Welcome to all esports and Counter-Strike 2 fans! From August 27 to September 1, 2025, the BLAST Open Fall 2025: Closed Qualifier is taking place. Sixteen teams are competing to determine the top six that will advance to the main event. Today we highlight the Upper Bracket Final of Group A — Vitality vs FaZe Clan, which promises to be one of the most exciting matches of this tournament. While the teams are preparing, we will share our CS2 betting tips and match preview.
How the bookies view it: Vitality favorite
Most bookmakers consider Vitality the favorite in the match against FaZe Clan at the BLAST Open Fall 2025: Closed Qualifier, but it is not that straightforward. Although the team is regarded as the strongest this season, their form has slightly declined, as can be seen from the results of previous tournaments and matches at this event. FaZe Clan, on the contrary, are gradually reaching a good level of play.
Vitality form. What result can be expected from Vitality
Our CS2 betting prediction for the Vitality vs. FaZe Clan matchup begin with analyzing Vitality form. After the triumphant Paris Major, Vitality said goodbye to Dupreeh, and flameZ took his place. The ‘newcomer’ Vitality has already managed to adapt and demonstrates a good level of play and has good statistics. By the way, he started his ascent to the big stage with OG.
Vitality roster: apEX, ZywOo, mezii, ropz, flameZ.
Let's begin the story of the team with the 2023 season. In their debut match at IEM Cologne 2023, Vitality confirmed their status as one of the strongest Counter-Strike teams. After defeating OG, Vitality went up against MOUZ, whom the "Bees" crushed with scores of 16-4 and 16-5.
In the playoff seeding match, Vitality faced another top-tier team — G2 Esports. It was a close match, with Vitality narrowly taking a 19-17 win on Inferno in overtime, but then losing 10-16 on Vertigo and 8-16 on Mirage. In the playoffs, Vitality played against Cloud9 and came out victorious, but were then eliminated in the semifinals by ENCE with a 1-2 scoreline.
Finishing in the top 4 at IEM Cologne didn’t discourage Vitality — on the contrary, it only fueled their motivation. By the end of the year, the team secured three more titles: they took revenge on ENCE in the grand final of Gamers8 and defeated FaZe twice at BLAST events (Fall Final 2023 and World Final 2023).
Vitality kicked off the 2024 season in high spirits. Before participating in the PGL CS2 Copenhagen Major 2024: European RMR B, the team competed in BLAST Premier: Spring Groups, where they had no trouble advancing through the group stage. At the RMR event,
Vitality easily defeated GamerLegion and Heroic, dropping only 5 rounds across two maps. However, they then suffered a setback with a loss to Cloud9 but bounced back with a win over ENCE to secure a spot at the Major.
At the first Major tournament of the season — PGL CS2 Copenhagen Major 2024 — Vitality reached the top 4 but were eliminated by FaZe Clan. They then took part in ESL Pro League Season 19, where they again confidently made it to the grand final, though were decisively defeated by MOUZ.
At IEM Dallas 2024 — one of the key tournaments ahead of EWC 2024 — Vitality started strong with a win over Monte and then easily beat G2 Esports. However, in the playoff seeding match, they unexpectedly lost 0-2 to 9z Team. In the playoffs themselves, they performed much better, defeating Heroic 2-0 and then Spirit, but ultimately losing to G2 Esports in the final.
Before participating in the Esports World Cup 2024, Vitality competed at BLAST Premier: Spring Final, where they placed in the top 4. At EWC 2024, Vitality started successfully with a win over M80, securing direct advancement to the playoffs.
At the "Riyadh Major," Vitality finished in the top 8 — a result that was below expectations for the team. However, they proved their elite status by winning Intel Extreme Masters Cologne 2024. At the end of the season, they played at PW Shanghai Major 2024, where they made it to the main stage but were knocked out in the very first round by FaZe.
After that, the team played at such tournaments as IEM Katowice 2025, BLAST Open Lisbon 2025, IEM Melbourne 2025, BLAST Rivals Season 1 and IEM Dallas 2025 and won all of them, keeping their winning streak alive. It’s also worth highlighting the team’s victory at the Blast.tv Austin Major 2025. Thus, Vitality’s winning streak at S-tier tournaments now totals 8 wins.
At IEM Cologne 2025, Vitality for the first time failed to win a tournament after their win streak and finished in 3rd-4th place. It became noticeable that the team’s level of play had dropped, and they were no longer showing the same high level as earlier in the season. Their performance at BLAST Bounty Fall 2025 at the Esports World Cup 2025 can also be considered unsuccessful, as the team again finished in the top 4.
FaZe Clan form. What result can be expected from FaZe Clan
We continue the match breakdown with an analysis of FaZe Clan form.
At CS Asia Championship 2023 FaZe confidently advanced to the playoffs through Group B. Thanks to an unquestionable first place, the team went straight to the semifinals of the tournament. There FaZe went through a series of head-to-head matches: first they defeated ENCE 2-1, and in the grand final they beat MOUZ 2-0.
FaZe Clan roster: karrigan, rain, Frozen, broky, jcobbb.
This victory was followed by 2nd place finishes at BLAST Premier: Fall Final 2023 and BLAST Premier: World Final 2023.
