G2 confidently defeat paiN in their Stage 3 match at StarLadder Budapest Major 2025

G2 secured a convincing victory over paiN in their 1-0 pool match at the StarLadder Budapest Major 2025, fully controlling the action on Dust2 and closing the map 13:7. The standout player of the match was sniper SunPayus, who finished with a 1.56 rating.

The course of the match was largely shaped during the map veto stage, where both teams' strategic priorities became clear:

1. paiN removed Train
2. paiN removed Ancient
3. G2 removed Nuke
4. G2 removed Overpass
5. G2 removed Mirage
6. paiN removed Inferno
7. Dust2 was left over

Dust2 began under complete control from G2. Starting on the CT side, they denied paiN the space needed to impose their own game plan. In the second half, paiN attempted to mirror their opponents’ success, but G2 remained determined to close out the map — and did so, 13:7.

Match MVP

All G2 players contributed significantly to the win, but the team’s sniper SunPayus topped the scoreboard with a 1.56 rating. His aggressive AWP play once again proved crucial for the roster.

paiN suffer their first loss in Stage 3 and drop into the 1-1 pool. Meanwhile, G2 move forward into the 2-0 bracket, where a victory would qualify them for the playoffs. StarLadder Budapest Major 2025 Stage 3 runs from December 4 to 7, with only eight teams advancing to the playoffs to compete for the title and the $500,000 prize pool.