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Cloud9 Come From Behind To Win Brazy Party 2023 Grand Final Against Astralis

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Cloud9 Come From Behind To Win Brazy Party 2023 Grand Final Against Astralis

The Russians responded to their Overpass loss with back-to-back wins on Vertigo and Inferno to clinch the title 

Cloud9 have lifted the Brazy Party 2023 trophy and secured a $133,000 payday with an excellent grand final win against Astralis. The Russians received a 16-5 battering on Overpass before drawing level with a 16-7 victory on Overpass and sealing the deal with a 16-12 win on Inferno. 

This win couldn't have come at a better time for the ESL Pro League Season 17 runner-ups, as the team is looking to build the confidence and stability they need to succeed following a disappointing Paris Major 2023 RMR campaign. 

Vladislav “nafany” Gorshkov and company will now set their sights on the IEM Dallas, which is scheduled for a May 29-June 4 run. Fresh off their Brazy Party truimph, Cloud9 will try to replicate their 2022 success at IEM Dallas and secure successive titles. 

It wasn't the outcome they were hoping for, but Astralis can hold their heads high after a valiant effort in the online competition. Despite the disappointment of not taking home the top prize, the team demonstrated true sporting spirit and determination throughout.

All eyes were on Alexander “Altekz” Givskov, who made his Astralis debut at the Brazy Party, and he certainly lived up to the hype. The team's grand final finish is proof that the Danes have taken the right squad-building approach to recover from their failed Paris Major 2023 qualification bid. 

Brazy Party Grand Final 2023-A Short Recap

The game began with Astralis choosing Overpass, where the Danes had proven themselves to be a dominant force with an impressive 89% win rate over nine outings in the past three months. It was clear that both teams were in for a challenging battle.

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The move paid off in spades as they started the game strong with a 5-0 lead on the T-side. With a 5-0 lead on the T-side, the Danish squad's careful and strategic offensive effort allowed them to take control of the match.

Cloud9's slow start to the game saw them struggle to gain traction against a dominant Astralis side. Although Abay “HObbit” Khassenov's triple kill in round six gave them a glimmer of hope, Astralis maintained their lead with an outstanding performance from Benjamin “blameF” Bremer.

Astralis began the second half with a bang, with Nicolai “device” Reedtz's accurate shooting helping them secure their second pistol round. From then on, the Danes were in total control of the game, even managing to win a 3vs5 in round 20 to maintain their dominance before finishing with a decisive 16-5 scoreline.

Vertigo was a different story for Cloud9, as they immediately found their footing and charged ahead to a 4-1 lead on the T-side. They had a clear goal in mind: forcing an Inferno decider. Astralis was able to mount a comeback as the first half progressed, thanks to the leadership of blameF. The Danish squad pulled ahead, 5-4.

Cloud9 took control of the game again as Dmitry “sh1ro” Sokolov led the resurgence. Winning five of the last six rounds of the half, the Russian-Kazakh team headed into their CT-side with a comfortable 9-6 lead.

With HObbit expertly diffusing the bomb while shrouded in smoke, Cloud9 hit the double-digit mark and stepped on the gas to confirm a 16-7 victory on Vertigo to equalize the score. The team put up a near-impenetrable defense, giving up just one round to Astralis as they took control of the game and set the stage for a full-length best-of-three final.

It was a remarkable start for Cloud9 on Inferno as they executed a brilliant tactical maneuver to swing the momentum in their favor. Despite facing a disadvantageous situation with sh1ro running out of funds and a motley crew haul of pistols, the Russian-majority lineup still managed to score a surprising win in the third round and establish a dominant presence on the T-side.

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Cloud9 took an early 6-2 lead, but Nicolai “dev1ce” Reedtz brought Astralis back to the game with an impressive kill count of 17. The Danes, however, still trailed at halftime as the score stood 9-6 in Cloud9’s favor. 

Astralis came out guns blazing on the T-side, racking up three rounds in a row with a united effort from every member of the Danish lineup. However, Cloud9 didn't let themselves get intimidated and quickly regained control.

The duo of nafany and Sergey “Ax1Le⁠” Rykhtorov put on a show, as they executed a masterful defense on both bombsites, helping their side claim six consecutive rounds, putting them one step closer to victory.

Astralis' late fightback with three rounds was not enough to derail Cloud9's championship aspirations. The team remained composed and secured the pivotal round they needed to close out Inferno with a 16-12 scoreline, emerging as champions at Brazy Party.

You can find the full match stats here.