You will find no comfort in my kingdom.
To stand here today, certainty has been abandoned.
Nothing is guaranteed anymore.
Control is what brought you here, but power at this level needs more.
The highest form of bliss is living with a certain degree of madness, and now, it must
be unleashed.
Oh, what a catch!
This guy is ascending!
Oh, what a catch!
True control is being able to harness the monster within.
To cross that threshold and show them why you are here.
One last fight.
and now from hell back, turn victory into legacy.
In the chaos, clarity is rare, and in the kingdom of the blind, the one-eyed man is king.
It feels like the perfect day to crown a champion.
How we feeling Rotterdam?
As you fans start to take your seats here at the Ahoy Arena, this is of course the
last premiere open, 26 grand final here in Rotterdam and we are expecting thousands
upon thousands of you to fill out this arena for our grand final.
An amazing couple of weeks it's been to get to this point.
We've seen some truly phenomenal battles,
incredible unforgettable moments,
and it all comes down to our final top two teams,
the Kremdele Krem, ready to go at it here
on the main stage.
Of course, we've got the veteran team
that's mixed with Jung Firepower in Navi.
Okay.
Up against the unstoppable, unshakable, greatest team in the world, Vitality.
Now it's early dars here, that's a little taste of what we might be able to expect from this crowd.
But one thing's for sure, Championship Sunday is here. Let's start it off.
Rotterdam makes a life!
But Rob's trying to bring it back and on!
Rob it cool!
The Cossacks are second to our whole new level!
Viginality, make another grand final!
This is a team that exceeds your expectations!
Who's gonna win?
Viginality, let's go!
I hope not.
Vitality, vitality all day every day, please focus, obviously focus gonna win, obviously.
Vitality for sure.
Vitality, nobby, vitality for sure.
I love the confidence some of the fans are giving their answers there whether it's a nobby or vitality whoever you cheer for.
You definitely can have a big cheer and a big smile on your face knowing that the people
helping me on this final day of the Blast premiere open run of death, Mali and Dupri.
It's been a long journey together, but I'm so excited to see who's going to be that
team lifting that trophy in maybe three maps, maybe five.
You just get tingles, don't you, on Championship Sunday when everything is on the line and
in the middle of a dynasty that is being created.
This should be a footnote in Vitality's story.
but we'll see as they have an underdog competitor rising up to the occasion.
It has definitely been quite a journey since we started in Copenhagen,
now making it down to two teams.
It almost feels like it's not a grand final without a vitality at this point.
They always make it. They always here.
They have been going to be the rate boss.
Ultimately, you know, now they have a massive rehearsal in front of them.
But nevertheless, I'm always excited for the Jamsen Fire Sundays.
You know, there is definitely an essence around a grand finals,
factality making their way there but it's time around. Navi's been putting up a fight to get
there. They might even put up a fight today but how exactly would you measure up Navi coming
into Grand Finals here now? It's going to be a tough task. It'll be a tall order but
this Navi has shown so much thus far. For me they are the current runners up. We have
established where they lie in the pecking order. It is up for them now to try to upset it.
You know that Blade is going to have some plans in tow in order to try to unseat the power that Vitality holds over them.
And his right hand man now, Makaase, he is absolutely living up to the occasion.
Morning, Alexi. Championship Sunday.
Literally, we're in a grand final a couple of weeks ago. Successful there.
How does this one feel different?
I just believe it's the amount of people who's watching and having a vitality on the grand
finals is so exciting.
Just a sheer amount of people cheering for us and knowing that it will be a banger for
the match.
I mean you said in previous interviews that you're really looking for a big challenge
to prove yourselves on a grand stage.
Vitality might just be that challenge.
Yeah, I mean sure why not.
They're playing lights out CS right now.
We obviously lifted the trophy a couple of weeks ago, but not against the best opponent
in the world.
So now we have the chance.
And yeah, what else can we do then to play a best of five against them?
We've seen other teams say when they come up against Vitality, you have to almost be
perfect.
You've got to have a complete performance.
The full roster popping off.
Is that something that you feel too?
Yeah.
I mean, they don't seem to have too many weaknesses right now.
They're playing good, but so are we.
So we just need to keep believing and keep fighting no matter what happens in the
first one or two maps. The resilience shown from Alexi B knowing what is going to be coming up against
them but also not forgetting that just yeah a couple of weeks ago they were champions for themselves
as a different tournament. Now seeing back-to-back grand finals, Vitality Debris could potentially
be questioning just exactly where they're going to fall and how fired up Navi are.
Best note now that the whole back-to-back championship for Navi is what they're looking
to find more confidence but a raid boss at this point seems to be a little bit of an
understatement when it comes to vitality 14 grand files out of those 14 they have
11 trophies they're here on digger 12 today they have a serious streak of 15
coming into this one I don't think the number speaks for itself how good vitality
is how good they can play with the individuals popping off we're also
looking at a play like flames that can come down to history and net that MVP
in the hands of Saewoo good morning Saewoo another championship Sunday
You've enjoyed so many of these in your career.
What's the mood like today?
The mood is great.
For us, it's a normal day, normal performance, I would say.
So obviously, we're looking forward to have a great game today
and looking for a good lot to hit here.
Another day in the office.
I mean, let's talk about Navi.
You haven't dropped a map this tournament so far.
Do you think they could be the first team
to give you some real problems?
I mean, if they're still playing like this
with the confidence and we are maybe
struggling a bit because also it's not
morning but early game obviously they can take a game but obviously we need to
play our game and we can be really dangerous I would say if we play in our
A game so obviously we're gonna try our best for that. Let's be real you've got
the kind of trophy cabinet your average player can only dream of what would
this one mean to you? I mean it means a lot obviously we are looking for every
trophy to be honest with this team so obviously winning without getting a map
out and having to make Na'Vi record the soon maybe over 20 maps and like all
these things mean a lot for us obviously we are looking forward for that.
Now it's hard for Vitality to really gauge just how strong Na'Vi are. They started
in different groups. They haven't met each other at all here at last open and
so you do wonder whilst you're looking at them now yeah Na'Vi has that
confidence they're powering up for themselves. Is there any seeded out
for Vitality or someone like Uzair Wu who's just trying to pander a
little bit told the Navi Nation fans out there. I feel like Zairu there was
composed as ever. He's never that one to to boast before the job is done. He lets
his play do the talking for him. Other players on vitality have thrown out the
idea that maybe this Navi team's getting a little bit too confident. We've seen
that from Robs recently on HLTV. Mezzi has also talked about it himself
that in general they know that they are the heavy favorites in this one
But there's a couple of streak breakers on the side of the Navi side
So I think that is it's not out of question to say that Navi make this one a competitive series because blade talked to you yesterday
Debris another fun fact is the fact that
Alexi B was also one to end one of your streaks to with your 31 map streak on nuke
And he was able to take you down on that
So maybe when you get two of the best streak breakers together in the server magic can happen
at this point you know I gotta you know go all in the navi because if that's the storyline we're
bringing it in right now that's also i'm not getting sad for no reason you know i can gain
something from this one as well so let's go all in the navi we have to look at the map pool we
have to be looking at the fact that this right now is a best of five and going up against vitality
in a best of five that is just going to be tough looking at their map percentages and how good
they are how big and so wide their map pool is it is hard to find that edge why are you going
going to be going. What map do you feel confident about going up against them?
Navi obviously they're looking to find some kind of edge. The fact that they
don't going to obviously not going to be playing ancient since it's the
current brand of our tally. That puts Navi in a bit of a position where we
can't really get one of our strongest ones. What else are we going to be
going for? So best of five is all about the map pool. It's all about
resilience and it's all about keeping momentum and staying in the mental edge
of the game. All right let's see if they're going to be able to take your
advice to put it into action if Navi are able to get something for
themselves is we're going to find out exactly what our map veto for our best of five is
probably play our own pick first in the veto so I think in terms of the veto we just want us to
get a good start I think it's a small advantage always in the best of five you get to play your own
two first maps in the first of the three maps which you know could lead the three zero in which
have been done many times by us but you could also have a long long best of five which goes
like five maps and very very long day and tiring so you know you want to have a strong start
And yeah, I think that's all.
Like we usually do, we know that we will probably play all maps.
And it's just a matter of time until we find out
which is going to be first map, second map, and third map.
We've been overpassed by an ancient,
and then it's a mystery after that.
We're going to start with, obviously, our Inferno and Dust2.
On this side, it's just the best of fives
that you kind of expect in prep all maps.
But it's just to start out strong.
I think our key in Best of Fives and the experience we've gained as a team is that
no matter if it's the first map, second or third map, you just give the most energy you can.
You reset in those 10 minutes, break between the maps, and you get back into the item
of like nothing happened before.
So we ban Overpass, and they ban Ancient, and probably they will pick Inferno, so
let's see.
Hopefully we will pick them on Inferno.
We will win first map for sure, I think, in Inferno, because it's a good map for
us also.
that we played. It was close map versus them. It was an infinite measure. And we lost some rounds
that we shouldn't lose. And the details, because we lost some rounds that we shouldn't lose.
All right, that's enough talk about picks and bands for the final time here in Rotterdam.
We are going to reveal them this time for the grand final of course, a best of five.
Let's start off with Vitality.
They ban...
...Ancient...
...Navi.
They ban Overpass...
...on to our first pick here.
And Vitality...
...they pick Inferno.
And for Navi...
...it's a new miss.
And as you can see, it's somewhat of a reaction from the crowd there.
That is I guess a surprise here trying to mix things up here with something different. Let's move on now to the next map
This is vitality
It's just to
Now if he's picked
Garage
And if his fans we are looking up to go all the way the deciding map
Will be new
But we have to with that Rotterdam
All right. The table is set. Let's begin.
I think NAVI have been playing good, but we also really want to...
There's always a special thing when you're the number one team and you potentially play
the number two that is agreed upon, the scene, like the fans agree that NAVI is number two.
So for us it's just going to be exciting to play the final and kind of just do our thing.
We are pretty confident I would say, but obviously we will not think about the rain.
We will think to take map by map and then afterwards we will see.
You know we were confident and I think we've had many best of five already this year and last year.
You know so many. So just another day in the office and we just have to show up. I think that's all.
I love that. Just another day in the office.
is just that sort of calmness around props where he acknowledges what it really is, but also for himself individually
We've been hit many times. You already said it to create this now
They're 14th grand final that they've been in having won 11 of the previous 13 that they play
Yeah, it's straight up math is you know, it's a team that is so comfortable playing on the stage
But also playing the grand finals and especially also best of five, you know
It's a team that goes on to pretty much regardless of what map they start on
They always seem to be getting a good start and and even if they don't win their first that they still seem to convert
and go the distance. It's a team that has a massive amount of resilience. They have a very deep map pool.
They will have all the tactics set. The preparation is already done.
And I feel like at this point when you play so many best of 5s that they have done,
it's like whenever they return to that stage of playing another one,
they are just so comfortable that it's like, this is what we're used to whereas the other teams,
they usually face. They don't play it as much. And best of 5s is just very different from best of 3s
because it is about getting a good start and also making that resilience count when it actually matters.
because you have to isolate it when you come to these games.
You have to isolate it sometimes,
if you do fall in the first stage of the game,
that you do have to look at it and isolate it
as another best of three.
So, but tell you know, my clear favorite of this one.
The fact that it's a B05 is probably one of the factors
that works against Navi in a lot of ways
just because it tests you down
to all the minor details of your map pool as well.
The fact that if you are missing an extra protocol
on your third or fourth best map,
that's gonna be even more apparent
versus a Vitality team that really just seems like they have every step of a round ironed
through and then players to execute those plans and looking at the stats you have on
screen right now there's two things I really want to be pointing out obviously on the Vitality
side we have two red boxes the first one being their multi kills they're sitting at a point
a 1.02 multi kills that is absurd having that many amount of rounds where you do
multi kills because that is very very important looking at the other one a 49% chance of
converting all the five situations. I don't think I've ever seen something as
high as that. And it really just paints the picture that if you do get that
first kill against Vitality, we talked about how important first kill is because
you do want to get that advantage, but they still seem to convert almost half
of those situations where they actually lose the first kill. It's out of my
mind. It's actually incredible. It's not even just stats like that that you
have to look at for Vitality too. It's the fact that right now they're
a 19 map win streak for
themselves. The last time that they lost on land
was 64 days ago. That was
nine weeks ago. And so now
we've already talked about that this is a
Vitality dominance. But where
does the conversation of a legacy of being
the best come into play around Vitality?
Vitality, we're in the midst
of them building their dynasty. The fact that they
have two majors. The fact that in comparison
to Astralis' 2018
to 19, you probably have about
a hundred more days before you can really match
those two teams one for one. So the fact that Vitality's era right now is it's still
in the construction. Okay, they're still they're still working towards it. In fact,
actually, well, the majors one here is still just two for this individual lineup here.
And so overall, I would say that the one impressive aspect to pre when we were looking
at this was that when you guys were in your Astralis era, it's the amount of weeks
consistently that you were HLTV number one. That's something that you still hold over
for them, where we have seen
in the biggest season, the dips
in form for Vitality.
There were moments in the last season
where there's a tournament or two
where a couple teams pop off for a little while.
Even though the stats may tell the story
of how impervious Vitality are,
as a stats major, I know that stats
they don't hold forever.
It's not till infinity time that they run.
It's predictive elements that you can use
look at the future but there will always be aberrations so this could today could be one of them.
Obviously I am very proud of the 399 days that we managed to hold back in 1819 in that
Astralis era of time we did. I mean looking at the numbers we just pulled up there is still a
case you know that that we should probably be still considered as the greatest team of all time
but then the thing is that we're not a team anymore but how these team is still a team
obviously and there's nothing seems to be slowing them down so it is just a matter of time
and if they have 200 days to just achieve what three more tiles may be a major then it's uh it
it feels like it's inevitable to happen. And it's nice to see though that there is that sort of
essence of a cyclical cycle for CS that we're going to see a dominance from Astralis then
there's a little bit of Dante things feel close again and then you have a team like Vitality
that wants to make new records have new streaks for themselves but we also have to look at the
fact that individually they're stepping up for themselves throughout 2026 just when you think
you couldn't get better than
what that year was last year.
Now you have someone like Flames
E stepping up to a whole nother
level and bringing it to what
did you coin it a second?
Zai Wu team exactly if you look
closely at this one, the fact
is that flames he is putting
up numbers like Zai Wu did in
2022 and with how incredible
Zai Wu was even in that year
a talk to player in the world.
You would think that that's
already unfair to have one of
them. The fact that you've
practically got to and you're
doing it in a role that is
that is so complimentary to Zywoo as well. The fact that Flamzie can run in first, put up incredible output there, get an entry or two, and then Zywoo rops.
All of these guys can play clean up because sometimes that's really one of the only aspects that you could say doled vitality last season as well.
That the entry slowed down a bit, that Flamzie wasn't always there. Now that is not a conversation. Flamzie has now entered the entry of the year talk with Donk.
That's how absurd he's been.
I've always felt that the most important piece of puzzle for me when it comes to Attali outside
Saewoo has always been Flameshow, the one that creates a space for specifically Saewoo
and Robson.
He's doing more than we expect of him, the number speaks for itself, what he's doing
is absolutely incredible.
I feel like Flameshow, if he just puts up just an average performance today, Attali
is literally putting up themselves into competition.
He's actually having that chance of picking up the MVP over Saewoo and we haven't seen
that before.
itself speaks for what greatness he's pulling off right now. And there's a different sort of conversation
where we're talking about an individual outperforming another individual on their team. But for Navi,
they're going to have to look at everyone having to step up to be able to bring it to vitality,
because he was confident that they could at least win that first map, because they made
little silly mistakes last time they faced up against them in Inferna. And I truly believe
that those mistakes have been fixed. Can they implement it? I hope so, because for themselves,
They're on the eight series win
straight, maybe not to the
same grandiose as vitality
right now, but that's
something that's something
everyone needs to consider.
I'll even go back to the point
that, uh, but really even
historically, the fact that
you have street breakers on
the side of Navi, the fact
that blade was able to help
end the Astralis era along
with the fact that Alexi B
was able to also slow down
Astralis by taking them down
off of a 31 streak on new.
And yeah, when we look at
this might look a little bit
concerning, of course, because
his ancient isn't going to be
in the veto today, but looking
actually at his last month of
play, which has a lot of data
now. ESL Pro League was a lot of
maps. That's why people didn't
watch it, but he's actually
been incredible now on practically
every map in the pool. It's in
fact pretty difficult to pick
one to say he's the worst at,
but for my money, I think that
when Vitality go for an
Inferno here, even though I
felt like they were going to go
for a Dust 2 to kick the
series off, probably you're
Probably you're trying to target the star because we have seen Macaulay humbled on the map yesterday, of course, when he played against ParaVision, he had a very difficult time with the banana pressure that they were laying down on him.
And I have no doubt today, Flames the Apex, it'll be something similar.
Oh, yeah, it's going to be a brawl. Like always, you know, there's definitely a case that Navi has to go back and look what's been wrong against ParaVision, specifically with what's been wrong with Macaulay because it did feel like it was a bit too hesitated sometimes,
sometimes it's also a bit too fast at given times instead of relying on the things they know works for him, right?
But nevertheless, it's I think it's a good sign to see that Makassi is like more spread out now
He's more viable on all the maps instead of only relying on being good at ancient
You know, it's it's also a key tool for Farnavi and in this particularly one now that they have to play so many maps in this grandfinal
But also for them moving forward because if you have your starplay
Relatively only being good on one specific map then, you know
If you just remove that and feel like you have a massive edge if you're your opponent then then I mean
that's not really something you want to be looking into.
So I think it's a good sign for my classes
to see that he's spread out a little bit more.
And now whilst you are a realist
and you understand the gravity
of coming up against the Vitality team,
I know deep down you would love
to see Navi lift that trophy.
And if you got to have just a little bit
of a team talk with them,
what's something that you're bringing to the table
in terms of what do you want to say to them?
What do you want them individually
or as a team to focus on?
What Navi needs to realize for themselves
is that this was the four man core of the 2024 team of the year,
a team that always fought against teams with better firepower,
against the odds with more superstar players.
So if they're able to actually just harness some of that energy,
what I love about NaviMOS throughout the run
that they've had thus far, they don't choke.
So if they get beat today, then they're
getting beat fair and square, but they're
going to play up to the level that is out of them.
Well, I hope they all listening,
because that's the last thing that we're
going to get to hear from you right now,
before our teams are ready to take to the stage
and begin our grand final.
MUSIC
Rotterdam, take your seats.
The grand final is about to start.
Now, Championship Sundays, they're special.
They arrive in a flash and disappear just as fast.
Players involve their wake up with anticipation, nerves, excitement,
with the knowledge that they have an opportunity in front of them to achieve something great.
Now before they know it, confetti has fallen, cameras have flashed and it is all over.
For one of them, they have the pleasure of raising this trophy high in the air in front of this crowd
For the other it's heartbreak watching on from the sidelines. This is the Blast Premier Open Rotterdam
Grand Final and I want to know who this crowd thinks is going to take it
Will it be Navi?
What about Team Vitality?
Let's get this grand final underway.
Still unbelievable that you're playing on a massive stage.
You get to experience the vibrations, the loud noise from the fans.
There are a lot of thoughts going on that you can win, that you can lose.
You will play the same way, but mentally that's where the difference comes from.
You can get in the head of the fans by outplaying them. We like to understand things, we like to change our stuff.
There's many teams we have played, we're feeding them that many times, like they're probably feeding shit.
They're gonna say to each other, this is the time we beat them.
And it's not.
Our secret weapon definitely is...
is MacAvic.
Obviously he's aggressive, but he's so humble that he's just killing everything that he needs for the team.
So that might be the most talented player I've ever seen. The guy is capable of anything.
That's the kind of belief I have in here.
The most important thing that I've done is you don't have to be toxic to get somewhere.
We all realize that we are in a very good spot.
With our team we are the people we don't want to win and we don't want to waste our time.
NAVI's electricity is continuing to spill over.
The number one team in the world, VITANALITY!
Welcome, NABBY!
They call themselves born to win, and tonight, that name feels heavier than ever.
They lifted a probably trophy just two weeks ago.
They marched through the group stages here with authority and took down a top challenger in the semis.
Now they step into yet another grand final.
Alexi B directing with palm precision.
Bits and Ima ready to step up when it matters most.
Wonderful, delivering with lethal confidence and a 19 year old MacCasey, the breakout star
injecting new lights and fearless energy into this roster.
It's a team with incredible history running through its DNA and now they face their toughest
challenge yet.
Team Vitality!
From the very first match of this tournament, they have been untouchable, undefeated, unbroken, not a single map dropped.
They've dismantled every opponent with unshakable structure,
terrifying firepower and an unbreakable mentality.
Daivoo delivering monster clutches, Apex leading the charge,
Rock, Blames Eve, Mezzie, Arosna, something so complete, no one has found a weakness.
You are looking at the Nufal 1 team in the world and they are here to claim the trophy.
They came here for...
It's Navi! This is vitality, precision, this is perfection!
The Hoya Arena is time for the Blast Open Rotterdam Grand Final!
Minguspa.
right now is how long vitality have been undefeated on a single map and that's
it all be undone today by Navi in a grand final looking to let that trophy for
themselves. Vitality walk into the Ahoy arena today with an air of
invincibility. Nobody truly expects Navi to fight back but they've shown a lot
they've shown that they are turning it up a notch that they've got a star
player themselves and that can be the difference maker today a team that is
seasoned with veterans a team that has proven that they can also win their own
major they've got to come back with some of that fire in 2026. I have to be
honest with you Mal I do not think the Navi stands and chants this one if
this would have been a best of three I would have been all in the Navi could
actually challenge him or at least make him competitive but once we get
into a best of five that is where what Halley is looking as strong as
ever. I feel like the map pool for them is looking strong. They have shown multiple times when they
win the first map that they will just clinch out the series 3-0. The only edge that I want to give
Navi when it looks at a map pool is the fact that we do get to see a nervous at second.
