The Belarusian squad Nemiga pulled off one of the biggest upsets of the second stage at BLAST.tv Austin Major 2025, defeating HEROIC 2–0 in the deciding match for a spot in the final phase of the tournament. Despite a shaky start to the Major, the team showed maturity and composure on key maps. For HEROIC, this match marked a dramatic end to their campaign, especially considering their flawless 3–0 start.
Contrasting Paths: HEROIC Falter, Nemiga Rise
HEROIC had no trouble in the opening stage, cruising through the group with a clean 3–0 record thanks to Bo1 wins over Chinggis Warriors and NRG, followed by a 2–1 victory against FlyQuest. The team looked solid and composed, and expectations were high that they would maintain that form in the second stage. However, things took a turn as HEROIC struggled against tougher opposition, suffering losses to FaZe and B8, which pushed them into the 2–2 bracket.
Nemiga, on the other hand, began the Major with a loss to BetBoom in their first match. But the team bounced back — winning Bo1 matches against Imperial and Lynn Vision, then taking down FlyQuest 2–0 in a Bo3. Losses to paiN, 3DMAX, and M80 eventually landed them in the 2–2 pool, where they were given one last chance to fight for survival.
Decider match
The match kicked off on Mirage, HEROIC’s map pick, but Nemiga looked stronger on the T side and managed to close it out 13–11. That was the first big warning sign for the tournament favorites.
On Dust2, picked by Nemiga, the Belarusians opened with a stunning streak of 8 consecutive rounds, which gave them a solid economic lead, a confidence boost, and the momentum they needed to stay in control. They never looked back, closing out the series 2–0 in dominant fashion.
Despite the fact that HEROIC will lose both their coach sAw and star AWPer SunPayus to G2 after this Major, they’ve left a strong impression with their performance.
After the match, HEROIC posted a brief message on X:
the last rodeo is over…
out of the major 💔 pic.twitter.com/xdUbe5LgpL
— HEROIC (@heroicgg) June 10, 2025
Nemiga shocks, HEROIC eliminated
Nemiga now advances to the third stage, where giants like Vitality, Spirit, MOUZ, and NAVI await. Despite upcoming roster changes, the Belarusian team has proven they can adapt, fight until the end, and deliver in high-pressure moments. To make a real impact in the final stage, they’ll need not only consistent play but also emotional resilience after the lineup changes.
As for HEROIC, their elimination is nothing short of a paradox — a perfect 3–0 start followed by a collapse in stage two. The team struggled to adjust to stiffer competition, made tactical missteps, and lacked composure in critical rounds. For such an experienced roster, this result is a major setback and could trigger significant changes in the near future.
