The Vitality team earned a hard-fought 2:1 victory over FaZe in the semifinals of ESL Pro League Season 22, securing their place in the grand final, where they will face Falcons.
Despite the loss, Russel “Twistzz” Van Dulken was named Player of the Match, receiving 74.1% of the fan votes — the Canadian sniper was the driving force behind FaZe throughout the series, though it ultimately wasn’t enough.
ESL PRO LEAGUE SEASON 22 — THE KEY TOURNAMENT OF THE SEASON
The ESL Pro League is a central event in the ESL Pro Tour system, offering not only prize money but also ESL Pro Tour Points and VRS points, which determine invitations to IEM Katowice 2026 and future Major tournaments.
For Vitality, this grand final appearance is a chance to claim their first major trophy of 2025 and reestablish themselves firmly in the top two of the world rankings.
HOW THE MATCH UNFOLDED
- Mirage (FaZe pick) — 22:20 for FaZe
FaZe opened the series with a win on their map after two overtimes. Twistzz delivered one of the best performances of the tournament, finishing with an 83–52 K–D and a 1.61 rating. His 1v2 clutch against ZywOo and apEX became the defining moment of the map. - Inferno (Vitality pick) — 13:9 for Vitality
Vitality quickly equalized the series thanks to ZywOo’s confident play (29 kills) and the team’s solid defense coordination. mezii secured several key clutches, while FaZe lost focus on the attack, dropping four rounds in a row after a timeout. - Dust2 (decider) — 13:8 for Vitality
On the decisive map, Vitality completely dominated. flameZ controlled mid flawlessly, while ZywOo dismantled opponents with the AWP. FaZe appeared disorganized — especially karrigan and rain, both ending the series with ratings below 0.80.
PLAYER OF THE MATCH — RUSSEL “Twistzz” VAN DULKEN
- K–D: 83–52
- ADR: 98.1
- Rating 3.0: 1.61
- Impact: highest in the series (+5.45%)
Despite FaZe’s defeat, Twistzz stood out as a model of leadership and consistency. His individual form remains one of the best in the entire tournament, and his composure makes him FaZe’s key hope going into the third-place match.
VRS RANKING CHANGES
- Vitality: +21 points (1946 → 1967 pt, remain #2)
- FaZe: −7 points (1766 → 1759 pt, remain #10)
Vitality are closing the gap with Falcons, while FaZe remain on the edge of the top 10 despite Twistzz’s outstanding performance.
HEAD-TO-HEAD — VITALITY HOLD THE ADVANTAGE
Historically, Vitality have maintained a strong edge in their matchups with FaZe. Over the last ten encounters, the French squad has won seven times, including decisive series at IEM Katowice 2025 and BLAST Open London 2025.
FaZe have mostly found success on Mirage and Nuke, while Vitality consistently dominate on Dust2 and Anubis.
This rivalry remains one of the fiercest in modern CS2 — both teams share similar styles, but Vitality hold the upper hand through more structured gameplay and deeper tactical discipline.
The ranking difference reflects that balance: Vitality sit at #2 in the world, while FaZe currently occupy #10, highlighting their inconsistency over recent months.
WHAT’S NEXT FOR THE TEAMS
Vitality, the team led by apEX moves on to the ESL Pro League Season 22 Grand Final, scheduled for October 12 at 18:00 (BO5). Their opponent will be Falcons, who previously defeated MOUZ 2:0. The grand final will decide not only the championship title but also award valuable ESL Pro Tour Points that influence invitations to future Majors.
FaZe, the karrigan-led roster will play the third-place match against MOUZ (October 12, 14:30, BO3). This is their chance to end the tournament on a positive note and maintain their top-10 global position. The team is reportedly planning roster changes after the season, meaning this result could directly impact the future of the lineup.
