The updated NAVI roster kicked off their IEM Cologne 2025 campaign with a hard-fought victory. This is their first major event since Justinas “jL” Lekavičius was benched and replaced by Drin “makazze” Shaqiri, a rising star from NAVI Junior. In his Tier-1 debut, makazze showed composure and sharp aim, playing a key role in NAVI’s 2-1 win over FaZe.
1000 Maps for broky, 1st Win for makazze
The last time these teams met was at the BLAST Premier World Final 2024, but that was before EliGE and makazze joined NAVI. With broky returning to the starting lineup after spending several months on the bench, FaZe came into this match with renewed energy and confidence. Notably, this series marked broky’s 1000th, 1001st, and 1002nd official maps played for FaZe — a major milestone in his career.
The series began on Ancient, FaZe’s map pick. NAVI looked strong early on, taking an 8:4 lead in the first half. However, FaZe turned things around on the CT side, with broky making crucial plays with the AWP to secure a narrow 13:11 win.
On Mirage, NAVI’s map pick, the Ukrainian squad bounced back. The first half ended in a 6:6 tie, but NAVI locked down their defense in the second half to close out the map 13:9.
The decider, Nuke, saw NAVI take full control. After edging the first half 7:5, they completely shut down FaZe on the defense — not giving up a single round in the second half. The final score was a dominant 13:5, and NAVI claimed the series 2-1.
Player of the Match
The standout performer was Valeriy “b1t” Vakhovskiy, who delivered across all three maps. He finished the series with 55 kills, an ADR of 86.4, and an impressive 1.36 rating.
As for makazze, his debut on the top level couldn’t have gone much better. Facing a strong team like FaZe, he posted solid stats — ADR 79.2, rating 1.20 — and looked right at home on the big stage.
makazze Delivers, FaZe Look to Bounce Back
Despite the loss, FaZe will have a chance to bounce back. They’re set to face the loser of MOUZ vs Liquid on Monday in a lower bracket elimination match.
For NAVI, it’s a strong start with their revamped lineup. makazze proved that he can step up under pressure and contribute against elite opponents. Bigger challenges lie ahead, but NAVI have already shown they’re up to the task.
