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Brazil’s FURIA have done it again, storming their way into the Intel Extreme Masters Chengdu 2025 Grand Final after a commanding 2–0 victory over Falcons, marking their third consecutive win against the European side and their third grand final appearance in four events.

A Dominant Start on Inferno

The series kicked off on Inferno, and FURIA wasted no time taking control. Under the leadership of Gabriel “FalleN” Toledo, the Brazilian side exploited Falcons’ defensive weaknesses with a flawless first-half strategy. FalleN and Yuri “yuurih” Santos anchored the A site superbly, while Mareks “YEKINDAR” Gaļinskis’s relentless aggression on B repeatedly caught the Falcons off guard.

By halftime, FURIA had already built a 10–2 CT-side lead, leaving Falcons scrambling to respond. Even though Falcons managed to take the second-half pistol round, it barely dented the Brazilians’ momentum. FURIA sealed the map 13–5, setting the tone for the rest of the match.

Mirage: Falcons Fight Back, But FURIA Hold Firm

Falcons found some rhythm on Mirage, opening with a strong T side and heading into the switch 7–5 ahead. Rising star Maxim “kyousuke” Lukin even pulled off a stunning ace to keep his team in contention, but FURIA’s resilience proved too much once again.

Despite kyousuke’s heroic 26 kills and a team-high 1.33 rating, his teammates struggled to follow suit. FURIA clawed their way back, and in the final round, Falcons’ inability to convert a 2vs4 advantage cost them the map 11–13, and the series 0–2 overall.

Falcons’ Struggles Continue

After going undefeated in the group stage, Falcons once again faltered when it mattered most. The team’s coordination broke down in key moments, with star riflers Nikola “NiKo” Kovač and Ilya “m0NESY” Osipov unable to match the consistency of their Brazilian opponents.

Coach Danny “zonic” Sørensen acknowledged the team’s issues after the match, saying,

“I have to give credit to FURIA, they are playing really good CS. Especially on Inferno, it felt like we were getting read. We couldn’t transition the atmosphere or the level that we showed in the group stage.”

The loss marks another frustrating playoff exit for Falcons, whose inability to close out man-advantage situations remains a recurring weakness.

FURIA’s Consistency and Star Power

FURIA’s success has been built on experience, structure, and an explosive balance of aggression and control. yuurih stood out as the match MVP, topping the scoreboard with a 1.42 rating and 92 ADR, while YEKINDAR and KSCERATO added crucial multi-kills in tight rounds.

This result sends FURIA into the IEM Chengdu Grand Final against Team Vitality, where they’ll compete in a best-of-five showdown for the championship title. Meanwhile, Falcons will look to salvage their campaign in the third-place decider against MOUZ.

What’s Next

With FURIA riding high on momentum and FalleN’s leadership proving invaluable, their clash with Vitality promises to be a thrilling end to the Chengdu event. A win would not only secure another international title for Brazil but also reaffirm FURIA’s place among the world’s elite Counter-Strike teams.