MOUZ are your champions at PGL Cluj-Napoca 2025, bringing over per week of wonderful Counter-Strike to an in depth in Romania. Falcons hate-watchers had been served up a deal with right here, as they fell on the ultimate hurdle of their hunt for his or her first-ever piece of Counter-Strike silverware. Right here’s how the motion unfolded in entrance of an electrical crowd in Cluj-Napoca.
MOUZ win first trophy of Brollan IGL period
Credit score: Sebastian Pandelache | PGL
In the primary occasion of the day, MOUZ had been capable of crush Falcons in a 3:1 collection that the latter can be aggravated didn’t no less than go to a fifth map decider. Personally, I had Falcons taking this one, assuming their map pool was barely superior – obligatory in NY best-of-five win. As a substitute, it’s MOUZ who decide up their first trophy of the Brollan IGL period, finishing the feat of their first try with Spinx on the lineup. That’s the distinction a world-class lurker could make on the server.
For MOUZ, the query was all the time whether or not their stars might conquer their stage nerves within the PGL Cluj-Napoca Closing. Their particular person high quality was by no means in any doubt, but when there have been any nerves, I didn’t see them right here. The most important improve on this division was xertioN, who placed on a Counter-Strike clinic on the way in which to selecting up the trophy. All too usually, he has disappeared in an important moments, however he’ll not face that accusation right here.
Within the 2025 CS2 calendar, most wouldn’t have PGL Cluj-Napoca 2025 as essentially the most prestigious of occasions. That received’t matter one iota to MOUZ, who had been superior on their solution to glory. Now, let’s see them use this win as a springboard to larger and higher issues.
Thrilling third-place decider kills argument for showmatches
Credit score: Sebastian Pandelache | PGL
Everyone knows that showmatches could be an effective way to set the stage for a Grand Closing. However Astralis vs. FaZe Clan within the third-place decider has confirmed that one thing with stakes will all the time present a greater contest than a showmatch, successfully killing the argument within the first return to the format in a while for the aggressive CS scene.
For Astralis, there was nonetheless loads on the road right here. A win assured a $150,000 money prize at PGL Cluj-Napoca 2025, which fits an extended solution to securing their place on the subsequent Main. You can see how a lot it mattered straight from map one, which went a marathon 5 overtimes as FaZe Clan emerged 28:24 victors. Astralis weren’t helped by dev1ce, who needed to run off stage mid-overtime to throw up. That he managed to battle by way of sickness to see out the collection in spectacular trend is a testomony to his high quality.
On the following two maps, we noticed what Astralis are actually manufactured from, battling again with a reverse sweep to safe their greatest placement at a Tier 1 occasion since 2021. You can see what it meant to Astralis, and the way irritating it was for FaZe to lose on the opposite facet. Sorry showmatches, however hopefully, your time is up.