We have to give Mikaze a little bit of credit though right? He said that they're able to be
able to at least take him out. They had faith in being able to open up strong in this best
of five and we've seen it many times. Those who open strong they're able to close it out.
Yeah, they're able to finish it and finish strong themselves.
Nobody at this point should be doubting Blade.
He's the one guy that I have a delusional amount of faith in
when it comes to Counter-Strike.
The win in Copenhagen and 2024 that set them up
to be the team of the year.
The fact that they were able to take down a Furia team
in Budapest, who was one of the favorites
going into that major.
This guy comes up with game plans
easier than I'm wiping my own ass.
It's ridiculous how easy he makes it look
dismantle the best teams in the world.
You can talk a lot about Blade and you can talk a lot about Navi.
How good they can be.
On the other side, you do have Vitality.
One thing is that you go pound by pound, you do have players going head to head.
I would take any Vitality player at this point against any Navi player.
I believe that they have more composure, they have better strategies,
and they have the firepower to back up.
Everything they need to shut down Blade and his ideas.
I know that Blade is saying himself that they think they can close out this era.
I think this is more like a rehearsal.
This is a rehearsal for Navi to go out and show,
hey, we are into that team
that is supposed to be taken down by Talty.
But this rehearsal,
I don't think we're gonna be looking at a team
that can do much.
I'm going to look now here,
seeing the fact that Navi are huddling there still,
having that conversation,
Blade giving his wise words there.
When you've been in that position before the pre,
having a huddle like that as a team,
what's going through your mind?
What's actually being said there?
I think it depends whether you're the on the dog
or you're the favorite in this one.
And Navi obviously, they're reminding themselves right now
probably that we know we're going to go and fatality. We're going up against the
odds here. We're going up against the best team that has probably ever played
Counter-Strike. If we can just go out there and show glimpses of what we've
been working for, use this foundation, moving that into the major, then I feel
Navi will be very satisfied. I think Navi also with the preparation time,
you know, with the amount of time they've had, it was like 14 hours we
had played on that this. It's been very limited to what he has been
able to cook up. I think Navi have to rely on making this like the
and at least amount of mistakes as possible.
But we also know that once you're playing against a team
like Vitaly, these mistakes, they might, might pile up.
I'm looking for any edge possible when it comes to Navi
and this one who come in as the underdogs.
But one matchup that I have like this year so far
is Bitt versus Robs.
Two extremity players, both incredibly decorated
in their role.
And if I'm saying in terms of pure skill,
why can't Bitt match up with Robs
on those anchors, on those lords?
He has an incredible sense for the game himself.
I would even say that at times,
he's got the snappier aim in total.
Sure, at this event, Rops is look good,
but at any moment, you know that big
can be the hero for Navi.
There's no doubt that these two players
on the screen right here
is gonna be very instrumental for both of them.
I do, however, believe that Rops can get away
with having a sort of an average performance,
but specifically how good Flamess inside West Bend
wears on the side of Navi.
We need to see fit.
We need to see fit,
have one of those scan where he pops up,
he gets out with all those lurks,
His anchor capability has to be soft, soft as best as we can actually look at, and with
the fact that Blade is now looking to route his troop into this match, I think we're just
waiting to see this one going to blow the charts.
Every single player sitting in that booth is aware of the gravitas of the situation, stepping
into a grand final, knowing that it could go with the distance, or they could close
it out swiftly.
But at map one, that's a moment that either makes you or breaks you.
That's what it's all about when it comes to best of fives.
said in this interview that for them when they win the first map they look great.
They will just go on and close out the series.
They issue right obviously if you do not get that good start,
you do have to go back and realize that this is a game that's going to become a lot of
for a lying time.
And I think that if Vitaly ends up winning Inferno,
then I think it's just going to be a close-out series 3-0.
Well, see exactly how it plays out.
It is map number one.
Both of these teams are ready for themselves and hopefully ready to put on a show.
Sitting in front of you today, Rotterdam, is Navi versus Vitality.
Sitting in front of you is one of the best to ever do it.
And on the other side of that stage, a team and an organization that has been built to
gain territory on this Vitality run.
But there are no guarantees coming into this grand finals.
We don't know how long this one will run.
On this stage for today, Navi will try.
The bar is to be the very best.
We already know that Vitality have that in CS2,
but they're going for all time.
And Navi are here to try to stop them.
Or at the very least, try to slow them down.
You've got to earn your place to even get to play
versus Vitality on the biggest stages.
That is what Navi have already secured here in Rotterdam.
And they've done it in a fashion that has left us impressed.
Yes, short turnaround.
Yes, massive ask of you.
But if there's anybody currently at the end of March,
2026 to take this challenge and maybe make it competitive,
it has to be Navi.
That's a great check here for Apex.
This one moves towards A.
The stack isn't looking that good.
And even with a kill coming down from a cause which is nice for view one over towards this site
I like this position from bit
Hanging on to the apartments gives him an evacuation plan if that's what's called on
The lexie getting vision of the art trap
Nobody really dive into the schools too hard, but now a lexie's been caught out by flames
He met eclipse wonderful man advantage back by Talady and here's that spot from bit
Just playing up in the apps trying to get away, but he sticks around maybe a bit too long with Zywoo
Who's gonna find the headshot they equalizing kill in the cover for the bomb plant?
We got Zywoo prepping to swing across default if there's any contact made and he's staying out in the open for this fight
Mezzi the alternative low on ammo three shots. Have to be headshot. Beautiful style
Do you ever expect anything less? Last bullet
That's how we're starting now
Played out in the open with three bullets and hit two Winston headshots.
Clean as need be.
Oh, it's just so easy.
At least for some.
So it's a clinical kickoff here for Vitality.
That bodes well for Zairou's performance today.
It's not every day that Zywu walks into the server as the second highest rated player on
his team at this event.
Yeah, when Flamesee is doing incredible things right now.
The only guy who didn't get an award in his role last year because Donk exists.
And I remember the tone when Donk won that award at HLTV.
It just kind of felt like, yeah, of course he's not going to win that.
And who could ever win that over Donk?
It seemed.
Well, believe your eyes.
A few months later and Flamesy is tapping into an all time ceiling in terms of his career.
I mean, he'd have to do a lot.
But he could set a record at this event.
The conversation around Vitality is how much better can they get and how could they get there?
Well, Flamesy is propelling them in a whole new way.
And Dupree touched on it as well.
You know somebody who's creating space like that between him and Apex having him hit that hard just kind of gives Zayu all the more runway
Things he's gonna run out of space this round great
While the Desert Eagle is getting reloaded it never gets a chance to fire back rops is the guy to take this towards the bomb site
But look at the hell this is an uncomfortable one for vitality
Apex manages to hang on as I get killed 22 health here between what's left of vitality
Macaulay will be called on all night long to try to deal with this vitality.
Well, this one looks like he could sweep them under the rug.
I mean, a few bullets here is death on both these remaining vitality players.
Yeah, 100%.
They can't just instantly swing out and guarantee a trade.
Macaulay gets this first peek off and a little damage.
It's a quick one on one.
Nade misses its target, tried by making use of that movement with the Mac 10.
But then he puts that smoke on the bomb.
It's Rocks!
He's that shot!
91 damage out of Rocks, but it's not enough.
And that's going to be Ema to set it up from inside of the corner, so you can take your pistol,
but you're not getting away with the conversion.
This goes for a second left on the DeFuse.
The guy we're going to talk about the most on Navi today.
A tip of the hat to the cause.
Making sure that all of this damage mattered.
Everyone contributed a little bit. I'm looking at Vitality, we're looking at that first round and this round.
All the trades are getting away with. How close every call is.
How in each of these situations, there's a number of Na'Vi players ready to fight.
They're in good spots, they're actually playing quite well, matching the pace of Vitality.
We can see what that clutch does.
It's a full investment for one D'Ariel here for Vitality.
Macaulay machine when it comes to playing aggressive openings here on banana.
Oh they missed that Molly. Not ideal, Tywo tries to jump on it.
Hey, Macaulay, jump down.
Blind frag. Blind frags one thing. Jumping kills another. Combine those two.
I mean, he wasn't even, look, I don't even know where he was looking.
He didn't seem to have any idea there could be a player at logs and somehow made a flake.
It's just a drop on the back of that pack here from Vitality, so Mezzi is also now tag-glow.
Alexi gonna finish what he started with that frag grenade.
Galil's exchanged hands a couple of times, and Robs will finally be able to topple one of the Na'Vi players with it.
Bomb goes down, but then that delayed boost over top will find Apex trying to reposition.
And throughout all the damage we see from Navi, as Vitality approached this bomb site, some of her robs has gone unscathed.
And so a 98 HP and that picked up Galil, he's got a chance to do something special early.
But the numbers here too strong for Navi, so they will take that course by victory, convert it into the next one.
And already good signs with grenade damage here from a Navi.
You can expect that towards B. What we need to see is just how lucky McCauze got to kick that off by B4.
I mean, that's serious. Like, when that Molly missed, you know...
It's blind lock.
He's not thinking about it, but he hits.
Oh, I mean.
Oh, what even is that?
He hit the headshot, jumped up, and a stray bullet
finished the kill off more.
It's better to be lucky than good.
We can't get ahead of ourselves now.
Three rounds into this.
Best of five.
That's actually two years old.
Okay, waiting for the moment this is fun apex decides to go all in on zaiwu this round
It's a kevlar to ak-47 and roms doesn't have a helmet, but there's also a set of kevlar on him
And zaiwu as of late has kind of exuded the sort of confidence to get more and more of these sorts of buys behind him
Have fun. It's been to watch zaiwu take our criticisms personally offering highlights throughout this event already
But out of the gate in round four, he's not going to find anything to shoot at just yet.
Yesterday we saw the ability for Navi to be able to win a game like this, but they have
to play perfect.
When they let Paravision back into the match in two different maps, even if it was only
briefly, especially on Inferno, we saw the issue if they're going to come in and
play today.
The individual scare was there yesterday, the calls were there yesterday.
attack pause, blade was great almost every single time. Rotations were very quick for Navi.
But they still gave the map up to ParaVision.
Played a lot of this round silently.
That's going to still give them options as Mikase looking for information, looking for that
early warning sign of a potential B follow through. There's that AK bullet whizzing by.
20 to the clock means pressure is on and you could dive bomb this smoke.
It's the pistol to try to set up Zywoo's rifle as he goes over the top of orange and collects.
No, he's got double. That's what they're looking for.
And then on the cross, Robs is able to pick that bomb back up.
Zywoo opened up this possibility.
He actually has a chance to completely close this round.
Robs is unable to grab a gun in the middle of all of that, but he will take a deep position.
And already, Wonderful starts to come and clear these corners out by, he skips one
and Robs is gonna catch him off.
Oh, Robs is closer!
Zywoo, the can opener!
And that B-Site feels the wrath of Zywoo early.
Those two just like the Glock round.
Just like that round in CT where he hit that flick.
He had the next kill already queued up in his mind.
He already had a Q'd up.
Sickening second shot.
He made that look like a formality.
Beautiful adjustment.
We'll be watching that camera angle all day long,
and Robs just keeping it as clean as he has to,
makes the advantage of pushing in deep.
So good investment from Apex there to trust Saibu with the AK.
Kickstart's vitality's chance of taking control early to the T side.
And again, Nami respond to the buy of their own three players into banana utility both ways. The pistol opens again
It has been problematic for vitality to get towards this banana approach
That's the thing about this situation for vitality is that this grenade actually landed right on them
So folk to bear as he sends one back through but because his eyes man advantage gone
Navi's C Vitality will sit back, bomb and spawn.
Not too concerned about the time early with this, going for the boost over top, but not getting a glimpse of anything yet.
They're considering a swing. There it comes.
It's good patience. They kind of see what the setup is right now. They're still waiting for the half wall guy.
But Navi can't fight through this. They have good positions.
Wolf, the Lexi B is gonna give him a taste of that 5-7.
It's got his head shot on the other side of the map.
So you lose your lurker if you're vitality.
Zywa was the opener last round.
Now needs to be the closer, gets wind of what's going on,
and just wants to grab bomb into the pool.
The bomb is nothing but a technicality, and KT needs it.
Well, I was like, what, he's gonna grab the bomb and then what?
And then how's he gonna get the bomb planted?
No, he's just going right back for the fight.
Bit knows that he hasn't locked up into that spot.
It gives bit of huge advantage in holding that angle.
It's an instant head shot again.
Oh, it's just kind of disgusting.
But in all the right ways, as we stay glued to the screen,
Valiant's upper by Navi trying to come together
with the lesser guns.
And so in the year seven, he's playing his best yes ever.
Best start of all of his years so far.
I'm leaving scraps for Navi in round six.
But still these scraps have something to stand on.
It doesn't feel like Mikaze is going to go absent.
Mowry Snake has really been hammering home how Navi,
of all the teams we have, is in terms of challengers,
they don't choke on the big stage, right?
They play up to the level you expect of them,
and it's just so difficult to play to a vitality level.
Of course, but in rounds like these, when you still see a lifeline,
I think that bodes well for the just competitive essence of this grand finals tonight.
They are tournament winners.
They have closed out events.
They have, you know, they always stick with their lineup.
They build brick by brick.
And that's always been the case with Na'Vi.
If they lose, it'll be an honest loss.
We've already talked, you know, Blaze already got the interview
talking about how this event will be a test to see
if we have the individual level to match up the teams like Vitality.
From a team aspect, I don't think he has any doubts, obviously.
And on an individual level, that's definitely helped in getting them this far.
But this test is just like unlike any other.
I'm hoping exits come their way. Setting up a trap to try to chip into that money money
that's bolstered by the one AK Zaywu win. They have kept vitality on their toes with
the cost. Just so little to do it here in the sixth round of play. So Apex gonna secure
some kills triple on the exit and an open road to comfortably secure this
4-2 lead I got a few bucks
okay time to let the tactical geniuses do their work first time out of the
Best of five and of course it's played I mean if I'm looking at this game so far
We're seeing again Navi rotating pretty well
Individuals are getting really good kills and hard to strike positions. They're in a low-bi situation really often
But by Talibah they're playing responsive and I think they learned a lesson playing against para vision
They've avoided stacks here. So the rotations have been good, but it's not like Navi are waiting for them
With four at each of these situations. I feel like apex is pretty lucid today
You'll have to remain tapped in like that for the remainder of this game.
And they absolutely smashed a pair of vision on opening duels yesterday, too.
Utility pressure down middle, for Navi off of the tack pause, Mikaze getting ever deeper, and playing in front of a CT smoke.
Yeah, he doesn't have a smoke for himself.
Inma can obviously help him out.
Give's up the position.
Before that ramp smoke phase falls back into the banana control instead.
Just trying to pull Alexi.
Of all the guys!
That'll hurt, you know.
the guy sort of landed square on somebody right there.
Wow.
That was not bad.
Oh, one to Lexi also still finds enough damage to set these m fours up for one bullet kills across the board barring rops and they come out of that attack pause.
They have no kids.
They want to play one and be with a Lexi give up car control.
They're taking a huge risk right here.
They're hoping that apex over thinks this situation.
And right now he's not.
It's no kits and low utility and not all the utility has any value and Alexi bounces it
Off of cars though. It's not not a convincing setup here. You know for Navi
We'll see if it's just a soft exit for Alexi as the utility is gonna have him quietly creeping back
Free real estate bound by vitality
To push down middle and ropes just pops up and goes right back to cover. Yeah, she's gonna get away
Robbed with a sequence of headshots and that is now Ross overtaking everybody else for vitality in this one
So not only do you find a free B bomb site?
But the one guy who could have
Excusably died in the face of three challengers just racks up a denial versus Navi who looking at that B site in the way
Alexi walked away. We're really hoping to keep these guns for the next round
They would have happily taken one kill traded that now the other on yeah
Now they lose a lot of space. There's still time left on the clock.
That's a very possible both these players die here.
Backsite contact first as they swing.
Vitality trying to swing the doors open first.
Stomp on map one and Alexi doesn't survive.
That three kills is nice.
Not bad, but it's going to be very little money on the Navi squad.
Dude, how's Rob to get this?
It's good cover as well, but he didn't look at that shot, free into an angle that doesn't
even exist.
I like the investment on the wonderful, we'll put a rifle out there on the field.
I'll get bored of watching Vitality play when they're bored to watch, but the fact
individually everyone's half like look at Robs right now flames you have in his
best year die who have in his best year
it never even crossed our minds that a team could exist to be better than
Astralis when we were in the middle of that took some time but here we are
And here go Vitality once more taking a look at it, kind of getting wonderful to scramble.
So the M4 reveals itself early.
What's Apex going to do with this information?
And what did Navi do with the fact that they've weaponized it at the B site and left A under
staff?
I think they ran actually.
I think Zywu walked back and just heard them running away.
That helps.
They're still going to get the B site though because Zywu was listening.
Smoke fades on the CT cross.
They'll replace that one with the last smoke grenade Vitality half.
Kaze is going to throw the Hail Mary through!
And Mezzi, sure, gets the trade back, but Robs is down to 8 HP,
and it feels like Mezzi would have been called on!
But wonderful, lines that up, this 1-M4!
We already saw what Zai would have did with a single 8K buy.
Will Navi tap into that same ideology,
and should damn well pull this off,
because 8 health versus 4 should never happen here for Robs.
On top of that, Bitt's flank has been found out.
He's going to confirm Robs is over here.
Oh! Beautiful flick!
Keeps it clean the headshots just keep on rolling
Does your peek into the double up there for Navi? They will secure this
Watch him man
A great game of Counter-Strike that's why
And a Navi that seems to be even though they still trail by two rounds contending with Vitality today
We're seeing already some next level highlights that was such a ridiculous shot at a Ross
I mean, Na'Vi will be happy to win around however they can.
Mechanically rapses.
He's on it right now.
Believe your eyes.
So, yet another plot twist with an unexpected round win.
Mikaze trying to get the game going towards Banana, but it's a Lexi beat.
It's paying the price.
Little Town with 5 health, the supportive piece of Mikaze.
because he plays half ball, Lexi doesn't need to worry about being killed by a potential
straight frag grenade.
Is it possible that the T's are doing more utility damage than the CT's right now?
Feels that way with how hindered Navi have been on banana, but I like this adjustment.
Throw a wonderful top at it, that'll catch you off, and of all the scouts that take
it, Zywil first.
made. That's a strong peak. Wonderful miss shot opens the threat of this B commitment,
but McCausay there to make sure that apex can't emerge. Come on man, one of these kills. Messi's
found another one. Everybody's trying to tap into quality counter strike. Two members of
vitality left over is not be knocked on the door of a fourth round of win. Now we're
warmed up but at least these opening kills are starting to be converted rounds consistently.
There's still enough time to test this even though the odds are low.
Off the smoke because it walks it and it's a feeble cross by Mezzi to try to close out
that lead to Windles to a single round kick started by again the wonderful solo M4.
Navi are tapping into all the right things and there's whispers from the vitality side that Navi they think that Navi
Believe they can win this match. They're here to prove them up prove otherwise
One round gap but some of the stats that we're looking at here for Navi are consistent with
The things that have gotten them to this point
Dominant starts to rounds
Good rotations
And add to that mechanical ability here
You know one of the last points that the desk made in terms of head-to-heads between these teams was comparing the perimeter players in
Rocks and bit and now he's makes point was valid. You think that you know mechanically on an in-basis bit would be the guy
but at the moment
With what we've seen for Robs
Tough to compete. You get that clean headshot out of pit. We got a glimpse of what bit can offer
We'll see what more calls away, but Zairu
Prepared for the banana play
Finds a Lexi beat down and because he's been operating with a low health the Lexi right now
This is a huge lead here for flinty
He'll find the timing doesn't he wants to duel
It might be the easiest way out is just to fight and Robs is putting pressure as well adding a little tension
But he also can call from flamesy that this players move back to the site
This leaves a huge gap in us coming in slowly from the B site right now
Wonderful nose he could be up for a sequence. He's in a great spot to really solidify this round
This could be that moment. He's truly called on as they group up in front of this scope. What's
Sir, above all, nothing in the face of Flames.
The instant headshot into the pit.
Bits gonna have to lean on what's now unlikely hold on to ES.
So it's gotta be him.
Beautiful double.
Robs has got the return with the Galilabal things.
The spin-arounds are just ridiculous right now.
They're getting every hard kill.
This is Robs on 13 frags.
Mollie does nothing.
Responsible with the bomb plant.
Mikaze is underhanded.
Flash hits the edge of the wall.
Yeah, he's tumbling.
This is a second smoke.
How's he gonna get through this safely?
No chance.
You got the two best performing players for each team alive in this Mikaze versus Robs Fight Apex
Just a wall flower in this hold, but he'll get himself onto the bomb site and as that bomb hits the halfway point
Where Mikaze's health bar also sits.
He didn't even let wonderful shoot. Flamesy instantly kills him.
Every single player that shows up on someone else's screen is either dying or getting the kill in the first frame.
It's so insane the accuracy from so many players right now.
This counter strike deserving of a Grand Finals.
Even that, he managed to get more damage.
Bro.
And this is wonderful by the way. He's sharp and he's fast.
Good double by Robs, who seems incredibly locked in. I mean we saw it early on.
We saw a glimpse of it with that 3k he offers through the pop-up in underpass.
And there are no doubts around Ross, right?
Just historically we talk about this vitality.
We're talking about Zaiwu propped up by Ross.
Ross the key.
Unlocked all the potential.
Flamesy stole the show this week with his individual level throughout Rotterdam.
But it looks like Ross wants some of that attention.
blinded by the flashbangs, gonna get gunned down by the freed up movement of Flamesey.
