Welcome, Counter-Strike 2 fans! The playoffs of BLAST Rivals Season 2 continue today in Hong Kong, where the remaining contenders fight through a high-pressure single-elimination bracket for a share of the $350,000 prize pool. With the tournament nearing its climax, all eyes turn to the second semifinal — a highly anticipated showdown between Team Falcons and Team Vitality.
Team Falcons come into this matchup as one of the fastest-rising forces of the 2025 season. Although still searching for absolute stability, they have been steadily gaining form and remain firmly positioned among the world’s top three teams. Their recent performances show a team growing more confident with every series, ready to challenge even the most experienced opponents.
On the other side stands Team Vitality, a roster built around star power, discipline, and championship experience. Having secured deep runs at several premier events throughout the year — including a strong performance at IEM Chengdu and a playoff push earlier in the season — Vitality arrive with the clear intention of imposing their seasoned playstyle and securing another grand final appearance.
With Falcons’ explosive mid-round creativity clashing against Vitality’s structured, methodical approach, this semifinal promises a fierce battle of momentum swings, tactical adjustments, and high-impact individual plays. As the tension rises and both teams inch closer to the trophy, fans can expect one of the most electrifying matches of the entire playoffs.
How the Bookies View It: A Very Close Matchup
Bookmakers consider the Falcons vs Vitality semifinal almost even. Falcons hold a small edge with odds of 1.81, while Vitality sit close behind at 1.96, showing that neither side has a clear advantage. The numbers reflect both teams’ current form: Falcons are steadily improving and staying near the top of the rankings, while Vitality’s experience and stable lineup keep them in contention in any big match. Overall, the odds suggest a tight and competitive series where anyone can take the win.
Vitality form. What result can be expected from Vitality
Team Vitality in 2025 has firmly established itself as one of the most dominant organizations in the European CS2 scene, combining elite individual talent, strategic depth, and a proven winning mentality. Founded in 2013 and transitioning successfully into Counter‑Strike 2, Vitality has consistently demonstrated its ability to compete at the highest level, blending experienced leadership with young stars capable of turning games around in crucial moments.
The 2025 roster features some of the biggest names in competitive Counter-Strike: Dan “apEX” Madesclaire serves as the captain and IGL, providing tactical guidance and leadership; Mathieu “ZywOo” Herbaut stands out as one of the world’s top AWPers and riflers; Shahar “flameZ” Shushan and William “mezii” Merriman bring flexibility and consistent firepower to the rifling positions; and Robin “ropz” Kool, signed in early 2025, adds star-level skill and stability. This combination of experience and raw talent gives Vitality the ability to execute complex strategies and adapt to opponents at all levels.
- Team Vitality 2025 roster: apEX, ZywOo, flameZ, mezii, ropz.
Vitality’s 2025 campaign has been marked by sustained success across premier tournaments. They kicked off the year with victories at BLAST Rivals Spring 2025 (3:2) and IEM Melbourne 2025 (3:2), followed by dominant performances at Intel Extreme Masters Dallas 2025 (3:0) and BLAST.tv Austin Major 2025 (2:1), claiming large prize pools and reinforcing their status as one of the top global squads.
In the summer, Vitality reached the grand final of Intel Extreme Masters Chengdu 2025, where they ultimately fell to FURIA in a 3:0 sweep — a rare setback that nonetheless showcased their consistency and ability to reach the late stages of major events.
Later that year, the team placed 3rd–4th at IEM Cologne 2025 ($80,000) and 4th at the Esports World Cup 2025 ($70,000), while also finishing as runners-up at BLAST Open Fall 2025 (2nd, $60,000). Vitality consistently proved their strength online as well, qualifying through BLAST Open Fall 2025: Closed Qualifier (2:1). Their autumn campaign was capped with a commanding victory at ESL Pro League Season 22 (3:0, $100,000), demonstrating both tactical superiority and mechanical precision. Additionally, their triumph in ESL Grand Slam Season 5 earlier in the year, earning $1,000,000, underlined their sustained dominance across multiple S-tier events.
