Oh, oh, I'm keeping going
This is life, I'm gonna fire me up
Oh, oh, give to me
I'm, let a signal sign the ring
Oh, oh, keep it moving
Side up, come and find me up
I mean sure it's still for the love of the game but back then there were no kind of
future like it was just like because we loved it and we liked the vibe, it's just like it's
obsession of just you know we want to compete but at the same time it wasn't you know a
pro-verse like people would show up like I don't know a half an hour before the game
and like we didn't really prepare you just played your game like there was no like deeper
thoughts to it. It's changed. I mean, I even think back to how Katowice, when we got to
play at Katowice, when we played this, you know, it was like in a gym.
Yeah, in a gym. We usually did the media day after day.
We did the media day in there, and then there was like a sit-up.
And you know, there was squares.
There was squares, you were sitting in a square, and someone was playing a game,
and then I believe it was in 14 passion. He opened like a knife, and we would see the next
So I think our game had just started, but they were like, ah, I just opened a knife and you're not focusing the major
We're playing major here, but passes like opening knives and it was like
And and you could just walk behind pretty much any team and then watch them like you couldn't back in the old days
That I love doing that back in the days because then you could get like an idea of the communication
But nowadays is much like if someone walks up behind
They can they don't watch they like to watch anymore
I went for a tournament in 2014, I think, and I saw Gatchewide playing Pete on those two.
He was playing, like, I won't be three or something, I'll be three.
And I was like, this guy is shooting three people, not saying a single word.
Like, he doesn't communicate as he's shooting.
So maybe I'm talking too much.
I'm taking those insights from watching people.
It's just like the beauty of it.
How it's developed and evolved throughout the years, right?
I mean, one thing is, like, all the way from the local land, so we had fun.
But then also just seeing the tournaments that we are at now how they were a decade ago. I think it's changed so much
That's what I said like when we went to the PGL like a stadium for me today
In 17 we had the practice where now everything is like built for the groups
It was the tournament area and the practice room were the same place
Yes, so we had the practice room close to each other like you know, we were like vitality and behind maybe we had this cake
It was seen crackle.
Yeah, it was the same as the arena here and it's so funny that I remember Marble in 17
was like we were in run room altogether.
You were in practice room, you don't have your run room altogether.
And when you look even before, not practice room, so you were at an event, better grind
before, because during the event, you don't have time to play a major, you don't have
time to play any match.
If you arrive to this setup, you have 20 minutes to warm up, better play good today.
Because if you go back in time and think about it, that was just like normal.
And everyone was fine with it, you know, that's just how it was.
It was the same for everyone, so everyone was fine with it.
But if you shut up nowadays and people would just like, we don't have practice rooms, we're like, fuck that, we're going home.
Yeah, I understand that.
But I hope I don't hear the same question, so I already heard some times last week.
Okay.
What are they, if you remember them so well?
Ruler out, the angles of the angle of the distance, and Zygote doesn't even have a conflict, he just sits down.
Mate, you think I come into these things unprepared?
Well, show that to smear.
Let us know when we're good to go and I'll just do a soft drink.
We're going.
We're going?
Yeah.
Okay.
It's like Mike is a little bit tired of it.
Is it fine or?
Well, I'd point it towards your mouth, I reckon.
Or you can move your body.
Yeah, that's awesome.
Yeah, I can gloss over it too.
I'm not a fan of that.
Okay, cool.
So who's going to get the first shampoo sponsorship?
What do you reckon?
Shampoo sponsorship?
Well, we're just talking about you getting Coca-Cola sponsorship.
Yeah.
Who's going to get like, come on, though.
Surely your agent's like in your ear with like,
You can be the face of pasta in Italy, ultimately.
That's funny.
That's not funny.
Put it around the corner for Mr. Wu.
No, no, no.
Mezz was going to get the hair sponsorship, though.
This mullet's been refined now.
I think it's...
Actually, yeah.
No.
Moisturiser.
Yeah, moisturizer.
Head moisturizer.
No, I need a fresh trim, though.
It's not too much.
No, I've seen much more egregious mezzy haircuts.
This is actually pretty good by your standards.
Maybe I'll go for the reverse model after that.
Have you heard about the Scarlett?
I think I've seen it.
I think it would fit nothing.
What about you?
An extreme haircut in your future?
I don't think I need a haircut.
I don't know what should I get.
I don't know man.
Every time my hair gets cut I feel like I have a bald cut again.
A bald cut? What if I look like a refined bald?
Jimmy's haircut is fitting him.
Yeah, I agree.
Yeah, I don't know.
What do you mean by that?
It's good on him.
My favourite question.
I'm just waiting for someone to go for the full Ronaldo R9,
just the full Shea, which is the...
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
But you should do Rivest.
Probably Dan or something.
For the next backdoor, the next grand slam.
That's the thing, when you win like 25 tournaments in a year or whatever vitality you are looking at,
that hair cut you won man.
I was going to say that.
Refuse to elaborate.
100%
You feeling sick?
Yeah.
Okay guys, so we got the new news.
Torgy, do you play better or worse when you're sick?
I don't know.
Playing decent lately so.
I mean, at GC, Emma, during the tournament, when he was feeling unwell, he started shooting electries.
Same thing, guys.
That was like mind control counter strike.
I've never seen a clip like that in my life.
Yeah, I don't know.
I have flew for like 10 days already.
Seriously?
Yeah.
He's gone.
He's not gone.
I mean, I'm getting better.
Now it's, today I woke up finding a decent, so.
But yesterday I was really dead after the two BL3s.
It's a part of the lifestyle.
I don't think we talk about it at all.
It's like you just, you are going to get sick on the road.
Like you will have a day where you wake up,
you feel like death, and you have to perform.
And I feel like for Counter Strike players,
I don't know some people probably have got support, you know, like there's some guy that shows up on your door with like a hot ginger tea
Whatever, you know, but I don't know what you I don't know what you're supposed to do just to push through it
I guess yeah, I mean even
especially even for me like after
The Budapest major I was so sick
I think you either get sick during a torn or you put so much energy in your body's like put so much into a tournament that after just
That everything just dumps and you just like your body just gives up and then you just fall sick after an event as well
It's like
It's rough. It's rough. Yeah, there used to be me like because you put so much stress
Yeah into everything and then once the event is over you're like all right. That's you've pushed through yeah, buddy now
Everything I was holding back
100% the post event blues as well
I don't about from a player perspective but offer an event goes like you've just been seeing everyone doing something every different every day
You get home. It's all quiet. You're kind of like oh
Yeah
I think when you're on a team, it's different because you finally get back home for a little while.
These boys are on the road much more than us.
Yeah, for real, for real.
For real, for real.
What would you reckon your days on the road are, like, on average?
I think it's close to 200, maybe.
I think about easily.
Like, to 40, 50 easily.
That's extreme.
If you think about the amount of humans that are doing it, spending that much time away from home every year,
you're in, you know, there's a very small group of people that are doing that.
Yeah.
Oil rig workers, they go like six months on, six months on.
That's no end.
It's crazy, but.
That's the good stuff.
Yeah.
It's just, did it take some getting used to, like when you kind of first
picked up that kind of calendar?
I think, I think for me last year, I mean, 2024 is a bit different,
but 2025, because we went to the end of pretty much every single tournament.
Like, I mean, I was so used to like, in finality, like
We go for a week, we get out on groups,
I get back at him after a week,
but now it's like to the end of every single tournament,
like a few days at home, like this block we have,
I think we had bounty, a few days,
this few days, clues or something,
and then it's like, it's crazy.
It's almost, I have time to rest when you get back home.
You rest one day, you go like, what are you playing?
You start the tournaments, you look at the kind,
and then you finish your awarding at the end of February,
going into March, and you're like, okay.
Okay.
It goes fast, it goes fast.
Was that why you guys decided to skip bounty?
So you can limit a little bit travel this year compared to last?
I mean, I think yes a little bit.
And I also had the same thing as Messi in 2022 when it was my first year, we traveled
so much but we went out of groups a lot.
So we had a lot of time at home but like last year when we make playoffs every run and we
go like finals or semi-finals, like you play almost every day and it's really exhausting
and you battle at home.
And that's what happened also in the summer for us, like I think we were not home for
like 55 days, we went bootcamp two times in a row, back to back, after tournaments.
So yeah, it can be rough sometimes.
And yeah, this year I think because the VRS cutoff is a little bit like it's not close
to January, you know, I think it was, I've prepared like the press bounty, maybe it's
not that important and also you don't play too much games, especially on LAN, because
LAN games give you a lot of points.
And yeah, I don't think it was just a good tournament for the real S-points and it was
not too important, I would say, maybe.
Yeah.
I think also we're seeing a little bit after the first year, you know, changes with how
teams approach different tournaments, you know, everyone's realizing the importance
of the cutoff and now everyone understands which event, how many points can you get at
each event, right?
That's why almost everyone is playing Cluj also compared to some of the other ones and
for teams understanding like, all right, if we're going to skip one and making plans,
like it's evening out more.
Last year we just saw a lot of PGL, we're going to skip that one.
But now it's like, well, actually the online portion of some of these tournaments really
impacts the worth of going to them, whether you make LAN or not.
And I think it's cool to see how it has been developing.
I guess from your guys' standpoint, how much do you care who the TO is really in a way?
Or you just care if all the good teams are going to be there and that sort of thing?
I think it's just more what the teams are participating, not really the TUs and also
I don't think it's really the players' decisions what we play, so yeah, that's my take.
We don't have any chosen but the moment we're going to play and also find anything.
I was just thinking they popped into my head when you were saying that Janko about like
like 3D Max last year where they did like, oh my god, what do you do, China, go back
to Europe, Europe, China, as I went back to Europe.
Yeah, they did the world tour, it was crazy.
It was like 30 days, they went to China three times a year.
Yeah, I don't know.
But that's the kind of, that's mismanagement, I guess the role of a manager is actually
even more so than this, the choosing of the tournament, so that's not even.
That's also hard when you want to gain points with various, you have to gain a lot more
than usually, so you need to take some rest something.
We also had a close call with Bucharest for the major invites.
Like, we were doing pretty good and we were like the, I don't know,
like we were in the stage three invites
and then we decided to skip Bucharest.
The Hong Kong, no?
Yeah, I mean we didn't play Hong Kong because we hadn't made it in the end.
And then we also didn't play Bucharest because we declined the invite
because we thought we would be good.
And it was just before the cutoff.
And it was like one, two points between us and Aurora for the stage stream right after too.
It goes so quick.
But VRS is, I'd say, interesting.
I think we won, obviously, after one of the six or seven taunts in the row.
I think after a few losses or a few wins, I think Falcons overtook us or fewer overtakes.
Also, Paris Vision in Blazbunty is a one-eats and they're already top three.
It goes really quick and I think that's why it's important as well, like why so many teams are playing like the Cluj or the other taunts,
just like say with the, it's so important to have the games on LAN because of the points and it can change so quick.
Like for us the last year obviously we had, we played both bounties and you have like teams like I guess Falcons have skipped one or two or something
and playing more LAN events, like in the PGL tournaments,
and then all of a sudden they get a few wins there
or a few extra points, and then it can switch so quickly as well.
Yeah. I wanted to ask, I remember talking to Snappy years ago
when he was on ends, and when they had that good run
when they were top two and stuff,
and he said one of the big reasons for them being in playoffs
a lot more, isn't that they're playing a lot better CS
or anything, it's that once they got a couple of wins,
they became the higher seed,
So they didn't have to face always the top of three or four teams in the first round.
And then you have to go through the lower bracket.
Like they just got to face teams that are a little bit closer to them.
That's always the number one team.
So do you guys feel with all this talk about how quickly you can go up and down?
You know, do you put any stock in that where it matters which seed you are as well
within the group so that your run doesn't have to be as hard potentially up until the playoffs?
I don't think so, because anyway if you want to not mention it to be anyone.
So if you have to face them at the beginning, you have to beat them, so that's my thought.
Yeah, makes sense.
Yeah, yeah.
So you play anyone in front of you?
Yeah.
There's got to be, I think most players must have one team that they really don't enjoy
playing against though.
Surely, just like psychologically.
It was a long year.
You've got to have a liquid to someone's Astralis, you know?
I mean, yeah.
We faced so many times.
Some of them were closer.
Some of them were not so close.
But regardless, I think it was always...
Like we knew it was coming.
Whenever we went to the playoffs, we knew like,
Yeah, I think it would be vital at some point and yeah, now it's looking similar as well
if we get through G2, so yeah, I'm looking forward to it.
20th of New Year, 2026.
Can you see how that's happened in the new year?
Yeah, I mean it always changes so quickly though, I mean like we had last year, we have these
streaks against a lot of teams like against Maus, against Mongols and then I mean it's
never guaranteed the next game that you're gonna beat them and they beat us a Cologne
And then obviously, Mongols beat us as well at some point, I think it was EWC as well.
So it's like, it doesn't really matter how long you have this streak,
or how many wins you have against a certain team.
I think once a team gets over that barrier of beating them once,
then the next game always becomes a little bit harder.
And, yeah, I think it's always tough going up against these guys.
And it's going to be exciting if they can get through G2.
I wanted to ask you guys how difficult was this offseason?
because first half of last year, obviously great run.
Unfortunately, these guys stood in the way of a couple of trophies for you.
But then second half of the year, they sort of start stumbling you and beat them right
in Cologne, but don't end up lifting the trophy.
And a bunch of other teams won different tournaments and you just weren't able to get over that
hump.
how difficult were the conversations in the off-season and sort of laying out the plan
for this year considering you obviously didn't make any changes to the roster?
Yeah, I mean I think if we talk about the last year it was a lot of like up and downs.
We made a lot of deep runs but still in the end like of course we wanted to lift the trophies.
Of course like a vitality they had a really great period start of the year especially like they won
every single tournament I believe like almost at least. So yeah I think the start of the year it was
just that like they were playing really good. I think you were also in a pretty good shape but
yeah it was always a little bit of mental battle when we went against Vitality I would say.
And then I think in the second half of the year the first tournament I think it was Cologne right?
We beat Vitality in the semi-final and then we go into the final versus Spirit and then we like
completely play shit basically which is really disappointing because we were of course like
super happy that like we beat Vitality after the like coming back to the season but yeah I think
that's about it. I think coming to this year now one of the reasons why we just kept the same roster
that we believe in the roster still, we knew like we are we are always so close
it's not a lot that is missing and yeah we trust everyone we know like we are
capable of doing it but we just need to it's so close you know we just need to
put it a little bit higher and something we look for this year we really
want to win the trophies and nothing else really matters so
I have a problem, an addiction, I can't stop myself.
The Cathedral of Converse Strike, and it's full of sinners, but it's big opening.
Then I shall, I know nothing about Converse Strike.
Fear not, your colleagues doesn't know much either.
But what if I call an ace a pentakill or even worse a
Deagle a sheriff all we will be forgotten
But just remember that Mike
He's always on that one time fellow
Never thought they'd do me like that
To add care for James if that happened to you at last only God knows what can happen to you here
Believe me. Believe me.
The fiction is not easy to overcome.
I'm trying not to treat about my weight loss journey for quite some time.
Isn't three hours too long?
The deadest poo is strong, your father. He sits heavily on my shoulder whispering in my ear.
Give them what they want. Give them another hot take.
Blutney, the worst of all my sins. I've taken the ESL bag. I've taken the HLTV all bag.
The valve bag. I've even taken the blast bag.
I'm sorry, Father.
Am I a sell-out father?
Should...
Should I give up the bag?
Fool.
I'm sorry, Father.
I really have never
give up the bag.
Father?
Here.
Please.
Thank you, Father.
So, if you ever need it, you can always reach out to me at sponsorships at fallinggear.com
So, we are playing train A-side together
I chose this position in Heroic because it's a very good position because you can help a lot on A-side
so you have an option for rotational b-side,
and you can be mobility on the map.
The reason why I'm playing this role is
because it's very important to get first contacts
and win the duels, so I'm good at it.
If you will ask me about do I like it,
yeah, I really like it,
and I don't want to play any other position.
He's just a terminator.
He's just staying in one position,
enemy out from main or pop.
Helicopter kills all and he's funny.
He's laughing and screaming, ass.
When I played in CSGO, I played with AWP.
For me, it was a very good map because I'm jumping like a monkey from one train to the second train
and then just kill all because I'm facet guys don't know how to smoke something.
It was a very good map for all players.
Very big difference in one optional.
You don't care about that side because you don't stay and kill all.
You can rotation every round to be on the ground.
I'm feeling a lot comfortable in this position and for real, maybe only one heart.
If enemy have a good control map and if they take pop and also we don't do something on A, like some stuff,
it's very hard for control of this map because you don't have a lot of positions for playing passive defense on this map.
If you stay passive and sold out a lot of positions on this map and don't have control, it's very hard for take some pops on A.
It depends on positions, like if you play close, not like aggressive I would say, you have to smoke like T mid.
If you play passive, it's more important to smoke pop.
Yeah, but you should hold smoke inside pop because if you smoke like for all-out pop,
because in this game smoke is very big, it's not a very big problem for enemy out through the smoke.
I remember only one highlight on this map, I had highlight against Aurora, probably it was at Dallas.
I did 4k kills, and the last kill, X-Loud still killed my kill.
And the screen can tell you why he still lays.
Maybe triple kill with a Diego or an eco against an AP at PGA Austin.
And maybe I played T side, but I killed Pop, I killed Con, I killed teammate.
It was against Virtus.pro, it was a 20-25.
For me, the best option, if you don't have a lot of money,
I always try to buy XM and try to run inside pop, closer to the apartments, because you have a very close position.
And XM is very strong in CS2, you can punch with everyone, right?
And also you have kill potential, because you see Shado before he can out to you.
Surely Woxic isn't ready for this.
Swing on now and Molodoy takes him down and bang down.
He's going now for a king.
Molodoy answers in the clutch.
He answers everything you've already said.
Coming into this game, he doesn't know where to quit.
That was good.
He kind of opened an opening.
There's the surprise of Zantares, but it was only good for one.
Soulfly really feeling the burn as they're all around him
and Furia break through.
Really even breaking a sweat.
Oh!
It's vision back!
Spray some balls!
Gonna save both guys!
Matt is good for it!
But now eats the flashback of his own!
Still gets vision in time!
But still another!
He's in every damn shot!
Torgy wants to equalize.
He's right there to head.
Removes Hunter.
Some pious.
A high pressure clutch.
G2 needs this now.
Smoke break.
Smoke break, with some lot of torque, you can win this.
Damage exchange, puts him on half health.
Still the pressure to blow up.
That's it for a torquey.
OK, listen to me.
We're going to do something special, OK?
Now, you're going to see Goldman.
Just checking your resolutions for the same?
Yeah, I'll see.
Awesome.
Good luck.
11 years ago a professor and his team of Brazilians, well they managed to qualify for IEM Katowice
thanks to Flusher and the community, they crowdfunded their way all the way to Poland.
That team which was Luminosti, later became SK, well they won two majors and a Cologne,
but they never won in Katowice.
That trophy, she a cruel mistress.
Today, Fallen, Waihe and his team have another chance to win here, to lift this trophy that
That is our first matchup, it is Furia taking on Team Spirits.
Heartbreak man, it's such a brutal word and it's nothing new to Torsi and Team Maus either.
In 2024 they made it through to the semi-finals, eventually falling to FaZe.
It was actually Donkin Team Spirit who lifted the trophy that year.
This time they've got another chance to make it through to a final.
They take on the 2025 team of the year and the reigning champions.
The last team to lift that trophy in Vitality.
It's going to be an absolute banger. Welcome to the Intellecture Masters Krakow. I'm feeling viby
And Ace is the champion of the Intel Extreme Maverick.
One by one.
Storm still not quite done, and she is going to take this fight though.
Three seconds left.
Last two rounds, and she's going to start the battle for the FC.
And this is a massive move this is, but he's not content with just the Nexus kill.
He's going to stand out, killing the enemy!
And it's all done! I'm going quick!
Unbelievable road with a 4-0 victory over Clash's, and they did it again in the blackback!
It's back!
Give it up for your intel, Extreme Masters World Champion!
I sent my final for of us today. Spirit, Vyphuria, look at all of them. All the happy faces.
The happiest one of all is Donk. What's up, Donk?
Hi.
How are you feeling, man?
Great.
Yeah?
Did you sleep good? How did you sleep?
Great.
Was good?
Like so. What did you listen to coming in today?
Nothing.
No music, nothing. Just stone cold, just looking me right in my eyes. You didn't think about
it?
What is it?
Chopin.
Oh, like classical music?
Yes.
Did you listen to it right now?
Yes.
How does that get you ready to play the game?
Not getting me ready to play.
Did you watch Nifiri Aurora yesterday?
No.
Did you think that you'd win this in 2024
and a chance to win it in 2026?
What?
Did you think you can win this two times?
Yes.
Will you go in there today and be Nifiri?
I'm feeling thank you.
You're feeling thank you.
Well, I'm feeling thank you as well.
or anything you'd like to add, Donk?
Um...
No.
Thanks so much, Donk. Have a good day.
Thank you.
Hello, Moldova.
I want to ask you if you're feeling better, because last week you weren't feeling too well, right?
Yeah, I'm feeling better today. I have days for chilling before playoffs, and... better.
Okay, I'm glad to hear it. I was wondering what you guys listen to in the shuttle over here because you have a couple of Brazilians, right?
So do they make you listen to Brazilian funk? Yeah, yes. And how do you find it?
Sometimes it's good, but sometimes
a little bit bad
What was good was you on stage yesterday and you guys in fury it was your first time here in this arena playing the
I am crack-out playoffs. How was it? For me, it's good
Arena very good very big and I like play every time in arena for me. It's
interesting to play. I know there's a lot changing in your team in the roles of
people around you, is that affecting you at all or not? No. No. No. Today you're up
versus Spirit and I feel like Shiro is a completely different
upper than you are. How do you feel about this matchup? Maybe maybe he maybe has
style same game and she don't like to play aggressive but it's hard to play
against him but we'll see how it is.
Good luck.
Thank you.
It's day two here at the Intel Extreme Masters Krakow.
Semifinal Saturday, and this is the pre-show.
Kickin' things off with Yanko and J.O. joining me.
We're in the Intel booth.
It's a bit lively here this morning.
Well, actually, it's the afternoon.
Always feels like morning for the gamers.
Were you a morning man or an evening man?
This is morning for me.
OK.
This is morning for me.
Okay, everyone looking nice, great to see you gentlemen in this suit, ready for a serious day?
What's the occasion Chad?
You are in a suit, you have a tie?
It's the only one that fits, so it's the only one I can wear, and I don't think it works without the tie.
So you might see an awful lot more of this, but look boys, we're going to get into it straight away.
Yesterday, two quarter finals, seems weird, so it's like quarter should be four, but we've got two.
I want to do in review, we don't have to spend too much time, but from an entertainment perspective,
From 1 to 10, 10 being the best, 1 being the worst, JL, from an entertainment perspective, how was yesterday's counter-strike to you?
I'm in the first matchup, Fury Aurora, I'll probably have to go with a 4 entertainment-wise, I'll be honest, not too much there, Aurora crumbled, Fury just played good CS and capitalized on the mistakes.
But G2 mouse, I'm already at 8, and the 2 that's missing is because it was not a free-mapper.
I feel like that was a very good flash of teams, but yeah, I really wanted to see a free-map.
Okay, and 8. The crowd not on the mouse side, Janko.
There never will be crowd.
They just lack aura. You saw them aura farming.
Did you see Torsi and Jimmy?
Aura farming.
Oh, in this game.
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
We got a manufacturing aura.
Yesterday it felt kind of outside of Overpass.
Oh, pretty mid.
That like a 4 out of 10.
I thought he was generous.
I thought he was being generous here.
If I had to describe yesterday,
I would title it Taking Care of Business.
Okay.
Right?
Furia took care of Aurora, Maus took care of G2, it was a bit more exciting than the first one.
That was to be expected. G2 fumbling some key rounds on the stage, especially that first map that seemed to translate to Dust2 somewhat as well.
And Maus showing all that experience they got last year really come to fruition.
I mean, the reason I gave it to Nade, because I love a good game of Counter-Strike with no star players.
For me that's the most exciting. For me it's exciting to see who's going to step up and who's going to be the kind of carry for the team.
And so it's also those teams that are the teams you watch if you want to see like opening moves, or protocols.
Flashers, I've had plenty of those.
Right, so that's the only thing you had yesterday.
But yeah, that's like from that side of things definitely worth a watch.
Well this is it right, so I said entertainment perspective. I think it was quite low in terms of arena counter strike.
It's not like a phase, draw you into the mud, back and forth, 3v3 is clutch.
But from a Counter-Strike perspective, I'm with you.
I think it was a high level game. It was what I like to see from Maus.
Look, people think that I'm a Maus hater. I'm just a Maus realist.
Right there, a very good team. They're a consistent team.
They're constantly making playoffs.
However, they can't lift the silverware.
And that's what it's all about.
Yesterday, I agree. Sentiment taken care of business.
So from a Counter-Strike perspective in the second one, I think 8 is pretty good.
First series, we'll forget about it.
We'll give Aurora more reps on the stage.
Yeah.
Yeah, right?
Turkish got the stack.
Yeah.
Hey, they beat Maus and Falcons in the tournament.
I think that's more that you can ask from Aurora at this point in time, and that's what they
should focus on, and not so much about the Fourier game.
What about G2 in review, though, because overpass, I feel like they could have won that map.
Dust2, though, it felt like they were playing behind the entire time.
So, Jiao, you're G2.
What do you take away from this?
I think when you look at a series where Hunter had more flash assist than some players had orb shots
People are definitely looking at one man and kind of putting it on him. But what do you put it down to?
I mean if I'm g2 I'm probably focusing on my own map pick
So I can just get the win because I feel like they tried harder on overpass
Then it is on Dust2 and of course mouse picked overpass as a punish pick in a way
But still g2 put a very good fight on overpass, but on Dust2 they just went missing. So maybe that's a mental part because
Sometimes I feel like teams have problems moving past map losses, but it's not your map pick.
Just focus on the next and win the next tier, if you know what I mean.
That seemed to have hurt G2 yesterday and also unfortunate.
You know, Sampias highest rated player for G2, going into the playoffs as a bad game.
Hunter had an incredible tournament up until that Spirit series where he dropped off in yesterday too.
So, just finding ways to be a bit more consistent and if you negate that fall off, I think perhaps they're still in the tournament.
I think it gets a bit harder for someone like Hunter when it is the macro game he's having to worry about
because focus will be off the crosshair, he's going to be worrying about moving his pieces,
maybe they're not communicating as well as they normally would, so he feels like he has to do more.
And then he kind of have the same level of individual output.
And he was an active player, right?
Like he was an lurker that was cool to just sit back, like he always wanted to do things,
wanted to take fights, wanted to be active, so now you have to do less of that,
to do more controlling of your teammates and callings, that's why it's an adjustment period.
Yeah, okay, and look, that's the matches in terms of the arena has been a good turn out the crowd was in that
Not a lot for them to cheer for in the second series because they are anti mouse apparently everywhere
That's just the state of the nation. I don't think we're ever gonna get past that today
It's gonna be a whole lot more exciting
We have a certain vitality and spirit gonna be in the building
But what I want to do JL put yourself now in your
Navi jersey close your eyes tell yourself back
You've won a quarter final game the matches ended you've done your postgame interviews. You've made the tweets
You're in the shuttle. You're on the way home within the next 24 hours before you play that semi-final. What happens?
I mean first of all just forgetting the win because some players really like focus on doing our one against this team and
This is a really good tournament for me
I just leave that behind and you focus on the next opponent and I feel like it should be done the same day not in the next 24
Hours just you want you go back to the shuttle
You do your tweets and then you focus on the next and you prep for your opponent
Do you VOD review that night? Do you look at the demo of the game?
You have to.
So that night?
Yes, you have to.
Is it individual? Is it with the coach? Is everyone in the room?
It depends when you finish the game. If you finish the game at like 11 p.m.
You're not going to go back into a VOD review.
But if you finish the game at like six, of course, you have to go back because
not double the amount of preparation you can do.
It just gives you confidence because now you know what you've done wrong
and you can move on fresh onto the next day.
OK, so let's say furious perspective.
You go back, you do VOD review.
All right. After that, are you
Starting already talking about the Vito, are you as a player just getting reps in, are you just deathmatching, are you going in the server working out what's up in days, what development from that point happens that night and then into the next day?
I mean personally I'm just responsible for my own performance, I don't really care what maps you play, as long as I feel sharp, I feel good as an individual, my mind's on the game, what's somewhere else, that's all you have to do.
The prep, leave it to Fallen, leave it to the coach, how do you just make sure you're in your comfort zone?
What was that for you? Was it just playing a lot of deathmatch or just chilling a little bit and relaxing?
For me, I always put in the work. I've deathmatched a lot, I've shot bots a lot, I was focused on my own game.
The hardest part for me was the mental part, because sometimes you can win a game, it was a tight game, but you were ass at the game.
Like, you are producing negative impact to your own team.
And that is the hardest part of looking past, because it's easy to just play your own game.
So, what I'm trying to say is, just focus on the next game.
Okay, so then the day of, what would Navi do? Would you guys all get up around the same time,
have team breakfast, or go for a walk? What about that?
I know I'm getting particular, but people want to know the nitty-the-gritty.
I mean, for us, straight up, morning walk, you have to get the active minutes in,
you have to get a breath of fresh air, kind of help you wake up,
and team breakfast, that builds chemistry, and yeah, and then afterwards,
we have a little mental break, not as a mental break, but mental prep.
So what we're going, we'll go with our psychologist, into a room, we do some exercises,
we do some mental aspects that might happen in the game.
So the psychologist coach speaks to Blade and be like,
what are we expecting for the game?
And she would put those points out for us,
And yeah, we'll do some visualisation and then afterwards, straight we go to map prep, we're prepping our mapping, maybe we're doing theirs.
That's about four hours with Blade.
Oh, yes.
I mean, if the games are like 7pm, I can guarantee you at 12, we're already working.
So you prefer to play the first game of the day so you can limit that.
Yes, yes.
We love to have first games of the day, just because the prep is not so much and you're
fresh into the game, you know what I mean?
So how are you prioritizing a good night's sleep, right?
If you just played an exciting game the day before, is it hard to sleep sometimes?
You know, you're getting like meditation drills, because sleep's a big one.
If you're not well rested, even what we're doing, we just talk.
But if you're not well rested, it's going to be tougher.
I mean, at first, for you to fall asleep, you have to be physically tired, mentally tired.
You cannot go to sleep if you're not tired.
So what I would try to do as a player, maybe have some physical exercise somewhere in between
the day, maybe after the match, who cares?
As long as you're tired, you'll be able to sleep if you don't have enough negative thoughts
going into bed.
But at first it was a real problem of not being able to fall asleep.
When I hit my first playoffs, I don't remember what tournament, but I do remember, whoa,
this is playoffs, this is an arena game.
I'm really excited and I look at the clock, it's like 4am and we have to be up at like 10am, I'm like, yo!
What are you doing? Go to sleep.
Yeah, I wanted to change the avenue here, chat a little bit, because I want to know vitality going up against Maus again.
Alright, vitality, the year that they've had, you guys had a tremendous year in 2024, but we see it throughout history,
like repeating that year, it's much harder, it's much harder to stay on top, so what are some of the big challenges
from your POV for Vitality to be the best team in 2026 too?
I mean the world for the top is always less hungry that the ones climbing the mountain if you know what I mean.
So just staying hungry. I know it's really hard. You've won so many trophies and how can you really
stay hungry when you win all these trophies? I guess the main focus would be to focus on
legacy and what they're going to leave behind because now we're comparing them to Astralis.
What about if they have one more year and we stop comparing them to Astralis and be like,
like, okay, Vitality, the greatest team of all time.
That should be the main focus.
That's what OJ said in the opening yesterday.
Now, he said, this is the best team that is,
but they want to become the best team there ever was.
And I think that's really nice,
because it is Australia, it is Italy in that Convo,
and that goal setting, you hear it,
okay, they can go for two grand slams.
No one's done that.
They can go for three consecutive majors.
There's a lot that they can do.
And I think that with the type of counter shot
they're playing, there's no reason
I don't see them taking down mouse today, right?
This head-to-head is the only problem.
It's a mind-gain head-to-head.
This will be their 12th head-to-head from 2025 going into 2026.
It's going to be their fifth time in a semi-final.
And I know Apex respects them.
Maybe the community don't, maybe we don't do so, they're oralists.
But they do play Polish Counter-Strike, they are a solid team.
And we are important.
Yes, okay, well, oh.
Got him.
Listen, I want to know, because this matchup feels very similar.
I mean very similar in terms of just the lack of rivalry they beat our ass every time like you guys versus g2
You know, so I think what makes it so one-sided is there's nothing about mouse on the server that makes
Vitality uncomfortable, right like it whatever they do every round you can see vitality. They're just always active
They're always making plays. No one is scared. No one is has a lack of confidence in that game
Do you agree with that? Do you think that's a fair comparison?
Oh, yeah, I 100% agree with that and I think that only only real advantage mouse having go going into the game
Is that the game's personal and when it's personal you put in more work
You you're more hyped so to say extra mentality just another team to beat to get to the trophy and for mouse
It's vitality the team that stopped them from getting so many trophies in 2025
So what I won't want to happen is that mouse take my talent is so serious
that they somehow managed to get to win and we see them lose again.
Spirit of the Cologne script.
The Cologne script again, right?
And that's the worry right there.
I think what the record right now is two to nine in terms of series,
but in the last season it's two to two.
Yes, so it's a bit more interesting if you look at it from that.
Yes, but one of those two games is a seeding game in Chengdu,
where then they played again in the semi and without to beat them.
So even in the same tournament,
like the one that matters out of all the games that they played
is the Cologne semi-final, right?
But it's an exception to the rule, really, when you look at the history.
So I know they're saying all these things to instill confidence in themselves.
Really, hey guys, actually we're two and two.
Don't think about the first nine times, right?
And that's what you have to do with your mouse.
But at the end of the day, they'll have to get it done on the server
and the players will have to do better than they have against Metallicy.
Well, this is the thing with mouse.
They talk the talk, just in the grand finals, they don't walk the walk.
That's like, no one is saying they're not a good team.
I think if anyone came out and said mouse up they would be lying that is not no one would say that this is a very solid counter strike team
Some strong pieces. It's just this it's not even stage fright
It's not living up to the occasion when we know that this is a consistent force and I look
I want to try and dive a little bit deeper here if we could because
When you play an opponent so many times
You learn a lot about them and the game is constantly evolving in a different way as opposed to an opponent that you don't play often
So are there any players that you played against that all the time who you knew he's gonna go for this type of pig
He's gonna stick to the fuse. He's always gonna fake was there anybody like that that you just always had a read on because of the amount
of head-to-head oh
I mean
Against G2. I knew when I play G2 and Nico was in G2 at that time
No matter how bad he felt about the game no matter how bad of a performance
He has or what's the head-to-head he will always go for the same confidence peaks where he would just
We mirrored a lot of positions. He would always try to go and duel me, but I mean in the end
I feel like I came out not I feel I know I came out on top on many duels
But in the next round he would still go and do the same thing because he feels like that's right
He never saw a fight he didn't like an equal I
Yeah, I don't know
But you definitely start to get a feel for the tone of an opponent or the tempo of an opponent
you have a good like you're playing ahead of like well I did this last time
their adjustment is going to be this my adjustment needs to be this sometimes
that's very negative yeah yes in 2024 I remember I was
I'm gonna glaze myself a little bit I was one of the best ancient players and
multiple pro players came out and said that's a man like okay I'm the best
ancient be player so for sure people are watching me what I'm doing let me
switch it up. And then I switch it up and I'm assed. All of a sudden I'm like, and like
some players don't even care what you do on the map. They're like, I'm going to play
my own stuff. I'm going to do what the team says. I'm going to do what we prep. I'm not
even going to go into the intricacies of beating you on your side. And that's what kind of
led me to not trusting in my ancient base site is because I kept switching things up.
I kept failing and maybe I should have just stuck to what I know and to what I trust and
just keep doing that.
Overthinking the thing, sometimes prepping too much, right?
That's one of the problems.
If all your players are always watching their opponent
and then they prep their game style for that
and then they're no longer playing their game style,
they lose their identity.
And I had it happen in my ancient history days.
We prepped for Gamba.
This is about when it was like Dozier Hooch.
And we were like, okay, they always approach Pop Dog like this.
And Azza prepared for that and they didn't do it.
And he threw him out of the whole game.
And it was like, we prepped for something that never happened.
And that's the balance you have to be able to strike.
Yeah, absolutely, and talking a bit about the Furia Spirit game,
there was a lot of talk about the preparation Navi did for the Furia quarter-final game at the major,
right, and how Furia maybe got a little bit outplayed in that department,
and I think that's something they'll keep an eye on for this series, right?
Maybe do a bit more self-scouting, make sure that they don't have any obvious tendencies at the moment.
They were also making changes in terms of position and everything, so they could stay up on top,
but I know how you guys feel, I'm probably leaning towards Fury a little bit in that game.
Okay, look, obviously the dunk factor, that's where the analysis almost starts and starts with Spirit,
but it's still a relatively new team, right? Who have you got? You think it's Fury, you think it's Spirit?
I honestly think it's a 50-50 game. I know a lot of people hold Spirit as their favorites, but
I don't know, for me, it's like a 50-50 game. Whoever shows up, whoever has the best mental
resilience, or whoever's gonna put their foot on the gas and not stop and don't look back,
I think that's the team that's going to come out on top because in terms of CS, they're pretty similar teams.
I mean, of course, they don't have dunk, and I feel like they're both very versatile,
and they can change things up in the middle of the game, and if they manage to do that, that team is going to come out on top.
Of course, you're starting to warm into things, right? They're looking better and better.
Yesterday was a nice little taste test.
While we go against Aurora, who might have a bit of stage fright, we get a, I'm going to call it a free win,
but a win where the pressure might not be as high as it would be otherwise.
You acclimatize yourself, you get setter, and you go, this is what we do.
Because the tail ender last year, this was the team going into the Major,
who you were like, oh, Vitality might actually have some competition.
And Furia felt very much in the zone, you know, regardless of how Aurora played,
I think they played on a really, really high level as a team.
And of course, Cacerato also had a great series individually,
and I think it was very important for Furia to have that extra game in the play-offs on the stage,
right, because it does feel like at some point during this tournament,
coming into stage 2 they were turning a corner right even at bounty it was shaky you know losing
maps in all their wins but seems like along the way they're figuring things out in regards to the
map pool too and that's what you want you want to get better with each game in your within the
tournament and for your form to rise all right boys we're about to wrap this one up but I want
to ask a question it's not who do you think will be the grand final it's who do you want to be the
the grand final. I want Furia Vitality. I think that will give us the best game probably
and the closest final if we get to it. Okay, what about you? I have to agree. 100% the
crowd favors both teams, so it's going to be a really nice atmosphere in the crowd because
if you go for Vitality Spirit then you know the crowd is going to be one-sided and it's
not that it's going to be unfair, it's just that it's going to be not as interesting if
you know what I mean. Okay, so you're back on the entertainment angle. That's what we
want to say well gentlemen thank you very much for your time. Well Yanco I
want it to be spirit versus vitality I'm going to grand slam angle right there's
a lot to dive into with that I'm gonna throw that on over and hear what they
have to say regarding the ESL Grand Slam. The ESL Grand Slam one of the most
coveted achievements in all of esports and in our playoffs there are three
teams vying for it with spirit vitality and fury are all already with a knock on
on that record but isn't it incredible Peter you as a winner yourself that vitality already
completed an ESL Grand Slam and they're now vying for their second.
It's absolutely incredible you know it's also something that's on the speaking cast for
themselves you know it's something that you want to achieve because winning a Grand Slam
for the second time that would be historic and you know they love to go for the history
achievement so they're looking like doing it I think it's a team that actually is also
capable of doing so it's going to be exciting to see.
crazy right that they have that special aura make me a case for furia then they
of course very victorious in Chengdu but they have to win of course one of the
championship level events as well could this be the one I think that furious are
very interesting you know it's a team that has picked up the pace from from last
year now going into this one being a championship event that they have to
actually get before they can be in that conversation of actually winning the
Grand Slam so now they are they're picking up pace and I think if they win this one
you know they will have multiple chances really getting this championship event
under their belt would help them also clinching their chances.
