MOUZ end Vitality streak at IEM Cologne 2025 as flameZ posts second-worst map of his career

The LANXESS Arena always delivers. That’s a simple fact. IEM Cologne 2025 has delivered some excellent matches so far, and the fun continued into the Semi-Finals as Spirit and MOUZ set up a date with destiny in tomorrow’s Grand Final.

How did they do it? Let’s look back at how things transpired in the IEM Cologne 2025 Semi-Finals, shall we?

Favorites Spirit edge out NAVI

Kicking off the day was Spirit vs. NAVI, a clash that felt like it could be defined by the rookies on either side of the server. In the end, it was zweih who emerged victorious with Spirit, although makazze gave another excellent account of himself for NAVI, despite ending on the losing side. Underdeservedly, most would say.

This was by no means a quick contest, though. A back-and-forth series saw us go all three maps in the opening match of the IEM Cologne Semi-Finals, but it was a commanding lead on the decider that allowed Spirit to romp to victory at the very end of it all. In a way, it was anticlimactic after what had been a very competitive series. Are NAVI back? It’s too early to say, but there’s no shame in their performance in the LANXESS.

For Spirit, donk was the key once again. It’s almost boring to say at this point, but he’s carrying Spirit on his back right now. His first venture into the LANXESS, and it’s a Grand Final berth secure. With an IEM Katowice and Major title already under his belt, donk is on the verge of largely completing Counter-Strike not even two years after arriving in Tier 1. Remarkable.

Vitality series streak finally comes to an end

So, as it turns out, Vitality can lose after all. A team that has seemed nigh unbeatable for the best part of seven months. A run including seven consecutive trophies. Katowice, a Major. A Grand Slam for good measure. But Vitality’s reign as defending Cologne champions is over (for now), the Bees slain at the hands of MOUZ.

For MOUZ, this was a demon conquered. They had faced Vitality a staggering seven times this year prior to this, failing to win a single series. This was not a rivalry – this was a dominance. Still, it had to end eventually, and MOUZ picked a hell of a time to figure out how to take down Vitality. In style, I might add, finishing up in 2:0 fashion while leaving Vitality shellshocked, bringing a 37-series win streak to an end. No, losing to Legacy in a best-of-one doesn’t count.

On the day, MOUZ were as good as Vitality were bad. MOUZ were mentality and mechanical monsters, with torzsi and xertioN delivering 80 kills as a pair across the two maps. Stage nerves? Never heard of them. On the other side, it was a miserable day at the office for ZywOo, who posted a pretty diabolical 0.63 series rating in what could hurt his bid for number one come the year’s end. The biggest disappointment was flameZ, who ended the second map of Train 1:18. By the numbers, it was the second-worst rated map of his entire career, occurring at perhaps the worst possible time on the IEM Cologne 2025 stage.

Now, a new champion will be crowned in the LANXESS Arena tomorrow. Vitality face their first great test as a team, figuring out if they can bounce back from such disappointment. The narratives are tantalizing.