the second pistol round.
Cloud9’s run in the Katowice Major has been a rollercoaster to this point.
At times, Cloud9 looks the part of an elite level team with its four veterans performing well and newcomer Jordan “Zellsis” Montemurro pulling his weight. At other times, the team looks sloppy, with obvious breakdowns in communication and repeated tactical misfires leading to losses.
Though the 16-0 score is likely an anomaly, this was a generally terrible showing from Cloud9. Its performance against MiBR suggested that the lineup was ready to realize its potential, but getting blanked undermines the notion that Cloud9 should be looked at as a real contender.
While this is a tough blow for the North American organization, its work isn’t done in Katowice. Now sporting a 1-1 record, it is set for a showdown in round three with Vitality. Meanwhile, Astralis will look to knot up a spot in the Champions Stage playoffs as the Danes battle Renegades in a best-of-three series.
Steven Rondina
About Steven Rondina
Steven Rondina is a true lifelong gamer. His earliest memories are of playing video games, and he has continued playing them throughout his life with no plans to stop any time soon. Steven’s favorite franchises in gaming include Pokemon, Dark Souls, and Counter-Strike. He has previously published with Bleacher Report and other gaming outlets.
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