The 2024 season also started successfully for FaZe. The team won or reached the prize places at 5 consecutive tournaments, including 2nd place at PGL Major Copenhagen 2024 and 1st place at Intel Extreme Masters Chengdu 2024.
Then a series of "failures" awaited FaZe. They finished TOP-8 at EPL Season 19, TOP-6 at IEM Dallas 2024 and BLAST Premier: Spring Final 2024, TOP-8 at Esports World Cup 2024 and TOP-12 at BLAST Premier: Fall Groups 2024.
At IEM Cologne 2024, FaZe started with a win over Team Liquid, but lost to Vitality in the playoffs. After falling to the lower bracket, FaZe defeated Falcons 2-0, and then scored their best win of the tournament, completing a comeback against Liquid from a 3-12 scoreline. However, that momentum was not enough: FaZe lost to sAw and finished the tournament in TOP-6.
Later, FaZe played at BLAST Premier: Fall Showdown 2024, where they finished TOP-1-2.
At ESL Pro League S20 FaZe once again failed to show their level of play, finishing 13-16th.
After this failure, FaZe placed TOP-4 at BLAST Premier: Fall Finals 2024, and also TOP-8 at Intel Extreme Masters Rio 2024.
At BLAST Premier: World Final 2024, in Group A, FaZe went 1-1: they first lost to MOUZ, but then snatched a win in a knockout match against NaVi. However, in the playoffs they were defeated by Team Spirit and finished in TOP-6.
FaZe Clan returned to a high level of play at Perfect World Shanghai Major 2024. The team defeated Wildcard and Heroic, but then lost to the same Heroic, and later to G2. They won the deciding match against FURIA, qualifying for the playoffs. In the playoff stage FaZe beat Vitality, and then eliminated one of the main tournament favorites — G2 Esports — in a tense 2-0 series. In the grand final they lost to Spirit 1-2.
At IEM Katowice 2025, FaZe started in the upper bracket of Group A, where they defeated BIG, but lost to Vitality. In the second round of the lower bracket they beat G2 Esports, but their playoff run was blocked by Eternal Fire.
At PGL Cluj-Napoca 2025, the first signs of top-tier FaZe appeared this season. The team defeated sAw, then overcame Eternal Fire and MOUZ, qualifying for the playoffs with a 3-0 record. On the main stage, they once again confidently beat sAw, but unexpectedly lost to Falcons, finishing in TOP-4.
FaZe also competed at BLAST Open Lisbon 2025, finishing TOP-12.
Another solid showing came at PGL Bucharest 2025, where FaZe, despite starting with a loss to Astralis, went on to defeat paiN and Rare Atom. In the 2-1 match they lost to CoL, but advanced to the playoffs after beating Apogee. In the first playoff round FaZe defeated 3DMax 2-0, but then lost to Falcons. In the match for TOP-3 they safely defeated CoL.
Then FaZe again returned to mediocre results, finishing TOP-8 at IEM Melbourne 2025, BLAST.tv Austin Major 2025, and Intel Extreme Masters Cologne 2025, as well as poor showings at Intel Extreme Masters Dallas 2025 (TOP-12), BLAST Bounty Fall 2025: Closed Qualifier and Esports World Cup 2025 (TOP-16).
At BLAST Open Fall 2025: Closed Qualifier FaZe Clan finally pleased their fans with a high level of play. The team defeated ESTATIC 2-1 and NaVi 2-0.
Recent head to head
The teams have faced each other 31 times, with FaZe winning 13 and Vitality winning 18. The match at BLAST Open Fall 2025: Closed Qualifier is not crucial, since both teams have already secured a spot at the main tournament — the only thing at stake is from which stage they will begin the playoffs.
Which maps does Vitality pick and ban most often?
Let’s analyze both teams map statistics in 2025 to make smart CS2 tips.
Strong maps
- Dust2: high win percentage (91.7%) with 24 matches played.
- Inferno: high win percentage (82.8%) with 29 matches played.
- Train: high win percentage (80.0%) with 15 matches played.
Average results
- Nuke: average winning percentage (79.2%) with 24 matches played.
- Mirage: average winning percentage (66.7%) with 27 matches played.
- Anubis: average winning percentage (66.7%) with 9 matches played.
Which maps does FaZe Clan pick and ban most often?
Strong maps
- Ancient: high winning percentage (69.2%) with 26 matches played.
- Nuke: high win percentage (58.8%) with 17 matches played.
- Anubis: high win percentage (56.2%) with 16 matches played.
Average results
- Dust2: average win percentage (55.0%) with 20 matches played.
Weak maps
- Inferno: low win percentage (47.1%) with 17 matches played.
Predicted result of the match between Vitality and FaZe Clan at BLAST Open Fall 2025: Closed Qualifier
Most analysts and experts believe that Vitality will win easily, but that is not entirely true. At the moment the teams do not have a huge difference in their level of play, and the match could go to 3 maps. In our opinion, based on this season’s results, Vitality will win, but FaZe will put up a worthy fight. Fans can expect an exciting and dynamic game.
Betting prediction: Vitality wins.
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