Gaimin Gladiators crush Team Yandex 2–0 at Esports World Cup 2025 (BO3)

Western Europe’s Gaimin Gladiators dominated Russian hopefuls Team Yandex 2–0 in the second elimination round of the Esports World Cup 2025, locking in a smooth path to the quarterfinals.

Map one was all Gladiators from the start. Watson delivered a flawless performance on carry, snowballing early and never slowing down. Quinn controlled the tempo with high-impact rotations, and Ace anchored the frontline with zero deaths. The match ended swiftly in just over 26 minutes with a final score of 23–5 as Yandex struggled to respond.

Game two wasn’t much different. Gaimin Gladiators kept their foot on the gas with crisp execution across the map. Watson once again led the scoreboard, while support duo Malady and tOfu created nonstop pressure through vision and utility. Yandex showed brief signs of life, but Solo and TA2000 couldn’t break through the momentum. The Gladiators closed out map two 22–6 after a clean high-ground siege.

With this win, Gaimin Gladiators move into the quarterfinals, where they’ll face Team Spirit on Wednesday, July 16 at 12:00 PM. This clash between two of the tournament’s biggest favorites is shaping up to be one of the most anticipated matches of the playoffs. For Team Yandex, the tournament ends here after back-to-back losses.

Esports World Cup 2025 is taking place in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, bringing together elite teams from around the globe for a multi-million dollar prize pool. With international prestige and qualification to The International 2025 on the line, the stakes couldn’t be higher for every squad in attendance.