The Stage 2 match day brought drama and the first eliminations from the main part of the Major. For some, it was the final chance to stay in the tournament; for others, another step forward in the dream. Astralis, Liquid and Passion UA held strong under pressure and will continue in the 2:2 matches, while Aurora, TYLOO and fnatic say goodbye to the start of the season.
Tournament context
StarLadder Budapest Major 2025 Stage 2 is the centerpiece of the CS2 season, where 16 teams compete for advancement into Stage 3 and critically important Valve Regional Standings (VRS) points. Format — Swiss System (Bo3): victory moves you forward, defeat pushes you away from the dream. Teams with a 1:2 record are forced into survival mode — losing means elimination.
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How the match unfolded — Astralis vs Aurora
A match for survival where both teams had equal chances. Astralis kept calm in the key moments and turned the series in their favor on the third map.
- Nuke (Astralis pick) — 11:13
Aurora excelled on defense and impressed with creative decisions in clutch situations. - Train (Aurora pick) — 13:8
The Danes seized the initiative and did not allow the opponent to unlock their attacking potential. - Mirage (decider) — 13:11
An incredibly tense finish. Key frags from Magisk and consistency from device proved decisive.
Player of the Match — Emil “Magisk” Reif
- K–D: 49–38
- ADR: 71.0
- Rating 3.0: 1.23
He delivered critical impact in the late rounds of the final two maps and made the difference.
out of the Budapest Major
thank you for your support pic.twitter.com/Fop2H0Ns9i
— Aurora CS2 (@AuroraCS2_GG) December 1, 2025
How the match unfolded — Passion UA vs fnatic
Fnatic could not find any response to the confidence and aggression from the Ukrainian squad. Passion UA took control from the very first round.
- Overpass (Passion UA pick) — 13:11
Fnatic’s T side looked powerless against the active defense of the Ukrainians. - Inferno (fnatic pick) — 13:7
High pace and clean positioning from Passion UA ended the series early.
Player of the Match — Hakon “hallzerk” Fjærli
- K–D: 35–20
- ADR: 77.9
- Rating 3.0: 1.34
The AWPer played with absolute consistency and punished every mistake from the opponent.
Our Budapest Major journey comes to an end following the loss to Passion UA.
Whilst we put on fight after fight, we’re devastated to not make it to Stage 3. Nonetheless, thank you for your unconditional support as always. pic.twitter.com/OGwAkgSRtf
— FNATIC CS (@FNATICCS2) December 1, 2025
How the match unfolded — Liquid vs TYLOO
In a fight for life at the Major, Liquid faced a highly motivated TYLOO who battled until the very last round.
- Ancient (Liquid pick) — 9:13
The Chinese roster impressed with their discipline: Mercury and JamYoung consistently found key openings, preventing Liquid from executing their attack. - Train (TYLOO pick) — 13:5
Liquid regained control of the match. ultimate and NAF dominated key positions, and the team’s defense was nearly flawless. - Inferno (decider) — 16:14
A true thriller with a Liquid comeback. TYLOO were ahead, but the Americans outplayed the late-round clutch scenarios. ultimate closed the map in decisive fashion.
Player of the Match — Roland “ultimate” Tomkowiak
- K–D: 63–36
- ADR: 82.2
- Rating 3.0: 1.38
The leader of Polish CS once again proved why Liquid signed him — unwavering stability in critical moments and massive impact on the deciding map.
VRS results
- Astralis: +32 pt (1615 → 1647) — rise to #12
- Passion UA: +30 pt (1387 → 1417) — rise to #27
- Aurora: –18 pt (1769 → 1751) — down to #6, eliminated
- fnatic: –17 pt (1445 → 1428) — remain in #26 range, eliminated
- Liquid: +9 pt → 1667 → 1676 (rise within the top 11)
- TYLOO: –4 pt → 1344 → 1340 (drop to #32 and elimination)
What’s next for the teams
- The fate of Astralis and Passion UA will be decided in the final 2:2 match of Stage 2. A win opens the door to Stage 3 and keeps the Major dream alive. A loss ends the season.
- Aurora and fnatic conclude their run at StarLadder Budapest Major 2025, falling short of the required number of wins and losing valuable VRS points.
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Liquid move into the 2:2 pool, where they will play the most important match of the stage tomorrow — victory sends them to Stage 3, defeat ends their Major run earlier than expected.
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TYLOO conclude their journey, unable to find a second wind after early setbacks. Ahead lies regrouping and fixing structural issues, as the lost VRS points may impact future Major qualifications.
Match summary
Today’s matches were a cold reminder: in Stage 2 of a Major, there is no room for mistakes. Astralis, Liquid and Passion UA move forward under the pressure of the decisive round, while Aurora, TYLOO and fnatic are forced to leave the tournament. Ahead lies a series of battles for a place among the strongest, where every round can shape the course of a career.
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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.
