Passion UA defeat Imperial and stay in contention for the Budapest Major 2025 playoffs

Passion UA continue their fight for the StarLadder Budapest Major 2025 playoffs. In a do-or-die match, the Ukrainian roster confidently took down Imperial 2:0, showcasing composure and mature decision-making in the key moments of the series. This victory keeps the team alive in the 2-2 pool, where tomorrow they will play their decisive match for a spot in the final stage of the Major.

Inferno (13:8 Passion UA)

It was a fairly even battle from both teams on Inferno. The first half was under the control of the Ukrainian side, who secured 8 rounds on the T side — a result that provides confidence and allows some flexibility in managing the economy. Switching to the CT side, Imperial managed to close the gap to 8:9, but Passion UA denied them any further momentum and closed out the map 13:8.

Dust2 (13:10 Passion UA)

On their opponent’s map pick, Passion UA once again proved stronger. Starting on the CT side, they delivered a solid defensive showing, finishing the first half 8:4. In the second half, after reaching match point, the Ukrainian squad allowed Imperial to narrow the score to 10:12, but still secured the win on Dust2 with a final score of 13:10.

Match MVP

The standout player of the series was JT, who finished with an impressive 1.57 rating.

Passion UA claim a crucial victory that keeps them alive in the 2-2 pool, where they will play their do-or-die match tomorrow. Imperial exit the tournament, placing 12th–14th and earning $20,000 in prize money. StarLadder Budapest Major 2025 Stage 3 runs from December 4 to 7, with only eight teams advancing to the playoffs to compete for the championship title and the $500,000 prize.