The highly anticipated 2025 StarLadder Budapest Major is heating up as Team Spirit and Team Vitality storm their way into the semi-finals. Fans witnessed thrilling performances at Hungary’s MVM Dome as the teams secured their spots in the next stage of the competition.
Team Spirit Clips Team Falcons’ Wings
Team Spirit showcased their prowess by overpowering Team Falcons on the first day of the playoffs. Having qualified smoothly from Stage 3, they brought their momentum into this match. On their map pick, Nuke, Ivan ‘zweih’ Gogin led the charge with impressive plays, including a crucial ace in round 12. Five consecutive offensive rounds in the second half solidified their 13-4 lead, putting them one map away from victory.
The second map, Dust II, saw a fierce response from Team Falcons, establishing a two-round lead in the first half. However, Team Spirit fought back, with another ace from zweih forcing overtime. Team Spirit seized the momentum in overtime, sweeping all four rounds to complete a 2-0 victory. Despite the loss, Team Falcons exited Budapest with a commendable top-eight finish.
Team Vitality Dominates The MongolZ
In a thrilling rematch against The MongolZ, Team Vitality demonstrated why they are a force to be reckoned with. Starting on Mirage, The MongolZ initially led with three attacking rounds, but Team Vitality, spearheaded by William ‘Mezii’ Merriman and Mathieu ‘ZywOo’ Herbaut, quickly turned the tides. ZywOo’s exceptional performance secured a 13-5 win on Mirage.
The momentum continued on Dust II, where Team Vitality captured an 8-4 lead by halftime. The second half mirrored their earlier dominance, closing the map with another 13-5 victory. The MongolZ, although defeated, showed resilience and ended the season with a top-eight finish, setting sights on 2026.
What’s Next?
With the initial quarter-finals wrapped up, eyes now turn to the remaining matches. MOUZ will battle FaZe Clan on December 12th, and NAVI will face FURIA in the second showdown. As Team Spirit and Team Vitality gear up for their semi-final clash on December 13th, fans are eager to see who will advance to the grand finale.