Aurora beat Vitality to reach first final with new roster

Aurora have reached their first Grand Final with the new roster after defeating Vitality 2-1 in the upper-bracket final of StarLadder StarSeries Fall 2026.

The Turkish-majority lineup won Anubis 13-7, lost Inferno 11-13 and then closed Nuke 13-8 to secure a direct place in the championship match.

It is Aurora’s first final with kyxsan, Jimpphat and coach ash, and it comes in only the fifth event played by this version of the team.

Aurora punish Vitality on Anubis

Vitality started Anubis well and quickly moved into a 5-1 lead.

Aurora responded after Jimpphat won an important 1v2 clutch, giving the team the momentum needed to stabilize the half.

From that point, Aurora’s defense took complete control.

• Vitality led Anubis 5-1 early
• Jimpphat’s 1v2 helped Aurora recover
• Vitality failed to win a single T-side round
• Aurora closed the map 13-7

Vitality’s offense struggled badly after the side switch. Aurora repeatedly won the opening duels and punished weak trading, preventing the European side from establishing any rhythm.

Vitality managed only six T-side rounds across the entire three-map series, and none of them came on Anubis.

Jimpphat delivers huge defensive performance

Jimpphat was the standout player of the series.

The Finnish rifler finished with 53 kills, 91.5 ADR and a 1.36 Rating 3.0 across the three maps.

His Anubis performance was particularly dominant, where he posted a 2.48 rating on the CT side.

Player	K-D	ADR	Rating 3.0
Jimpphat	53-34	91.5	1.36
Wicadia	46-39	72.9	1.21
woxic	50-31	69.6	1.11
XANTARES	40-44	72.3	0.99
kyxsan	34-43	59.4	0.92

Wicadia and woxic also made significant contributions, giving Aurora enough firepower across the lineup to survive Vitality’s stronger moments.

Vitality fight back on Inferno

Aurora carried their momentum into Inferno.

They moved ahead 7-2 as Vitality again struggled to generate clean offensive rounds.

Wicadia produced a four-kill B-site defense during that stretch, highlighting the same trading issues that had hurt Vitality on Anubis.

The second half finally brought a response.

Vitality tightened their setups and used utility more effectively, including repeated HE grenade damage that disrupted Aurora’s attacks.

• Aurora led Inferno 8-4 at halftime
• Vitality then won seven consecutive rounds
• Their CT setups repeatedly slowed Aurora’s T side
• Vitality eventually closed the map 13-11

That comeback forced the series onto Nuke.

Aurora hold firm on Nuke

The deciding map remained close through the opening half.

Vitality started on the CT side but struggled to convert several late-round advantages. ZywOo repeatedly kept them alive with multi-kills and two separate 1v2 clutches.

The half ended level.

Vitality then won the second-half pistol, creating an opportunity to finally take control.

Aurora immediately answered with a force-buy victory.

That round changed the direction of the map.

Jimpphat and Wicadia began controlling key defensive positions, while Vitality’s T-side problems returned. Their only meaningful offensive success during the later stretch came from a ropz double smoke spray.

Aurora eventually closed Nuke 13-8 and secured the series.

New roster reaches milestone in fifth event

The result represents an important step for Aurora’s rebuilt lineup.

The organization added kyxsan, Jimpphat and coach ash to a core featuring XANTARES, woxic and Wicadia.

The new version of the team has needed time to develop cohesion, but the victory over Vitality is their most significant result so far.

• Aurora reach their first final with the new roster
• It comes in only their fifth event together
• Vitality are the highest-profile opponent they have beaten with this lineup
• Aurora advance directly into the best-of-five Grand Final

kyxsan described the result as an important sign that the team is beginning to find its identity.

Vitality face difficult Championship Sunday

Vitality are still alive, but their route has become much harder.

They drop into the consolidation final, where they must face FURIA in a best-of-three.

If they win, they will then need to play Aurora again in a best-of-five Grand Final shortly afterward.

That creates both a stamina and preparation challenge.

Vitality had looked significantly stronger in their earlier win over FURIA, but the performance against Aurora exposed clear problems in their offensive structure.

ZywOo remained their best player, finishing with a 1.28 rating, but the rest of the lineup struggled to match his impact consistently.

Assessment

Aurora’s victory is their clearest sign of progress since rebuilding the roster.

The result was not based on one explosive map or a lucky series. Their defensive structure repeatedly punished Vitality across Anubis and Nuke, while Jimpphat delivered elite individual impact when it mattered most.

Vitality still have a path to the title, but their T sides need immediate improvement.

For Aurora, reaching the Grand Final removes one major question surrounding the project: whether the new roster could convert promising performances into a deep tournament run.

They have now done exactly that.

The next step is turning the first final appearance into the first trophy.