Aurora beat Liquid 2-1 on maps and, with their third win in the Swiss stage, secured the third playoffs spot at PGL Masters Bucharest 2026. The Aurora roster includes Macedonian player Damjan "kyxsan" Stoilkovski.
The series opened with a 13-11 win for Aurora on Anubis. Jimi "Jimpphat" Salo was decisive, finishing the series with a server-high 1.28 rating, and on that map he also won a 1v2 clutch in the opening round.
Liquid responded on Inferno, coming back from 4-10 down with a strong defense to win 13-11. On the Cache decider, however, Liquid led 10-8 but could not close it out.
Jimpphat saved Aurora in two consecutive rounds with patient play in a 1v2 situation and good AWPing on the B bombsite in defense, then added another double-kill. Aurora took the map 13-10.
kyxsan finished the series with 36 kills, 47 deaths and a 0.93 rating. Aurora extend their recent run of form with a fourth consecutive playoffs qualification, after finishing as runners-up at StarLadder StarSeries Fall and third at ESL Pro League S24 and the Thunderpick World Championship.