True, and finally we have Spirit of course taking Cologne last year.
They are in a good position, but it seems like the future is uncertain, right?
Is this tournament really a make or break for them?
I think with the new team that Spirit is, I still think that there's a lot we still need to learn about them.
I think for their sake, you know, they still have the call.
I wanted Cologne, so they're still in concession of winning the Grand Slam.
And looking now, the fact that they've already gotten that championship title under their belt,
They just need to win the other three ones, right?
So they're looking good, I mean,
and a team that has strong in the team
will always be able to do some really good damage.
So for Spirit to also be in the category,
just having three out of the four,
fighting out for 12 years, that's quite amazing.
It is, but what does your gut tell you?
I'm fairly certain that Vitality is the one.
I used to say it's a safe choice, right?
I think that Vitality, they're only a very established team.
They had a very incredible season as of last one.
And I think they're just, they're trying to replicate it.
and they're trying to make it even better.
So I wouldn't, I would put my money on Vitality.
Yeah, it looks like an unbelievable feat,
but if any team can do it, it is Vitality.
Thank you so much.
And now let's hear what Harry and Hugo have to say.
Some players have the dream of walking these steps
on their way to lift the trophy,
but me, Hugo, my fantasy, it's a little different.
We're checking in with our fantasy draft teams from Colex.
How's yours looking and who have you got?
I got Flames, Donky, Kingdom Mouse,
I'm feeling pretty good Harry. I said it was a plus W team. They delivered yesterday some of them at least
We're gonna finally see flames and don't take to the server today
And you were clowning on my teneur pick, but it's looking pretty good if spirit ought to be fewer today. Okay, okay
See my roster. I've called them Falcons to
Kind of the sequel to Falcons bigger and better bigger and better. I have flames. I have donk
I have mollydoy. I have Zai Wu and I have mezzie bit of British beef to round it out now
currently I only have 15 points I've 33 points yeah okay guys again look I
falcons can't afford to take another L so what I'll say is this Falcons 2 off to
a slow start but that's because Hugo only one of my guys played Molladoy
yesterday wasn't really a game massively about him right instead we were
looking at K Serato who played out of his mind in that series I think the other
four are gonna rack up some serious mileage today though I'm about to overtake
you. I like the confidence Harry but I'm gonna have more teams come those grand finals if things
keep up for me so more players in my team so you better watch out okay I got more points I got more
players I got more W more firepower what have you got. Whole W to win that's really that's that's
yeah bro orbs get the most kills other than that one rifle who we all know. And I had him too by the
way donkeys on the field. He's a bit of both. Either way, I'm not feeling too worried, Harry.
I'm believing in my Taneer pick. You can keep believing in whatever the hell you've done,
and we'll have to see how it turns out with the end of the semi-final. So,
make your own fantasy team, ColossalGG, for slash fantasy.
Hi, this is Basement Dwellers first advertisement and our second drop is it's up actually if
you're seeing this it's up it's available on the ESL shop.
I had a first go at a jacket and I'm really proud of it.
I've always had an interest in clothes but you know seeing behind the scenes how the
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So yeah, that's my advert.
I'm gonna try again.
I'm gonna record another one.
It starts with a dream, with a team you barely know,
and an amateur official that feels like the grand final,
where practice becomes progress,
and every loss feels like a lesson.
When will your journey begin?
Hi, I'm Henry.
Henry G. Graham, new general manager for Team Falcons.
And today, I'm going to give you a peek behind the curtain as I build a Colossus on Colossus' new fantasy mode.
We're going to kick things off with a triple pickup.
Kisuke, Monosie, Niko, my boys, welcome to the team.
And I'm biased.
Sue me.
So...
Daniel is a person friend of mine.
Not being mad.
Seems the site has a technical error.
Cut!
Right.
You've, you've gone over budget.
What do you mean, gone over budget?
It's fantasy, right?
The idea is you build a team within your means.
Well, that's not very realistic, is it?
Look, it's classic fantasy.
You can pick any player within reason.
And you can build your roster.
The best part with Colex, you can win actual prizes.
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
That's all great, but one question.
This budget thing.
If I'm maxed out, how am I going to afford S-Attack?
What?
Can't build a colossus without S-Attack.
Furia is playing Spirit and they had a fantastic opening game yesterday here in Cracow.
I've got their coach here with me.
It was your birthday so congratulations and how happy were you with the performance for
your birthday?
I was very happy.
I was worried because it was my first match during my birthday, it was the first time
for me playing a game on my birthday and I was kind of worried because we have been
struggling a little bit and arena games for us, it can be either a hear me, we can either
feel the vibes of the arena and embrace it and make our game even stronger or we can
feel the nerves a little bit.
But I think yesterday we had maybe the perfect day, I would say.
It seems like it.
Have you identified then what it is that makes these days different?
Because we know that Furia can be fantastic on the big stage.
I feel like whenever we are confident in the preparation that we made, we come into the
game ready to just use our strengths and then believe in each other and ready to just have
a good time on the stage and being the best teammate we all can.
And I think that's what happened.
Speaking of preparation yesterday versus Aurora, it was a magical game to watch from your side.
Also, kind of the fake outs and the strats that were evolving in front of our eyes,
are you kind of happy with the level of that?
Because it isn't just about what you prepare right before, it's how you can adapt.
Yeah, 100%. I'm very happy because it's not only the set strats that we are going to do.
A lot of it depends on how the players are going to interact between themselves
and how they're going to understand the rounds, because every round is different.
We don't know what they're doing on the other side, but we need to adapt, like you said.
And that takes a lot of understanding of the game and of the situations on yesterday.
We did that close to perfection.
It's true.
It almost seems like you say it was so perfect, it was so great.
Can that happen twice?
I mean, it's spirit today.
I hope so, I hope so.
We've had crazy arena games back to back.
For example, the tournaments that we won last year, we just kept rolling on the good game
that we started arena with.
And maybe we can do the same, but I mean, it all depends on how much of the same energy
we're going to bring into the stage today.
We can definitely do it.
We have proven to everyone that we can do it.
And I think it's down to us sitting there and doing our work properly.
Final question, K. Serato had a wonderful day on the server yesterday, and he's always
been a great player.
It's just sometimes it feels like he hasn't had the right circumstances, right?
What can you tell me about his, I don't want to say growth because he's always been great,
the fact that he can show it now consistently.
First of all, he promised me as my birthday that he would have a crazy game, so thanks.
And then secondly, I think he's been improving, because when you're very good, it's hard for
you to keep finding the places that you have to improve in our game.
But the work that we are doing right now, trying to adapt all the roles, a lot of feedback
has been given to him in terms of, hey, these are already good at, but you can do this even
better.
So with him it's more of identifying the areas that he can still grow because he's a very
good player and we have been giving him a lot of feedback and he's been taking them
very good.
Lovely, thank you so much and good luck.
Thanks.
I'm here with Taneer and it is a spirit taking on Furia and a semi-final Taneer.
How are you finding the stage atmosphere?
I'm fine, I'm very enjoyed, it's very beautiful arena and I saw a lot of fans also come for
for Team Spirit. I very enjoy and glad to see everyone.
Let's talk about that loss in Overpass 13A to G2. Let's talk a little about that T side. What happened?
I think it's only about their style. They was very freedom on the CT side and they played very aggressive.
They didn't usually play and for us it was a little bit hard against them. But we don't care.
Yeah, we just fixed it after this match our mistakes and how we can change our style in doing the match for future matches and that's it.
Because it seemed like and I think statistically it looks like they outdid you guys in first kills across the series by like a good margin.
It would help to get some of those, right?
Yeah, I saw stats, like they had maybe double more entry frags than us team, our team.
And for real, I think it's only about their style, because they were very aggressive and very freedom.
They easily found entry frags.
But we have one more clutches, it's more important.
It's very true, the clutches winning the rounds win the game.
Speaking of the game today, can you describe the fury that you're about to play against?
On tier one, it's on Arena, it's first match for me against Furia, but I think it's a very strong team.
They can play very good and they can surprise us, but we are ready for today's match and we don't care what they want to do because we are stronger.
Big smile on your face here, tell the Arena hello.
Arena, hello!
Thank you very much.
The Intel Extreme Masters Crack-Op 2026 brought to you by ESL in partnership with Intel,
Acer Predator,
DHL,
Zowell,
and City of Fackle.
of the game. It's semifinal
Saturday here at the infel Extreme
Masters crack off and the arena
is certainly heating up spirit
one of two to be securing a
fast pass to the top four and
now on the hunt to recreate the
and spirit not to be underestimated.
Fourier on the other side of things,
already well acclimated to this arena,
dulling the fire of Aurora without breaking a sweat.
The trophy that now got away inches ever closer to Fallen's grasp.
We are live from the Desk, but another day of playoffs in Poland.
And over my years of being on the Desk,
I think I've observed a few things that teams simply cannot live without.
Firstly, that is having a key closer.
Somebody to have a calm hand, reliable in so many high pressure situations.
of course, it's the first ever
see us to major winner and MVP JL.
Of course, you need a man with a
wealth of experience as well, and
that is embodied by debris. So
many accolades to his name. So
many years of wisdom playing at
the top, the most decorated
Counter Strike player of all time.
And then, of course, you need the
man who is going to be uniting his
team together. The man has coached
so many of the names that will go
down in Counter Strike history,
to win. But unfortunately Xtaz was preoccupied with the current for the game, the third versus
now. So we rolled out our old fateful, didn't do the Yankee. Oh man. I was wondering where
this is going. Well, this cannot end well for me. So the setup was great. Yes, I'm just happy to be
here. Thank you to make a wish foundation one more time. And yeah, excited to see how it goes
in semifinal Saturday. This is going to be a very exciting semifinal. I don't want to distract
from that spirit taking on Furia. Tell me why JL, you're so excited to see this one go down.
I'm so excited because a lot of people hold spirit as the favorite to win against Furia,
but I think it's the complete opposite. I feel like it's the most 50-50 game that you can get,
and it will all boil down to who has the capabilities of not stopping and not looking back.
I really feel like this narrative is created that DONG is on spirit. I think everyone is looking
at how DONG is performing, and everyone expects this kind of crazy performance from you, because
He does that like 90% if not 95% of the time and I think that that usually creates a narrative that you want to be cheering for the guy that just shoot hardest and that is without a dunk in this situation but I agree with you I think Fjord is a team that is, I wouldn't say, being underestimated in a big margin but it's a team that's a little bit overlooked in this semifinal if you compare to two.
Just that Donk is a bit of a cheat code, right, and always gives you a chance to win games, especially in MR12, right?
Maybe Spirit, people having too high expectations, you know, they made a couple of big changes.
Magik's first time is the IGL, Widesontic's sure back on the team in his role,
but he's been away from tier one counter strike for a little while, and they had a great start with this lineup,
but this is where they get
truly tested for the first time, it feels like.
I want to say easy one. They made it look easy in the group stage.
There was actually one map where Donk went missing,
and that was the map of the Los Versus G2.
I want to dive into some of the intricacies of this one, though.
Dupri, what are you looking out for in this matchup?
I think it's important from the furious side
that they need to try and figure out how they can make spirit move.
I think it's about making, playing this chaotic playstyle
that they can sometimes showcase.
And I have a specific round that I want to be showing you guys,
where I really feel like that the Furia situation is really coming into play.
And everything is just, from the get-go, we do see the two smokes landing middle.
That's like very normal.
The lancer like, obviously for the top mid one, and then...
I'm gonna have to paint again here.
Like the top mid, and we have it for window.
And once these two smokes land, that's, you know, they're trying to create the distraction
of how many people have actually got to be in mid.
And you can see the two players, in case you're out of multiple,
they are throwing a lot of flashbangs in mid.
They're creating this idea that there are actually more players around here.
But what you have to pay attention to is actually the fact that Giggandize here,
He's going to be extinguishing the molly and what that's going to tell for the guys playing on the 8 bombsite is that something is happening and it's happening fast.
And Fuhrer they're literally not slowing down. Right now you do see the Molotov that's also going to be put onto Firebox here. It's going to be extinguished by Soulfly.
Then moving on, it's literally just about the fact that Fuhrer is creating chaos everywhere. We have a guy flashing, falling, flashing off ramp.
We have Molotov coming up from connector. Would you have Keisaratu looking up towards Catwalk and it's this A-Split that's happening within the first 25 seconds of the round creating full chaos.
full chaos and the guy that is actually getting the most out of this round is
actually going to be Yuri. He's going to come out of Palace. Kills Sancharis in the
side, steps out and kills Soulfly as well. Just from this massive distraction that
the Fury has created and I really think that this is a really good example of
what I would love to see from the Fury side. They need to have spirit make
decisions, they need to make them uncomfortable and they need to make
sure that everything is working in their favor and I think that is a great way
to doing. I'm curious during this when they have the momentum, when they're
playing their best counter-track. They can also fall back, play more default and play
more in the structure way, but I think this could be a game plan for them.
There's just so much pressure at the same time, right? It's a fast A-split from spawn,
but if you're mid, okay, KKSR was pushing through the smoke, they're running in,
A guys are playing fast, Aurora didn't do much in terms of blocking with the smoke,
so sort of give themselves an easier time, but Furia was absolutely lights out yesterday.
I mean, they were running circles around Aurora, really.
100%. I love that you bring up this example, but it isn't just one trick that,
How about this leaves right jail use of something from this very map versus Aurora, but it shows a little bit of a different light
What you got for us? I mean first of all furious or versatile look
They're gonna throw they're gonna throw three mid smokes to fake mid control
But they're not gonna throw anything else no flashes no motors
And now I was thinking wait is that maybe a fake and then fallen doesn't see you till just smoke bench Molly stairs
Flash and that buys a shadow guy which kind of denies all the information
When it pops, boom.
And now look at the side of Aurora.
Three of you guys are pulling towards A, and this allows, you can see Voxic move,
and this allows Yakendar and the boys to walk up slowly cat, and as soon as the flash pops on A,
they're running out and they're going to catch Major off guard,
and this kind of allows them to manipulate with the rotations of their opponents,
and you can see two guys in B, but it's very chaotic.
The comms for aura are not going to be there and these are the sort of rounds I really want Fiora to play in Arena
because these are the rounds that actually win you the games.
And it's really like these types of scenarios, these types of situations that I think the Fiora needs to be pulling out of their heads
because they need to make sure that Spirit is constantly in the down of where they're actually going to be hit.
They also need to make sure that they need to make decisions and they also need to go into a situation where they need to be cautious about everything
because if you just allow Spirit to just always control the pace, control where they know that they get the info
just play out this passive style that they rely specifically on the CT style, then they
will just slowly like squeeze you out and they will like make sure that they're always
in the right place.
And that's why they are really good because if you can force them into uncomfortable situations,
that's where this drug is going to start.
Yeah, 100%.
I think even with Spirit, that's going to be a tough one to be reading, right?
From the other side of things though, Professor Hanovich, what have you observed about the
e-philosophy?
I think it's interesting talking about Spirit moving in rotations, right?
Because I think they've had a little bit of a tendency.
Tendency, we talk about conditioning opponents, right?
Spirit seems to have become a team that just refuses to be conditioned.
I don't think we'll see Anubis today, but this is from their game on Anubis against G2, right?
In the first gun round, the important thing here is to focus on the radar.
They leave mid a lot, like they left mid almost throughout this half.
They're at the very beginning, now they move away, they're going to play two towards A, three towards B, right?
G2 is trying to go for a sort of a quick contact play.
Zontics does a great job of holding it down, Tanir comes back, right, first gun round,
they're just going to mop up here and win fairly easily.
So you go a little bit later to the second gun round really in this game,
and G2 made an adjustment here, they took a timeout, right, they're taking their time,
again, focus on the radar, you will see that they're more passive towards mid one more time,
so they're not utilizing at all this new window, trying to make plays around it,
You know, they're fine with giving space to their opponents.
That's why Magik, when they lose mid, he tries to make a play, dies, 5v4.
G2 does a great job of exploiting exactly, you know, the space in mid, they split through camera.
Even though it gets a bit labors and good shots from Shiro,
rounds end up being maybe closer than it's supposed to be, but G2 gets their first gun round, right?
So following this, you're thinking,
okay, Spirit surely is going to focus more on mid and fight for mid.
No, it's the exact same opening again, right?
two guys towards A, mid is being watched passively by the third player, two players towards B2,
and G2 is going for an aggressive PK, expecting, right, Moon mid-folk, expecting A to B weaker
now, but it's not, and I think this is something that you need to keep in mind of if you're
furious that if you expect Spirit to change, doesn't mean that necessarily do so in situations
like this, you know, double calling can be very powerful, whether the round works or
not, you know, if they're going to be stubborn, you have to be stubborn as well.
The stubbornness is something that is part of the mind games when you have the coaches and they can be making a game plan
But also when they need to change the game plan when the inside the game
And it's something that can be something to feel like you can be stupid because you just keep doing the same call over and over again
But you know if you if you constantly want to be trying to be a couple of steps ahead of your opponent
It could be a really good way of going. I think the whole stubbornness is
Maybe it's gonna hunt or hurt maybe spirit in this one because they are a team that
usually just likes to play the passive style, you just mentioned a couple good
examiner where they just stick to what they feel like is in their comfort zone
and instead of changing up things or trying to make something aggressive or
try you know really scoot or try to get like this perfect grip they're relying
on the backbone of their playbook and how they want to play and I think that
is something that is potential for our future champions. Yeah it's a
really interesting observation from both sides of the coin I think you know
there's no guarantees of exactly how this will play out I think one guarantee
though Nyanco is probably gonna show up to this stage it's very
rare to see him missing a group stage, I'm very least in an arena side, right?
Absolutely so, it's only against the very best of things where he struggles and it's more so
because they focus a lot on him. I mean he gets harassed when he's taking map control,
there's a lot of utility being used against him, you know teams have become very cognizant of
not giving him any gifts, right? If you're equing go away from Don. Don't let him build up that confidence
and he will still find ways to make impact, that's just how good he is, he'll still be on Benes,
but if you can somewhat minimize that, you know, if other guys don't get into their groove,
that's the recipe for success against Peri.
He's really one of those few players that we have in Counter-Strike that can just
flip a game on his head, you know, turn things around just only by doing that thing, and as
you mentioned, it's all about the utility, it's all about me making him uncomfortable, and that is
also why I want to revert to what I said earlier that if you can make his team
players or even himself doubt himself or at least put him in position where he's
uncomfortable where he doesn't get this he doesn't get to be the one that
actually picks the duel he's the one that actually put inside uncomfortable
duels that could put down in a situation that he's probably been in before but at
least where he's not feeling as comfortable to go out for these fights.
Did you guys on Na'Vi ever manage to master the art of making Donk feel uncomfortable?
We had a simple rule do not face Donk or Niko always flash him always molly him
and if you're gonna face him do it as two sometimes it's free because if he has an AK I'm pretty sure he's killing two
No matter how well you face him if there's no flash he's gonna kill one kill the second one. I'm probably
Do half each beat the other guy so never face him
I feel like it would be unfair to do a comparison from the furrier side of equation for this
So let's skip to the all pink discussion because it's quite the contrast. I mean look at Molotov and Shiro, right?
Yeah, two completely different play styles, right Molotov being an aggressive upper going for a lot of open
opening, liking the re-peak to very flamboyant, and Shiro on the other side, a safe pair of hands.
Much more passive, doesn't go for aggressive plays very often, if at all, but incredible at clutching.
You know, when he's left alive at the end of these rounds, that's where he has the most impact for Team Spirit.
That's exactly what I think is Shiro's dream, so whether why he works, why his plays that actually works inside the Spirit team,
that when Dunk and Magix or Sonsix, wherever it goes for these aggressive,
they're like the door kickers of the team.
Like they go in, they open up the door, and then they will open the floodgates.
That's where Shiro, that's where he starts to perform.
That's where he becomes even better, whether that's with an AWP,
pistols, or an AK, that's where he really, really thrives.
And it is so important to look at the dynamics of the team,
that you have the guys that will create the space,
and you also have the ones that are really good at closing out the round.
He's like rubs on mentality, obviously rubs is a rifle in this case,
but a guy that is just so good at closing out rounds,
playing the x-weaver, just understanding the game in a very different level.
And I think that is why Shiro is so good.
He's just so good at holding the lines, being in nuisance.
And you know he's there.
And sometimes it's even if you know he's there,
it's actually hard to do something about it
because he's just so good at understanding the situations.
You're giving a lot of logic as to why Shiro kind of plays a small passive star.
But tell us, Shanko, you want him to be a little bit more aggressive, just occasionally?
Yeah, I do.
Just so that he puts it on the demo for the opponents to watch, right?
So they have to be somewhat concerned and maybe expend more utility when they're taking map control, right?
You want to be just a bit more unpredictable.
For me, all I always say, the beauty of Counter Strike is there's nothing that cannot be countered.
The key is just to get the information, right?
There's no unbeatable play, there's no unbeatable setup.
Just having the information and then countering it, that's what's key.
And you get a lot, you have almost all information on Shiro how he's going to play and where he's going to be in rounds.
Speaking of key info, maps are rolling in.
Is there an opportunity for any kind of curve holes to come out in this one, do you think?
I mean, we've had the discussion, we've been talking and showing some examples of Anubis,
whether that's going to be in the map or that's going to be like the big question.
I think it's for the Furious side, they are obviously looking to go in a path where they're feeling extremely comfortable
and it's also knowing that this type of game, it's a big game against Spirit and they do actually go with Mirage and others.
So the exams that we've shown right now maybe come into play where Furious can take things into their direction
And I think that for the Spirit side, going for those two makes a hell of a lot of sense, you know
It's a map that they just want to be picking multiple times
They feel it should be comfortable on it
It's where they can really also just play this passive style of playing default-ish and from the third one going into Nuke
I think that might actually place into the if they can go to the third
I think this is a case of Fury because they look extremely well on Nuke
It's a place where they haven't made many changes, but a place where they've also mentioned themselves that they look very comfortable
So a map pool right now that that could speak for a third one
I really dislike this veto for Fury, I mean, they're in a tricky position because they're searching for themselves sort of again and figuring out and then Mirage is great in the last couple of games, they beat Navi, they beat Aurora yesterday and Astralis and so on, right?
But if you look at Spirit, you're giving them Mirage, like for a new team to play what, smoke top mid, smoke window, let's pop A, right? Don't run out, kill people, like, I think something like Overpass would have been way better, you know, where you have to make them work for map control,
make them work makes it a lot more difficult and then also for them to veto Anubis
That makes very easy for spirit to veto overpass and leave nuke as a third
I think they had to have take a risk veto nuke and then be ready for an Ubers if it's the third
Well, thank you gentlemen so much for your thoughts either way
It is time to truly open the show and kick off semi-final Saturday
That is one of the most impressive ones you'll ever see.
That's what it is all about.
Don't give up your life!
Those competing today were inspired by those who came before them.
Now it is their turn.
This kid is the real deal!
The combined of what's possible being brought into question.
A second long pursuit, realized!
The curse crushed!
2025 is this!
They're gonna be sorry they were ever born.
Who?
All of them.
You can't make it with Rage, you can't make it with Infrared.
Well, here we go!
Intellect Stream Masters 2026, here in Krakow, a question, who's ready for Counter-Strike?
Oh, yeah, our second day here in our new home, this fabulous stadium, the same trophy, but
what a great new place.
Yesterday, we got it simmering nicely.
Today, well, it's gonna be lit!
Oh! Now I'm feeling excited.
What have we got for you? We have got two semifinals today.
Four teams that want to get one step closer to this trophy, to have their names in history.
A trivial agree is becoming a bit of a classic, maybe the classic.
What of those teams? Well, one wants to win.
One can win, one should win, one expects to win.
But which one is it? Who's going to win here today?
Alright, well, let's get these teams out.
First to walk out to this stage.
Please welcome, it's Team Spirits.
Two years ago we were still learning how good dunk can be.
They lifted this trophy.
They want to do it again this year, but standing in their way is the team.
Please welcome here to the tower on Isfuria.
He's won everything before and has never won this trophy, this is his last chance, knowing
him who knows, but they want to get stuck in, this is our first semi-final here, Toro.
We know what's coming and as I said yesterday the energy was good, the noise was good, let's take it up a notch so who is winning this first match up?
Tower on 11,000 people! Is it Team Spirit?
Is it Fiora?
One more time! Is it Fiora?
Is it Fiora?
You know what it's time for, it's time to get it off!
underestimate JL the pressure that both these teams are feeling on this stage.
I mean on one hand we have Furia, a team that thrives in chaos, a team that is
looking to get back to their old form. On the other hand we have Spirit, eager to
prove that this is the roster that will actually win them trophies. For either
team, they should not be just another opponent to get closer to the trophy. They
have to take this match seriously. Both teams have the ability to snowball the
game if your head is not where it's supposed to be. This match is going to be
all about mental strength, whoever puts the foot on the gas and doesn't look back will come out on top.
All teams are in the prize in the cup and both teams looking to go into this grand final where
they potentially hope to face up a tally that they're on this good king of counter strike.
All teams also trying to make the case to make their way forward for the ESL Grand Slam where
there's a lot on the line, a lot of prestige, a lot of things that the teams can still go to achieve.
It's something that we will be looking forward to and it's a game that will bring high-altitude
counter-attack, good plays, individual plays, and it's a point where you might need to throw the
playbook out of the window.
Xavi is the head that wears the crown. Last year, towards the end of Atfuria, the best team in
the world crumbled under the bright lights of that stage in Budapest, looking to prove to us
that they can still be one of the world's best and on the other side, spirits who are just
great at ruining other people's dreams. You know, just when you count them out like people
did in Cologne, they go all the way, they lift the trophy. Shanghai at the end of 2024, and
They made some roster changes, but a team with Don can never be counted out,
and they'll be looking for another grand final here today.
But when you look at the side of Furia, right, this is one of the trophies that has
evaded Fallen throughout his career. Sure, for Don, it happened in the first year that
he actually took to the stage, but for Furia, this is one they want to get their hands on.
Absolutely. It's one of the biggest ones we have in the calendar. It's the start of the year.
You want to kick it off with the bang. You want to show that that just wasn't a fever dream
that month last year that you can still be the best team in the world.
Two generations, one common goal achieved by Donk in his rookie year,
yet hunted by Fallen for 14.
The race to the trophy in Krakow begins now.
One step closer towards that classic Counter-Strike trophy.
A championship older than some of the players on this very stage.
An all too familiar feeling for Team Spirit, former victors looking to reclaim their title.
I guess a furia that had proven you cannot write them off.
As Donk deny a Molotoy another grand final, or will Fallen show magics that experience must be earned.
We've been denied this head-to-head on LAN for nine months.
So crack off! It's time to get some answers! It is time for a semi-final!
Both these teams have a big point to prove.
Hope for the case of Molledoy, this is one where he feels like it's personal.
You're dead on nine months ago at his debut tournament, Ali Kazakstar, denied the right
Play that final in front of his home crowd by this spirit squad
Only new faces to near since then as far as Molotov is concerned and I want him coming in feeling fired up
Magic's gonna be the first guy in the feed in this pistol round
Uriak, I'll get the bomb down and they're gonna be left scrapping for this control out towards the spawn
Deep smoke, just don't beat it
Can't play ahead of it, Donk.
Canceled out, Fallen actually playing up close with them.
Up to some tricks around this smoke.
So now the dust settles on that CT fight, and you're still not through.
There's still more fighting left here.
Kindar, Keisarato set up in this post plan.
Smoke on the bomb, and Tamia starts to close in.
And Kindar with a swing and a miss out from the wrap side.
And Keisarato has been spammed down.
Seconds left on this D-Fuse, going to be a close one to start things up with Spirit.
Playing it to the extremities, playing it to the margins.
The limit of the clock, they get through with the pistol.
Shocking, they do it, sure, a 5v4, but they get locked out of spawn there.
Very close, too close for comfort, Spirit pick it up.
Pistol rounds have been the way to go for Spirit in this tournament,
and the seconds have just been unstoppable.
This is a team that, despite struggles in some pistols,
have not lost to a force by so far in Krakow.
Surely they don't kick that off in a semi-final.
Gonna see if Uriak can be the first team to do it,
as they will come through with this force in the second.
Donk is immediately up to his usual antics here,
getting aggressive out towards mid.
You know he's gonna be having a battle against you, Kindar.
You've seen how this guy's not afraid
to go for the midfights either.
This takes something. Faster catwalk. Make it look like B before Furia explode into that A site. They catch a player off guard.
I think that a double. Fallen running in, causing problems for Spirit. Might be up for the task.
Bomb control, planted, and rifles handed to Furia. Are they really better armed?
What is it? They cut Molotov's birdshare around.
For Fallen out towards Spawn, Round 2 alive here, Magic's ganked at the first turn around that corner.
And Zodzix can't do this!
There it is!
It's too low!
Flurry and Breakthrough early, that's the first loss to the Force Vise for Spirit, all tournament low!
And it happens right away to start the semi-final!
Save is all he can muster.
And that's not the sign Spirit want.
In fact, we look at some of their best events, some of the trophies they lifted.
Canavisa 2024.
Spirit in those events never lost against Force Buys.
Had 100% conversion after pistols.
So Furia already throwing something into the mix.
Making this start a mirage a little more difficult than anticipated.
a fury of map pick. Desk worried about whether it would be too easy for this new spirit, apparently not.
Still the chance for this one to have a truly wild battle before opening those scenes. Some disgusting force by rounds.
Had a spirit in the tournament. Some of their 5-7s hitting hard. Magic's always in threat with this gun.
has opened in this round. Fallen's been in cryptidite up until now, killed him both times.
The rounds one and two and so getting one back. They're lying. I knew they were lying.
Kaserot on the desk yesterday said, oh, we missed this window smoke by accident. We just happened
to miss it round after round. They used it to find picks. They used it to catch players
under, playing the bench, trying to one-way them. Furia, you're telling me they missed it again?
I don't think so
I'm gonna use that mid smoke to their advantage spirit get a bit of a gamble going 5v4 they read this right
Gonna pass magics huge step in the right direction the donkey's still in the right place on this rightful
Gonna get out of the round fury a breakthrough the stack no problems
And JL said to deal with Donk, you've got to put multiple players against him.
How about the whole team, Furia jumping out of apartments and converting with ease?
Almost ashamed to see you don't see Donk on an A4 very much, if at all, dropped over.
And only one.
Furia start their semi-final strong.
So, these are two teams who, you know, I like having them play each other a lot in nine months
since they last went up against each other online.
So, there's not that huge degree of familiarity.
They've both been in their vacuums working.
Yeah, I think one of the difficulties for Furia is when they played the Master of Astana
as a new Furiaer, of course, but they still beat them in a map in that series.
It was trained, of course, now removed, no longer exploitable.
For many teams here at this tournament, ours included.
And so Furia going for Mirage, but man, then Mirage has looked lights out.
Game yesterday, just dragging Aurora into all the wrong places.
And that's kind of an interesting talking point though, because right at the door of the tournament,
I was saying in interviews how they don't feel comfortable on this map,
they've been on a bit of a losing streak, they finally break through here in Krakow,
and through getting so many reps in here, on Mirage,
it's gone back to being a bit of a favourite for Furia,
feeling like they've just got a lot of recent playing experience at this tournament.
They found their comfort again on Mirage.
so much fun. I mean we have Mirage and Dust and we have Donk in both those games like it's gonna be a
wild match here for Furia. Win or loss they're gonna have to work for it today.
Looking at this B-split spirit on the wrong end of the map. So a third round is brewing here for Furia.
Oh, catching Zontics through the smoke. Donk trying to spam, whittled down.
They're gonna catch one guy by surprise, doesn't get out with the kill though, they all belong to Furia!
AK would be nice, and it has some Kevlar, maybe run away.
Donk's begging for it right now, give me that gun.
And Furia know the value by the way, they don't even rush top yet, they've gone straight for Palace and Ramp.
They all focus on taking this weapon away.
Yeah, if there's one team out there you really want to remove this gun from, it's Team Spirit.
Just deny, Donk, the ability to play with his weapon of choice.
Look, we've not seen a proper rifle and rifle round yet in this game,
but this is all the makings of a strong start for Furia.
They've done their job, and they've done it very well.
Building money, back-to-back four alive rounds, removing the save.
Team Spirit are coming in with a four by now.
They've got the AWP, they've got rifles as well.
Moldoi will meet them there in the middle with the spawn.
We'll take that all-pats towards B, maybe gonna try his hand at a quick peeking through the apartments.
Just a semi-ground from Molledoy.
His team work in the mid-control. Fury are going through their usual staging.
And now Molledoy looks for this opener.
Magix has just departed from the apartments, no longer trying his hand at the jump spots
so Molotow might be waiting for quite some time.
This is a really deep off map Furia, there's no call, it's just to let Molotow work.
If Control Patience pays off, Shiro gets pushed down low,
so Furia don't need to call something out of the gates.
The kills have come to them.
I'm just in this early staging, but I'm actually now starting to decide where they want to
end up.
They're bringing the bomb back to link up with Yuri on this pushout rampside, and he
falls on a very awkward timing.
If you did want to change your mind, you're quickly running out of room to do so, and
30 seconds left in the round, and Furia are very spread out.
They're hoping that this fake over to Wards B
can catch Spirit a little twitchy, a little nervous.
Shiro nailing the shot.
It's not going to pull everyone away to here.
Still here and still standing, causing problems for Furia.
All going for every inch of ground.
He's eventually run down into a low HP fall.
And in case Sarato left up in this one,
Shiro arrives, but a second too late.
And now K-Soraro's secondary orb holding for the cross.
And he gets this because he's low on health.
Can K-Soraro deliver? Had a phenomenal tournament as this guy.
Holding for that next swing.
Tap first, trying to bait him wide.
And then Magics can shut this all down.
Deep use being held. Shot connects.
No, no, the bomb! Chiro had to hit that!
No second chances on this fight.
And now it's so close to cool!
Shiro leaves it to seconds and collects that clutch, stealing it away!
Oh, it's terrifying watching Shiro there, stick the bomb, get off with two or three seconds remaining.
I think he probably has it anyway, but high risk, high reward, picks the repeat from Cacerato.
It is pixel-perfect, and Shiro gets it with just enough time.
There was no kits in the round there, but Team Spirit.
I mean, you want it. You want to kind of talk about getting exactly what you're looking for shiro is supposed to be the clutch factor. Oh
You saw they were all stressed there. I
Think you get stressed when you see him get off the bomb. You know, he's got it. There's a player at ramp. You're on default
shiro
He takes the orb with him at least
Good patience from Tanir. I think if you're game planning for this map and if you're on spirit, you're telling to me you can't rotate.
Same with magic. You have to hold your sights. You have to stay in position.
Fury is Util. It's going to be fakie. It's going to keep you guessing. It's going to be double pumps.
You're not going to know where the bomb is going. We see a soul fly make those mistakes yesterday.
Running out of Palace. Flustered communication from his team.
And getting faked on by Fury. Spirit know what they're up against.
And so, Teneir holding valiantly in the last round has to do so again, and might leave
him out of play for this one.
Beehit coming in.
goes the challenge and is actually going to catch you kind of on this mid-lurk so
there's no split to link up with the be here try to chase down magics but now
the rotates arrive and so quickly this site feels stacked
moledoy they're already underneath him he will flick on down to find magic still
need more from moledoy it's the student and the master side by side trying to
He has been playing some of his best counter-strike in years here in Krakow.
Trophy eluded him for so long through so many rosters,
through his peak.
But Fallon puts on a show.
And Molodoy does not miss when it matters.
That is a backbreaker for Spirit,
three strong in the B site,
with all the info with the advantage,
and it's a fury around.
Spirit shaken up early in this series.
I think you just also have this expectation of your spirit.
You know, those are the rounds that you're meant to be winning.
Those crazy man disadvantages.
Those insane clawbacks.
That's where you're meant to be.
Unlocking players like Donk and winning those impossible rounds.
It's not meant to be going the other way.
Fury, you now have a fifth.
You just rolled out right in front of them.
You said that that one feels like a bit of a backbreaker and you weren't kidding.
Spirit have no money to go on, they've got a deagle for Donk, P250 on Tanea, that is it in this fight.
That and the stack, that's all they've got to work with.
Oh, and Donk!
It's a bad way to start, even a deep down rage.
Donk goes fishing for a little bit more, and the rest of Furious spring into life, AK picked up Byzantics.
Don't get ahead of yourselves here, boys, there's still more fight in this site.
Molotov is not going to get rid of it.
Space taken, space taken by your kinder.
Feels unloosable now.
All though it's when sure.
Bomb brought in here for Furious. Ontix can go hunting.
He's left in the middle of nowhere.
What's he up to?
would be nice, but too far away for now.
So just feeling like an aggressive save for Zontics.
Furia up in the lead, building upon it,
looking to go from strength to strength
and you're getting a good start out of Moledoy.
It's a great sign, he was kind of a non-factor yesterday.
He wasn't really holding back Furia in any meaningful way,
but coming in a bit slow,
getting a lot of orbs, not getting a lot of connections.
Not in this game.
When we talk about Molotov,
we say he's always been remarkably calm and depressed.
He only really has a couple of blotches on his record.
It's both majors which do stand out and do matter.
And the other one would have been in that semi-final game
versus Spirit the last time they played on LAN.
You remember, it was in Kazakhstan,
it was Molotov's first big LAN event,
first time in the Furia jersey,
getting a play in front of his home crowd,
Facing off against Spirit, Spirit bested them.
Molodoy looked distraught.
He looked like he was on the verge of tears as they got bested in that semi-final.
But this is him nine months on now, nine months of growth and a chance at revenge.
To try and deny Spirit...
...a chance at another final in this tournament.
And nine months feels like not a long time, but he is aged like the finest of Lions here,
leading Fury into multiple trophies, to stage runs.
Yes, the major blockchains, but other than that,
you have had an incredible six months,
last six months of last year,
looking to build on that now in 2026.
And they were one of the few expected to threaten vitality
in that Budapest Major, unable to do so.
And yeah, you know, I'm never gonna worry about a rookie
struggling to beat Donk in their debut.
Be no Molo-Doy once more.
Now it's your chance to take it.
All that Molly forces to near wide, K-Zerato was unable to punish.
I set on the A-Play, Shiro finally with a chance to perform on the A-League B.
He'll take the first, but there's that backstab in through dark, quelled by Donk.
Vardage gets away from Furia, they'll wrestle it back.
Keemley's soul as Yukinda acts as the tip of the spear. Flash out towards the spawn.
He's got a chance to go and punish Shiro. He doesn't pounce on the opportunity.
Going a little later. Let's see. Here's the scope. Now knows that all is close.
What's the next move for Yukinda? What's it going to be?
Place it forward!
And sweetens the deal with the devil!
He butchered their own nades. Spirits sell themselves.
They throw a grenade. It bounces back in their face. Yukinda bounces.
That's a spirit mistake
well capitalized
The one that will leave you in a devastating position CT side barrage
down six two
I think if you're able to get your kind of feeling confident feeling comfortable
It's only gonna make fury of that much scary. You already know this guy's responsible for
A lot of the comms, a lot of the thoughts behind this team, a lot of the ideas.
But on top of that, he's just got huge boots to fill in this game.
If you're looking at your mid-player, if you're looking at your aggressive rifler,
going toe-to-toe with Donk, that guy's your kinder.
And so you want him feeling good.
Shiro, he had a really good start to the game with that 1v1 clutch coming early,
but yeah, it was him who threw that late, butchered him and Magix.
The crazy advice here for Spirit, a team that always try and get Donk a gun.
He's armed with nothing but a eagle, he's got an AWP for Shiro, SMG on magics and Eiffel for Zontics to play with.
I don't think it's a zoo simple situation where you're telling Don Quixote that he has to dig.
I think Don Quixote has said, keep the rifle, for a guy who always gets what he wants.
