Champions Again! Vitality Takes the Trophy at BLAST Open Lisbon 2025

<h2>Despite the fight, MOUZ lost the final map.</h2><p>First, let’s take a look at the semifinal matches and the opponents the teams had to overcome to reach the grand final:</p><p>The first semifinal was between MOUZ and the Turkish squad Eternal Fire, where MOUZ were considered the clear favorites, especially given&nbsp;<a href="/en/players/torzsi" target="_self">torzsi</a>’s recent rise in form. Even though an unexpected&nbsp;<a href="/en/blog/unexpected-roster-change-in-mouz" target="_self">roster change in MOUZ</a>&nbsp;occurred, they continued to show solid results, and the team’s "newcomer,"&nbsp;<a href="/en/players/spinx" target="_self">spinx</a>, brought creativity to their gameplay. The match was settled in just two maps, with MOUZ winning 13-11 and 13-10.</p><p>The second semifinal featured one of the most highly anticipated matches of the tournament: Spirit vs. Vitality. This match was worthy of being the grand final, but unfortunately, one of the teams had to bow out just before reaching it. The battle was intense, but considering Vitality’s ongoing winning streak, it seemed the "Dragons" had little chance. Despite the efforts of young talents&nbsp;<a href="/en/players/donk" target="_self">donk</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="/en/players/sh1ro" target="_self">sh1ro</a>, whose&nbsp;<a href="/en/crosshairs" target="_self">CS2 crosshairs</a>&nbsp;are hugely popular among fans, Spirit fell just short on the third&nbsp;<a href="/en/wiki/overview-map-mirage" target="_self">map Mirage</a>, which happens to be one of Vitality’s strongest.</p><h4>And now for the main event – The Grand Final!</h4><p>MOUZ and Vitality faced each other for the third time in 2025, but in their two previous encounters, MOUZ couldn’t take a single map off their opponents. However, everything changed in this final… The match went the full five maps and&nbsp;<a href="/en/wiki/overview-map-train" target="_self">map Train</a>&nbsp;serving as the decider.</p><p><a href="/en/blog/train-replace-vertigo-austin-major" target="_self">Train added to the map pool</a>&nbsp;for official matches was only recently, meaning both teams faced each other under almost equal conditions. But, just like in many previous matches, Mathieu "<a href="/en/players/zywoo" target="_self">ZywOo</a>," alongside&nbsp;<a href="/en/players/ropz" target="_self">ropz</a>, who had recently joined the squad from FaZe Clan, made the difference. They put in every effort to secure Vitality’s third trophy of the year. Special recognition goes to&nbsp;<a href="/en/players/apex" target="_self">apEX</a>&nbsp;for his captaincy and emotional leadership, which have been crucial in helping the team navigate tough situations throughout the tournament.</p>

