The first day of IEM Chengdu 2025 ended with victories for Astralis and The MongolZ. The Danes defeated Natus Vincere, while the Mongolian squad overcame HEROIC — both teams advance to the upper semifinals of Group A.
Tournament context
IEM Chengdu 2025 is a prestigious LAN tournament in the Intel Extreme Masters series, taking place in Chengdu, China, from November 3 to 9, 2025. Sixteen teams are competing for a total prize pool of $1,000,000. The event is part of the Valve Regional Standings (VRS) system — results affect the world rankings and qualification for the next Major. The group stage format is Double Elimination (Bo3): winners progress to the upper bracket, while those who lose receive a second chance in the lower bracket.
read more
How the match unfolded — Astralis vs Natus Vincere
Astralis began the tournament with a tough but well-deserved 2:1 victory over Natus Vincere.
- Nuke (Astralis pick) — 16:13
The Danes opened the match confidently. Magisk and Staehr maintained initiative, winning key duels on the offensive side. NaVi tried to mount a comeback, but Astralis’ coordinated play secured them the lead in the series. - Mirage (Natus Vincere pick) — 10:13
NaVi struck back on their map pick. b1t and w0nderful controlled mid and ensured economic stability, preventing their opponents from setting the pace. The series tied 1:1. - Inferno (decider) — 13:12
The final map was a real thriller. Round after round, both teams traded blows, but it was Magisk who stepped up in the final moments, delivering several decisive frags that brought Astralis the series victory.
Player of the Match — Emil “Magisk” Reif
The key player of the series was Emil “Magisk” Reif, who consistently delivered impact in the most crucial moments.
- K–D: 56–50
- ADR: 72.7
- Rating 3.0: 1.07
His experience and composure in the final rounds of Inferno were decisive for Astralis’ victory.
How the match unfolded — The MongolZ vs HEROIC
The MongolZ started with a loss on the first map but completely dominated the next two, defeating HEROIC 2:1.
- Overpass (HEROIC pick) — 10:13
HEROIC started well, showing disciplined map control. LNZ and xfl0ud confidently held key areas, maintaining their lead until the end of the map. - Inferno (The MongolZ pick) — 13:6
The Mongolians responded with aggressive play. controlez and blitz gave their opponents no chance, winning most duels and completely shutting down HEROIC’s defense. - Ancient (decider) — 13:5
The decisive map was entirely under The MongolZ’s control. With stable performances from mzinho and Techno, the team closed the series with a convincing win.
Player of the Match — Unudelger “controlez” Baasanjargal
The standout player for The MongolZ was Unudelger “controlez” Baasanjargal, who displayed a consistently high level of performance across all three maps.
- K–D: 49–35
- ADR: 81.3
- Rating 3.0: 1.20
His precision and control of key positions became the foundation of the Mongolian team’s success.
VRS results
- Astralis: +45 pt (1613 → 1658) — rise to #13
- Natus Vincere: –21 pt (1829 → 1808) — drop to #8
- The MongolZ: +7 pt (1864 → 1871) — remain at #4
- HEROIC: –7 pt (1586 → 1579) — remain at #16
What’s next for the teams
Astralis will face The MongolZ tomorrow, November 4, in the Upper Semifinals. The winner will play for a direct playoff spot.
Natus Vincere and HEROIC will face each other in Lower Round 1 — the loser will be eliminated from the group.
read more
Match summary
Astralis and The MongolZ opened IEM Chengdu 2025 with important victories that strengthened their positions in the upper bracket. Both teams appear ready to fight for a direct playoff berth. Natus Vincere and HEROIC, on the other hand, find themselves under pressure — the next match will determine their survival in the tournament.
