FURIA advanced to the second stage of IEM Cologne 2025 with a convincing 2–0 win over Astralis. The confident victory over the Danes was not only a response to their recent inconsistent form but also a clear sign that the Brazilian squad is finding its rhythm again. Astralis, on the other hand, dropped to the lower bracket and will face the loser of the BIG vs paiN matchup in a last-chance match.
Tournament Journey
Astralis began their tournament run with a clean 2–0 victory over B8, but they couldn’t maintain the momentum against the Brazilians. On Nuke, FURIA dominated the first half with a 10–2 lead, and although Astralis nearly mounted a comeback, the map ended 13–11 in FURIA’s favor. The story repeated itself on Dust2, with FURIA in control throughout and closing it out 13–9.
For FURIA, this win was a much-needed statement after a disappointing run at FISSURE Playground 1, where they finished 9–12th, only defeating Wildcard and losing twice to SAW. But in Cologne, the Brazilians showed renewed energy — first with a 2–1 win over FlyQuest, and now a dominant 2–0 over Astralis, booking their spot in the next stage.
Player of the Match
The standout performer of the match was KSCERATO, who once again proved to be the backbone of FURIA. He dropped 45 kills, averaged 95.4 damage per round, and finished with a 1.46 rating — the highest in the series. His consistent impact helped FURIA stay in control from start to finish.
Also worth highlighting are YEKINDAR and molodoy, two recent additions to the roster. YEKINDAR posted a 1.28 rating and had the best opening kill/death ratio at 10:7, underscoring his signature aggressive style. Meanwhile, molodoy held his ground as the team’s AWPer with a solid 1.20 rating.
Will it be enough against the giants?
FURIA enters the second stage in strong form. While their opponents so far haven’t been top-tier, the results and individual performances give fans reason to be optimistic. However, the next phase will be much tougher, where every round matters.
The big question now is whether the trio of KSCERATO, YEKINDAR, and molodoy can maintain this level against elite teams. If they can, FURIA has every chance to break into the playoffs at IEM Cologne and challenge the best in the world.
