The group stage of PGL Astana 2025 brings an exciting matchup between the legendary NAVI and the rising North American team M80. With both squads showing contrasting recent form, this clash promises to be unpredictable. Below is a breakdown of their current shape, map pool, and a prediction for the outcome.
Current Form of the Teams
NAVI
Over the past three months, NAVI have played 35 maps, winning only 17 — a clear sign of a decline in form. The team is struggling with consistency, and their recent 7-8th place finish at IEM Melbourne confirms their ongoing issues. Out of their last five matches, NAVI have only won two — against FlyQuest and MIBR — while losing to stronger opponents such as Liquid, Falcons, and Spirit.
M80
The North American squad is in excellent form, with 34 wins in 50 maps over the past three months. Although they haven’t played in major tournaments in the last month, they were the first to qualify for PGL Astana 2025. They’re coming into this match on a five-game winning streak, with victories over Marsborne (twice), BLUEJAYS, and Wildcard.
Map Pool Prediction
Based on recent trends in map picks and bans, the veto process will likely look like this:
First ban:
- NAVI will ban Train, which they consistently remove first.
- M80 will ban Nuke, their usual first ban.
Map picks:
- NAVI are likely to pick Inferno, where they have a 62% win rate and steady performance.
- M80 should pick Ancient, their strongest map with a 92% win rate.
Second ban:
- NAVI will probably remove Dust2, where M80 has a 73% win rate.
- M80 may ban Anubis to avoid an unpredictable decider.
Decider:
- This would leave Mirage as the decider, a map both teams are comfortable on with similar win rates.
Head-to-Head History
In the past six months, NAVI and M80 have not faced each other. This adds an element of unpredictability, as neither team has direct experience against the other.
Match Prediction
Despite NAVI’s individual talent and legacy, their current form raises concerns. They’ve shown inconsistency and poor performances against top-tier teams. In contrast, M80 come into this match with momentum, solid teamplay, and excellent map-specific stats — especially on Ancient and Mirage.
If the match goes to Mirage as the decider, it could be a close contest. However, considering the overall form and map pool edge, M80 appear slightly favored. Unless NAVI find a sudden boost in performance, an upset is quite possible.
Prediction: M80 to win 2-1.
