{"id":219650,"date":"2025-07-29T20:58:28","date_gmt":"2025-07-29T20:58:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/skin.club\/community?p=219650"},"modified":"2025-07-29T20:58:28","modified_gmt":"2025-07-29T20:58:28","slug":"navi-crush-faze-iem-cologne-2025-rematch","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/community.skin.club\/en\/news\/navi-crush-faze-iem-cologne-2025-rematch","title":{"rendered":"NAVI crush FaZe and move forward at IEM Cologne 2025"},"content":{"rendered":"

NAVI delivered a true show of force, dismantling FaZe 2\u20130 in an upper bracket match at IEM Cologne 2025. This was already the second meeting between the teams at this tournament \u2013 but while the first clash was close, this time FaZe suffered a devastating defeat, and NAVI looked like they were back to their very best.<\/p>\n

The teams\u2019 road through the tournament<\/h3>\n

For Natus Vincere<\/strong>, this tournament became a test of endurance and character. They started with an important win over FaZe (2\u20131) but then suffered a painful defeat to MOUZ (0\u20132) in the upper bracket, forcing them into the pressure cooker of the lower bracket. There, NAVI regrouped and started a survival streak: beating NiP (2\u20131) in their first elimination match and then defeating FaZe again \u2014 this time far more convincingly, with a 2\u20130 sweep.<\/p>\n

FaZe<\/strong> entered the tournament with ambition and a solid start \u2013 losing to NAVI (1\u20132) in the upper bracket but bouncing back with wins over Aurora (2\u20130) and Liquid (2\u20130). However, their second encounter with NAVI turned into a disaster: a 0\u20132 loss with no chance on Ancient and Inferno, a result that marked the end of their tournament run.<\/p>\n

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Match Flow: NAVI left no room for hope<\/h3>\n

Ancient (13\u20135 for NAVI)<\/strong><\/p>\n

FaZe hoped Ancient would give them an edge, but the script flipped completely. iM dictated an aggressive pace from the opening rounds, and b1t calmly shut down any comeback attempts. NAVI\u2019s dominance was so overwhelming that FaZe looked helpless \u2013 13\u20135 and a crushing start to the series.<\/p>\n

Inferno (13\u20137 for NAVI)<\/strong><\/p>\n

On Inferno, NAVI simply kept rolling. Aleksib read his opponent like a book, steering the tempo, while w0nderful and makazze neutralized every FaZe attempt to find cracks in the defense. 13\u20137 \u2013 and the series ended without any real drama, as NAVI closed out a commanding 2\u20130.<\/p>\n

Player stats for the match<\/h3>\n

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NAVI: composure and complete control<\/h3>\n

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NAVI came into this match with a crystal-clear plan and looked confident from the very first round. Their structure was flawless: rotations on point, communication tight, and they won every key duel that mattered.<\/p>\n

    \n
  • Mihai \u201ciM\u201d Ivan (39\u201320, 1.68 rating) was the driving force behind the victory. His aggression on Ancient and precision in key moments broke FaZe\u2019s game apart.<\/li>\n
  • Valeriy \u201cb1t\u201d Vakhovskiy (34\u201321, 1.46 rating) brought stability, while makazze and w0nderful supported with key trades and solid anchoring.<\/li>\n
  • Holding it all together was Aleksib \u2013 his calls and reads allowed NAVI to play with both freedom and discipline. This was NAVI looking like the powerhouse of old.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

    FaZe: collapse at the worst moment<\/h3>\n

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    FaZe started the tournament well, but in this match they looked lost. rain (26\u201332, 0.86 rating) tried to lead by example, but without support his efforts weren\u2019t enough. broky and frozen failed to win the crucial duels, while karrigan (18\u201332, 0.67 rating) couldn\u2019t find answers to NAVI\u2019s relentless tempo.<\/p>\n

    FaZe appeared drained and out of ideas \u2014 at this level, that\u2019s as good as losing before the map even ends.<\/p>\n

    Player of the Match \u2013 Mihai \u201ciM\u201d Ivan<\/h3>\n

    Mihai \u201ciM\u201d Ivan was the undisputed MVP of the series, completely dictating how it played out. With 39\u201320 K\/D, a 1.68 rating, and 106.4 ADR, he didn\u2019t just top the scoreboard \u2014 he dismantled FaZe\u2019s entire game plan.<\/p>\n

    On Ancient, iM dominated every duel, opening rounds with first kills and forcing FaZe to rethink their tactics on the fly.\u00a0 On Inferno, he was everywhere again: aggressive pushes into key positions cracked FaZe\u2019s defense, and his confident clutches broke them mentally.<\/p>\n