Natus Vincere earned their first victory of Stage 3 at IEM Cologne Major 2026 after defeating Legacy 2-0 in the 0-1 pool. Following an opening-day loss, the Ukrainian organization responded with a convincing performance on Inferno and Ancient to improve to a 1-1 record, while Legacy dropped to 0-2 and moved to the brink of elimination.
Teams’ road in Cologne
NAVI entered Stage 3 directly through the Valve Regional Standings. However, their campaign started with a disappointing defeat against Spirit, forcing them into the 0-1 pool. The victory over Legacy keeps the team alive and brings them back to an even 1-1 record.
Legacy, meanwhile, were one of the biggest surprises of Stage 2. The Brazilians advanced with a 3-2 record after defeating FlyQuest, M80 and eventually TYLOO in the deciding match. However, Stage 3 has been far more difficult. After losing to MOUZ in the opening round and now falling to NAVI, Legacy sit at 0-2 and are one defeat away from elimination.
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NAVI dominate Legacy to return to winning ways
Legacy selected Inferno, hoping to build on their impressive run from Stage 2, but NAVI quickly took control of the map. Aleksi “Aleksib” Virolainen’s squad dismantled the Brazilians 13-4, giving Legacy little room to recover.
The second map, Ancient, proved more competitive, but NAVI once again remained in control when it mattered most. Led by strong performances from Valeriy “b1t” Vakhovskyi and Mihai “iM” Ivan, NAVI closed the map 13-10 to complete a clean 2-0 sweep.
b1t leads the way
Valeriy “b1t” Vakhovskyi was named the player of the match after posting a 1.35 rating across the series. The Ukrainian rifler recorded 32 kills and 89.3 ADR, finishing ahead of iM and w0nderful as NAVI secured a much-needed victory.
VRS implications
The result also had an impact on the Valve Regional Standings. Thanks to the victory, NAVI gained 29 VRS points and strengthened their position at No. 4 in the ranking with 1,910 points.
Legacy, on the other hand, lost 8 points after the defeat and dropped further behind the teams fighting for direct invitations. The Brazilian side now sits on 1,812 points and remains in 6th place.
While the changes are relatively small, every point matters with teams already looking ahead to future events and Major qualification races. For NAVI, the win not only kept their playoff hopes alive but also provided a valuable boost in the VRS standings.
Team reactions
NAVI celebrated their first win of the stage on social media, writing:
First Major victory in the bag! 13:10 finish on Ancient locks down the series against Legacy. We bounce back and advance to the 1-1 pool.
Legacy acknowledged the defeat with a much shorter message and shared a graphic titled “Mission Failed.
GG NAV. 0-2 in the Major.
What’s next?
With the victory, NAVI improved to 1-1 and remain firmly in contention for a playoff spot. Legacy, meanwhile, dropped to the 0-2 pool, where every remaining series will be a must-win if the Brazilians hope to keep their Major dream 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.