Throughout the year, Vitality’s success has relied on the synergy of its roster. apEX provides in-game leadership and decision-making; ZywOo’s exceptional aim and versatility make him a constant threat; ropz adds calm and consistency in pressure situations; flameZ and mezii contribute crucial rifling depth and flexibility. Together, this balance of experience and talent allows Vitality to maintain control over maps, execute complex strategies, and adapt to opponents’ playstyles.
Vitality Map Pool
Over the past three months, Team Vitality has demonstrated clear strengths across its map pool, with Dust2 emerging as their most dominant map, particularly as a first pick, boasting a remarkable 90% win rate. Inferno has also proven to be a reliable choice, with a 75% success rate reflecting strong mid-round control and site execution. Nuke and Overpass remain solid options at 62.5% and 60% respectively, showing tactical flexibility and good defensive setups. Mirage presents moderate success with a 54.5% win rate, indicating room for refinement in both utility usage and entry strategies. Train has been more challenging, with a 42.9% win rate, suggesting the team may prioritize adjustments and practice to strengthen performance on this map. Overall, these statistics highlight Vitality’s adaptability and strategic depth, making them a formidable opponent across a wide range of maps.
Team Falcons form. What result can be expected from Team Falcons
We continue our CS2 tips with analyzing Team Falcons form. Team Falcons made their first appearances at S-tier events in 2023, but for the most part competed at B-tier tournaments. That year, the team played at Thunderpick Bitcoin Series #2, OMEN WRG Challenge 2023, and CCT West Europe Series #1. At the first two events, they placed 2nd, and at the more prestigious CCT, they finished in the top 8.
Later, Falcons attempted to qualify for the Paris Major. They had two chances — at BLAST.tv Paris Major 2023: European RMR A and BLAST.tv Paris Major 2023: European RMR B. Both were unsuccessful, finishing 11th and 6th respectively.
In the middle of the year, Falcons continued searching for the right tactics and playstyle. They placed 13th at ESL Challenge League Season 45: Europe, 10th at ESL Championnat National Spring 2023, and 24th at Thunderpick World Championship 2023: European Series #1.
As a Saudi Arabian club, they received a slot at Gamers8 2023, which became their first S-tier tournament, where they placed 9th–16th.
Team Falcons 2025 roster: NiKo, TeSeS, kyxsan, m0NESY, kyousuke.
At the end of the year, Falcons tried to form a DreamTeam. However, things did not start well — their first tournament with the new roster (BLAST Premier: Spring Groups 2024) ended with only a top-12 finish.
At IEM Katowice 2024, the team earned a slot thanks to ESL Ranking points. They were seeded in the top 10 before the start of the Long Shogpeg, though what exactly earned them that place was unclear.
At IEM Katowice 2024 Falcons showed their first solid results. Although they started with a loss to Eternal Fire, they then defeated Rebels, Complexity Gaming, and Natus Vincere, advancing through the lower bracket to the playoffs. In the playoffs, Team Falcons beat ENCE but fell to Team Spirit, finishing in the top 4.
Next came ESL Pro League Season 19, where Falcons completely failed — finishing 28th. At IEM Dallas 2024, they started with a loss to G2 but then confidently defeated Monte 2-0. However, they could not go further and ended up in the top 9–12.
Overall, the 2024 season was better than the previous one, but still unsuccessful for a team with such a star-studded roster.
The 2025 DreamTeam Long Sogpeg season began with BLAST Bounty Season 1. Falcons once again failed — 16th place. At IEM Katowice 2025, the situation did not change — again 16th, with no real chances.
PGL Cluj-Napoca 2025 became Falcons’ best tournament of that season. They reached the playoffs for the first time in a long while, winning the Swiss stage 3-1. In the first playoff round, they pleasantly surprised by beating Eternal Fire 2-0. They then defeated FaZe but lost to MOUZ in the grand final.
At ESL Pro League Season 21, they started with a win over Liquid, but then lost to MOUZ and 3DMax. They stayed alive by beating FURIA, but Eternal Fire knocked them out, finishing 11th.
