The first round of the Galaxy Cup group stage is behind us, and the excitement is still in full swing. Among the teams that have kicked off the competition, Armitra Esports, one of the teams from our affiliate programme, stands out in particular. The team began the tournament with a clash against Horizon Esports and, as the title suggests, secured a victory straight away. But what exactly was their first match like? Was it a comfortable win, or perhaps a thrilling clash full of twists and turns?
An easy win or a tough battle? How did Armitra Esports kick off their Galaxy Cup campaign?
Armitra Esports 2:0 Horizon Esports
13:7 | Inferno
The first map of the match kicked off on Inferno, where Armitra Esports started on the terrorist side. The team’s determination was evident from the very first seconds of the match; despite losing their first player, they managed to secure the bombsite quickly and effectively. Unfortunately, their rivals from Horizon Esports managed to retake the position and secured the pistol round for themselves. Despite this setback, the planted bomb gave Armitra the opportunity to invest in equipment, bringing submachine guns and Galils into play. Although they lacked full equipment, particularly grenades, this did not prevent them from launching another successful attack, which gave them their first point on the scoreboard.
The decisive force buy proved to be an excellent decision, which Armitra managed to turn into a full-fledged winning streak. For several rounds, their opponents were unable to find an answer to the terrorists’ aggressive and well-thought-out style of play. Horizon only broke the deadlock in the seventh round, but it was merely a fleeting moment, as Armitra quickly regained control and closed out the first half with a 10-2 lead without much trouble. What deserves particular praise is not only their effectiveness in attack, but also their excellent reading of the opponent’s game and the pace they imposed in every round.
After the sides switched, Horizon once again showed their mettle in the pistol round, not only scoring another point but also initiating a small run that allowed them to close the gap on their opponents. When the score was 10-7, things started to get a bit tense, but Armitr managed to keep their cool, not allowing any further losses. The team returned to their dominant form, winning three consecutive rounds and finishing the map with a score of 13-7.
16:12 | Mirage
The second map, Mirage, proved far more thrilling and was much more evenly matched than the opening match on Inferno. Armitra Esports started on the anti-terrorist side this time and, as before, failed to win the pistol round. Despite this, the team quickly shook off the setback and immediately launched a counter-attack. An effective response in the following rounds allowed them to seize the initiative and build a comfortable lead. Their rivals from Horizon Esports only managed to break through the defence in the fifth round. However, their joy was short-lived, as Armitra once again dictated the terms of the game in the next round.
The team demonstrated excellent organisation and flexibility in defence; rotations were lightning-fast, and well-positioned crossfires limited the terrorists’ actions to an absolute minimum. Ultimately, the first half ended with a score of 9:3, putting Armitra in a comfortable position ahead of the second half.
Everything pointed to closing out the match being a mere formality. However, Armitra once again failed to cope in the pistol round. As a result, Horizon won all four pistol rounds in the entire match. This success gave their opponents a boost; their defence was extremely well thought out. This allowed them to slowly but effectively make up the deficit. As time went on, the tension mounted, and Horizon managed to level the score. They even took the lead for a moment, completely erasing Armitra’s first-half advantage.
In the decisive phase of regular time, Armitra showed tremendous fortitude. They kept their cool, levelled the score, and then took the lead again, with a chance to close out the match. Horizon, however, had not had their final say and defended the last round with complete focus, forcing extra time.
In extra time, Armitra played as if inspired. In attack, they looked as though they had rediscovered their best form from the start of the match; the rounds were fast, effective and confident. Three wins on the terrorist side gave them a comfortable lead before the sides switched. When the second half of overtime began, they left no room for doubt. They immediately closed out the match, winning Mirage 16-12 and the entire series 2-0.
decider | Ancient
Ancient was set to be the third map in the series, designated as the decider, but there was no need to play it. Armitra Esports sealed the match 2-0, demonstrating not only excellent form but also great mental resilience at the crucial moments of the clash.
Armitra has made a flying start to the tournament, leaving no doubt as to who is calling the shots at the start of the Galaxy Cup. Good form, mental strength and team chemistry are a combination that is hard to stop. If the upcoming matches continue in this vein, we could be witnessing something truly special.
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