Mac 10 perfect for that kind of a pounce.
Man advantage secured at a minute 15.
And that's gonna put pressure on Bit, especially now that he's lost his support over towards the archside as well.
I'll happily go one for one.
We'll see what kind of tempo vitality you want to play with, but for the time being they stall.
Stepping closer, Bit opts to just play out of the open, and joining with that corner is Robs.
He's off an early duel. They're just trying to hold him in place.
No more rotators coming over, no flanking for Mikaze just yet.
He's waiting for them to come back, but this just weakens both sides.
You can see the fog of war right now for Navi.
They're confused and they're about to get desperate.
For the time being a bit timid, not looking to push the limits just yet.
Sitting over towards B, sitting on the brink of Archside.
Who goes first?
It's the push off short that activates.
It's a light pinch from both sides.
The balcony player not activating in that moment.
It's Mikaze to make the move.
Planks one down, bit secures the kill as well.
And the back end for seconds.
You gave Navi enough time.
Apex activates late with no bomb possession.
15 seconds, unlikely that he gets anything else.
And so in Vitality's hesitation comes Navi's activation.
The only thing that could have gone wrong here
is Mikaze overplaying that hand.
Here he ends.
A little salt in the wound to bring the game within one.
But because they could have sped up that flank if he wanted to.
They didn't even do a double reclear and try to frag out.
Put a little pressure on Arch, put a little pressure on Lane, didn't get off.
Didn't pull Mikaze too quickly, even though it probably felt like he needed to help somebody.
Make sure that it wasn't B and then go for the flank.
Vitality looked to come knocking towards A again.
Time being, nobody up in apartments.
Trying to just get this off off the line, but wonderful confidence versus an Apex just chucking out flashbangs.
For a round that there's little to work with and you've already got the one rifle down to half health.
Looks like Navi have queued up a tied half. Looks like.
We'll see what kind of X factor vitality tap into.
They fought hard for this lead.
But it may fizzle out in the final round of the half.
Get there to trade. Robs does respond.
Alexi's rifle collects and as the last two pieces try to press into the bomb site
They attack from both sides and that's a side where that survives on only seven HP now the guns can be grabbed now
Your bomb has been planted. There's still some timing until Navi are ready for this retake flames. He's in a key spot
six and ten right now
But having the tournament of his life all the same
Wonderful draws attention by throwing out utility first with the majority of the nades still rest on Maca's belt
Can he blindside in any way?
He will flush Flamesy out.
We've got a fair duel.
Just smoke him, lift him to the balcony.
Wonderful from Taglow.
By Saibu in the meantime.
And so a desperate act.
Double kill.
And a native is named on it.
Flamesy tapping into the potential.
We know he has.
The lead maintained.
The Worlds number one.
A seven round T side.
This state has been the beating heart of Counter-Strike for 25 years!
That was a vicious first half of Counter-Strike with some of the individual moments we got.
Rops ends the half, 16 kills deep.
And two rounds, Mohan, the edge as they secure that last one changing over.
Somehow barely a lead.
It feels like either of these teams playing at this level could have had a 10-2 half versus
anybody else in this event so far.
This is unbelievable.
Some of the rounds we've already gotten.
Mikaoze kept up his end of the bargain.
Solid in the opening kills.
It's a Vitality 7 round half, but only 4 successful opening duels throughout those rounds.
So recovering time and time again goes to show Navi have been here to fight you at first contact.
The great stat for Navi is they kept pulling out all those opening kills still.
But for Vitality they actually kept up on utility damage from their T side.
You better believe that they're going to dominate now that we switch over.
Navi have to do a lot more to respond.
This B site looking prime for the taking as far as Macaulay is concerned, you don't even
have them pressed up on brackets for that mid-retake.
So this will slow down rotations considerably as these kit could come into play.
No movement, huh?
Nobody offering up info, nobody offering up a duel.
Probably going to wait maybe it gets vision before they make this snap or full commitment.
I mean they have the right read
The room's tense. There's still time to play with. Can you send me a bit out here?
We'll time this HE
Hangs on to it and chucks it out off the flash. It's only E-met to take damage off that
One wander- OH!
You're nasty. He's got another flight of hand, but that one Flancy's gonna pick up instead
Bomb gets planted while we watch the duels go down towards the bracket.
All that decides is how quickly Vitality can start to try and compromise this banana flank.
We see it's 3v2 right now. Lexi can turn around and try to help.
It's Mezzi playing with the smoke of the incendiary. Flamesey trying to get that
utile towards the bomb site.
And right now, Navi decides to just swing into the duel.
Mezzi here suddenly flushed out. It's E-man, wonderful, full control of banana.
It opens the door for the other side to push.
But there is nothing for Vitality to stand on in the retake, a desperate act from Apex, a wonderful bit of cover.
And with that, Navi will take the second pistol.
It's excellently called here from Alexi. It's perfectly played in the post plant with the triple peek down Banana.
They dealt with the two players coming in. They didn't play scared. It was just annoying enough to kill that boss a little bit, get a kill, and throw things into disarray before the retake even began.
They're trying to keep as high numbers possible for a retake, even if you're even with the
other team because there's only so many spots that they can play.
Apex can use his brain for this one.
See, multiple rounds get pulled out of the hat with buys similar to this, like the one Vitality standing on.
Oh, but Apex, no way! Besides the push through!
Damn, it's actually because he chipped him first, so that headshot is an instinct kill, and he's gonna go back to another little bit of utility.
Why not, right? Tools for the job here by Apex.
This would be the masterful sequence of delaying if you can do this alone because right now he's telling nobody to come over
So if they don't think he's gonna be cycling grenades here
They've got another thing coming a couple more a cheese to work with as well
Those two come his way dunked on
Finishing off apex opening up the B site. They don't know if they're about to find out
Vitality were banking on apex to do a little bit more, but there's still some tools to work with here the double mp9 retake
There's the plant
Drag grenade onto the planter 40 damage for a lexie to have to handle that's fine by him
As the smoke on the CT cross nears the halfway point the other two vitality players are still in bound
Feels like vitality sense that they've got a chance at still making this retake happen
I was thinking about right now. He's already cleared out all the oranges
They're giving him a bit of space to work with.
Zywu feels like he's on the brink of a retake.
Got that low health from Alexi.
And he does.
Three kills!
Falls on Emus' shoulders!
Vitality test the waters and come up with another dead!
That's an incredible retake.
It's unbelievable.
They actually pull out the defuse.
They only lose a single player.
Zywu came in early, cleared out first and second.
Oranges didn't see anything.
He snuck up the wall, took his fight to Warzpool,
pool and also hit from quad in the same brand. Even though apex wasn't a part of
that retake, I think he did a lot for the retake set up in that utility still
sitting there for a sidewood to grab as he approaches. He did an extra heat. He
allude himself. He killed Alexi after the planting side of pool after
And there's where you kill damage. I'm telling you, that's going to keep Miley on.
Hotality's made, it's been superb, but here's a faster move from Nami trying to play with Nase.
Saibu activates, cuts off the other side of it, and now you've got Mezzi up into the bomb site, hanging on.
And Bitt recovering with one back the other way. Saibu's tagged down to 7.
Bomb got dropped in the middle of all that, and Apex's grenade could be lethal.
We got him a doing a different move if someone comes to re-clear the halls
He's going out towards all so this actually opens up a new way to find this frag
This is kind of a ridiculous move from Emma. He's gonna see flamethrower catches him off
40 that was that was the play I could have been the one bit would have recovered the bomb hell they could have even ran that back down middle
Definitely a world where Navi hang on to the decision to flank out through apartments
You don't get many shots with Flamesy in current form.
It's possible Navi just didn't convert enough good positions. Again, they have to play perfect.
They can get away with this versus other teams, have some good stats going their way, but not converting those rounds.
They're trying to compete with a task speedrun right now.
It's now that Navi will have to bend at the knee.
Watch the rich get richer.
It's no impressive how they generate these fights though. Yeah, another opening here for Navi.
They have enough players. They've either got to hit one more insane Deagle shot or...
Thing is, with the game that we've had so far, one more insane Deagle shot doesn't feel like too much of an ask.
And you can see they're really playing to win, though. They still leave BIT at mid.
They're not just gonna group up and try to explode.
But time is hemorrhaging now, they're...
Gonna go into their final commitment in a second.
That really sucks the life out of Navi's hopes of making these pistols work in M4 for bit.
No Kevlar and a Grenada could have set up Messi but he's not going to rush it.
He's not going to force the issue.
He's going to let them come to him and just clean up for double digits.
That's a very classy hold here for Robs.
Fancy just making it happen
Hey, they're a flat out dominating on openers though
But that's just gonna buff the vitality 4v5 win stat
Who yay something else to praise vitality for when does it end?
As far as they're concerned, never.
Mentally, every come can become this moment where you kind of feel that you're just a part of another team's history.
You know, for a bit, especially in 2025, there were lots of challenging grand finals for Vitality.
Falcons challenged them, Maus challenged them. They were even beaten by G2 back in London.
But again, somehow they're actually better than that.
They didn't get tired, they got better.
The gap is only widened.
And it compounds because the confidence drops for everyone else.
Before you don't know you're in an era, you think you can win.
You think you can actually stop it.
And now you kind of believe like you can see the fate happening to you.
I think that's why Vitality being absent in Stockholm and allowing Navi to touch
a trophy.
That could be one of the driving factors in Navi's newfound confidence
They've referenced it. I think no matter what happens for Navi
They have validated that performance with this run all the wins they've taken here and they're like I'm gonna say it flat out
They're playing their best. Yes better than they did in Copenhagen. Better than they did last year
Guess what still not good enough. Mm-hmm
No one robs is sitting pretty 21 kills deep
A lot of talk about Zywu being in godlike form, Flamesy contending with number one on vitality here in Rotterdam.
Robs kind of goes under the radar until it's time to deliver and so far he has.
After Navi having to take a knee and now bounce back with rifles, we have expectations for this round, but we've gotten down to the 32nd mark.
And they kind of starved them for attention over on B. They gave up car, they're playing 2-3 to Scythe.
3 to sites. I think this is suspicious to Navi, but for all the wrong reasons.
Smokes go over top and Zywu sees them fall down upon him.
There's a Molotov for Wonderful as well that could technically get somebody out of pit,
but instead Zywu will find the first dry goal over towards Arch. Short pull!
It catches him by supply!
It's still on the snark!
Put to rest by pit! Rocks will do the rest!
Oh, it's filthy, man. It's disgusting here from Zywu again.
Showing off with every gun.
He's glowing this year.
Man, I mean, Vitality bring almost nothing special into this round.
They kill the block by just not pushing anything,
but this is actually a moment where Naughty had car control
that could have made that a full B exec
and probably had a better chance at winning.
Instead, they ran into this monster.
How's that not enough? Ena gets the headshot.
They didn't even need that.
And now to secure a 12th for a game that felt like we were going to have a real bit of competition.
Second half has just been non-stop from Vitality.
Nate's following none.
Now you tell damage. Still adding up.
Putting it on thick for Flamesey to just round the corner.
Apex going to have to hold off this, what should be followed through, but never mind.
Navi have to wait for the fire to burn out.
Apex. Feeling a bit confident decides to take that duel on his burns.
Oh, you're still damaged.
But that ain't could have been much worse.
Flames to prevent the plant.
Xayu will take up position.
And Mezzi waits for a potential climb over top.
But there's nothing there.
Rops will take his sweep time.
Clearing out ult.
As Novi will find positioning here within the bomb site.
But what else do they have to work with?
They see bits alive, so he's really coming in slowly.
So, it'll be the two most careful players going head to head in a second.
Distinct disadvantage here for Bit.
Loron help, only a tech nine.
There goes the fire to clear a little pit.
Smoke grenade as well to maybe block vision.
Zywoo scopes up and they all lean to the left side of the site.
Mezzie's the guy to collect the two.
And then Robs wants to try to pounce on this, but the bomb's added pressure.
Oh, what is Robs?
I don't even know what he's had.
Do you think he just got the kill?
I'll tell you what, he's got the clutch.
This is Robson Muhammad Ali.
He's just pretending to fight.
Giving Eman false hope?
What was that?
Why stop shooting?
You thought he got the instant headshot or something?
I have no idea.
I know.
But how does he stop shooting and still get the kill?
What was that?
It was somebody reset the robot because I don't know the clue,
bro
Yeah, that's that helps it make more sense like I don't know they're just excited to win
That's the finally we see a glitch at least so we know that he's not human
No, that's that's that's the proof that is 24th kill in a 24 and 11 game
He keeps the pressure on at apartments.
Yeah, unstoppable, immovable.
Happy to just sign up for these fights one after another.
And advantage for Vitality to try to close out.
Navi had all the guns in the war with Nezzy.
Well, he's going to go down empty-handed.
And that reopens the possibility that this T-side's got a little more to give.
But there's just already been so little, Huramnavi on this attack.
Question is who surrounded. Apex is alone for now with this Moto Smoke still fresh, but Arch is cleared.
Flamesy giving himself a little room to work with Flashbang as well to try to interrupt this follow-through as Apex goes silent in the back-site.
He pops up, gets damaged, and Mikase there to clear fully.
It would have to be another one-on-two for Zywoo to close this game.
Doesn't feel impossible, does it?
Yeah, I mean, they can't refresh the smoke.
Now they do have info on where he is.
Taking the one attack of plant, however.
Edel open it up, Mikaze just...
You kind of forced him to sign up for the duel, and I think Mikaze would rather that.
Let's keep it simple. Headshots roll through, Mikaze triple kill.
Another instance of Mikaze's ability to push Vitality's limits.
Robs almost closes the situation again.
Solid 3 getting under pressure for Mikaze.
And I think Robs is the only player who can put his AK on burst.
5 round game to make a comeback here for Navi.
It's not gambling if you always win.
It's going to be a hell of a journey if victory is still within Navi's grasp.
Seven rounds for the game that Navi have had so far, but you know what man, you can talk
about how good the individuals are on Navi, the opening kills that they've gotten, and
Vitality have all the same, all the highlights, their top performers at the top of the board.
If you look at that by utility damage, again,
Vitality are now dominating on utility damage.
They basically were on par or beat them in the first half
from their T side, which is just so ridiculous to think about
on a map like Inferno.
So it goes to show they're not only the team
of the best individuals, but the best team.
Flat out.
26 kills, Wanderz. 26 kills on Robs. I didn't see it coming. Shame on me for forgetting about Robs and the impact that he's offered in this run of events for vitality.
It's the Budapest MVP.
It's like, wait, what? To think anybody could steal the Zywoo MVP.
Yeah, that might be Flamesy this tournament.
Yo, look at this place!
Rotterdam, you turned up tonight!
tonight. And there's still early days in this best of five, but there's plenty of time for us to get rowdy.
I don't know, I feel like the Navi fans have gotten a little quiet.
Everyone was loving him yesterday.
There they are.
No, there they are.
It's a quick PC restart here for Zai Wu.
The most iconic organ counter-strike history.
Magers in both games.
So many iterations of this lineup have had everything from unbelievable prospects to legends.
Vitality and the grand scheme of things are kind of newer,
but in terms of when they've come in and having Zywu as their franchise player all these years for seven years now,
They won a tournament every single time. They've got better as time has gone on.
They built a team that they can believe in and have stuck together. All the same.
And they enter that, venerated all of the few teams that have put together a period, an era in the game's history.
It's undeniable now.
The Apex has come out and said it himself, you know, this won't last forever.
The thing is, nobody knows how long it will be here.
So what a treat it is to be sat in the Ahoy Arena in front of one of the best teams to ever do it.
Every day it gets harder to just, you know, not flat out say they are.
I look forward to the day that we can just say it with full confidence and, well, that's on them.
Yeah, that happens this year whether you're on the fence or not
But you even have the blade say it blade said it already flat out
What was the map stat they're challenging Navian
If Vitality wins this first map at the best of five, they will have the second longest map win streak at big events, only barring the NIP legends.
They tied Navi with their 2-0 yesterday, and all of that, by the way, could have been thrown out the window by the Mongols over in the group stage.
So Vitality have kind of played with their food, but every day we look at the records and just try to find a way for Vitality to wiggle in.
I mean even the other staff they have 12 rounds right now if this goes to overtime. They don't lose over times
Haven't lost a map in forever
You're on 40 days
Before getting this match, I'm gonna have to take you to the hospital it's five o'clock somewhere
Let's start this best of five bright and early
What do I feel like we could just start the game now without Zywoo's mouse working and
they could still close it.
Rives Frost might still get a 3k.
Zywoo back in the server, rebying and ready to try to close out.
Navi have earned this off the Mikaze close in the last round.
Kept it simple, found his headshots,
got a seventh round, and a little wiggle room.
All right, Rotterdam, let's get back into it.
Oh!
break the overtime streak all at the same time here in Grand Finals.
It's a hell of an ask within this map alone, but it was going to be a hell of an
ask to even go up versus Vitality in this best of five.
Navi's got nowhere else to be.
See if they can make this interesting.
five rounds, 26 and 12 with five rounds of regulation to spare and I mean I think I was
even matched him on highlights.
We're challenging the banana.
Made again dude.
I can't wait to see the numbers on the utile damage.
They know exactly how to pull back.
That was a real strong offensive here from Navi.
They tried to press up their far-car control.
They've been sourcing those instant first kills,
but now it's vitality to instantly win back banana control.
They see all the way down as well.
They'll start to move over.
This one comes towards Iwo.
Trying to scramble that defense over.
Mezzi has made it to arch in time.
They're starting to sense the danger.
It's the threat of all of these vitality players
It just makes you want to make sure every little detail is in place before you go for that commitment.
But in that temporary pause is where Mezzi finds Sanctuary, crossed over to the corner,
able to jump into the bomb site if pressure comes his way.
But at 50 seconds, Navi still have options.
That smoke meeting them on Banana makes things scary, though.
They're doing a fantastic job of leading this clock drive.
late smoke they got a disrespect this
flamesy collects first kill
for vitality in the potential closing
round a test with the smoke spam
applying that pressure and forcing them
to have somebody to bail them out
again who's it gonna be a lexie be on
the smoke sees the push through the gun
goes empty and as he's gonna finish
him off wonderful is already down to
20 health and as he leans into the
back of the site it feels like the walls are closing in on Navi who had a hell
of a challenge back in the first half but have never been able to find their
groove throughout this T side it was a pistol it was the last round but those
could be the only two retakes unable to make the difference to find the
clothes and to secure the first map of this best of five that's why we make
Make sure his peripherals ready to get rip-roaring.
Vitality take their map pick.
It's an anubis choice of Narvi up next
where they hope to extend this series.
But extending this series could be just extending
the inevitable because the individual level
of Vitality today will be difficult to contend with.
That's another energetic finish here for Vitality.
The score line you could have pictured on Inferno
before this one began, but it's impressive.
level of less.
Alright, there was only one man we need to speak to after that performance.
Just phenomenal, a killing machine.
Robs, you dropped 27 kills, a statement performance from you on map 1 here.
You are thriving.
So far so good.
Do you just completely in the zone?
How are you feeling?
I think I just had good timings, good peaks, I think everything was going my way.
going my way you know that's the usual sometimes it's the opposite today today not so much yet
we'll see your map winning streak continues it feels like forever since you've dropped one why
won't anubis be the first one for a long time what's that again why won't anubis be the first
map that you dropped for a long time um i mean why why is it going to be i think i don't think
it's going to be but um you know we're we're on heart streak and and um we don't really think
about it obviously we have people talk about it but it was the same with the
match streak last year we had like 30 match streak and now we're in a map streak
but we're kind of used to it at this point so it's like a day in the office
looking forward to seeing you the next map good but thank you
corruption I'm sure the rest of vitality it's all just noise at this
point when we talk about how many days they've gone with the app dropping a
map how many lands they've gone without dropping a series it feels like it's
constantly just adding on to themselves here and it's no different in this
grand finals the way that they open up and the ways that they're able to stay
strong throughout this whole map after a while it has to just get a little
tiring to say every day is a new streak I feel like the breeze probably
been on the winning end of that in the past too. Yeah I am but you know just
the fact that Robson puts it out there it's just the usual you know
I'm dropping 27 kills you know I'm just getting good peaks everything
feels great you know it's it's a mentality that is just playing out their minds and but
at the same time also just now we're making too many mistakes to make it to make it even
possible to beat them.
Well look maybe on the stage the energy wasn't so much there from a rough, that's because
he knows the job isn't done but that doesn't mean they're not celebrating each and every
round that it feels like the odds are stacked up against them.
Nice.
He's one I think.
He's nine.
CT!
Nice.
Check the bomb.
I'm playing Ruinz.
I'm taking this one.
I'm dead.
CT!
NOOOOOOO!
Take my 2!
Nice job.
maybe with more inside the
box actually is just cool all
the time the right team was
popping off for his clutch.
Well, one thing that vitality
exemplify in that clip is what
they've called in the past eyes
in the sky where players that
are dead are able to just chime
in with little tidbits of
information so that the guys
that are still alive in the
server can do what they do
best and that just focus on
their crosshair.
Yeah, eyes in the sky is a
term that I've been working
with that we've had for a
long time in vitality as well
that it's all about making
sure that you make your
players that's inside the situation that's comfortable across which is having
that overview when you're dead it's something that a lot of counter-stirect
players has picked up now because it is so important as well we even said in
the green watching his room thing it's gonna be over like now he's gonna go
up 3-1 this one but then Sa'woo turn on right no and Sa'woo just finding
finding these kills out of nowhere to put himself and Robs inside this
situation and they just played out perfectly I mean it's not because of
the communication but it's also a sloppy clear from Navi whenever he
goes into church he doesn't clear like the close corner it's just a
good enough. Let's be honest. I mean, I want now to be a lot more thorough with
what they're doing and exactly in those situations because if you can't win
the afterplan situation like that, then you're just not going to be winning.
