FaZe Clan were able to change the victory vector in their favor in the last rounds and beat Natus Vincere 2-1 in the StarLadder Budapest Major 2025 playoffs. Card account: Ancient 5:13, Nuke 13:11, Inferno 13:8. The team of Alexi “Aleksib” Virolainen is leaving the Major tournament, meanwhile, FaZe made it to the grand finals, where they will face Team Vitality, an equally light team with talents.
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Ancient 13:5 — makazze rips apart FaZe alone
The first card was held under the total control of the Ukrainian club. Kosovar Drin “makazze” Shaqiri ran all over the location, hiding and dismantling the FaZe defenses without a chance. His aggression was set up with his character unrestrained that the opponent simply did not have time to react.
FaZe Clan could not resist this assertiveness — NAVI closed Ancient with a confident 13:5. Makazze completed the map with an insane rating of 2.54, which, frankly, is a rarity with CS2 smart masters of their craft.
Nuke 13:11 — FaZe comeback after changing sides
The second map began without narratives for Natus Vincere. Romanian Mihai “iM” Ivan scored 3 kills already in the first round — the pistol round was taken instantly. The first half ended with a score of 8:4, the reason for this is the stable play of all NAVI lines.
After all, after the change of sides, everything changed dramatically and everyone was on fire with a new round. It was as if FaZe had been replaced — they started taking it round after round. Moreover, even with diggles, unlikely clutches were given out, showing a point aim gained through training.
NAVI could only take three rounds in the second half. FaZe put the squeeze on Nuke with a score of 13:11, completely turning the course of the match. Then it became clear that the Best of 3 was turning into a real drama.
Inferno 13:8 — The dominance of FaZe and the end of the Grand finale for NAVI
The decisive Inferno did not immediately go according to the plan of the Ukrainian team. Those Born to win vigorously tried to enter point A, but were instantly stopped. Then the real dominance from FaZe began — they actually blocked NAVI in the first half.
After the change of sides, the Ukrainian club tried to return to the game. They took a tense pistol round and forced a fight, but it wasn’t enough. FaZe Clan confidently brought the card to victory with a score of 13:8 and qualified for the grand final.
What awaits FaZe in the final against Vitality — an analysis of the confrontation
Grand Final Major: Clash of Styles and approaches
The Budapest Major 2025 Grand Final between FaZe Clan and Team Vitality promises a clash of two different game philosophies. Vitality is looking extremely stable right now, especially on Dust2, where they have 88% of wins over the last six months. In the Best of 5 format, such a trump card can seriously affect the entire series.
FaZe, with all its esports experience, finds itself in a difficult position. If they do not take the initiative at the beginning of the finals, the series can quickly go under the control of the opponent. The situation is also complicated by the quick veto card: Vitality is traditionally removed by Nuke, where FaZe feels as confident as possible. The actions force karrigan and his staff to look for other solutions.
Tactical trump cards of each team
FaZe can bet on an aggressive T-side, non-standard rounds, and take away through clutches. Twistzz, broky and frozen defensively know how to cover the best positions purely on mechanics and timings.
At the same time, Team Vitality looks like the favorites of the finals due to the structured game and stability. Having the properties of high tempo, competent control of the card and rarely give up rounds without a fight. As a result, it is Vitality that is being analyzed by the team that is closer to the main trophy, it is curious.
Bookmakers forecast and expectations
Bookmakers are leaning towards a 3-1 victory for Vitality, taking into account their form and statistics of recent months. Let FaZe be able to realize the experience, pick up the starting cards and win difficult clutches several times — then the series can drag on.
The whole intrigue of the finale boils down to a logical choice: either FaZe will impose a game through aggression and chaos, or Vitality will be crushed by control and discipline. December 14 will give the final answer to who will pick up Budapest Major 2025.
Semi-final results: Natus Vincere one step away from the trophy, FaZe Clan vs Team Vitality in the grand final
Based on this, Natus Vincere completed their performance at the Budapest Major in the semifinals. FaZe continues their journey and will face Team Vitality in the main match of the tournament.
The StarLadder Budapest Major Stage Play-off takes place from December 11 to December 14 in Budapest, Hungary. There are 8 teams competing for the main trophy of the season in the playoff stage. All matches, except the final, are held in the Best of 3 format. The main meeting of the championship will be held in the Best of 5 format.
