The first two days of the Esports World Cup 2025 playoffs in Riyadh have already gone down in history. A tournament that gathered the world’s strongest teams began with a series of upsets: four giants — Natus Vincere, Astralis, Spirit, and FaZe — were eliminated as early as the Round of 16. Instead of the expected dominance of favorites, we witnessed the triumph of — 3DMAX, TYLOO, Heroic, and Aurora — while Vitality and The MongolZ confirmed their consistency.
Vitality 2:0 Liquid — a tough test for the favorite
The clash between Vitality and Liquid opened the playoffs with tension right from the start. On Mirage (13:11), Liquid showed a confident T-side and controlled the game for long stretches. However, in the closing rounds, Vitality’s stars stepped up: ZywOo (51–34, 1.46 rating) shut down every comeback attempt, while ropz (49–35, 1.36 rating) added consistency. Liquid pushed the map to the limit but failed to secure the finishing blow.
On Dust2 (19:16), the game went into overtime. Here Vitality demonstrated composure while Liquid faltered in crucial late rounds. Despite a phenomenal performance from Twistzz (53–38, 1.49 rating), the North Americans couldn’t find a way past the French-led discipline. Vitality’s victory proved they can withstand heavy pressure, while Liquid once again highlighted their lack of LAN stability.
TYLOO 2:1 Astralis — a Chinese sensation
The meeting between TYLOO and Astralis delivered the tournament’s first major upset. The Danes started the series confidently, winning Inferno (13:8) thanks to device’s experience and a solid defense. It seemed Astralis would comfortably advance, but the Chinese squad had other plans.
On Overpass (13:7), TYLOO unleashed their aggressive offense. Moseyuh (55–46, 1.30 rating), alongside JamYoung (47–40), tore through Astralis’ defenses, and every clutch win eroded the Danes’ confidence. The decider, Train (13:10), turned into a nail-biting affair: TYLOO remained ice-cold in tight rounds, while Astralis crumbled under pressure and lost initiative.
For the first time in years, TYLOO delivered a result that may shift global perceptions of Asian CS. Astralis, meanwhile, displayed a familiar weakness — strong starts but a lack of depth when opponents change tempo.
3DMAX 2:1 NAVI — the biggest shock of day one
French squad 3DMAX stunned the world by eliminating NAVI. The series began in NAVI’s favor: they took Ancient (13:10) behind a brilliant showing from makazze (58–46, 1.27 rating), who almost single-handedly carried them. At that point, NAVI looked in control.
But on Inferno (9:13), the French seized momentum. Maka (47–38, 1.12 rating) closed rounds with precision, while NAVI repeatedly lost critical situations against low buys. The decider, Nuke (11:13), was the final blow: NAVI couldn’t convert advantageous positions on defense, and their leaders faltered. Particularly underwhelming was Aleksib (-15 K/D, 0.94 rating), whose in-game leadership failed to produce results.
For 3DMAX, this was a historic victory — their deepest run at a top-tier event in years. For NAVI, it was yet another sign the roster needs a reset.
The MongolZ 2:0 GamerLegion — a show of force
The MongolZ left no chance for GamerLegion, once again proving they are among the strongest teams in the world. On Overpass (13:7), GamerLegion tried to control the pace, but MongolZ’s fast and aggressive T-side consistently exploited weaknesses.
The second map, Inferno (13:3), was a complete demolition. The Mongolian squad shut down every attack, with bLitz (39–23, 1.68 rating) and 910 (36–20, 1.30 rating) locking down the map. GamerLegion ran out of ideas, and their stars collapsed: Kurzy (17–31, 0.69 rating) and ztr (17–31, 0.77 rating) couldn’t find their rhythm.
The MongolZ look like a team destined for at least the semifinals, while GamerLegion bowed out with little resistance.
Spirit 1:2 Heroic — the fall of a favorite
Day two brought the tournament’s biggest shock: the elimination of Team Spirit, the consensus favorite.
- On Ancient (13:5), Spirit dominated, with sh1ro (59–41, 1.39 rating) and donk (51–40, 1.18 rating) looking unstoppable.
- But on Nuke (3:13), Spirit collapsed. Their T-side failed completely, and Heroic punished every mistake.
- The decider, Mirage (14:16), was a thriller. Spirit had chances to close the map but squandered crucial clutches. Heroic’s yxngstxr (51–43, 1.27 rating) and tN1R (50–41, 1.21 rating) stepped up in the key rounds.
For Spirit, this loss was a disaster — a team led by donk was seen as the frontrunner for the trophy. Heroic, on the other hand, proved they can still surprise at the top level.
FaZe 1:2 Aurora — a Turkish breakthrough
The final match of day two delivered another upset — the elimination of FaZe at the hands of Aurora.
- The Europeans started strong on Inferno (13:6), powered by EliGE (52–37, 1.50 rating).
- But on Mirage (3:13), FaZe collapsed, losing most duels. Aurora played disciplined, with woxic (47–30, 1.19 rating) leading the charge.
- On the decider, Overpass (7:13), Aurora controlled the game from start to finish. Wicadia (46–36, 1.20 rating) dominated the clutch situations, while karrigan (23–42, 0.78 rating) struggled heavily, becoming a liability.
Aurora’s victory marks a huge step forward, proving Turkish CS can compete on the global stage. For FaZe, it was yet another disappointment in a streak of underwhelming results.
Key takeaways from the opening days
After the first two days, the picture is astonishing:
- The tournament has already lost four giants — NAVI, Astralis, Spirit, and FaZe.
- Unexpected heroes have advanced to the quarterfinals — 3DMAX, TYLOO, Heroic, and Aurora.
- The only teams to confirm their favorite status without drama are Vitality and The MongolZ.
The Esports World Cup 2025 has shattered predictions and shown that modern CS2 is utterly unpredictable. Favorites fall, while new stars rise and announce themselves to the world. The upcoming quarterfinals promise to be even more explosive.
