Everyone in the Counter-Strike esports bubble was eagerly awaiting Finn “karrigan” Andersen’s debut as the IGL of Falcons; luckily, it did not disappoint. The Dane led his squad to an impressive second-place finish at PGL Astana 2026, losing only to Team Spirit.
What did we learn from karrigan’s first couple of games in charge, and are Falcons realistic challengers for the IEM Cologne Major trophy? Let’s discuss.
karrigan seems to be fitting right in at Falcons. Credit: © PGL
While karrigan’s addition to Falcons came as a bit of a shock, on paper, it seemed like the perfect move. Reuniting with his former FaZe Clan teammate Nikola “NiKo” Kovac and joining forces with tremendous young talents and some of the best CS2 players, Ilya “m0NESY” Osipov and Maxim “kyousuke” Lukin, was a no-brainer.
The Saudi organization got off to a strong start in the group stage, beating K27 in their opening match of the event, before losing against 9z and falling to the 1:1 bracket. Although Falcons were the CS2 betting favorites in that matchup, 9z were in tremendous form at PGL Astana, so it’s not as bad a result as it looks.
From then on, Falcons powered up with each game, guaranteeing themselves a playoff spot by besting Monte and The MongolZ. Despite several underdogs in the mix, the quarter-final draw was not kind to Falcons, as they had to face off against FURIA in their maiden arena game with karrigan at the helm.
It might seem like an exaggeration, but the PGL Astana 2026 quarter-final between Falcons and FURIA was one of the best matches in the history of CS2. Virtually every single star player on the server showed up, which made for a crazy show for fans at home and in the arena.
Eventually, after saving several match points and coming out on top in multiple overtimes, Falcons crawled over the finish line and defeated FURIA. The semi-final against magic was just a formality before having to face Spirit in the BO5 Grand Final.
Despite a promising start on the first map, Falcons failed to keep up with Spirit, who, thanks to excellent utility usage and exceptional performances from their stars, ran away with the game. But a second-place finish at a debut event is nothing to scoff at.
kyousuke has clearly taken a liking to his new in-game leader. Credit: Helena Kristiansson | © ESL
One of the most noticeable changes since karrigan’s arrival has been the demeanor of kyousuke. Falcons’ new IGL is hyping up kyousuke every chance he gets, with screams, “Nice Maxim!” often getting a smile out of the 18-year-old prodigy.
Even during one of his interviews on the PGL Astana stage, when asked about karrigan joining the team, kyousuke’s face instantly lights up, and he has nothing but great words to say about his new captain.
The atmosphere within the squad seems much more positive, and the effects are visible on the server. The Russian duo of kyousuke and m0NESY were on a tear this event, even in the playoffs, where the rifler previously struggled to find impact.
If, under karrigan’s leadership, kyousuke manages to maintain his group stage form into the playoffs, Falcons will become a real threat capable of challenging for titles at all the upcoming CS2 events they attend.
Falcons’ playoff resilience in Astana was akin to prime karrigan’s FaZe Clan. Credit: @FalconsEsport
Before karrigan’s arrival, the main criticism directed at Falcons was that they crumbled under pressure in the playoffs. With that in mind, one of the biggest positives to take away from their PGL Astana 2026 showing is their victory over FURIA.
In that series, Falcons were up against the wall multiple times, having to claw their way back and even save several match points. Coming out on top in that series proved that Falcons have the mentality to get over the line in those tight playoff matches.
What’s also great for Falcons is that kyousuke was their best performer in that match. Enabling kyousuke on the stage was one of karrigan’s main objectives coming into Falcons, and it seems like he’s already succeeded. Even in their Grand Final loss to Spirit, he was Falcons’ best player.
Now, with more reps in official games to come at the CS Asia Championships 2026, and more practice time, Falcons should become a formidable force coming into the IEM Cologne Major.
While they won’t be the CS2 odds favorites to win the title, on their day, they could beat anyone.
Featured image credit: © PGL
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