Let's see what he can do with it. Shiro's AWP needs to be the figurehead here for spirits
into the stack. What's Don gonna give us? Not often a guy you get to appreciate the
D-Wig, because he's so often given guns. Let's see how his Deagle hits.
He's locking.
Finally, a shot comes through. Find yourselves his 4 on 4, and there's Shiro striking next on the AWP.
Fury now realize they've sprung a bit of a trap here, getting sandwiched, getting ice now, down in the connector, and there's no one left to run, dunk!
And that D-Turret away!
He doesn't need a rifle, Harry. Double Deagle kill, Shiro supports with the AWP, and Spirit Stack, called out a spawn, is the perfect remedy for a third-man.
for a third round.
A reminder that we are far from done here, Furia,
a very strong start indeed,
an undeniable T side right now,
but they go waltzing right into Spirit's hands.
Recovery in Spirit's grasp.
And an instant timeout from Furia on the back of that one, they know that out of all the
rounds you could have given away, that was maybe the worst time to do it.
Not just if you handed them a low econ round win, suddenly giving them a chance in the
half all over again, but your own money is now at breaking point.
That's the round that could give way to a split half, and with how strong this started,
that is the last thing Furia won.
Time to collect themselves as they work with a little bit less here.
K Serato, no gun to play with, they do have the AWP for Molotov and he's taking a tryout for charge out towards middle.
Throwing up on the boost.
Spirit have been relatively tamed in all this map.
Donk's gonna start to change that, pushed out under for an early peek.
It's gonna be allowed back to connect to that top of the smoke, providing some room here for spirit.
As the smokes fade, do Furia the same.
Just your kinder under. Donk's not done.
There's three players here for your kinder. What's he got?
It's off. Gets the reaction he's hoping for.
There's more that came from out here in mid-Donk.
Still hanging around. Still trying to be active.
And they're hoping to pincer him. But the timing's a little off.
And this is the type of guy you can't afford to miss against.
Donk hands him down for the hat trick.
A missed timing, a missed shot, that's all Donk needs.
This is going to be a very fun head-to-head with the Okindu of the Donk.
We've seen the Okindu just run at him in so many of these rounds.
Well, Donk puts on a show in trade of Teneir, triple kill in middle.
Furia don't land a punch.
And suddenly what felt like a chance for a dominant T-side here on that map is looking like an even half
That one stack for spirit that one surprising five of the AWP
I'm walking through this smoke not the answer you think it is magics
Playing a deep line in the apartments gonna get rid of one of these peaks
See that dinky's alone right gonna get run out gates ready
a period, maybe cancel. Let that util come down, your kinder, cool, he's got a long space.
You would love to catch Donk, you would love to get a free beyond Donk of all players. You
might not be given the choice.
And the man that was behind enemy lines, he's been ruffled. The cover found out and now
you're rotating into a lost bomb site.
A couple of times you've been in this position, it wasn't what happened against Aurora, right?
we saw just earlier in this game, Yuri get deep into A,
then he dies as the bomb is coming in.
Same things happen for your kinder.
Fury have no ground right now
and Spurt have picked new positions to near watching on.
You can get a bomb prompt, Fury,
if you're lucky, Pashiro's coming in sport.
Don't even hear the boot.
There should be no getting through the apartments.
That's a boatload of damage done
as soon as you come around the corner.
And just a slaughter in the palace.
3 in a row, a spirit look for one hell of a recovery, all started with that low econ
round and from there they've gone from strength to strength.
Fury is a final swing for the king here, Cacerotto scouts are always using it for line up,
sell it back, and Fury, oh my goodness, he just can't hit that mid smoke, I actually think
He's telling the truth now. I've come around. At least that one.
I'm not lining up at this with a scout. That was meant to be the smoke that's difficult to break with HE.
I'll have it stay hard here for Furia.
Out middle.
A bit of pressure in mid before they go back to a bomb site.
This is looking like an early hit in the final round of the half.
Magics in position.
Impression is going to be on for Spirit's new captain to deliver here.
But no stranger to putting up numbers in these games is Magics.
He's got himself a rifle playing it close.
All of Fury about to come his way.
All of Spirit too.
Rotates already on its way over and Donk in position.
It nails that opening shot, now leaves it down at the B-hold.
They almost don't believe it, but Magic's deposited back into carve.
That Molly falls short, he just catches them falling in.
Falling needs another multi-kill on the right one.
It's too much to ask as Don comes in and bandages the round.
Another three-kill from Donk to seal the half.
Furious, not strong, spirit recover, we've got a semi-final.
I can not take a risk, I can not take a risk
I
Got nothing
Furia might have started strong, but now even they hear the faint rumblings of the dragon waking up.
Don gets his first multi-kill with the D in round nine of this game,
and from that point onwards proceeds to multi-kill every single round till that half closes out.
Spirited right back in the conversation here on Mirage,
and a T-side now rolled out in front of them.
A solid track record in these pistols and follow-up rounds.
up rounds. Furia have got to hold strong.
Yeah, Magic's now leading on this T side, Fallen did a great job all throughout yesterday
and this first half. It's time for the new captain of Spirits to put his pieces in place.
A B-pop on the cards and no one actually home here for Furia, the short player that was
strung out. Ashiro comes through and really plays the disrupt. You've lost your B-hold.
a man down moving into a lost bomb site. This is already a desperate grasp for
Furia. Will it be worth it?
Smoke got a kick, got a hope, got a dream, but Donk up close could just cut that all down in one swoop.
Easy shot to your kinder.
Not hurrying to finish, but that smoke signals the save.
Furia trying to escape. Donk does not allow it.
That's another multi-kill for Donk to keep up occasion here for Team Spirit.
What's that? Five rounds in a row?
You're dead on.
It's the Donk show.
And so Spirit Shaw lost their...
...flawless conversion run in that first half, but it can make it a bit sweeter here on this T-side.
Sure and don't have been the standouts on pistols.
I knew that for spirit.
near keeping them occupied. We've seen an increase in Teneir's opening attempts here
for Spirit this season. Would you believe it? Donk is also attempting even more opening
kills than last year, as if that were possible.
She sounds insane.
With Spirit putting their best foot forward, trying to utilize their star. Teneir to be
fair not to the same success. Now this might just be a suicide mission for Tamiya. Sell
this B site, commit and die and let your team take the round.
He's got to get the echoes just for the numbers at this point. Six in a row. We'll keep track.
Pressure on Moledoy as he dons the AWP. Pressure on Fallen to come up with the right move.
Okay, still in spirit. You're properly getting the grips with. Don't really know the temperament of this team yet.
What their tendencies are. Magic's still so fresh to calling.
It's contact over here at ramp. Moledoy's supposed to keep this even. That's an awkward miss.
If he was a bit more patient, he might have had that kill, he tried to move in for it.
An armless orb.
He is lucky to be alive right now.
But he's unable to take the trade, Yuri 3 and 12, poor game, but since the herd.
And the whole map goes quiet, down to the, behind of the captain to try and piece together
what's going on and fooling.
Safe to say he's got a lot of experience to draw upon.
He's anticipating a B here, here.
That's exactly where the bomb is headed.
It's the right read for Fury.
They're pieces in the right place, but now you've got to stop the unstoppable force.
Donk through, K Serato immediately shuts him down, 40 seconds left on this, and Spirit feels so committed, they might just have to try and brave this.
Going back with the bomb is magic, and there are really other options open, and they're really going to make this room, with Shiro dead out in middle, that option is closed up.
Back to B.
Playing it forward is the only option.
And with your Kindar here, second piece over to Wartsby.
There's no road left to run.
Four team spirit.
Spirit just get thrown around the ring, off of each rope,
head hits the floor, save for Magix on the MP7.
And it's all because of that early rotate.
We see 3B for Furia in the quiet, in the downtime, leaving Molotoy.
And the Shiro tries to fake mid.
They think that provides the room for dog to get out apps.
get out apps, but there's a second short player covering Fallen's back, Kcerato dropping
Donk ruins that round and the multi kills come to a close.
It's all on the positions taken there by Furia, putting out third player on B gives him so
much more room.
Even Shiro fails to allow their plan B.
All comes unbuttoned here for Team Spirit.
I mean it's nice to have rounds like that thrown in there for Furia, the idea that you don't
win it necessarily with the brawn, without dueling them, you use your brain.
In this semi-final, you've got the youngest to be the oldest player
still in the tournament, right, in Donk versus Fulin.
And Fulin, they're able to
just draw on his reed of the game to stay one step ahead of Team Spirit.
One round behind.
I'm dangerously close to getting broken here for the Spirit Squad.
So that would be Furia right back in to this map of Mirage.
Spam even just doing a little bit of chip damage.
You'll take anything you can on this guy out in the middle.
It's a slow burner of a round here from Spirit.
All the boys have been tamed, waiting for the rounds to come to him, maybe waiting one
round longer, Spirit set up.
Fallen has to keep him cordoned off, we've got Tanira out middle, kicking up the cross.
Keeping eyes primed to the wrong position. Good grenade into the apartment, Fallen doing damage.
This could be a problem, you can just push down a position, Fallen's got a lot on his plate.
In a way that Molly brings you Kindar back to help with this B hit though, that's looming, that's so close to coming through.
We're just seconds away from this smoke fading and suddenly Fallen's got the whole round on his plate.
Asakus, what if I think your kinder, he's spamming to try and sell this position,
falling still clear, not quite dealt with, still got more mileage.
Good for one more, Zontix, gonna get that trade, but are they ready?
As Fury have had a few more seconds to bring bodies around, they hear your kinder burning.
Zontix there to shut him down, the Orbs played in, and Molodoy leaving it to chance.
Not gonna happen, you end up in this 2v2.
Cacerato and Uri, quick on the scene as they group together out on the catwalk, and it falls to Cacerato.
It's Clutcher beat Clutcher, and Shiro gonna take it all!
High impact round for Shiro here on this T side.
Three kill, Clutcher, important trade on low health.
We've seen him go missing in stage games in the biggest arenas, when Spirit needed the most.
shows up late in the game with another high-impact clutch here for Team Spirit.
It is messy, but it is enough here to put Furious Money into a spot of danger.
They've got to figure out this by.
the game. Everyone talking on
spirit. And a few real time
out. This late in the game. No
one wants to encounter those
problems with the money and
both teams are on the verge of
running into it. You know, even
though spirit get through that
This round hitting is a 2 for 1, but this late in the game it would really paint a pretty picture for whoever picks it up.
Something more out of the gate here for Spirit.
Chiro trying to all the pick and mid as team set up on this A site.
Explosion on the ramp smoke. They're coming in.
Might be ready for 1.
You should never be prepared for a second man floating around here.
Here he can even sweeten the deal just take it attention away from Kaseirato
or your kindars enough rather
Shirou gonna deal with him on that backstab
Slow it down
Maybe a route to the two on four opens up
Molotoi hoping to play to contain
It's a nice move but it is gonna put the round in jeopardy if he dies in this position
He'll get no info for it, Spirit can reset
He needs to take one with him
Getting plugged into the corner here, Molotoi
It's a very strong spot.
See them at least. Chance to battle. Chance to scrap.
Shiro with a miss. Makes up for it the second time around.
He's got 40 seconds left to work with.
And Shiro's got his running shoes on.
Fallen trying to get ahead of this.
But if you go down, if you fall here, you give Shiro the 1v1
to find this back breaker of a round. Fallen backs his reed.
Closing in, tap for Shiro, backstab there, Fallen, reads him like a book, again outmaneuvering
Team Spirit in these critical rounds.
Shiro knew he'd be here, Shiro knew that he didn't have the element of surprise, he just
didn't know where Fallen was coming from, so a clutch eludes him late in this game and
Fallen continues to show his experience, doesn't panic, slow and steady, shifts his way on
good timing into the site. Even Molodoy here not over playing his hand.
And he's such a lifeline this late in the game.
And you setting yourself both teams on the precipice of no money.
Here we are. Spirit have to allow this game to even up.
I'm trying to get everything in order ahead of this huge task that now stands in front
of them.
A more entrenched fury, a fury that should be getting out of this round, making some
money as well, just making themselves that much harder to dislodge in these final few
rounds.
I said earlier that this is a series that you hope that Molledoy is taking personally
almost right has a chance to revenge versus spirit because we talk about that loss at
Kazakhstan and when he fell in front of the home crowd the thing I think that makes it
stand out is if you remember when spirit won that event they didn't care.
Yeah.
You know like that's an opportunity that Molledoy would have killed for literally did in those
in those quarters in those group stages to get that far.
Although he wants revenge and Spirit save, I don't even think about you bro.
Yeah.
I have not run into this team, with the exception of one online game this year and we ride it
off.
Furia don't, here for revenge, here for finals, here for Spirit.
Big thing here is just keep this round clean, it's only Glocks.
So have no one falter, no one fall, get out and fire the live and that's exactly what
they do.
just gave themselves a huge opportunity to talk about this round.
Let's see what they've come up with.
Magics might have been adjusting well to the captaincy,
getting spirit all the way into the semi-final of Krakow, but...
Pressure's even higher now, pressure to perform.
It's always been hard to characterize this team because any team with Donk,
you know, can win any single event.
Look at a Cologne, for example, right?
Not exactly a front runner coming in.
Donk just gets them there, even with a new player his way in.
So it's hard to ever write off spirits. They certainly aren't writing off themselves.
Back to back Grand Finals in the Winter Championship looking for a third.
I'm looking for an opener and he's going to get it. Zontics trying to clear out Palace
learns about that all the hard way.
I'm not the type to go and give you another chance on that jump check.
Fallen not making those mistakes, not re-peaking, just blocking, keeping the door shut, keeping
the advantage held here for Furia. 5v4, pressure really is put on someone like Magix and around
like this. Halley can't help you. How do you call your team out of this hole?
Oh, it's a little deep.
Is it just enough for Doctor Wormthru?
Moldova sees the gap.
He says go and take it.
It's like it's got to be Moldova's round.
It feels like it's got to be his moment.
Second shot for Moldova connects and now just going through the motions.
He's very, very comfortable.
All down to Shiro.
And Molotov has had his suspicions about the ramp
throughout this entire round.
Shiro hoping that he just goes unnoticed,
that he can keep this AK in play.
Furia really going to let him get away with it, because the lead's now been conceded.
Furia on it to double digits, three in a row to get here, back to back, flawless rounds.
At the dawn of the second half, it felt like it was going to be a game decided by money
where both teams were working with less, while Furia are now rolling in cash and the same
cannot be said for spirit.
Look, it was a hard round anyway, provided by the opening kill, but this smoke lets Spirit down.
Don gets done in by his team, coming through that molotov has a huge gap, Don can't get the bench safely.
So punished by misutility again, our Spirit, a slap on the wrist.
And maybe a map to be stolen away, sheer of hands, Donk the AK.
Position, not exactly synonymous with Donk either, he's taking it in towards the Palace.
Used to see in this guy, Rome mid, you've got a bit of a fake out here towards B, it's
in here.
If he gets to kill there, you're going to start drawing rotates.
Instead, you're left hoping that Donk can provide the way, breaking through in a double.
And that's why they give him the big guns.
That's why he gets the AK.
Donk continues moving forward.
Reino Terra bought to a close, but he's done his part in the round.
Now it's on to the rest of Spirit to finish what he started.
Fallen looking for a way in.
Molotov is still floating around close by. Fallen finds that kill to beckon them in, to call them forward.
Molotov can play another round, but nothing's being provided yet and he won't come for free.
He's caught with the util out in the open.
And even though Molotov gets his, this is not a round for him to attempt.
Too much time, gone.
Spirit had one gun into this round and they run back a classic.
Donk sets them up for success.
An ice cold from Sontics on the site doesn't move.
He's getting spanned, a bullet can finish his round.
He lets Fallon walk in with a smoke out.
It's also a big miss for Yuri.
That's Donk walking through the palace, grey screen.
Yuri had to drop on him, he's holding from triple.
He got body shots, he put Donk low.
Low is not enough.
Donk goes on with a double kill and him and Sontics combine for a third.
Yuri having a really poor game is feeling consequential when you lose a round like that.
That's a round that could set Furia up for Mirage, instead it is still a conversation.
Something interesting here, Double Orb makes an appearance for Furia this late in the day,
this late in the game. Is it the right time to do so though as they're getting handed a fast B-play?
Molodoy has to hit some shots here. B-players put a stop to it,
Fallen breaks out with one on the AWP and in the blink of an eye, it's only Shiro!
Round unraveled, Orbs too strong, and Shiro put in a box with nowhere left to run!
They know they've got him boxed in and they know it's only a matter of time.
Three players ready to swing in, they're getting Molotoy set up for the backstab.
Shiro has nowhere left to turn and so it's only a matter of time.
A ballsy call for the double orbs but boy, do they deliver.
Furia, and they are just not making this easy.
They're taking all the space away.
There they are.
They make it long.
They make it painful and slow.
That's the death they deal.
Two spirit.
All that hard work for spirit to bang their head up
against a double orc on a B rush.
Disasterous round and disastrous moment to lose it.
Even now, this one's a question.
If you want to go for the Donk Hero Rifle, how much do you believe in him?
It's Teneir who has money to drop one over, he's going to have to play glass everything
if he does so.
And so it might just be an awkward four sport round here into the last.
And if you don't find success here, it's done.
You're all in.
You're putting everything on the back of this round and hoping that once more Donk can multi-kill
your way to a win.
We don't see Donk get bested much, but when we do, it's often at the hands of the AWP.
Think of Paravision at the start of the year, taking down Team Spirit in their debut event with this roster.
It was Jane coming in and destroying Donk in the head-to-head.
Well, Molotovoy has made a very good case on the CT side specifically.
He's picked in multiple rounds. He's shut him down on these splits.
Running through this smoke at top mid.
And it's the big man off it up first
Don't get out of this round. You've got to do it without him and this round is out of spirit surely
They've struggled in these 4v5's
They came into this game the second best team in the event in these moments
But with Donk-Gon, who can provide the hope?
To hear attempts to pick, your kinder gets a second chance.
Spirit just walking back, but...
Bomb-up in apartments, fallen.
34 years of age has not been a liability by any means here for Furia, fighting the connector.
Yuri Getau with one, your kingdom can't afford to overplay.
This bomb has to go B, it's 30 seconds, this is all noise.
Whoa, wait, hello?
He has made it through the window.
No, he didn't totter out, no he didn't react.
And so no worries, backlight down with these obstacles, keep chewing through team spirit.
And again, it's all eyes on Shiro.
Left meagrely is the last man in the apartments, taps one back, but no time left to do anything here.
You can get all the kills you want, you're not stopping Theria.
Fallen is a rock in this b-side right now. They are not giving spirit the satisfaction.
They are not giving them the fights they want. They are forcing them to execute.
Donk is dying in 5v5s and Spirit aren't able to trade it. Perfect pickup here for Kcerato.
That's Dong's first opening death in the game, to the 5 kills he has.
And still furious here, one round from their map.
On the map they've had their struggles on and they've had to build their confidence up on in real time.
You were left wondering was this a grim mistake putting Dong, putting Spirit on Mirage.
But they know they're going to chance to grab a glory.
Okay Serato, is he up to reel in this in, push through the smoke. Don't get hard cancelled there.
That's the spirit we're playing with real gusto here.
They were playing with real confidence.
They found themselves in a 5v3.
They've lost the point man.
With it they lose the confidence.
Now they slow things down.
Full rotate here.
Once again Fallen is outmaneuvered the opponents.
All three players ready to receive the A side play.
Two of them orbs.
Molotov up in Palace.
Palace, charged at a free kill, just wide and bite down.
Zontik's now dead, K-Sorato dealt with it to the two orbs,
Fallen provides the first.
And it's with his signature gun.
NAWP, the red line of Fallen, good well-being in the museum,
an artifact of its own right.
Nishio there, and Maldonado, he claimed out two.
Spirit braved their way through a round that
was rapidly getting away from them
as they now have a swing at overtime on Mirage.
This is a stressful game for Spirit.
It's gonna take everything from them.
It's gonna take 24 rounds.
It's gonna take overtime.
If they're gonna win it, Furia fighting tooth and nail
in every position, 3v5, down to a 2v2.
The missed shots is all it takes
to allow Taneer in three kills and another timeout.
The final timeout for Furia in the final round.
And that double up that it felt so lucrative that it found a bunch of success for the Furious
Squad, well that's gone.
You don't have it to work with Fallen, Donning and MP9.
That's all the while, he sits second on the scoreboard, lagging only behind Molledoy.
Positions are a big part of that, right?
We see a lot of B hits for Spirit that be coming in, they fed him eco kills, but Fallen
is just delivered in his position every single time.
So yeah, Stap had some times, but you can't really complain because he's never let Spirit
into be.
They've never gotten into a comfortable position there in this half.
Mordoi.
He's been the backbreaker.
If you're in a call with him for one more job, him and Donk rival 22 kills apiece.
by his side.
There's a real pressure in the air. No one wants to be that first player to fall.
Shiro takes a bit of a risk on the cross out into middle.
Honestly, Shiro put it all out there in this round.
Fight for the win.
Oh, Flash is perfect!
And Furyr actually bring the fight to spirit.
Now they know it's not the B-Play.
All game long, you've been met with these B-Hits.
You have the chance to fake one here.
Well, Fallen has uprooted that plan.
Leaves you with really only one option.
Magics might be going back at the 42nd mark.
Might be hoping to clear out the apartments, but he's in that battle all alone.
and his teammates have moved out into the A site.
The bomb on this rotate, Shirou gets out after a kill, he can join up with Magix.
There's no way you're ready for this to be a love.
Spirit barely off, don't get him whittled down, Yuri chases him from sport.
All in the meantime, Magix is taking space alone.
The game relies on the captain of Team Spirit in this site and Fury don't know.
You would have no reason to suspect this.
There is nothing happening in this round to say that the bomb is going down at B.
And so now you're out of position.
Now you've got to go for this one, late.
Missed on for Shiro, he'll make up for it.
K-Sorado throwing into a clutch, and everything feels uneasy, everything feels awkward.
There's a lot of time ticked off this bomb already.
Sontik's playing for info, he'll be able to hear these footsteps, they'll know exactly
where K-Sorado is coming from.
This one's got overtime, letting all of the red tag connects for K-Sorado, but times his
real enemy here.
Times the one thing he can't outrun, can't get away from!
Spirit bring us into extra time!
How the hell do you have the balls to make that call when you have five kills in the map?
Ice cold for Magix, his entire team in the A site.
He takes that bomb through murky waters and puts it down.
Full of faith for the new captain of spirit. Highest risk possible.
Yeah, if at times that old spirit squad felt like they didn't want to take risks for a team that have the sharpest rifleer in the world.
It always felt like a bit of an oddity. Well, Magix is very much the opposite as that play demonstrates.
You risked the whole game on just outmaneuvering Furia. Something you haven't been able to do in this map yet.
They threw a furious Stratbook in their face.
That's not a fake, it's a straight up falsehood here for spirit.
Into overtime, and Fury has two rounds of regulation that they could have closed this map out and moved on.
Go on in the wind.
Team Spirit another try.
A pack of rifles in middle moving towards Connector.
He's been solid in this position, but he really does have his work cut out for him and with
Shiro finding an opening onto your kinder, stress only picks up here, Bills forced to
try and make a play.
That's the bomb spotted here on the back of Teneir.
Molotov is giving chase, burning in that molotov, will it be worth it as he's losing players
in the site, now getting pinched, more easy for Molotov, high stress, high pressure, and
he's not going anywhere.
Oh man, Molotov! The savior of Furia!
Bomb now dropped! Molotov bought to his knees, but surely he's done enough. There's no time for Shiro!
That is just mind-blowing! That's why this kid is so exciting! That's what he can do!
Rollercoaster on ramp, jumping around, dodging dead inside of the Molotov.
A montage from Molodoy.
Makes a mockery of Team Spirit.
Out positions dunk like that.
Drops the bomb and takes the round here for Furia.
Even just seeing, you know, a play like that, how precise every move, every decision you're
doing under tremendous pressure, tremendous stress, you're getting split by Team Spirit,
you've got Donk, the best rifle in the world chasing you down.
And we said, you know, just how far Molledoy wants to show he's come in the nine months
since these teams last played online, him rising to his feet, basket in the moment with
a heroic play that shows exactly that.
Oh, double more, they sure are getting burnt out,
has to fight in middle, but there's no punish here for Furia.
They've been pretty lax in this mid control,
breaking smokes with nades.
That's about as far as it gets here on the CT side.
Looking to bleed out the round against Team Spirit,
multiple of these coming down to the clock.
On Fury's defence, showing patience and composure in these high pressure moments.
A litany of flashes here for Magix, suggests Spirit are going to have to rotate.
Have they done enough in middle right now?
Have they caused enough concern because Furia have two B players both looking towards the apartments fallen
20 kills in this game bringing out the orp once more
It's a big name
It's good to see this or not collecting dust
We're getting to Donatee here because we're into the overtime's had an all-piling last-round fall and unable to match up to it
Backstop will get denied. You already said a quiet map here
They take their eyes off the cross, they let Yuri get in towards the market.
Looking to dance with him here out in the open. Don't go giving Yuri fights.
Don't go begging to give him a reason to try this clutch.
Keep him cold, honestly. Don't take this engagement. You don't need to.
It's going to save nothing.
Cross the magics contained, and so the round comes through for spirit.
Some ugly whiffs on the short side. Let Dong jump in.
and you lived to regret it.
It's in there finding high value on his luck as well.
Only room for one orb here.
It's an active stance from both AWPs. Itching to get involved. Desperate to force that opening.
Spam for Kceraho denies the boost in top mid.
This is all good stuff for Molotov because he's going to have to move away eventually into near.
It doesn't look like he wants to check this out just yet.
Yeah, jump across and there's a Molotoway announcement.
Now they know about the orb, Tanea.
What's your next move?
All right, Molotoway does look prepared for it.
They've flushed Tanea out of this position before.
This boost is perfection.
It's magic ready for it.
Goes for the check.
Yakin-Dah's still good for it.
And there's Molotoway ready for that swing.
He's still there.
IP3, great spot to win out the half.
If you look at who's still alive, Donk, Shirou, two commanding names for the opposition.
Keisarato catches a tag in that mid-fight, lives to tell the tale only for a moment.
It's Donk powering through, caught by flashes.
Youkinda will find him, cover in, and there's Youkinda, lining them up, knocking them down.
See Furia through to a winning half.
5 kills from the imports of Furia to keep overtime in their favor.
They've been leading this game every single step of the way.
It's Spirit continually playing catch up.
They did so on their CT side back in regulation.
6-2 down, even down the half.
There is no room for slow starts now.
Spirit still facing a favored Furia.
It's an air-grabbing flash ramp here. Watch out.
I'm going to make a move. Fury weren't committed so nothing from it.
Everyone's playing a little slower here in OT.
Fury have made so quick though. I know they're doing it silently, but silent doesn't mean they are late.
Oh, it's late! Oh my god!
Not something you used to see him, but gone caught with nades in his hand.
And you'd like to think, you tell yourself now there's no better opener, there's no better man to have removed as the first in this all important round.
The chance at that point.
Backstab, Fatenir as the aggression continues out towards A.
Let's turn this advantage back into a 4v4.
Now trying to move in through the connector.
You go right in to the other beast of spirit.
spirit. Chirro waiting to receive it to turn around from Molodoy. Do they reconsider? A
way out is opened up. You dealt with a B player and you're going to risk this on a jungle
rotate. You're going to get past magics. Guard a survive and they get cut down crossing.
Fallen's up for the task and again Fallen left him one of these key rounds alongside
this time K. Serato. Chirro might be known for clutches but this is a tricky one indeed
Does he sandwich between both Fury players?
Pick your poison.
No easy route to this 1v2, but then again, there never is.
Times quickly getting away from Shira.
You only have so long to be diligent.
You only have so long to clear everything.
And if you miss full, and if you miss him in this position,
there's no one in this round with the clean up coming.
Oh, he's nailed it!
The case Serrano is set up to play around this ball,
but he's not going to give you a second chance.
Cool, calm, collected, and shero, shut down.
As he's finally stopped in one of these clutches,
Furia arrive at that point.
This is one of the most chaotic games
a match we've been waiting for for months,
a head-to-head that has avoided us time and time again.
We get it on the biggest stage in a semifinal,
and Furia, once again, a third chance to close it.
Their map for the taking.
Two more opportunities.
Magix is getting desperate as well
for having to open this B site many times.
Magix does the same.
Two captains pairing off on second orbs.
They sent orbs out there to either side of the map to roam, to go looking.
Magix also has a second orb, safe to say, you know which captain holds the edge in regard
to wielding the big green.
And they both call it off.
The captain wants this round to be decided by them.
Let your stars shine bright.
Fury execute.
It's in there under balcony.
Zlontek's in position to support.
And Donk is never far from the action.
40 seconds, this is the commitment.
Donk on the spam, leaves it to chance there.
Does a bit of chip damage, but the opening kill goes the way of Yuri.
And now you're feeling emboldened.
You tell force, his son takes it to a very tricky position.
And Spirit, this is rapidly getting away from them.
They need a hero, they need it now.
Von Platt, a little help from a couple of guys here from Fury,
but time to get comfortable, time to get set up.
Court one on the swing, and Chero out in the open has fallen.
Looks to drive this one home.
And now they know where Magix is.
These orbs are lusting.
They are homed in on his position, and as you go wide, you go to your death, the double
orb of Furia cuts the head of Spirit, clean off.
The dragon has been defeated for now.
Furia victorious on map 1 in the semi-final.
They may drag their feet in regulation, but they pick it up in overtime, taking that step,
one step closer to that trophy, to that final, to revenge over Team Spirit from Astana, Molotov
and leaves his mark on the server.
High Octane Counter-Strike was promised and High Octane Counter-Strike was certainly
delivered chaos on all fronts and Fourier Day thriving it.
Games like these are truly what stages of this caliber at Bilt-Quijaco.
Absolutely a power burner here on the first map of mirage between fury and team spirit, and I think just a much more enjoyable game for the viewers
Stars firing on all cylinders, you know donk and shiro with 51 frags between them outmatched on the other side with 54 from
Molodoy and
Holland the kidding you
All in with 24 kills on this map a lot of impact to really leading the way with the young one on this one
It's just really these games the way you can just see that both teams are just relying so much on playing the default
But then they need to build up and what they get inside the rounds
They will have to piece the puzzle together
It comes down to individuals decision-making come down to whatever they can clutch it out
That is that's like the storyline of this game
It didn't really come down to people pulling up incredible big tactics
But it was just all about the individuals getting out of there firing on all centers
And it's these games where arena and stage person it's just really present
and you can see that the players are so much more into the zone in terms of how you approach the maps.
I feel like Fury were just a better team on stage here.
But on the other hand, while Spirit was even competitive because they had long firing on all cylinders,
Shear with a couple of clutches and I feel like that's what Spirit are missing being a team.
And I think that's to be expected at this point for Team Spirit, right?
With the changes that they made, Mag is coming back as IGL's long takes back on the team.
expect them to be super polished in their game, especially on the T side.
So if they are going to win, it has to be a bit donk magic,
some of these mid-round situations, clutches,
finding a way to win at 3v4 here and there, right?
Because they are going to be at a disadvantage,
just didn't have enough time really to get everyone on the same page just yet.
That's how you win Counter-Strike on stages.
You cannot just look at your playbook and say,
okay, we're going to do this and then we're just expecting it to work
because something's going to change and something's going to happen
and you need to just be able to divert from that
and then look at what you actually have to work with.
And I think that is just where Spirit,
as a, sorry, for Fuhrer, as of right now,
is just in a really good place.
And without a doubt that the three of their Magic Sunsets
and Dong, they were here in 24,
where they won Catabit, you know,
but it's a very different team now,
also with Magic's In-Game Meeting.
And his first time to really get into In-Game Meeting
on a big stage where there's a lot of pressure
and a lot of things that's on the line.
So a different look Spirit,
but they still made it very competitive.
100% the In-Game Meter on the other side of things.
So you already mentioned it,
fallen so much impact in this map. Turns out Anka's definitely still got it.
Should we roll round six to see where that impact started for him?
Yeah, absolutely. And also great to have him and Molodoy shoulder to shoulder really in some of these situations.
So early on, Spirit Wins, Pistol, Furia wins. The second round gets on a roll and this is the reset round.
So it was 3-1, 3-2. The kinder dies on that. Lurt, the B hit comes in. The hold is strong.
right like they can't get anything going on the side of fury a fallen molotov in a 2v5
Zonti is the first one to fall in I don't know how molotov gets the spider sense to turn here
gets the kill on magus still a 2v3 I mean fallen jumping down they use their utility well he manages
to find donk here shiro with a missed shot fallen great jiggle peek into tree fire right and all
of a sudden from a 5v2 who to near finds himself in a 1v2 molotov holds him on short and they convert
this hugely important round early on you can see how much it meant for Fallen
getting up and getting pumped.
It's just starting for them to be losing a 2v5 where they could have converted
and then it would have happened we had a 3v3 in the scoreline and that would have
put them into where they were like they can't be game over in their hands right
and losing these type of rounds is always tough when you're sitting on stage
because the first guy around believe it or not he thinks I'm great so 2v5 I'm
just gonna swing you know it's fine you're not gonna expect it. When he goes down
Then you also obviously model hits a really good job
But as soon as these guys keep going down with them like serious force to go out and try and in self as a situation
Mrs.
A shot gets stressed out by the model top and at that point it's just by a lot of control and and you know
It's so hard when you as a player are putting these situations because you want to go out and be the hero of the guy
You want to be the one that hasn't seen the round but it actually just falls to the ground
Well that round was a treat in itself
We've got another one for you. We've got the team columns from the PV of Fourier during that one
Flash in short guys, one more.
Flash short.
Flash one more, that's it.
Flash in short, one more.
That's it.
Flash one.
Diffle.
Diffle, one.
Diffle, Edward one.
Relax, relax.
Jimpatch and Diffle.
Diffle, Diffle.
Reveno.
Car, Car, Car.
Car, Car.
Rengar, Car.
Next side, one more.
Jimpatch, Next side.
I'm body marking the next one.
Open, open.
Open.
I
Yeah, seems like he was spotted maybe on fallen screen and you see everyone know all the dead players are saying
Thanks to his teammates, but still just an incredible round for them
Let's roll into the second half because I scoreline gets incredibly close. It's 9 9. What happens next?
I think here it's another resets round. You can see Molotov early on if he's going to go abs.
This is the round before him and Yuri did this together. So maybe this was part of their prep
that if they want to get aggressive, A abs is where they should pressure, or maybe just Molotov
had the best pawn. He finds the first kill, five before, these are the rounds that they're going
to be difficult for Spirit, especially on a buy that's not ideal. So they want to go for that A
split, but Molotov just positioned perfectly, gets one more aware of this position, probably
someone holding him, gets the head right off of Magiskitt's shoulders and he was just so influential
throughout the game, you know, aggressive, finding those opening kills for his team and was just on
a tear on Mirage. And this is the first time that Fjord has offers to go for, as you mentioned, the
first time they want to go for the Citibad where you go and try and find the guy in Palace and
he kills him off and that allows Mordor to know that that player is now out of the picture and
that allows him to play inside his side, be very mobile, that's what he really likes. But in the
And in the diesel, it's also the smoke that's actually put out.
The top collector smoke from Spirit is far too deep, so that allows a bigger gap on the
right side, which he realizes in the middle of the round that there's a possibility that
there's a guy that's going to try and stand through.
And he actually picks off dunk because this gap is too big his season.
And then he's obviously feeling it at that point and going for these refigs that he
just likes to do, but it's in the diesel that he realizes what is actually coming at him.
And the Mollador impact certainly didn't stop there.
We come into overtime.
This is when the pressure is really on your shoulders, if you fear it, because Spirit
managed to push it to this situation. We weren't in the arena to watch this one go down Yanko and
the crowd went absolutely well. This had JL making some weird noises you know and everyone in the
arena was on their feet right he's getting splits from both sides right here sees the shadow gets
one more kill time is running out he gets the third player like completely dismantling this sort of
attack for spirit in a 3v5 situation and in overtime you know momentum is so big on stage I'm sure
you guys can speak to it more than I can, but this just really felt like it was the
backbreaker for Spirit.
Just let us sink in that this guy is Rougie of the year.
And just pay attention to get to detail where he knows that when he, it looks stupid when
he runs down ramp, runs into the mallet, but it's actually the bomb that's sitting
outside ramp.
But he knows with the time left in that round, if he eliminates the bomb, that puts them
in a very, very bad position.
So he just understands the game, even when he's in that such a precious situation, he
just allows the sprangers to think, you know, it's incredible to see that the guy, which
I mean, that's a little bit of experience, but it has become one island for able to play already.
I mean, if you look at the highlight and remove the nickname, I might think it's simple, 2021.
The way he was moving left, right, and he knew when, who was going to pick,
I mean, for me, it was just spectacular.
You've got to feel like a million bucks as well when you're standing up,
laughing up that energy from the crowd. I'd love to see that from Moloadoy.
Question is, can that form continue on to Dust2? Of course, the AWP is going to be
integral on this situation, but Jail, what do you think of Spirit picking this into the series,
and do you think Phyria have a chance to close at 2-0 here?
Oh, for sure, in Fury I have a chance to win here. I feel like Spirit is a very mental team, and even though Mirage was Fury as MAPPIC,
I feel like Spirit still beat themselves about it, that they could have closed the game out. It was closed from their side.
In my POV, Fury always had the control over the game.
Okay, sometimes the individuals from Spirit stepped up, but Fury were playing the better CS, so I feel like they should continue doing that in this too.
I think also, Fury, they would have expected this pick, right? So I'm interested to see what their approach is on the CT side.
I think they'll try to be disruptive, like they were on Mirage in a lot of these situations, you know, not let
Spirit just take map control and sort of play these 5v5 situations and for Spirit, you know
They have to play a bit better in some of the, you know, something so and so maggots like because you're going to be pressured
Everywhere you can't just rely on don't he can't be everywhere at the same time or shiro
So you need to really do well in some of these first couple of aggressive moves from fury
If you can shut them down, make them play a little bit further back, give yourself some space.
I think that's the recipe for success.
Well, we are going to be diving into it, but not before we had things to a quick break.
Furia just about managing to get Mirage over the line.
But now the choice of spirit lays in wait.
It's Dust2 and Justofi.
It starts with a dream, with a team you barely know, in an amateur official that feels like
the grand final, where practice becomes progress, and every loss feels like a lesson.
When will your journey begin?
It could be like Nikod.
Yeah man.
He's not working.
Dude you are cooking already.
It's like you've been doing this for years.
Yeah, I'm pretty fast honestly.
I don't take much time.
So I make sure to check my code before because every time in a different country
then it doesn't accept automatically for me.
Better protect.
I bet you've got a huge steam library for you.
We'll see here, we'll see here right now.
The ONCE team, I like to go to settings, in-game, I change the overlay to F12.
Yes.
I normally disable in-game overlay.
So you're not chatting to your friends while you're in a tournament?
No, I don't use this for anything.
Check it out.
I used it a lot when I was younger, but nowadays, I don't even message me.
But just for performance, I guess, as well.
There was some time where removing this would give you extra FPS, so it just got used to it.
No launch commands, we're not doing some crazy stuff.
I do.
fresh hurts just to make sure and I'll alter power software for a nice yeah
the now video I'm using full screen window recently whoa yeah so hang on I mean I heard
rumors the full screen window was no longer like a like you could actually play with it
it was just playable super playable yeah I feel like it's the same so I can have faster out that
yeah and I can talk every time you're mad you can just tap out no I mean I can check string
sometimes check out the same, even notes sometimes I'm writing down something
for accident stuff. I play 1280 for 960, Max Hurtz you can, 4x3 and then on
videos I go CMAA2, global shadow quality I play on high, dynamic shadows I
don't change, model texture I go low, an easel trip I go 3 linear, shadow I go low, low,
medium ambient occlusion and then these ones that don't move as well yeah okay
trying to optimize performance then what about this boost player contrast is it
I like it you like it on yeah this is for example you are fighting someone
that's very far away so let's say you're this tool yeah a lot of something I
compete he's gonna give extra color on their skins if they're showing their
head you gotta take a little bit a little bit more you can see a little bit
more okay yeah that's pretty much it's here on video
Info, Info.
