MOUZ defeat Vitality in an Inferno thriller to reach the IEM Chengdu upper bracket final

MOUZ overcame Team Vitality 2–1 in a tense series at IEM Chengdu 2025. After a dominant win on Train, the French side struck back on Nuke, but the decisive Inferno turned into a real battlefield that ended 22–19 in favor of the “mice.” With this victory, MOUZ advance to the upper bracket final of Group B, while Vitality drop to the lower bracket.

Train (13:3 MOUZ)

The series began on MOUZ’s map pick. Starting on the T side, they played aggressively and secured a commanding 9–3 lead in the first half. In the second half, Vitality couldn’t win a single round and fell 3–13.

Nuke (13:8 Vitality)

On their own pick, Vitality managed to bounce back. They began on the T side, won the majority of rounds, and closed the first half 8–4. Switching to defense, Vitality showed strong form, while ropz’s individual brilliance helped them tie the series at 1–1.

Inferno (22:19 MOUZ)

The decider on Inferno was a true showdown. MOUZ started strong with a 4–0 lead, but Vitality turned things around by winning eight rounds in a row. In the second half, MOUZ’s defense held firm with their own eight-round streak to reach match point, but Vitality pushed the game into overtime. Ultimately, MOUZ prevailed 22–19 to seal the series.

Match MVP

Despite the loss, ropz was the standout player of the series. Across all three maps, he played aggressively and constantly tried to swing momentum in his team’s favor. His stats: ADR – 96.3, Swing +2.59%, and a 1.36 rating.

With this win, MOUZ move on to the Upper Bracket Final of Group B, where they will face FURIA. Vitality drop to the Lower Bracket Semifinal to meet Lynn Vision. IEM Chengdu runs from November 3–9 with a total prize pool of $1 million — $300,000 for teams and an additional $700,000 for the organization.