The ESL Pro League Season 21 is well underway, and the competition has been fierce as the world’s top CS2 teams battle for supremacy. The tournament, held in Stockholm, Sweden, is not the most prestigious ESL Pro League edition in terms of prize pool, with $400,000 on the line, but it remains a vital proving ground for elite teams.
On Day 3 of Stage 2, the first two teams locked in their playoff berths—Team Spirit and Team Vitality—after dominant performances in the Swiss stage. Both squads secured 3-0 records, guaranteeing their spots in the final phase of the tournament, where a single-elimination bracket will determine the champion.
Team Spirit has been on an absolute tear, displaying exceptional form and tactical prowess. The squad, led by Leonid “chopper” Vishnyakov, cruised through their matches, defeating TYLOO and SAW without dropping a map. Their final match in the Swiss stage was against The MongolZ, a team known for its unpredictable plays.
The Mongolian squad came into the series with high hopes, picking Anubis—one of their strongest maps in 2024. However, the gamble didn’t pay off, as Spirit’s trio of Dmitry “sh1ro” Sokolov, Danil “donk” Kryshkovets, and chopper completely shut them down on the B site. Spirit took the first half 7-5 and never looked back, closing Anubis 13-6.
On Dust2, the contest was much closer. The MongolZ put up a solid fight, but Boris “magixx” Vorobiev had an outstanding performance with a 1.58 rating in Spirit’s 13-11 victory. Meanwhile, donk, one of the tournament’s breakout stars, secured crucial AWP kills in the final rounds, preventing a comeback.
With a 1.74 rating across six maps, donk has once again proven to be one of the most impactful players in ESL Pro League S21, for those who began to doubt his efforts after the defeat at IEM Katowice 2025.
Team Vitality has also looked unstoppable in Stockholm. After an initial map slip-up against MIBR, they bounced back in dominant fashion, demolishing the Brazilian squad on Inferno and Train. Their clean victories over 3DMAX further solidified their place in Stage 2, but the true test came against MOUZ.
The matchup against MOUZ carried extra tension as Lotan “Spinx” Giladi faced his former teammates for the first time. However, it was Dan “apEX” Madesclaire who stole the show, both with his trash talk and in-game dominance. On Inferno, apEX led by example, posting a 1.70 rating and a 20-8 K-D ratio, completely dismantling MOUZ’s T-side.
The second map, Dust2, was a ZywOo masterclass. The French superstar displayed his full arsenal, securing multi-kills in nearly every round. One of the tournament’s most spectacular moments came when ZywOo pulled off a Dualies ace in the second pistol round, followed by a clutch M4A1-S quad-kill with only 9 HP.
Vitality wrapped up the series swiftly, securing a playoff spot for the sixth consecutive ESL Pro League season without losing a single Stage 2 match. With their momentum from IEM Katowice, the French organization is in prime form heading into the decisive phase of the tournament.
While Spirit and Vitality celebrated their advancement, the day also marked the end of the road for TYLOO and MIBR. The two teams suffered back-to-back defeats, eliminating them from the competition. TYLOO struggled against Spirit and The MongolZ, while MIBR’s performance against 3DMAX left much to be desired.
With Spirit and Vitality already in the playoffs, the focus now shifts to the remaining six slots. Once the Stage 2 battles conclude, the tournament will transition to the single-elimination playoffs, where the final eight teams will fight for the ESL Pro League S21 championship. With teams like Na’Vi, G2, The Monngolz and MOUZ still in the mix, the race for the ESL Pro League S21 trophy is far from over.