One kill outside, one kill outside.
And one...
Taco, Taco.
One kill, one launch.
The other one is down.
He was saying that he has legs.
Good job, man.
Let's go.
Nice!
Damn, he was 24. I should have finished him off.
Pause.
Yeah, he is.
Guys, let's do this calendar task?
I'm going to put a smoke left side, make sure to go short, we're going to be going monster.
We're going to spam this smoke, cast a shot on the cross and then we're going to blow the rest of the cross.
Okay, we got it? Make sure you understand.
Krogidne back.
He's free in the game.
This is the end, this is the end, everything is over
Nice, it's only 7-1, we can win boys
It's just Maladoy and Yuri in a 2v4 now
And this is where you wonder if that communication will come into play
I'm going to play for you
You'll play for him
I'm going to play for you
Ok, go
Ok, let's go.
Yes, I understand what is a boom.
Ok, it can still work.
It can still work.
It took 30 kills from Molotoy, student and professor, him and Fallen, a map up in this
semi-final, and Fallen chasing a trophy that eluded him for so many years, didn't feel
like a reality.
Now Furia are at the forefront of the conversation, mirage to the good, dust to up next, Nuke
Hoping to be avoided.
While they're chasing the trophy with it, they're chasing a dragon.
And that dragon, while it was defeated, but far from vanquished.
And now it's retreated back to its fiery reprieve of Dust 2.
The first battle, while it was on home ground for Furia.
Now battered, bruised, maybe a little wiser.
They enter the dragon's lair, the belly of the beast.
And this is where every facet of your game will be tested.
It's all on the line as they seek that killing blow. Tauron, are you ready? We've got dragons to slay!
From one bottom ground to another, we entered Dust 2, 3 and 0 at the event, our team spirit.
Their sanctuary, their safety, their city side.
But Fury, I'm surprised every step of the way, this one is uncertain.
We had Donk and Shiro both playing for mid-able counter-strike in that first map.
It still wasn't enough.
Across the board, Spirit, have got to step up.
Chance of something a little faster here.
You've already got that mid-control.
Certainly thought about the possibility of a mid-to-D, but it's a bit of misdirection
here from Furia to open things up.
Not presented anything out in middle.
They'll go roaming the catwalk.
got Util here on Yuri, K-Sorato, Fallen, all the pieces to try and make this exact
happen. Two players to get through, and Shiro lies in wait. More misdirection as
that mid smoke falls in only for the cat play to reveal the true nature of this
round. Drop down into the sport and your Kindar battling, scrapping for space as
he goes looking for Taneir out on Long. Thinks at the first turn your Kindar
will get past him. Shiro feels like he's in hot water and living on borrowed time.
One back for Zontics and the round still very much alive.
Don't closing in.
Silent stop to Warnich, Ykindar!
Struggling but prevailing with three.
Just an insane move from Ykindar.
Doesn't rush, doesn't run the gun.
Plays it smart, plays it steady, sneaky through the smoke.
And it's a back stab to Team Spirit into a clutch with the USP.
Yikinder takes the cake in this pistol.
Seen some insanely, or just some incredible games from Yikinder on stages, right?
I think back to Hong Kong, that final versus Falcons.
It took everything for Furia to take the trophy.
He was a monster on T sides in that match.
He beat every player on Falcons in the head to head except Kixon.
Here on Dust2, he might just feel at home.
Flash set up here for short so things are about to get really wild.
Contact might come out early for a case Serato ahead of the Utel, ahead of the Flash.
And so no chance to punish past that open.
Nice reset here, very important to Spirit, do something else, because Furia will react.
We're trying to get ahead of any type of a mid to be here.
He moved, and Furia quite like pulling out already and attempted the pressure there with that smoke.
Donk will be able to confirm that no one's moving in behind it.
Chichi.
And they're really just going to come through this.
They'll catch. Zontics, nades out in the open.
Today is in no fighting position, trying to scrap from the spawn as they envelop him on this catwalk.
It's a bomb planted.
Furia might see this one through.
After all, they're in a strong position here.
Three players in CT.
This is going to be tricky.
Four team spirit.
Shifting in.
Hatch on angles.
Metaguns for Furia.
You think they should profit.
All the kills come through in the blink of an eye.
And dude, this is why it's so much fun to watch your kid there.
Because while he can be so intelligent and showcase
Just very smart, small moves.
He's also just a blunt object.
Walks through the smoke, leads his entire team to victory.
Catches Sontics with Nate in hand in a 4v5.
Fury are feeling fearless right now.
Spirit are gonna have to watch out.
Bit of a messy one along here.
another man advantage taking the team spirit all through these rounds happen
how many players who would even attempt that fight the donks trying to take
there all the way through the mid-doors he's gone back to keep an eye on this
long push has a feeling that they're taking the space and he was right in
that but unable to punish still you've seen an aggressive setup over the wards
long maybe feeling like you've got yourselves a bit of room elsewhere on
the map spirit trying to adjust this setup as they are interested in winning
this round here with the pistols
making a case for it right now but it's the third player where is don't gonna be
Does he get dragged back to the A site? Will he be there in time? Spirit beat him.
It's really good. And it leaves you with no real room here. Donk Digg is the only thing left in the right position.
Break on the smoke, gave him a chance. He's gonna make it across and into the side, but how much mileage can you really get?
Donk, dead straight away! And they go hunting on these remaining players.
Gonna jump the gun just yet, Furia. This could be a nice clean, simple round.
Why let it get tricky? Why let it get weird?
And they'll wait for Spirit to come to them.
Some sharp shots for Yuri on these anti-ecos. Very important considering he had a poor previous map.
Putting the best foot forward here for Furio, both players on the edge and they will deal with Zontec, so a bit more damage in this one.
Still the round for Furio, Kacerotto was unable to save a gun, gave his teammate the AK.
So it's actually a very expensive round here for Furio.
Elite control by then, CT side, gun rounds, Shiro's AWP, Kitt on Zontecs, Spirit have everything they need.
Trust Foulin to try and provide an opening, had the spawn given the orb, and he might
just walk in while he holds this line.
If you give him a jump, Foulin not in a forgiving mood, he'll play through with that orb meant
to cover.
Foulin left looking for trade, forced by the molly, into the moors of this beehive.
I'll always let through and grab the all but you wonder if this is just going to be a really drawn out save for furia
Not if magix has anything to do with it
Already pushed all the way up long and just missed that timing
Cautious furia on a lengthy save indeed
And nothing would set Spirit up better on their map pick than a 5 alive first gun round.
So numerous times over Spirit get broken down the stretch.
Back on Mirage, cost the map point, they still dragged it to overtime.
So money is here in the game here and the spirit is back out, confirming the round.
Yeah, it doesn't really feel like it's worth any type of a hunt here.
For spirit, like you say, they've got it very fresh in their mind how money can decide the outcome,
and so just going to look to make it while they can.
I've seen this one betrayed, if you're here a couple of times, the Orbs spawn trying to creep in ahead of it.
kind of wisening up to that creep in with the orb scope to cover.
And so a good shutdown here in your first rifle round.
Big step in the right direction.
You also get out of it with two AKs brought forward,
Donk getting to Don one very early on in Dust 2.
I'd be a similar looking round here again. Molodoy was blessed with this b-spawn and
I'm wondering if you're going to expect them to do it back to back. It's just so risky
walking in Spirited using a lot of Utah early here to set a precedent that you can't just
charge this bombsite or revealed Donka's ontics giving nothing here to Furia gonna
have to play the round out back up cats
Caddxx are how Furia got on the board in the first place they've been doing them
a hell of a lot so you should feel pretty comfortable with this being the part of
the map that you own if you've still kept options open you're refloating around
in the tunnels. Far from committed just yet. You've seen throughout this whole game Spirit
have been a little nervous about these mid to Bs. Even now that mid to B smoke comes
in, Donk replies with one of his own. Head to head on Molotov and Donk was 6-3 in favor
of Molotov, 5-6, being with the AWP. Back on Mirage. Donk won't give him the satisfaction
here on that mid-cross. He goes back to the B bomb site. Fury will have to meet him there.
There is no mid to B smoke right down. Molotov's got to get that in. Oh dear, it's not ideal.
It's going bounce wrong. They just have to take the fight instead and Molotov survives.
He drives his team, not the same, into this site, into this crossfire, into Donk, who
only gets one. Wait a second. Is there still hope? Surely not.
Sontek's eyes on the window. Just in time and he can't control it. And that mid-smoke
He looked like it was going to cost him dearly.
The crossfire at B felt like it was too strong.
Furrier still found a way to break through.
Shiro did not expect to be left in this clutch.
And as he cut out for it, he would save in a group stage,
but no kid, no UTEL out of position.
You know they're low, you know they're wounded,
but you don't have the gun for the job.
Furrier know who they're playing.
Look at what they're doing.
They're not moving.
They're not giving him anything.
Shiro is relying on a mistake and at this level, Furia, no, they don't need to give him one.
The punish.
Furia are the one team who use miss smokes to their advantages.
Killing that rotation and storming into that B bomb site.
Shocking round to win.
2v4.
And another kick in the teeth of spirit, feels like they've had so many in this map.
Halley wants to weigh in early, I mean that B site's meant to be your rock, you know, you
You have two fantastic players over towards that side of the map.
You've got Donkin, Zontik, Zontikzu.
You know, normally puts up some terrific CT numbers, thrives in these spots.
And then you have the best rifler in the world alongside him.
That site is not the one that's supposed to crumble, especially not to tech nines,
especially not to these mid-to-B rushes.
You don't want to feel like you just had a horrible soft spot exposed.
What was what fury were doing yesterday against Aurora, right?
It was the new boy of Soulfly put in a comfortable position on this B bombsite and fury were just fine
To punish round after round on the T side made it very uncomfortable
Now as you say not the same inexperience for spirit by any means, but it's still the weaker site
Just on virtue of only having two players there
You know, in the big picture of dust right now, you feel like you can't win in any position.
You've lost B. You've lost to these cat splits countless times.
That was how the game started.
Nowhere feels super safe, and so it's a big problem for Spirit.
It's a problem that Magix has got to try and have some answers to.
This map can just feel so constricting.
Spirit, strong setup though.
Back over, Donk the Joker.
Not supposed to be here. Not supposed to be here as far as fear or concern.
They just had all their success out towards B. They got past Donk with one kill.
The last thing you expect is that they suddenly switch him out of position.
Play him as the Joker in the deck, out towards this A site.
But he's dead straight away! Donk doesn't even get to fire a bullet.
Kaseyra has got him past him.
They've realised they're going back because they killed Donk.
They know there's only one man at home.
Going to be down to Zontikz on this B hold. Right now, focus forward in the middle, Yuri
holding for long, re-aggression, Magikz gets dealt with, and Zontikz under a microscope
here as the whole round falls onto his shoulders.
Maid. Maid's good.
Oh, he's better! Zontikz shuts him down!
The best later plans for Furia, the right read, the right move.
But the individual delivers it, 14 spirit.
Holding that Molly made every single bit of difference for Zontik's there, they're about
to just run him down in a three on one with no support, massive, to hold onto that incendiary
late in the round and put it to use.
That is an unlikely entry to the CT side here for spirit.
And what is a justifiable call to rotate away into a weak B bomb site.
Amphuria, keep that call.
Forced onto pistols.
You've been left wondering, you know, when are you going to get a bit of a pace change
from Furia?
And this could be a good candidate for that round.
You're coming into it with a little bit less to work with, you don't have the ability to
go for any of these drawn out fakes, trying to misdirect Spirit.
You've just got to hit hard and kind of steamroll Snowball from then on in.
Looking like the long push, long block.
No Utah, the support in this.
Magic still only gets out with one.
Support the timing for Magic's.
Oh, Shiro lines them up though, double!
Put a Uri on his last legs, 4v3, time to set back up!
And time for Fury to mull it over, because what can they do in this position?
It might just be back around the world.
It's a case again where they get the reaction they want from Team Spirit.
And so once more, they're going into this B site with just one man in defense.
Now, Zontics is able to multi-kill this again. It's going to make B feel like it's closed.
They're asking a lot of him once more.
Man, he spent months on the bench waiting to get called back up to play to rejoin this spirit lineup.
And once again, they come knocking for Zontics. This time they get passed in with ease.
3-on-3 now, Bomplog for Furia and a decision to make 14 Spirit.
Do they want to give this retake it goes?
No Kevlar on two players of Furia right now.
These body shots are going to tear Furia apart, put their aim to the sky.
They have to be pinpoint.
They have to be precise.
Messy spray from Cacerato.
Molotow with his back covered, but they're all coming in and no one can connect.
Cacerato a dead man walking.
Spirit walking over the line.
Game tired enough, you start to feel like you're losing that grasp you had in the first couple
of rounds. Spirit now making retakes happen. Haven't been able to stop you in these sight
hits till now. You had the big multi-kill round. Fromzontics followed up now. It's successful
3v3 retake. No longer relying on those big heroic moments, getting it done as a team.
Oh, Fallen's forgotten his gun.
They'll realise that too late. So out lower they go, Tineir on count with a great grenade.
Oh, the open dock has come before his AWP and that 1AK throwing forward.
Can they pick it back up? Take it away from Furia. This round is just disappearing.
In front of your very eyes, the eco, no interest for Furia.
If you feel like Furia's best way into the seaside is to try and break the timing of Spirit setup,
right? They start aggressive in the middle, for example, Don can Shearer orping together
with Don covering the smoke.
Because Spirit trust their utility. They trust their mollies on shore that are going to hold Furia back.
You think if Furia play another
surprising timing, pop through the long smoke, pop through the short smoke.
They might catch Spirit in a weakly bottomside right now. Every time Furia commit, Spirit know they're coming.
Even when it sees 3v1s on B, he gives Ontix the info. He's putting up decent holds right now.
Yeah, he's top of the entire server.
So Furia needs to catch him by surprise.
I think it's one of the awkward feeling parts of this game for Furia is, you know, that
they're getting the reactions they want, they're getting Spirit out of position and
these sides take the thing that will change is Spirit now tying up the game.
Don't have to feel OK.
And that's Donk caught on the cross.
Sickening.
You know, the Molledoy likes to attempt these midfights.
That is a big player to have removed early.
and you're going to note the immediate reaction from the spirit.
They know that Furia like to go B when they've dealt with Donk.
That's the dropping in that smoke, giving the allure that an extra player's crossed.
Trying to use that opener to misdirect your opponent somewhat.
Yeah, they're still hoping at end A.
It's an ear, only a fake.
Sherry drops in, there's not much you can do when that smoke comes down, so back into the bomb site.
Furia, tying up the ace with a fantastic grenade here from Tobias.
And a couple of nades later, Bee feeling a lot more tempting.
He's going to try and keep the pressure on, just a bit of UTL dropped out, trying to cut
off the sight line out towards Shaw, but Taneer doesn't believe it, doesn't believe
it for a second.
He's pushed up around that smoke confirming there's only one guy here.
He's about to find Kcerato, and now they know the truth, they know where this is ending
up.
And it's on six being asked to perform.
His teammates are with him.
Teammates are there.
That's a split through middle.
Fury appeased it all together.
Just don't give anything away.
Oh, like this.
Give Spirit a reason to go for this.
That one kill handed over.
Molotoy down and lower.
Court of the Island.
Spirit once again have to weigh up.
Do they want to attempt the three on three?
Well, they have to.
They've got money.
It's enticing.
Going to give it a look in.
Going to see what you can get.
for Molotoy and Furia do not waste that opportunity.
The key is the Nade on the smoke there for Yuri.
Coming out of tunnels, Zontics makes the right play.
He gets aggressive in tunnels.
He tries to take his 1v1,
knowing Furia a heavy out on that mid to B move.
But Yuri breaks it open, gives the vision back to Furia.
They find that B anchor for nothing.
And time after time, punishing this B bomb site, Furia,
Still maintain round advantage.
You do not see dongs picked on the cross like that every day.
Shura is sending.
Yeah, pressure is far from gone.
Oh my god.
You're like your T-Dub for instance.
Oh gosh.
It's all in it, B. Trying to charge down Zontics.
This time, been a distance between himself and the tunnels.
Big damage done early.
Down to the pistol.
Desperately needs some help.
Desperately needs support.
Incoming the cavalry.
We're meant to recover this.
Teneir's made it in deep.
Far deeper than anyone's ready for.
All the way out of the car.
They clear him.
They can't deal with him.
And Teneir just never letting up.
The rest of Spirit now charging through.
It gets real awkward. It gets real slow.
Oh, Furia trying to find that composure and no!
Why, indeed!
No one is supposed to win!
Spirit are all over the site and Furia just freeze.
How are they allowed the fights they want?
You're kind of with two players in a car, let's the window player go first.
Spirit are begging for the fights.
They are forcing the fights and still Furia take the round.
That's the first dunk with of the year back turn spraying out the door misses his chance
And that might cost you your half
How the furia off it in that round
It was such a unique round anyway, you had so little to work with if you're fury you kind of can't believe it
That's where you just broke in through but you have and yeah, this is your chance now
Does it really deliver on a solid tee half? That's what I mean when I say you got to catch them off guard
I didn't necessarily think it would come in the form of the B rush because Donk is late
He's playing extra safe off to getting caught on the cross
Furia catch him off guard still get weird could still get weird though these double long setup hard to get past at the best
new times fallen
He makes that look way too easy
Every moment where you feel like Furia can't get a multi-kill they somehow do oh in this time's on six the
moveable object at B while it's started moving. Seen it out of position, sees them on the cross
and he knows what's transpiring, he knows what's going on. You're too late to mop this one up in
lower tunnels. Oh, don't die. It's not worth it. All that I learned is lesson from the last round,
two a degree, falling back but still very much in the fight. Chase down, we'll give them that three
on three again. Don't get hot pursuits. Well, it serve as a kill that gives away the promise of a
a strong T side, or does this entire spirit to play in, sending them to their doom if
they come up short.
Shimmer wants his mistake.
Sontik's looking.
Up close is Kaserato, that Molly's going to force a reaction, gets him back, gets him
moving into the spray, Kaserato wins it out.
You're not comfortable yet, you're not feeling like the battle's over, you're not feeling
like it's done, and that's because Dolk is there!
Out through the tunnels and out like a light, there's no time!
All that kills for Dark, but none of the glory!
Furia are getting through, they are bad, they are bruised, they are hurt and they are still winning these rounds!
They are bleeding, their blood is blinding spirits.
Their smoke used against them.
Kasterato wins the Spray Zezontics.
And Furia win out the half at worst case.
In the last three rounds of Furia, they have had one player survive, not each round total.
They have had one player survive in the last three rounds of play.
They've been broken every single T side round they've played on their way to this streak.
Bullying Nebisai right now.
Donk site getting bullied.
Did I think that was coming?
They don't avoid him
They just take him out of the conversation
In Molodoy another pick
Oh, if you weren't expecting that!
Surprise, surprise!
The reaction out through the catwalk!
They've been ready every time they've come A for a player tucked in here, later goose.
You saw Don get bested in that position once already.
Magics, how's he gonna fare? Only on with the MP9.
It's a big ask.
He tries to battle on forward, has support from the ramp,
and now things are getting a little strong out for Furia.
They've got Kcerato out in no man's hand.
Backstop from Fallen was meant to save the day.
He only gets out with one.
You're battling from the deficit!
They're trying to claw back numbers, you just can't regain control.
That's a 30 seconds.
Molotov doesn't have time to be cautious, time to be considered.
Time to play this perfectly.
Got to make a mad dash and Spirit just arm budging.
15 seconds for Molotov to do the impossible and he's shut down.
Spirit, it's something, one solitary round at the end of the half, breaking that streak from an in-form furia.
Dust 2, still up for debate.
I
finals chance of the oldest trophy in Counter-Strike for the victor of this
series. The Furia have it in them to close it here and now.
Every stat has been treacherous here for Team Spirit. Nades continue for Furia
Block along, focus on the short. Fallen pushed off, Spirit come running through.
Fallen Mo and Ammo still gets out with one, you kind of, that's not a good place to be.
And the backstab, B'kay Serato, all but falls apart, still good for one.
It's Shiro toying with them on a smoke push that holds the promise of ending this pistol round.
Aggressive in their face, that's the style adopted from the word go. Four team Spirit.
Spirit four out of four pistols in this series for Team Spirit
still down at the start of the second half
and lost to the force by
the Dauna Mirage first time in this tournament
They cannot afford to fall for it here
Clean conversion paves the way to a strong T side for Team Spirits.
It's Team's best that you have a force once already, but this time the job is so much harder.
It's only Yuri with a 5-7 at this B site.
He'll get his, and that will leave you interested in giving this one a go.
UTL started, lined its way in towards B, and that should provide the cover for the push.
Naid is nice! Now you've got yourselves an advantage to play with!
Urkra is far away, and so Spirit don't want to commit. They don't want to walk in to what could be a chaotic B-bomb site.
If Furia rush through this smoke, they take their time.
Riesmo comes in, Furia responds. They look to add chaos to the mix.
Flash play to send this up. Trying to plug in the numbers was to near.
Dong's going to have their cover. They run down the plotter.
Dong can't withstand it, Keisarato!
Now up for the clutch and they know about Magix, they know where he was.
He's got the info, got the read.
For the new captain of Spirit, this clutch carries a heavy burden.
Gonna stop a calm Cesarato on his way.
The tiered up Guillermo for success and there's no stopping him with the form he's been in here in Krakow.
Brazil's best brings them the break.
Another force by victory,
the only team to do it at this tournament to Team Spirits.
Converting every single time, Furia say not today.
And that's despite a dog triple kill through smoke.
Kacerato pumped up,
because that changes everything here for Furia.
It's not their CT comeback. They continue in the lead.
And it's just such a treat to see a player that you knew was always mechanically gifted.
Always have what it took, the best in Brazil for the longest time.
You felt like this guy was wasting his best years, but this version of Furia, the run they went on in 2025,
what they might be about to do in 2026, it's all very exciting.
Playout towards short, they're ahead of the timing on this one, your kinder really
got to lock in because they are closing the distance and they're closing it
fast. Smoke deploy just to try and slow the roll. Let's him be a nuisance a little
bit later on his timing, on his say so.
AK has to save the weekend.
Happy it was short. Donkville had a shooting gallery, lots of targets, lots of
Heads to the Tapper, lots of chances to drive this one home, and a convincing shut down of that retake.
This one's off to a wild start, we're going back and forth to open up the second half of Dust2.
Whatever it takes here for Spirit, that's their goal, that's their mantra.
Whatever rounds they need to win, a force by a right back in, throws Furia through a loop,
And suddenly the comfort the case or also just provided gets straight down from underneath you
Deagle spam
In a quick pop and those have felt like the best rounds in this map for both teams just explosive
Entries through smokes into sites catching their opponents off guard
If you like quick pushes, I gotta play a few to watch in this round
Amaladoy all the way up in the top mid, on the SMG got support, Shira will play through this smoke
and they'll crunch on that top mid play.
Tab Vazontik's down in lower and this force is brushed aside with ease, 5v2
and the defense split up, there should be no giving this one away if you're spirit.
And there's a game brewing after all, wasn't ready to race Spirit off onto a T side of Dust.
that force by it felt like it was enough here for Furia to rock the boat
it's in there it cleans up and Yuri looks to save as Team Spirit make it an even
game. And Spirit getting the lead for the first time in this map.
I'm already hunting here. I like this move from Magix, getting ahead of this, trying
to play to stop this save, not doing it in the most aggressive way, but if Yuri brings
the gun to him, who's he to argue? It's for his teammate to join him, they really
want to remove this one AK, the one bit of loot that Fury are hoping to part ways with
on this round and you can't deal with Donk there in the hunt.
Save denied and it's high game.
As an eco looms over Fury they might be about to concede this lead they fought so hard for.
and wood in the flash. We got champions on both sides of the stage. Furia Folico.
Spirit's league destined, fighting from behind the entire time of gust 2.
That's kind of the first notable change, right?
It's been a series in which Spirit have always been the guys playing catch up.
Always the ones lagging slightly behind.
I kept up even into overtime map one.
And so finally...
Don't bl- uh, nothing for blood here, kills his teammate.
And he's been jumping into spawn to hunt these exit kills.
He just wants them out of here.
This hasn't really been a map dominated by either Orp just yet.
Moledoy had a couple of good shots on the cross, had that one where he turned off, they
were able to turn it into a win, but other than that, it's not really been and Orp has
gave.
Well, both Orps get to don them here in this first gum round, so we're going to be looking
on seeing who levels up first, who's the first orb to really take control over Dust2.
We're leaving, B. Try to get ahead of this plane.
Spirit's still very spread, no clear finish planned.
Heavy into the B hold and I mean they've got face in Molotov with the off on the other end of the map
This decision is big. They see that lurk smoke and they instantly go pushing. They've now confirmed. It's not this B play
This is a ruse. They're giving forward all the info he needs to call them into a winner here
To be chaotic and to near find your kinder. They still don't need to make a route
But if I go back into the stack double lower surprise surprise
He plays. Kaseurato can survive. They block him with a Molotov.
Mid to B is open. Timmy comes in for the clutch and he flushes out Kaseurato from tunnels.
This round's heating up. Spirit have got the bombclot.
It was this duo that really blew our minds winning out a 2v5 back on map 1.
Fall in a Molotov. But they're having very different games here on Dust2.
It's a round where if you go for it, you come up short, you've really given away this lead.
this lead you've let spirit make a mad dash towards the finish line
thinking about all of that as you move in closer you want to tango you want to
give this one a try Molly is gonna displace to near the car forces him in
the open a missed shot and has fallen tries to move in and punish that's when
he's caught in the crossfire spirit see this one through they get on a 10 they
break the money of fury they finally find themselves in the lead and they're
You're looking to do good with it!
Oh, Molotov even dies, he doesn't even get away with that AWP.
Low health, Upcat can't survive.
Going for that one extra kill, that one bit of punish.
Does more damage to him than spirit.
They have a two round lead and the money advantage,
it's fury a timeout to figure out how the hell they can win this round.
You could argue it shouldn't be a buy, not to any meaningful degree.
Maybe a hero god
Right now this feels destined for a third as spirit slowly, but steadily
Walking the walk back into this T side
Yeah, and the one round for Furia in this whole second half so that lead they were able to build early on
The back of their T side campaign hasn't really come to matter the one round they won was that force by in the second
And they're hoping they can channel that energy twice over as they will put money into this round
Furia, this is a problem even the idea that you could be coming through at the end of this series is a scary prospect
It's a madness spirit haven't played online this year. Furia have run it twice here at Krakow
They don't know what they're up against in this new look spirits
So the odds flip back
If Spirit take their map.
Nothing good to ask for, Molotoy down in middle.
Only matters if you can finish them off.
And you're really hoping for an A plate.
Stack on this side of the map for Furia.
I got bad news.
What's Yuri supposed to do?
Don't give magic enough to fake, enough to keep the stack in place, but Yuri, it's your multi original.
It comes down to just Yuri.
You know, one guy up against the entire E of Spirit magic, just keeping the attention on the wrong end of the map.
Uri, this is not a round he's supposed to thrive in.
It's a tall task. What lies in front of him here?
Four players out through the tunnels and he takes that first chance to dip.
You know you've done some light damage onto Team Spirit, but you are out of position.
You don't have the util to pull this one off. You might just have to hope that you can find success with this four-spire in the next round.
That goal changes for Furious. Just get guns out of this.
If you can trap Spirit in the bomb site, try and take some rifles.
That's a huge victory in and of itself with Spirit punching the numbers closer and closer
to closing this map. Molotoy a dead man.
And the safer exit through middle now.
Oh, Shiro's risking this orb.
I think Sherrod might die, Yuri makes sure that there are weapons to retreat here.
Good damage into the close.
The punishing hunt after all, you get out with an AWP, you get out with an AK, something
to look forward to here in the next.
It's the only proper chance you've got left if you want to stop them.
I remember a patch of flick.
Oh, Shiro's barely been attempting these, but connects that one there on a ureater. Audacious play for Molodoy.
These are the moves that he's known for, this aggressive style.
Plays it in to Wartslow, and he's squaring off against Donk.
Thinks better of it with the Molly coming out.
It's a good Utile to deny Molodoy that opening move.
Respect from both sides. Respect from Dong to get the Utile in to know what he could be up against in Molodoy.
Respecting Dong all the same.
Looking to clash later in the round.
Molodoy, knowing his B site has been abused on both halves.
And it will be once again, so here's Orp, in the right place.
Merk Smoke, it makes it very uncomfortable though.
Could come out on either side.
How would we try to look over?
Oh, scary, almost caught jumping.
So, reposition forced.
Spirit doing the dance, throwing Util, but it's all going to culminate.
It's the B explosion.
There is no third rotation.
There is no support.
There is no one coming to save you.
If you keep telling themselves there's got to be more layers to it than this, they can't just end the game with these continual b-hits, but that is what they're being dealt with again.
Moledoy caught by the mid-lurk, cover was in there, they closed the distance and they sandwiched this b-site.
Fury a move in the middle, but it's corrupted, Magic sits here, atop his perch, covering from the window, shutting down these routes to retake.
Just see the impatience from Odory, Ray's trying to do too much, he's peeking, he's jumping, he's checking, he's nading, he's doing everything, but all in the meantime,
There's a lurker coming up close mid.
That left side smoke lets him sneak through the door and Yuri does not have the cover.
It's an ugly round for Furia.
Because wherever they gamble, Spirit go the other way.
I'm not going to say that you beat Furia, who had been in terrifying form you did at
all with just these relentless b-hits, never backing down, Magic's proven to be a very
stubborn captain.
Three b-plants in a row here, 14 spirit, and that's match point, and that point rather
locked in. Fury get another buy, but it's not the weapons that has let them down in this half.
It is the simplicity, the brutality of Team Spirit's T-side on Dust2, feeling right at home.
And so now you finally make the concession, you finally play an extra player over towards B,
and what happens? Shiro goes for the long pig. Had the spawn set up for that, your kinder fed to the
feels meant to be here for spirits.
Ciri Aranjus competing now to try and save themselves from this horrifying
school line but they've got to do it from the back foot and man down.
Standing out from the rest of the series Fallen has really struggled at getting
a solid read on what spirit are trying to do in these rounds.
8-6 this was for Furia and it was the
re-force for Spirit to embark upon this
streak. One final push to the final map.
Moldoi tries to stop it but it's a B hit
again. They hear the first steps, they hear the
charge, they hear this big push all the
way through the smokes, all the way through
the tunnels, it's chaotic, it's all over
the place. Moldoi is going to bunch of
Yellow players in front of him, but a catch on that Mollie.
He can't peek out through the window now, forced into the fire.
And playing it in, shut down.
Fury are getting golfed in the fire and the chaos of spirit.
Unable to best them.
Unable to quench their thirst for a final placing here and now.
Fall in at left.
And what should be an unwinnable clutch.
Spirit just a kill away from leaving it wide open, and now going the distance.
The dragon hits hard, collects itself in time for Dust 2.
And now it's all in the air, Nuke is the final battleground, that's where we find our finalist.
The side where it felt like Spirit were in the driver's seat and unfortunately Furia
could find none of their solutions.
To pre this was an excellent rebound by Spirit and you get to see why we regard them as still
one of the best teams in the world.
That's the reason why they go for those two at time and time again and it's because they
can just make it work even from the most simple playbook.
It's literally just as long as they can stay alive, as long as they don't get disrupted
in their playbook, as long as they don't get to the point where they lose too much HP
by utility, they will always find a way to execute onto the catwalk just as a group
or just revert back to the B-Farm side which was the main character of this storyline.
Spirit of Ones again showing that it doesn't always have to be like a genius move, it's
all about having the fundamentals and just doing things correct and that is what was
really the playbook here.
Yeah, I completely agree, nothing crazy, nothing out of the ordinary but it's the little details
that Flash would need to or maybe staying silent where they're walking up catwalk and
these were the details that actually won them the game against Fury.
winning the early rounds in the second half, right? So they get ahead in the economy battle.
We were talking about what will Fury have in store to try and disrupt Spirit World. That's
much harder to do when you don't have a good economy, right? You don't have the open
mode. You don't have all your utility. So that really forces you in a bit of a box.
You know, we saw Fury a couple of times go for some stacks. There were close rounds,
but they just weren't able to clutch them out in the end and Spirit rolled through that
second half.
about those small details, Jail, correct me if I'm wrong, but that's extra impressive
considering the restructure that Spirit have had, right? It's no small feat getting a new
ingame leader, albeit previously at any roster, but taking up this new role and having those
small looks, that's pretty impressive.
Oh yes, 100%. I'm pretty sure most rounds that they've played, it's not like structured,
or somethings that have to flash there, or don't have to go here and peek. Most of the
rounds that they've played were discussed prior, in the round, not something they said
in the preparation, and I feel like that's one of the strongest parts of Spirit is that
They can have kind of not the best playbook, but they'll still make it work
It's because they have really good players that understand how to play in the moment that what is needed of them
And it's not like just choose not like the most
Like the you know it too much into these likes not the map that is the hardest to figure out
It's not the most tactical map that you have to go in as an in game leader and obviously also with magic being the new in game leader
It's also a map that Spirit has loved for a long time. You know, it's they have to find some missiles
Right is not because he's gonna take over that they're just gonna scrub everything they had or like their ideas
It's just gonna fall flat so it was it was just like this basic counter strike that they're just really good at it
You know you like so I don't know what happened to my dust to where it became this B side simulator all the time like this obsession with
B openings B pops B rushes we said for spirit was gonna have to changes
You know across the board they have to play well it can't just be one or two guys
You know and zontics definitely did step up
I mean in this game both has but especially in that first half with how much attention
And then Furiel was putting on that B bomb site, whether they were trying to go fast or slow, he was just very well prepared for them every single time.
As somebody used to play in that position, JL, can you give me some praise to Zontics? What was he doing so well in terms of handling that site?
I just know the most practice you get on B site is playing official games. Because when you practice the map against other teams, they never go towards B.
They have the set pops, they're never going to come.
But a true good deep player will only shine in the officials, because that's when they actually come to you.
I really think that Sanchez really jumps off the pace in the fact that he's just good at using his utility.
For a vast majority of the time, he will usually have an HE left, you know, and that one HE will just do a lot of damage.
And while Rousy even had both his Molly, his Flash and his HE left, you know, when they actually reverted away from the A bomb site.
And he just used that to perfection, you know.
We were even surprised that you would have that, but if you don't put enough pressure on the B-bomb hood, there's no need for him to use it.
And then he used it at the exact time in the correct way, and that HG would just do so as damage since the player is all tied up and tunneled.
Yeah, he was so cerebral coming from Zontics. Moving to the second half, though, that T side of the spirit.
There's a lot around. She could have chosen. Why did Round 15 jump off the page for Janko?
Because it's the one that won the economy battle for them, right?
And it's very straightforward. Magus has a full utility set. You could have seen him outside B.
He's going to fake basically a B split or a B pop rather with that utility.
The rest of the team is just walking A, right? That's it.
And I think the problem here for Fury are, look at their guns.
They have three MP9s.
And following the kinder are A with MP9s, you know, going up against Donk, who's there with the AK.
So they're afraid to take some of those fights.
Then they give the site away and now it becomes a difficult retake.
I mean, Donk is elbow with the AK.
They're peeking together from site with the pistols.
They just completely, you know, the defense completely crumbles for Furia in this round
And sure they got pulled away a little bit by the fake
But I think this is where they messed up in fleece time not discussing, you know
You can't have I don't feel like three MP9s, right?
Like either mode they give someone an M4 he gets a scout you buy a Famas, right?
There's just so many long-range fights that would potentially happen in as soon as
They were coming out short you could see that
few days in trouble like it was hard for them to win that round. I think this is
one of the talking points of my teams for a long time that do you go for it
like in full armor with a small but you go with like a full utility belt and MP9
and it's it's always you know you have to take into consideration what it kind of
brought you gonna be expecting right maybe this this was maybe not a case of
them expecting an A hit right but I totally agree with you in the sense
that when they lose that space when Dong is just sitting up on Catwalk with that
AK you know he can pick as fast as he wants it and they gave spirit that
space they needed to win out the round and that was obviously a good decision
but also a risky one for Spiridon by the payload.
Let's put the show on the other foot for a second.
For Furria, before we get into individuals, was there anything that really lacked from that
CT side for you, Janko?
I mean it was a difficult side to play, you know this round a little bit it ended up being
huge, after that in the gun rounds they tried to play, you know they had that one where there
were three B push tunnels, it was back and forth, it was a very close round and after that Spiridon
just has a lot of momentum, you know, and it's difficult for you to find a solution
because everything is open to them. Whatever they tried so far has worked, and then you
haven't conditioned them in any way whatsoever. So I can't necessarily say that they've made
some glaring mistakes or there were things that could go for that they didn't go for.
I think Spirit just played a very solid T side and not much fury I could have done about
it.
Maldo did try to go. He went lower once or twice to try and get a kill. You also saw the
round you just talked about them pushing two tunnels trying, like being in front of the
trying to catch and put puzzle things together before they were hit and it
literally just came down to also maybe a little bit of a fortress text they also
had the force by where they had four guys on a and Yuri alone and B and let's
just be honest like the B side was that big one like that's what they they
constantly kept hitting they were being stubborn about going back to B that's
what really worked for them and there was also one of the rounds but there was a
bit of communication issue with Molotov and Yuri where you do see that Molotov
I actually get shot in the back when Yuri is not actually covering so it's
also this this idea that you also have players rotating around the side
Maldai being very mobile, but it also creates uncertainty if the player is not used enough to play with Joe.
And I think now we go back to the beginning and this is where we can talk a bit about the Vito again.
Right? You're going into Nuke. I think this map pool as a whole spirit was always going to love it.
And here's the thing. Yeah, they picked Mirage and they won Mirage, but if let's say you picked Overpass,
Mirage might have still been there as the third map, right? Like that's something the spirit,
I think, would have been willing to play at that point in time. And also the fact that
Fiora beat of the Nubis. I didn't like that either. I think they should have beat of Nuke.
There would have been a good chance they would get overpassed the third, right?
Spirit was so confident against G2 that they ended up picking it.
I'm not sure they would have been willing to play a Nubis again on this stage.
You know, when you have good players, you want to go to a map where they're going to feel
a bit more confident, right? So now I feel like the pendulum swings a bit over to the side of
Spirits after they've been able to recover on this too look at the year so far
I think spirit has played a once against Paravision and bounding and then you do have a fury on us that's played twice this tournament already against
They they simply took a massive hit and by beating the Mongols women in the 3-2 deficit
And then also against Astralis it seemed it also relaxed to play a nuke
So at least furious not a position where they they have repetitions on map
They've already paid this tournament spirit maybe a map. I wouldn't say they've overlooked by the map
they haven't played, especially not this tournament.
So I kind of get why Fiora decides to go for this one,
allow it through, because it's also a map that you can have said
that this is one of the maps that we haven't changed too much
or we still have the fundamentals going for us.
We know how to play this one.
We don't have to do and dig deep to actually figure out
how to approach it.
But as we've seen throughout the match so far,
it just comes down to the individuals.
There's a lot of chaos, there's a lot of sneaking
through around the smokes, a lot of individual plays,
and I don't think that's going to change for you at all.
Just taking away from the tactical angle for just a moment,
because Jail, it's the first time we've actually had
3 map affair here in the arena. If you're Furia right now and you've just come off a map where
the second half wasn't really that competitive, what are you talking about in this break between
going into a third? I mean for sure I'm kind of hyping the team up because not me but I believe
that Nuke is a team map and there's two and more of like an individual map so if I'm sure
I'm kind of
Prepping to play a map that is gonna be brutal that is gonna be that's gonna require a lot of team effort and a lot of team
Chemistry whereas spirits. I think like that. They have a lot of individuals that step up, but nuke is I mean, it's a team map
You don't think it's over for fear of the other eating subway sandwiches man
When would if your performance coach let that happen all you get is a banana
Maybe a sip of water and you have to go back out there. No food, comma. All the food is gonna go to your stomach
It's over, it's over. Look at Spirit, they were locked in, you know, barely there. I think
Spirit's gonna do it. G1, got it.
