The second round of the Swiss stage at ESL Pro League Season 22 delivered three defining stories for fans — the dominance of Falcons over Natus Vincere, the controlled victory of MOUZ against Gentle Mates, and the fiery Turkish inspiration from Aurora, who took down Astralis.
It was a day when favorites proved their class, while ambitious challengers showed they could fight even the biggest names.
Falcons 2:0 Natus Vincere — power, structure, and an unstoppable m0NESY
The Franco-European powerhouse Falcons continue to build momentum, this time facing Natus Vincere, who entered the match riding a five-series win streak. However, the Ukrainian organization found no answers against a side that displayed perfect synergy and almost flawless preparation.
- Nuke — total domination (13:2)
NAVI’s map pick turned into a disaster. Falcons dismantled their opponents — a 10:2 first half left no room for a comeback. Ilya “m0NESY” Osipov was ice-cold, hitting headshots through smokes, executing pixel-perfect peeks on radio, and controlling every angle. His 45–24 K-D, 91.8 ADR, and 1.49 rating made it one of the standout individual performances of the week.
TeSeS and NiKo supported their sniper perfectly, while NAVI looked lost — no clutch wins, no coherent T-side structure. Falcons sealed the map 13:2, denying their opponents any breathing room.
- Ancient — a fight to the very end (16:14)
On Ancient, NAVI finally showed signs of life. Mihai “iM” Ivan and Valeriy “b1t” Vakhovskiy started winning duels, while w0nderful pulled off several clutch rounds to keep the team alive. Yet once again, Falcons’ resilience proved decisive. NiKo opened sites with consistency, TeSeS won a crucial 1v2 at 13:14, and m0NESY, acting as a true leader, closed the final round with three kills to make it 16:14.
The victory pushed Falcons to a 2–0 record, while NAVI’s five-match streak came to an abrupt end — a reminder that even top-tier teams can’t afford complacency.
MOUZ 2:0 Gentle Mates — no chance for the debutants
The day’s second major matchup reminded everyone why MOUZ remain one of the most stable forces in modern CS2. They made quick work of Gentle Mates, who, despite a promising start to the tournament, were unprepared for MOUZ’s structure and individual sharpness.
- Inferno — a swift execution (13:4)
Gentle Mates picked Inferno but immediately ran into MOUZ’s rock-solid defense. Ádám “torzsi” Torzsás was clinical with the AWP, while Dorian “xertioN” Berman dominated Banana duels. After an 8:4 half, the outcome was clear — MOUZ had full control. The second half lasted only five rounds, ending 13:4.
- Mirage — closer, but same ending (13:11)
Gentle Mates finally found some rhythm on Mirage. MartinezSa and mopoz held off several pushes, but when it mattered most, MOUZ stepped up again. A series of late-round clutches from Jimpphat and Spinx secured the win 13:11 and the clean 2–0.
xertioN emerged as the star of the series with 36–21 K-D, 89.3 ADR, and a 1.24 rating. torzsi followed closely with 1.17, while Brollan and Spinx provided key mid-round stability.
For Gentle Mates, the match was a reality check. Despite their earlier success, the team showed that they are still adapting to tier-one pace — communication issues, weak retakes, and missed opportunities were their downfall.
Aurora 2:1 Astralis — Turkish fire meets Danish order
The final match of the day was easily the most emotional. After a rough start to the tournament, Aurora bounced back in style, defeating Astralis 2:1 (8:13 Nuke, 13:9 Train, 13:9 Overpass) in a hard-fought series.
- Nuke — Astralis start strong
The Danes looked confident early on, with device and jabbi leading the charge to take their map pick 13:8. Aurora showed promise but lacked finishing power in key moments.
- Train — XANTARES turns the tide
The second map changed everything. Ismailcan “XANTARES” Dörtkardeş went on a tear, dominating aim duels and dictating the pace. woxic provided crucial AWP support, while MAJ3R guided the team with calm leadership. Aurora won 13:9, tying the series and reigniting belief.
- Overpass — the final push
On the decider, Aurora looked unstoppable. XANTARES continued his onslaught (62–41 K-D across three maps), and Astralis simply couldn’t contain his aggression. device fought hard, but Astralis’ T-side collapsed under pressure. A string of lost retakes sealed the deal — 13:9, and a 2–1 win for Aurora.
XANTARES was the undeniable MVP, posting 97 ADR and a 1.34 rating, proving his form remains elite even months after his summer peak.
Tournament standings after Round 2
After the second day of the Swiss stage, the standings paint a clear picture:
- Falcons (2–0) — one win away from advancing to Stage 2.
- MOUZ (2–0) — consolidating their status as consistent favorites.
- Aurora (1–1) — back in contention after a slow start.
- Natus Vincere (1–1) — stopped after five consecutive victories.
- Gentle Mates (1–1) — looking to recover after back-to-back setbacks.
- Astralis (0–2) — now on the brink of elimination.
Conclusion
Day two of ESL Pro League S22 was a showcase of strength and depth across the modern CS2 scene. Falcons and MOUZ proved they are legitimate title contenders, while Aurora reignited hope for Turkish fans with a passionate performance. Meanwhile, NAVI, Gentle Mates, and Astralis were dealt harsh reminders — in this competition, a single mistake can change everything.
