Falcons Criticized After Another CS2 Grand Final Loss as Raiz Targets NiKo and karrigan

Team Falcons are once again under heavy criticism after suffering another painful Counter-Strike 2 grand final defeat. Following the team’s 1-3 loss to Legacy at the CS Asia Championships 2026, streamer and analyst Evgeny “Raiz” openly questioned Falcons’ leadership, roster construction, and long-term future.

The result extended Falcons’ losing streak in major CS2 finals and reignited discussions around Nikola “NiKo” Kovač, Finn “karrigan” Andersen, and the organization’s inability to convert superstar talent into trophies.

Raiz Criticizes Falcons After CS Asia Championships 2026 Final

Speaking after the series, Raiz said Falcons looked lifeless for large portions of the match, especially on Dust2, where only Ilya “m0NESY” Osipov and Maksim “kyousuke” Lukin appeared capable of changing the game.

According to Raiz, kyousuke delivered his strongest performance since joining Falcons, while m0NESY remained the team’s most reliable player throughout the tournament.

However, Raiz argued that individual brilliance was not enough to save Falcons from yet another collapse in a high-pressure final.

“At least now there is karrigan, who will always be below NiKo,” Raiz said while criticizing the team’s recent roster changes.

He also compared NiKo’s public image to former Borussia Dortmund star Marco Reus, saying that unlike Reus — who became associated with loyalty to one club — NiKo has spent his career moving between elite rosters including MOUZ, FaZe Clan, G2 Esports, and now Falcons.

Legacy Defeat Falcons 3-1 in CS Asia Championships 2026 Final

Falcons opened the grand final with a narrow 13-11 victory on Nuke, but the series quickly shifted in Legacy’s favor afterward.

Legacy won Ancient 13-9 before dominating Mirage and Dust2 with back-to-back 13-6 victories to secure the championship.

The Brazilian squad impressed throughout the playoffs, while Falcons once again struggled under pressure in the decisive maps.

HLTV described the result as a major upset, especially considering Falcons entered the tournament as one of the clear favorites.

Falcons Players Stats vs Legacy

Despite the defeat, kyousuke produced standout numbers in the grand final:

• 79 kills
• 98.5 ADR
• 1.41 HLTV rating

m0NESY also remained effective with a 1.12 rating across the series.

Meanwhile, Falcons’ veteran core failed to deliver:

• NiKo — 0.85 rating
• karrigan — 0.59 rating

Legacy’s Bruno “latto” Rebelatto finished as the best player of the final with an outstanding 1.52 rating.

Falcons Extend Grand Final Losing Streak

The loss marked Falcons’ seventh consecutive defeat in a CS2 grand final, continuing one of the most disappointing stretches for a superteam in recent Counter-Strike history.

The organization invested heavily into building a championship-winning roster around NiKo and m0NESY, later adding legendary in-game leader karrigan in hopes of solving the team’s playoff issues.

Instead, the problems appear to persist.

karrigan Previously Admitted Falcons Were Still Improving

karrigan joined Falcons in April 2026, reuniting with NiKo and head coach Danny “zonic” Sørensen.

At the time, the Danish captain said he wanted to “make history” with the project and help Falcons become a feared playoff team in CS2.

However, after recent losses, questions around the roster’s chemistry and tactical structure continue to grow.

During the tournament, karrigan himself admitted that his personal level was “nowhere near where it has to be,” explaining that he was still heavily focused on building the team’s system and communication.

Can Falcons Finally Win a CS2 Trophy?

Despite the criticism, Falcons still showed flashes of elite-level Counter-Strike during the event. The team defeated MOUZ in the semifinals and reached another international grand final shortly after signing karrigan.

Still, the same question continues to follow the roster after every tournament:

Can Falcons finally turn superstar firepower into championships, or will the team continue falling short in the biggest CS2 matches?