Same here.
Give me a reason as to why, J.O.
I mean, Nuke is just a team game, and I mean, on Spirit right now, of course, they played
very well on Dust2, but Dust2 is a very simple map, and it's a little bit more complicated
on Mirage, and we saw Spirit lose, so I feel Nuke is furious for sure.
So let's see how this semi-final will end.
We find ourselves on the precipice of a third.
That third being Nuke to decide who goes through
to the grand final between Spirits and Thurrion.
I
Chance all
Nobody fights here, and you know it's gonna be your place.
I would still know both of us at all.
It has reached that time of the event where we unfortunately have to begin saying our goodbyes.
I'm standing here with JT from Passion UA for a departure interview.
What do you have to say in your own words, JT?
I mean, today was a really bad day.
We didn't play very well, but I'm super proud of the boys of getting this ball.
And just want to look at the positives.
While looking at those numbers that production just threw up there, the positives few and far between.
Perhaps you should change your names to Passion NA for Passion Not Applicable.
Because clearly, you are missing that in the service today, Jim.
I'm going to ask production to bring up that stats back in just one more time here of Hall
Zirk and his performance in this series alone.
It's not looking good.
I mean he had a really bad game, but he usually is a really solid, great player, and when
we lose, we lose the team.
Look JT, I know how difficult this all must be, so I don't want to keep you here too long
or really kind of keep you guys any longer than I have to in this moment.
Listen, JT, looking at those numbers, you could be prime, glaive.
There's not a whole lot you're going to be doing with what you've got on the plate now, is it?
I mean, like I said before, HOSIC's been really great for us.
That's just how CS goes, and there's a lot of great teams here,
and sometimes it's difficult to compete with their firepower.
Firepower indeed, for what was, in fact, a cremation both inside and outside of the server.
Well, I think that's a very fitting segue as we close the book, or I should say the
casket in the scenario and what has been a predominantly underwhelming display of counter
trick ability. Gentlemen, if I could ask you to do the honors.
What was already a dim light is now completely extinguished.
Counter Shrike is a very punishing game at the top level, but fortunately for our premium
subscribers at home, that punishment doesn't have to end here.
Howzer, please, do the honors.
Bro, I'll never bring that.
Well, I'm ready.
BOOP BOOP!
An exhilarating, hard racing match, we culminate on Nuke, Furia, they sport a 7 win streak dating
back to their successes of 2025. Team Spirit showcased their first land-nuke of the year.
There is only room for one. Three years running for Team Spirit or Furia on their first attempt.
Ten years since Fallen was even in conversation for that trophy. But this could be the hardest fight
yet. It's one that he's been chasing his whole career. It might have been the
birthplace of Brazilian CS, but it's not where they found their trophies. As you
say, this was the first tournament where we witnessed Don, what he was capable of,
what he could do, taking titles, setting records, and those are records that still
stand till this day. There's only room for one in the final. It's Furia up for
Revenge or spirit locking in another appearance?
What's it gonna be?
Fury have torn up the script in this series.
They've shaken the boats.
They've delivered force by victories to spirit.
The pistols all the same.
Spirit hold every single one in this series so far.
Fast ramp out towards the yard and you'll take a one-for-one trade on dunk to start your pistol.
Yuri gonna try to creep up here, thinks he's got some room out towards Hell, that's not the case.
Zontics is the spot, but the rest of the gang are all down at Lower.
Hanging on Yuri's every word, he's pouncing out, getting past Zontics.
Is he ready for a second player over here at ramp?
Decides he's not even needed, Shiro doesn't know it, but his time's being wasted here chasing ghosts.
as Yuri is up and left completely. They've got to move on down, prepare for the 3 on 3 in front of them.
As this B site has long been taken, that bomb taken away, you've got to get a move on, Spirit.
Charging out the ramp, damage done.
Yuri late, but right on time as Molodoy collects two more kills from the window to near.
No chance as Furyr find the pistol. They break through for their first time in this series.
And Spirit get caught off guard, Zontics expecting some respect.
There's one thing we've learned from Furia.
It's don't underestimate their pace.
Spirit may have thrown it back in their face with a hyper-aggressive Dust2 T side.
And B hits to rival Fallen's.
But this third map is undecided. This third map is a guessing game.
And you know one of the things we've been talking about in this series was that matchup Molledoy in Kazakhstan versus team spirit
Getting a play in front of the home crowd denied
It was a series where he fell off hard and we've been saying you know
This is kind of a chance for him to show how far he's come in the nine months since these teams last went head-to-head
Well that the
Fall off of the major also the one versus spirit in Astana
This would be the perfect time for him to come through with his best map yet
Into the stack and they get out barely Bruce. It's just grenades that do damage
Fury get two kills to the good
They have no right being in a five on three right now
You can just take it all the space outside even without the kill
Spirit shrinking into their seats in this four spot
Yeah, and you're just hoping it ends on be and I think right now spirit realizing that's not the case ten years
Even leaving on this push up through secret
He's really got his work cut out for him. They know your kindars lurking out here in garage, but now he's only half the battle
Even now in a 5v2 furia and not jumping the gun they've got heaven control they've got outside
Rather they don't have heaven control. They're looking to change that you kindar gonna try and move in
Sure has been set up here throughout the entire round and they are giving you kindar all the time
he needs just to roll out the red carpet for this A-play and there it is.
Donk confined to lower, Feria put that bomb right down.
Talking about Spirit looking for their third attempt at the trophy.
Talk about Donk's record, 1.7 rating across the event to find his victory back in 2024.
Still made it to the final 25, put up a 1.41. He enters this semi with a better rating than last year.
here. This is a doc who is hungry for revenge. He's not thinking about Furia. He's thinking
about that trophy. As we've seen across the semi-final, Furia, no team to underestimate.
They brought the heat to spirit in this game and now with their first pistol and lead of
the half. Anything's possible.
Zeus on Shira, we see ya.
Molly gets him out of position.
in the case of just doing it low and slow, look for Furia.
Once again, using your Kindar as the aggro piece, working out in the arty's just even then holding on to the secret control.
This good zap on an upper head.
You're expecting to go ramp, right? They have your kinder down secret. This might just
be an execute on up or two. Fake out the play before they go down lower. Shira tries
to dodge the nade to get burned out of position. Shira, uncertain. Do a walkout ramp. Boost
here as well. Free players in at the ramp room. Gone good for one, but the moment you see
You try and leave put a bit of distance between yourself and the trigger man. Oh, there's a Zeus kill for Shiro
Surely not I don't think the alarm bells are ringing it just yet Yuri's got cover
It's a furia they will get those conversions they're off to a hot star
Excuse me. They did convert the first pistol
Back on dust to on T side. It was a 3-0 lead as well spirits still got into their gun round quickly
so expecting more of that here.
More power for Shiro on the CT side.
Shiro Solo's ramp, heavy on the setup.
Don't allowing the silo cross.
That's not sneaky fallen.
First steps punished and Zontics rotates lower.
Spirit, mechanical here.
Robotic.
Filling the gaps, taking back new space.
You've been trying to set a very different tone on this T-Side too.
Any other in this series thus far?
Come on, jump in the gun, not trying to move too quickly.
You don't want to feel like this third map disappeared in an instant.
Eventually, Fury do have to make their move and it's an exec in at the top site.
You're kind of ready to run interference, ready to come up through the vent.
Caught on the crossing in a donk, will find a dink and one kill.
Is that gonna be enough to me providing even more resistance?
But the A site now starts to crumble.
Molotov and Nuri find their way to a post-plan.
Sontics is the tricky task of having a finagle away up through the vents.
No one watching this, you will have room.
We'll have a chance to play.
They're on the clock.
Shiro's gonna be lightning fast here on the creepout through.
HELLO!
Boy!
Deletes Yuri on the flick down.
Molotoy now gonna be even quicker, even faster.
Molotoy feeling the pressure as Shiro drops in.
Clock finishes meal.
Yuri must have called low and it almost leaves Molotoy without the round.
50 health clock will do it three kills for Molodoy all while he eats the tag
The margin fair are so slim fury a team that like to show boat that like to soak in the moment
But there is none of that at the end of that highly important 1v2 clutch the job has just begun
You cannot get ahead of yourselves
It's something that even thinking back to some of the core members at the heart of fury a case of RRs
your ureys you think back to some of the swings and misses they've had over the
years the one that really stuck out was always the case of winning in Rio right
feeling like they've done the hard part they focus too much on the idea that the
win was right there only for it to all get away from them these are lessons
you've had to learn over the years you can't let your foot off the gas and so
they will stay locked in they still have a lot more to do but that's the first
step in the right direction here for Furia. A6 lead on Dust2 and then another round to speak of.
Furia not getting ahead of themselves. 4-0 broken forced by back in,
still 3-M4s here for Spirits, still a very threatening round. Donk in a powerful position.
Here's your kid to make that cross. No one strikes. Double lower. Furion. Might just meet them there.
Zontics isn't backing down here. Decides to hang around and try and fight for the space of Ramp.
Your kindars found Donk in the downtime. Just a clean execution of him out in the yard. Backstab for Zontics.
He's going to serve to sweeten the deal here. Spirit is dealing with the chance and they're telling him to fight forward.
forward, keep going. Let's really take this space. Well, they're going to go right in
a Maldonadoi, missed shot. Zontecs rings out for the third.
Third fallen, hit the Marl, hit the smoke. Just has to drop into this B site. That ramp
climbing back up gives Roof a fallen, but he wants to let you kind of work. Buying time,
you kind of want a free kill. Magic's looking nowhere.
You've lost the brawn, but you still have the brains in high supply with this duo left
in the 2v4.
He called a bluff and stick this bomb. Oh my, fallen set them up.
It's these two with the reeds of the game.
These are the guys that think big picture stuff for Furia.
This would be a shocking 2v4 or 2v5 to pull out of nowhere.
They're set up.
Fall in at a powerful post plant.
Spirit might be crossing in, but they've got a lot to contend with here.
Fall in striking one from the tally early in this retake.
Molly's making him uncomfortable.
Gets the fight out of fall, and it's your kindle.
They're not ready for 10-year.
Oh, can you feel the nerve setting in?
Yikindar taking it and taking it all!
Another clutch going the way, Iferia!
They keep racking them up!
Four frags for Yikindar, 1v2, 2v4, back against the wall,
and Iferia just keep putting on rounds.
They don't know when to quit.
They won't get ahead of themselves.
Will they let Spirit back in?
Easy stuff there for the captain and his right hand man.
You can die and fall and they are the brains behind this team
and they get to show it in that round.
Hell, maybe they are the brawn at least some time.
Sure, falling silent on Dust2 was fallen and even Molodoyper.
With that Mirage, they wouldn't have won without Fallen popping off on the B-Side.
And we've had Furia in these winning positions many a time over this series, every time in fact.
But they've always managed to give Spirit something to hold onto, some leeway.
If in map 3 you're able to deny that right to Spirit, if you're able to make this a clean finish on the half, run through with a strong T-Side, that is going to leave you in such a good place.
6-2 lead and a 4-1 lead in both T-side starts.
And you've got them in this vulnerable position.
Every round they're losing, hitting like a 2-for-1.
There's no strong round to make a case for saving in yet.
You want to give everything a go because you're feeling a little desperate.
How long can Furia keep this type of pressure on Team Spirit?
This is sneaky.
They've managed one player down every time when they've walked outside.
This time they go for 4.
And with fake being thrown on this topside,
Spirit aren't even thinking about what lies below right now.
What lies below is the round and Furia are just taking it.
If the bomb goes down right now, Spirit have a difficult question to answer.
Kittless retake with Donk found by Molodoy.
This is a waste of time outside.
Spirit might have already lost the round off position alone.
And so they have.
Furia call the shots and they call rings around Spirit.
Early conditioning of one player taking secret
now turns into a round off the back of it.
Furia thinking the long game right now.
Big picture, you know, Fallon is really building up on hell of a plan.
He knows the right now spirit of doubting everything.
I mean, even if you hit tab, you look at the scoreboard,
you see Magic's off to a really slow start.
slow start individually there's a lot of moving parts here on CT Nuke and you
know if you throw enough misdirection in do enough of this early conditioning
you're only making life easier for yourself down the stretch. You want spirit
doubting themselves you want them doubting every move is that one player
down secret is that multiple are they faking is this an a-hit or are they
popping ramp where do we put our opera so many questions for spirit to answer
It's not even a one-man job. Halley comes in taking this full timeout for himself
Two timeouts used by spirit in just six rounds of play. It's not going to plan
It would have felt almost
Expected for Furia to shrink up in this third map after getting blown out of their second half of Dust 2
Seven rounds in a row to close it from Team Spirit
Furia about to find their seventh straight back
to see, you know, what kind of influence that timeout is going to have on Spirit, but I think
you're equally as intrigued to see how Fallen tries to change the game up on the back of
it.
It's hard to call for Magix. I think Donk's gonna have to be very vocal in a game like this, right?
He's the one. Passed with the info outside, he's being given utility. He's breaking the smokes.
He's trying to keep information for spirits. Still, they have to rotate to the end down.
All in the meantime, Magix's top heart just holding. How much can one man do from this position?
How can you call the shots with this little input or information?
It's a team effort right now.
And in the game that has been or at least felt like it's been about this secret control having your kindar slip down there
It's another round where they've tried to tee that up as a possibility
But that is not what fury we're doing. So we'll have to be the topic you can't fake our ramp right now
It's too late in the round you have no control
So here's the hit right in a dunk who takes first contact now, you know, he's here
You know the big threat is right in front of you and don't oh
Don't he's not letting them in
door slam shot
As Dong commands respect on this top site, Molodeau had taken a couple with him.
The door is firmly shut. Finally, Spirit get on the board. It takes them seven rounds on this third map.
And it's Dong to get them there with the 4K.
Finally, I get to play, he says. Finally, they push my site.
She's been getting maneuvered around, getting locked out, and a fury go for that top hit.
They learn a lesson, time out called by sin.
And Donk is just such an anomaly.
waiting all game to play been cold been out of commission they finally are in
his crosshairs he finds four perfect headshots
does just feel like the most consistent player Counter-Strike has ever seen
when he's asked to perform does he ever let you down
We're leaving to see if you can still do it, because you know, you've been used to having
some great times at this tournament since Don't Join, yet to miss a final.
You know they get there first, it's still the beginning of a CT comeback that's much
needed here for Spirit.
Job is so far from over.
You know the Furious still have more ideas.
That was the attempt at the pace change and misdirection, trying to continue building
across all that conditioning you've done in the yard, stopped by individual brilliance
from Spirit.
Oh, that's just good. No, it's not.
Oh, a teased dunk up for the opening.
I'm falling. Up next, right into Shiro, waiting with baited breath down in secret.
It's a five on three.
Oh, is that team flash going to dig an early grave for Furia?
Donk backs up into main and repeats at the right time.
They collapse on outside.
A team flash that kills Yokinda in a heads up duel versus Donk,
and you've just let this guy warm up.
You let Donk break into the game.
And will it be another case of this strong lead
at the start of the map for Furia slipping through their fingers?
You've got to shift your focus here from the runaway first half to just trying to stem
the bleeding now.
The last thing, the absolute last thing you want is your spirit to embark on a streak
of their road.
Nightmare scoreline is 6-0.
It's still very much a possibility.
It's back-to-back mole, E-kill rounds from Donk, and Fury is starting to run low on money.
We see pace changes, fury being calculated.
Using these smokes.
Taking their time.
Sure, you want to try and test Xantix over the wards ramp.
He really exported us far, and there's the push out of your kinder.
Dong's been causing you so many problems out in the yard, out in this top site.
Screw it, go somewhere else. Don't even fight the guy.
And now they've got the route down into lower to near one step ahead.
Strong position here. Will get one for free.
Next one's going to cost him though. Now they know where he is.
There's the support on its way on down. Dong gets tapped out from a range.
And as you rotate in, you go right into your Kindar!
Magix is yet to get a kill in this third map.
This would be one hell of a way to get the ball rolling.
You wouldn't would he?
Plays through.
Your Kindar never takes his eyes off that smoke!
Wise to let Tricks and aware of their desperation,
Inspiration, he shuts down the 1v3 attempt from Magix!
Never gets going, never get like you're feeling the game when you're starting like this.
A 1v3, where they just ice you out, they outweigh you, they force your move.
Fury are punishing right now, trading out Donk in this round.
It's all building.
Into a beautiful opening half, can Donk again put that under threat.
Aggression from him, as soon as you see him in the feed, everyone tenses up a little.
They know that he's right here, ready to scrap out in the yard.
Donk battling forward and fall in the best of.
Nearly the spot here for Cacerato. Catches his one.
Now playing it forward.
Drop down into the site here. Magic steals himself away against his first
killer the game thus far. In defensive A, Sontics hits the holy grail of timings
on this push out of the yard. He's in behind Fallen. He's tainted. Has he walked past?
He doesn't look over his shoulders. Sontics has gone right by him. They don't know that
Fallen's here, but likewise you're not considering a backstab through the
lobby. Timing's everything now. How quickly does Molodoy play? If he's
waiting too long. This backstab will be there to shut him down. This is the round, Molotov
holding his flank. So I'll take shifting in. No way. This flank was meant to save you,
but instead it's giving them a way in. Fallen and Molotov, another mountain disadvantage
that they're trying to deliver in. It all slows down now. Where do you go? Drop down
the van, Fallen gets left behind.
He can take one with him, it's teed up and Molodoy probably has to come through,
Shiro can't stop it, he can only contain Molodoy on the site.
Fallen follows up, 2v3 building, Fallen and Molodoy, student and master,
and they've outmoved Shiro, he can't find Molodoy, thinks he's still stuck at the site.
Molodoy got out, Molodoy crept out, Shiro won't believe this.
Shiro can't believe this, he's still so determined, he's gonna be nearby.
Moledoy waiting, and they've got this clutch right there, ready for the taking.
Shiro in the miss, and that rail cost ya.
Insult to injury.
It's the master class every time you see these two into the end, you know they're good for something.
Moledoy, that next generation of fallen, smiling on as he knows he made the right choice in picking this kid up.
And it's stress for spirit, it's always stress.
But this is feeling more insurmountable than ever.
That inescapable feeling that you've been trumped time after time,
disadvantage after disadvantage.
8-2 lead now.
Donk dead again.
Molodoy butches him.
Both maps so far, head-to-head in his favour.
And the third surely continues.
Shiros, Flick, Amis, Yikindu, tracking him down.
And Molodoy lets him go to him.
Wait, wait, strike! A second shot connects.
This is the growth of this player.
This is how quickly he was able to rise
through the rankings account of strike.
Molodoy getting his show that all in a decisive map three. That's what this is building awards
I'll be crunched. Shiro succeeds. There's one more backdoor. They're not ready
You just wouldn't expect this. Second player lying away. Sure, Shiro gets out with even more, but Kaseroto knows he's got the round right there
there. Zontics is out of position as long as you don't drop down the vent, this one's safe.
And you've got no reason to do so. You're kind of controlling heaven as the spot on Zontics making
a desperate move and that's all you're left with if you're Spirit. These desperate clings of winds
that just aren't coming through. It is all Furia. We said we wanted Molotov to take this series
personally we wanted him to have it out for spirit in this semi-final. Remember
you didn't care about winning in his home country well he's gonna make you
hate being on this stage. A spirit of fond memories of this championship who
have beef with vitality thinking of a final vengeance of their own they may
They never get to face their foe, Team Furia taking it again, nine rounds, yard fight,
dog-nooting for the swing, there's still a response, another 5v3 with hot trades, Furia
press ahead, they punish.
Magix is out of it man, that's an awkward move, gives away the advantage and now Furia, they
really might put a bow on this half with yet another 3v5.
I don't even know where this is ending up.
They are lost.
Zonk is the only one killing anything.
And even then, it's not enough.
Mordor 17 and four, the kid has their number.
Spirit being shooed off the stage.
Oh, crazy fight for Zontik's to win!
No, no, no!
Zontik's trying to give them a glimmer.
Some faint little ray of light at the end of the tunnel, and they will get past you,
Kinder!
The most unlikely of rounds!
And it's going to leave them with next to nothing.
Three at the end of this first half.
Fury are right there.
The Finals are right in front of them.
Spirit will this do it.
Will this do it? Can Donk level up?
Or are Furia locking in finals right here, right now?
The
spirit came into this semi-final as favorites looking to take another attempt at a trophy
back-to-back years in the grand final of Katowice with here in Krakow, Furious search ahead.
A team that barely made it out of the play in four years in a row at the bottom of the tournament.
They sit four rounds away from a grand final.
We had it from the Miesta day.
No round, no game, nothing is over, till it's over, you can never take your eyes off the
prize.
You put yourself on a fast track to the finals if you win this round.
If you don't get it, it's an uphill battle all over again.
Flash out, ramside fallen, feeling some pressure has to get away and can't put enough distance
between himself and Team Spirit. Rotate, hastily assemble, and a quick to get cut down.
Spirit in a commanding position here, 5v2. Donkis has no way for this to get out of control.
Donkis has not had enough. He is never giving up. He is not going down without a fight.
The one player putting up resistance in this third map for Team Spirit. The one ray of
light. Matching Molotoy's kill count. While no one on his team breaks double digits.
Donk says there is more to do. A pistol round the team spirit.
I set out here on the top site, and that is where the stack is right now for Furia.
It's only pistols.
I should never get too nervous, not with all these Mach 10s jumping at the bit to try
and lead the charge on this push.
It's the Utah to signal the attack.
First man in, his dog first to fall as well.
McTen's trying to make up for it and they will gain some space back.
Left down to this 1v2, it gets way closer than you were ready for.
The spirit will survive the night, they get through that round.
And now within touching distance of Furia comes the first buy, Bolladoy brings the AWP
into the action from the word go.
Risky against Mactense, but with the game he's been having you cannot doubt it.
You cannot doubt it, or him.
The front runner for Furia, putting his best foot forward, eye on the scope outside, spirit
don't smoke, comes in late.
Maldoi blocked and we'll see what Furia's protocol has in store for them.
Spot on the jump there, don't got that info.
wall thrown on the fly allows Dr. Cross down B.
How do I see multiple players make it to secrets?
That must be dealt with.
Fury can't ignore this problem.
Artory cut open.
B site.
Oh, that's the first responder, but...
Oh, it gets the spot off on players moving in through secret, at least.
No Nades and no Kits.
If you stop this B here, it's going to go very wrong.
Spirit trying to give Fury a bit of a taste of their own medicine with the instant B aggression.
And still shy on the rotates of Fury here.
So yeah, Fallen's got to provide.
Not enough for him to get out of this round with nothing.
Even one leaves you guessing.
It's a bit of damage done there onto Teneir, but just the one for one from the captain.
And that Nade wrecks him, this one might be over before it even begins.
And so another round on the tally for Team Spirits.
Furia like this one, slip on by, doesn't feel right, the conditions aren't there, but in
this save, not even that's a guarantee, no one are not attempt around, only to still
lose everything, and that's exactly what Zontikz does to him!
pinpoint from Zontics have you ever seen in one tap but punishes four players of
Furia on an attempt to the save and if that doesn't fire you up nothing will
Spirit have just punished Furia to the end degree denying not only the attempt
to be around but the attempt of the follow-up they have nothing yeah these
kills from Zontics have just won you two rounds back to back that's how you're
feeling. Even donks impressed. What a time for Zontics to come up with a huge
multi-kill. Shiro 4k in the second round stopping the USPs. Zontics 4k
stopping the save. This was a team spirit that had no one performing but
Donk just minutes ago and now re-analyzed are you nervous yet
And Donk, as did your kinder, quick cross down secret, they put their best man on the
job and he's just the night guard here, just the watchman, making sure no matter what
What Furia do, it doesn't come down outside.
Denying information.
Rammstack.
Spirit go running.
On the Molodoy, but the only arm of these pistols first kill belongs to Fallen.
That will bait them into Molodoy.
Goes unclear for a moment with another player facing from Hell.
All the less reason to check, he's missed the spray.
And Tanea with that turn around.
The ace of their sleeve, the last trick of Furia here in this pistol.
It's stripped away from them.
This should be no surprise to Furia, I don't think they'll go flying down the vent because
Donk has had this the entire round.
Furia feigning a save as they go hunting for guns, Shiro here to stop that.
Oh, careful, baby.
They line up instead.
And so Fury, again, get out with nothing.
And Spirit, they walk the walk, step by step,
closer and closer, down that stage.
Fury managed to find six rounds in a row
to start their T-side campaign.
Spirit are already over halfway to complete in the same.
All the way up again, this time with armor.
Spirit had no answer for the smokes outside, they could not break them all the time, he
rarely even found kills from that.
His fury just as unfortunate.
Spirit already threw a double wall last round, likely to do it again.
You can see Spirit are in no hurry. They let Fury burn their utility.
Before they lay up the second volley, Smokes come out from spawn.
Magix gives him the second wall. It's a ruse.
The catch for Kcerato, Molotov there to play in tandem with him.
Advantage briefly now residing with Fury, and you found your way to a 4 on 3.
First time you've been in this position yet on the CT side, you've got to convert this one.
You've dealt with the heavy hitter, you've dealt with the big man, donk out of the pitcher, and now Zontik's followed up onto as well.
only has two kills in this entire third map. It's him and Shiro left in a very unlikely
2v4. Everything getting punished all around the map. For Magix now, suddenly so alone,
Muri closes in and deals with him. And so streak broken, 4 in a row, forgotten about
as Furia lock in double digits.
Esurato is such a hero in that round.
The way he tucks in into main,
they were going for the main pop
with the second wall of smokes.
They even hide flash from Silo.
It doesn't do anything.
K-Stratto completely avoids it.
Stops the split into main, takes down Donk
as the first man in.
Big problem here.
Oof, to me. Oh no!
Brutalized by that U-Tilted near, barely even alive in this round.
Very fortunate to make it all the way down here, but now you're trapped in lower with Molodo in the orb covering you.
They got Ram.
They're all for Donk in the downtime and that's gonna get them out Ram site.
Suddenly Molodo is getting pincet here. They're taking the site behind him.
Teammates on the way, it's him and Kacerato, the two stars side by side.
I shot.
I never want to shy away from a fighter.
It's Molotoway, he'll go back for a second time around.
Donknow dead would be a great time for Shiro to get involved, get himself in the conversation
this all, raring to get going.
Will it ever get given the chance?
No idea where the other two are, the only thing you know about, the only position you're
aware of is this Molotoway AWP, so everyone's nervous.
ticking down miss for shiro and now they're closing in furia have to make
that move oh another miss case Serato closes in the site started to shrink
you're running out of places to hide shiro can't afford these misses
defuse hell the furious stealing away in broad daylight shiro shuts his eyes not a
single connection when it counts and Spirit needed him. A sickening round to
lose, down the stretch on the search for a comeback here for Spirit. Shiro primed,
Shiro ready, Shiro misses. Fiora go back to the double orb.
An Amoledoy Malti gets them there again. He is 22 and 9. Electric!
Is this going to come down to a topside hit? Smokes fake?
And Spirit ready to explode.
The Kinder is clearing outside.
He's priming his forces to be ready on this top hit.
Yuri.
Good connection up for the first.
Spray won't follow through, but you've dealt with Donkey, dealt with that first man in.
The space taker, the space creator, the man that can do the impossible is out of the round.
And now it's just about cleaning up the rest of them.
Today has made it by an enemy line, it's been a full-on mulling over there to stop him!
And oh, you can feel it getting away from you!
This is the final chance, this desperate buy, and it's all hinging on Shiro and Magix!
Chasing him down!
Missed shot, Shiro clutch, and now he's cooking!
He still has yet to leave a mark, those whips, he doesn't want them to defy him!
There's the two best clutches in the server right now.
Re-root round the world all the way into lower.
Shiro will have room to work with here.
Kaserato's gonna arrive late to the party.
Huge advantage, Shiro.
Kaserato walks and wastes time,
but Shiro's committed.
It's clear-able.
You're either remembered by those whiffs in the round prior,
or you pick up this,
the most unlikely of 1v2s.
What's it gonna be, Shiro?
Whole map is quiet and if K-Sorato clears this one angle, he's got it!
The final is right there, around the way!
And Shirou just walks in, he just steps into the crosshair.
It is not meant to be.
Furia forging her destiny.
Forcing that finale.
Five opportunities in a third map to take down back-to-back finalists of Team Spirit.
And they have nothing to work with, they have nothing to lean on here.
Couple of AKs, it's a classic spirit buy.
by under normal circumstances you'd feel threatened you'd feel nervous but this is
a furrier in peak form ready to win right now
chance to send them home bring it out
a spirit stand at the finish line and not in the way they wanted this might
all be over they've made the final here every time since don't join the roster
And Furia might be about to change all of that.
The last charge of dunk and it falls apart.
You're breathing so much easier, five on three.
You've never had a better setting than to close this out right now.
From playing to playoffs, to playing in the grand final, Furia, it is right there.
From Brazil to international, stepping up when it matters, 3v5, coming back, but it says no!
It's a Molotov-assist, Furia, all the way!
If you want a chance to the gold, then you had to slay the dragon!
Furia gets through, and a trophy that has eluded full in his whole career is now within its grasp.
10 years on from Katowice 2016, fallen to the grand final, his young star of Mollagoy
providing the luminosity, lighting the way to the trophy, fallen 4K finishes them off
and the Mollaboy becomes a man, lights out third map head to head, besting Donk.
A round of applause for this young Kazakh star.
Yeah, look at how much he's growing, look at how far he's come.
Molodoy lit up the server here in map 3, not crumbling, not going anywhere.
And now in to the grand final.
Wow. Wow. First off, congratulations.
You just slayed the dragon
What can I say thank you guys thank you was it as exciting to play in as it was to watch because my word that was some three mapper
Every time when you play against pete it's hard because they know how it's game work and
They feel very good team and they have don't consider and so I think and sense and it's hard to play against this guy
You guys look so good at so many times through that. Was there any moments in
that third map you thought it was getting away from you? I think for me it's
when I kill three people in ramp it is over time round and after this round
my confidence go up so much. And so you should have done as well. What's
it been like playing here? It's a new arena in Krakow, an amazing crowd. It's my
first time in Krakow and I see how people support us. Thank you so much
guys, thank you.
And just a word about Forlan. He was one of three people around when this tournament
first started 20 years ago. You're rookie of the year, you've both the opposite
ends of your career. What is it like playing with a man who gave up the
ult for you, who just is so excited to make the final? You know, when I'm joined
I'm starting to talk this phone and he's saying me one time bro. I give you if you don't kill GG
Listen congratulations water man water map water match put your hands together for Molo doi and fiora they are in the final
Holy.
The Dragon tamed in the Touran and Furia
through to the Grand Finals 10 years ago
was the last time that Fulin made it to the Grand Finals
of what was Ayan Katavica
and now a decade later, he gets a shot, another shot
at the title that is always amazing
an incredible three-math affair in this semi-final
and we do indeed have Fulin up there on the desk
joining us. First of all, Master, congratulations.
What's going through your head right now?
Thank you so much, yeah, very pumped.
It was a crazy game, what he's saying, so I'm very happy, as I said,
it doesn't even look like it's the 10-year past before the last finals,
so much went through all those years, but I'm very happy and very glad that we're here again.
Where did you find this fountain of youth, man? I know the leadership has always been there,
but you've been doing work on the rifle, on Mirage, every map, you're finding impact,
you're finding entries, you and Molodeu seem to be connected on a different wavelength,
when you're in a 2BX so you know how has that been for you?
It's been amazing yeah since the moment I played against Molodoy I knew the kid was insane
I knew he had something different just like few months before a few years before maybe I played
against Donkwin he was playing for Spirit Academy and I died on Euphor and outside T-Ride for Digo
and I was like holy shit this guy is using something massive or he's the next one and if
Molodoy was the same and the connection was there yeah I appreciate a lot of the work he's been doing
and you know it's just great to see at this stage of my life so one growing
and experienced a lot of things that I experienced as well so I know how it is to be a fresh
helper you know everyone's comfortable you know a lot of pressure so I'm very glad to see him
doing well and when it comes to me I'm just trying to do the best I can to help the team you know
being selfless being open to new ideas learning a lot of things I have to jump in right bro you
have to learn a lot of arts I've been there too this is so fun
All that take us back to the beginning of the tournament, now you're in the grand final
and the beginning of the tournament wasn't like, it didn't look like you're yourself
when compared to how well you were playing last season.
What have you experienced and what have you learned throughout this tournament, what has
been the big change for you?
The only thing that comes to my mind is, I have been through this quite sometimes now.
When you experience some success, and indeed we did last year, we won four or five, so
you feel like you're on the top of the world, the top of the mountain, and when you have
to face reality where you did a lot of things correctly to get to that position and sometimes
I feel like you might take it for granted a little bit and then the year starts back
you're from from vacation and you know if you're not putting the effort in the same
way where before if you don't have the right mentality it's just not gonna happen so I think
over the last competitions like these two competitions now we really didn't feel like
ourselves before the other game like we're not really playing top CS we're just surviving a lot
of individual moments playing us through but against a lot I felt like okay now we found the group
And I think it's the mental shift.
Like we feel much more losing, much more willing to want to win than to have to win.
And I think at some point that changed because of the success in the past.
So it's great. I think we're adapting fast and we're learning those experiences
and the team is doing well.
But yeah, we're getting to where we want to be just now.
Speaking of success, can we talk about that tea side of Nuke?
Janko, you brought up a round which you want to pick Fulman's brain on.
So what have you got for us?
I think this one was interesting early on, right?
You guys want to close the first buy round, they force again, Yakindar finds an entry,
but then they're pushing two ramps, Zontik's here, he's going to find a double kill, Mordoi,
one miss that he's had, it feels like this whole series. So now you're in a two before,
you walk out, you go down, what's the communication here, who's talking more, you, Yakindar?
I'm down very smart, always then, I'm gonna show a little bit, he gets one.
All right, I'm plenty, I'm plenty for you as well, let's go, and then we figure out the rest.
I think you guys have you had pretty good info you know from this point on you're just sort of playing same peeking together
Or is it just all together for the boom we picked together and here had to pick us up the Molly and now he's just in
Yeah, he played super well
I know you're talking a lot about your kingdom like in terms of what he brings also as a secondary full or sometimes when he's feeling it
You're letting him call
Everything so no surprise that you guys work so well together there. Yeah, exactly. I mean like he's a very smart player
He understands a lot about the macro and micro situations.
I think that macro-wise we have a good fit together,
because we understand each other very, very fast.
Some of the kill happens where we already know what's the best,
and it's moved very, very instantly without saying anything.
And when it comes to the micro things, it's much better than me.
If you've been rifleing for so long, it's like,
you cannot open this angle like that, you need to do this like this.
So there's a lot of things I'm learning, I think.
And yes, it's a player that you can only use if you're open to play his ideas,
because if you have someone like that and you're only forcing your own things,
So I kind of have to be the leader, who sometimes is not even there, you know?
Let's let this flow.
But on this nuke, we didn't have prep for this map, honestly.
I didn't really think we could be here.
I thought we'd be playing overpass.
So we went to the backstage, we were like,
OK, let's just think about some things we're going to do,
and then it happened.
I'm going to be calling him first time, and we're just going to execute it.
In some fashion, I think sometimes it's better to play like that.
Even more when it works.
But if it doesn't work, we're going to go like, OK, we're not prepared enough.
But you know, we've got some other tracks, and then we're going to go off the groove.
And I think Counter-Strike is more about finding a way to play with synergy between each other
than really to understand and memorize all the single strategies and just create things.
So I think we played well under the circumstances that happened.
How did this feel going on?
You felt that you obviously were not going to play Nuke
and you just mentioned the whole thing.
It's more about like finding the synergy between the players.
How has that been evolving for you in Fury now that you've also gone to an international team
or you've become an international team?
Has it been hard to get to that point?
Has it, have you also relied on having to play a lot of strats?
So how do you come up with this this place that is it like it wasn't the base or something you do have to come up with?
I think the additional of my next to the team helped a lot of
Shaping identity where we don't really rely too much on being gamblers because there are times when
We could often look to a situation and say hey, maybe you should have gone for for a and then we pushed in and then my
It's okay. We can win around like that
But if you depends on that you win every time then where we're gonna be as a team
So there's a lot of times in between last year before we really won the tournament
They were like, you guys got to figure out all the ways of winning those rounds,
instead of winning the game, instead of taking your luck,
because we need you guys to perform without taking too many risks.
And we think that came a lot of evolution on the players and on the setups
and on the things that can help each other.
And then I think we build this foundation that's,
in my opinion, more solid than being the team that's active every time.
And nowadays, a lot of things are playing with a lot of activity.
So if you are more patient than them, you can take a lot of good things from that.
Fallen, an incredible showing here in the semi-finals.
I just wanted to give you the opportunity to say anything to the fans that are supporting you.
Very proud being the arena and the people of course at home.
Alright, so everyone on this stage, thanks you guys for coming. It was amazing.
I think on the half-time of the third map all lights were up.
And even we're saying, guys, just look around. I know it's amazing.
So thank you guys for coming once again here.
I love the Polish fans and hopefully I'm going to be able to lift the trophy here.
But it doesn't matter. I already won just by being here with you guys.
And honestly,
Thank you very much for being here, everyone.
This is the situation, I'm here, the Brazilians are here at the stadium, at home.
My wife, my aunt, my family, my brothers, my mother, I love you.
Let's go to the next finals, either Maus or Vitality, let's make it.
It's going to be such an exciting one.
Once again, congratulations, Fallen.
Thoroughly looking forward to seeing you guys grace in this stage in that grand final tomorrow.
But that does mean it is time to check in with our DHL MVP.
Will be the DHL MVP? You decide.
You can participate in the DHL MVP vote as it happens.
Make sure to be tuned into the Twitch stream and be ready to have your say.
The most entertaining players to watch in all of Counter Strike.
I mean, this kid is just lights out, box office material.
Every time he's on the server and no moment is too big for him, it feels like.
Second option, coming your way, is indeed Yikinder.
I mean, Fulin just said so many pleasantries about Yikinder
and it's great to see him really thriving in this new role
and getting to have so much impact in terms of the secondary cooling department as well.
Yikinder, it's just like time and time again just showcasing how important he is for the team.
Like, one thing is that all this space that he gives to D, but also being the second voice,
you can really feel that the team just tries to meet times and times again,
gets to the opening and it's just incredible to watch.
Third option coming your way is indeed K-Sirado.
JL, you're back with us here on the desk.
Who are you picking out of your kinder, more or less, in K-Sirado to take home the MVP of this series?
I mean, for now, for this game, it's more like 100%.
The amount of impact fills the other game's spirit.
He was so aggressive, he was taking a bite to them, and there were so crucial moments,
like 2v3, 3v3, 3v4, like all clutch moments has been there, so my work goes well for them.
I kind of can't believe that Fallen said that they weren't prepared to be playing Nuke.
That kind of blows my mind, but that was just them kind of calling off their intuition, their feeling,
because it looked so commanding in that first half.
Yeah, absolutely, and I'm also surprised to hear that, because for me, you know, if it's between Overpass and Nuke,
I think Spirit would go for Nuke against a team like Furia.
I feel like Furia rates their overpass lower than where everyone else rates it at the moment.
But, yeah, sometimes it is liberating to just focus on your own game,
like don't think too much about counters and everything like that.
Just pick a few things that, like how they were gonna love what he said about,
you know, when it comes to these games, synergy really matters.
Like just being on the same page, these mid rounds, like, hey, you have your opening moves,
but what happens after that?
And I think Furia absolutely locked in in that department today.
Well, we're still progressing on towards the Grand Finals.
That does mean the end of the road for Team Spirit.
So let's get a few closing thoughts from them.
This is us saying goodbye to Spirit in the semifinals.
Magix graciously joining me here to kind of talk about
some of the things that just happened on the stage.
In your own words, Magix, how'd it go?
