Falcons had no trouble dispatching GamerLegion 2-0 in the Group A upper bracket quarterfinal at IEM Cologne 2025, showing their strength on Nuke and Mirage. Mathieu “ZywOo” Herbaut’s team looked composed and once again proved that this roster is capable of dominating on the big stage.
Match storyline: complete control from Falcons
Nuke (13:11 for Falcons)
GamerLegion started the series on their map pick, hoping for a strong start, but Falcons quickly shattered their plans. The first half ended 7:5 in favor of Falcons, and after the side switch, NiKo and m0NESY stepped up in the crucial rounds, closing the map 13:11.
Mirage (13:6 for Falcons)
On their own pick, Falcons looked even stronger. They set the tempo from the very first rounds — 8:4 in the first half and absolute control on defense after the side switch. kyxsan and kyousuke played aggressively across the map, while GamerLegion never found a way back — 13:6, and the series was done.
Player stats
Falcons: a return to confident form
Falcons entered this match after a string of mixed results — a win over OG (2:1) but painful losses to Vitality, B8, and Lynn Vision. Against GamerLegion, however, they looked like a well-oiled machine:
- Nikola “NiKo” Kovač (39–22, 1.43 rating) – the undeniable leader and MVP of the match, opening up the maps and winning duels with ease.
- Ilya “m0NESY” Osipov (36–25, 1.41 rating) – lethal with the AWP, leaving opponents no room to breathe.
- kyousuke and kyxsan provided vital support, locking down areas and winning key skirmishes.
GamerLegion: a promising start, but no happy ending
GamerLegion came in with good momentum — winning 4 of their last 5 matches, including victories over Virtus.pro, Complexity, SAW, and Wildcard — but today they hit a wall. Despite a decent Nuke pick and some attempts to pressure Falcons, they found no space to execute.
- Fredrik “REZ” Sterner (31–30, 1.05 rating) was the steadiest for GL, but his efforts weren’t enough.
- PR and Kursy couldn’t find consistency, while ztr had one of his weakest showings (20–32, 0.60 rating).
Player of the Match
Nikola “NiKo” Kovač received 56.1% of fan votes and deservedly claimed MVP honors. His 39–22 K/D, 1.43 rating, and 91.3 ADR underline how crucial he was for Falcons in this series. On Nuke, NiKo repeatedly won opening duels and dismantled GamerLegion’s defenses, creating space for his team to flourish. On Mirage, he became the driving force of Falcons’ aggressive style — initiating pushes, forcing mistakes, and calmly closing out the decisive moments.
This was NiKo in his purest form: composed, deadly accurate, and massively impactful. He was the “locomotive” that set the pace and carried Falcons to a commanding victory.
What’s next?
Falcons move on to the upper bracket semifinals of IEM Cologne 2025, where they will face tougher opposition and test their progress against elite teams. For GamerLegion, the loss means a drop to the lower bracket — where every next match could be their last. They showed flashes of potential today, but against this version of NiKo and company, it simply wasn’t enough.
