m0NESY’s Debut for Falcons and NaVi’s Return After a Long Break
The Intel Extreme Masters Melbourne 2025 tournament in Counter-Strike 2 kicked off on April 21, bringing together 16 of the world’s top teams at the legendary Rod Laver Arena in Melbourne, Australia. The first day of the group stage was marked by intense matches and surprising results, setting a fast-paced tone for the rest of the event.
Match Results
Group A
- FaZe Clan confidently defeated paiN 2-0, as the Brazilian team continues to struggle despite the recent addition of young deemO replacing kauez.
- The MongolZ managed to edge out Complexity 2-1 in a hard-fought series, with the North American team continuing their rise on the back of recent successes.
- MOUZ claimed victory over BIG 2-1, although the German squad led by tabseN put up a solid fight.
- In a surprising turn of events, 3DMAX were soundly defeated by GamerLegion, where the young talent PR lived up to the expectations placed on him.
Group B
- Vitality beat FlyQuest 2-0, as expected, and remain one of the main contenders for the title. Notably, ESL announced a $100,000 bonus for the team that manages to beat apEX and ZywOo.
- Liquid won a tight match against Virtus.pro 2-1, sending the Russian team to the lower bracket.
- Perhaps the most anticipated match was Falcons vs SAW — not necessarily due to the teams, but because of the reunion of NiKo and m0NESY. This was Ilya’s first official match after his transfer to Falcons, and he delivered a strong performance, clearly aiming for titles.
- Another highlight was the NaVi vs MIBR matchup. After a long absence from high-level competition, NaVi’s form was uncertain, but they managed to secure the series in three maps and progressed in the upper bracket.
The group stage follows a double-elimination format, with two groups of eight teams each. The top three teams from each group will advance to the playoffs, which will be played in a single-elimination format. Group winners go directly to the semifinals, while second and third-place teams begin in the quarterfinals.
Impressions and Expectations
The first day of IEM Melbourne 2025 has already delivered plenty of twists and memorable moments. Fans are looking forward to more intense matches and are eager to see their favorite teams fight for glory.