The series began on Anubis, which despite being Virtus.pro’s map pick, saw FaZe take early control. Håvard "rain" Nygaard delivered a stunning Deagle triple to snatch a second-round eco for FaZe, followed by a brilliant 1v3 clutch from Jonathan "EliGE" Jablonowski to extend their lead. Despite the rough start, Kaisar "ICY" Faiznurov’s clutch late in the half gave Virtus.pro a much-needed boost, and they pushed the game into overtime thanks to a strong T-side performance. However, FaZe stepped up, with karrigan posting a 1.14 rated CT-side to help his team close out the map 16-12.
Ancient was another close contest, with FaZE initially taking the lead before Virtus.pro bounced back to an 11-8 advantage. FaZe fought back to 11-11, but FL4MUS’s 30-kill performance helped Virtus.pro edge out a 16-13 win.
With the series tied, Dust2 served as the decider, but unlike the closely contested earlier maps – or any series played by FaZe in recent memory – it was a complete rout. Virtus.pro overwhelmed FaZe in every aspect, securing a flawless 13-0 victory to advance in the upper bracket.
Despite a shaky start to 2025 and missing out on an ESL Pro League Season 21 invite, Virtus.pro’s form seems to be trending in the right direction. IGL Denis "electroNic" Sharipov remained reserved about the team’s internal changes, stating, “We didn’t practice that much or do anything special for this game. I’m watching a lot of games, how other leaders control their emotions. I am still far away from the best IGL, but I’m trying to be the best version of myself”.
The victory also significantly boosts Virtus.pro’s Major qualification hopes, as they look to overtake Astralis for the final Stage 2 direct invite. With the Danes already battling through the lower bracket, a deep run in this tournament could be enough to push Virtus.pro ahead in the race.
Up next, Virtus.pro will face the seemingly unbeatable Vitality on March 21, while FaZe will be battling Astralis in the lower brackets.
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