And that's a little bit different, I guess, to what we're seeing for
vitality. Whilst there are rounds that maybe they falter, it isn't as clean
tactically as what we're used to from vitality. There's also an element of
just how quick they are to change that and fix it for themselves.
Oh, yeah, for sure. I mean, I think there was a clear game plan from
now that they really wanted to try and get the first big specifically
with try and put wonderful banana.
He got one kill here.
He also gets the kill later in this game.
I think they wanted to go out and really prove
that they want to fight for this space.
But if you can put your guy out here and get that kill,
and then at the same time have your guys working
on the opposite side, it seems like to me
that Vitality is being a little bit too aggressive here
because they're trying to fight for banana,
but at the same time they're working up mid,
trying to get these kind of frags.
You see if he's pushing through the smoke as well,
trying to come up with that whole thing
that the team couldn't get working for them.
XS actually pulls out a timeout right off this one because I don't necessarily think that the game plan for Vitality is wrong
But it's more about the pacing that was incorrect because they were searching way too fast onto the bomb side whenever they realized
The wonderful were there like they didn't take their time finding the duels and for vitality to go for that type of gameplay
It's got to be in the preparation that they know that they want to put wonderful on banana because if you put your
Oper there and you go opposite you will have more fair duels
So I think it was a good time out for X to do slow, can you tell a little bit?
I would say that in general teams at this event and kind of in recent history on Inferno have just been incredibly quick.
They're pressuring all the time through the smokes of Banana because if you just respect every single piece of utility,
you're going to burn practically the whole clock there.
So obviously after X has gets on the mic, they go on to win practically the rest of the game at that point.
When they drop two rounds, I think it is after that.
So a very necessary tactical intervention.
And there's one specific round right towards the end, around number 12 on that first half
that it feels like another one, that Vitality had no right in winning.
I'm going to press the Q.
Yes.
Fallen.
Fallen, left in pit.
Heading.
I'm blind.
Nice.
On my left, on my left.
Two more, two more!
Left in my right.
Two guys.
Two more.
One left.
Left in my left.
I promise you it's perfect. I mean you could not have more of a perfect round than winning
a 45 in your favor with Zai Wu towards the end,
only being on 7-0.
It's just when vitality are clicking like that,
when they're playing off of each other,
it's the most beautiful counter strike
that I've seen since Prime Astralis.
It's just people are looking out for each other,
they're recognizing who's in the power position,
who needs to make the next play,
and they also are always so aware
of when their opponents feel like they need
to do a little bit extra,
so they're always ready to punish.
And not to forget, this was another 45
they managed to convert. I think I'd rather want to focus on Navi because sure what Vitality did here
by winning it out was good. But I'm more in on Navi because they have a guy in pit, they have a guy
swinging out from boxes as well. Like they're too committed to the duel. Like they wouldn't
just take one fight, step back, take one fight, step back, look at what Paravision would have
done like, okay I have to bring them up right. But the thing is like they're too committed
to the duels and that just doesn't really, like if they don't get the kill from the get-go,
they need to fall back. It's like they had the perfect crossfire but they didn't use it at all.
Like they would swing on different timings. It's just you're not going to win if you're going to pull
this one off. And it continues to manifest itself a little bit more throughout that because that's
the end of the first half and so you think you then have that period to think a little bit
more, right? Have a bit more of a conversation and look at what was going wrong even though it
isn't that that much time for themselves but when we see it they win pistols and then
And then specifically on round 14, we're questioning why aren't they able to convert after winning
pistol round 2.
I was just looking this round and I was thinking that at this point they should probably just
be saving because they have no utility.
Now we have like the prime positions, they're talked behind new box, they're talked in dark
corner.
It doesn't even look like now, like the Tileys has a chance in this one.
But all of a sudden they decide to go for this flashbang clear just to get a bit
of information.
They fall back and they just, from one point to another, you just get all four
frags raining at them. They're fighting and fighting and fighting instead of relying on...
I do think they actually try and fight on the crossfire, but it just seems like they're waiting
too long. Like they're waiting a bit too long. They should have swung a little bit earlier,
try, you know, as a team to coordinate their attack. And they're just not going to be winning
a series against Vitality. You cannot win a 4v4 after playing like this.
The way that they decided to go in through CT or at least go for the flash clear on the
close right angle before the smoke fades and then after the smoke fades, then everybody
he collapses on the bomb site, though, to me also just shows how well rehearsed this kind
of play is from vitality. They know they don't want to dive in vitality or if I would, for
example, swings all the way in from coffins there, he might give up the man even equal
situation. But because he just kind of goes for that little peak, it means it's one
less angle for them to clear and then they can just focus on all of the lesser or
more important angles from that point on. We saw rops up on stage and it felt
like he was very blasé, very casual about his performance of what he had for the first map in Inferno.
But I also want to give you guys a chance to hype him up because we had our moment.
We really talked up Zywoo flamesy, rightfully so.
But to see Rob spring a whole other level here is the only time that we get to talk about it.
Rob just changes the way that you get to call Counter Strike if you're apex.
The fact that he always holds on to position on his side of the map.
the fact that he also is such a difficulty to handle when you're in those anchor spots
because you don't know when he's going to strike, when he's going to be playing farther
back and when you do, he's usually taking an advantageous fight for himself. He always
finds a way to construct a situation such that he is the 70-30 favorite in almost every
duel presented.
He's incredible at just picking the fights that he wants and even though the rubs
have had a little bit of a cool down compared to what Flames is now showing, he's
just always someone you can rely on. It's so rare to see rups just have like a
blunder and just not perform throughout a series like this. He always finds his
openings. He will try and go out and do do what's best for himself and that's
also why he's such a good lurker, such a good guy of creating space on
extremities and it's just when you don't have a guy like maybe Sawho or
Flimsy putting up the numbers then you will just have rups and now the next
map coming in you might see rups take a bigger step down but the other
one's gonna step up and that's what makes it very counter-stricted.
What's actually talk about that next map, right? Because Mikazi in his pre-series talk with me, he said,
yeah, we feel like there's a chance we're going to be able to take Inferno off of them. It was close
beforehand. We made little mistakes. Unfortunately, some of those mistakes still rear their ugly heads
for that map. And now, they're going to their map pick, right? Anubis showing itself so early as
well in the map video here. It's free. Yeah. I actually like this approach very much because
in another world, we could have seen Nabi maybe going from Mirage because it's a map
they also just feel very comfortable around but I think the fact that they don't get to play ancient they need to try something a
Little bit different and I really love the fact that they go for news as their first pick in this series
Mainly because we haven't seen by telly
We haven't seen what just reacted this one right here if there's any question about what I feel about telling you have it on your
Pictures right there just a small context a place was the one calling me out first and it's just friendly bander
Yeah, yeah. Definitely friends. Definitely friends.
But the whole thing about picking up Anubis as the first one, I really love that fact.
Vitaliy has had that map in the series 8 out of 12 times. They've played the best of 5,
but they've never really gotten to it because it's usually so late in the map,
where it usually is the fourth or the fifth.
Now it's actually Navi picking it against Vitaliy, and they have a record of 100%,
but they've only played it three times.
And Navi has played it against Aurora twice, and if you want to play Anubis against Aurora,
a new was against the road, then you've got to be feeling just a little bit confident in that map.
Hey, so I think this is an ace up their sleeve. If there's any chance for now to come back in this
series, it's because of a new this. We're going to see just how confident a lot of people may be at
home are because they're from poly market. There are a couple of predictions going out there on
exactly who's going to be taking this grand finals. I mean, in a way it's 50 50, but the
prediction isn't really that right. 89% in favor of vitality that even with the new best
showing up a little bit earlier than Mali. That's pretty brutal. I mean, even though I definitely
feel like there's a couple opportunities for Navi to make an UBIS interesting for themselves,
like how BITS able to play on the A side, I think the percentages make a lot of sense here.
Vitality are indeed the heavy favorites. Well, I was hoping maybe you could give me a little
bit more of maybe make it swing a bit more or a 13% prediction out there for Navi. But
it's also best that Navi just do the talking for us, do the convincing in this server
because they're coming up to them that pick. It's going to be numerous just after this break.
That was brutal for FaZe. I can't believe they get out so cleanly.
Yeah
a falcon
Thank you very much.
I
the game, but it's not going to
be a good start.
Anubis is where
Navi tried to pull this one
back, but after the individual
levels, we got out of a vitality
over on Inferno. Surely they feel
the bruising that could start to
sink in to their confidence
tonight. I mean, it feels like
Navi had a chance to play Inferno
and we obviously saw a very interesting match ups and downs, but they don't pick it up in the series
Someone say it would be crucial obviously any map
No way to get into the E-box, but E-Map takes his stool towards long, dodges that threat
It's not the cleanest from Alexi, but he gets his kill in the end. Gund goes dry
And so Bit needs to attempt this 1v2 doesn't want to drop it would make the audio and then make no damn
well where he's up to. I'd like to say just before we get started that Flamesee
and Zywoo are head going head to head in this MVP race and Nubis for Flamesee
absolutely could be a nap where he stands out.
Bits fine-tuned arrivals taking time and no kid on the play walks out into
the site finds Flamesee's head first you've got Mezzie pinned into the
corner he gives himself a futile to swing with. Bits guns empty reloads good.
Time though, always on Vitality's side and Mezzie makes sure to send a message, 8 health, he survives with, and a Vitality pistol for the T side kickoff.
That was a very fine effort from Bith, nice try in the 1 on 2, some decent shots getting hit, but not enough ammo there to make that happen.
Very sudden burst plate in through Evox. That third layer of Alexi V in the back of platform
though that's the position that could have had two kills on the bomb site backs turn.
That's where maybe the pistol could have been wrapped up for Navi. But we've already learned
in this game you can't miss those moments. Mechanical skills demanded of you. Messi
He's able to hold back that push as they try to get an aggressive split going.
Navi pushing off of a bomb site to try to get active, trying to force a fight v-vitality.
And ultimately, it leads to an Alexi 1v5.
I like the sounds of that.
Well, okay, we're two kills into it.
With a gun upgrade and no bomb planted just yet.
Obviously, that's what we're thinking about, but in his mind, this Khalil, the couple of
grenades, they got.
I mean, how do you turn that down?
The new pieces of map we see are less and less on that feels like, I mean, that's also
what's great about the best advice.
But I wonder if there was a part of Navi yesterday when they played Inferno that
it was like, it was a tester.
You know, they know they have to play the next day if they win.
If they're playing to win the event,
then they would try to bring it out.
But just a list of things, if I tell you,
have going for them, whether it's map pool or individuals
or utility or communication.
I mean, even all their haircuts
are really good right now.
I think what's exciting is Dust 2 waits in the wings and we haven't gotten to see Vitality
play it so far this event.
Imagine that, get into a grand final, stop playing your best map at all.
Chance to pull it out and to end this series on it.
Fresh keyboard for Zywoo.
There you go sir.
map to keyboard
And I'll say like a real professional had a second one on hand ready to go
Swamp it out get him in quick pit stop
We'll get right back in
You know, we saw good efforts from Navi in their last single rifle buy over on Inferno.
Saw them pull that round out of the hatch.
So you gotta believe somewhat in their ability to do damage in this one too.
But it's Bit's responsibility to get it done and this off the angle from Roth's.
It just gets slammed against the ground as he tries to go aggressive.
Hover's both the flash by standing in that spot perfectly, with the string.
The timing's exactly what he expected.
That was just a matter of math.
That was all Novi's hopes, resting on one guy, one Galil push, one duel to try and start
the round instead getting an instant.
The reality starts to sink into the back of the minds of Novi.
have no further utile. It's an irretrievable gun as well as vitality remain perched on top of Bitt's corpse.
And so we can go through the motions. Taking over middle was going to be easy, meant to be.
The 5-7 collects the first one, Emech gets his and it's mezzy to take his time with that 35 bullet
The magazine opens up the A site for the taking.
Macaulay high expectations for the newest piece of
Navi in this grand finals just because of the precedent he has been setting on
the stage in recent months and did great on a furno because he got a lot of
the openers it was mostly like those you know later in the rounds a lot of
clutches that went the way of vitality there was a lot of just
multi-kills in the middle of rounds that went the way of vitality they
He had a good 4v5 win percentage last map, but Macaulay, in terms of his role, what he was doing, he was putting up his end of the bargain.
Flash doesn't bother Rod.
That's perfect.
Just like that.
So, first gun rounds on all these map picks.
Let Inferno be nothing but a foregone conclusion.
Fix 8 now, Navi.
I'm making a competition of this best of 5.
I'm going to see taking over the mid-play just showing some confidence in the face of utility
and always confident with the teammate right behind you.
Navi pressing a bit against Long with an exchange of smoker names.
We'll see how confident Lops is.
tries to test the waters. Offer on the angle. Not an opening kill unfortunately here for Navi.
Yeah but it's a bit info on the op. That shot comes out.
Wonderful. Desperately going to want to make himself useful. He can stick up an
e-box though and still be good for the whole round. He doesn't have to move a lot.
It lets the space be taken over though. That's the problem for Wonderful. Forced
to retreat into platform. Flamesy Beyond Camera is a real test, potentially for the split, but
him getting shut down by Alexey boasts a real well for Navi. 3v5 recovery off the Mezzi opening,
and now Mikaze tests Jail, beautiful sequence for his two. Just testing the waters at the
opportune moment, Zywu gets back into cover and only has 10 seconds to work with here,
would love to make sure his flank is clear, but now that he sees this is clear,
Ops to just walk away from this, Navi staving off the mid-play, flames are being caught by Alexi B so that no compromise can be found in the back line of Navi's B site defense.
That is what they needed, a first-gun round secured by Navi the moment they had their rifles.
A lot of space that Vitality took safely and put themselves in a spot to really get some good entries, but Navi's awareness that ends up winning.
And obviously also McCasey's push jumping up through this smoke and planting a teammate who dies
If you're not made this move a plant could have absolutely gone down and things could have got out of hand
But he used the fact they had a fresh smoke on main
To get in the action
It's left alone out of the gate just in case that mid-duel comes emails responsibilities the door for now
The
never sticking around in middle is Navi for the time being.
Retreating back into the double up on A site and that lack of presence is what allowed
Flamesey to even have a chance to compromise Temple last round.
Sure, Alexi holds it back, does his job well.
But if that duel goes the other way, problems to be had.
So Mikaze feeling the squeeze, perhaps, of a lack of mid-play
decides to press the perimeter of this B site
and in doing so, 5v4 to Navi yet again.
Looks comfortable.
I think that there's no one else besides Mezzi
in the right about it.
So they go for the re-clear and actually Mikaze
puts himself into a very interesting spot.
The amount of opening duels that Navi
were successfully securing on Inferno.
Wrapping them around wide.
Macaulay, yes, gonna catch them all out, there's his triple.
Shot in the back and forced to just go back into it with the side arm,
but he's done his job and then some.
Well, isn't that fantastic out of Macaulay?
I love the timing on the play.
Navi feeling the squeeze.
Let's Macaulay just make his opening move and, you know,
Macaulay's somebody you don't want to keep on too tight of a leash.
Yeah, just flash him in.
Let the men roam.
This one goes in the final seconds.
And Robs can protect this off.
They won't be approaching.
And we can take this into the next round.
This round's won because of the B defense that stayed active.
And they made sure to identify Mezzi trying to hold for them.
He even called up the fact that he was going to be alone.
It's very hard to get your map control back on CT side.
beside now be found away
the economy off that one too but saved up you know who's hands that lands in
zairu to be the hero in round six that's the plan he was actually going to
hold it
There's been no way he's going to miss man.
Cole, we missed though.
How about that?
And then Rocks not allowed to retrieve it.
Bit happy to sign up to the fight.
Watch, control the A.K.A. Queen.
Kets himself a triple.
Pistols have balled around that off,
and it is a fast-moving knobby
in response to what was a rapid entry attempt
out of vitality.
Zai-Wu straight into the duel,
and it feels like that duel has been cooking constantly.
Bit just trying to get that utile off at times,
taking the test to rock,
so it makes sense to throw the AWP in that direction.
That AWP was totally cursed.
Didn't hit a single shot this round.
Zai-Wu missed a shot last round.
This is a shot on this one as well, and it completely changes the outcome of this rush, ultimately.
Could be the frag, and then pushing towards main with C2 chasing behind them instead.
They lose the kill, lose the space, BIT keeps pushing forward, and they're getting pushed from the other side of the map at the same time, so...
BIT signs up for it again.
No fear in BIT's eyes when it comes to these long plays on a new BIT, and again, that water push is coming!
By the time they get down here, he's already got himself a ton of blood!
Coming out of Nobby now, starting to smell blood in the water.
And this has taken things into your own hands.
That's the same push.
Back to back.
On the other side of it.
And Bitt, even though he used some ammo to spam, somehow still gets two kills.
Not even any room to strafe after he takes the first fight.
Just has to be incredibly sharp with it, and he is.
Vitality Fonte finds some respect given over towards this half of the map.
These last two rounds are changing that.
Clam to down.
Vitality.
And in the lead go Navi.
It's pistols for Vitality, and this one, tech 9s across the board.
Good amount of utility as well if they want to try to get tricky.
But with the tempo Navi have thrown in these last couple rounds,
we'll see if that confidence continues to boil over.
Announcing themselves outside of the E-box, standing fully with the tech 9, and then off
of the flash, the other players count.
Apex good to collect the one.
That's Mikaze dead early.
Zaihu's found it off the eagle.
Now the offer's under pressure.
And each of these pieces for vitality collect kills, one after another.
They put that squeeze immediate on the B site, waste no time, and barely waste bullets.
We talked about how fantastic that bait was.
Apex using his entire magazine behind that smoke so that they would stare at it,
and then they threw the flash.
Set the second player in to get the kill.
It's beautiful use of every facet of the game right here
to make something happen.
And now they have to come in for a clutch.
That's not going to happen.
Zywu's got it off on this round.
Guns are picked up.
And that catches Vitality back up into the game.
Just like over on Inferno.
Look at this, how good this is.
After all the spams, he goes and looks towards the smoke,
thinks he's fine, eats the flash,
and instantly gets killed.
Oh, men on top of it, Apex.
One bullet before he dies, finds the kill with it.
Once you get that space to Zywoo, Deagle in hand, he'll make the most of it.
Tied level counter-strike.
It is a thing of beauty to tie this game right back up.
And that's going to put Navi on notice.
Think about how confident because it was to watch that smoke suddenly you're fully
blind.
That's going to make you feel like vitality have tricks up their sleeves because they did
and they just used it.
We keep pointing out moments again where it just to show they're not just brawn.
to outside of the eighth site goes rocks and they can do by these instance
geared up for an A play no frills on this one there's no lurks in play just
trying to block vision before they get into this exact and and we don't have
the bit push for now trying to go back to what it's actually watching us back
in camera because they don't have middle at all that might slow things
down for wonderful. Let's try to take mid as this execute comes over. A shot to clean one.
Mezzy finds his and he's beyond the utilities for now. His teammates bank on him to continue
this space. Creation rocks within that space has got himself into the kill beat. Mezzy's barely
alive at the moment. The retakes on McCauley not wasting a millisecond, but Mezzy's side-off
gets it. And ROMs will find another head shot as well. So if you want to see talent,
It's on full display, vitality from top to bottom.
And all they need is just one or two pixels and they get you.
Headshots all around.
Great moment for Mezzi.
We have been talking about him much this match.
Not heated yet.
This Deagle shot sucks the light on the retake.
You saw McCauze wanting to run down camera
and get into the action.
Keep them flustered on the bomb site.
We'll meet your maker, buddy.
One HP there for Messi.
All the utility on the retake did damage too.
Everything was in place to take that one.
Solid call here for Vitality.
Again, no frills exact towards A. And they take advantage
of the fact that Navi hadn't recleared mid yet,
and they were just about to do that.
So just early enough, all they needed
was one instant smoke, and they went into that exact.
Could the Messi entry flag?
Two rounds where we have that Navi pushing out
to take over the entirety of Canals and then a call out.
That last round puts Navi in a shaky place with a single M4 again.
We'll see what one rifle can do.
Last round, Zywu was watching the mid-hole
through the bottom of stairs, and nobody actually challenged it.
This time, Mikaze will take a look right
as Zywu gets into position.
And the offer is not even called on.
Two sets of eyes.
And maybe the M4 can change hands, but beyond that M4, it's Desert Eagles for the B-Sites.
Last piece of utility, Alexi had dropped preemptively.
Ooh, he tries to line up that shot. He finds Apex, but it's only the half health gone.
The reload's coming up. They're gonna be aware there could be another gun in here, obviously.
They're not looking to fall for this.
They don't jump on it, so Alexi's got a fresh mag, fire bursts around the bomb site.
They feel very jumbled up.
They have the utility to zone them right now.
Stuck behind the obelisk, Apex Emerges dies as that M4 did manage to get onto the site.
It's in the right position, but bomb is obviously not preoccupied with the thought of committing to this beatbox.
Go ahead, collect all these kills, find yourself another rifle, you'll need it if this retakes to happen.
And unfortunately not preventing Flingsy from getting this positioning as quickly as he does means the retake all the more difficult.
Jimmel was one inch from getting away and then being able to do that peak on his own terms
But got spotted because of the haste here from vitality
three-on-three retake
All from the same position and Messi kind of has all of mid
This opens up more angles for vitality to work with and Saigou can be confident right here
He's open to e-box, but he's safe ready to go to the repeat camera. I should say
Why not?
Ha ha!
Collateral to close it.
Oh, Nobby.
You thought you had a chance.
That post plant opened up that angle for him to stand there.
They couldn't have been ready for it.
They had all e-bots, all mid control.
All camera, all mid control.
Just perfection.
single scope collat.