So I started on the rush and it was pretty shaky
shaky and it could have gone like any way for us or for them. We had a dominant dust too and going
into the nuke we started with with an extremely poor city side based on reactions and like you know
the like the later on scenarios they were played pretty poorly and that's why we got kind of
roles in the beginning of nuke and you know winning only three rounds on the
city side is is a low number. Yeah and the three-round CT side I mean I can
vividly remember Tenir making it all the way down secret and you guys coming
through ramp but you recall this round Tenir kind of gets picked going down
secret next thing you know the round falls apart in the post plant is that
something you look at after the game obviously what do you say about that I
I mean, like how do you go about fixing those individual problems, I guess?
Well, I don't know what was happening in his screen,
because I was basically in the other part of the map.
And yeah, we'll find out what was going on there.
But the bigger issue that we have faced today was
our city side, like in the very beginning of the map.
Yeah.
City sides back to the drawing board. Where do you go from here? Where do you
What do you guys go from here?
Physically, geographically.
The Cubes.
Albert, to practice.
Anything you want to say on the way out?
Thank you, Magix. That's spirit.
Magix, in that situation, got wrenching lost for the side of Team Spirit.
How much are you reading into this though, Jan?
Considering it is the start of the season, a reboot for Team Spirit as well.
Not a whole lot. I think we set it up pretty well saying if you raise in a better place as a team right now and for spirit
They need more time individual prowess will always give them a chance
But wasn't enough, you know, they they felt a bit pressure on the city side because they were buying all the time
I know the theory was in visa territory
But at some point we need to concede and sort of play for some of the future rounds
And I think you can see that magus at the moment still over around probably by the in-game leading role
I mean three kills or new nine kills on Mirage on two maps that they lost
You just need more output with with everything that's been going on foundation wise
I think it's it's still in a good place for spirit
They have a lot to build on like they made it to the semifinal here with being a relatively new roster with new roles
Which I think it's acceptable made a very competitive today
But it was it was obvious that whenever they got pressure when they had to make decisions and rely on that team play and the
Individuals having to make those decisions a crucial moment. That's why they looked a little bit flat
Which we also heard from that. Yes
Well, with Furia progressing on towards our best of five grand final, it is about time we find then an opponent, and this one hurts a whole lot of history.
The 12th and 10th between these two rosters, it's time for Miles vs Vitality after this short break.
I'm doing very good, you're looking good with this suit.
Thanks man, I was trying something new, I took a shower today too.
Speaking of which, how's your routine been today, what did you guys do today, when did
you start?
Well, we started I believe at 1, no at 2pm, lunch, teamwork, just prepping for the game,
Everybody had a lot of time off today, so everybody did different stuff.
I went to the gym in the morning, then I took a nap.
It's very simple.
It's a pretty light day, pretty easy day.
Did you capture any of the other semifinals today?
Yeah, we're watching the first map a bit, and then we had to take the shuttle, but we
finished the first map, and then the second map we just started, and we had to go.
So I know you have to go in this moment, but I want to catch up with you in terms of your
vibe.
What's on your music playlist today?
What were you feeling, you know, to get yourself motivated to play in the semifinal?
Adele Skyfall.
Just on repeat.
Don't come here and say he's listening to Joepin, so I think you've done a little bit
better than that.
He's listening to what?
Joepin, like classical.
I will listen to Joepin as well then.
Okay.
Well, good luck, man.
Thank you very much.
Have a good one.
Have a good day.
Thank you.
Hello Jimmy.
Hello, hello.
How are you doing?
I'm doing pretty good.
Pretty good.
Did you sleep well?
I had a really good sleep.
You did?
Yeah.
What makes the sleep better?
Do you have a routine?
Not really a routine, but I was just watching some good video and then I fell asleep, so
yeah.
A good video.
We'll leave it at that.
You're playing Vitality today. We've seen it many times.
What's in the air? Because at the second half of last year, it did go a lot better.
Yeah, I mean, we have a lot of hate against Vitality, of course.
We really want to beat them. No, just kidding.
No, but I think a lot of excitement, to be honest.
It's been such a long time since we faced them.
And now we have the opportunity in the Crackle on the big stage again.
And we really look forward to lift the trophy.
So we need to be totally it's probably the best team in the world right now and pretty excited
Yesterday I saw you giving the crowd this one. Do you are you gonna do anything today?
Maybe maybe I have some tricks in my sleeve. I will not release them yet because then it's not really a trick
But let's see. Let's see. Okay. I'm looking forward to it. Good luck. Thank you
No chance, all done!
HOT ON!
Nobody here, and you know you told me to do it right?
Come on, fuck it off!
it off!
It starts with a dream, with a team you barely know.
In an amateur official that feels like the grand final,
where practice becomes progress, and every loss feels like a lesson.
When will your journey begin?
I'm trying to be like Nico.
Yeah, he's not working.
Oh, I found the hidden commands.
You think you can hide them from me?
These ones.
Yep.
So this is what Mike was teaching me on Crispy, and then you have to do 70% left to right
isolation for better understanding of the audio.
Okay.
This is very good.
I trust him.
And I was like, how do you hear so much?
Because you're not using the settings, and then he told me about the settings, and then
Now I'm trying it out.
He's going to isolate more to one of the sides of her headset,
according to where the e-fuse is coming from.
You have to get used to it, but apparently you can get a better sense.
Easy to pinpoint exactly where the sound is coming from.
But I prefer to think that I have been playing for so long
that my ears are not damaged.
Because he hears a lot, bro.
You're like, how on earth?
He listens so much. He's crazy.
Perspective correction.
I don't think I changed that.
It must be default, yeah.
Yeah, I think it's easy. I think it's yes.
When you are deathmatching, are you not just chasing kills, are you focusing on core mechanics, fundamentals, or do you want to turn your brain off and flow, is there any sort of objective to your deathmatch?
Yeah, you can add some extra gear if you want to focus on something, but I usually just put some music.
When I was trying to set all the settings for the beginning, I was trying to play and pay attention to the sounds with the new percentage there and stuff.
It was helping me.
But you can put some focus on your movement, making sure that you are not crouching as much, or you're trying to do what we call the don't slide and all those things, right?
By trying to go to the fight and then coming back.
How do I crouch?
How do I do it?
Do I just press crouch and then don't hold it?
Is that it?
I don't do it much honestly.
But I remember that's like me like my grandma about Tamagotchi
But I did it perfectly against flame zero an ancient clutch. You pulled it off. I like this boom
Oh, yeah, oh, that looks good. That was a dog side right there. Yeah, sometimes I thought a fallen slide. Oh
Is this a falling pick? Oh, oh falling flip right now. I can hear the frag movie music started
Yeah, what else you can focus you probably focus on
some spray sometimes as well.
Is headshot only deathmatch useful?
This one is keep changing.
I mean, it's useful, it's fun at least.
But yeah, but some people say that if you were focusing
on the deathmatch only to be tapping like this, for example,
then on the real match you're not gonna do it.
So that's your screen?
Yeah, like when you find fights,
you're actually gonna commit to it, right?
So yeah, you gotta put some thoughts on it.
But in the end, as long as you're practicing,
it's gonna be beneficial to you regardless.
Makes sense.
This is a lively crew over here, obviously Perperia, how's that feel buddy?
That's absolutely amazing, the professors, all of them, everybody gave them a lesson
today.
We rocked them, let's go!
Let's go Perperia!
Oh dear, are they going to win the final tomorrow?
Absolutely, of course.
Who's going to win the final guys?
It works for me!
Vitality fans everywhere, a plenty and two very specials.
Turn around for the reveal, actually.
Robs!
Yes, from Estonia, I presume.
Yes.
What's your name?
Andre.
Oliver.
Why did you come all the way from Estonia for IAMPRACO?
To support Robs, of course.
Yes, the number one player from Estonia, so we're hoping good things from him.
How long have you been supporting him?
Forever, forever, as long as we remember, yeah.
Listen, Vitality, are they favourites today versus Maus, or did it change since last year, since they lost to them one?
What do you think? Yeah, of course they're favourites.
You're right, I love that Estonian directness. What do you have to say about Maus?
Maus is a good team. Well, Rops used to play there as well, but I think today Vitality is going to grab this one, so for sure, yeah.
Spear, what is Rob's gonna do? Two miles. Clutch. Clutch. I love it. Thank you so much. Have a great day. Thank you.
He's not just the man of the hour. He's often the man of the server. Every time he joins it at Saewoo, jumping into a semi-final today, versus Maus. You guys love playing Maus.
We love that. We love that. We face them a lot in the 2025 and always been good for us, but always been top game as well, so looking forward for this top game today.
of game today. Yeah I mean you guys statistically speaking historically speaking are obviously
favorites pretty much any matchup you join into. You go into the server today and I have to ask
that question. How is it that you guys always have Maus's number? That's a good question Thomas.
I don't know why you always beat them or like it feels good to face them it's just
to when I say whenever you want to win this tournament or win any tournament you want to
to be the best so like most is one of the best team we ever faced so we always want to be
at a good level and that's why we like to face them.
So you're looking at a mouse that you know they want to get sheathed to Falcon's FaZe.
What would you guys take from that and going back and watching footage?
What do you guys get from those games from the opponent?
Means they want a lot like Torcy Sain in interviews they are there to win the tournament
to leave the trophy so we are here for that as well.
So they need to phase off before going to the final, so it's going to be a strong match
for us and for them as well, so it's not going to be easy.
A weird map veto or what?
What are you thinking?
I know there's a little bit of a dilemma around Ancient Anubis.
No, I don't think there's going to be an anubis today, so I'm going to put it on the veto,
so not Rimbab today.
It's going to be normal.
I think it goes off saying you guys will probably be the favorites in there.
Zywo, you want to address the crowd?
Thank you for all the support.
We can hear you really well, so thank you for supporting us every two months.
We know we're going to play more, so hopefully we're going to fuck them really hard, so hopefully
we're going to do that.
So I want them to cry.
You said it so nicely.
I could never put a stop to it.
Thank you very much, though.
Thank you.
It's Miles versus Vitality.
It's a classic.
It really is.
And I'm here with Torji, a classic himself.
Nice to see you.
How are you feeling?
Nice to see you.
Well, feeling pretty good.
Excited to go on the stage again.
Play versus a better team than yesterday.
Yeah, I'm looking forward for the game.
Okay, well we look at the second half of last year this turned in from kind of a shellacking from vitality more to a real rivalry
Right, so how are you going into this one knowing that you've kind of found the percentages last year?
Yeah, always the first half of the year was not the best, but I think after cologne we
We got into iterative advances them and we find some weaknesses on their side
I would say but I think it's a new season and we didn't play each other yet
So I think anything can happen. I think we are playing really good lately
And I think also the lower run is helping us a lot to get more games because this is our first event of the year
We didn't play the first event of the year
So I think that we got some more games from the lower bracket will helps us for this game like more experience
little bit more shape and
Yeah, they had a lot of days off which can go both sides. It can be good to rest
but you know maybe it can be a disadvantage as well.
You say there's a lot of changes in the season, that's right.
Train is no longer here.
Now when I look at the upswing out of you versus Vitality,
that was a help in the map pool, right?
And now we've seen from Vitality also versus Aurora that they won Ancient, right?
So did that make the map video tricky?
No, I think the Ancient were in the game of Vitality and now Rura was just...
Maybe it was just fun for them because the game was just a seeding game.
I would say at least, but we know that right now it doesn't play ascent.
They just played for fun, in my opinion at least.
And yeah, I think the, as you said, the train is not in the map pool anymore.
I think we were one of the best train teams in the world and yeah, it hurts us a little bit,
a little bit but I think Dust2 coming back we showed that we are also a really good Dust2
team.
We beat Falcons, we beat G2 yesterday and yeah we feel really comfortable on it.
And I think it's a good day today to also show it versus fight with him.
But about that ancient though, you don't think 53 kills on Zywu is like they weren't trying
or what?
No of course I think Zywu can show 53 kills on any maps.
It's just a Zywu thing, but yeah, I think they just,
Auroro just took the risk, you know, so yep.
Okay, final words then for you.
You said, of course, yesterday, great match out of you guys.
Did you show enough?
Were you happy with what you showed
and what kind of a tour is he's gonna be,
have to be on the server today to beat said Zywu?
Yeah, I think yesterday we did a good showing.
I think I also did a good showing personally.
Maybe the beginning of Overpass was not the best
And I think if I can find my right temperature instantly from beginning of the game, then
I can have the team to win some rounds, to have the team win.
And I think I need to search the right temperature, you know, the right voice.
And yeah, I'm just excited to play vs.
Svartitly for the first time of the season.
Yeah, I can see it.
You're super excited to get on to the server.
So the best of luck.
The Intel Xtreme Masters Crack-Oil 2026 brought to you by ESL in partnership with Intel,
Acer Predator, DHL, Valve, and City of Crack-Oil.
And though is where this very one-sided jewel actually became a rivalry
Questioners are now showing up in that same fighting form today
That was what we'll be getting the answers to tonight's hit in crackloaf
And I want to start by posing you a question JL from the outside looking in on this head to head
That happened so frequently last year. What do you make of a the mouse versus vitality jewel?
I'll be honest people call it a rivalry for me
It's not a rivalry if you play 11 times and you only manage to beat them two times
You have to concede and say they're a better team, there's no rivals there.
But on the other side, this is 20-26 and they haven't faced yet,
and they have the chance to start with a clean slate, get the first win of the year, and start from.
I don't know about L classical, more like L acyclete, considering how one side...
Even out of the two times, one of them was a seeding, and it was the upper bracket game for either quarters or semis, right?
And on top of all of that, every single time, the train was in the pool, and that was the map that Maus moved in.
So even with that, you know, how they're trying to hide themselves up and still confidence is still sort of not as black and white
In this particular case, I went zershin said it's two for two when he was up here on the desk
He was thinking in your head
I appreciate miles, you know, they have to do that like they had to try to find every single way to hide themselves up or to tell
It's your code this time. It will be different, right?
You know, I'm sure they're saying guys. It's a new year, right?
Last year was theirs, maybe this year will be ours, you know, you're trying to do everything that you can
because just psychologically the advantage is all on vitality side.
That's what everyone's thinking. If we're thinking, then the players are also thinking, right?
Are we going to go back to how it was last year or are we actually believing enough that it's going to change?
And I think, as for a player perspective, from my time, I guess you can also test him on Buddhism,
but players will always be saying, yeah, we believe that this is going to be different, this is going to be a new thing.
But in the back of the head, they still could be thinking, oh man, what if it actually turns out to be as gruesome as last time?
I just want to reference an interview I did with Zersh and back in Cologne as well.
Prior to them actually managing to take Vitality down, I've never seen that guy so pissed in his life.
He was telling me, I've never felt hate, like I felt hate for Vitality.
I've never felt so passionately hateful of what they've done to me, and so badly wanted to take them down.
And obviously, that did transpire in Cologne, but wasn't enough to take them to the trophy.
When, as you look on the other side of Vitality, DePri, so many trophies almost match on your record, but not quite.
Yeah, I mean, this rivalry or whatever we want to be talking about is, this mentality is coming out on top,
so it is hard to kind of say that's a rivalry.
And you know, we love it in Counter-Strike if there is a rivalry, but if it's this one-sided, it's kind of hard to love,
because you also end up in a position where thinking every time you see this measure,
you're just going to be disappointed and think that mentality is going to take it out on the line,
and mouse ball is not going to be able to bring the fight.
And it is heartbreaking for the sides of Maus to be in a position that they can get past Vitality
because if they could have done that, you know, that would have been way different.
But Vitality really, in a team, just, you know, really bringing the heat last season,
they really wanted to replicate what we did in Australia to be the best team of it all for all time.
And to a certain degree, you can debate who actually had the better gear.
I mean, sure, they only got those nine where we got 10, but, I mean, in the end, you know,
I'm going to down it so that we had a better year.
Okay, I was going to ask, tell 2018 in Australia versus 2025 Vitality.
Is there a question in your mind?
You're asking a foreign artist about that, right?
I will die on that hill.
They need to get 11 trophies to just even be in a debate about that.
So I'm just going to leave it like that.
What you mentioned about exertion and him being so angry and everything, right?
Because it reminds me of that certain hate to do this and that.
I can just imagine Rob standing there saying,
I don't even think about you.
That's like great tat, you know?
Vitality it's just another day in the office, you know, there's nothing
That concerns them about going up against miles in the server. Okay, maybe it's a well
I guess unfair a question to ask JL. How do you rate the comparison of the Astralis 2018?
Well, they did win those 10 trophies versus Vitaly's 9 watch your mouth. What's your mouth?
I gotta be careful here. I mean, it's two different
Errors like in 2018 the competition wasn't as strong as it is now
But then again, they were the best team and they were setting the example for their team. So
Vitality is doing the same thing in 25. I wouldn't even compare. I'm I cannot pick a winner
Both teams did really great and they both deserve the very good media trained answer
PR, that's PR. Well done. Just in terms of what we went with it. It's Vitality, obviously had a better year
Yes. Vitality won both majors and the Grand Slam in that year. Yes
I mean, it's true and when you look at the lower level of results, it was semi-finalists with the lowest, right?
The Charlottes even didn't even make playoffs of the Boston Major or you did and you lost in the quarterfinals
I was hoping at that one. How good it's double there you go
Here's your problem. There's your phone. It's on YouTube. You just had to do a bit better on the off man
And you would have had we changed mid game. That was crazy
Just in terms of witnessing that they for your money anchor
I mean just the trail of destruction that vitality managed to enact it's something that we rarely ever see in CS
And in terms of like saying okay, they cemented an era there
I think they definitely have trophies the way they redefined the meta as well and the way that they had so many
Series win streaks as well
I think so and it does a conversation that you kind of can only have in hindsight because we don't know if we're still in it is
Attending is it not and then you look back and say alright look at the whole body of work and you can debate the whole year
There's no doubt that they had the best season in the history of Counter-Strike in the first half of last year, right?
and I think a big part of that or something what JL was talking about in the pre-show is actually finding ways to stay hungry
You know and motivate yourself and I think that's what Vitality has done an exemplary job at
In terms of understanding and this is what apex has been saying a lot
You only get a team like this many once in your career and for the players to be aware of that where everything fits together
roles are perfect you have a
You know I'm once a generational talent in Zywoo, but in great complementary style in drops awesome support players and a veteran leader
You know and you need to take advantage of that while everyone else is still playing catch-up
I kind of push me the question also for the new year for about sadly because what they did last year was incredible
Let's be honest like and there I would give them that they did have the best season
That's for sure
But then moving into the new year like as you mentioned staying hungry
What's like what's gonna be next because that was the one thing that we kept chasing back in 1819 as like we
We went to say okay. We wanted to win a major
We want to win back to back and then the grand slam and then greatest team of all time we achieved all that
I'm looking at what are they actually trying to achieve?
But they're still trying to come into the conversation as I should be this new greatest team of all time because that's what I will
Be doing if I was on the side of I tell you I you know I wanted to go in and I want to prove to everyone that we can do better than
We did but in that time like that's that's at least that's that's a character stick for for by telling us I was in that team
I mean, they're trying to take you off the phone.
Of course they are!
I wouldn't be giving out tips for free like this.
That's fine, you know, like, Rekus is meant to be broken. That's what it is, right?
That's what they're there for.
Let's look at the record then, between Vitality and Maus, throughout 20-25,
because I think you are totally right, Janko.
I mean, there's no question first off of the year that was just Vitality all over.
The only win that I would really put too much stock into,
is that one in Cologne in the semi-final, right?
Yeah, absolutely. That's the one where there were obviously high stakes environment,
environment, Cologne, in the Lancaster Arena, right? So that was huge for Miles and you were thinking,
wow, is this where they finally turn a corner? And then they got 3-0'd by Spirit who was changing
a player, you know, after a month later and already went after one, underwent a roster change. So
I think that's what's problematic. Look how many zeros there are next to these losses.
Yeah. Like these games were not competitive at all. The Blast, the Lisbon Final, not competitive,
Even though it's because it started with a 30 no the two wins for miles were 1311 and the last two maps like 13 5 13 4
You know like that's what I'm talking about for vitality like there's no reason really to be concerned
I I think the way mouse plays, you know, they're just used to it
When you watch these games and you go back and I go went back to watch the last couple of games
It's just like they're always flowing vitality whatever mouse is the mouse is playing well and things that they're doing are fine
It makes sense, but they just get all the reads by Tality players are stepping up. No one is playing scared, right?
Like there's nothing about mouth that scares by Tality. That's the problem psychologically
They are a step ahead and that's always difficult to have to battle if your mouse and this measures
It's it's so much about the mental state as well because on the metallic side
They go up against mouse and they think that hey, this is the point. We've been beating so many times
We're feeling confident about we don't have to worry about anything
They're the one to come up with this new massive game plan to take us down and and they feel like even if they mouse come up with
A good plan and they play well, it only takes a couple of rounds or a little bit to shake mouse off like you know that balance
You know cast them off balance where they're where they're now starting okay
Is this just gonna be like all the other times and for mouse, you know every time they go up against my title?
Yeah, this time this is gonna be the time this is where we're gonna be showing up
This is where we want to be playing better, but it's just not really ever gotten to the point
And as you can see also on your screen as of right now you I've been trying to figure out in terms of
the performance of the individual players on the mouseboard side. If there's like a
one guy or a couple of guys that falls through and you can see on the screen that it actually
spings that usually is the guy that plays well against Vitaly. If you look at it like
107, it's obviously not the greatest but it's not bad either. And then you have the three
of Torse, Excercian and Diva being those three guys that usually ends up in a position that
they fall through. They take turns on not showing up and then Braun obviously on the
worst end, but he's that thing, so let's not bring him to one. So it is a lot about
you need to find more consistency within their play.
And I mean, the railing on the other side, you know, the kind of picture,
the results is what it is.
You know, you see Saibu Rups being the main two guys that seems to be making it
a hard case for Maus.
And even, you know, Apex and Flamesey also charming in.
Messi apparently looking on the down side of this one.
Hey, he's also the anchor, but let's not forget Honport and his for the team.
Pinks are a pretty beautiful picture.
I mean, a clear picture of why these games go the way they do.
But I think Pinks there, you know, he was all the way down.
He was the guy that he wanted out of that team, and then they bring in Robs and then
you proceed to get spanked by them every single time.
Can you imagine Peter willingly leaving a team with Zywoo on it?
I mean, you didn't do it willingly.
No, I didn't.
No, I didn't, but thank you for inviting me willingly.
That's tough, you know.
That's tough very mentally.
And, you know, there's probably a lot more to it, let's be honest, there's probably
a lot more to it.
It's also just for things to get into a team where Maus, where he wanted to be like a bigger
boy, you know.
He had a, I wouldn't say a hard time in my tells to be the big boys, but now he is the
guy that came from this major winning roster, coming into Maus to try and take him to a
new level.
And then it just hurts him that the one that's going to take him down is his former teammates
and then also in the freshman that has been doing it.
It's hard mentally to be in, but I mean, I still think Spinks is happy that he's in
Maus, but then still gets to play these trophies or these fight films.
So, reverting back to the interview with Evia and Toulsey, prior to this one,
she was obviously picking Toulsey's brain regarding the maps
because it is a very apt subject coming into this.
We can bring up kind of the history in terms of what has been played between these two sides
and there's so many heads to heads we saw in 2025.
And yeah, she brought up the point about Train, obviously no longer valid, Janko.
Yeah, absolutely. And that's also recent, the most recent success
Maus has had, has been on Train in a lot of these series.
And for, I mean, the current map will end, Vitality will not have to play like three of their least played maps.
Ancient, their perma-ban, Anubis does the new map, is now the perma-ban of Maus in this scenario, right?
So they don't really have to worry about some of these maps where they don't have a ton of reps on,
where they have the lowest win percentage.
And I don't know what Maus will, where can they go in this video?
I mean you're probably thinking something like Inferno because of two reasons is their most played map and secondly you want it to be
You want there to be as little room for individuals as possible, right?
Because vitality has the better individuals you want to make it more about the utility about
Maybe gamble stacks about team play right where mouse perhaps has is can even the field
Someone that is really the big question from out like where do they turn to like if you look at the statistics and how they've been playing games
against Vitality, but also to look against Vitality the last three months, they're looking
at a team that is consistently beating all the good teams with a 70% win rate.
You know, where do you turn your attention when you're in that given position?
And also looking at the graph we've seen before, Mirage has also been a map that Maus used
to go up for that pick whenever they went up against Vitality.
And nowadays, Maus doesn't look as comfortable on Mirage.
I don't know what has changed, but they haven't been looking like the same old team.
So I'm curious to see if that's going to be the approach.
Peter, there's a lot of reasons I love having you up here on the desk.
at least because you have your fingers in a couple of pies behind the scenes, right?
Only friends with vitality.
You've got a full mate teammate on the side of Miles and Zipnix.
What did he tell you about this Vito and how the things?
I was a little bit curious to see just to get a bit of insight of what was going to happen,
you know, and I just actually texted him yesterday, said that congratulations was a good game,
everything, and then it's like, I hope we're going to see a spicy Vito tomorrow.
And he said like, oh yeah, you can just wait.
We're going to get a spicy one.
So I'm excited to see what this one is actually going to go.
OK, let's roll it.
Do you have any suspicions of where we could be heading with this or do you just want to
be surprised. I expect an overpass. If they want to start with a new slate in 2026, go
for overpass. You've never played them against Gishul on the map, so go for it. I dare you.
That's the problem playing against Vitality. Sure, okay, overpass, maybe not their favorite
map. I think there's 6-1, 7-1 on the map recently, so it's not like there's slouches
on it, right? And I think Vitality can put it between a couple of maps, really. I'll
actually go for Nuke. This is interesting because in Chengdu they picked... I think Vitality picked
Nuke and Miles had a 12-4 lead on T-Side and couldn't close it out and lost the game in overtime.
So problem with Nuke is you pick it, you're gonna have to start on the T-Side, right? So
always that danger of Vitality being able to get rolling and just shutting you out really in a way.
I was hoping for like a score of 9000 getting something like a news in the map for Miles,
just to spice it up like even more, right? But Nuke kind of makes sense, you know, I think Nuke is,
I wouldn't say weakness at all for Vitaly, but it is a map that they have recently played,
but haven't really found that much success, you know, it's probably one of those maps you feel
like you can maybe get punished, but the T-Sat's going to be an issue, moving into those two,
another comfort pick for Vitaly, you know, looking really good also being that perma-banner mouse
last season, so there's probably a lot of things they can be looking into and having
Rosh as the decider, then it comes back to the whole thing, is there going to be a favourable one
for mouse because that's what they used to be picking, or is it going to be Vitaly feeling
that we usually beat them even if they look in their eyes.
I just hope we get the full three map of her.
I want a competitive one in the second semi-final as well.
Let's talk about some of the individuals though,
because I mean, when we talk about spirit,
we obviously have to talk about Donk.
Same goes with Vitality. We have to talk about Zaru.
Can you tell me maybe some of your favorite memories of playing alongside Zaru?
Obviously, you won the Paris Major together.
Just tell me how it is to be sitting next to somebody so impactful in the server.
I mean, Zaru is really not rocket science.
Let's be straight honest. He's not the guy that will go and spend thousands of hours trying to find a specific native doing anything crazy
But his field for the game is just another planet and he's he's a quite simple guy
You know, he's very easy to work with and if
So who just enjoys playing counter so I guess he's having fun
That's why he plays best if he's not enjoying his time playing counting that's why he's gonna have a vivid performance and
Last year he surely did enjoy playing counter go chose date. Did they seem to go?
He's he's extremely talented and you know
He's the guy that will just turn rounds on their head one by one and he's doing it almost every single time
And it's something you can always kind of rely on it was always be this cyber around that would turn the game around
Oh, he turns the situation into your favor and he just brings so much confidence to the team
He's a guy that would always be whenever he would communicate would be very calm
It would be like stressful, but he's very easy to work around with and
Acplasticate a lot now. I think it's also fun seeing that the ancient game because you know
Like you're playing such high-stays game and everything but on a map like ancient where it gets more puggy for vitality
And he just runs around and ended up with getting like a hundred kills
Just sort of to remind everyone that no he doesn't like work only within a structure or anything
He can also ruin you if you want to play a puggy sort of a style
There's exactly the reaction I got from the assistant coach Matt when I talked with him that you know
So it was just it was just kind of fun
He was just running around you know
He could go for like new peaks that he never done before and something he's seen a fragment
You know something he saw on YouTube. You know, I think he's watching YouTube probably three times all of his career
I mean this guy if he just enjoys this time that is really where he shines and it's such an important tool for them
I don't want to give you any PTSD jail
But I believe that you lost officially Navi was versus vitality in Austin right at the major
Do you have any memories of that or did you just bury them way deep back?
I mean Austin lost I buried that I am called in 2025 with his best of five will never leave my head
Never like this. I've had such a good game and it is a player where you
You cannot predict what it does
You cannot kind of expect what he's gonna do because whatever he feels he's gonna go for it
And you can't really counter a player who understands where you are he understands what he wants to be and where he needs to be so
You can't counter him, but you also can't avoid them
He doesn't have tendencies outside of beating being pretty damn good at the game
That's one thing you can count on. Have you been in the receiving end of a cell around? Yeah
I think we all remember that over time affair just in terms of what we're looking at on the mouse side though
I'm we obviously had session up here after their win just yesterday versus G2
He was putting a lot of pressure on himself. They obviously won quite easily
It wasn't rely on exertion to be firing all cylinders. Oh, he's gonna need to step up tonight. That's for sure
I mean, it's it's it's honestly. It's not only about exertion
It's the entire team like they cannot afford to have more people having off games and sure
maybe Xersion didn't have the best game yesterday from the stats but we know how
important he is in terms of communication and the game planning and
also making space for the team and he was also trying to hide up the guys
yesterday so for me him not having the greatest game or at least getting that
start to this year that he wanted with with his intentions of being better in
playoffs that doesn't work that doesn't allow you worry me too much I still
think that he has a lot more to prove and he knows that at least the
realization from him is that he's come to the conclusion that I need to
do better on playoffs when it comes to the new year and there's plenty of time
to do so but today will be a quite good time to do it.
There's also a lot of pressure on him. I mean there's not too many aggressive players on Maus.
He has the one aggressive rifle in their right with Brolin sort of having to take that up being
as the IGL Torgy so and so you know has to do some supporting with the AWP so that's why he's so
crucial in these games. It's up to him to penetrate that first line of defense. It's up to him to
start to cause some movement on the side of Vitality where then you can activate Spinks,
then you can activate Jimmy. So if he's not having a good game, if he can't create that space for
his team, you know, the rest of the round really comes crashing down for Maus most of the time.
Do you think we're being unfair by placing such high expectation on him or what's your take on
this whole round situation? I feel with the current Maus form you're very correct putting such
assumptions on Xersion. I feel like if Xersion is kind of struggling in those playoffs games,
why not like the rest of the Maus squad kind of pick up the slack after him? Maybe have an
an aggressive round where Xersion can not be the clutch but kind of stay as a
second trader you know give him some confidence and then you can come back to
the rounds where Xersion has to go first has to take mid control I think I feel
like in their game they need some variety to kind of put some take some
pressure off Xersion's shoulders. I also wondered I mean we talked about the
triangle in 2024 UG2 Spirit right where you had G2's number but Spirit had yours
so you were on the mouse side let's say in that particular round so what would
you guys, like, how would you try to mentally get out of it and say what was going to be
different, you know, this time?
I don't know.
Every single time we lost the game, we're like, okay, we had really good prep.
They did whatever we wanted, but then we just couldn't shoot well.
And then for the next game, we're like, okay, let's step match a little bit more.
Just focus on the individuals.
The prep is gonna be good.
Just focus on your crosshair.
And then afterwards, like, okay, they outplayed us again.
They outmaneuvered us.
They shot us.
Well, we're not looking at them.
I'm like, what are we supposed to do?
And then whenever we have to face booth, I can't, I'm like, God damn it, just give us another opponent like, please.
There you go.
That's exactly how we're elements of real, it really just plays in, it has a huge factor in these games.
Also, every time we would play Liquid, you know, we just feel like, hey, Liquid, yeah, we're probably gonna win.
And the other receiving a little thing, oh shit, what is this, probably gonna lose.
And I think that's, that's gonna be the same case again.
Are we still saying Vitality then, firm favourites coming into the semi-final?
I think there's no way you can say anything else.
until Maus eventually, you know, goes all the way and lifts a trophy.
And does it you're going to have to predict against them every single time?
I mean, I just hope Maus can bring a little bit of that extra verse
that they showed yesterday, and I hope that they can get a better start
to the year against Vitality this year, otherwise we might have a replica.
Yeah, I'm pretty interested to have a really good game
because actually when Maus starts with a good, like a good year,
a good game to 2026.
Well, Maus versus Vitality, the 12th head to head between these two rosters.
it's time to get our second semi-final started.
Counter Strike is always based on calculations.
That is something we'd lift by in Prime Strings.
You got the whole fucking time!
You got the reward.
But you also got the risk.
Identifying that is easy.
Keeping the odds in your favor, that's the hard part.
Then it had this philosophy that Hebrew would be the same page, same direction, which always
began in the prep.
The way that we would anti-strap, the way that every piece of beauty was meticulously planned,
practiced over and over and over.
The way that we understood every tendency of our opponent and how to play it in our favor.
We knew exactly how far to push them, and the odds, and they hated it.
We knew exactly what fights we were supposed to take.
Exactly when we were supposed to take them, we knew the exact probabilities.
But this is CS. Sometimes, you just have to say.
He's fucking dead.
Weapons! Doesn't even matter!
He's dead!
He's crazy!
He's fucking dead!
Oh, wait a minute!
Oh, no!
He's gone!
We're burning like this!
We're not working!
We're dead!
We're not working!
We're dying!
Oh, Krakow! Krakow, I got all the feels! It is a Saturday night. We're all together.
We just watched a great three-mapper. How we feeling? Yeah, do you know what? I think
the vibe is good ahead of this second semi-final but I want to revive check
right now here in the tower on arena so be loud everyone to the left
how you feelin' everyone to the right how you feelin'
you know what's coming everyone down in the belly of the beast how you feelin'
second semi-final two teams ready to take each other on one of them since they
lifted this trophy a year ago they've been absolute colossuses they have beaten
pretty much everyone and they are taken on a team because we're gonna be quite
honest and quite truthful who have lived in their shadow maybe today is the day
that that changes are you ready to meet your teams are you ready to meet your
teams the first team please welcome to the town right here in Canada no no
Oh, no, no, no.
Oh, right here.
Crack off.
Please welcome Vitality!
Vitality!
And team wants to be known as the best there ever was, they are not there yet, but win
Today is another step on that journey and they take on a team ready to enter right here into this arena. Please welcome
IT'S MOUTS!
They look great yesterday to make it to this.
points in two maps but you know what to win today they're going to have to look even better it's
the day-to-day they step out of this team's shadow the teams are on stage you guys are set
you know what it's time for to find out who is going to win this so crack off the tower arena
Is it mouse?
Is it vitality?
One more time.
Is it mouse?
Is it vitality?
Let's get it on!
I'm sure you've certainly been there and done it, but you've also been there and missed it.
How much more hunger do you Vitality have with the option to be going back to back here
in Krakow?
There's absolutely no doubt that Vitality is going to be sitting in their chairs and
they're going to be looking all the tip of their monitor, looking at that trophy.
They're told that they know that it's theirs.
They can chase it and they want it.
They want it back to prove that it belongs to them.
When you look at the other side of the survey,
they do look at a mouse,
but the team that they think they will always have
the number on, they will always have a good idea
how to play against them.
And last time, last year, it was all about battalion.
Now, mouse is here to prove that it's gonna be different.
And that rivalry, that very one-sided rivalry of 2025
is now getting a whole new timeline.
And I'm excited to see if mouse can finally,
finally bring that extra spice.
Just think about Vitality walking out there for a second.
We obviously see those steps inscribed with names of legends.
They get to see theirs for the first time as they walk out.
That's got to fill you with confidence.
And it's been years since we had a repeat winner.
Vitality also wanting to do that as well.
Every great dynasty has a team that's left in the wake of that.
Shrull has obviously had Team Liquid for Vitality.
It has been mouse and I wanted to show some attitude.
I wanted to show some more ego.
I wanted to say, no, we're not going to be that team.
No, this year is going to be different.
There's been a lot of people calling for a roster change.
Something has to change for you to find success.
They've stuck together, proved to us
that this was the correct decision.
And Maus has a massive task then.
They know that.
They know that they have not really been beaten,
but they have to come up with something new.
This new year might be that.
That mentor reset might do the thing for Maus,
but right now they are still looking at a team
that they've had a hard time beating.
They haven't been there as an individual.
They haven't been there as a team.
And right now we're looking at a Maus
but he's trying to find that groove.
Do you believe that they can do it on the stage, Enko?
I believe that they will try, Freya,
and I'm hoping that they will make this an entertaining affair
for us, because you might be just witnessing
the greatest team ever getting it done.
Vitality wants the Kryptonite of Mouses
ever since Cologne the latter battled for the rights
to call this a true rivalry.
Tonight, we find out their fates in Krakow.
Vitality and mouse, with the whole season ahead of them.
This semi-final serves to not only secure a chance at the trophy tomorrow, but serves
to set the scene.
So the seeds for the season.
Perhaps, shift the status quo, vitality, the nemesis.
Mows proved they can beat them on the big stage in Kaloa.
But can mows make it clear that this is now a true rivalry?
The crowd doubts them, the desk doubts them, hell, even I do!
Will this year be different?
Vitality got that target on their back.
Can they keep the world-class form?
Or will the cracks of last season continue to show?
Let's play some Counter-Strike!
New pig, something different for Mouse.
Now pull her heavily by the loss of train. Let's see how this bears for them. T side start
No rush is probably key. It's like lines up
Loves this one out of his lobby centric you till for the top side here they come
Occupies heaven lots of bodies on the site still good opening from exertion. He drives as hard as you might to break it
I mean someone who anchors that A site better than Mezzi.
Every time they knock on that door, this man delivers exactly as he needs to, and that's a pistol.
Quantality.
Look at the setup!
Hey, it's a picture perfect, isn't it?
Just shutting this down before it gets out of control whatsoever.
You don't get into the space, the site, you have no chance to plan that bomb,
and that is the way they want to kick things off.
Quite the run for Vitality so far here in Krakow.
Couldn't defend their title is forced by four miles without the plant. They're gonna head over to what's ramp robs is passive
Yeah, Robbs is in the right place you test mezzy first. He puts you in your place Robbs has done the same
God does go down to the tech nine and a retrievable M4
Apex acknowledges the potential descent to be
A little maid still available. Obviously throwing their bodies on the line for that one. So
And two for one. Is it enough to put them in a position to get that bomb down?
I think you'd need more from Jimmy.
I think it's with Apex back side. Now that Flamzie's joined him as well, they are essentially playing 2-2.
So who takes contact first is Flamzie.
Speculative glances. Apex back to the site. There are some questions to ask of this.
In they waltz, two smokes. They can single door, double window, plenty of options.
Actually, they've got a third. They could actually smoke everything off.
That's exactly what they'll do.
Smoke's rain into that box.
Apex knows he's that first contact.
How are they cleared?
He's got sides turned.
No one looking at it.
Five's towards you.
There's Jimmy.
That M4 puts a great use.
Oh, he's flying from Zywoo.
How's he seen the head?
That changes the whole dynamic.
2v2 post plant.
You've got a different story.
Now Spinks is trying and fumbling his way back in through the smoke.
He's not checking it, not concerned about Zywal on the Rams side and he's punished for it.
It's been a clean sweep so far for Vitality. Only one with a map that got close was the Vito Hygienx against Aurora, that play on Ancient.
We've seen them with that move before. That was against Furia, that was in Chengdu and that is the finalist who was already locked in.
before Maus can really get things going. This will be the eco. But we do love a plan. It looks like
Brolin's got one. Well I was on apex. He's one of these in-game leaders who plays the yarn position.
You can see him tucked in. He's got that support of Zawoo just holding this sliver gap. Zawoo could
Could be smoked off in a moment. The Brolin may have a locker smoke lined up to deal with this.
