Can they keep going? Aurora Gaming continue their advance at DreamLeague Season 28

DreamLeague Season 28 playoffs are finally in full swing. The opening lower bracket clash between Aurora Gaming and Xtreme Gaming carried immediate elimination stakes.

Both teams entered the day on very different trajectories.

Aurora have been one of the breakout forces of the season, steadily transforming from a promising roster into a legitimate contender. Their dominant 12–2 run in the first group stage announced them as real contenders, but the second phase tested their resilience. Their mid-phase slump nearly unraveled their campaign, forcing Aurora to fight for survival and ultimately settle for a lower bracket start.

Xtreme Gaming’s path was defined by instability. Moments of brilliance kept them within reach of the upper bracket, but inconsistency continued to shadow their run. Their final group stage series against Falcons became the deciding factor. In a chaotic three-game showdown that culminated in a 67-minute decider, Xtreme fell just short. The loss denied them an upper bracket berth and relegated them to the lower bracket, where their tournament life now hung by a thread.

• Read Two birds with one stone; Aurora's victory knocks out Falcons and BetBoom at DreamLeague Season 28

With both teams pushed to the brink, their playoff meeting became about survival.

Xtreme Gaming 1:2 Aurora Gaming

In Game 1, Xtreme Gaming put their faith in Wang “Ame” Chunyu, drafting the broken Kez as their win condition. Despite Xu "fy" Linsen constantly dying, Ame delivered a flawless performance. After the 20-minute mark, Aurora struggled to find any meaningful kills or momentum. Ame’s damage output spiraled out of control, and with each engagement slipping further from their grasp, the outcome began to feel inevitable. Xtreme Gaming closed out the game with authority, securing the victory and taking the 1–0 series lead.

For the second game Xtreme went with a draft that wanted to get the ball rolling with quick starts and destruction. Instead, they found themselves on the back foot. Aurora’s superior mobility, vision control, and relentless pickoff potential suffocated Xtreme’s movements, denying them the space needed to execute their game plan. Every attempt to split the map or create pressure was swiftly punished. Xtreme’s strategy ultimately revolved around buying time for Ame’s Weaver to come online, but Aurora never allowed that window to open. Their teamfight execution was simply too clean. Coordinated initiations and disciplined target focus dismantled Xtreme in every major engagement, preventing Ame from becoming the late-game threat they had banked on. The series was now tied, and momentum had fully shifted.

In the deciding game, Aurora leaned into strong laning heroes and high-tempo style. This time, they converted that advantage cleanly. While Xtreme Gaming once again placed their hopes on Ame with Kez, Aurora dictated the pace from the outset. They established control early, tightened their grip across the map, and never let Xtreme recover. With superior teamfight cohesion and constant pressure, Aurora closed out the game and claimed the series.

With the loss, Xtreme Gaming exit DreamLeague Season 28 in fourth place, earning $60,000. Aurora Gaming advance to the lower bracket finals, securing at least a top-three finish as their playoff run continues.

The action continues in the Upper Bracket Semi Finals with Team Liquid taking on Tundra at 18:00 CET.