BLAST Open Lisbon 2025 Quarter-Final Results

<h2>Despite the high level of the teams, the matches were not particularly thrilling.</h2><p>In the first quarter-final, MOUZ faced G2. It seemed that both teams had warmed up in the previous stage, and we were set for a battle between worthy opponents. However, in reality,&nbsp;<a href="/en/players/monesy" target="_self"><a href="/en/players/monesy" target="_self">m0NESY</a></a>&nbsp;and his team were unable to withstand MOUZ, where&nbsp;<a href="/en/players/xertion" target="_self"><a href="/en/players/xertion" target="_self">xertioN</a></a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="/en/players/torzsi" target="_self"><a href="/en/players/torzsi" target="_self">torzsi</a></a>&nbsp;continued to deliver incredible performances and statistics from game to game. The match ended with a 2-0 victory for MOUZ, who advanced to the semi-finals, where they will face Eternal Fire. Does such an early tournament exit for G2 mean that, after&nbsp;<a href="/en/players/niko" target="_self"><a href="/en/players/niko" target="_self">NiKo’s</a></a>&nbsp;departure and&nbsp;<a href="/en/players/heavygod" target="_self"><a href="/en/players/heavygod" target="_self">HeavyGod’s</a></a>&nbsp;arrival, the team still needs time to build synergy? Or is it time for more roster changes?</p><p>The second quarter-final match featured Spirit vs. NaVi. Even though&nbsp;<a href="/en/players/donk" target="_self"><a href="/en/players/donk" target="_self">donk</a></a>&nbsp;and his team were the clear favorites, fans expected a fierce and emotional battle, but things didn’t quite go that way…</p><p>On the first&nbsp;<a href="/en/wiki/overview-map-dust2" target="_self"><a href="/en/wiki/overview-map-dust2" target="_self">map Dust2</a></a>, the "Dragons" barely noticed any resistance and closed the map with a 13-7 score, sending their opponents to their pick — &nbsp;<a href="/en/wiki/overview-map-anubis" target="_self"><a href="/en/wiki/overview-map-anubis" target="_self">map Anubis</a></a>. But disappointment awaited the "Born to Win" there as well. Playing on the stronger T-side, they managed to secure only four rounds and ultimately couldn't withstand Spirit’s relentless offense. As a result, Spirit took the series 2-0 and will now face Vitality in the semi-finals. The last time these teams met, in the&nbsp;<a href="/en/blog/vitality-with-ropz-have-become-the-champions-of-iem-katowice-2025" target="_self"><a href="/en/blog/vitality-with-ropz-have-become-the-champions-of-iem-katowice-2025" target="_self">IEM Katowice 2025 Grand Final</a></a>, the "Bees" gave their opponents no chance.</p><p>Will&nbsp;<a href="/en/players/apex" target="_self"><a href="/en/players/apex" target="_self">apEX</a></a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="/en/players/zywoo" target="_self"><a href="/en/players/zywoo" target="_self">ZywOo</a></a>&nbsp;prove their dominance again? We’ll find out on the next match day.</p><h4>But what about NaVi?</h4><p>The team had been delivering excellent results last year and didn’t make any roster changes in the last transfer window. Was this the right decision? Will things return to normal, or should we expect replacements? Who should be benched, and who should be signed? These are the burning questions for CS2 fans and the club itself. Perhaps they should turn their attention to young Maksim Lukin, as&nbsp;<a href="/en/players/kyousuke" target="_self"><a href="/en/players/kyousuke" target="_self">kyousuke CFG</a></a>&nbsp;is in high demand among players of all levels.</p><h4>And what about G2?</h4><p>Maybe it’s time for&nbsp;<a href="/en/players/hunter" target="_self">huNter-</a>&nbsp;to leave as well? His recent performances have been underwhelming, possibly affected by the departure of his cousin. If that’s the case, G2 should start searching for a replacement for his position, or they risk losing their spot among the top teams in the world.</p>

All Playoff Participants of BLAST Open Lisbon 2025

<h2>Can Vitality Win Their Third Consecutive Tournament?</h2><p>The last teams to exit the group stage were Virtus.pro and The MongolZ, who lost to Spirit and G2 with a score of 0-2, respectively.</p><p>As a result of the group stage, the following quarterfinal matchups were formed:</p><p>Spirit vs. Natus Vincere – Two renowned teams will clash in a match that deserves to be at least a semifinal. However, even if they win this match, the next challenge awaits – Vitality, led by&nbsp;<a href="/en/players/zywoo" target="_self">ZywOo</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="/en/players/apex" target="_self">apEX</a>. If Spirit make it to the semifinals, will&nbsp;<a href="/en/players/donk" target="_self">donk</a>&nbsp;be able to help his team overcome Vitality, who are currently in peak form and giving no chances to their opponents?</p><p>MOUZ vs. G2 – Both teams are worthy of a semifinal spot, where the Turkish squad Eternal Fire is already waiting. Can&nbsp;<a href="/en/players/monesy" target="_self">m0NESY</a>&nbsp;once again carry his team, or will&nbsp;<a href="/en/players/torzsi" target="_self">torzsi</a>&nbsp;stop the star-studded roster and fight on?</p><p>The first playoff match kicks off on March 28, 2025, at 18:30 Moscow time between MOUZ and G2.</p>

