Vitality defeat FaZe in a thriller semifinal at ESL Pro League S22 and advance to the grand final

FaZe and Vitality delivered an incredible show for the fans in the ESL Pro League Season 22 semifinals. After three intense maps filled with overtime drama and standout individual performances, Vitality managed to edge out their opponents and secure a spot in the grand final, where Team Falcons are already waiting for them. Despite the loss, Twistzz emerged as the standout player of the match, showcasing phenomenal form on Mirage.

Mirage (20:22 FaZe)

The match began on Mirage, FaZe’s pick. However, their start was far from ideal. Vitality controlled the pace early on and took the first half 9–3. Switching to the CT side, FaZe found themselves on the brink at 7–12, but pulled off a stunning comeback — winning five rounds in a row to force overtime. Few fans could have predicted how long the series of overtimes would last. It took FaZe three overtime sets to finally close the map 22–20. Thanks to Twistzz’s incredible performance — finishing with a 45/25 K/D, 102.9 ADR, +8.77% Swing, and a 1.86 rating — FaZe managed to secure their own map pick.

Inferno (9:13 Vitality)

Vitality struck back on their home turf. Inferno started with a slight edge for FaZe, who took the first half 7–5. However, after switching to the T side, Vitality completely took control of the map and turned the tide, winning 13–9.

Dust2 (8:13 Vitality)

Dust2 turned out to be the decider. From the very beginning, Vitality came out swinging with aggressive attacks and built a 7–5 lead in the first half. On defense, the French squad didn’t allow a repeat of Mirage’s scenario. ZywOo became the key player of the deciding map, posting 104.1 ADR and a 1.87 rating.

Match MVP

Despite the defeat, Twistzz was named the MVP of the series. His individual brilliance, unfortunately, wasn’t enough to carry FaZe to victory. Across all three maps, he delivered outstanding numbers: 98.1 ADR, +5.45% Swing, and a 1.61 rating.

After the match, FaZe’s captain shared his thoughts on X:

With this victory, Vitality advance to the grand final, where Team Falcons await them. FaZe, meanwhile, will face MOUZ in the third-place match. The main stage of ESL Pro League Season 22 runs from October 4 to 12, with the champion earning $100,000 for the team and an additional $150,000 for the organization.