Karrigan gives Falcons’ Astana run 8-9/10 ahead of Shanghai

Finn “karrigan” Andersen rated Falcons’ runner-up finish at PGL Astana an “8 or 9 out of 10” after the team lost 3-0 to Spirit in the grand final. The squad has arrived in Shanghai to compete at the CS Asia Championships and to prepare for the Cologne Major.

Karrigan credited the run in Astana to strong mental play and key moments, highlighting a quarterfinal comeback against FURIA. He described that match as a tournament highlight and gave it a perfect score, noting the team defended multiple match points and recovered under pressure.

He pointed to limited practice time and major tactical changes on the T side as context for the event. Falcons played seven Dust2 maps at Astana and showed variation in approach across maps, he observed. Karrigan said the final against Spirit was difficult and that different choices on Mirage would be a learning point for him.

Falcons enter Shanghai as one of the highest-ranked teams at the event. Karrigan did not call the tournament a must-win but said a title would provide a confidence boost ahead of the Cologne Major. He added that the team had not practiced for 10 or 11 days before arriving in Shanghai and that some opponents had more preparation time.

The team’s opening match in Shanghai is a best-of-one against BC.Game featuring s1mple, who briefly played with karrigan at FaZe. Karrigan expressed an expectation to win but cautioned about the volatility of single-map matches, recalling a prior BO1 in China where a late loss altered a tournament run.

On logistics and the Major schedule, karrigan outlined a five-day bootcamp with the team, followed by a short break at home before traveling to Cologne. He said the lead-up work will focus on keeping positive elements and using data from Astana and Shanghai to identify specific areas for adjustment.

Karrigan also commented on other contenders, noting that inactivity can affect form and that teams may arrive at the Major in different states of readiness. He stated Falcons aim to repeat the form they showed in Astana and to seek consistent results in Shanghai.