An early loss at the hands of The MongolZ has left Falcons down but not out at IEM Cologne 2025. If they want to make it to the LANXESS Arena and play in the Cathedral of Counter-Strike, a Lower Bracket run will be required in Group A. After all the hype of kyousuke’s Tier 1 debut at IEM Cologne, this was not quite the situation Falcons would have envisaged after just two matches played.
Already, Falcons have learned a painful lesson that the recipe for success features more ingredients than just firepower. The law of diminishing returns applies even to fraggers, it would appear. What has gone wrong for Falcons so far, and how can they avoid disaster to make the IEM Cologne 2025 Playoffs? Let’s have a look.
If there’s one positive Falcons can take from their two matches at IEM Cologne 2025 so far, it’s that their kyousuke gamble appears to be a good one. It’s too early to definitively cast judgment one way or the other, but the 17-year-old Spirit Academy alumnus looks comfortable and collected when faced with the demands of Tier 1 Counter-Strike. Of course, it would be unfair to pin kyousuke with the “new donk” label at this stage, but the hype is certainly comparable.
.@FLCkyousuke has arrived with a 4k 🔥#IEM pic.twitter.com/qL0iHIcqig
— ESL Counter-Strike (@ESLCS) July 26, 2025
A 1.28 rating against GamerLegion was a good start – he struggled in head-to-heads against REZ, but had the rest of the team on strings. With better showings from kyousuke’s teammates, Falcons were able to get the win there. However, it was the clash against The MongolZ that would be the real test, and kyousuke passed with flying colors. Against a MongolZ team that shoots hard, kyousuke could still muster a 1.34 rating – compare this to his Falcons teammates:
In a tough series against seasoned opposition, the new kid on the block was light-years ahead of his more experienced peers. As you already know, though, it wasn’t quite enough for Falcons to lock in an early spot in the IEM Cologne 2025 Playoffs.
When you think of the Falcons CS2 roster, you think “big money, big names.” With that, comes big firepower. On paper, they’re the Counter-Strike all-stars. Overwhelming their opponents with sheer mechanics may have been enough to best GamerLegion, but against a well-oiled machine like The MongolZ, it simply wasn’t enough. They shoot hard, too.
Falcons just couldn’t get a handle on the game vs. The MongolZ. When things were going well, they’d find a way to throw away their advantages. A 1v4 vs. bLitz comes to mind, reminiscent of Falcons lineups of the last 18 months. Although it may be the low-hanging fruit for fans to poke fun at coach zonic right now, the problems here didn’t feel systematic. More bad fundamentals and brain-farts at the exact wrong moments. How do you fix that easily?
THAT IS A THING OF BEAUTY @bLitz0626#IEM pic.twitter.com/PPMXYyJVcC
— ESL Counter-Strike (@ESLCS) July 27, 2025
Falcons’ fortunes were further hindered by NiKo and m0NESY’s inability to hit, well, anything. The pair amassed just 40 kills across the two maps combined, less than the tally kyousuke put together by himself. They are the crown jewels of this Falcons project, but there’s a slight inconsistency creeping into the former G2 duo’s game in big moments. Considering the outlay on bringing this project together, Falcons will no doubt start to wipe some sweat from their brows if this doesn’t correct itself.
Remember, though. Falcons aren’t out of IEM Cologne 2025 just yet. A Lower Bracket run is a tough task, but should their stars get themselves together for the rest of the Group Stage, there’s no reason we shouldn’t be seeing them on stage at the LANXESS Arena.
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