Team Spirit have secured their place in the BLAST Bounty Season 2 semifinals after defeating Team Liquid 2-0 in a commanding quarterfinal performance. The reigning world No. 1 looked in complete control throughout the series, taking Dust2 13-7 before dismantling Liquid 13-5 on Anubis to continue their march toward another international title. The victory extends Spirit’s impressive form after their Round of 16 win over 100 Thieves and keeps them among the strongest favorites to lift the trophy in Malta.
Road to the semifinals
Spirit entered the BLAST Bounty Season 2 Finals as one of the tournament favorites and have continued to justify that status. They first survived a tough three-map battle against 100 Thieves before producing one of their cleanest performances of the event to eliminate Liquid.
Liquid, meanwhile, arrived in the playoffs after defeating G2 2-0 during Stage 1. Although the North American-European lineup showed encouraging signs earlier in the tournament, they were unable to match Spirit’s pace or individual level in the quarterfinal.
Spirit leave Liquid with no answers
The series began on Dust2, Spirit’s map pick, where the CIS squad immediately established the tempo. Liquid managed to stay within touching distance during the opening half thanks to several impactful rounds from Georgi “Jorko” Mitev, but Danil “donk” Kryshkovets once again proved impossible to contain.
Spirit’s aggressive CT setups and flawless trading repeatedly shut down Liquid’s late-round executes, allowing them to close the map 13-7 without ever looking seriously threatened.
Liquid hoped to answer on Anubis, their own selection, but the second map followed a similar script. Spirit won crucial opening duels, consistently converted man-advantage situations, and denied Liquid any opportunity to build momentum.
By halftime the Europeans had already taken firm control of the game, and the second half became a showcase of Spirit’s confidence. Liquid collected only five rounds before Spirit wrapped up the map 13-5, sealing a convincing 2-0 sweep and another semifinal appearance.
donk dominates once again
Danil “donk” Kryshkovets continued his remarkable form and earned Player of the Match honors with a stunning 1.76 rating across the two-map series. The Russian superstar finished with 42 kills, 107.4 ADR, 86.8% KAST, and repeatedly broke open rounds with explosive multi-kills, leaving Liquid with few answers to his aggressive rifling. Behind him, Andrey “n1tR” Tatarinovich also impressed with a 1.40 rating, giving Spirit another consistent source of firepower throughout the match.
VRS impact
The victory awarded Spirit five additional VRS points, helping them further strengthen their grip on No. 1 in the Valve Regional Standings. Despite the defeat, Liquid actually gained valuable ranking ground thanks to their playoff appearance, earning 26 VRS points and climbing from 38th to 35th.
Teams react
Spirit celebrated the victory with a playful message on X:
2-0! LIQUIDATION. Until Saturday.
The post referenced both the clean sweep over Liquid and the team’s qualification for Saturday’s semifinal. Liquid had not issued an official reaction immediately after the match at the time of writing.
What’s next?
Spirit advance to the BLAST Bounty Season 2 semifinals, where they will continue their pursuit of another Tier-1 trophy and look to maintain their dominant form against the remaining contenders.
For Liquid, the tournament ends in the quarterfinals. Despite the disappointing exit, the team leaves Malta with a deeper playoff run, important VRS gains, and encouraging performances that could prove valuable heading into the next stretch of the 2026 season.