So the one rifle by doesn't net them too much, not even a chance at the retake.
And that's good to see Vitaliy kind of tiptoe their way around that looming threat of B.
Obviously Navi putting the right pieces into place but with no bomb inside of E-bots, it's all good.
The lineup nearly happens here for E-man.
found out stuck against the wall, Nade with his name on it, and further utility to just
drop in from above. They try to keep that pressure on his fallback. He will at least
get into safety, as Alexi's here to offer grenades, and Vitality still with so much
time to play have limitless options. Vitality can really roam the map here. I mean for
the CT side, it's a whole different question. They've got to get active. They have been
Very wise in terms of where they've taken back space in moments like these
Obviously anubis can feel very suffocating when your load numbers
There'll be no one to clear out of these close spots
And it feels like a bomb plan it's just gonna slowly come in they build confidence no one shooting back right now
Flank's coming. Yeah, pick gets bound. Oh, that's huge
Worried about it. I will also holds off on the flank where there's one there's more and
So off to the save will go Navi vitality slow squeeze and it's been very impressive to just kind of see them take their timings
Take their commitments keep their attacks fresh changing up the targets. I mean, I'll be obviously prep for this map, but
Very difficult to get a read on vitality's consistency. I think at the moment
I avoid repetition.
You avoid being red and on top of that they stay cerebral holding off on the flank making sure that there's no Hail Mary moment here for Navi as we get into the dying of rounds of Navi CT side.
I want to keep these guns. Oh, and they'll lose that tool straight out.
Round 12 now though, all rebuy. There will be some concessions. At least wonderful has an off and play
Yeah, lucky to have kept it
You know one more round for Navi and it's still not a bad half like vitality
You're starting to walk away with this and make every round look easier than last and in these early to mid rounds
Starting to look a little bit more dull a little bit more obvious for Navi, but numerically
They're still on pace if they get five
three MP9s to do it. A lot of this rest on the shoulders are wonderful. He's been an
an absolute titan for Navi when they beat him.
This job made all the more difficult by playing alone, but nice pounce.
Out of the mid-drop for Ema.
Braum is now stuck down there and they're going to find him with the frag grenades.
Had so little left to hang on to.
That Nade didn't even need to be that well placed.
Just pushes it over the edge.
Rocking a hard place now for Navi.
They're going to do something desperate.
They've gotten away with these kinds of moves in the past,
but Mezzi locked in for the challenge.
He just starts spraying right away.
Goes ahead to deliver.
The trade attempt out of Mikaze denied.
And that's going to be him seven and ten on the half.
Wonderful.
Also pressing the perimeter will at least bring one back.
And seeing as it's the final round of the half,
let's see what you've got left, Navi.
MP9 and AWP V3 on the vitality side.
Bits just going to keep on moving forward and he cuts off the bomb carrier.
A little spam through that smoke to clip Bits ever so slightly but still his teammate not yet in position.
And Mezzi worried that he could just come through this smoke.
This might be the move.
Bits playing with it, challenging it, threatening it, but A-flat is denied by the no scope
and then Mezzi is going to have his way with it.
Solidifying the 8-4 lead. Vitality looking to speedrun Grand Finals.
Hey guys, Jacob Pimp, Vinik here.
Do you think you know enough about Counter Strike to win your fair share of $15,000, then you better pay attention right now.
You've probably seen us use the NovaShots app on broadcast before and I'm here to tell you exactly how it works
So you can claim bragging rights against your friends or your enemies. It's completely free to participate
So let's go when you sign up. You're getting a thousand tokens
Those tokens you can use to buy team tokens or basically team stocks now
You need to pay attention to who's playing who and on what maps cause if you predict correctly and you invest into
Vitality just before they're playing the first map and they win that map
You're getting a 20% app drop bonus which means you have even more tokens to invest in to other teams or to invest furthermore into vital
Team prices move live based on what people are selling and what people are buying. It's a free market after all
So let's say Furia is about to play a game and the map they're playing
You know they're great on the CT side, but they struck it quite a lot on the T side
You now see they're starting on the T side
So instead of investing from the get go you can wait out a little bit
You can wait for people to panic sale when they're not doing well on the T side and then when they move over to the CT side
When they're doing the best work, that's when you buy into them. That's why you buy into the comeback as well
Here's my top tips in order to maximize your tokens. Firstly, pay attention to gain as it's live
You can buy and sell your tokens at any time, which means that the prices go up and down as the game is in boring
Let's say Vintel is playing. Let's say they lose the pistol. They lose the second round
They lose the third round people start panic selling and if you believe they're coming back
Maybe that's where you buy in, you buy the dip and then maximize your tokens.
Don't forget the 20% map bonus.
You don't need to hold a team for the entire tournament.
Get in before the map, you write the success, then reassess.
There's also a daily mode where you can predict match winners, map scores, NBPs, etc.
So you can fix your counter-strike brain even more and win daily prizes.
Make sure to get the Nova Shuttap and see if you can beat me and everyone else.
All week long the conversations bend this head-to-head between Zaywu and Flamesee in the race to the top of Rotterdam.
We'll leave it to Vitality to remind us why, that every time they set their eyes on a trophy they lift it.
This time it's Robson, Mezzi in the first half of Anubis to take over.
And take over they have, eight rounds in the first.
And now to the CT side they'll go in an attempt to deny Navi their first map pick.
You know what I was holding onto in the strongest era was that the feeling of hopelessness it
would feel when you get into a final or whatever for the other team.
Like that was such a stark contrast with vitality.
They're starting to get to that level now too where it's just like you almost cannot
even see the victory for the other squad.
They've been challenged many times in best of fives but that's just happening less
often than ever.
This map is no exception.
Kind of just walked into their final few rounds and make it an 8-4 game.
on the abilities. Flamesee will be tagged low, Apex is threated with cover from the flashbang,
but he's still only able to get one. It's fast E-Box control coming through for vitality,
headshots coming through for Navi and that could be key. Zailu again to test the limits
of this smoke, but as he dives into the cover they don't know that Robs is here with
him. He hasn't actually made any noise so they'll
drop their guard for a second. Surely this won't matter though, right?
is extended down the lane.
Robs comes back for it.
Now they know the last position of vitality.
Oh, they take their steps at him,
so Navi have found a little room to work with.
A pistol could bode real well.
Now that made it a touch scary.
Hope alive here for Navi.
We're trying to keep the candle burning right now.
I'll have a moment of reprieve.
Actually, there will be a buyback
Vitality just want to lay that pressure on fix a triple MP9 in and this is a map where you know three MP nodes on CP side
They can all be useful
Funnily enough rops is just on the five-seventh
Smoke in front of him right there on the limit. Oh
Oh, okay, of course.
Macaulay goes down, no way to smoke.
Macaulay invites that with the smallest burst off that Mach 10.
Gave McLuhan to where he was, and now he can 5v4.
And they had no plans to do anything.
They were just putting out feelers.
They were spreading the map, a little bit of utility here
and there.
They were faking a bit of an A-exact to draw out
that response, and another had shot.
the damage. Another headshot with an MP9. Apex puts the smoke down in front of it as well, so...
I mean, the attack's gonna come in, it actually won't be that bad. That's like a good look at
Nathan's drill, but it's not, there's a lot of damage here. Apex is low and wonderful,
finishes them off. Flamesey's been afforded the drop down into canals, drives the pressure to
flank and it's a forced team kill. 5-7 opened up to try to get another, but that is a lexie
to survive it. Now look at the damage that Apex did. They're all really low. And look who's left,
Zywoo and Rops. Zywoo on the brink of it, swings in, catches wonderful off. Rops is going to go
down to the head shot. Good on E-Mech to at least force Zywoo to have to do it all,
but it's as clean as you could ask. No way! Get it again, this guy! Unstoppable!
It's just unfathomable sometimes how Vitality feel undying. And so leave it to Zywoo to keep
a triple kill to take the momentum right out of Navi's hands.
How many clutches does he have alone?
Third 1vx win for Vitality on this second map. First one to Zywu.
Oh, just carefully using that ammo and running out once again.
Prescience with that burst control.
You can feel a man like a shark circling when he's allowed to get close to those bomb sites like that
He had already had an inventory of where the peaks were gonna come from and when and how he was gonna fight
In order to defeat Zaiwu it feels like you have to deny him information
The problem is he's the kind of person who just has a brain for the game that lets him piece together info faster
And more clearly than anybody else
It's coming for this.
Apex is down four.
Could have just tear through this attempt from Navi.
It's a desperate act to try to catch a B bomb site off guard.
Far too prepared.
Our vitality for that one.
10-5 secured as the CT side sucks the life out of Navi.
Step right on that trap wire.
Smoke comes down.
Instance spray down.
Every CT is there ready to fight.
Oh
Hopefully you're a Vitality fan.
Yeah.
If it's here for Navi, it's about time to use that wish.
So off the tack pause, we see the buy here for Navi.
It's definitely got something to stand on,
but it's just scary when the T-Sides got to come in with nothing but galils.
Not one AK on the field for Navi.
Trailing by five and Vitality.
Starting to sense a victory here on a new bus as well
You know, we're easily convinced when we're casting these games we're looking for any reason right now if you give us any reason me anything anything well
We'll gas you up. We'll cast you up quick
I'm still thinking about that Robs 5-7 kill, just the way Robs is so good on the millimetres,
you know, he stands on the absolute edge to avoid any spam and then pounces on a chance
to just rattle off 4-5-7 bullets and of course knows that it's the perfect line up, Robs
knows. That's his essence. He just knows. And while Flamesey forced to face Alexi goes down with nothing,
Hyrule's recovery is only in the form of one frag. It's a man advantage for Navi. But a man advantage
is something they have known most of this game and yet still vitality rack up round wins. They're
trying to get Apex to actually leave the site and Messi is going over to help A now. Surely Apex
doesn't get away with this. Uh-oh. He freaks out and drops his grenade and his gun. Better
pick that back up and he does get some self-inflation.
Work with commits to the spray down.
Would have wanted more damage for that
as bodies lined up into the crosshair, but...
Getting one kill even opens them up.
This is a team that is teaming over with confidence.
We saw what happened when Zywoo
was allowed to get close to the bomb site.
Well, what about now with Mezzi inching ever closer?
Problem for Mezzi is Robs is still so far removed
and it looks like Vitality for a second
we're gonna wave the white flag.
They are trying to get some info back and Vitality are playing this in an instant play, they peeled back and came to some point again!
Wonderfuls positions, no one is stuck up against the wall, half point versus Messi, and the half point!
That is incredible!
Messi pulling back to high because Navi were looking for one of those choke points to fight into.
You know exactly how they'd approach that post plan.
A two on three they may feel even numbers off the back of that bait.
Even in moments when it feels like Vitality have been convinced to concede,
they test it and pull that off.
That was just straight brains. Look at this.
That one peek he drew out by falling back.
We're halfway through the long.
And the 10 healthier makes that difference.
56 HP on Mezzi, 45 for Wonderful as he goes into that last duel.
That was Taylor made for Navi.
The hopes of Navi on Anubis are going up in smoke.
And Vitality getting more and more confident as they test the extremities of the map this round.
A double up between Robson Flamesy over towards A with Apex already securing a strong position.
And if he can catch Ema off with this clear, that'd be one thing.
But Ema's got a chance to fight back, and they're gonna take it from him.
No, it sails beyond. Apex here to finish off what he starts. 5v4 Vitality.
He wants to get rid of the problem. This peek's coming.
Nice!
It's coming hard.
It takes them out instantly look at the roll with momentum off of that one
Look at it take this test into temple
As he's turned back, and he's been rock solid on a new bus
But made awkward by the three players flooding into this B site from the back of it
Yeah, they know apex is over here. Oh, it doesn't matter. He still gets some more damage find a headshot onto a Lexi
That's a good way to keep the numbers lower. Why I'm gonna MP5
Great question
As far as I'm concerned a 2v3 retake it's still on we just saw them win one
Rock coming to watch this and the MP9 gets traded
MP5 excuse me. It's one of the two rare gun to see and for upper Flamesy considering that they
Yeah, I was gonna say look at the save last round not surprised to see them walk away with it
Giving you another reason to believe our Navi and layers on this one first time
We've really seen such a number strong move through temple like that and it's a perfect counter to apex pushing off of the B
Side at the start of the round going for that email
To be honest I was had a great map, but it's not as off
He's actually missed the majority of vast majority of his off shots. That's just not really online right now
Still got a great score line at one or two rounds where he's put together the kills at that off to lap
obviously on the B defense but a couple of rounds were just
Nothing's really happening.
It's going to have to be a brawl by Navi.
They've gone through the economy of vitality.
It's all on the line in round 18.
I said he's missed shots, but it'll be posted in a prime position.
Yeah, this is one of his better positions, that's for sure.
3K from it already.
It's leaning into the A site for the time being, but this is a very stoic looking Novi
taking their sweet time to go for mid control once more.
Bombs still obviously back towards spawn, and so an interrupted flashbang offered
up by Flamesee, and with it, a clean execution of Mikaze.
It looked like he went too wide for that.
Mikaze takes a bullet between the eyes.
It's just a gun upgrade, though.
They could kind of afford a death like that.
It was Alexei on a tech nine just before.
Problem is, the jackknife of Navi's down with Mikaze dead.
4v5 in front of them in 45 seconds to the clock.
The pressure is starting to mount now on Navi.
Mezze, operating mostly on his own,
has Apex to call over.
More utility arrives on the bomb site at 40 seconds.
And so if Navi already didn't feel the squeeze,
it is only starting to feel more and more real.
Apex with a good position into the platform,
given a gift as he met tests the waters of the smoke push.
Good couple of kills, even better there by Alexei.
Yeah, now we're talking.
Looks like Flazy was trying to play off
the element of surprise, but with Flazy going down
with Alexei catching that flank, when he does,
that is Navi with more runway to play with
here on a new base. That's a big one, right?
You got to say it was impressive that they held so much utility
to defend against that exact hat,
them running through the smoke,
but they took out Mezzi before Apex could get his first kill.
So even though they had the players in spawns,
they had time on their side.
They had all the smokes down.
They kind of needed one more kill
to really keep the control of the bomb site in their favor.
So it's very solid here for Navi.
Especially with what was starting to add all that additional pressure, right?
The clock is against you, the nades are against you.
You're banking on a blind push through smoke from long.
Troublesome part about this round is that if they want to gamble on something fast,
they know that's Aiwu saved it up, so they don't know where he's going to start with.
It makes it tricky to just put away an anti-ego.
We've already seen them lose a round like this straight out as well.
Well, on the second round of this half.
And that obviously not knowing what exactly vitality
decide to add around it.
As we can see, there is that rifle in the hands of Robs
as well.
Blades last timeouts.
Yeah.
Let's see what he leaves them with because we seem to vary game plan.
I think options are open.
They feel comfortable in their tempo.
I take in their site control.
They did that against pretty staggering odds.
I feel like I think Vitality,
if you ask them right before that exact happened,
they thought they were going to win.
So confidence builder for Navi.
Now it's just a question of how many times can they do it.
I mean they even had bit ready to jump on into it could have been ropes going into that
more of a 50-50 thing is it's still not the offer right that's that looming threat that
still exists out on the field I do wonder if it's in the back of the mind though if
If they didn't see the op on that push, ready to trade off of Robs.
If he's going to be sitting here in E-Box, we'll see how carefully they come at this.
Silver lining for Navi is that there wasn't this follow-up extension for Vitality to try and go and get Robs' gun back, so at least you've dealt with the M4.
But that op. Here it is.
Waiting to activate and it won't miss its first chance.
He gets spotted actually. Mezzi's got this information, but I'm not sure if that goes two ways.
He's not a real threat right now, but he is holding his spot.
Oh, I'll dink.
Damn.
That's at least damage for Bit to have to stomach, but he returns the favor with the
kill.
P250 scrambling in here, that Zai Wu-Wa, what more can it truly offer?
This would be their greatest feat if this op could somehow have impact in this retake.
Bit tries to push forward, the pistol serve up the distraction, and Navi are not going
to fall victim to your shenanigans.
One op, not enough.
Very well done.
They did have to sacrifice in AK to scout him, with Mikaze walking into E-Box.
But because they did the two-man lurk at the same time, they always had an option.
Starting to feel real here, brick by brick, Navi close that distance.
They take their sweet time with this one, but didn't miss looks good when you don't know
with certainty what Zywu's gotten off to and that flurry of kills really just locks things in.
This rifle's back for vitality instantly and AUG on ROPS and no AWP for Zywu at the same time.
So an AUG and no kits.
This is a fun choice.
Starting to force vitality's hand.
Starting to make them work with less.
But on top of that, we do get this additional piece inside of the site already.
And look at this open runway.
We saw what happened when Temple got challenged last time with multiple bodies.
Messi though giving it a clean duel and a chance to disengage.
He goes back in on his terms and Mikaze will collect that frag.
Look how vacant that B bomb site is.
Navi's T side has shown us variation.
It's kind of a quick flank.
They have to kind of stay back and watch this. Apex is talking, so yep, he's going to get caught off.
Worried that somebody would have been postured on top of the stairs.
Now it's Flancy's responsibility to come back and take it.
Wow, it's really impressive for Navi.
They have layers on this attack, and they are showing us why they chose Anubis first in this best of five.
And with all the investment, the vitality come in with on this round. A save is much needed.
I think Blade will watch this round with pride in his IGL.
That's a great call and they just kind of walk into the victory as well, which is the best feeling ever
This is a blade who's out of timeouts too. So barring Xtas offering another one over. It's all in Alexi's hands from here on out
That'd be a hard sell for Xtas while they're still in the winning spot. They're on CT side
They're still technically in the driver's seat
Their fourth round win in a row on the attack if it wasn't for that force by the start of this T side
I wonder if this is the moment where Vitality start responding to mid, and then if Navi are
going to make it a commitment to A or B, how to respond to a set play.
This is Mezzi signing back up for a duel, and they were so ready for the lay-up.
And Apex caught trying to clear it.
It's a very good timing off of Ime's re-aggression and so he does do it.
X-Taz, instantly with the timeout means Blade's got a little more time to fine-tune.
Yeah, that one's pretty interesting and they're doing this without a full-by coming in.
Looks like they need to do a little bit of math.
Maximize their advantages.
Obviously, that AUG had went unnoticed to that entire round.
Ken Navi really do it.
With a striking distance.
One more good idea.
Getting every kill if they win.
He's gone around.
Oh!
Oh, Flamesy trying to tiptoe his way into the flank.
Now, they've got to get blindsided, just walking up into the bomb site.
5-7 activates, also goes down with nothing.
Now it's not even a contest.
Now they kept their money afloat, so Vitality are going to give this round an effort.
But the fact is, they got nothing out of it so far.
They already want to try to save these guns, but look who's waiting for Zilu.
Ooh, not even Zilu walking away with a kill now.
And Flamesee is flailing at the bottom of the scoreboard here for Vitality unfortunately.
Nine kills to his name could have been the first one to get active loses the duel to Alexi.
And even had that push around the Flames.
The only thing left is the AUG.
This just still has a shot of bullet.
Since it's been purchased.
Navi rolled out of bed today knowing that this was going to have to be a grind.
But most teams simply collapse in the face of vitality in their head-to-head
They always lose but they always get closer the last two maps. They played back at the major
Those were 1311's the future of a cause a that wasn't quite in this kind of form
Yeah, but it was wonderful who was in super star form and he's not playing at its Budapest level
At least I
This round just features the collection of kills across the novice side.
So I move back in with the purchase round of twenty two.
Okay.
We're going up high.
Okay.
Oh right.
Are we going to get it all right?
not even aware that he's sitting in Zywoo's scope.
That's the tactic they didn't want to have to use at all.
Rip that out in round 22.
That's how much Navi have tested the limits here of Vitali.
And we get an instant transmission over to the other side of the map from Zywoo.
Kicks it off with the triple boost.
Now waiting for that long play, but as he sits there waiting,
it doesn't turn his way.
He backs a single trade.
Man advantage for the Navi squad.
Deep smoke.
Flamesy is going to try to pop that to regain vision.
and they pause on the cross for now.
Yeah, they know that ball wants to cross,
but that smoke's in an awkward spot.
It can't come in.
Flamesy catches the head shot.
As the smoker day goes too deep,
this is not the time for Nami to start making mistakes.
Yeah, it's a massive mistake and rops.
They don't know about it, but he drops the smoke out.
Trying to give himself space to work out with the fog
to test the limits here,
and catching a glimpse of bit on the fallback.
Cranker day finds him down to half-half.
Flamesy's retake.
Oh, the recovery.
Flamesy makes the difference.
Vitality take 12 but that round indicative of how deep they have to dig
It's incredible that they're winning the rounds on ZG side off the retakes of all situations
And that opening kill that's ingenuity to make sure they have an advantage to kick things off
They were struggling in these early rounds before this
Tyroo gets a free one over on wonderful
on the stage messed up on this smoke. It messed up bad.
If they had not done it so deep, they would have had more covered across.
Too big of an opening to give to Vitality.
But it's been so good from Navi that they are still right there.
And they still have plenty as well.
Whoa. Almost.
Prangulating that position. Be careful.
It's a nobby pushing all the right buttons.
Forcing Zaiwu to try to step it up a notch.
Sitting in middle as Alexi starts to take the responsibility into his hand.
Zaiwu welcomes this challenge, invites you towards him.
He misses, and as he goes back, they'll survive the challenge.
It's a double up inside of middle for vitality that comes up empty.
What can we do with this off?
Adamants about using the off, snaps it over.
Aim lock, ask for the first one, and with that, the tempo totally changes.
Ines got the walkout on the other side of the map, but the bomb is still in the middle of it all.
That was their only breach on the site.
Now they move over to the other side of the map.
It must gotta lead.
Nothing joins up and that is going to be the bomb escorted in, but yet again with silence
Vitality get to the brink of a retake already and it will catch wonderful off.