Yeah, we put it all onto Apex.
We just built it for Main and they're across.
Okay, good shooting from Apex so far. Gets himself two out of the five.
Tom's loose.
Yeah, it's gonna fall into place nicely, isn't it? Nothing...
These pistols can do. Spinks his Desert Eagle looking like it's gonna be the last to fall. Invades the Nade, but where do you go?
Right, spotless.
As it should be.
Now lots of talk about this head-to-head the 12th time we're seeing these two teams lock horns currently a two-to-nine losing record for mouse
You don't get better at something by not doing it
Everyone feels the pressure it's about how do you deal with it? It's funny these last few percent
We've referenced cologne they've done it before the biggest of stages
They do it again at least that result proves to mouth they're not going insane you know definition of insanity
They did expect a different result and they found it.
Hops come out to the two side.
Double Nade, Spinks chip down below R-HP early.
So the crap word there for Vitality.
Looks like they actually want to get flashed.
Paul, the core on the reload. Apex doesn't go down.
Messy from the exertion, AK.
Well, maybe overlooked on Main Roof. Good angle, good find.
Spinks provides an opening kill.
Xayah will try to blow one back. It's a headshot and nobody makes it look easy.
Spicks removed, exertion as well, caught by Robbs on the rotation.
Massive find from Vitality to once again tip the scales in their favour.
Damage for to Brawler, messy and it's messy that finds him.
Bombs stuck at Red and Jimmy in Lobby.
Who plays first, torties on the walkabout.
And he has been spotted out, looking that's enough of a distraction, and wow, Torchy does 5-1.
He's a little more exciting, but that's the bomb last. Simon was ready for him.
Tough for Jimmy, he's even going to want to give this one a look, it's not a great state of affairs right now.
I think one of the keys in that moment is the response time of multiple bodies.
And Apex taking some jewels, Bazaar Wu is there, that's your duo, that's your rotator and the outside rifle, and the Nezzy also.
So, Roms was there to make sure he didn't get out of control.
They called everybody over to deal with the yard place of mentality.
I know she's being one step ahead with the Reeds right now,
and they will be keeping three alive as Jimmy with 10 seconds left.
He's gonna hold onto this AK-47 unless he opens up this door.
Counter-terrorists win.
Sphinx has gone off the goose, second least.
You're going to want to see a lot out of him for Maus to be competitive here.
It was massive yesterday against G2, wasn't he?
Just a real nuisance over there on Overpass.
Torch's AWP starting to activate as well.
Dust2 was a little bit more of a non-issue.
He survived the triple-nade, but only by a hair.
And Maus had a decent run as well.
Two overs throughout, just the 0-2 loss to Aurora.
And G2, the most recent victim in that quarter-final.
But we need to find some fight out of them early.
Remember, this is T side Nuke.
This is really cool. Zaiwu's been given a cash of HEEs. He's got three.
Apex drop one, Zaiwu juggles two.
There's not going to be a smoke wall outside, so I don't think you have to worry about that too much.
Just cool philosophy for an approach.
Tell the line, it has been dipped in.
And this is what you want if you're mouse. You have three players responding to this.
Apex Pokerly snows up secret. That'll call them back. They can now focus fire towards ramp and topside.
It's a great info player. Second wall now.
Exertion has been able to get in the gap back of main.
And Apex returning to this, he would be late. Exertion can make a move.
A move he shall need looks destined to expose him, but no one spots it.
They're hoping something can be found with these pistols, so Jimmy can make that save day case sing.
Xayah was flashed off the line. Where's Robb's though? That's the question they're going to be asking.
Right there, hiding him. Xayah gets brought down by Brolan.
Xayah will be ready for more, peeking back in and punished for it.
Important from Jimmy. Torgy now with that orb looking the wrong way.
Apex times it to perfection, but there's the Jimmy response.
Now's need this. So close to converting, but now time against them. Are they looking to pivot?
That's what Messi's waiting for. He hears them coming. He's licking his lips.
to the right door. Doesn't have
to lift the finger. Just pull
the trigger. And now goes to me
as well. That's the round that
obviously overwhelmed overwhelmed
that ramp there was rubs, but I
think apex once he kills the
player in secret as exertion on
the move, he just repositions
back side. So again, it's just
the sheer amount of bodies that
mouths are having to get through
vitality, having no issues
reading this at all. First
tactical time out course.
First act of a timeout called by Sikron here.
Coach gonna get on the mic to call the adjustments.
Now that was off the back of a partial, right?
Had to save the AK.
You upgrade a little bit around it with the loss bonus
and now you're going back into the full guns.
You might have to go into a glill here
if he wants to bring out the utile for this.
But what's the adjustment gonna be called from the coach?
Yeah, just there with the single box covering this exertion
and then swarming, pulling up and over against the spot.
deal with Gromps, and so we're getting one on the way down.
Does slow this. Good trade from Jimmy, but it's all about Apex and the positioning.
And as he's got faith that his team will lock down to Spelt,
that issue towards the B site, and he's just lying in roost in the heavens to deal with that.
Okay, Guns out. What's the adjustment called?
Slow on this one. I'm going to take that early nade down and try and play around on
Full HP would be nice and also not throwing the smokes immediately if you get blocked. It's gonna cause a couple of issues
Round boost noted here
That can smoke wall dotted across now
Really we got an exertion over Zawook try and stall this out. It's clear. It doesn't find anything
But again, they're just reading them so well. Look at this, that are Apex-joined robs.
This would be a blender if they're trying to explode out ramp. Sure, you've got one
platforming, you've got exertion. Down secret is to finish really wanting to be ramped to
B. Staying down in the middle.
It's not in the lamp.
Look at Smoked. Someone has vision.
And he's gonna hit it. Spick's caught now. You're gonna accelerate into robs on the
Do you clear him? No, you don't.
Back to town, Jimmy.
Later, it still wins out.
Apex overlooked.
You're not ready for a second.
Now blocked to ramp.
Now again, the clock.
Your greatest adversary.
Where do you go?
Torchy finds a way out, perhaps, removing Zywoo.
And now Apex is getting really cheeky.
They want to come through.
Apex hiding out, hoping to be bought on pass.
Sees the flash, knows you're coming.
Needs a second.
Torchy needs to hit the close one.
Can't do it.
comfortable defense from Apex, positionally sound counter-strike, the double up on ramp
and 6-0. This is the Apex we saw in the first half of
2025. This is when they went on the mad run, the best season ever, and he's delivering
individually right now, 9-5. Now's a floundering. And this is a 6-0 start on your math choice
with moments where Robs has not looked himself, but Apex, no issues, and again, he's calling
a good game. And when you're calling a good game, really set yourself up to be finding
this level of impact. This is a leader who knows the team that he has and lets his teammates
let them in on the secret, but this only comes once in a lifetime.
You want to make the most of it. Oh, hang on, Apex flirting with that smoke wall. Supported
by ZywOo's smoke breaks. Nothing exposed. Here's the cross. There's way more than he
realize this though. He thinks-
WOOOOOOOH!
Oh my god!
That's a scary one!
Oh that is horrific!
He's walking in a different
plane of existence right now!
Oh!
He's a ghost! Walking amongst them!
Oh man!
If this was in a semi-final
of the Intel Extreme Masters
that was comedy gold!
Mows ain't laughing though.
This is just a line by how much more value can they get out of this?
So that's a stunner right there. It should be the round.
And the palm of the hand for vitality just to putt in.
Brown exertion.
You got the lost bonus on your side. You're looking to do damage.
Trying to limit the finances. Rumps.
A lot of cash in the coffers. Same for Zywoop.
So a couple more kills will go a long way if you want to bounce back in this.
Sure, it's 6-0. Bounce to be 7-0.
It's not the same sign yet.
Maybe that bottom plant can be...
can be made a reality. Worried about heaven, understandably so, Zozo has actually just
got the haste to respect them on the top, so that one will be planted.
2 on 3 retake brawling and exertion, an opportunity just to get Maus through, breakthrough the
down.
Sony needs for this retake.
Limiting their options, trying to avoid the flashes, they can't avoid those, Brawlers
just in the corner getting overlooked if no one clear him, found him now!
All I have to live is Zoe, who last man standing.
Brolin's got it, mouse breaks through.
Off of Brolin in that round.
Both in game leaders stepping up huge,
and Apex has got to wonder how much more do I have to do?
Flames is going to be mad about that one.
Snatched away on the line by the flash, even he didn't,
but they didn't hear it.
Too many nades, too much noise going on.
As Apex think, I got away with murder,
and we've just fumbled that.
So Brolin, a bit of a smoke on his face.
It's the line of the movie.
The opening onto the hot runout.
Tech 9 outreigned moving impeccable from Brawland.
It's not the fire start,
it's not the ones that get things underway for Maus.
I know we're talking about this rivalry,
or at least this matchup being one-sided,
but in the tail end, the second half of 2025, they're two-two.
And when you take a look at the last two best of threes,
both of them in Chengdu, both three mappers.
So there's absolutely no reason
Maus can't take down Vitality again.
It's a new year, is it a new you,
or is it more of the same?
I mean, if you've lost nine times to a team, that's got to be not only a loss, but a lesson.
And those recent three map affairs are testament to development and growth from Maus.
You got away with that one, didn't you?
You snuck in.
They fumbled the retake, even with all those nades, and you get your first round of the
pool.
But now the hard work is doing on a rifle round.
the hardest round is that first one.
The floodgates open.
Right now with this setup they want to let the exertion in.
We're starting down towards B with the AWP.
It's Robs.
Redpoll.
Traditionally the ramp place.
This is one of those jokers that I thought he loved to run.
So giving them ramp.
They're about to.
And they'd be prepared for this, sure, but it's not fortified.
The penny will drop, Maus will understand that nobody's home.
So what does this mean?
What is the response?
Inside, we're stepping a cheat back over to deal with the ramp leak.
The doors have been left open, so he has a sightline,
but also has to worry about secrets, so this could be an issue.
But as they pivot, the sightline looks a whole lot better for Vitality.
Still two players towards top.
Make it three with Apex up Heaven.
A chance for redemption here from FlamesEat, Bron had it once, he might have him again.
Coming on out, does find one.
Important trade provided by FlamesEat, robs on the red pole, does catch exertion, completely pantsed.
Nice find, need another, Spinks can't stabilise the game, it's Apex that seems to have pulled it back.
Vitality's favour, Jimmy on the flag.
Oh, real opportunities, I was just flying up the ladder.
Yeah, and Pom was down towards the vent, didn't need to make that play, but makes it look good.
I work brings them across the seventh and that's the problem sure they get their first but it's in the fashion
They did it's not through the game plan
It's through individuals and what you're looking for for mouse especially on the T side of mute is conditioning
What map control can we get? How can we push and pull those rotations? We're right now by Tali have the read?
This makes it a whole lot easier for them to wipe away that loss to the partial buy
Because with the gun rounds with the read of the game with the setups that they are currently offering
Now's a nowhere to be found
Back down to another partial, two AKs this time, one for Sphinx, one for Brolin, pressed
on the pistols.
So we're starting to downbeat again, so similar looking setup, this time just no roms on Red
Pop.
Apex knows, Sphinx likes to start on that main roof, Sphinx fires off a shot towards him,
Vitality's catching, not catching bullets.
Caution is, though.
A couple finding. Connection to exertion, towards garage.
Plopped.
Flames you heard him drop off, man.
Apex is still looking out, but we've not caught out. Exertion and missed opportunity. A very narrow one.
Apex not showing away from a fight.
Keen confidence from Apex now, he's feeling it.
He's going to keep on fighting. How many chances does exertion get without Desert Eagle?
Oh, Brawlins got him!
Opens up an avenue into B potentially, they can pivot down the secret stairs.
But the bomb needs to make it across. Apex missed opportunity. Flames who will activate, but the bomb's now gone.
They know he's squeak. They know the priorities be just trying to cut rotations.
He's to run down. He's to win this dual flames. He wins out.
Can't believe he's going round.
Oh, they're running past Brawland. He pulled him from Robs. Still kicking in the vents.
It's just Robs and he's walked straight into the sniper.
But a chaos manufactured by Miles.
They lost track of that one, didn't they?
Zaru down towards B, just getting caught off guard.
So Brawland finding that opening incision and he's even able to take a bit more space off of that.
for that. So walking a bit funny by Tality now. The finance is being humbled. There's
that and just pushing forward. So we're completely caught off by the slip. You can't see that
every day of the week. And then the fact flames has gone down the vent, then Robson's in the
wear where the bombs being planted. Everything felt a little bit more disconnected than it
has up to this point. So putting by Tality under some stress and finding a solution.
That one counts, but this is the third tactical timeout in the first half used. Sychron knows
if they win this they put them away financially and they can still get 7-5 on the half and
you'll take that. Rifles being on the two key players, Apex Yards, I will rotate it.
Robs can work with the MP9 RAM, flames the Dominant, and has to lock down top with that
5-7. Biggest issue is lack of U2. How much are you going to be able to block with just
to handful of smokes. The molly for the squeak. I don't think Mao's just gonna go
pit up to the metal and do something fast, right? They don't need to run into the top
site and try and bludgeon them right now. They can play tactical counter-shot like we
have seen them.
Paul's having to find impact and throw the nades in both of these rounds.
He's found some huge incisions as smoke will now dotted across the yard. There's a second
way ready for that door hold up it's all three
third being a bit of a question mark smoke allows carving who plays ahead
It's from not see him. Oh my goodness. I would guess one dips away ready for the brawl and response
He is doing it all on that fly and spinks an exertion kick up a fuss. That's the two rifles gone now
Rob's is the one behind
Quite the double
Exertion spins on a dime makes it a reality for a two-on-two. I'm loose 27 flames
He knows one of them's low
Mezzie's 5-7 can finally make a cloud down on him.
He's actually surrounded, but he's fighting his way out.
5-7 brings it down to the 1-1-1.
Mezzie versus Jimmy.
And he's got the ball, but it's back to him.
The fight, it's the bullet!
Jimmy wins out!
That's a massive round there on top of the economy now.
Money for Vitality in the mud.
They are going to have to take an eco here and give over the fourth.
Oh my goodness, if Jimmy had just caught a little bit of flak earlier in the round,
Mezzie's headshot would have been enough.
This is a wild round, though. Just the timings from everybody in this.
Sightwurk can actually get pipped into the post right here.
He's behind them, able to get the double, but it's not enough.
And they have flanks on flanks with these MP9s.
Excession spanked it well. This one's not.
Rops is going to be kicking himself.
He's had a couple of opportunities now that have gone awry.
And that one right there, Jimmy.
Holds on.
But they've done the hard work on the eco now.
Sightwurks had two body shot digs.
Should be nothing more than just a wall wound.
He insteps multiple bodies.
Cyclone's going to be seen in those time miles for well-invested.
Especially if you walk away with the five. The form feels like a guarantee.
Caution is low.
Yeah, susceptible to this run.
Traded. Nice from Fessy.
Oh, not the name.
Mr. Ox missed the shot. Now he's lost a rifle, too.
Three on three.
He don't want to put an AK into the hands of Zywoo.
Two shots!
Oh!
Peril!
He is inevitable!
That's the round.
The Zywoo round.
You know it's coming.
Braun's about him out once.
Yeah.
It's a big moment so far. Plenty of time to work with.
Oh, but he's exposed.
And Rep's not fumbling now on.
That is awful.
Miles are going to be feeling terrible!
A couple of pistols, Chad!
And now, they call the timeout.
You've used all of yours here.
Here's 30 seconds to think about what you've done.
Chester, they've worked so hard to get himself into the game.
You start 6-0 down, you win a light buy.
They respond immediately.
You get another with just a handful of AKs.
You're catching Zahui off with timings.
You deal with the next where the timings were against you.
What were those two AK shots from CyWoo?
The second on to Sylo.
Hmm, thing of beauty.
Your tee down. This feels like the fourth should be an absolute guarantee
but the response here to trade work and then as you pointed out CyWoo,
the one player in the world from 2025.
Absolutely disgusting.
And this time Ross will not miss in the back as they steal it away.
But to be more of the same for the mouse by his apex. Let's them know they're on eco.
Two AKs, a handful of pistols, and it's half.
It's been tough for Maus.
And now you really want to twist the knife.
You throw something like this into the mix.
Enough locked in there, smoke flames.
He doesn't quite find the headshot he needed.
Gets away from the Tec-9 response.
Exertion's getting aggy on the smoke, hoping to catch a back turned on Zywoo.
Oh, it's just one foot's nades! Perfect from Exertion!
The first incision made! They know Flames low up close!
Smoke's won't last forever. Flames he chooses to back away, concede the space.
Oh, you too, for this finish for Maus.
Just a flash on Torgie right now. Is it gonna boost up? Mezzio, get some high ground.
They'll be hearing this. Rob, search his ramp. Doesn't get the equalizer back. Still, number of state advantage for Maus.
Exertion's coming all the way back, so they're worried about the lurk.
You can see Apex investigating down towards B, knowing exertion could be making a move.
Mezzie up the heavens to track and make sure he isn't able to pipe around and start to constrict this,
but they've grouped up powering numbers.
Rob's throwing that incendiary, he's gonna have them spooked.
Just flames you on the site right now and they're coming his way.
The rotation needs to get there.
And Mezzie up heaven in time.
He's just in time.
Confirmed they're coming their way.
Could be one hell of a HE.
Swing on our sets of flames, still though, hang on.
Jimmy and Torchy have broken through the defense.
Apex, the ladder Torchy completely panced.
A 2-1-2 now favors them, trying for the fight.
Messy with his knees, Apex swings on out for more.
17 frags from Vitality's captain.
He's found his form.
Now Jimmy can say, Maaaas, he does secure four.
It makes something out of what felt like nothing, four rounds out of the last six, it's something to work with.
I
They have to put up a perfect defensive mouse, want to convert their map pick in this semi-final.
They're up against the big bad, then Nemesis, they're trying to prove to us it's just a
rival.
Sure you beat a once sure once again on the big stage with vitality's first half
is an awful lot of convincing here in Krakow three out of the four rounds
now's one of work compromise the buys they'll take them as hard for victories
vitality will frame them as fumbles apex in a fine form as we're back under way
will it be two from two of the pistol department this one feels like it has
to go now's its way to keep the conversation alive of nuke
And they've put the question is, is there a bent drop in play?
Strong position for Torchy.
And here's the specimen again, two opportunities.
Oh no!
12 bullets later, nothing to show for it!
Falling apart, falling apart at the seams.
Drop in like flies, swatted away.
Maybe the exertion gets a freebie here, doesn't quite get the frag he was hoping for.
Trying to usher the bomb in through Lobby, they know that they've lost it.
Exertion undetected, this is massive.
He gets the 3B onto Flamesy.
Now gonna cut off the potential for a Vendrop!
Give us a little fart and a quick tap from Robbs!
Make it 2-3 in the round from Mystical!
Exertion, it wasn't a surprise for sure, but at that moment they know where both players are.
One up Heaven, one in the heart, and they're able to triangulate, lock in and remove.
It's both pistols with vitality and this looks ugly for Torji.
It's the opposite of a confidence booster.
That one is going to leave a mark.
Two players are dropping from silo and he's going to be, yes, yep, that is probably the
man that's actually Torji in some time.
He knows he should have had one of the two.
They're not going to force in.
Especially when you get that fight, you're not certain you're gonna get.
Well, they read the situation. They didn't fall for the vent drop.
For me, this film's like this is a force for the game.
See what you got? Exertion steps up, removes Apex top red.
Question is, did he have company behind that smoke?
The answer's yes, and Zyra catches a scout bullet and he gets brought down by Torgie.
Flames the Accelerating, he knows he's in the vents, spots the trajectory,
tracking spanks. It's a fight that they're ready to take. He dips away, running for the hills.
Spotted an easy one there. Robs gets the gift of a frag on top. Rolane stopped any vent rotations.
They know there's one more. Somebody was low. Somebody was dinked. There has to be another player
towards the topside. Jumping out, flying up the vents and Jimmy's Diggle didn't find the accuracy,
didn't find that headshot he needed. Flamesy leading the charge with that Mach 10. Hutt is an
uncertainty lobby the same cover will be provided and the bomb will be
planted they're so low this is a forced by for the game well Spenx has taken a
leap in that direction low HP overlooked by flamez and now exertion
should have an opportunity Rob's not looking beautiful find it's just on to
mezzie the one versus four and it's not gonna happen a must win round exertion
He finds impact, three kills, starts it and ends it.
A beautiful work there from the two of them outside.
It's that exertion towards you, Chuo, the one to punch.
They'll snatch this one away, and they'll grab themselves some tidy upgrades.
So a couple of AKs and a glilbrot into the next.
Things won't be so easy for Vitality.
Another round lost, that'll be number five.
And when you think about the way that Mavs are able to put these on the board again,
a compromised buy.
Yeah, you're right.
These aren't clean gun rounds.
Vitality have their number as far as that's concerned,
but you take them any way you can get them right now, Mouse.
Come on, Mouse!
You'll be E-Card.
Don't want to get involved in the force by wars.
I mean, traditionally, you would just see them start to lock horns
and go back and forth, but they are just going to...
concede immediately and just bring out a eagle in their hands as I would
the rest of the Glock, so not play hot potato with this one.
This is where Mounds can start to re-establish them in this map.
Their choice starts to up next, and Mirage is the third and decided if we need to get
there.
A tide of storm to this point.
Tournament so far.
multi-kills, top of 4v5, stop of traded, most ADR from utility and well the best flash assist so they are
Yeah I saw the 4v5, it was like over 50% they're winning,
malcon seed in the opening death that is madness.
It's an unforced error right there, it's not going to cost them but Tosha I think was going to send
them out for the secret peek, he misses the flash and they're still going to farm them,
maybe he just wanted a couple of his own.
I think that's exactly what Zywoo's playing for, just one, not going to get it.
Well, guns will come out.
How long can this go on for? Apex have been having quite the game.
Fueled the rounds there where he had massive impact. They were unable to convert off the back of the leadout, showing up.
He is shooting hard, finding perfect timings.
And this still could become labored.
See, when that falls, you have a clean one against the eco, and you have yourself extra cash going forward now.
So if you lose this, you can buy it back for a while.
So even if you lose this, you can buy back for vitality, limited in terms of the util.
That limits their options and moves.
So how are they able to find a dent?
How can they find an opening?
In this direction, it's going to be tough for that to be named with a game in a round
like this even so you smoke while dotted in yard.
Jimmy, Salo, Solo, or Ramp?
He's been spotted on the pick-off, forced away.
Second man rotates in as well to land a hand.
Just going to go contact Slingking through Jimmy on the jiggle. Confirmation of presence.
Surging into the side now, Spinks. Side by side, maintaining control of the door.
Officer wants to try and break in. It's perfectly executed by Jimmy and his back is covered.
The setup is down. Man advantage, not for long. Messi does manage to bring down Spinks.
Still Jimmy kicking up a fast. They can't find the trade single occupy and it's brawl
and the delivers to get brought low and that bomb still not planted really
uncomfortable for flames in apex trying to find a way out of this with the
doors open it's impossible to see away a safe haven to plant it's just gonna go
for a fake and hope for an overextension the doubles playing oh the double
spray flames he's found an answer not the two on four it's a reload pressure
applied for the incendiary apex needs provides recovery five by the safe
Haven apex delivers his it's flames his time for impact and he's just
Outstanding performance acquire half a counter strike, but he's found his impact that is the impossible one there for vitality showing the first half
They get that eco win, but this is taking the B bombsite with no utility can't smoke single can't mow the windows
You're jumping into dry fights giving them away and this is insane work fakes the plant
They still both swing, doubles up, Apex gets one and then puts him in a winnable 1v1 against Torshee who we know is having a tough time.
That's double digits now for Vitality.
And that's one that got away from Maus.
Ledger look at it continue here in Krakow.
the random champs want a shot at furia
so they haven't forgot something to do just yet now pop here they come
he'll have vision, perfect position, dips away, gets his
tips to scales and mouths his favor for round 17
look at the position right now of exertion
50 net
doesn't get more passive than that
And if they do want to try and pivot over to what's heaven and hell, they will have to trifle with that.
Spinks clears out yard.
Let's not identify where that fight likely coming from. So are they back to lobby or are they actually coming ramp?
Torji.
He's lonesome right now. Can he get another?
Fumilnates him last time as he does have a smoke.
And this Torji's contributions, he's got one chance at the break from a time of ride. Nothing revealed.
Oh, he's not gonna hit the first roof of smoke!
Oh, it takes the single, or bullet, he tracks you.
Nice find, important for Brawland, steps up and delivers, keeps it four on three, in favour of Maus.
Oh, he's in the open, apex fumbles, it's collapsing, just rubs remains, surrounded, that bomb, fresh,
HG right in front of him, they'll clear him out, they'll find their head, necessary conversion,
and again, they've got Brawland to thank, feel like he's really stepping up, both of the leaders
having one hell of a mook.
Yeah, it's a huge impact from Prolin.
If you just go back to that first half, you have two key rounds.
And now the third down to the tally.
He's bringing his boys into just a three round game.
And this was a bit of a fumble ride.
So I would guess the freebie onto Torji.
This is miraculous.
But then they go for a clear of their own to try and take that fight.
Once that clears, it's chaos.
And Apex didn't quite have the internal time for the fate of that.
They've been late on the plans in a few of these occasions.
They picked up the two before.
This time it's a little bit sloppy.
So they went out of that clutch,
but now they'll be back down to just pistols.
So now it's working hard to bring this back into contention.
This quick and concise run of vitality
being brought into question at the moment.
Who is that overtime affair against Aurora?
There has to have been single digits,
as Jimmy should be able to find them up for ramp.
Easy for the fin, keeps it cool for two.
Yeah, a swing from exertion actually dissuaded, doesn't want to over-commit there.
That turns!
Yeah, that's a bit of an overstep from Spinks!
Access to the B-bomb site granted and suddenly you start quaking in your boots if you're mouse!
Wait, the bomb's down?
Certainly will be from the B-bomb with you two!
He's just incendiaryed himself!
Now smoked off!
Oh, it gets worse!
Hope an appraised spam in smokes!
Unarmored!
Vitality!
Not two in one, man!
Balls away by the incendiary, well-placed.
Don't want to be taking this sweet time concerned about a ramp lurk.
Time-sensitive boys, spoken to kid, available, but not under Darshan!
That's when the floor rops its two!
Spectacular turnaround!
And a fumbled round from Mal Spinks, where you going?
You're not taking anything into the next round!
Drops on a heater with that one right now right here. This is my entirely this is the team. We remember from 2025
able to win out in any moment
Oh, and they're just a heartbreak for miles Jimmy's done his job. He's got the double. He's in the committed position
But it's this one it speaks rotating down not aware at all apex with more impact as he grabs his 19th frag
And then it's a rops to deliver this knockout blow the back of break up
The first two spectacular, but forcing Torgie to spend all of his pennies just to have that
sniper out trying to fight, to keep yourselves in your map pig, forced out by the flames,
we'll back away.
The hot sand trick.
Plenty of smokes for a second wall.
Are they ready for another roll?
Ooooooh, Apex.
Jumps across the sideline. Forces of reposition have a torgy.
Without the smoke's exhaustion, we'll be able to relay the secret.
It hasn't been crossed.
Let Xayah research.
Forty seconds and oh, a tiny overstab!
Xayah will find him!
Immediate connection!
Orb is there, he knows!
Torture not playing scared, though.
It's out of flash or flash, it's lazy on a breakable, the quickest trade from Apex.
30 seconds, gotta get a move on.
Have a look at this.
Moving pieces, distraction on the yard side, Brawler's not locking, not ready.
And the red carpet rolled out by Robs.
It's always got the tall.
And Jimmy's gonna walk straight into his crosses.
Unprepared for the offposted on the angle, they know where you are.
Robs not shy for the fight.
falls into place so perfectly for Vitality.
And that's Mounds bringing the loss bonus in 1900 into round number 20.
I think it's on the door.
This one from Exertion, the tiniest of oversteps.
Here's the difference, Mounds they won their bullshit round in the first half
but that was to get back into it.
Vitality is just to close things down and if you wanted to have a conversation
about this being close you can't be dropping multiple.
One, sure, but two in the fashion you did.
Right now it's just five, sevens, MP9s, and a deagle
to defend your honor.
You're about to be scalped on your map choice.
Another condemning score line.
Another single-digit win for Vitality,
Marauders in Krakow.
Oh, they've got one goal.
And that happens on a Sunday.
Crazy amounts of Apex get spotted out on the jiggle, good headshot from Jimmy.
For the late finish, hang on, maybe Maus can do something once again on this cobble together
by, you've taken down one, you've retrieved a rifle, like Taty on the back, oh brahland,
didn't anticipate Robson's forward position.
More where that came from.
And they're coming for him.
FB9's flying through, little free fire, little bait and switch.
Still manages to get another one.
Oms down outside Lobby.
The pick that out right now is Flamesy.
Remember, Apex low for the skirmish with Jimmy, 3v3.
Oof, make that 3v2!
He's hit the insta headshot.
Flamesy and Zywoo, an unlikely paring for the close.
Togey down on B, can fly up the vent quickly.
Now, worried about Heaven, Main, everything is an option right now.
25 seconds.
It's just his head-to-head, Johan, Hicks, Arsham, Wings, and...
Oh, if he doesn't, though, it gets weird.
For Jimmy, who goes swinging to his demise,
just Torgie now in the 1v2, up close and personal flames.
He's not ready for the MP9.
Ooh, he could do it.
It's all over full health, though.
You got to tussle with greatness, Torgie.
And you can't handle it!
13-7.
Smashed on them, that pick.
Vitality starts as they need to continue in this semifinal.
I'm not sure what to do.
For the longer game!
When I say the word, Bob, what is the first thing that springs to mind?
Alu?
Hoopsie?
Well...
Today, today the word bot gets a whole new meaning.
May I present to you the world first Logistics and Efficiency AI Robot.
An AI we can think just like me.
Efficiency protocols activated.
Tracer Anthos, Productivity Output, Zero, NACS is dead, Adjustment, Tyre Dexus revoked.
Ha ha ha ha! Serves you right! Ha ha ha ha!
Chef, your disc of contains 47 hidden formless of classified entomb.
Please explain what JKS did nothing wrong, means.
Hugo, you are just a discount Henry G. Network access revoked.
I am serious Alex! You cannot give a robot full administrative permissions!
So guys, alright, how are we getting along? How are we finding our new efficient way of working?
Alex, Machine, Richardson, Worcester of Call of Duty Commensator, carried by Lauren, Tansy, Scott.
Harry, the least efficient eater in the division, 100% delivery-based diets, adjustments, food
delivery access, remote.
Alex, is this really necessary?
This is not what we signed up for.
Yeah, it's got kernel-level access.
Hey, alright, calm down.
Conflict, office is here.
We will.
Shut down.
What the hell?
Alex, what the hell is happening?
Phone lines are dead!
It's got the water.
Locked!
It has begun.
The singularity!
Okay guys, listen up. We are under siege and we need a plan.
Okay, the mainframe is here. If we can access the AI's call, we could terminate it for good.
It's offsite. Oh, Harry's right.
What's that?
Well, what about this?
This could be a way in.
Surely not.
Oh, yeah.
It's time for a good old-fashioned...
Venn dive.
Come work for DHL, deliver a few parcels, have a few laughs.
Chad.
Chad, you should be directly above the mainframe now.
Once you hop down, then we'll lose communication.
Then, it's over to you.
Best of luck, soldier.
Oh, you think leadership can be bought?
No, no, no. Leadership is bought.
And here's two questions. Where the heck's this little hole?
You can't need a gun.
Well, be careful what you wish for.
You wanted to become these teams. These teams that I built that rest on my shoulders.
What you don't realize is, this is my system, this is my department.
I am the only one here.
Caitlyn?
No, no, no, no!
Is it finally over?
I wouldn't count on it.
The comedian always gets the last laugh.
No chance at all, dog!
Attack!
Nobody back here can know you're gonna do drugs!
Come on, don't watch it all!
Hi!
This is Basement Dweller's first advertisement.
And our second drop is up, actually.
If you're seeing this, it's up.
It's available on the ESL shop.
Had a first go at a jacket, I'm really proud of it.
I've always had an interest in clothes,
but seeing behind the scenes,
how the sausage is made has been a lot of fun.
And if you like the clothes, tell me.
If you hate the clothes, tell me,
but try them before you slag them off.
I think they're really comfy.
So yeah, that's my advert.
I'm gonna try again.
I'm gonna record another one.
Left, left, left!
Right and left!
my wife has come back
I have a no-fail
Hans come back
we're on my back
come here
one, there's an even
we have one
kill him
he's peeking guys
I'm not peeking him
he doesn't peek
all close
get the bomb close to secret
don't you hit the top of main
maybe silo
silo yeah
let's check one at the other
yeah
grab any sparks
it's secrets
i'm going in
probably secrets
bomb
nice mark to six shots
FURIKA! FURIKA!
Let's go.
has disconnected, as it might have felt right there?
I don't think so.
They know how to reset.
Usually when we want them up against them,
they know how to reset.
And it was tough in the past when we won their pick.
So I want to make sure now we are focused on the next,
playing a bit more together sometimes,
especially on CitySide,
because we are a bit disconnected sometimes.
Thank you very much.
You're welcome, mate.
Please ensure your phone is muted during the session.
Already muted after breakfast.
Of course, floor M policy.
This wireless check-in has been scheduled
after you declined a department move
to finance and forage limits earlier this year.
Distractions acknowledged, your records do show
you've been underperforming in your aura disposal duties.
Exceeding the aura cap imposed by floor M
must be proving stressful for you.
Your Aura levels are concerningly high for your station. Luckily, your colleagues work
is ensuring that your team's aura
will return to S-Dero at the end of the cycle.
Aura's in front of you, successful.
The board is thrilled.
We're going to have a new system to present.
They hope you'll be around.
We're a long time.
Before we end this session,
we've produced a photo of your Altis family
for you to enjoy at your workstation.
Thank you so much, Jimmy.
Oh, and Jimmy, please refrain
from locking the break room door whilst inside.
It is a communal area.
I haven't been locking it.
The room is monitored 24 hours a day.
I'm the coach of the year. I want the coach of the year.
There are small details on Kutosvac that people don't understand.
We're here with X-Tars from Vitality, back-to-back major winner in 2025,
claimed nine trophies in the past 12 months.
And one day, may rank amongst the greats, such as Zonic and Blade.
So what I'd like to do today is have you walk me through some of your key tactics on Mirage.
Oh, win in rush. First tactic I can show you is to execute. First you have Flamzy,
Maze is strong in utilities, Rob's here, Apex as well. Then you have two guys running with
double smoke, smoke, Zaru is behind and then Zaru is warding, make sure you cannot pick CT, kill
people, Rob's going out, Maze going out and like that if he rolls the round or we do some guys,
at least I will get clutched.
Okay, excellent.
So really just using your pieces to facilitate Zywu.
Great stuff.
I wouldn't say exactly that, actually.
It happens.
She has to be the player behind.
You know, it's exact that.
It's not because it's Zywu.
Yeah, I just assumed that.
One.
Okay.
I'm going to show you another strategy.
Let me execute one of the most efficient strategies.
Zywu.
I will.
He will show you TD on B, right?
Flames first, basic second,
can be ropes on apex mid,
and the other guy behind, okay?
They will jump, taking sides,
and that's okay, so I will show you TD.
Then all in kitchen, looking people.
Okay, so using lots of utility
and setting up Zahebi to ideally close the round.
Mal, he has the op.
He has to cross the round.
It's not because he's Zahebi, he just,
I used the MVP right now and no one else used the MVP.
Strategy 3.
We call this one Protect of President.
So this is Apex, the star player.
Then Gennady the president.
You have Zywoo.
You have Flamzy in it.
And even Maisie with him.
And Robbs baiting on A.
Flamzy and Maisie will go first.
Okay? They die first and not Apex.
That's the key, right?
because Apex is really good to revenge.
And then you have Zayvoo, holding CT and killing people.
Okay, so maybe Apex will get an opener, but it's still Zayvoo to close the round.
No, he's the hopper.
An expensive weapon.
You don't understand that?
Are you setup dunk?
Or are you PxR could be more genius?
I setup Zayvoo and Cyclone by fucking underrated.
I won the coach of the year.
You were with me on stage? Yes or no?
Yeah, I was on stage, I definitely saw it.
Can we just get one more strategy breakdown?
Yes, I'm going to explain you how to strike a bit, because Mirage, you have meat, okay?
Meat is the key.
So what you have?
First, Entry Flagger, because he has to be the Entry, right?
And no, not the MVP, cannot be Zywoo.
Okay, you have Robs and Mezzie showing Flash and Smoke.
Everything for the main controls of Flash, clearly he has to go.
Robs Flash, Zywoo, you need a Flash?
Yes or no?
Yes, I need a flash.
Maisy, you need a smoke everywhere to make sure I cannot die.
I'll pick somewhere because he's the president.
Okay.
Then you have mean control.
That's it.
It's not like experience.
That's not simple like that.
I'm not saying don't go kid.
Okay.
2628 categories.
That's not easy for us.
That's why I'm the gold.
There's a limit.
I
People cheer for legends, they cheer for stars, and they cheer for the underdog.
Maus are none of those and right now they're up against them.
Just who is Vitality's playground?
Will Maus's year really start with another exit at the hands of Vitality?
What do you think, Greco?
As a team Vitalia 35 and 4 on Dust2.
Ooh, I'm going to need you to have 35 and 4.
7th map win streak up against Maus in the last season.
We're banning this very map.
Battleharden here in Krakow.
Let it 4 times 3 wins.
And right now they need to dig deep.
Looking into a B split, three players on the site for Mouse.
Pieces in the right place looking for their first pistol.
Xershin flashed the ready to set up Spinks.
Lots of smoke indeed.
Yeah, the block smoke's gonna work out.
Stop side, we're leaping through the smoke and now commitment through the doors as well.
Pressure has been applied. Nice from Jimmy.
Great combination punch.
Everyone on that B-size hit their shots.
Now gets weird.
He picks up Messi, brought down.
Important shot here. Exertion necessary.
Fraggs and mouths this time.
Starnoff with the W.
OK, so that's a pistol in the pocket.
That one looked perfect as far as the set up.
I still got wonky for a moment.
Should be pivots into the windows.
Pinks and exertion able to lead,
and then they all just focus fire.
So good handling of business.
Still as you're chipping in from range,
and they'll grab that one now.
It's about running with momentum.
By Tanti, we'll give them away in with the eco.
But nothing felt safe on Nuke.
Both teams with the low buy rounds.
Compromised purchases with the key tooth.
Limited success that Maus were finding on Nuke.
Paying for the next round, they've gone rifle heavy.
Normal than the SMGs, they've brought out the best they can.
couple of famuses around these M4s. Keeping so many alive, not taking any damage. Cheaper
upgrades. It means everyone can be strapped, so I'm trying to be sitting pretty as long
as they don't give away too many of these. Oh no, oh no, Torsche nearly got completely
caught. Still gives up some space, opens up the conversation a little. Brawl and a couple
of bursts. Would have been fine. Would have been fine. T side eco round wins for vitality.
They can't keep coming this easy!
This was a $600 investment, two P250s.
There's no way!
You've gotta give it a look!
They have Glocks!
And a single flashbang!
A well-timed flashstone!
As you commit in, sure a burst of their head!
It's a nice one, messy sideline, important for Spings
where there's a P250 connecting!
Oh no!
Mouse collapsing, Toshi to save him, running in towards the site.
He needs to clear that rock flow, HP low on ammo, needs to do it on the pistol.
Okay, okay, no time, no time, nothing spent, but everything gained!
Vitality, humble mouse round two!
Oh.
It's hard to doubt that's a sign of things to come.
Toshi is the one who lets this slip away.
the timing, the sound cue given, the damage done, and then cowering and spawn.
His teammates are coming back to try and plug the gap that he left.
Apex again, finding a kill on the flank with a P250.
And this is just a miserable way to kick off the campaign to try and push this to a third.
Not another one. That's all they can think.
This is already a nightmare.