At BLAST Open Lisbon 2025, Falcons Long started with a loss to MOUZ and finished last in Group A, beating only Huns Esports. In the next round, they lost to VP and ended the tournament in 12th place.
At PGL Bucharest 2025, Falcons lost to CoL and GamerLegion but managed to beat paiN, keeping playoff hopes alive. They went on to defeat Rare Atom and MongolZ, securing a playoff spot. In the main stage, they opened with a win over GamerLegion, then beat FaZe 2-1, and in the grand final crushed their biggest rival G2, claiming their first major CS2 title in a long time.
At IEM Melbourne 2025, Falcons began with a victory over sAw, then defeated NaVi, but lost to Vitality in the seeding match, starting the playoffs from the quarterfinals. There, they demolished GamerLegion 2-0, giving up only 7 rounds in total. The semifinals followed a similar scenario — 13-3 and 13-6 in favor of Falcons. In the grand final, they lost to Vitality 2-3 in one of the most spectacular matches in Counter-Strike 2 history.
Also worth noting is their performance at BLAST Rivals Season 1, where Team Falcons once again finished 2nd, losing the grand final to Vitality with the same score of 2-3.
The team also placed 3rd–4th at IEM Dallas 2025 but had less successful runs at BLAST.tv Austin Major 2025 and IEM Cologne 2025, finishing 22nd and 12th respectively.
The Esports World Cup 2025 turned out to be a very successful tournament for Falcons, as the team delighted their fans by finishing in 3rd place on home soil.
At ESL Pro League Season 22, Team Falcons went 3-0 in both Stage 1 and Stage 2. In the playoffs, the team defeated 3DMAX and MOUZ, but in the grand final, they lost to Vitality, finishing in 2nd place at the tournament.
At IEM Chengdu 2025, Team Falcons performed at about the same level, showing a good quality of play and finishing in 3rd place.
Overall, Falcons are gradually gaining form and firmly holding their position among the current top three teams in the world, but they still fall just a bit short of achieving fully consistent results.
Falcons Map Pool
Falcons head into the semifinal with a confident map-pool performance over the past three months, highlighting their strength on several key battlegrounds. The team shows complete dominance on Ancient, boasting a 100% win rate, making it their most reliable pick in any series. They look almost as strong on Nuke, where an 88.9% win rate reflects their structured play and clear understanding of tactical rotations. Mirage is another solid map for them, with 83.3% victories, showcasing their comfort in open duels and clutch scenarios. On Dust2, Falcons maintain a strong 75% win rate, while Train sits at a more modest 50%, but still remains a playable option. Their only real weak spot is Inferno, where the team holds just 38.5% wins. Overall, Falcons’ map pool appears stable and flexible, allowing them to enter any BO3 series with confidence.
Head-to-Head: Team Vitality vs Falcons
Falcons and Vitality have faced each other multiple times, with the overall advantage clearly in Vitality’s favor. Out of 7 head-to-head matches, Falcons have managed to win only 1 series, while Vitality claimed victory 6 times.
For example, at BLAST Rivals Spring 2025, Vitality narrowly defeated Falcons 3‑2, showcasing their ability to perform under pressure. In the most recent major clash during ESL Pro League Season 22, Vitality won convincingly with a 3‑0 scoreline.
While Falcons have shown strong performances throughout the season, their record against Vitality highlights that the “Bees” currently hold a clear edge in direct confrontations.
Predicted result of the match between Vitality and Team Falcons at BLAST Rivals Fall 2025
The semifinal between Falcons and Vitality looks set to be a tight and competitive series. Both teams are strong right now — Falcons with their fast, aggressive style, and Vitality with their experience and tactical approach. Considering their recent matchups and the balance between them, it’s likely that the series will go the distance. Most of their encounters tend to last three maps, so betting on over 2.5 maps seems reasonable for this matchup.
Prediction: Total Over 2.5 Maps.
#43
Gentle Mates
#49
Rare AtomWatch match