Results of the Penultimate Game Day at BLAST Open Lisbon 2025

<h2>Out of the four matches played on this game day, only one went to three maps.</h2><p>The first showdown was between Falcons and Virtus.pro. The match lasted nearly five hours, with all three maps played, and two of them went to overtime.</p><p>The first&nbsp;<a href="/en/wiki/overview-map-mirage" target="_self">map Mirage</a>, picked by Falcons, ended in their favor with a 13-11 score.</p><p>On the second&nbsp;<a href="/en/wiki/overview-map-ancient" target="_self">map Ancient</a>, picked by VP, they made a comeback from 3-9 to force overtime and secured their pick with a 16-19 victory.</p><p>The third and decisive&nbsp;<a href="/en/wiki/overview-map-inferno" target="_self">map Inferno</a>, mirrored the previous one, as the teams couldn’t determine a winner in 24 rounds. It was only in the third overtime series that Virtus.pro emerged victorious. Despite the efforts of Abdullah "<a href="/en/players/degster" target="_self">degster</a>", VP advanced, thanks largely to individual highlights from&nbsp;<a href="/en/players/fl4mus" target="_self">FL4MUS</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="/en/players/fl1t" target="_self">FL1T</a>, whose&nbsp;<a href="/en/crosshairs" target="_self">CS2 crosshairs</a>&nbsp;are popular among their fans.</p><p>The second match of the day featured FaZe vs. Spirit, which was expected to be intense. However, the world's No.1 team dominated, closing the series 2-0, with&nbsp;<a href="/en/players/zont1x" target="_self">zont1x</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="/en/players/sh1ro" target="_self">sh1ro</a>&nbsp;leaving no chance for their opponents.</p><p>The third match between Liquid and The MongolZ was as quick as the previous one. The Mongolian squad secured their spot in the Group B lower bracket final in just two maps.</p><p>In the final match of the day, M80 faced G2. Despite G2 being the clear favorites,&nbsp;<a href="/en/players/slaxz-" target="_self">slaxz-</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="/en/players/s1n" target="_self">s1n</a>&nbsp;managed to challenge them.</p><p>On Ancient, M80’s pick, the game was competitive, but G2 took control early and didn’t allow their opponents to win their map.</p><p>On Inferno, the fight was much closer, and until the last moments, it was uncertain if G2 would close the series 2-0. Ultimately, the final score was 13-11, and G2 moved on to the lower bracket final of Group B, where they will face The MongolZ for a spot in the tournament quarterfinals.</p>

Match of the Day at BLAST Open Lisbon 2025 - FaZe Clan vs Spirit

<h2>The last time FaZe defeated Spirit was exactly a year ago in the quarterfinals of PGL CS2 Major Copenhagen 2024.</h2><p>At the moment, FaZe have been showing inconsistent performances, and it seems that the team led by Leonid "<a href="/en/players/chopper" target="_self">chopper</a>" looks much stronger. However, even they are not playing perfectly.</p><p>The rosters from last year differ by only one player: in FaZe, instead of&nbsp;<a href="/en/players/ropz" target="_self">ropz</a>, who is currently playing for Vitality, the well-known American player&nbsp;<a href="/en/players/elige" target="_self">EliGE</a>&nbsp;has taken his place.</p><h4>How did these teams perform in their previous matches in the tournament?</h4><p>The first match of the tournament featured Spirit against the Mongolian team The Huns, who, despite the efforts of the young player Yesuntumur "<a href="/en/players/nin9" target="_self">nin9</a>" Gantulga, could not withstand the world's top-ranked team. Young talents&nbsp;<a href="/en/players/donk" target="_self">donk</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="/en/players/magixx" target="_self">magixx</a>, with their personal&nbsp;<a href="/en/configs" target="_self">CS2 CFG</a>&nbsp;that are popular among CS2 fans, were in excellent form and left no chance for their opponents.</p><p>However, in their second game of the tournament against MOUZ, just like in their previous encounter against this team, Spirit failed to secure a victory and lost 1-2 in the series.</p><p>As for FaZe Clan, they lost their first match against the revamped Virtus.pro roster 1-2 but later secured a 2-0 victory over Astralis, who have been displaying very inconsistent performances this year.</p><p>Can&nbsp;<a href="/en/players/karrigan" target="_self">karrigan</a>&nbsp;and his team claim victory today and prove their strength once again?</p>

