Aurora has advanced to the playoffs at the Thunderpick World Championship in Malta after defeating 9z in a convincing 2-0 series. This victory sets up a semi-final clash with FURIA, who they previously beat 2-1 at ESL Pro League Season 24 just ten days earlier.
The win marks Aurora's third straight top-four placement, following their runner-up finish at StarSeries and third-place result at ESL Pro League. This achievement is particularly impressive considering their rocky tournament start, where 9z had previously dominated them with a 13-11 victory on Inferno and a crushing 13-1 win on Nuke.
For the rematch, Ashley "ash" Battye's squad wisely avoided Nuke and selected Cache instead. The decision paid off as Damjan "kyxsan" Stoilkovski delivered crucial clutch plays that helped Aurora establish control on both sides. Despite 9z mounting a comeback attempt in the second half, Aurora held firm with a critical low-buy round win in round 24.
The series concluded on Inferno, where Aurora found significantly more success than their initial meeting. Ali "Wicadia" Haydar Yalçın commanded the CT side from the B bombsite, consistently shutting down 9z's attempts. The 21-year-old star produced an exceptional AWP highlight in round 8 that proved decisive.
For 9z, this elimination extends their disappointing streak to five consecutive tournaments without reaching the playoff stage.
