Today marked one of the most heated and dramatic days at the CS Asia Championships 2025. Eight teams battled either for survival or for a place in the playoffs, and the day brought everything — upsets, comebacks, individual brilliance, and heartbreak for favorites. While Liquid continued their flawless run in the upper bracket, FUT Esports became the tournament’s biggest revelation, eliminating the legendary FaZe Clan.
Heroic defeat fnatic and advance to the semifinals
The Danish–Swedish derby between Heroic and fnatic turned into a full-blown emotional rollercoaster. Heroic, led by hades, opened the series dominantly with a crushing 13–3 win on Inferno. fnatic immediately fired back with their own one-sided victory — 13–2 on Dust2, proving the series was far from over.
Everything came down to Mirage, where Heroic showed incredible composure in a nerve-wracking overtime — 22–18.
Olek “hades” Miskiewicz was the undisputed hero of the match:
- K–D: 62–39 (+23)
- ADR: 85.9
- Rating 3.0: 1.34
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The Polish AWPer was a wall in defense and clutch moments, his calm leadership paving the way to victory. Heroic now move on to the upper-bracket semifinals, while fnatic drop to the lower bracket.
FUT Esports eliminate FaZe and reach their first-ever quarterfinal
The biggest shock of the day came from FUT Esports, who stunned FaZe Clan with a 2–1 victory (13–9 Ancient, 11–13 Mirage, 13–10 Dust2). The young European–Ukrainian roster outplayed their star-studded rivals with structure, smart rotations, and unshakable composure in clutch moments.
FUT set the tempo early on Ancient, with dem0n and lauNX leading the charge. Mirage brought FaZe back into contention, as frozen and Twistzz delivered key rounds. But on Dust2, FUT once again dictated the pace, closing out the map 13–10 and sealing a historic playoff berth.
MVP — Dmytro “dem0n” Myroshnychenko
- K–D: 56–49 (+7)
- ADR: 83.5
- Rating 3.0: 1.36
The Ukrainian rifler was the team’s heart and anchor, staying cool under pressure and consistently winning key duels against some of the most experienced players in the world.
3DMAX knock out Virtus.pro — the “Bears” end their tournament run
The European clash between Virtus.pro and 3DMAX ended with a 2–1 victory for the French roster (9–13 Overpass, 13–8 Inferno, 13–9 Train).
After dropping the opening map, 3DMAX adjusted quickly — Maka and Ex3rcice dominated Inferno, and their well-organized play on Train sealed the deal.
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Filip “Graviti” Brankovic led the team with consistency and confidence:
- K–D: 48–43 (+5)
- ADR: 80.9
- Rating 3.0: 1.25
His level-headed play and clutch decision-making were instrumental as 3DMAX advanced through the lower bracket, while Virtus.pro bowed out of the event.
Liquid overcome Legacy and secure upper-bracket semifinal spot
The North Americans remain one of the top contenders for the title. Liquid defeated Legacy 2–1 in the Group A upper-bracket final (6–13 Mirage, 13–6 Dust2, 13–11 Inferno).
After a shaky start, NAF and EliGE rallied their team — strong rotations, patience, and precise mid-round calls allowed Liquid to completely shut down Legacy’s offense on the final two maps.
Keith “NAF” Markovic was the backbone of Liquid’s success:
- K–D: 49–39 (+10)
- ADR: 90.9
- Rating 3.0: 1.39
His 1v2 clutch rounds and leadership presence guided Liquid to become the first semifinalist of CS Asia Championships 2025.
FUT dominate paiN to stay alive
Before facing FaZe, FUT Esports had already shown their strength with a confident 2–0 win over paiN Gaming (16–13 Mirage, 13–6 Dust2). The Brazilian side looked exhausted, while FUT’s pace and discipline left no room for a comeback.
Nikita “cmtry” Samolotov once again impressed with his sharp aim and composure:
- K–D: 43–26 (+17)
- ADR: 89.5
- Rating 3.0: 1.41
FUT continue to surprise analysts and fans alike — the rising European roster has proven themselves as a legitimate threat in modern CS2.
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FaZe eliminate TYLOO, but fail to continue their run
Earlier in the day, FaZe Clan defeated TYLOO 2–1 (9–13 Nuke, 13–7 Inferno, 13–8 Mirage).
broky was in exceptional form, but even his performance wasn’t enough to carry the team past FUT later in the day.
Helvijs “broky” Saukants — MVP of the match:
- K–D: 57–36 (+21)
- ADR: 86.9
- Rating 3.0: 1.46
FaZe showed resilience and fighting spirit, but the day highlighted how even the giants of Counter-Strike can falter if they fail to adapt to evolving playstyles.
Day Summary
October 16 was a day of extremes and surprising outcomes.
- Liquid reaffirmed their status as favorites — discipline and structure remain their strongest weapons.
- Heroic showcased the team cohesion and grit they had been searching for all year.
- FUT Esports became the tournament’s Cinderella story, taking down both paiN and FaZe in the same day.
- 3DMAX revived their campaign after a slow start, while Virtus.pro, paiN, and TYLOO exited the tournament.
The CS Asia Championships 2025 is becoming increasingly unpredictable — only the strongest remain, and each upcoming match has the potential to reshape the regional Counter-Strike landscape.