New French Team Mercenaires

<h2>The main highlight of the newly formed Mercenaires is NBK-, a legendary player who had been a free agent since October 2024.</h2><p>The roster consists of experienced players who have competed for multiple teams. Let’s take a closer look at their lineup:</p><ol><li>Nathan "<a href="/en/players/nbk" target="_self">NBK-</a>" Schmitt – A renowned French player, whose settings and&nbsp;<a href="/en/crosshairs" target="_self">cs2 crosshair</a>&nbsp;are still widely used. He has previously played for Envy, G2, Vitality, and other top-tier teams.</li><li>Paul "<a href="/en/players/perx" target="_self">PerX</a>" von Erdmannsdorff – A young German talent, and perhaps the least known player on the roster, but no less skilled.</li><li>Kévin "<a href="/en/players/misutaaa" target="_self">misutaaa</a>" Rabier – A former member of Vitality, Into The Breach, and 9INE, with plenty of experience at the highest level.</li><li>Thomas "<a href="/en/players/djoko" target="_self">Djoko</a>" Pavoni – Played for 3DMAX for a long time but, after spending just a month on the bench, switched teams to join the new project.</li><li>Aurélien "<a href="/en/players/afro" target="_self">afro</a>" Drapier – Previously played for Fnatic, but after a dip in performance, he was benched and later moved to Personal Grata, where he didn't play a single match.</li></ol><p>The Mercenaires’ next matches will be during the PGL Astana 2025 qualifiers.</p>

Vitality - ESL Pro League Season 21 Champions

<h2>Vitality secured a dominant victory over MOUZ in the grand final, showing no signs of struggle.</h2><p>After an unexpected semifinal, where MOUZ defeated Spirit despite the impressive performance of&nbsp;<a href="/en/players/donk" target="_self">donk</a>, many wondered if&nbsp;<a href="/en/players/apex" target="_self">apEX</a>&nbsp;and his squad would be able to handle such a strong opponent.</p><p>Vitality, on the other hand, had to fight hard in their semifinal match against The MongolZ, a team that always comes close but falls just short in major tournaments.</p><p>However, the grand final turned out to be completely one-sided. Out of the possible five maps, only three were played, with MOUZ failing to win more than nine rounds on any map.</p><p>The series began on the legendary&nbsp;<a href="/en/wiki/overview-map-dust2" target="_self">map Dust2</a>, historically a strong pick for both teams. However, Vitality proved their superiority, taking the map 13-9.</p><p>Next was&nbsp;<a href="/en/wiki/overview-map-nuke" target="_self">Nuke</a>, the map choice of MOUZ, but they completely collapsed, managing to win only four rounds.</p><p>The third and final map,&nbsp;<a href="/en/wiki/overview-map-inferno" target="_self">Inferno</a>, saw MOUZ struggling once again, as they managed to win only five rounds before Vitality closed out the series.</p><p>The MVP of the tournament was awarded to Mathieu "<a href="/en/players/zywoo" target="_self">ZywOo</a>" Herbaut from Vitality.</p>

