Spirit defeated G2 2:1 in the Group B upper bracket final at BLAST Rivals 2026 Season 2 on November 12, securing direct qualification for the playoff semifinals. After losing Mirage 9:13, Spirit recovered with a 13:6 victory on Nuke before closing the series 13:5 on Ancient.
Dmitry “sh1ro” Sokolov was the highest-rated player of the match with a 1.29 Rating 3.0 and 82.0 ADR. Danil “donk” Kryshkovets also contributed significantly, recording a match-high 56 kills and 93.4 ADR across three maps.
Tournament context
BLAST Rivals 2026 Season 2 takes place in Hong Kong from November 11 to 15, featuring eight teams competing for $1,000,000 in total winnings. The Group B upper bracket final determined which team would advance directly to the semifinals, while the loser would continue its campaign in the playoff quarterfinals.
Spirit entered the match after defeating FUT 2:1 in their opening series, despite suffering a 0:13 defeat on Nuke. G2 had previously ended their six-match losing streak with a 2:1 victory over MOUZ, securing their place in the upper bracket final.
How the match unfolded — Spirit vs G2
Series score: 2:1 in favor of Spirit
- Mirage (G2 pick) — 13:9 in favor of G2
Spirit started strongly on their opponents’ map pick, establishing a 7:5 advantage during the opening half. However, G2 recovered after switching sides and took control of the remaining rounds. The team won eight of the next ten rounds to close Mirage 13:9 and secure the opening map. - Nuke (Spirit pick) — 13:6 in favor of Spirit
Spirit responded with a convincing performance on their own map pick, building an 8:4 advantage before halftime. The team maintained control after switching sides, winning five of the next seven rounds to secure a 13:6 victory. The result allowed Spirit to equalize the series and force a deciding map. - Ancient (decider) — 13:5 in favor of Spirit
Spirit carried their momentum into Ancient, establishing another 8:4 advantage during the first half. G2 struggled to find a response after switching sides, managing only one additional round as Spirit maintained control. The team closed Ancient 13:5 to complete the comeback and secure direct qualification for the semifinals.
Player of the Match — Dmitry “sh1ro” Sokolov (Spirit)
- K–D: 53–35
- ADR: 82.0
- KAST: 76.3%
- Rating 3.0: 1.29
- Round Swing: +3.31%
Key contribution: sh1ro was the highest-rated player across the three maps, finishing with 53 kills and a +18 kill differential. His 76.3% KAST and positive round swing reflected his consistent contribution throughout the series, helping Spirit recover after losing Mirage.
donk also delivered an important performance with 56 kills, 93.4 ADR and a 1.26 Rating 3.0. For G2, Guy “NertZ” Iluz recorded the highest rating on his team at 1.13, finishing with 47 kills and 92.7 ADR.
VRS results
- Spirit — +16 pt → 1,847 pt, #5 → #4
The victory earned Spirit 16 projected VRS points, moving the team from fifth to fourth place in the global standings. The result also secured their direct qualification for the BLAST Rivals 2026 Season 2 semifinals. - G2 — −7 pt → 1,620 pt, #11 → #13
The defeat cost G2 seven projected VRS points, dropping the team from eleventh to thirteenth place. Despite losing the upper bracket final, G2 remain in the tournament and will continue competing in the playoff quarterfinals.
These figures are based on the provided VRS projection rather than an official Valve ranking update.
What’s next?
Spirit advance directly to the semifinals of BLAST Rivals 2026 Season 2, scheduled for November 14. The team will have an additional day to prepare before competing for a place in the Grand Final.
G2 will continue their tournament campaign in the playoff quarterfinals on November 13. After defeating MOUZ in their opening match, the team will need another victory to reach the semifinals and keep their championship hopes alive.
Match summary
G2 opened the series with a 13:9 victory on Mirage after recovering from a 5:7 halftime deficit. However, Spirit responded with a convincing 13:6 win on Nuke before dominating the second half of Ancient to secure a 13:5 victory.
sh1ro led Spirit with a 1.29 Rating 3.0, while donk recorded a match-high 56 kills. The result earned Spirit 16 projected VRS points and a direct place in the semifinals, while G2 dropped into the quarterfinals.
