Astralis Expand Their CS:GO Roster With Lucky

Astralis completed the signing of Philip “Lucky” Ewald, who joins the Danish Counter-Strike: Global Offensive team as their new AWPer. With the signing of the 18-year-old, Astralis re-established a six-man roster following the departure of Nicolai “device” Reedtz in April.

Astralis Fill In The Vacant AWP Spot

Astralis have long been regarded as the best CS:GO esports team in the world. However, many started to question whether the Danes deserve to keep that status.

Astralis haven’t won a single tournament in 2021 and have been struggling to recapture their 2019 form during the online era of CS:GO competitive scene. Following months of inconsistent results, Astralis parted ways with their star AWPer device, who left for Ninjas in Pyjamas in April 2021.

Although the core of the team, which won four CS:GO Major Championships, stayed intact, the team now lacked the dedicated AWP player.

Without a dedicated sniper on the team, Astralis struggled to deliver against the world’s best teams, which soon made it evident that they need to address the issue. However, it wasn’t until this Monday, July 26, that the Danes found a solution.

Instead of searching for an experienced player to join their ranks, Astralis injected some young blood into their roster by signing Lucky. The 18-year-old Dane joins Astralis on a transfer from Tricked Esports.

“I have really enjoyed my time in Tricked, and I have a lot to thank them for,” said Lucky.
“When Astralis comes knocking, everything changes, though. It’s without a doubt one of the most professional organizations, and I already feel welcome and part of the family.”
“I know some people are going to compare me to ‘dev1ce’ but no one can do what he does. I hope I’ll be able to show who I am, though, and I will work hard to contribute to the team in my own way.”

Astralis Return to A Six-Man Roster

Lucky will team up with Peter “dupreeh” Rasmussen, Andreas “Xyp9x” Højsleth, Lukas “gla1ve” Rossander, Emil “Magisk” Reif, and Lucas “Bubzkji” Andersen, to round up Astralis’ six-man roster.

Astralis have previously tried out a six-man roster with Bubzkji, who was at first only used on specific maps. However, due to Valve’s ruling that penalizes teams for changing lineups during the Regional Major

Ranking tournaments, the Danes moved away from the six-man project.
This time out, Astralis are dedicated to go ahead with fielding an expanded roster, as stated by Astralis Director of Sports, Kasper Hvidt.

“I expect Philip to be an active part of the roster from day one, and with Lukas’ gla1ve’ Rossander about to enter fatherhood in the Fall, having six players could prove advantageous,” said Mr. Hvidt.
“Even not considering Lukas’ potential break, I expect Lucky to contribute and to prove why we’re bringing him in.”

Although a relatively unknown name in the upper echelons of the competitive CS:GO scene, Lucky is widely regarded as one of the hottest prospects in the region. During his 16-month stint with Tricked

Esports, Lucky has averaged a 1.11 rating.

Lucky joined Tricked at the start of 2020 and has since helped his team win two Dust2.dk Ligaen seasons. The team also won Elisa Nordic Championship 2021 – Denmark, where Lucky averaged a 1.19 rating across seven maps.

Lucky Set To Debut At ESL Pro League Season 14

The Danish esports organization have yet to reveal when will Lucky join the roster. However, as stated by Kasper Hvidt, the youngster will be given a spot in the starting lineup from day one.

As a permanent member of Astralis’ starting lineup, Lucky will make his debut at the upcoming ESL Pro League Season 14. The tournament will run from August 16 – September 12.

It will mark Lucky’s debut at the top level, having previously competed in regional and second-tier international tournaments.

Astralis enter ESL Pro League Season 14 looking for their first tournament title of the year. The Danes’ won their last tournament in December 2020, when they claimed the Intel Extreme Masters XV – Global Challenge title.

Astralis have since attended eight tournaments but failed to see much success. Their best tournament placements during that stretch include a runner-up finish at BLAST Premier: Global Final 2020 and a semi-finals appearance at the Intel Extreme Masters XVI – Cologne.