The IEM Dallas 2025 quarterfinal between The MongolZ and Aurora Gaming marked another milestone in the history of Asian Counter-Strike. The Mongolian squad secured an impressive 2-0 victory, leaving the Turkish favorites no chance. The highlight of the series was Senzu, whose performance on Mirage didn’t just close the series — it made the community talk about him as CS2’s next breakout rifle star.
Dust2 (Aurora 11:13 MongoLZ)
Dust2, Aurora’s map pick, started with a promising 7:5 lead in the first half. XANTARES and Wicadia were active early on, with the latter especially effective in retake scenarios using the AWP.
But the momentum shifted in the second half after a pistol round dominated by 910, who scored four kills. From that point, The MongolZ took control: well-timed flashes, fast mid splits, and confident trading. Aurora attempted to turn things around with aggressive plays on short and a double AWP setup, but nothing worked.
13:11 — a MongolZ comeback and the first serious warning sign for Aurora.
Mirage (Aurora 6:13 MongoLZ)
On Mirage, their own pick, The MongolZ demonstrated total control — not only through firepower, but with cohesion, tempo, and map pressure. From the very first gun rounds, it became clear: Aurora couldn’t find answers to MongolZ’s relentless pace and fluid rotations.
bLitz and mzinho set the tone early, executing sharp entry plays and applying constant pressure through mid and connector. Their coordination on site takes left Aurora scrambling for structure. Meanwhile, Techno held anchoring positions with composure, shutting down late-round rotations.
Aurora, by contrast, looked lost. woxic fell short on B holds, MAJ3R often found himself isolated, and jottAAA couldn’t control mid under constant pressure. With a crushing 11:1 halftime score, the outcome was inevitable — 13:6, a one-sided Mirage that sealed the series.
MVP of the Match — Senzu
Senzu’s performance was a clear breakout moment. Beyond the strong stats, he consistently showed up in key rounds — locking down sites, clutching in pressure moments, and setting the tempo early on Mirage. His positioning and decision-making gave The MongolZ the edge they needed to dominate.
His stats:
- Kills–Deaths: 39–23
- Rating: 1.50
- ADR: 86.0
- KAST: 83.7%
It was a performance that didn’t just win a map — it raised expectations for what’s next.
Aurora: Lost their rhythm, lost the game
After a strong showing at the PGL Major in Astana, Aurora looked like a potential top-four contender. But in Dallas, things fell apart. Why?
- Fatigue: Both mental and physical, due to a packed schedule
- Underestimation: Poor preparation for MongolZ’s explosive style
- Technical issues: Weak trading, poor positioning, loss of key rounds
None of the players — aside from Wicadia and XANTARES — delivered consistent impact. Both MAJ3R and woxic ended the series with ratings below 0.85, a critical flaw at the playoff stage.
Player Statistics
Community Reaction
The MongolZ’s performance stirred up plenty of emotion online. On HLTV, the classic phrase appeared right away:
“GET MONGOLED” — wrote selfmedicate, referencing the Mongolians’ signature ability to upset favored teams.
For Aurora, however, this loss was seen as another psychological collapse after strong group stage showings. User Stallex summarized the situation bluntly:
“el chokesico”
Even before the match, some HLTV users predicted trouble:
“Why do people think Aurora will get this match easily? There is no way that MongolZ lose this game.” — fatal_error
Reddit offered a more measured take. One user wrote:
“Aurora needed that win for their mental, but so did MongolZ. At least the fact MongolZ are a younger squad means they can keep growing.” — INeedYourPelt
This captures a key dynamic: MongolZ are a young team with high potential, while Aurora now faces structural questions.
Another Redditor summed up the mood post-match:
“MongolZ getting out of group stages then completely flopping is kind of boring now. How many more times can they do it before they change something?” — mitchybenny
But this time, they didn’t flop — they advanced.
The MongolZ will face off against MOUZ in the semifinals — a structured European team and one of the tournament favorites. This clash will be a battle of systems vs. spontaneity, structured logic vs. raw aggression. As for Aurora, it’s time to regroup. They leave IEM Dallas in the top 8, but with serious questions about depth, roles, and preparation.
