Team Spirit moved one step closer to the playoffs of IEM Cologne Major 2026 after defeating Aurora 2-1 in the second round of Stage 3. Despite dropping Dust2, the tournament favorites recovered on Anubis and Nuke to improve to a 2-0 record and secure a place in the qualification matches for the playoffs.
Road through Stage 3
- Spirit (2-0)
Spirit opened Stage 3 with a 2-0 victory over NAVI before defeating Aurora in three maps. Their winning streak has now reached ten series, and they are one win away from securing a playoff spot.
- Aurora (1-1)
Aurora started the stage by sweeping Monte 2-0, but the loss to Spirit dropped the team into the 1-1 pool, where they will continue fighting for a place in the playoffs.
Aurora strike first, but Spirit answer back
The series began on Dust2, Spirit’s map pick, but Aurora immediately delivered one of the biggest surprises of the day. The Turkish squad took control early and converted the advantage into a 13-9 victory, putting the pressure on Danil “donk” Kryshkovets and company.
Spirit responded in dominant fashion on Anubis. After a balanced first half, the world number one team completely shut down Aurora on the defensive side and cruised to a 13-4 win to force a decider.
Everything came down to Nuke, where Spirit once again proved why they are among the favorites for the title. The CIS side controlled the map from start to finish and closed out the series with a convincing 13-5 victory.
donk leads the comeback
As usual, Danil “donk” Kryshkovets was the difference maker for Spirit. The superstar rifler finished the series with 46 kills, 87.6 ADR and a 1.41 rating. Andrey “tN1R” Tatarinovich also delivered a strong performance with a 1.31 rating, while Dmitry “sh1ro” Sokolov posted a 1.22 rating. For Aurora, Ali “Wicadia” Haydar Yalçın was the best performer with a 1.10 rating, but XANTARES and the rest of the lineup struggled to keep up once the series reached the final two maps.
VRS impact
The victory strengthened Spirit’s position at the top of the rankings. The team gained eight VRS points and remained world No.1. Aurora lost six points but stayed in 11th place.
- Spirit: +8 points (#1)
- Aurora: -6 points (#11)
Team reactions
Spirit celebrated the victory on social media shortly after the series, highlighting their perfect start in Stage 3.
We move to 2-0 in the Swiss stage. Tomorrow we’ll face 9zTeam for a spot in the playoffs
The post was accompanied by a graphic featuring donk, who once again played a crucial role in the team’s victory. Aurora, meanwhile, kept their reaction short after suffering their first defeat of the stage. The organization simply posted:
1-1
alongside a graphic centered around XANTARES and the 1-2 scoreline against Spirit.
What’s next?
With the victory, Spirit improved to 2-0 and will now face 9z in a high-stakes qualification match for a place in the playoffs. Donk and company have extended their winning streak to ten series and remain one of the strongest contenders for the Major title.
Aurora, on the other hand, dropped to the 1-1 pool. The Turkish side still controls its own destiny, but with the Swiss stage becoming increasingly unforgiving, every remaining match could determine whether XANTARES and company continue their Major campaign or start fighting for survival.
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.
