Team Spirit secured a place in the semifinals of IEM Cologne Major 2026 after defeating G2 2-1 in an entertaining quarterfinal series. Despite losing their own map pick, the world No.1 team completed the comeback on Mirage and continued their impressive winning streak, while G2 saw their tournament run come to an end.
Road to the semifinals
Spirit continued their dominant run in Cologne. The team opened Stage 3 with victories over NAVI and Aurora after win Bet Boom an finish in the 3-0 pool to secure a playoff berth. In the quarterfinals, they survived a tough challenge from G2 and moved one step closer to another Major title.
G2, meanwhile, recovered from a 1-2 record in Stage 3 by eliminating NAVI and Legacy to reach the playoffs. However, their campaign came to an end in the quarterfinals.
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G2 strike first on Overpass
The series began on Overpass, G2’s map choice, and the European squad made the most of it. Strong T-side rounds and a solid defensive half allowed huNter- and company to secure a 13-9 victory and take an early lead in the series. With elimination looming, Spirit needed a response on Dust2.
Spirit answer back on Dust2
The Russian side quickly regained control on their own pick. donk once again led the way, while zont1x provided crucial support as Spirit dominated key rounds and closed out Dust2 16-14 after overtime. The victory forced a decider on Mirage and shifted the momentum firmly in Spirit’s favor.
Spirit survive triple overtime thriller
The final map delivered one of the most dramatic matches of the tournament. Neither team managed to pull away during regulation, which ended 12-12 before the series entered overtime. After three overtime periods, Spirit finally broke G2’s resistance and secured a hard-fought 25-22 victory to close the series 2-1.
donk leads Spirit once again
Danil “donk” Kryshkovets was the standout player of the match. The superstar rifler finished the series with 81 kills and a 1.32 rating, once again proving why he remains one of the favorites for the tournament MVP award.
Team reactions
Spirit celebrated the victory on X with a simple but excited message:
2-1 vs. G2. WHAT A SERIES OMG. IEM Cologne Major semifinals secured.
G2, meanwhile, bid farewell to the tournament with a more emotional post:
GGs. Our run at the IEM Cologne Major ends here.
The organization accompanied the message with an image featuring the words “Premature Exit.”
What’s next?
With the victory, Spirit advance to the semifinals of IEM Cologne Major 2026 and remain one of the main favorites to lift the trophy. G2 finish their campaign in the quarterfinals after an impressive recovery from the brink of elimination. Spirit will now await their semifinal opponent as the race for the title enters its final stages.
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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.