It's a man advantage for Vitality to try to close this game, extend it, because Ross strikes
with precision and perfection.
That Og mowing down the attempt over towards the A site.
What are you made of, Ema?
They're doing it again.
Trying to bait him into a plush.
And they've decided to attack this from all three directions.
It's a huge wrap around it.
And it's a huge moment where vitality are pushed to their limits,
where they are forced to pull out tricks and yet still the same result.
This is a vitality that stands up to your tests.
And in this case, takes the two lead in our grand finals.
Even though it gets close and it's impressive, walk back here.
They still hit their power level.
They still had a little bit more to offer.
It comes in the way of a tactic, and it comes in the way of retakes to close this map out.
Yes, it was close, but it was still a Vitality win again.
And a cut-wrenching moment there too, because if you look that back, you know Navi made the mistake with the deep smoke grenade on B.
That's what could have secured the cross, that's what could have kept the lexie for the post-plant, that's what could have kept Navi in this map.
Instead, we will move to Dust2, a map we know Vitality can play world-class counter-strike on,
but one they haven't needed to get to this point in the events.
Alexei, you knew that this was going to be tough.
You said it on the way in, but you are giving them the biggest fight you've got in you.
Yeah, I just think that we are playing bad on after plans.
I think that we need to nail out these man advantages
in order to win them and we're currently not doing it.
So we just need to step up on that.
Just to use your opportunity to bring this back.
How are you going to ensure that your team
Keep strong mental going into map 3.
I mean, that's what we've been practicing a lot.
The thing is we should need to go outside now, catch a breather,
head wants you to clear their head and going to the dust tool as if nothing happened.
The fans want to see you come back. That's for sure. Best of luck.
Thank you.
I'd like to be showing some candle there and what was happening throughout this nervous
because whilst it was amazing to watch, it's also disappointing for a lot of people out there to
not see Navi close that out with all the fighting that they put into it, still kind of fall a little
bit short that the free. I'm very happy that he brings it up himself because that's exactly what
I was going to be saying that Navi put themselves in so many good situations, but he's just
pissing away by not playing out the situation correctly. It's they're out the plans,
they're decision-making, they're like the overall connection between the players with what
what space they have and what space they don't have,
what is open, what is not open.
You can just see whenever they get into the offense,
it's like they stress out, the communication falls apart,
and it just makes so many mistakes,
and what hell, he's just capitalizing on it.
And it's like, we get on our edge of a seat,
thinking that now he's gonna bring it back,
now he's gonna bring it back,
and he's like, ah, not again, not another again, right?
That's what's so disappointing about it, obviously,
because it felt like they got themselves
into so many of those positions
that were advantageous due to the tactics,
due to the map control they took.
They get onto the bomb site or they get into a winning position for a retake and then they
just kind of slip in these moments that to me feel very uncharacteristic because that's
one of the big selling points for me with this Navi team coming into this series is
that they in the best of the rest competition they have firmly won in my eyes.
However, they still don't play at their 100% when they need to against a vitality
that demands you give all of it.
They're still round where we're seeing it step up for themselves, right?
Yes, maybe not the whole map of Anubis is a hundred percent from them, but in the early earlier rounds to free
There's a lot going right for them
It felt like there were glimpses of that Navi that they know they can pull out if they could do it
Yeah, it's too hard to get since around to the new bus
But I really like what Navi they throw at battalion right here
So we'll go for a very aggressive peek but misses is out
But it's all about bit bit is going for this aggressive play where he goes out
He kills I will and then gets another kill here
It's literally like the connection between the narrow players in this round is so good because I think this is like a set
The round after he does the exact same thing, and I think it's literally just like a repeat
play.
You can even see my cast is utilizing the fact that the window I can move to mid to
also help out crunching mortality.
And this was a really good example of how you can make the best team in the world look
foolish when you put them pressure by pressure at the right spot.
Well let's actually listen in exactly to what was said from the novice side during
that round 7.
Flash, flash, flash it.
I'm running.
Flashing.
I'm shooting.
Right, I'm down.
Flash, flash, I'm down.
Oh, fuck it.
Oh, nice.
Nice.
Just like Blade drew up in practice right there.
Perfect synchronization between the utility there.
Everybody knows exactly who's covering what,
how the Nades are going to help their approach.
and so they did obviously come with a great plan into this one.
It's no mistake that they won the first two gun rounds
as soon as they got rifles in their hand.
Yeah, we're seeing it. We're just not seeing it convert all the way to a map way.
And when people tune in, maybe, and they're looking at this grand final, they're like,
oh, yeah, another classic tour for vitality.
Well, there is reasons for that as well.
We have to give massive props to what vitality was able to do
despite slipping up a little bit themselves.
Unfortunately, even though there were these coordinated plays
plays from Navi like those when things get into these moments of transition,
you could see that they feel like the underdog of great execute from vitality
comes out here in this round and the players from Navi instead of constructing
a more concerted effort on a retake are kind of one foot in one foot out.
There's a Lexi be charging in from the camera side and then wonderful who
got the opening pick in this round is the last one to fall.
And it just never really felt like to pre that they could ever get on to
the same page as they're trying to get into that bombsite there.
It happens three times in the same round.
First you have Alexby just scaling out, running as you just mentioned.
Then you have Emma swinging from camera without being ready for that.
And then even when the Molly is down,
when Mikasa is springing from mid to go into camera,
one of them is not ready to swing on that either.
It's like they're not on the same page in that given situation.
If they would have just waited,
or if the guy would have just swung in the molotov,
they would have created a much better situation.
And looking back at the things that we just saw from round six and seven,
where it's very coordinated, it's like from spawn,
That's why I feel like Navi is functioning the best.
But when they get put in the spot and they have to think and chime things together,
right here, right now, that's where they seem to be.
This is organized, right?
They just make too many of these mistakes and you can't afford it.
This is the first time when we're getting to the later parts, right?
Where it felt like Navi almost had it.
Vitality was squirming a little bit.
We saw how they were dealing with that pressure.
Teams aren't able to apply that often and they pull out a triple boost.
This is the depth that Vitality has as a team.
that even on a Nubis pick that it still feels like a surprise.
It's why they are so willing to credit their support staff.
I don't know where they found this one,
whether it's on Reddit or Mac constructed it
in its free time or something,
but this one does still get a very, it gets very hairy.
The fact that it is a three versus two,
but the smoke debris, the smoke that they throw
is too low and this just feels like one of those,
again, uncharacteristic mistakes
that if I'm watching Navi play
in all of these moments versus lesser teams,
I feel like they're a lot more composed
They don't mess with kinds of smokes up, but then it gives Vitality a way back into a round that felt like it was done.
Yeah, but it's exactly this situation that Navi just needs to be working better together.
I'm fairly confident that they know that the smoke is far too deep that you can actually see a bobbin.
At this point, as a professional player, you should know that this is the best move.
They even have a splash. Use your flash. Yeah, that's you. More utilities. If you know...
So many ways. You get a double peek on top of it too. So many options.
If you know it's bad, double peek, throw an extra flash. I know Jiggle peek. I don't know.
just do something else. I mean, I can see you guys are frustrated because you know that there's
better for Navi and it feels really bad to see this team crumble under that pressure in terms of
hitting their utility usage there. They're a team that we've praised many times before that they're
able to withstand a lot of the pressure. They go down one map. We've seen them push through into
a map three win that that literally happened yesterday. Vitality obviously do it because
they've been winning. It's easy when you're on a 21 map streak, but Navi that's what they've
been forged through with this five five memorable stuff. It really felt like
everything was building up for Navi here after their ESL pro league win the
win streak they went on to get into the grand finals that I wouldn't see these
kinds of cracks but unfortunately that's what's emerging now that a rock
solid game plan from Navi was undone because of some individuals who missed
the smoke didn't coordinate that last step of a round and it's like they've
They've done such a great job running the first 80 meters of this sprint, but then there's
one more hurdle and it just feels a little too tall.
Yeah, it's the individuals that's letting Navi down right now and it's just like not
one different player that is making the mistake.
It's like all of them, they just take turns making poor decisions individually where they
don't communicate or they do have a shitty utility.
It's like that's what I've been trying to say throughout this playoff as well,
that you can get very far by playing off the system, but if you make too many
mistakes as an individual. You will lose and you need to make sure you don't make these
type of mistakes on stage. And for Navi right now, Anubis was their way back into the series.
I don't see a world where we can actually have Navi bouncing back doing reverse sweep
with the fact that we've all had Dust2 and Nuke in the remainder of the maps. I
just don't see a world where it's going to happen. So this was Navi's to lose.
That's for sure. I agree. But I'm also listening to what's going on around us.
There's a lot of noise, the crowd is going crazy whether it's Ford, Navi or just for
good Counter-Strike, it's not only in Rotterdam that we're going to have that fun, in fact
there's going to be plenty more Counter-Strike on the calendar.
Last year's Lisbon was one of my favorite events of the year, not only did we get a
grand final that was the full distance with the exception obviously that
mouse meant zero and thirteen on the opening up but it was just a fun time I
mean this man has a city if people are looking for what event to go to in the
calendar for CS you could pair that with a great little porto vacation on top
of it definitely I've had a really good time going to Portugal as well been
there a couple times a player myself I think I experienced one of the best
crowds that I've ever played against that was also important so if you
haven't got your teams yet go get it yeah September 4th 6th that's the
that we're going to be in the arena that you're going to get to see, maybe even be amongst a crowd like this.
But one thing I like when we're in arena, it's not just a crowd, it's not just a counter strike that we get to witness,
but it's the fact that a lot of people out there get to, you know, play around with some of the boots,
maybe have a little bit of a 1v1 and you guys would want to brush up on your counter strike
if you're going to come here and have some 1v1s and you can do that over on refrag.
The other day we were looking at pimps, warm up, this time around we got another, another Blossom Chloe Oscar.
Oscar. He's showing us his skills. I'm honestly impressed with how much our production actually
does. Don't Oscar Godly. The production is trying to prove throughout the refrag is the best
till you can get out. And I do agree if you do want to be playing crossfire most as we see right here
then you should jump right into refrag and try and get better. Maybe even now you can maybe
launch into this. What do you think? It probably wouldn't hurt between maps to get a little
more warm up in and make sure that you hit every single shot that is presented to you. I'm
I'm also just going to say big shout out to blast production for these because they are so sharp and it's by no mistake that the production value is insane when everybody in that backstage work in these events has as deep knowledge of counter strike as they do next time when we do this I'm going to make you guys trying guess.
the next game that we're
going to get to have on the
desk. But you guys have so
much more counter strike. There
is more games we have more
maps to enjoy, hopefully
many more, but one that we can
be rest assured is
happening. It's dust two off
this break.
many streaks at play here.
Fact is that it's not looking bright for Navi given Vitality's 12 dust twos in a row that they've won leading into this one.
But at least Navi have six under their own belt.
So I'm not saying it's impossible, but obviously a bit unlikely.
I think the stats speaks for ourselves when we're looking at those two right now because Vitality, they love to play this too.
And the last time they've actually dropped double digits, that was against Game of Leasing in the beginning of the year.
that kind of sets it up for a very one-sided matchup.
I mean, everything happened in the Grand Final,
but at this time, I do feel that the vitality
have shown so far, there's no way
that Navi's gonna bounce back.
There's a lot of pressure on them,
and when you look to jump into dust, too,
they have to ask themselves,
are we okay to be second place?
It's a tough question, and one that I don't think
anybody wants to truly answer there,
because it's not that you want to be,
it's that you will submit into that spot.
Where this gets even more difficult is just the fact that Zaiwu is just simply the best player on this map.
When it comes to Dust2, it's his world and we're all just living in it.
Let's see exactly who's going to turn up in Dust2.
The stage has been set and it's a difficult one here for Navi.
They know now that it's got to be the reverse sweep, Mohan. Something very few have ever done.
Let alone versus the very few that can be champions quite like Vitality.
And now we get to see what their Dust 2 has in store for us.
So if you showed up today hoping for a competitive game,
well, it's got to be here on Dust 2
that things start to turn back.
It's got to be here, Rotterdam,
that you truly start to believe.
Because Navi have their hands full
as do every competitor that steps into the server
versus Vitality.
This is what greatness looks like.
When it's all over one day,
you can look back and celebrate the moments.
when you're in it, it feels hopeless.
But when that win finally comes for that other team,
that strong victory versus prime vitality,
whenever that happens, it's obviously
going to be incredibly special.
We had two reverse sweeps.
Unfortunately, one of them was versus Navi.
That's Jiri at Thunderpick at the end of last year.
Then the other was Donk versus Jame.
A couple of years back all in recent history
But this would be the greatest of them all
Nobby could pull that their greatest feet and to do it on dust too many look back at their record
They haven't even had to be tested on this map look. They're just gonna have a free open a site
That's how good they are at dust to right now
It could basically do no wrong and if you look back at every single match is a new top tracker
The last map that they played the lowest rated player had a 1.33 rating
What do we talk? How's that?
What do we do in here, man?
What's the game?
ROHOTZ!
Oh, that's Mr. Robot, baby.
Just like that, huh? Quite kill, ROHOTZ!
Yet again, another moment where Vitality reminds you
just how deep the talent goes.
Yeah, and the star of the show so far in this grand finals.
It's the man on your screen.
And one by one they trickle into him, his pop-up.
undenied. First you have a chance to trade bit and Alexi never even got a chance to shoot back.
Robson's cleanest can be that damn smile is it done?
Are we done here? That was more vertical than it was lateral.
How is he so fast?
They just been waiting to play with us too.
That's the thing, no one wants to play with you.
No, and they give us reason to lie.
I do not envy any human being who's got a roll out of bed
and sign up for a game of Counter-Strike vs Vitality.
Robbs is such a sick reminder of just how deep Vitality's talent goes, just how constant
their ability to dominate is, and just how hungry they remain.
Easy pistol conversion.
A temperature check.
Do we still have Vitality believers in the house?
Hopefully a few, that'd be an easy one.
The three-zero, Bo.
The sweep that nobody saw coming.
The wind has to be completely out of their cells at this point.
Every round is just going to be a chance for Zaiwu to flex his might.
the approach. Damn, you're got both there with that pinch from apex and the lower tunnels,
but instead they'll try to fly through the smoke. They're just looking to get crazy trying
to drag him in the mud, but Vitality too prepared and obviously still too well equipped.
Some way Dust2 was kind of perfect to show off everything that they're good at.
That they can keep up individually with any team and then they can also be the best team.
You can rotate mid-round, use their lurks to bast them, just take full advantage of everything that has to be offered.
It feels probably like there's infinite time on the clock here on T side.
The way they can roam around so quickly.
And here's some more lurks coming into play. They control still there.
Final kill is just inevitable.
I had a lot of belief in Navi today to at least be able to survive the tests that vitality throw their way
I don't know if I expected rops to kind of be such a difference maker at times
Just because the tool between Zaiwu and flamesy had my attention. Yeah, like this is a race between
Zaiwu and flamesy for MVP and like rops
Not there yet, but has incredibly
Quickly boosted his stats just in this grand finals performance alone
How dominant does the team have to be where the closest competition just ends up being which of the players gets the
MVP
Line up for the doors still a long way from victory
That would get MVP when he turns 30 maybe all right the humble king
Fire spreads to emet calls on his teammate they save him
Really actively trying to get him out. It won't really matter though
Well actually it might they're still worried about long this place coming to be
It's got a meal on his hands
So bit me have been able to peel rops off the commitment Molly in the window just yet
So, Mikase still with a bit of space to play off of.
There it is.
Oh, it's too far.
Mikase's got a real chance, and a wonderful collection of the mezzy frag at the same time.
That's what they needed.
A mistake made by Vitality may be a rare treat to try to chunk down on.
He's got Xyro in the middle of all this, and Flamesee...
Well, he's playing the bomb already, one of those, no scope, yeah, we're knocked!
So go ahead!
Seize the opportunities when they're presented to you, and that missed Molotov on the windowsills.
A perfect chance for Navi to still try to get into this Grand Finals.
That's kind of the only way to get that thing started.
So, nicely down, done. Micause waiting for his chance.
Going one for one on entries like that.
I think there's no way. Wonderful. Pop that kill.
Oh, the top of mid-two. Total reaction here.
A couple of noscopes in the series were wonderful.
On top of the map streak, most of the wins are just single digit losses for their opponents.
Like of all the close maps that we've seen in recent times from the Vitality's competition.
respect on me for trying to take a round in their terms, but now you've got because a stranded he's been afforded space to leave at least
Problems you fall back fully
That's gonna be vitality to leak into the mid control
So because they tries to throw the NATO just left his chest a bit before departing and
Vitality are in no rush to squeeze victory out of dust to
All fours aren't going to meet here in this round.
Not yet.
45 demanded of a Novi.
It's going to put considerable pressure on A.
I mean they could play in these positions for sort of as long as they'd like.
Most of them in the corner.
Flash, a listen to shot.
He could have held out for a little longer.
The pace is kind of perfect for a tight vitality.
Still lost the time to split, and Zywu controlling rotations in mid doesn't take his peak early.
Just in time.
Because they're coming back to see if he can refrag this, and Robs is just running into the B site.
And the bomb is actually gonna make its way over as well.
Sure it is.
Vitality know that they offered that window opening last round that cost them this time.
Robs is gonna take control of it himself.
Masterfully outmaneuvering Navi here in round five.
Lexi's still gonna give them something to think about but by the time Robs is dead
It's already the bomb site taken over and look at Apex just the insurance policy that Navi don't know about
Keep your gun out brother
Hey make sure there's nothing for Navi to be proud of in this one. It's beautiful CS it is
I mean they could have taken long in that spot
But they just knew that B site would be open after Zai who saw and heard two crossing and killed the second
They knew it was a full commitment over towards A.
They know because there was still a good chance of Vitality could have won on A.
But that was actually the way of least resistance.
And that was also the best way to punish the exits.
That's having your cake and eating a two on display for Vitality.
It just does not get better than this.
Vitality continue to show us the ceiling of CS2.
The game that in MR12, everyone doubted that anyone could be this consistent.
Vitality proof, it's a U-Problem.
I mean, slower starts to the rounds as well.
You can see Navi just trying to fumble around, try to catch an opening.
Vitality have been so tidy.
In minimizing moments for their opponents.
Oof, wonderful given a chance.
No tag.
And Zywoo drops down with the bigger of the scoped guns, and then he's on the hunt.
Now that smoke's faded, Zywoo can take these angles, try to find the first domino to fall.
But it's not the kind of buy that Navi can really test the waters with.
So, look at that.
They came in clear tunnels.
I mean, they came and took a look, and I think around the 52nd mark there, expect
Missy Vitality just go for the exact.
Now they're going back for the Reckler in mid, but here's a little gap again
for BIT where he could be so low. Mokaze looks to help him out. These two have shown some
great chemistry on the B side of Dust2.
And B9 is a good track. Mokaze's 5-7 into the upgrade. Doesn't even get a chance to
fire. Ops is quick with it. Op gets out in Zilu's hands and Apex covered by both his
other teammates. No challenge offered up here by Navi. They're just waiting for
for Alexi to maybe get into position towards the tunnels.
This is a no-kit retake either for Navi
and a scout on the wonderful.
No, no, yeah.
They've got no nades to take this over
and the T's don't have any moments
where they're gonna pull out utility either, so.
Nades to trickle out.
Try to get all these kills, maybe get some upgrades.
What a sad reality it is for Vitality's opposition
when you have to just so constantly play
for these little wins,
just to try to keep one foot in the door.
An upgrade for Alexi.
Ena gets punished trying to go for the chase, so sure.
Navi effective, and racking up the costs.
They'll lose Alexi in the end, but that's wonderful
to grab the upgrade.
It's an AK-47 for the next round.
No, excuse me, Zywu's off.
That's excellent at least for Navi.
A slim silver lining in the face of the 5-1 star.
They almost throw the volley a little bit too soon
for the exec, because it doesn't even give you
a chance to fall off,
where they wouldn't have had to clear it otherwise.
Otherwise, that would have been a great idea.
Still, trades come down, plant goes down, wind comes in.
You drop a few guns, take your first attack timeout of the map.
But this is already looking all too familiar
from previous Vitality Dust 2 victories.
They are flying towards this finish.
lucky you are to not be dead just by jumping door. Genuine chance at a 5v5
for Navi this round. With guns and grenades but still no early test
for vitality creeping through middle control. I'm doing it pretty quick. Flamesee
already on the brink of catwalk flashed in to just make sure yeah nobody's here
nobody at all for Navi to try to stop Flamesee's early approach. A piece of
Utility to try to deter him, but he's brought friends with him.
His number is strong for vitality on the catwalk, and that a wonderful op is unfortunately stuck
down beneath the ledge.
It's going to be awkward shots from him, and he just gets caught off guard, so he doesn't
even get a bullet off.
They can't even reach themselves right now.
They're already extending outwards, and so Lexi B, who's got to also be concerned
about long, and so he's got a lot on his plate, but he still steps up with the
first frag.
Zywoo finds the leg shot, Alexi's now gone down and walks his activation over towards
Blong, it's worth two frags in the middle of all of that.
Everyone's just dying in the smoke.
Damage is done, Apex and Nezzy low, but unfortunately it just feels like Navi can outmaneuver, out
position and out timed by a Vitality that didn't waste their moment.
Zywoo's here to collect the last one, majority alive for Vitality again, 6-1 on Dust2's
T side.
Clocking in and clocking out and that's the first time they've gone for that cat exact at that timing
Navi a little bit flustered by it. They still come over the first kill, but then the trade instantly from Robb's on the floor
He knows exactly how to speed it up
You never choose him of being too slow these days. He knows exactly what he's needed
Scary sight to see Navi kind of awkwardly in that moment feels like they don't have a good sense of what exactly could be coming
at them. Oh, that's a good spot. And he switched. Wonderful. He just got caught off guard by
the op going over top of his shoulder and they just immediately execute him. That's it. That
was the smallest bit of information for a huge impact. And now they're sitting on the op.
