Summary
- Team Vitality beat MOUZ to the BLAST.tv Austin Major 2025 Grand Final with a 2-1 score.
- The teams played three games on the following maps: Mirage, Inferno, & Train.
- The Team Vitality vs MOUZ matchup has been one of the most one-sided rivalries in CS2 esports, with this semifinal being no different.
Team Vitality vs MOUZ took center stage in the Counter-Strike 2 BLAST.tv Austin Major 2025 Semifinals on June 21. As both European powerhouses eyed a shot at the Grand Finals, fans were treated to an intense three-map series. This ended in Team Vitality’s favor, emerging victorious 2-1 to prove their dominance over a determined MOUZ squad. Here’s how the series sent Team Vitality to the Grand Final.
Series Breakdown
Team Vitality entered as heavy favorites, with an impressive winstreak that lasted over four months earlier this year. Meanwhile, MOUZ fought their way through as underdogs, hoping to break their curse against their French opponents. Unfortunately, their impressive effort that evened the score still fell short of finally winning against what seemed like their kryptonite.
Map 1: Mirage
MOUZ picked the opening map for the series, going for a map where they had seen recent success against Vitality. MOUZ started strong on Mirage, winning the pistol round and grabbing early momentum. However, that control didn’t last.
Vitality fired back with key frags and solid defensive holds, with outstanding performances from flameZ and ropz. flameZ later on secured a double kill through smoke to close out the map and take Mirage 13-8. This gained the team an early lead in the Team Vitality vs MOUZ series.
Map 2: Inferno
For the second game, Team Vitality picked map two, Inferno. However, MOUZ dealt back what Vitality did in Game 1, evening the series on their enemies’ map pick. MOUZ built an overwhelming 11-1 lead in the first half. Their CT side was nearly flawless, with Jimpphat providing an airtight defense and torszi picking off Vitality members with ease.
On the T side, xertioN clutching the pistol round put MOUZ further in the lead. Despite losing a few rounds later on, their defense was just impenetrable and they eventually closed the map 13-4.
Map 3: Train
On Train, Vitality quickly built up a 10-2 lead, with ZywOo and ropz combining for clutch kills and strong site control. While MOUZ did manage to fight back in the second half, it wasn’t enough to turn the game around.
Despite heroic plays from torszi and Jimpphat, they couldn’t overcome the economy gap and Vitality’s discipline. The final score was 13-6, sealing the series 2-1 in favor of Team Vitality.
What’s Next For Both Teams?
Throughout 2025, MOUZ faced Vitality seven times including this semifinal. And yet, it all ends the same. Over and over again, even in matches where MOUZ played well, Team Vitality kept showing how they are just the better team.
Now, Vitality heads to the Grand Finals where they’ll face The MongolZ, who previously swept paiN gaming 2-0. If they win, they would be the top CS2 team of the year and add a Major trophy to their incredible 2025 run.
Meanwhile, MOUZ might only need a little bit more before they can truly threaten Team Vitality’s dominance. If the growth and grit they showed during the semifinal series meant anything, the next MOUZ vs. Team Vitality match may turn out differently. For now, they go home with a 3rd-4th place finish and $80,000 USD.
Conclusion
The Team Vitality vs MOUZ semifinal was a rollercoaster ride bound to arrive at a single possible destination. MOUZ showed promise, getting closer to finally toppling over the giant team that beat them all year. However, Vitality proved once again why they remain on top. With the Grand Finals looming, all eyes are now on whether Vitality can finish what they started in Austin.
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