The reigning champions of Counter-Strike 2 on the Esports World Cup, NAVI, have been eradicated within the opening spherical of 2025’s version of the match. The present primary staff, Spirit, was additionally eradicated, falling 2-1 to HEROIC.
A not so w0nderful efficiency from NAVI Picture Credit score: BLAST Open
NAVI Crash Out in Final Place
NAVI fell 2-1 to the French staff 3DMAX within the opening sport of the Esports World Cup CS2 occasion, turning into the primary victims of some of the brutal codecs on the Counter-Strike circuit.
The Esports World Cup incorporates a uncommon single-elimination bracket in an esport that sometimes favours Swiss or GSL for its Group Phases. NAVI received their second trophy of 2024 in final 12 months’s occasion, taking down FURIA, FaZe, and MOUZ earlier than defeating G2 within the closing to carry the trophy.
Nonetheless, regardless of a gap map win in opposition to 3DMAX, within the type of a 13-10 victory on Historical, NAVI didn’t hold momentum because the sequence progressed.
Newcomer Drin “makazze” Shaqiri shone on Historical. Nonetheless, a lot maligned Ukrainian AWPer Ihor “w0nderful” Zhdanov did little to alter naysayers’ minds with subpar performances on each Inferno and Nuke, which NAVI misplaced 13-9 and 13-11 respectively.
NAVI has struggled to copy its 2024 success this 12 months. This loss will lower deep, given the truth that they had been up 9-4 on Inferno and appeared set for a routine 2-0 victory. A mixed 19 kills out of Bryan “Maka” Canda and Alexandra “bodyy” Pianaro helped 3DMAX clinch an eight-round profitable streak and start the reverse-sweep.
Workforce Spirit Fall after Again-to-Again Occasion Victories
The largest shock of the day got here later when Workforce Spirit, the winners of each IEM Cologne 2025 and BLAST Bounty Season 2, misplaced to a staff exterior of the highest 5 for the primary time all 12 months, falling 2-1 to HEROIC.
zont1x may have made his final look for Workforce Spirit. Picture Credit score: BLAST Open
Star man Danil “donk” Kryshkovets had an uncharacteristically quiet sport, as he was out-fragged by teammate Dmitry “sh1ro” Sokolov.
HEROIC responded to a 13-5 drubbing on Historical with a 13-3 domination of Nuke and an in depth 16-14 victory on Mirage to shut out the sequence.
New Spirit signing Ivan “zweih” Gogin significantly struggled, as did their IGL Leonid “chopper” Vishnyakov, as HEROIC stars Simon “yxngstxr” Boije and Andrey “tN1R” Tatarinovich starred to deliver their staff the upset.
The efficiency from tn1R provides additional weight to the dialog surrounding his proposed transfer to Spirit to interchange Myroslaw “zont1x” Plakhotia after the World Cup.
FaZe and Astralis Be a part of the Casualties
These two video games weren’t the one upsets on the opening day, FaZe Clan collapsed in opposition to Aurora after convincingly profitable map one.
Each Havard “rain” Nygaard and Heljvis “broky” Saukants struggled, including additional credence to the murmurs that they may quickly have to be changed if FaZe hopes to make it again to the highest.
Astralis additionally misplaced 2-1 to TYLOO, however given the latest match historical past between the 2 groups, it feels unfair on TYLOO to name that one a real upset.