The only thing they had to work with as well. Pistols up for the rest. Trying to hold
the CT cross. But far too easy for Apex to just flex the gun advantage. Utility is
He's gonna burn Alexian to activation.
He's only gonna be able to get himself one, and it's another quick clean up.
This is Vitality not wasting anybody's time as they sprint to the finish line on Dust2.
And this is the scary thing about Dust2, right?
Not having to even use it to get to this point in the event.
They pull it out and look how dominant it is.
This is supposed to be the second best team in the world?
I know. I mean, we'll have Vitality play again.
Aurora, who are also looking very strong prior to that match, they beat them in under two hours on stage.
Breaks included, Analyst's Desk, everything like that.
It's one of the fastest, most efficient games that we've seen, and now a best of five final to compete with that.
Versus an even stronger team.
Make no mistake, Anubis was close.
But it just simply is another map that Vitality win.
win. You can really try to contextualize all their victories and talk about how close it is, but none of that matters in the face of a
totally unbeaten team at an event.
Score being 7-1. We've got the buy-up in here for both sides.
We're just looking for a sign of fight out of Navi at this point.
A shred of success could be enough to believe in, but it's an intense squeeze being put forth
by Vitality.
It's an EMA on zero kills.
It's a Navi that haven't been able to find a comfortable bit of map control.
They've attempted to weaponize wonderful.
Out position, out maneuver, out performed.
Shut up.
Oh, that's a lot of damage.
Flames eats a little bit back through mid smoke.
Noggi's utility low and again this chance at a tool towards the V-Site to the Ruin.
In this chance to get some impact, he's somebody somewhere.
He's pushing out.
And he's got his claims on the smoke for first to go down.
A 45 recovery set up for Vitality, but Bitt's also gotten another.
And so as E-man doubles down, there we go.
That's what we're looking for, a shred of success.
But a convincing one in this round with five players still up.
Is that enough for Noggi to start to believe?
Because if they don't believe, then nobody else in this room will, either.
The great round's a great round, and the half is not over.
And they keep wanting to test this B-site.
And normally, again, Noggi are really comfortable in here between Hit and Mikaze.
Here they actually display it.
I have a causing with that long-range dual-to-8 packs right in the middle of trying to call
this round together.
He's very good at those mid-spans.
Back to back man advantages for Navi.
Wrestling with the thought of total defeat in this best of five and yet trying to just
put that into the back of your minds to focus in on these rounds one by one.
What could have been even more success is instead a chance for Flameseed to depart
But as the AWPer gleans back, you do still see Ima trying to press into this cat play.
They still want it to be B, and they've got actually mid control now.
The CTs are gonna freak out a little bit here.
Ima's gone through the cat smoke. CT smoke, and then he pushes through it.
He wants to attack this mid-play from the flank.
And he will indeed...
Boy, he kills the CT!
He kills Alexi, pushing the CT spawn.
All's good though, still for Ima.
Everybody else picks up the slack.
Zagli missed shot, and a wonderful cover is enough to get it over the line.
So Navi do have a lifeline here.
made awkward with the wall bang and whatnot,
but everybody for Navi is gonna have to step up to the plate
if they have any hope of making this third map competitive.
And at least in this last round, we see that.
They had a very emphatic 8-packs who was falling.
Just as that round ended, a little bit frustrated out of these lifts.
Like, instantly, and dying right here
is probably a little tilted after that.
And they do make it back to back rounds.
And it's a more confident move out of E-man.
But it's no longer the fight before that Navi were tapping into.
Those last couple of rounds had to get pushed over the line.
Props to secure them, but now up against the man disadvantage yet again.
And Sae-Woo over top of the mid-smoke still not satisfied with just one kill.
Saw one key rotation.
They just killed one, unless they thought it's a 3B stack.
Why wouldn't they just go B again?
Navi or her, they're gambling hard here.
They want to leave Bid alone.
He's been great, but he's gonna have no flash support off to play with if they walk into his first kill
He'll have time to delay but right now
This is just a full read that it's gonna be an a plate and they couldn't be more long
So they're looking for it has to be big
A little too tense fire flushes him. I would into the open
They've been surprisingly good on these retakes. I don't know if it's gonna be possible here
But they have the utile all the nades you could possibly ask for the kids
Miss smoke.
It's the only smoke they had to play with, Mikaze just gonna look for the jewel through the window,
frag goes beyond him, backpacks go for Flamesee, Apex to the headshot.
Great temporary.
Can't be making mistakes in what is already a difficult retake, and Alexi was never added over towards the tunnel's control.
So a late attempt, E through the window could still be his.
He'll catch them off guard, but Zairu reacts fast enough to keep majority alive and vitality thriving with a five-round lead.
and from the 3v5 after bits gets his two kills he does an excellent job to do
that but at the end of the day when that info was gathered by Zywu he got the
first kill and then heard two players running to mid one rotating over even
though he missed the shot he knew there was no crossback
I've never seen Dust 2 like this before.
Gills to me like vitality or just the right amount of passiveness and a lot of these setups.
Dodging threats, dodging nades.
Wonderful scope will not be taken off the angle,
so he's able to collect another 5v4,
and man advantage has looked good for Navi
in the few rounds that they have.
Been able to win.
Alexi in the corner is gonna go down if he handed,
so Flazy's recovery is already well underway,
but look at the healthier provided Taliyah.
They've got a place for them to be in.
Oh, they're caught off, and they don't know about Robs.
Oh, God, he's got an easy sit-in duck, and the cause.
Surely not another.
Sniffs out the second duel,
and he's got Utilt to give himself an edge here.
He's just gonna try to keep himself alive,
So if the other three can fixate in on what is the one defender on that A site
drops a stamp, a nuisance, draws them into him, and it is a damning stat line,
9-3 on the half, vitality, masters of Dust 2.
I don't know the troubles you're having.
You never know.
That's a good one, yeah.
This one's got to be Niko when we beat him.
Niko?
That's a good one, yeah.
Oh, oh.
Doruk will get crazy, Nikos will smash the table, Jimmy will fuck up the keyboard.
He doesn't say anything, he's a teammate.
To smash something, that's a different story.
But to break, I think it's pretty unlikely.
You know, I'm going to say yes.
I think we're going to show up this tournament.
I think it's possible actually.
I would say they will not make it.
I give them playoff though.
It's possible for everything.
It's possible for Liquid to make it to finals, right?
But this is more on a unlike this side
No chance
Maybe one percent for gamblers. I feel like that hasn't happened in so long
The only thing I remember is the vice for me late
Like almost fell some of the trophies are heavy
Don't like dogs like a little excited just like raise like the trophies all today from could be could be
But if we are winning and I put money
I'm going to have to put S to make it to playoffs and go for it.
Yeah, we got to say yes.
I don't think so.
Yeah.
It's a penalty tournament to make it to playoffs.
So NAP has the potential?
The 9-18 come up the ranks has the potential?
Yeah.
Maybe NAP.
They're going to do the good old strategy of losing before playoffs so that they
can win in playoffs.
Fear, yeah.
I don't know why I just have a feeling.
Yeah, free money for us, we're making big bucks.
Have you done an OG yet?
I don't know, I could be giving you 30 girls for you.
I mean, there's not a lot of players that could do that.
You're one of them.
I mean, I'm just, what's so funny about that?
I would just stay as thunk.
Maybe, or just say who?
Definitely, yeah.
Yeah.
It's not gonna be to get the word.
It's gonna be him.
That's definitely possible.
Yeah, I think that having pretty competent
That's a big, big, big, big possibility.
So you're probably up in two-up.
Yeah, everything like nine, three, and that's two, you know?
Yeah.
And then you go to the top.
Yeah.
It has happened to us, and we have done it.
I hope so.
I love my grandfather.
Yeah.
I'm gonna say yes, just because I want it to happen.
For me, it's like a 50-50.
Three, one, four, something.
I call it now.
Three, zero.
We're running the zero on the three.
You never know if we're zero in the first month.
Yeah!
How about we make our own predictions?
What if someone does a shooie in the crowd?
Someone goes for a knife kill, but ends up getting shot.
There will be a ninja defuse in the playoffs.
Ninja defuse in the playoffs?
Yeah, I think that's a good one.
I think that's a good one.
I would put money on this one.
Me too.
My friend, it's not looking good for Navi right now.
Not good, not good.
But I support Navi.
If you have any hope of them coming back in the second half, how are they going to do it? What do they need to do?
I don't know. E-mail should play better, but I know that they can win.
Can Navi still win this? Of course. Of course it will come back.
Full faith all the way to the end? What? Full faith all the way to the end? Yes.
100% guarantee? Yes! Let's go! Let's go Navi! Win!
is it over it's over mere steps from the finish line now rest of vitality
Navi knew that today would be a challenge but it's a whole different
piece to step into the server versus this vitality and vitality did not
disappoint they did not stutter they did not stumble they have hit the
running and not given Navi any space in this best of five. They show us that they can go forever and that's
got to be a terrifying sight for every other team. Imagine what it feels like for Navi. Their chance when
they're fresh off a win in their best form trying their hardest and can't pick up the maps that have
already passed. Now they've got dust to the hardest challenge of all. Nobody takes out vitality on
on this map and they've already started 9-3 down.
Well, for Vutile for Apex is this kitless CT round for Vitality, wants to deny a bomb plant.
And with the form that they are in, feels like just getting to the site is a small victory for Navi.
They will group themselves up in the face of what is this triple-quit-truple-back-stack.
And luckily for them, Bitt will strike first.
Rolling forward off the momentum that comes with the entry.
It is Mikase to clip two.
The fast move by Mezzi, back through the spawn of which he came.
Vitality, they pushed.
And Navi answered.
See some good pistoling moments.
Always got to be more concerned about the next round.
I don't even know if they could celebrate the pistol win anymore.
Because it can just get stolen away.
But it is a good start.
The bulldozer of Mikaze comes through with those headshots.
This is just for fun, by the way.
Every day is fun if you're vitality.
The hard work's been done, the preparation secured.
It's all about just staying so clearly above the rest of the pack.
And that is something that nobody can deny vitality.
They are leaps and bounds better than everybody else.
Timing is off our one second because they were both flashing.
Then it was Angie for the guys who were defending.
And so it's perfect trades.
And Mezzi actually uses those two kills to get himself a scout.
Let's see if that has impact.
Wouldn't be the first time a force buy for Vitality works.
That's why Navi have to tiptoe their way into each and every round with real caution, real hesitation.
But not so much hesitation that Vitality's confidence will cost them the round.
Killed.
Careful.
Now they know what by is coming up.
I can hear that utility popping.
Straight up just one SMG here for Na'vi.
They're trying to guarantee this victory.
Falling that starts to breach the ledge.
It's about a lexie.
Can he hold this nerve right here?
They want to make this a B move, man. I don't know.
Wouldn't mind them coming this direction if it was Vitality, that's for sure.
It's Mezzy's Scout, mate.
That's a tag.
Get it.
Damage to start.
Those two pistol kills brought up the Scout.
A fresh smoke grenade towards the tunnels as well.
That's going to be great for Robs to try to play off of in bit.
Okay, hold on, no. Apex is 5-7, pops up.
How are they going to dislodge him?
Robs dies, they find the second one, and still the Scout sits back on pot.
on Platte, and as he sets up the pistols, and Daniel gets it over, you've got Zywul in a 1v2 with a
Fommus that is roaring to get into this bomb site. Smoke pops in front of him, he's gonna push through
on his terms, on his timing, with one punch from outside of Corset as Zywul to find it. Of course,
it is vitality to set the life out of the room to deny Navi momentum again at the start of a
critical half. That's his at least third 1v2 in the series. Rip remaps in. That's immaculate,
Thomas replay control. Totally fearless. The stack is perfect. The two kills Mezzie gets,
gets him a scout which gets him damage and a kill.
The romp's going down by the tunnels but it's that third layer in Apex who just popped up at
at the pristine moment.
Well said, a great gun, but even better
with a back of the head turned to you.
Feels like they're more likely to deny conversion
than convert themselves at this point.
It's going to be all the most disheartening words, just deflating, confusing, annoying.
And they even fought all those Galils.
Like they really didn't come in with SMGs and tried to make the most of a round that
has to be a part of a comeback and build up that economy.
No, they played to win.
Increaser Oz right there and then and sacrificed the kill war for it.
Still couldn't win
Still as you look at a static on the side of that smoke again
It's gonna be the car pop up that'll catch you off and this time. It's not even the pistol a pecs
But schema down
Excript work of wonderful dropped the bomb total control once more for a vitality
They can seize a game on a moment's notice
They're in total control from start to finish
And Dust2 again, just a reminder of how great this team truly can be.
Guess you don't have to get tired from all these deep turner runs if your maps aren't even close.
What a wild world it is to live in.
This wouldn't even count as a long best of three at this point.
When you think back, that every team in the world would rather play the vitality of 2025.
Last year that seems unfathomable and yet Vitality tap in to an even better version of themselves.
Little awkward one here for 8-Backs fine by him. Get these blocks out of here. Vitality have got places to be.
I thought Valley was dead.
They got people to see. Things to do.
And Navi just the first on their checklist.
A formality, all that's left in a 12-4, map 3 situation.
The horizon's coming up against them.
Navi got to make the comeback of the ages.
A team that's never lost in overtime in months.
And hasn't any map losses at all on their strongest map on Dust2.
This marks the most hopeless point in the year for another team going up against Vitality.
comes down Kat. It's come back, they still have long control. They've got to be careful
not to run into this off though. They really want a piece of this, but Saibu is here. Are
you sure? This is what you want? Challenge on Flamesey that he only gets one with. Yeah,
he's, I actually ducked out, dropped off the ledge, went back around to the site,
not worried about Molly's. In fact, wants to go for, okay, I think a re-aggression
looks crazy.
Except another key piece of utility.
He's fully stocked.
So it'd be a solid time to go B if Alexi can figure it out.
It's going to be a desperate act from E-Math.
Two kills in this map.
Looks like they're starting to synthesize the situation.
And this could be the split.
You find an opening, you'll find a chance.
Navi still just trying to tap into anything they can believe in and Apex set up to succeed.
Wonderful still finding it though and now pressure on Robs.
Who if he goes unnoticed could be a real problem.
But good on Navi to find the solution here.
It's a slow squeeze.
They burn that clock down and make their worth of it.
This round secured for Naughty as they will yet again try to run a comeback versus Vitality.
And that's a great round. I mean they get the rotations out, they deal with cat control without getting off in the first place.
It's a lot of utility that comes back that's really effective for Vitality, but it's the final call from Alexi that's clean and clear to make sure they can take the side.
Apex just desperately trying to fling himself through the smoke with a flash to try and help
out Robs, but from that point on they knew he was dead.
Seven rounds to go.
He knows I was there to support it. Him falling back is what opened the door for Navi to depart
without additional losses. Good on E-Math, thorough as he comes into that B bomb site.
Your margin of error is non-existent.
To Navi all we can say is best of luck.
Many have tried, many have failed.
Despite Navi slowly building brick by brick up to this current form to be the best challengers
that Counter-Strike can have in the face of a vitality that knows nothing but victory.
Flanzie goes back at it and McCausse's got his number this time too.
Well done by Mikaze. Moves that momentum up through the catwalk and wants to seize control of this A site.
I like it. Taking any small opportunity he can get. Just turn it into a round as quickly as possible.
Just don't give Vitality a chance to respond.
Maybe he want to come find Mezzi in the pit. Surely they'll be aware of it.
But careful of this! No, no, no.
Yeah, this will actually send the CTs thinking as they jump up Cat now.
Why not? Surely you don't end on a round like this. Two on two to retake for the game.
Of course they'll go, because they're vitality.
They seemingly can't stop them.
And it's there for the attack on the side of the pit.
Those headshots are well known.
And in this case, much needed to stave off of vitality
that you can see is frothing to close this game.
Yeah, that was freaky for him there, though.
A nice second shot.
Mistakes will cross you if you're not careful
They damn near lost that to Nezzy
Another chance for an undignified end to this game as the mag 7 is out
Eight packs is bringing this more into the gameplay on more different maps
They're pushing up for tunnels to
5-7 set up by the frag, just the one.
Zairu's nade badges. Here comes the shotty.
There's Mikaze done for.
Nintan's busy has to turn back.
And he will stop Zairu from testing the side of Smoke.
Bit is again looking to beat the hero in back-to-back rounds.
Flamesey's Desert Eagle is still enough, if not be arcocious.
This Smoke, the two Mollies they can use,
this should just be an easy plant situation.
Flamesy, there could be a gun for him up in the window.
That'll be something to think about.
It's a scout.
What's that really going to do?
Oh!
Just how close they are again.
He goes on the first shot.
He gets out of there.
Always on a nice edge.
Back to back, multi-frags.
A 2K close in the last round.
Three kills this time to trade out.
Question of how many times can they save the day?
You can almost feel Vitality's sense of invincibility.
Yeah, they're happy still.
They're not even frustrated about letting it come back through.
All these rounds so close.
Meet your fine Mag-7s, you're kinda havin',
you're havin' some fun.
We do a Vitality listenin' on the grand finals
and Apex is making whale noises,
laughing his way through this.
Oh.
Make no mistake, this was a close call, man.
It saves it again.
He got the hard kill, a weapon switch as well, and if you didn't have that instant headshot, man...
That one's a wrap.
And Bernabit's a wrap.
Kicking it clean.
Problem here for Navi is the Vitality wealth knows no limits.
The buyback on the table at Zairu within off any single one of these rounds could have been picked up by Vitality on the finest margins.
Respect to Navi for still being in this server.
Still trying to find the self-belief they need to go up versus a team that knows nothing but trophy lifts.
KatWalk's got a big point of contention in these last couple of rounds.
It's kind of a new spot for Flamesy. They have to be so careful about this approach.
And Flash could land right in front of the door and blind him, but it depends where they think he is.
He's on his own. Flash doesn't hit him. Flamesy.
There it is.
Oh, that gets blinded by the second.
It'll be Na'Vi in with a man advantage for round 20.
On top of that, you get this mid walkout.
Two lurkers here.
There are options with bombs floating behind them
in middle, as he tries to capitalize the window players.
It's Apex to pick up headshots from that A site instead.
That's the bomb, though, un-wonderful.
Back towards middle, damaged Apex making a run over
towards the B site, despite showing skin on long.
Is Zaheul going to figure this out?
Bomb's going to get jumped up onto Cat.
But they instantly go into reclear in tunnels.
I don't really think there's a way back into this again,
unless Navi makes a massive mistake here.
So I always got a small chance on this Frost to hit a shot.
They don't have a smoke for this,
but the bomb can just be planted on its own.
Oh, never mind.
But nobody tests that gap.
Nobody needs to.
Navi don't have to make this mistake.
They're not forced to.
We've seen Vitality throw caution to the wind
to go for unlikely round wins, not this time.
The reality of the situation, the realization
that Navier closing this gap starts to sink in,
and Vitality hope to just save two guns instead.
We're already getting into a round
that's a better performance versus team's first Vitality
on this map.
Lexi gets that first kill.
Mabasa gets it two.
Second one takes a couple extra seconds,
but that was hard enough to adjust.
This puts Navi on eight and officially...
...starting to put the pieces together.
You'd think Navi could get this one over the line as well,
But when you think back to all the rounds in this series, the vitality of pulled out of nowhere, you look at this flying, you think it's doable.
They have caught you off with less, Novi. Do not falter.
Do not misstep.
As he sees in control of Lower gives his position away with the smoke and in that moment we've got
Novi taking control of Long simultaneous you see that bomb starting to flirt back with the thought of
aid instead yeah but so that's what apex thinks as well he's jumped up on cat they have two here
they're kind of playing one and b for now
now. This can definitely be scary for Navi. This is the site that has the AWP. Apex is
hoping he can see something without dying towards Long. The split coming to fruition.
Five long on this round.
Saewoo's in the front now, making his move.
Flashbangs interrupted, oh, not the cover they needed.
Great shot before he was even done peeking.
High likelihood that Navi could push this over with that opening kill,
but now you've allowed A-Texas AK to get dangerously close to the site.
Good on ya to drop him as well.
Don't make any mistakes with this bomb plant.
Oh, for the MP7, that's the only thing that goes well for Vitality.
You've spotted the last body.
That's a massive round.
How do you take their sweet time, inching closer to that site?
Navi take their sweet time to get a ninth,
secured on the scoreboard.
That was such a great round from Wonderful.
It was that off shot, overtop of default.
It felt like before Zywu even had vision.
If you were that quick,
score line starting to get recovered.
must still have a sort of nightmare series.
And that'll be every kill.
No solid.
He's going for the hunt, we know it.
Needs his counterparts.
He's always going to have to be sharp from Novi today, from top to bottom.
The rest of Na'Vi put in one foot in front of the other, it's no longer a choking matter
either for vitality.
Things starting to get serious with this three round game.
Their last seven Dust two wins have all been single digit losses for their opponents.
with nine rounds that's already the most that anyone's got since they played
game religion at the first bounty this year last year. This year, a few of me
right before crackdown.
Flashes for long control body stacked on the corner. Wonderful. Press back by the
utilities. Gotta give that real estate over to Vitality who seemed to want
to emphasize long out the gate. Try to feel this map slightly smaller for Navi and all
the sudden maybe you're able to box them in.
The better you do, the more opportunities arise. The more a blade has to work with, the more conditioning crossbacks that you have.
That's half of the cause they dealt with when you think about how sharp he's been on these entries.
Yeah, he kind of ignored the HP loss and just goes forward with it.
Damage will not be enough to stop him from going full throttle, but he does decide to reposition here.
