Falcons bounced back from their surprising loss to BetBoom by defeating Monte 2-1 in the 1-1 pool of Stage 3 at IEM Cologne Major 2026. Nikola “NiKo” Kovač and company secured a crucial victory and moved to a 2-1 record, while Monte dropped into the dangerous 1-2 bracket and now face elimination.
Teams’ path through Stage 3
Falcons started Stage 3 with a hard-fought victory over G2 before suffering one of the biggest surprises of the tournament against BetBoom in the 1-0 pool. Their victory over Monte improves their record to 2-1 and leaves them one win away from securing a playoff berth.
Monte began the stage with a loss to Aurora but recovered by eliminating PARIVISION to reach the 1-1 bracket. However, the defeat against Falcons drops the Ukrainian organization to a 1-2 record, meaning every remaining series will be do-or-die.
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Falcons recover after dropping Dust2
The series began on Monte’s map pick, Inferno, where Falcons managed to take control in the second half and secured a 13-9 victory. Monte responded strongly on Dust2, stealing Falcons’ pick with a 13-11 scoreline and forcing a decider.
The deciding map, Mirage, proved to be highly competitive. Both teams traded rounds throughout the game, but Falcons showed more composure in the closing stages. A strong finish allowed the international squad to claim a 13-10 victory and close out the series 2-1.
NiKo leads Falcons to victory
Nikola “NiKo” Kovač once again delivered when his team needed him most. The Bosnian star finished the series with 55 kills and a 1.27 rating, earning the highest rating of the match. Ilya “m0NESY” Osipov also made a significant impact with a 1.22 rating, while Aurélien “afro” Drapier was Monte’s best performer, posting a 1.10 rating across the three maps.
VRS implications
The result had only a limited impact on the Valve Regional Standings. Falcons gained one point and remained fourth in the rankings, while Monte lost seven points and stayed in 18th place.
Team reactions
Falcons celebrated the victory on social media with the message:
2-1! That is more like it
One match away from IEM Cologne Major playoffs
Monte, meanwhile, quickly shifted their focus to the elimination match, posting:
Not over yet. Tomorrow is do or die
alongside a graphic showing the final score of the series.
What’s next?
With the victory, Falcons advanced to the 2-1 pool and moved within one series of the playoffs. Monte, meanwhile, fell to 1-2 and will now have to fight for survival. The next round will determine whether NiKo and m0NESY can continue their march toward the title, or whether Monte can keep their Major campaign alive.
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Skin.Club Pick’em Challenge
Running alongside the StarLadder Budapest Major 2025 is the Skin.Club Pick’em Challenge — an interactive feature where fans predict match results, choose advancing teams, and earn points throughout the tournament. By making accurate picks, participants unlock rewards ranging from premium skins to rare gloves and knives, with the ultimate prize being the iconic AWP | Dragon Lore.
