Astralis vs. G2, Preview & Prediction - Free 1/21 CS:GO

Astralis is a firm favorite when they face G2 in the Upper bracket semi-final of the BLAST Premier Global Final 2020 on Thursday. The winner of this match will advance to the Upper final and will meet a better side from the clash between Vitality and Liquid, while the loser will drop down to the Lower bracket.

Astralis Team Stats and Latest Results

The highest-ranked team in the CS:GO returned following a one-month absence. They defeated Evil Geniuses in the opening game of this tournament after coming from behind. Before the winter break took place, Astralis won the IEM Global Challenge 2020 thanks to wins over Complexity, Vitality, Natus Vincere, and Liquid in the Grand Final and earned $200,000 for the first place. That wasn’t the only trophy the Danes won in December, as they were victorious at the DreamHack Masters Winter 2020 Europe. Astralis won 14 of the previous 17 matches.

During the last three months, Astralis was strong on Inferno (78.9% win rate) and Train (75.0%), while they were below average only on Nuke (42.9%). Astralis assembled its current lineup in November 2020 and appeared on 53 maps with a record of 36 wins and 16 losses. The team members are Xyp9x (1.03 win rate), dupreeh (1.08), gla1ve (1.01), device (1.23), and Magisk (1.07).

G2 Team Stats and Latest Results

G2 lost four out of the last five matches in 2000, including two to BIG and Astralis at the BLAST Premier Fall 2020 Finals. Still, they opened this year with a 2-1 victory over FURIA after returning to the CS:GO tour from a 40-day absence. Despite some poor displays late in 2000, G2 stayed among the top 10 teams in the world, and have plans to keep it that way following this tournament. G2 won eight of the last 14 games.

In the previous three months, G2 was decent on Mirage (66.7% win rate) and Nuke (66.7%), while they are winless on Vertigo (played three times) and Overpass (played twice), and disappointed on Inferno (25.0%). G2 is also playing with the same squad since November 2020 and appeared on 28 maps with a record of 15 wins and 17 losses. The lineup is made of NiKo (1.19), huNter- (1.04), kennyS (1.05), AmaNEk (0.96), and nexa (0.98).

Astralis vs. G2 H2H Record

These rivals have met on ten occasions before, and Astralis is leading the all-time series 8-2. They won four of the previous five H2H meetings, including the last two at the DreamHack Masters Winter 2020 Europe and BLAST Premier Fall 2020 Finals in December 2020.

Astralis vs. G2 Betting Preview

To cut long story short, I am backing Astralis in this one. Not only because of their better H2H record but also because of the better form in the past few months. The Danish team is not the best in the world at the moment for no reason, and I believe their victory here is not under question. Feel free to back them, while G2 will get another chance to reach the Grand Final through the Lower bracket.

The Pick: Astralis to win (-167 @PINNACLE)