Astralis eliminated FaZe from Stake Ranked Episode 4 with a 2-1 Counter-Strike 2 win on October 2, sending FaZe out of the event as the second team eliminated. FaZe opened the series by taking Ancient 13-11, but Astralis answered with a 13-11 win on Nuke and closed Cache 13-9.
FaZe finished the event at -27 points, and the Singapore invite simulation now places the team below the projected qualification cutoff. Its position had already worsened after the opening loss to Nemiga, which dropped its simulated invite chance to 48% instead of the 77% projection attached to a win. Nemiga was one of FaZe’s direct rivals for a Major invite, making that first result particularly costly.
FaZe’s route to that opening loss included a collapse on Mirage, where it squandered a 9-2 lead and won only three of the next 17 rounds after struggling on the T side. Nemiga then came through on Ancient, recovering from a 0-3 start to put up seven rounds on offense and reach a 10-5 lead at the side switch before closing the map 13-11.
Astralis had entered the elimination match after also losing its opener, falling to Alliance. Alliance overcame 10-6 and 12-14 deficits on its Inferno pick despite going 9-21 in opening duels. After a heavy loss on Cache, it came back from 5-9 on the Nuke decider to take the match. That setback did not greatly damage Astralis’ Major outlook, and the win over FaZe has now strengthened its already high chances of reaching Singapore.
The remaining bracket
Luminosity beat B8 2-0 and BIG defeated fnatic 2-1, leaving both winners in contention for Singapore Major places and set to meet in an upper-bracket semifinal. Astralis will face the loser of Luminosity versus BIG on Saturday, October 3.
FaZe’s next two events are Roman Imperium Cup IX and DraculaN Season 7, giving the team further opportunities to improve its position in the Singapore race.
Can FaZe use those two events to repair a Singapore Major bid now sitting below the projected cutoff? Follow the race and Astralis’ next bracket match through X, Bluesky, YouTube, Instagram, Steam, and Telegram.
