For FURIA, the ceiling has always felt set in stone. The best of the rest for so long, standing as the last stronghold for Brazilian Counter-Strike for years. Yet, that elusive top-level LAN win eluded them for so long. A ceiling, perhaps never to be broken.
Their move international earlier this year was surprising, to say the least, yet that ceiling has never felt higher. FalleN dropping the AWP has unlocked a new dimension for FURIA, with molodoy taking the mantle and undeniably cementing himself as the CS2 rookie of 2025.
And at FISSURE Playground 2, that obvious potential has finally been realized. FURIA, winners, at last. Young 34-year old talent FalleN, a Counter-Strike champion in the year 2025. Let’s see how they did it.
FURIA survive five-map series to topple The MongolZ
This was a series that had everything. Comebacks. Drama. Clutches. All five maps required in the best-of-five series, teams trading maps as they went blow for blow. In the midst of the chaos, it’s easy to forget that this perhaps should’ve been a FURIA 3:0. On map two of Inferno, it looked as though FURIA had broken The MongolZ, and it took a spirited comeback to tie up the series. Map three was equally chaotic, as FURIA threw a 12:3 lead to go to Overtime, before finally seeing out the map 16:12. For neutral viewers, it was a perfect showing of exciting Counter-Strike.
It all came down to Dust2, as it so often does. A close first half held up the illusion that this was still a real contest, but as soon as FURIA got onto CT side, they were able to go flawless to the finish line. It was a particularly magnificent day at the office for molodoy, who fell just one kill short of 100 throughout the series. YEKINDAR closely followed on 97. A trophy for the proud Brazilian organization, but it’s the European stars carrying the burden. To see FalleN still lifting trophies after all this time, too – it should be enough to make any Counter-Strike fan smile.
For FURIA, there can be no better vindication in the project than this. The proof is in the pudding, as it were. Fans might argue about the status of FISSURE Playground 2, but beating The MongolZ in a Grand Final is as legitimate as it gets. The Mongolian team are no longer gatekeepers, but rather, real contenders for the top prizes in their own right. If FURIA can beat them here, why not in the Finals of other Tier 1 events to come?
The MongolZ may be disappointed in a loss, but it doesn’t move the needle
I think we all expected The MongolZ to win FISSURE Playground 2. A fair assumption, given the teams in attendance. Second place here is far from a disaster, but they’ll ultimately be disappointed they couldn’t see this over the line, especially when you consider how easily FURIA could have had this one done and dusted in three maps.
But really, it doesn’t move the needle for me about The MongolZ. They’re still among the best CS2 teams in the world, and they’re still not the finished product. Consistency at every tournament is something even the true greats struggle to muster, and they are just nowhere near that level yet. I expect to see The MongolZ at their best at ESL Pro League Season 22, regardless of this loss.
