The opening matches of Stage 3 at IEM Cologne Major 2026 saw MOUZ and Team Vitality begin their campaigns with victories. MOUZ comfortably defeated Legacy in two maps, while Vitality recovered from a shaky start to overcome FUT in a three-map series and move into the 1-0 pool.
MOUZ defeat Legacy without dropping a map
Fresh off their successful Stage 2 campaigns, MOUZ and Legacy opened Stage 3 with a clash between two teams hoping to start the final Swiss phase on the right foot. The European side lived up to expectations and secured a convincing 2-0 victory.
Legacy selected Dust2 and managed to stay competitive early on, but MOUZ controlled the second half and secured a 13-5 victory. On Nuke, their own map pick, Ludvig “Brollan” Brolin and company completed the job with a 13-6 win, handing the Brazilians their first loss of Stage 3.
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Brollan stars as MOUZ open Stage 3 with a victory
The standout player of the series was Brollan, who finished with 29 kills and a 1.42 rating. Lotan “Spinx” Giladi also delivered another impressive performance, posting 35 frags and a 1.45 rating across the two maps.
For Legacy, Eduardo “dumau” Wolkmer was the highest-rated player with a 0.93 rating, but none of the Brazilians managed to finish the series with a rating above 1.00.
Vitality recover after losing map one against FUT
Unlike MOUZ, Team Vitality needed all three maps to start Stage 3 with a win. FUT surprised the world’s number one team by winning their own map pick, Anubis, 13-5 and putting Vitality under immediate pressure.
However, Dan “apEX” Madesclaire’s squad quickly regained control. Vitality dominated Overpass with a convincing 13-2 scoreline before closing the series on Nuke, where they secured a 13-8 victory to complete the comeback and remain undefeated at the Major.
ZywOo shines once again
Mathieu “ZywOo” Herbaut was once again the driving force behind Vitality’s success. The French superstar ended the series with 53 kills, 101.1 ADR, and a 1.66 rating, making him the clear MVP of the match.
Shahar “flameZ” Shushan also played a crucial role with a 1.52 rating, while Džiugas “dziugss” Steponavičius was FUT’s best performer with a 1.10 rating.
Teams’ reactions
The victory sparked cheerful reactions from the Vitality camp. William “mezii” Merriman joked on X:
1-0. Keeping up the tradition of losing the first map at the Major.
apEX also admitted that the opening map had not gone according to plan:
Won 2-1 against FUT. First map was, but then the bounce back was good. Cya tomorrow.
Robin “ropz” Kool added:
It’s a rule to lose the first map of the Major. Saved by BO3 thanks Counter-Strike.
Despite the defeat, FUT kept a positive tone and congratulated their opponents, posting:
Fought until the very end… GGWP Team Vitality.
Meanwhile, MOUZ’s Dorian “xertioN” Berman praised his teammates after the win:
Nice opening game and debut from the guys as we take down Legacy 2-0. Very good game from everyone, a lot of great individual plays, love to see it!
Legacy also briefly acknowledged the result, writing:
0-2 against Mouz and we start Stage 3 with a loss.
VRS impact
The victories also strengthened both winners in the Valve Regional Standings. MOUZ gained 26 points and consolidated fifth place, while Legacy lost 15 points and remained sixth. Vitality earned another 17 VRS points and strengthened their position near the top of the rankings, while FUT lost only one point despite the defeat.
What’s next?
With the wins, MOUZ and Vitality moved into the 1-0 pool of Stage 3 at IEM Cologne Major 2026. Legacy and FUT, meanwhile, dropped to the 0-1 bracket and will look to bounce back in the next round as the Swiss stage continues.
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.