All 8 Teams Advancing to the ESL Pro League Season 21 Playoffs Revealed

<h2>After an intense battle in Stage 2, the 8 teams have secured their spots in the quarterfinals and will now fight for the grand prize.</h2><p>The second stage of the tournament lasted five days, and on the final day, six teams competed, with three of them securing their places in the playoffs. Here's a breakdown of each match:</p><h4>Liquid vs. 3DMAX</h4><p>The match was played across three maps, with each team claiming a map from their opponent. However, on the final&nbsp;<a href="/en/wiki/overview-map-anubis" target="_self">map Anubis</a>, the French squad, despite efforts from Pierre "<a href="/en/players/ex3rcice" target="_self">Ex3rcice</a>" Boulanger and Filip "<a href="/en/players/graviti" target="_self">Graviti</a>" Brankovic, couldn't stand up to their opponents and lost 4-13.</p><h4>Falcons vs. Eternal Fire</h4><p>This match, like the previous one, went to three maps. Each team took a map of their own, and the deciding&nbsp;<a href="/en/wiki/overview-map-dust2" target="_self">map Dust2</a>, which was closely contested by both teams, but Eternal Fire emerged as the victors.</p><h4>G2 vs. GamerLegion</h4><p>G2 needed only two maps to send their opponents packing. Much of this success can be attributed to Ilya "<a href="/en/players/monesy" target="_self">m0NESY</a>" Osipov, who put up a remarkable 48-25 performance across two maps, with a rating of 1.61.</p><h4>Quarterfinal Matchups</h4><p>The playoff bracket looks as follows:</p><ul><li>Vitality vs. Liquid</li><li>NaVi vs. The MongolZ</li><li>MOUZ vs. G2</li><li>Eternal Fire vs. Spirit</li></ul><p>The winners of the first two matchups will face off in the first semifinal, while the winners of the third and fourth matchups will meet in the second semifinal, battling for a spot in the grand final, which will be played in a BO5 format.</p>

Results After Two Days of Stage 2 – ESL Pro League Season 21

<h2>Vitality and Spirit dominated the stage, winning all their matches and advancing to the playoffs with a 3-0 record, while MIBR and TYLOO struggled to secure a single victory and were the first teams to be eliminated.</h2><h4>Vitality and Spirit Secure Playoff Spots</h4><p>Under the leadership of&nbsp;<a href="/en/players/apex" target="_self">apEX</a>, Vitality cruised through their matches, dropping only one map out of three. On every other map, they didn’t allow their opponents to win more than eight rounds, highlighting their excellent preparation and focus.</p><p>Meanwhile, Spirit completed a flawless run, not dropping a single map. However, they did face strong resistance on&nbsp;<a href="/en/wiki/overview-map-anubis" target="_self">Anubis</a>&nbsp;against TYLOO and on&nbsp;<a href="/en/wiki/overview-map-dust2" target="_self">Dust2</a>&nbsp;against The MongolZ. Throughout the stage, the team’s young star,&nbsp;<a href="/en/players/donk" target="_self">age donk</a>, who is only 18 years old, delivered an outstanding performance with near-perfect statistics.</p><h4>Early Eliminations for TYLOO and MIBR</h4><p>Despite showing solid gameplay throughout the tournament, TYLOO couldn’t overcome the challenges posed by Spirit, NaVi, and GamerLegion. Their standout player, Dongkai "<a href="/en/players/jee" target="_self">Jee</a>" Ji, was the only team member to finish with a positive rating across all three matches. Unfortunately, their weakest performer statistically was 24-year-old Jingxiang "<a href="/en/players/mercury" target="_self">Mercury</a>" Wang.</p><p>MIBR, the Brazilian squad, delivered several exciting moments but ultimately fell short, losing all three of their matches. Not a single player on the roster managed to achieve a positive K/D ratio in any match. The lowest-rated player across all three games was Rafael "<a href="/en/players/saffee" target="_self">saffee</a>" Costa.</p>

Roster Changes in Top Brazilian CS2 Teams on March 7

<h2>Drop didn’t stay on the bench for long and has now joined another Brazilian team—RED Canids.</h2><p>On February 19, 2025, MIBR announced several roster changes:</p><ol><li>BIT was removed from his coaching position.</li><li><a href="/en/players/brnz4n" target="_self">brnz4n</a>, who had been benched since September 2024, returned to the active roster, replacing André "<a href="/en/players/drop" target="_self">drop</a>" Abreu.</li></ol><p>On March 7, 2025, drop officially announced his move to RED Canids, replacing Marcelo "<a href="/en/players/nyezin" target="_self">nyezin</a>" Ramos, who is now a free agent in search of a new team.</p>