Team Falcons vs 9z - PGL Astana 2026

Falcons enter this match in commanding form. An 83% winrate last month and a two-match winning streak signal a side peaking at exactly the right time. Their most recent results back it up too: back-to-back 2-0 wins over K27 and FURIA, with a convincing scalp against Vitality sandwiched in between. This is a roster that knows how to close out matches on the big stage.

The map pool tells the rest of the story. Falcons will look to force Mirage early, and with a 74% winrate across 19 maps and a 93% first-pick tendency on it, that is a lane 9z are unlikely to win. The South American side heavily bans Mirage themselves, but that tendency hands Falcons a veto advantage rather than neutralizing the threat. 9z's strengths on Ancient and Nuke are real, yet their 67% winrate last month and a string of losses to Legacy suggest their ceiling under pressure is limited.

Falcons are not without vulnerabilities. Inferno has been a soft spot at 57%, and Dust2 and Ancient carry sample-size uncertainty. But 9z are ranked 19th, have weaker LAN earnings, and have struggled to put together consistent form away from regional competition. Falcons are the better team at this level, and the numbers agree.

Thunderpick odds(at time of writing):

Team Falcons to win 1.15

9z to win 4.80