ESL One New York is set to begin later this week, the first big Counter-Strike event since the Berlin Major. New York looks to be the proving ground for a number of top-tier CS:GO teams, each hoping to build their own storyline of success.

Can Liquid Bounce Back?

World number one Team Liquid looked ready to carve themselves a spot in Counter-Strike history for most of this year. After the blinding era of Danish powerhouse Astralis, most CS:GO fans weren't expecting another team to reach that same level of dominance any time soon. Team Liquid proved any doubters wrong, matching Astralis's record of six big event wins in a row. Four of those events secured the North American squad the second-ever Intel Grand Slam, which they won at a significantly faster pace than Astralis. North American fans went into the Berlin Major ready to watch their hometown heroes win the region's second Major title. A rocky performance in the group stage inspired little confidence as Liquid lost to both NRG and Avangar, and were nearly eliminated by mousesports. A quarter-final match-up against the former world's best Astralis saw the tournament favorites bow out of Major contention in 5-8th place. Team Liquid star Russel "twistzz" Van Dulken made a promise in the post-game interview, "I swear we're gonna win [New York]."

via ESL

Team Liquid may now have the opportunity to get their era back on track, as the New York event will see them take on some big names. Domestic rivals NRG and reigning Major champions Astralis stand in their way of the trophy, though those match-ups would allow Liquid to deliver on their promise. Now back on home soil, Liquid can prove themselves as the best CS:GO team in the world - even without a Major title.

New Look FaZe Clan

FaZe Clan made a name for themselves throughout 2017, soaring up the rankings to the number two spot, and, briefly, number one. Two upset losses in early 2018 seemed to shake their confidence, and the European juggernaut has not been able to reach that peak form since. The squad made their first roster change late last year with the removal of long-time in-game leader Finn "karrigan" Andersen. A few different names joined the team in replacement, though nothing managed to stick. A group stage exit from the Berlin Major gave them the motivation they needed for a full team overhaul. Polish veteran Filip "NEO" Kubski and legendary AWPer Ladislav "GuardiaN" Kovács were released, making room for 18-year-old rookie Helvijs "broky" Saukants. The final vacancy has not yet been filled, though rumors suggest ex-MIBR star Marcelo "coldzera" David may be joining the team soon.

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FaZe's new and improved roster may not come into this event at full potential, but their performance here may give a clue as to what their future holds. Signing promising young talents like broky have paid off for big teams in the past, and New York can now give him a proper stage to showcase his skill. FaZe's opening match will see them take on NRG, who look to continue on their own hot streak of good results. A return to form in New York may be just the beginning for this iteration of FaZe Clan.

The Astralis Era - Continued?

Astralis took the professional Counter-Strike scene by storm in 2018, winning ten big events over the course of the year. Their era of dominance continued into 2019, as they won IEM Katowice, their second consecutive CS:GO Major. The Danish squad seemed to have cooled down as their era came to a pause and their North American rivals rose to the top of the scene. With Team Liquid's underperformance in Berlin, Astralis seized the opportunity to show their true prowess - and make Counter-Strike history by winning a third consecutive Major title.

via StarLadder

New York now provides the perfect environment for Astralis to build on their Major success, and reinstate their era before 2019 comes to a close. The Danish side will have the chance to take down both NRG and Team Liquid, and double down on their return to form. Should Astralis manage to find that same 2018 level, their era may have just picked up where it left off.

ESL One New York is slated to begin on Thursday, September 26th. The champions will take home the lion's share of the $200,000 prize pool.

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