Hometown heroes Falcons slay MOUZ in CS2 EWC 2025 Quarter-Finals as kyousuke impresses

It may have been disappointment for Falcons on their Cologne debut with prodigy kyousuke, but it was a totally different story today as they locked in their spot in the CS2 EWC 2025 Semi-Finals against a wilting MOUZ. The Saudi Arabian organization are playing in front of a home crowd in Riyadh, and they did not disappoint, condemning MOUZ to their worst event finish since IEM Katowice 2025.

Series back-and-forth shows instant Falcons improvement

Beyond the memes, it was clear that Falcons needed to show a better face at EWC 2025 CS2 event. Their colleagues across the esports industry had already secured the organization back-to-back Club Championships, meaning that pressure no longer came into contention. But still, on the Counter-Strike side, improvements were a must.

Whatever it was they were working on over the last few weeks, it was clear from the outset that it was working. A 13:9 Ancient win opened up the series, a map MOUZ are very comfortable on. With everyone but TeSeS finding significant contributions, it threatened to be a swift affair. But MOUZ are considered to be among the best CS2 teams for a reason. They struck back with a map win of their own on Inferno, but there’s important context here. Falcons managed to nab eight rounds in that one, but it was only kyousuke’s second time ever playing Inferno in an official. With that in mind, a MOUZ win was expected there.

So it would all come down to Nuke. Would Falcons give the fans something to cheer for, or would MOUZ make a villain of themselves for the rest of the tournament? A blistering 7:0 start gave Falcons the runway to success on the CT-side, and it proved too much to overcome throughout the rest of the game. While MOUZ mounted a comeback that threatened to get out of hand, the 13:10 finish in which Falcons won multiple ecos suggested that the early lead was everything.

kyousuke might be the truth

Whisper it quietly, but kyousuke is quite good, isn’t he? A 1.22 rating in this series, in which he played a map he just doesn’t play. Even his 1.51 rating on the Nuke decider doesn’t quite justify how impactful he was, especially during those early rounds where Falcons obtained their unassailable lead.

Pulling any player from the depths of Tier 2 is always a risk, even if those depths involve Spirit Academy. But he’s taken to Tier 1 like a duck to water. Maybe he’s not “the next donk,” as some had prophesied. However, those comparisons would never do him any good, regardless. He’s kyousuke, and it’s clear that he’s an elite rifler in his own right. Growing pains? Perhaps. The timings of top-level CS catch him out at times, leaving him looking a little silly in moments. But there’s nothing to suggest he won’t be among the best CS2 players in the world soon enough, if he isn’t already.

With the CS2 EWC 2025, there’s a real chance we see him lift his first trophy in a few days’ time. First, though, there’s just the small matter of Aurora standing in Falcons’ way in the Semi-Finals.