Man, this is quite a risk to take, and what an incredible one at that.
Time to do it.
Flamesy having his best tournament run so far, now on a flank.
While Alexi starts using utility, you can see him cautious of the possibility.
He's well aware that this threat could be coming his way, but can he win the fight?
No way.
He won't win, oh no!
Oh no!
He was turned by Alexi!
Somehow he pulls that out.
Everybody else jumbled up on the other side of smoke.
It could just be a mow down moment here for Mezzi and Robs.
They are the two pieces between Navi and Double Digits
here on Dust2.
As Mezzi gets a bit of damage in,
it's Robs from the platform instead.
And they're breaking down the doors on B.
They've done it yet once more.
They actually got away with it.
And Alexi, he turned around,
Spending most of his time watching the flank.
You've got to be happy for him that he still gets the kill.
Somehow, Flamesy drops that and one player on the defense
with two in the site with a very strong crossfire
and now it officially gets scary for Vitality.
That's a total shift in the game
with an inability to hold back a B commitment despite two
Riflers on site with everything they need to do it
They're protecting a map streak and threatening the tournament closed if they just win one more rounds
But we start and get in that headspace. That's where it gets farther away
Vitality so many close calls, but it's the punches going towards Navi. It's moments like this is shot
What an adjustment, he overflicks as well.
And that's not even a close split, that's a huge readjustment to handed of Alexi.
So tip of the hat, mad respect.
Inside of that, he's able to stand to the test.
Two rounds left in regulation.
A wavering economy on the side of vitality, lesser weapons in this round yet again.
And a Navi that you have allowed to find confidence as this game has gone on as he's trying to sneak up into lower before
He just can't see anything he's out of
Probably better for him because it was there waiting
And you can see now be going with confidence as they move into their protocols more and more smoothly
But there have been times where Novi has been forced to walk away, but in this moment, Mikaze
on the brink of it and Saibu finds the damage on Ema at least.
And also sees them going towards Kat.
Nades are coming through and Apex ready for his duel.
Will he cut down the entry specialist?
Now Flamesy's Deagle strikes!
strikes a second time, and Zaheel emerges from the boxes,
ready to finish off what has turned out to be a valiant effort from Navi.
But effort is not enough in the face of a mentality that knows nothing but victory.
20 match streaks secured with this 3-0 of victory in Rotterdam
without dropping a match.
The team that shows us the ceiling of the game,
the greatest gift that they can give
to the Counter-Strike audience.
When you're in it, it feels hopeless, it feels endless,
but to them, they're on top of the world.
And when we look back, they give us history
that makes this game memorable.
A team like we've never seen,
the best international team that we've ever seen.
And maybe the very best ever across all titles.
How much more does vitality have to offer?
Stamming in front of Vitality is the unknown. Just how far can they go?
If you're lucky enough to be in Water Dam tonight, you've experienced the privilege that is to be in the presence of greatness.
This team is fueled by star power. It's limitless energy embodied in a Counter-Strike team for the ages.
Vitality is the gold standard. Domination is in their DNA.
You're blessed, premier! Open Rotterdam!
The best team in the world does it again, A-Tanks!
Come on here for a quick shot, yeah.
I saw you walking up here waving your finger a little bit.
You enjoying this one?
Yeah, I think we let them be at the end on the stool, but overall we played good
We played better and yeah we deserve a 3-0.
I've been lost the map for almost 2 months. That's crazy.
Like a month and a half. I don't know if this thing is unbelievable.
But the truth is we are talented but I promise you that everyone is working hard on anything else.
We know our top 50s to win tournaments and how lucky we are to have this team.
So we keep working hard but we keep delivering.
You've been doing this for decades.
How much fun is it to be a part of this team on this kind of a run?
Mate.
I had to wait 32 years old to get the best team I could ever get.
So, yeah, it is a message behind them that
keep believing in your dreams, work hard, and at some point in my work,
but don't stop believing, that's it.
Thank you, Apex. Let's have a chat with Zai Wu.
Darwin, come on over here.
Big crowd reaction for you.
As you might expect, the best player in the world, part of the best team in the world.
When do you become the best team of all time?
That's here already. I mean, when we managed to win all this trophy,
this capacity of being able to go as far as any payoff,
we knew like we have one of the best team ever.
When you are number one team in the world, how big of a gap do you think there is between you and your competition right now?
If we play our A game, for now there's no other team in our level. We can beat anyone. We have a big game, so for now, we'll really fire it for any team, so obviously we feel good for that.
Congratulations on a phenomenal performance. Mezzi, come over here for a second. Mezzi, these wins, it's just getting silly now.
Yeah, I mean, it definitely is, but we're going to keep riding this, this, this experience is so it's crazy.
We're going to keep winning as much as we can. We don't want to stop them.
I'm happy with how the guys play today. It's great.
Obviously, one of the key talking points from this is that undefeated map run that you are on.
Does that play on your mind when you're in the set?
But do you want to protect that going forward into the next tournament?
Yeah, I mean, it's always nice to keep breaking records and to keep continuing them.
I think today we wanted to make sure we continue this and keep beating.
I think the next one's a bit further away with Nipper on 34, but why not?
We keep breaking records, so let's keep it going.
All right, big shout out to you, your entire team, to Flames, the Antirox as well.
I'm going to let you celebrate one more time.
Can we get another trophy lift, please?
And for everyone here in the arena, one more time for your Black Oakland
Russian out champions, the Vitality!
I think that's exactly what Vitality have done here.
They lived up to everyone's expectations, but they excelled in a way that people didn't
think they could.
Beating what was the previous record in having a map undefeated straight for themselves
going the whole tournament without losing a single map.
And you know, throwing a little bit of spice there towards the end of Dust2 to get the fans
on there who really wanted a close, close series.
It got competitive there on that pre, but let's not be confused.
This was Vitality's tournament to win, and they did just that.
The Odyssey of Apex's journey as an in-game leader continues, and this tournament, as
I'm sure many more will, reinforces the point that Vitality are number one with
a bullet.
There's no doubt that both Vitality is achieving time and time again,
always cementing himself of being one of the greatest culture teams of all time.
The constant fight for trophies, the way they do,
the way they make their opponents just look incredibly silly.
It's something that is just out of our minds.
I mean, there's no doubt that what to do right now,
breaking record, setting new records time and time again,
is something that they're enjoying very much.
And it's something that we even get to enjoy.
You know, we also got to give a credit to where Redmond is due,
with what they're doing right now, they also show what a level you can play Calis-Ragat, and regardless of what's going to happen,
it stings in my heart to say it, but it's going to come to a point where they will overtake Astralis, that's for sure.
If it's hard for anyone out there to conceptualize really just how dominant Vitality is, despite all these wins,
since this roster has formed together as five players, they've won now 12 STF lads, STF trophies they've lifted together.
Every other team in that time frame has only lifted 11
We looked at the numbers at the beginning the fact that a straw is stirring your dominance to free one
Just a couple more and it had over a hundred more days or it took over a hundred more days to accomplish that so
Vitality they are definitely on track to pass that but still or to accomplish more pressure
That'll be added in the coming tournaments the cologne major right around the corner with a couple
sprinkled in in between those are going to be their own problems because every day as Vitality continues to write the book on how they solve
Counter strike everybody is taking notes as fervently as they possibly can and so you know that there are going to be new challenges presented to them
Without doubt Cologne is going to be the turning point. That's the one that could tip the scale of my books with what they have shown already
I wouldn't I don't see any odd team being a man the favorite coming into that term and we can just look at Vitality and
enjoy what they're showing and
For a brief moment, we thought that, you know,
I wouldn't say they would have fallen off,
but at least they slowed down a little bit
and all the teams were competing with them.
But now, again, through our 20-26,
we have just witnessed again
that Vitality has taken Counter-Strike
to another level and the rest of them
has now fallen, even,
into, like, a bigger hole than we've seen in.
It's like they've just created a massive gap once again
to their closest competitor.
Then maybe being Navi, and even Navi
at times in this series looks silly.
They take this break.
They have a little bit of a break as a team.
Before coming here for Blast, Premiere open, Rotterdam.
And you go, if any tournament is the one they might culture,
it's the one where they're getting back on the horse.
But really, Maui, they never got off that.
No, it is clear that the break
that they had actually paid off.
You could see, I would say,
mostly even, I would say, on Anubis,
the fact that they pull out a triple boost
that we haven't seen before.
That they have to apparently go to one of the players
on Sandgull's Twitter.
I think that's the first time
that triple boost has even been shown out.
Shout out Nara out here for even showing me that one.
But that's, I mean, that's the level of depth
this team is willing to go to.
They're not resting on their laurels.
They're not just sitting back
and saying, or asking for people to come and beat them.
They're innovating constantly.
They're always finding new ways to improve.
And that's what it's all about
when it comes to team college, right?
One thing is that you will have your individuals
bobbing off, but if you can find these small gimmicks
that will turn things around for you at triple boost,
whether it's a triple boost or it's another crazy play,
that's the thing that you want to be seeing.
And you know, it's definitely something that's just incredible to win this time and time again.
Let's slow it down a little bit and really talk more in depth here,
because Flamesee joining us at the desk, just a moment to go, lifting that trophy.
Where are your energy levels at right now?
Well, it's quite good. It's just about the time that I usually wake up during the day.
So it's been a nice morning.
And I think it's...
Obviously the game was a bit stressful towards the end, so it raised a bit the energy.
But on the other notes, I think we felt good during the game.
Like, even the rounds, we lost for clutches.
We had a crazy one between stuff like that.
So I felt like during the game, we still had a lot of things
we did good.
I went behind from long.
Everything was kind of good.
And so the energy was quite good.
Like, we didn't panic.
We didn't get scared because we knew that we're
on top of the game still.
Yeah, we listened in a little bit
when you guys lost two consecutive rounds
in that last half there.
And Apex is talking about it.
He's like, it's OK, guys.
It's all good.
Was that still the same sentiment,
or did you feel like you did have to have a small tone shift and focus up?
Well, it was just about the etch-outs, like that's it, like we...
Whenever they went somewhere, well, obviously, someone once did a good call,
but we pushed in the right time, we did the right plays,
like some of the micro millisecond for a flash,
and that just see us, like to some extent,
and I'm happy that we reached 12 before it got to that level,
and I think also for them, when we reached 12, they kind of like...
they just let it out, you know, they have nothing to lose,
so they just play like crazy, they play fast,
and things go well for them in that sense, so, yeah.
I have a question about kind of the guys
we don't see on the stage there.
I mean, you guys talk a lot about your support staff,
and I feel like in all these aspects of staying focused,
I'm sure that people like Matt and Jack
are partially responsible for that.
I mean, what can you say about them as people?
Well, I said yesterday that Matt is the best person in the world.
Oh, you said it too.
I can agree.
And to be fair with Jack, all the stuff I would say, like Remy,
because he's also very involved outside of the game, as much as he is involved inside,
that all of them are quite helpful and very, you know, per day.
Today, it's the first time I play Grand Final.
The first time we play Grand Final at 12.30pm, and there's a lot of changes.
Usually you have a good dinner, a good meal before.
Now we have a breakfast, jump into the game, these kind of things.
And Jack kind of, his main job, his main focus right now is that,
guys, tell me what you need to be the most comfortable.
We have a good schedule, let's go sleep early, let's do some things that are going to increase our chances maybe by 1% to just perform.
And if you just need anything, it's always here and you're always ready to do things.
And I think without the best of five, when obviously Nubis was picked and instantly Matty's on top of that,
like let's do that, let's do that, let's do that, instantly ideas and that was kind of like how the stuff went.
I think I know the answer you're going to give to this question, but I'm going to ask it regardless.
After how you played at this event and the numbers you're putting up on the winningest team possible
How do you consider yourself in the entry fragger of the year discussion?
Well, I'll be honest. It's like
I'm very happy with just the conversation being don't complain
I don't give a fuck if I win don't turn out in the conversation. Just people talking about him about it
No, I know that that's a good position because that guy is a monster and he's a
It's out of, like, it's just don't, you know, nothing too much to say other than that.
And as long as people keep asking that question, who is doing better, then I'm doing fine.
You touched on the newbies now in the map pool, and now you decided to go for that as their first one.
Did that come as a surprise for you? Because it's been in the map pool a lot when you played best of 5s,
but usually as a 4 or 5th map, so was it a bit of a change-up that you had to play it so early,
and what was your thoughts coming into this one?
Well, to be honest, we didn't expect it, like, to be the first pick of them, because I think,
You know, it's always like you have to pick your best map or possibly a map that is good for you
But the enemy team is not so comfortable on and I think that's what they went to it possibly even though they've picked a
Roar on a noob, it's like I guess they're really comfortable as well
but we
Obviously for the best of five the staff perhaps everything and then we see a noobies and then it's just like just putting the
Just telling us guys they do that that that what do you want to do making a quick plan and I think that I
I think that we did win a lot of clutches and that kind of saved us, but it's also the benefit of having individuals like that, like Zairu, Robs, Messi popped off a lot with the Tigger as well, and it's going to be messy.
Both teams are going to play a bit sloppy, I feel like, not the best level. Like in the semifinals you'll play better than in the final, I feel like, and that was a bit...
Some rounds were sloppy, but still, that Anubis felt really good.
We always had plans and always had this kind of stuff.
Maybe just a little slow on the initiating in the game.
Just regarding the triple boost, who called that?
Who made up the decision?
To be honest, we played a prank against someone,
and we died like that, and we're like, what the fuck?
What was that?
And then I don't know, I think Dan or Matou,
and he's called, let's do a triple boost, like, fuck it.
It's a free kill, but a bit was closed there, so I thought they're not going to be that far away stairs.
Works out, it's perfect. Nice practice.
Well, I know that you was sort of a joke that you were saying that you used to playing later, waking up later,
but you've gone ahead, you won Blast from Erope and Rotterdam before your morning begins.
What's the rest of the day looking like for you and the team?
What's the time?
It is... I can't, 4pm.
4pm, so right now we're probably having like a mini lunch.
A lunch, yeah?
I mean lunch then we're going to go to Korean barbecue
And just a Korean barbecue and then tomorrow train to Paris and we have me today. So yeah
Alright, nice early early start off to getting to enjoy this but flamesee enjoy it for all you can it was absolute pleasure to get you guys
See see you guys playing the grand final. I want to give you a chance
I know there's a lot of vitality fans out there and all that but now winning the tournament anything you want to say to them
Well, thank you for all the fans are supporting. We obviously doing quite good so far
but the main focus now is the Grand Slam and that's what we're going to be working hard on
and whether it was in Rotterdam, thank you for the amazing tournament because from the
power of the stage it looked like the arena was just so crowded, so full of energy so yeah,
I'm thankful for everything and see you boys. Thank you so much for joining us as well,
giving us all of your energy and insight too, just being very candid about where exactly
that triple boost came from but also making the call there for themselves as well so
big props to Vitality again etching their names and get another trophy to Prey.
Yeah it's like it's just doesn't stop right. They just keep going for tournament for tournament.
Apex he's always bringing it out on stage whenever he's doing an interview. You know we are Vitality.
We are going for the trophies every single time like going for semi-squadrifiers it can happen
once in a while but if they ever end up dropping those series that is just not good enough
for them you know. It is just setting the bar very high making themselves the best team.
they're still fighting and I know for a fact and we can just tell that Vitality is they're just
etching closer and closer to becoming the greatest of all time and that is the one thing that they're
running right now. It's rare to see a team that just remains this hungry. We've seen a lot of teams
that have little streaks of form. We saw Navi in 2024 sometimes saw the highs of teams like
Spirit for example but for a Vitality team to constantly be pushing every other team by
constantly bringing new ideas to the table, being able to implement them with seemingly no practice,
running a play like that before. That's what makes this team so special because you can be
satisfied with the victory. We've seen players win one major, then they go off to become streamers.
Not this team. This team is sticking around and everybody wants to continue and further their
glory. And I'm sure there's players on the side of Navi that would like to take their
I felt like they themselves were only just warming up because on dust to they were able to bring it back from a deficit of what was it 4 and 12. That's where they were at and then be able to close. Close it. Sorry, but see them up to be closed out at 10 and 13. It was really truly an amazing performance from them towards that end.
We really almost got a not become back there. I was I was crossing my fingers.
like it. Your foot is toes, legs, everything you was crossed.
It was, but as soon as Vitality decides it's time to drop the hammer, they do just that,
but still a big shout out to the form that Navi showed towards the tail end.
I, ah man, it was close.
The way that Macauze played was still incredibly commendable.
There were a lot of moments from the individuals.
We got to give Navi the fact that they actually had a decent rehearsal.
I mean, I wouldn't really put them in a spot where they could beat them at
this tournament, but at least they've created themselves some new data.
and they've actually been out there.
They've been tested against Vitalik, you know.
It's not a team they've played against very often.
It's a team that they haven't, you know,
have the chance of playing too much.
But now the fact that they do,
and I don't think there's any other case
we can make right now
that Navi is the second best team in the world.
Like, I don't think anyone else
really makes the cut to Piso.
So, I mean, putting up a fight here,
I mean, I think we saw a glimpse
of what Navi is really good at and what they can do,
but they still have a lot of clean up work to do
before it gets even more competitive.
Back to back grand finals for them.
What a beautiful feat that is in itself.
but this time around, they're gonna have to be content
with taking home second place.
Alexi, commiserations, you couldn't get the job done here
tonight in this grand final, but like I said earlier on,
you were fighting so hard, you had the crowd behind you,
but they were just too good.
Yeah, indeed.
I think that we really fought.
We never gave up even when the scoreline was looking tough.
The problem was that we were giving them
too much of a lead or we couldn't get the lead going ourselves, losing against
four spies or hero AKs or whatever it might be. And if you don't manage to
close those kind of rounds against this team, you cannot win. But yeah, we
tried our best. Incredible roster and incredible squad. Are there any
positives that you can take from this grand final? There are some. I mean,
we know that we managed to get into a lot of positions where we had the
upper hand or we had the round in a situation that we would always want it
to be like a man advantage post-planned or you know having them on an eco or
whatever we just need to make less mistakes on those scenarios which kind
of hurts because that's the most obvious thing you can pinpoint but yeah
it's back to the drawing board and just I'm just happy that some of the
individuals in this team Makase played a tremendous tournament and I
I hope you can keep it up.
Yeah, a real standout tournament for him at just 19 years old.
And we just heard there from Apex after the big win that he said
that their team works harder than any other team.
Do you feel like all you can do is try and outwork teams
like Vitality, because I know that you're trying still
to prove yourself as one of the best teams in CS?
Yeah, I mean, that is one thing that we were aiming
for to work harder than the opponents.
And, you know, as I said, we tried our best.
They have their system.
We have ours.
They managed to beat us this time,
but it's just kind of fuel more energy to us
to, you know, try and get the revenge against the alternative.
Commiserations again.
And thank you, Alexi.
Thank you so much.
There's so much more in the tank of Navi.
Alexi knows it.
This is the first time they face up against each other
here at Blast, Premiere Open, Rotterdam.
And so now to do it in a grand final,
still feel like you're putting two maps almost there almost to overtime I have no doubt about it
that Navi will get that chance of a revenge in a grand final against Vitality in the future.
Just a very tough task for Navi overall I think that coming into this grandfile they had they
had showcased glimpses of how good and how much they have improved but it's just a whole
nother caliber I think Alexi touched on all the things that I really also want to see more
off Navi and you know they put themselves in really good situations but they can't really
capitalized on them and it is those things that's just very hard for you as a councillor
clear. You can pre-plan so many things but you can't really always pre-plan the opposed plans
and the X-ray situations and that is where it comes down to the individuals making the right
decisions and it's another thing to do in the group stage but once you get on the stage
that is where you know the cookie crumbles at times so I mean I still think we can be
happy about what Navi showed today but it wasn't enough against Vitality.
After going through the exercise of figuring out who is second in the pecking order
and running every team through that filter.
Navi, they find themselves at the top,
but it's just that the chasm between themselves
and Vitality feels so vast.
They are definitely going to have
to work on a couple of things.
I'm a little bit disappointed that they weren't
able to hold their nerve in more of the situations
on Anubis.
For a team that is as seasoned as they are,
that probably was the map that they feel,
even though Dust2 was quite close to,
they probably felt like Anubis slipped,
given the advantageous situation that they consistently
found themselves in. But that's just vitality. That's why we are really in Apex's world right
now.
It's a double-edged sword as much as Navi might have faltered themselves. Vitality exploited
that. That's what they're so great at here. And with our champions now being crowned,
it does bring us towards the end. But before we say goodbye, I want to ask you guys
exactly big things for this tournament. Obviously, we're going to keep talking about how good
vitality is. But what did you guys enjoy the most about Blast Open here?
I think the crowd was, I think the crowd specific today was amazing.
I feel like the town of Rotem also, you know,
my first time being in the Netherlands actually getting to explore a little bit.
So I think overall it's, it's been an enjoyment and you know,
you always like so high to you guys.
Great turnout from the crowd. I'm glad that also we were able to continue the
storyline. A lot of people considered the pro league run from Navi to be
fool's gold or that it doesn't really mean a lot.
But once again, another tournament punching their ticket in the grand finals to
shows. They mean serious business and I'm just glad Mikaze showed up. I can't contain myself about that.
We got a new star player on Navi all of a sudden. I haven't seen a moment like this for them.
Probably since Electronic was on their team so I'm excited for the future for them.
Well just as excited as you were about Mikaze showing up and enjoying himself that was on the stage.
I've also had the pleasure of getting to work with you guys.
It's been such a phenomenal joy, especially at my first Counter-Strike event, but everyone really showed up
The play is delivering on the Counter-Strike the crowd giving the cheers you guys watching at home and everyone else behind the cameras
Thank you guys so much for watching us and joining us with last premiere open Rotterdam. We'll see you next time in Porto