9z stun aurora in Thunderpick World Championship opening series

9z stun aurora in Thunderpick World Championship opening series

9z 2:0 aurora

9z began their Thunderpick World Championship 2026 campaign with a surprise 2–0 victory over aurora in Malta .

The result represented a significant turnaround for the Latin American team after a difficult run of group-stage exits during the second half of the season.

9z overcome higher-ranked opposition

aurora entered the competition ranked fifth in the Valve Regional Standings following a third-place finish at ESL Pro League Season 24.

The European squad had also defeated 9z during the opening round of that tournament.

However, the rematch produced a different result, with 9z delivering a much stronger performance.

luchov leads the way

9z secured both maps to complete the sweep, with Lucas "luchov" Obregón delivering the team's standout individual performance.

The Argentine player finished with a 1.61 rating.

The result gave 9z a strong start to the group stage and moved them closer to playoff qualification.

aurora , meanwhile, dropped into the lower bracket and faced an early elimination threat.