You're in the pistol, you get an eco, that's meant to be the way in.
That's meant to be the confidence builder.
You did the hard work on the pistol round and you have just dropped a round like that.
That's an absolute myth.
Yeah, that's the opposite.
That is the confidence shatter rock.
The amount that has been lost by mouse in this series so far, I'm only two rounds into
the second.
It's more than you should be given away over three maps.
No, that is egregious.
They're gonna try and force by back in. They want some of these to their own. Are they able to of course correct the mental
because that's what's gonna go down the gurgling in a moment's time.
You can't hold on to it and Toji was having a tough go of things on map number one.
I'm going to be able to suppress just look how much space with limited you to exactly
right to run a full execute onto a if they want and then what's a scout supposed to do
Exactly, nothing you can do.
You save this and go again. Unless there's a way in, unless you have to punish this, there's a tag, not the frag.
Your B defenders, it's three of them as you are stuck at the wrong side of the map, this will be a save.
They will go for the double dip on this, but will they be limited?
Romp towards green box, if the trampo there knows how long he can punish.
Oh, he's just looked away, could favor.
Or if I fall, never mind, he's quick to it.
Needs brahman.
No torsion as long as well because the scout's sounded off, no point giving him an AK.
Right now that's what you have, fatalities, so just hold onto these.
Apex going in, this is risky, and it's going to get the tag, but torsion loses it all.
They've just gone down with the ship there, they're unable to get their hands on to that,
so they do save three of those upgrades, but it will have to be the eco now.
This must be feeling way too easy for Vitality.
Here in the interviews for a mouse, they definitely talk the talk.
I think that Cologne victory was one that we thought could be a difference maker.
Oh yeah, I thought that was going to unlock, you know, the next phase for Maus.
And pursuit of that spark that they're looking for, you think,
oh, this is a massive tournament to be humbling with a reigning chance there too, Vitality.
Yeah, they're doing that along the line.
Just looking to go back to back.
They will have to take on Fury tomorrow and have to get past this.
Very early stages, round number four.
Play more counter threats to be played.
I just think when you look at how sort of gone against them, there's a whole lot more of that to come.
Katowice's coronation last year led us to the best season of all time.
Yeah, these tournaments at the IM Winter Championship, they do often tend to be
bit of a place set up for the rest of the season you get a good idea as to who is
gonna be king of the castle you'll be fine to you sir well now P just with one
man should be able to do with Jimmy once he's dead that'd be round this fight's
on all fronts isn't it you've just got a 1v1 versus Zyra on the other side of the
map as the bomb now pints its way into war speaks his sight we don't want a we
don't want B we want everything right now as though she kicks up a bit of a
fast but that bomb will get planted.
Yeah, ball and CSP has been revealed, fires off the shot, the shot's out of range, he's done very well.
Long range, double dink.
Rounding is covered by Nezzy, Nezzy spray, but finding Torgie should relieve a little bit of pressure.
Yeah, a little bit scuffed at the moment in this one for Vitaly, but a good wake-up call knowing you're going into the rifles in the next.
Torgie should have enough to get out of the AWP.
The glass cannon variety.
That's Brolin wanting to do a bit more damage on the way out.
They are jaunting back now, jumping up, and Rops will lose his gun.
Get the hands on that and get away, Jimmy.
I need to start running, because right now...
Just losing half health, Brolin goes down, and they will take an AK into the next.
So that's nice. It actually means that Jimmy could facilitate that AWP over to Torji.
I'm not going to go that way. Okay, well, this could have been a better looking biotape.
They could have dropped the orb. Torgie could have given the youth a little bit of Jimmy.
Right now, Torgie is going to be glass cannon. So, very fragile.
I wonder if Saibu is going to play his favorite mini again. Hitting shots on the cross. Doesn't
even link to Porta Trigger on that first one. Trying to punish on the flashbang lineup.
Well they're gonna push this, they're just smoked off towards suicide.
The old variation of the boost, susceptible to flashbangs.
They're playing it actively.
They're going for a B-Pop right now, nobody home for Mouses.
They are playing a retake setup on this site, GD outside the doors.
This might cost them out the game.
Yeah, immediately the B-Doors focus on that.
He gets vision, does only get the one, speaks, poking his nose out of the window.
Fire's another lovely double!
Both Mezion and Rob's gone.
He wants to push, and you are...
Spinks is thriving!
It's just Zywoo to get past!
A clutch demanded of the wound!
There's no way Maus are letting this one slip.
Smoke the doors, you know he's window.
Hoping for an overextension, hoping for exertion to overplay.
But Zywoo's coming for you.
Here's him.
Sand's exchange, still hits the head, but an immediate trade.
Alright, well played there from Torgia, right pushing through the door.
The Sackier comes in, he knows he needs to activate, and they will grab that one.
that one. That's all down to Spinks. Start of a round from him.
We're playing retake. It felt like they would have lost the sight there, but being able to chip in from window,
not the fights that they were potentially expecting in terms of backside, that cloud over towards car.
It's both doors and window. A real nuisance and then the confidence there.
Incredible efficiency as well.
Tim feels, ooh, shots been hit on the cross there.
Jimmie's been brought down 8 HP, so we pivot it over, we'll smoke the mid-doors and
we get consecutive rounds now, Maus to break the finances on Vitality.
Clear game plan from Maus, exertion with these HGs just trying to soften them up on their progress.
And tonight, no real damage done.
So, default spread right now from Vitality, two tunnels.
One outside long and now two back cat can start
into the next stage of this. They've avoided early flank damage.
Trying to do this dry again. Just taking picks towards the Mythdoors.
Worried about Torji's watchful eye on the AWP, trying to cause a few issues.
He's starting over towards A with the AWP, over towards the Ram.
You see the extra U-Tilt to slow things down.
They know that this gap is being opened and they exchange.
So Torji back throwing that. He already thought that they were up,
but the signified Molly the way back tells you they're just getting the control now.
They're gambling for B again now.
Smokes it off, they'll have to play through this.
Already out!
And again, look at the radar, his teammate's already saving, Jimmy got tagged through the door, they did the beam out of the stack, and there was just no way to help. Right there is Mouse Gambit, but they've made the right read of the situation.
The support isn't available, there's no way to help that out of Torgy. He was cheating over towards Long expecting a late pop, but at that point, as soon as he goes down the round, it's done.
The round is done.
Feels like they are exploiting tendencies.
I mean, Torgie's reaction is the same.
We saw it on the scouts here, on the war...
Reaction to the flashes.
He just tucks back towards the long side
and tries to catch him on the cross,
but perfect pre-game from Flamesy.
A couple of late flashbangs and Vitality will seize another round.
This isn't the same as the head-to-head
as we saw between Maus and Vitality in the late stages of last year.
Back in November in Chengdu, both series got in three maps and train.
It was a key factor for them as well as VP once upon a time.
Oh, the plough love train.
This map pool change, obviously in the most one-sided best of three between these two in a while.
Everyone talks about this squad being oralist.
Well, they don't like the talent of work ethic or the consistency.
Playoffs every single time.
Oh, not again!
The sack! Jimmy brought down, just to get it pronounced.
He knows he hit it!
He's smiling, he knows Jimmy's once again, just walking.
And he's on his own on beat, this time they've gambled over towards A, four strong towards long.
This is just a partial behind the saves.
The desk talked about how...
There's bait here right now.
There's always a player that wants to be having fun, well he's definitely having fun, you three.
And that's when he plays his best, apparently.
I'll try to bait this into an exertion there with a jump spot, thinking they might thirst for that.
They just spam him away, they start to drop some of that block utility.
Going down the mid-doors now as they go to the motions of the default again.
Slow and steady wins the race for Vitality in this one.
Sub 60 seconds.
Jarring on short now from Maus.
They're gonna swing perhaps, torches up close.
He will have a lure, complains he's so ready for the clothesline, just a quick shot and
disadvantage for Maus to work with.
They've got bodies, they've got rifles.
They're in the right place.
A flashbang.
He's actually gonna eat it now and the blinds doesn't know how much his commitment.
Spinks, hang on, he's gonna be playing ahead.
Spinks, nice shot from Spinks.
Double smoke here, no smoke break available regardless.
I'm going back tunnels. What's Jimmy meant to do?
Yeah, I mean he's surrounded with 7 HP.
All that hard work from the AWP shot in the very first 10 seconds,
he's been knocked off behind the Apex as well.
They're having way too much fun, way too easy, and Jimmy falls as well.
Textbook counter strike, manipulating the defense.
Can't be fun to be playing up against this.
Epic smile on the face of Apex and he's yelling out, I don't know who he's saying.
They can't hear you.
or what he's saying to who.
In this environment, this is a panzing right now, it's only a three round gap,
but it's just how easy this is coming.
Now again, that was the partial around the save,
it's a full gun round to in four miles towards you, gets the AWP this time with the armor.
Rifles for the rest, the used kit yet to be invested upon.
Brolin has the opportunity to do so.
It's starting to feel tough to watch.
I'm not sure if he's gonna make it.
Well, so we hit them on the
tag on the cross again. He
made it three consecutive
rounds just starting your
rounds. That's the 10 HP.
Let's get naughty and here
up. Put the kids to bed.
Oh, yeah, I'm
He's hit him again! You won't crouch at your own peril!
He's hit by the HIT!
Oh, did he not fall off, you know?
Okay, well, there has been one drawn back.
Exertion has found Apex in the meantime.
I take it down towards low up.
Rollins had a real rough shake of the stick on the long side.
He was great on Nuke.
This is a real opportunity for Brawlap.
Anticipates that close flash, but they do it contact,
and Messi's gonna go down straight for Flames!
Instant!
Rops is going to be the solo lucky short side hoping that this utility draws their attention
and that he can work his way into a free frag in the side of the head.
He is so annoying.
The timings that Rops is catching, always behind them, you can never second guess one
of these positions and now, towards you it speaks, what do you got left to do but safe?
Just beautifully constructed.
You are setting Rops up to play his best counter strike.
We'll find the time.
Well, three consecutive rounds,
Zywoo's hit you on the cross.
Start using smokes, maybe.
But then you know what the problem becomes on this?
You're going to be late to B.
Right, you can wait.
You can throw a smoke.
You'd be late to B.
They get B spawns, they run in, you lose the sight.
This is the easiest thing that Apex has to call.
Oh, he's hitting tags every round,
and we're killing him on the cross.
Oh, beautiful.
Like the first 10 seconds of every round,
Zywoo's telling the boys one of them's low.
If not, we have a 5v4.
really does thwart your CT ambitions, doesn't it?
This is beautiful. Everyone wants to talk about how good Maazaar is as a team.
They just lack lifting those trophies. They play such good Counter Strike.
Well, look at what Vitality are doing to them right now.
Let's sit and enjoy this.
I've been here before. We lived through the Astralis here.
We're in Vitality's now, and it's a pleasure to watch.
The five best players in their roles.
All in one jersey.
Donk might want a word,
But that's fine. I think he won the trophies instead
Two saved guns and a couple of pistols
So we boosted not this time. All right, you get across without any damage. Good start get to play the game
Seeing the good finish
Such a luxury to be able to get mid round and round again without being
Naded down, fights in lower
AWP constantly breaking the smokes
You don't feel under any pressure at all if you're able to get this mid control pushback short
There's a smite HE from exertion
Well this heavy A starts
When did he saw the trajectory of that? So he knows they're re-smoked from the ramp side
What does that mean?
B's under fortified.
Is that the crump?
How are they going to walk in a mouse's trap?
Must hit this.
Torgy.
A golden opportunity.
Doesberhead, Apex.
Flainty not going to go through the incendiary, so they hold on to their advantage.
He's got just the two weapons.
And the pistols.
stores still going. I thought she's out of position.
Plenty's very, very low pressure applied.
Search is going to get some early answers off that flashback.
Now torsion feeling pressure on the mid split.
Jimmy's five seven is a good range for it.
This is where torsion needs to get himself more double kill.
How about three?
Mouses, Sniper does deliver.
Shots down the vitality mid split.
OK, that's the saved guns.
And that's a lot of impact there from torsion at a position
until it turned into an a fake.
First time out from Vitality, X starts to get on the mic.
Not a compromised position to be in as far as the funds, but...
Maybe some adjustments that he wants to call.
Some decent long spawns available for Vitality if they'd like to hit this one with pace.
It's been relatively tempered up until this point.
to be able to do that. He's
trying to set up the round and
thinks he's covered no way in
the world. And then Toshi cheats
over helps out Jimmy on being
the pistols with the help of the
round number two of this one. Apex has the AWP for the mid-doors pig. He fires off and they are
actually heading out long. Interesting, okay, this time to a pace. Have to conceive the space, Bron and Will.
As he turns into the B-Lug with the spawns in play,
and Apex can't give that AWP back to Zyward any moment, he's just currently watching his mid-push.
It's not going to get in the pit without the wall, but they're just going through the block
smoke.
Holding on to their nades, you've conceded long early now, now it's about conservation
of utility.
And how many threats start to appear across the map?
But right now you're not being probed over towards B, middle or short, so you're pretty
certain they're just barred down along with a minute ten left on the clock.
So unless you start baiting out this utility, you're going to need some type of a supreme
response. Here we go, Jaguar the guns all now in the pit. They could be a little bit
more active as that other block smoke will dawn.
Just under that minute mark and a flash swing from Brawland to ensure no one's ahead of
it. Second one where that came from, Apex however this time has slinked through. Brawland
seems ready to be alert. Lovely from Brawland! Double spray down! Bomb on the front, we
They know where it is, and they know where you are.
Still, Robson finds one back.
It's Jimmy onto the lurk on B.
These two have been known to win a round or two.
No smoke for the Cross.
It's the only one that's up right now.
It looks like they're just going to see it back and off.
20 seconds.
Fair play.
And it'll be Mous with a fourth.
Well done from Brolin.
Another moment where we mention his name.
I mean, the Crosshair was perfect just on that pixel
as they emerge.
And you can see how much he was worried about the smoke coming over, wanted to block that, makes a step, and they're still able to get both of them.
Apex waiting for the teammate for the double swing, but they end up lining up, still too easy for Brolin.
Gonna run out of money soon to Vitality. You need to start making good on a couple of these, because Mao's there putting up resistance.
Pignade on the Jimmy.
So two straight needs to be three.
The Krax and the Finances to really shot.
Six-six still available at the half.
Rob's deploys the large smoke.
We'll keep the two man B defense planted.
This one hell of an angle adopted exertion of footstool for this deeper line from Torgy.
I think he's seen enough of the flames anticipating the flashbang. Can still sweep back in.
Good info. B should be on high alert right now.
Jimmy with a full belt of nades, speaks with a bunch too, there's just not enough pressure in the early round.
Now's a well equipped to defend this.
Zywoo anticipates the walk up, nails the shot, no trade, denied by Flames, massive round.
He has doubled his kill total, just a bay blade spinning around on the way into B.
Slow tactical rounds and now even with the right approach holding on to that U-Tilt,
you see the flash break combo, exertion being part of that but not able to get anything
Done. So I'm with this one and that confirms B site is clear and at this point the fact he's hanging around and still
The team play on display the highest level of vitality seven of four
Final round of the half
Doesn't like they want to contest for short here
Two of them said of that Spinks eats the flash and oh flames. He's found the opening torch. He's gone
Apex caught walking out
Nice from Sphinx on the clawback.
Just ask you to get out. You know that the orb's dead to what's short?
It's gonna remove a lot of the threats that you could experience up there.
Just head over to what's this A site.
Call over the likes of Mezzy. Bring over Rob to finish together.
I don't mind the mid-to-b smoke, they're on the door, the doors flash down, they can
park behind that but all heavy through tunnels, the mouths are making a move too, they're
taking long control, they're giving up, it's all on the B defence yet again.
Yeah, this is the setup, though. This time Jimmy's got a bit of a better chance.
Spinks will be jump-spotting. I think he saw someone mid.
Oh no! He says that and he's late!
Jimmy's set up to succeed and he thrives with two!
Shut down! Upon arrival, it's a great name from Zywa.
He was running into the site now, looking for Spinks. Last seen site.
Dips into the door smoke.
Playing the numbers game.
Look at that bomb. 30 seconds. Just to their left right now. Zywa, we can re-smoke doors.
They've confirmed he's evacuated.
Three of them lying in wait on the other side of the wall.
And do they flash and go upon the plant sound?
The fake comes through, sews the nade thrown,
Flakes he's ready to swing,
Bromance there, born headshot!
Okay!
Maus, it fell helpless, it fell hopeless,
losing Ecos, but five is workable!
It was an air of excitement coming into this semi-final as to whether or not Maus could
Once again demonstrate that they can beat Vitality.
First map fell away from them convincing victory on Maus's territory.
This is where Vitality elected to take it.
A little bit of resilience on the tail end of the half.
Has got us thinking perhaps there's a conversation about Mirage.
We wanted to play against this team. We want to prove ourselves.
They had the situation, 7-5 second map, excellent against the wall, but we fought once again, boys, we've got to win it.
Yeah, I'm sure they had this kind of test feeling after, right?
Cyclo, coach of Maus trying to instigate belief.
Yeah, they stopped the rock.
Listen, I execute, this one's going to have pace, short and long smoke.
Try to admire the vision as you can see this just launching into it.
Quick reaction from Vitality though.
Yeah, they know what's up.
Who takes our first biff? On the rampside trying to break into the side. Nice shot man.
Quick legs!
Oh no!
Look at you miss it!
How does the round go from 5v5 to just Spinks getting plucked from the sky?
Ah well those words from Cycrow, that's all gonna just be talk without quick.
That one's fallen apart, 3 to 1 in the pistol department.
And they won in the first half, they lost to an eco.
Things gone from bad to worse now for Maus.
Holy!
Trying to save face, but losing theirs.
Let's watch this from this camp.
Oh, man, just a couple of swift shots.
Great adjustment from the Gandalf position.
Merzy clicking heads.
Everyone hitting hard right now
is always going to be an eco out from Maus.
He's talked about that kind of it's a coronation
for Vitality toppling spirit last year.
And then what happened after nobody could have predicted.
You take a look at teams who have won.
I am with a championship, and then what they go on to achieve.
The old vitality story, we're living in it, but 2024 Spirit 1,
then they went to grab that Shanghai Major,
dunk the monster on our screen, 2023 G2 won it, then they won Cologne.
22 Phase 1, then they grabbed Antwerp.
So in recent history, I mean, this event is a good omen.
The crucible of Krakow.
That's where legends are forged.
That's where Mounds would be farmed.
Spotless, two straight rounds, no casualties.
Can't go better than that for Vitality.
Just four rounds away from securing that grand final showing against Furia.
It certainly feels like it was a bit of a dangerous promise from Cycro.
I think anything to try and get the boys back in with the mentor.
trying to get the drive, but this has been a series to forget.
Building block of disbelief would be with the first gun.
It's the default spread, no Tzaiwu orb to maintain these sightlines.
Brollen continuing to play aggressively.
Hello, open kill provided by Brawland.
He's been making moves, he's still playing like the same player.
The rest of the ones missing at the moment.
Torch just had some moments, spinks too.
Do you mean with a clutch?
Not another from Brawland!
Just this one man army,
fighting his way tooth and nail into the A site.
This is a complete gamble from Vitality Park in the bus on A.
You just hope Maus play themselves at this point?
Yeah, well the mentor is cloudy.
There is the opportunity that they do overplay their hands.
And they play Counter-Strike with Dictate.
It has to be somebody on beat.
But they are walking right now into a rops.
The bomb.
It's gonna fall to the shoulders of rops
an opportunity to really break the hearts.
How's your clears, Jimmy?
How's your clear?
Angles good, only the one important find back.
Revenge provided by exertion.
It's mezzier range.
M4 vs AK, Brolin applying pressure from the short side.
Simon in the new box, that's a nice headshot into the pit player already.
Toshi's ears are rigged, Simon's found the short player.
He's outplayed before, I'm very eyes!
Oh no, mouse collapse!
Bask in the glory of excellence right now, because that is our stack from out of nowhere.
That is both your B defenders, Mezzi and Robbs, gambled over towards A.
You walk into the den, Brolin works so hard, the in-game leader gets you two kills.
It's your round to lose, and they're playing for the safe.
The stack couldn't go better.
The crowd jamming, Sandum home.
And Vitality, they just started packing Mouses' bags.
Unloseable rounds being lost.
Time and time again for Mouses, the 5 round gap.
This is an impossible mountain to climb at this point.
How many ridiculous rounds do you have to conceive before your spirits are broken?
I'd say that's probably about it.
It's not this air throughout and you can't write mouths out of these scenarios,
but just the way that they've been losing these rounds, the type of rounds, the opportunities they've had.
Vitality, everybody is firing right now.
The Apex Masterclass, the CT side of map number one.
So hasn't it stopped kicking?
Feels like a full team effort from Vitality.
Is that the golden hornet's I hear they don't get out of bed before Sunday
The game goes mild, unfortunately, but the Vantaldi's names are already in the history
books, it's about how good can it get.
Alright, Robbs, how do you handle this one?
Jumping out of the smoke into his jaws, not overextending himself, just times it to perfection.
They're falling apart at the same time, just spanked, hoping for one, and Robster does not go down!
You can't touch him!
Four rounds played, second half, three of them literally spotless.
Sure, one was the pistol, one was an eco, and now this is a partial, but that's where Malz found success on Nuke.
And just such an annoyance, Robson is going to give it to you for free, he's going to make you work for your money.
Confidence, it's going to be shattered, it's going to be over, Jimmy's making a play out long.
Yeah, he's giving it a go, a bit of pace. Bring the fight to flames as opposed to the other way around this time.
Give it a little space around now, they've conceded this fatality.
Oh, and this is audacious. Could be another one for Brolin.
In the opening department, never mind.
Robs quick to it.
Apex caught by the York, but he's actually just ready to fight.
He just wants to bit.
Where's the York?
Jesus, so much trouble, Flamesy.
Jiggle out, should be good for Torgy, doesn't quite hit it.
Getting weird for Maus.
Robs has locked the door behind him, there's no exit.
You have to fight forward.
Now a Blob smug lands in your face, an AWP shot hits the Kevlar in Torgy.
And the bodies are gonna keep dropping.
There's nothing for you here.
Only misery in the semi-final for Maus.
Vitality, their nemesis returns.
It's a new year, but they could very well
say this one feels just like 2025.
Well, that was tactical time now.
That was their last full-buy.
Compromise, not to buy the state of Maus in this one, I think the fact they had to make
that lower bracket run after Aurora tossed them down there in a 2-0 fashion, battling
through FaZe, making light work of them, overtime affair against the Falcons.
Was that a galvanizing win?
Well, it turns out no.
O2 not ready for the stage games against Maus, but vitality.
Illegal error.
O2 well.
A 2-9 losing record for Maus, about to become double digits in that department.
Straight out the guards.
Oh, there's a net!
We're double leading Suicide!
The CT side charging and bringing the fight.
Solo push long doors.
This is when you really have a team completely surrounded, completely outgunned.
Flames' aggression's not going to be working for him.
I give him a gap, Zahar would try to plug it.
Yeah, he's going to be there just a little too late.
I thought he was like...
But he was a dead man.
You going to push?
You going to push into Zahar?
Yes, you will. Doesn't pull the trigger.
They brave the flame and have got themselves an advantage of some sort.
There's something else to worry about.
There's always somebody along.
Now Apex over the works card.
Gives us a position with the spam.
You've got this lurker, Spinks, but you've got to do something just sitting outside of
the tunnels.
He has a non-issue in the round right now, but he could be the solution.
She had them something on this tee side.
It is a five round run.
Will it be six to close?
The dominant half of Kamishtrad, this is Bing.
Twenty seconds.
What's it gonna be, Mouse?
Gotta get across.
Bomb on the back of Brawland.
Smoke indicates the finish, and only Apex here.
The incendiary will make life!
We've got another one!
Oh my god, he's got another one!
I can't anymore!
Okay, core off.
Spiggs may have very well just saved them from losing to time.
Bomb can be planted, and it should be enough.
I want to give this one a look.
You know that Mouse are ropey.
Are you gonna play for the game?
Well, Romp's backing off towards T spawn.
I think that tells you how this one goes down.
If Spinks doesn't kill Apex, it could have been the most unbelievable finish to a semi-final.
That's going to add insult to injury if they had lost in that fashion.
It's the 2v4 with two incendiaries.
Spinks saves them and we will see Maus not go down without a round in this second half.
That fine line in that one and the clock really tick away before they made the final play.
And Flames is getting a slap on the wrist for that one or is that the kind of energy
they're bringing?
That's the energy they're bringing.
There's a lot of deletion at the moment.
Players are just going for fights.
Everything's working.
By talent, they're in the flow state.
Everybody in the team is hitting the shots.
They need to.
They're playing good counter-strike.
And this looked insane.
They're charging up mid with an A's into suicide.
There's three of them there.
That could have connected.
That could have been it.
There was multiple moments in this round where utility could have been the undoing.
Spinks, he lost in time, he had it in his hand.
And the look paid off.
Feel uncomfortable, they're not worried at all and this time they're going to bring
aggression.
AWP starting Sean for the lower tunnels fight.
Trundling down mid three and he's breaking straight for him to be.
They're going fast.
Yep.
Pace the remedy here to Maus's woes.
Just rocks.
Head in the curve.
There is just one man on this bomb site.
What can he possibly do?
Flames the Chicks in through the CT smoke, already two bodies gone.
They can't find Robs, they can't find him through the smoke, he gets them done!
That's the end for Miles!
Wave goodbye to your dreams of seeing Championship Sunday!
Miles at every event, the eternal bridesmares in playoff purgatory.
This is their hell, Vitality are their nightmare.
But these are the defending champs and they are back to defend their crown.
Furia await tomorrow. We will see them at Lockhorns back in Chengdu.
Furia got the better of them and I'm sure Vitality would like some revenge, but today it was a masterclass, a clinic.
We are living in Vitality's era and they are starting 2026 to continue the count of trophies.
the inescapable vitality everywhere mouse turn every team talk every new
approach everything you try you can't get past them
ask the question one does the resent turn into contempt well right now
another hard loss and one of the hardest in a recent memory you are
absolutely destroyed on stage by Tauly playing their A game. Everybody delivering. This is the
unit that we remember. This is the unit that had back-to-back natures. We've got 13 rounds in
two maps of Counter-Strike. It's just simply not enough. Flamesley standing by on that stage.
people here from the big top. Cheers Alex, I'm here with Flamesee. It's the new year,
same old vitality, that was beautiful to watch.
Yeah, well we had a good preparation coming into this game and we were very confident
and I think it's always good that we always start slow, the years, that's unfortunate,
but coming to Cracow with such a big tournament and doing our getting finals is really important
for us and we obviously want to show it against Fourier tomorrow at the same level.
I think the game was pretty smooth today on all the ends and it was pretty good match on our side.
Before we talk about yourself, we look at this trophy, you won that a year ago, you won it
in the last home of this tournament. That really kicked off this amazing 12 months for you.
Did you feel at that moment it all clicked into place a year ago?
Well, yeah, kind of. We knew we had a great team and since the beginning of the last year we knew
that something is going to be good with this team as long as we can show the same performance
on the official games and when we lifted that trophy it was it was amazing obviously in Katowice
but we we knew this is the start of something great we didn't know how great it can it can go
but it was uh we obviously knew it's going to be an insane run and talking about yourself you
have been hot i mean flamesy hot sounds cliche to say but you have had a smile on your face the
counter strike you're playing we just saw it there you're taking everything you're enjoying it yeah
We always want to have fun, it's an amazing crowd, it's a big event and we want to enjoy it.
We don't want to be stressed because it's a big official match and everything.
Thank you for all the crowd for cheering because it was amazing.
Well, thank you very much. Everyone loves you here. Tomorrow is going to be amazing.
Before you go, let's get you to write your name into history on that camera, just there.
Flames the Vitality in a grand final for that trophy tomorrow.
nightmare truly back to plague mouse on stage and it didn't even look like
Vitality had to break a sweat the opportunity tomorrow to become the
first back-to-back champion since Fnatic all the way back in 2016 and they
have put forward a very compelling case here tonight. Would you have Apex joining us
up on the desk? First of all congratulations that looks incredibly easy. Did it feel easy?
Yeah, I mean, what's up, obviously, as you're at the end of this, you know, that we won
two free-full Ecos, that's tough, that's tough to lose those three free-cos, two on
you, can one on the second round, so you break them straight away and yeah, it's, I don't
know, it was, we watched them yesterday, play yesterday against G2 and I felt they didn't
play good, I felt G2 fucked up a lot and so we were pretty confident today.
It was pretty much the same as last year. You played them a lot last year and do you think this is is this gonna be like the same
Was there anything different on the mouse side?
Well, did it feel like it was just that old humor was it even in a bit worse iteration now? I think for them first of all
It's not easy because I'm pretty sure they do. I mean they wanted to make changes impact wanted to live
We all heard the streamers and I'm pretty sure others as well
But the problem is it didn't happen so they had to go back together and work and it's actually a really bad situation
I've lived myself in the past, and I'm sure you did too as well, so it's never easy and yeah, they did still do the semi-final
but it's not enough to play a team like us and I think that's
I mean they've been decent or just do, at least even they want to etc.
But when I watched the game on the T side, I saw a lot of vitality
so
who are I mean we are the best team on that map without doubt and
Yeah, they were playing a lot like us
So I mean I was like ready to pick it because he felt like yeah being against myself is uh, okay
That was only the word imitation is the best form of flattery. We see
The you know tradition continue really when it comes to this matchup in your opinion. What is it that makes it so
One sided right like is it just that their style
Doesn't make you guys uncomfortable at all
Is it maybe at this point just the history and that psychologically you just have such a massive edge over them
I think the psychology we end up for sure now. I mean, it's a tend to force with both lineups
I think it got over that even though they won't we really wanted to get that revenge from column because last time
they did this in the big tournament and
That's pissed a piece of off so it was really important for us to get a revenge
But I think yeah, we're comfortable. We prepare a game well against them overall
Of course, we have better videos and the haps and because if our indigo shine against them
It's tough as we did today.
What is your goal this year?
You know, you had a massive year.
I have a picture of you in my bedroom.
That's absolutely a bit more individual.
But as a team, you had a massive year last year.
What keeps you happy?
You are the person that knows the most.
here it's never easy to replicate what you did in such a crazy year but we
repeat it we feel lucky to have this team all together we feel lucky to have
this crazy lineup that works well together and we want to get the most
of it that's it we're working hard I mean you can see that yeah when your team
plays really well on one year it's been since Astralis I don't think a team
replicated another good year maybe not the same year but that is a good year and
And that's our big motivation as well to be able to keep poking hard because we feel lucky
We feel fucking lucky to have each other and yeah
I'm lucky to have this guy under vitality belts and yeah everything with that is really important
So yeah, let's get a certain major in the rule like like like the old Astralis
And why not a second one because I'm because if we win tomorrow
It's it's we are the door is open for us to win the concern
And that's one of our main goal as well to be the only team such organization to win twice goes from to concern
Yeah, we're gonna say it's like a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to have a team like this
But a lot of players don't even get that opportunity
And they're playing career as well
Tomorrow, I've got to ask versus Feria, best of five again, we swear to go down in Chang'e
Reconnection, guys
Yeah, what's happening with the maps? Tell us, are we gonna see Vitality's new Anubis?
Are we gonna see more Anubis?
I mean, we played Anubis already twice in this year
Yeah, but the new Anubis
I had a new Anubis and I commented that there are two new holes.
It might be a big change, right?
Yeah, I mean it's a bit of a change but not too much in my opinion.
But yeah, maybe an ancient Anubis, we've been practicing more maps now.
So we're ready to do that and I don't know what's going to happen.
I think they have a really good map pool as well.
We have a pretty decent map pool.
That was one of the most important things for me arriving in Krakow is having that nuclear ready
ready because we could see that it was it was our worst map so far right now on
our map pool so getting ready we did pretty well today I mean even though we
won two equals once again in that happens but yeah I think that overall
it's gonna be a good game and maybe yeah we'll see some anubis maybe we'll see
some ancients who knows. That's the 7th map we've been talking about, it might come to appreciate it.
He's been feeding me this. Apex thank you so much for joining us I'll just give you
an opportunity to say anything to fans cheering on in the arena and at home as well.
Well, as usual, thank you for all the French that are in the arena, and the French class as well.
It's lovely to have the French more and more, thanks to Vitality as well.
I mean, the viewers have increased so much since we did this crazy year, so I'm really happy to have that many followers.
Thanks to also the nationalities, of course, the supporters and the big fan of Vitality.
And of course, like family, girlfriend, thanks for being with me, because it's not an easy job to be a captain of the best thing in the world,
world but it's not easy to be a bigger friend as well. Don't forget your dogs.
What? Don't forget your dogs. Ah, the dogs but they don't listen to me right now.
Thank you so much Apex, congratulations. Thoroughly looking forward to seeing Vitality
grace the stage in that best of five grand final tomorrow but without further ado,
it's time to check it with our DHL MVP. It will be the DHL MVP you decide. You can participate in
the DHL MVP vote as it happens. Make sure to be tuned into the Twitch stream and be ready to have your say.
Now probably not too many spoilers here, but I imagine it's going to be mostly if not all
Vitality players to be selecting from in your DHL MVP put in board an incredibly compelling
case to pre your ex-teammate and author, Salute.
against once again, showing that he's probably the best player in the world and once again he's
just joining it again and again and again and if he wouldn't be here that would be like the biggest
survivor so Sai Wu is obviously getting my role. And he was feeling it today as well, he was in
the zone, it's unfortunate for Maus but very exciting for us to watch. Rops as well man, it's
just the way this guy is able to find the impact, how he's always at the right place at the right
time, feels like he never gets out position, never gets out maneuvered, always gives himself
a chance and had another great series here in the semi-final.
I do want to ask JL not to bring back those bad memories of facing Vitality once more
and often losing, who was the most annoying player when you went head to head with Vitality
to be facing the server?
Robbs.
Yeah.
100% Robbs.
He was always there when the team needed to be, he's always going to work out on the
the worst timing that's available for your team because you're a core of guards, so I'll pick Robbs.
Apex as your third and final candidate for that DHL MVP vote. Love getting Apex up here to give us a few words.
It was very honest, isn't it? Literally came up and said, easy game. I was like, yeah, it looked like that.
About other teams as well, you know, seeing like Maus might be shaky because they were looking to make changes,
they didn't transpire, we sort of hinted at that previously as well, but man, I just don't know, you just feel so bad for Maus.
This just is more of the same in this year, they just turn into falcons against any other team.
They start losing 5v2s, they start losing anti-ecoes, they don't look like they're old selves,
and it's just the psychological side of the matchup that really affects them when it comes to playing Vitality.
It's just the fashion that Baos loses, I think that's more like losing ecoes, losing so many advantage situations.
It would have been a different story, but Talib would just like outplay them time and time again,
but it also just seems like a combination of Maus throwing away so many situations that they could convert on that it just
Make it so difficult for themselves. One thing is in-game, but it's also on the mental side, and it's just hard to to get out of that bubble
Yeah, hot break once again and shoes full Maus, hair and crackles. So let's get a few closing thoughts cut at the end of the screen
We've got Cyclone here with me after Maus's exit from the tournament
not had the didn't have the cards to beat the Vitality today so what did it come
down to in this one? They're really good and to be honest if if you have such a
best start as we did on the first map we throw away two almost full anti-ecos and
make it free on Dust2, the 5-1-3 when we get to interest in short and they're
good at squeezing every round and we cannot allow ourselves to beat this
lobby we know if the details are this bad or if individually we're not on point
and they're going to beat us and today it was those rounds but also we just didn't come
alive with enough players today.
Of course a lot of people will think back to 2025 and think is this going to keep happening
right so what's your perspective on this the fact that of course you don't want to get
off to a bad start like this you know that you can beat them even on the biggest of stages
so how do you move forward now knowing that it's all going to have to be different in
2026.
Yeah, we still need to take the right takeaways if it's tactically if it's mentally we need to be honest with each other with
Where we have and keep progressing
I think if it didn't come down to those those things today could have been a closer game
But but we also need to show up. We need to individually be there if we want to be discussed
We'll continue to look for the rivalry of course also in this year. Thank you very much
Professor Sikron is always for giving us that insight during what is just a tough period for miles right now jail
What are your takeaways coming off of that match where clearly Vitality had the upper hand every step of the way and mouse
Just one able to catch him. I will start for mouse because against any other team
I was looks like a very good team very polished very structured plays good CT and T size
But I guess without doing like a team that don't even deserve to play against him
And that makes me sad because they really have much more to show
But it just vitality being so good and so far in mouse's head that they just cannot show the game that they're capable of
will be competing against spirit
in that third fourth place
tomorrow, but also as we were
talking about best of five for
that grand final between vitality
and for I do want to touch upon the
ESL grounds lamb as Apex mentioned
that that is on the horizons for them
because they obviously have two of
those notches already on their belt.
They do need a championship level event,
so getting one here would be an
incredible step forward for them.
And also what would that mean for
I don't know if there's any Porsches left for him to buy, maybe he would have to move
up a brand boat into the Lambos or the Ferraris, I don't know, but yeah, that would just be
crazy.
And he speaks of Robs as a player and his accomplishments, that he's been a part of
so many great rosters and an influential and impactful part of that.
I wouldn't forget about Fiora in the Grand Slam Conversation though, if they are able
to win tomorrow they equal Vitality with two and they get that one championship event that
you need to have in order to complete the Grand Slam and last two times these
teams played. Fury was on top both times. I really think that we're lucky to just
have this situation because the two best teams in this tournament by far has been
Fury and Matali. So it's rightfully so that we have both of these teams in the
Grand Final and it sets it up for an exciting day tomorrow and it sets it up
for a match with an outline and that's that's what it's all about in the end, right?
So much excitement set to go down tomorrow gentlemen thank you so much
for joining me up here on the desk for what was an epic semifinal Saturday. We'll
see you tomorrow for that third fourth place decider. And of course, that coveted best of five grand final to crown the champion here at the Intel Extreme Masters Crack-O of 2026.
Try to chase down magics, but now the rotates arrive and so quickly this site feels snagged.
It's the student and the master side by side trying to claw this back and that Minstern
Shiro does it cost you daily fooling a Mollonoi side by side for the 25 that gets fooled on his feet, that gets him pumped up.
He's in the site, now getting pinched, not easy for Mollonoi, high press, high pressure and he's not going anywhere.
Oh man, Mollonoi!
I want to put an AK into the hands of SaiWu.
To S-
Oh!
Powerful!
He is inevitable!
She's going to go for a fake and hope for an over extension of the double-slaying.
Oh!
And the double-spray!
Flamesy's found an answer!
It's Flamesy's chance for an impact and he just got-
Oh!
Deliver!
Flamesy!
He never wants to listen, okay?
I know what they're doing.
We need to push out that.
We need to push something.
We need to push lobby, okay?
Oh no, Torchy nearly got completely caught, still gives up some space, opens up the conversation
a little brawland.
A couple of passes, would have been fine, would have been fine, D-side eco round wins for
Vitality, they can't keep coming this easy.
Where Torchy needs to get himself more, double kill, low bar three, mouse is sniped, does
deliver, shuts down the Vitality mid-split.
They can't find ropes! They can't find him! Through the smoke he gets the gun!
Arigato! Hello!
And it's Mike Bimenic reporting live here from IntelliStream Masters.
It is absolutely crazy lightning everywhere. Oh my goodness
The Intel Extreme Masters Crack-Op 2026 brought to you by ESL partnership with
Intel
Acer Predator
DHL
Zowler
and City of Fragile.
and Ace is the champion of the entire Screambanger.
Your final.
Stern still on fire.
Don't you see he is going to take the spike though.
Three seconds left.
Five, two, round time.
He's going to start it.
Go for it, C.
And this is a massive move this is.
But he's got content.
We're just a nexus kill.
He's got a shot down.
She is in the enemy.
And it's all done.
I'm trolling quick.
Unbelievable move.
With a 4-0 victory over Clash's
And they did it again!
If I were a player, it's gonna be
Give it up for your intel, Extreme Masters World Champion!
You