FURIA sweep Aurora and Boombl4's side stun Falcons 2-1 to set up US$1 million CS2 final in Malta

FURIA will defend their title in the final of the US$1 million Counter-Strike 2 world championship event in Malta after a 2-0 semi-final win over Aurora on Saturday, 17 October. They will face the team led by Kirill "Boombl4" Mikhailov, who stunned Falcons 2-1 later in the day after losing the first map heavily. This follows on from the earlier report that set the semi-final line-up after the group stage.

FURIA too sharp for Aurora

FURIA were in control for most of their semi-final. Aurora took the first three rounds on Dust2, but FURIA's CT side turned the map around and they led 9-3 at the half before closing it out 13-8.

Inferno was tighter. Aurora pushed the Brazilian side all the way, but an important eco-round win swung the late momentum and FURIA took the map 13-10 to finish the series without needing Nuke.

KSCERATO was the best player on the server with a 1.67 HLTV rating and 38 kills to 22 deaths, while YEKINDAR added a 1.39 rating with strong entry work, particularly on Inferno. The win was also a measure of revenge for FURIA, who had lost to Aurora at ESL Pro League, the teams' previous tier-one meeting.

Falcons let a lead slip

The second semi-final looked to be going Falcons' way after a dominant 13-5 win on Anubis. Their opponents then produced a comeback that ended Falcons' run.

Dust2 went to overtime. Falcons led early and were one round from victory at 14-13 in overtime, but Boombl4's team won the last three rounds to take the map 16-14 and level the series. The momentum carried into the decider, where they won Mirage 13-7.

Magnojez was the top performer with a 1.39 rating and 59 kills, while S1ren chipped in with a 1.15. For Falcons, m0NESY was the only player above a 1.0 rating at 1.14, as NiKo, karrigan, TeSeS and kyousuke struggled to find the same level.

The result is a further sign of progress for Boombl4's side, who only reached the playoffs by coming back to beat Legacy in their final group match. They had also beaten Falcons in their previous meeting, at the IEM Cologne Major.

Final day in Malaysia time

The playoff schedule for Sunday, 18 October, lists the third-place match between Falcons and Aurora at 13:30 CEST, which is 7.30pm in Malaysia. The best-of-five grand final between FURIA and Boombl4's team follows at 17:00 CEST, or 11pm Malaysia time.

The prize pool is US$1 million, with US$500,000 going to the winners and US$250,000 to the runners-up. Third place is worth US$100,000 and fourth US$50,000.

Major build-up

The event comes in the build-up to the PGL Major Singapore, giving several leading teams a final high-level test before the Major arrives in Southeast Asia. FURIA's title defence and the surprise run by Boombl4's team have given fans in the region plenty to follow in the meantime.

Key takeaways

• FURIA beat Aurora 2-0 (13-8 Dust2, 13-10 Inferno) on 17 October to reach the final as defending champions.
• Boombl4's team beat Falcons 2-1 (5-13 Anubis, 16-14 Dust2, 13-7 Mirage).
• KSCERATO (1.67) and Magnojez (1.39) were the top-rated players in the semi-finals.
• The best-of-five final is scheduled for 11pm Malaysia time on 18 October, with US$500,000 for the winners.

FAQ

Who is in the final of the US$1 million CS2 event in Malta? Defending champions FURIA face the team led by Boombl4, who beat Falcons 2-1 in the semi-finals.

What time is the Malta CS2 final in Malaysia? The grand final is scheduled for 17:00 CEST on Sunday, 18 October, which is 11pm Malaysia time.

How much prize money does the winner get? The champions receive US$500,000 from the US$1 million prize pool, with US$250,000 for second place.

Sources: HLTV, Hotspawn, esports.gg, Pley.gg