HEROIC eliminate Astralis from the StarSeries Fall qualifier

Astralis are out of the European closed qualifier for StarSeries Fall after losing 0-2 to HEROIC in the Group B decider, HLTV reported on July 24. The scoreline means the Danish organisation did not take a map in the match that would have carried them out of the group, and their qualifier ends without a playoff appearance or a route to the $500,000 LAN in September. HEROIC advance in their place.

HLTV describes the exit as the first setback for the Danish-majority roster since Filip "NEO" Kubski took charge of the squad, making it the earliest test of a coaching change that had otherwise gone unbeaten. The team are not out of competition altogether: HLTV reports they remain alive at BLAST Bounty following a come-from-behind win over Nemesis in the Round of 32.

Elsewhere on the day, INFINITE beat Nemesis in what HLTV reports was the qualifier's only three-map series, with Henrich "sl3nd" Hevesi posting a 1.54 rating across it. Gentle Mates beat Walczaki, and Echo took a second win of the qualifier over Nuclear TigeRES, having already beaten the same opponent earlier in the bracket. The rest of the day's matches were settled inside two maps.

The top two teams from each group advance to a single-elimination playoff bracket played over the weekend, which is where the qualifier's two LAN places are decided. HLTV reports the opening round is headlined by Ninjas in Pyjamas against HEROIC, a rematch of the Stake Ranked Episode 3 upper bracket final from the previous week.

Two teams will emerge from the European bracket with places at StarSeries Fall. They join Vitality, Natus Vincere, FURIA and MOUZ, along with the winners of the North American and South American qualifiers, at the $500,000 event in September. For Astralis, the remaining route to an offline event this month runs through BLAST Bounty.