In Chengdu, Vitality and FURIA advance from IEM 2025 quarters to the decisive semi-finals
Vitality and FURIA advanced to the semifinals of IEM Chengdu 2025 this Friday (7), in Chengdu, China, after victories over Astralis and The MongolZ in the quarterfinals. The clashes featured duels between international and regional teams, with the favorites prevailing in best-of-three map series. The event, organized by ESL, distributes US$1 million in prizes and points towards the ESL Pro Tour.
The match between Vitality and Astralis lasted more than three hours, with maps played on Inferno, Nuke and Mirage. FURIA, in turn, controlled the pace against The MongolZ on Mirage and Nuke, without the need for a third map. These classifications keep the teams in the fight for the title, which takes place on Sunday (9).
- Vitality: current number 1 in Valve’s world rankings, seeking third IEM trophy in 2025.
- FURIA: Brazilian team with an international squad, comes from runner-up in the Thunderpick World Championship.
- Astralis: Danes showed evolution, but fell at key moments.
- The MongolZ: Mongolians surprised in the group stage, but couldn’t resist the pressure.
Vitality resists Danish pressure
Vitality started strong at Inferno, winning 13-7 against Astralis, who responded at Nuke with a 16-14 overtime victory. The decisive map, Mirage, saw the French lead 8-4 in the first half.
In the second half, Astralis tied at 12-12, but a triple kill from flameZ with the pistol changed the course, guaranteeing 13-11 for Vitality. Mathieu “ZywOo” Herbaut finished with 48 eliminations in the series.
The French team, champion of ESL Pro League S22, now has two victories in ESL Grand Slam VI and faces MOUZ in the semi-finals.
FURIA’s performance highlights KSCERATO
FURIA dominated the first map, Mirage, with a score of 13-5 over The MongolZ. Shooter KSCERATO recorded seven rounds with multiple eliminations, controlling the Brazilian attack.
At Nuke, the Mongols took the lead 4-0, but FURIA turned it around to 8-4 at half-time. The second half ended 13-10, sealed by a last-second defuse from molodoy.
The victory consolidates the rise of FURIA, who beat FISSURE Playground 2 and finishedfourth at BLAST Open London. Now, they face the Falcons in the semifinals.
Trajectory in the group stage defines favorites
MOUZ and Falcons are already in the semi-finals after leading groups A and B. Germany’s MOUZ eliminated FURIA 2-1 in the Group B final, while Falcons beat Astralis 2-0.
Vitality advanced as a low seed from Group A, after defeat to MOUZ and wins over G2 and Lynn Vision. FURIA, from Group B, beat G2 and Lynn Vision before the reversal.
- MOUZ: undefeated in the group stage, seeking first IEM title since 2023.
- Falcons: runner-up in ESL Pro League S22, with a mixed cast of Arabs and Europeans.
- Prize: US$300,000 to the champion, in addition to 3,200 points on the Pro Tour.
Individual highlights boost rankings
ZywOo, from Vitality, led with a rating of 1.35 in the series against Astralis, including decisive clutches on Mirage. His performance reinforces the team’s position as favorites for the title.
KSCERATO, from FURIA, shone with a 1.28 rating, especially at Mirage, where he neutralized Mongolian rushes. The Brazilian player has an average of 1.15 in the tournament.
Controlez, Senzu’s replacement at The MongolZ, impressed with 42 eliminations, but failed defuses proved costly. Astralis saw Magisk with 38 kills, but mistakes in overtime took their toll.
These numbers, based on statisticsfrom HLTV, show balance between stars and collectives on Wednesdays.
Preparation for semi-finals requires tactical adjustments
Vitality focuses on countermeasures against MOUZ’s aggressive style following a 2-0 group stage loss in Overpass and Train. Internal training prioritizes defenses against bomb sites.
FURIA analyzes replays of Falcons, who won 2-0 in the ESL Pro League. The Brazilian team reinforces bombs on Nuke, a recent weak map.
Astralis and The MongolZ return to the qualifiers, with the Danes aiming for a recovery at IEM Dallas. The Mongols seek stability post-roster change.
The single-elimination bracket guarantees intensity, with semi-finals on Saturday (8) and final on Sunday.
Context of the event raises global stakes
IEM Chengdu marks the return of the audience in the group stage, with 5 thousand fans daily at the East Dawn Arena. The double GSL format eliminated G2, Spirit and Heroic early.
Six teams compete for the trophy: Vitality, FURIA, MOUZ, Falcons, Astralis and The MongolZ. The winner earns points for the Copenhagen Major in December.
Transmissions in Portuguese attract Brazilian fans, with FURIA as the main representative. ESL reports global viewership of 1.2 million hours watched as of Wednesdays.
