NiKo admits frustration with Falcons’ performance but relieved by win over 3DMAX

NiKo admits frustration with Falcons’ performance but relieved by win over 3DMAX

Falcons’ star Nikola “NiKo” Kovač expressed mixed emotions following their 2–1 victory over 3DMAX in the ESL Pro League Season 22 quarter-finals. While pleased to advance, NiKo said the team was “a bit frustrated how we played, but happy that we won.” 

“In playoffs, it doesn’t really matter how you win, as long as you get over the line,” NiKo told HLTV. “This is the most important.” 

Pistols remain a sore point

One of Falcon’s continuing issues surfaced in the series: Falcons lost all six pistol rounds across the three maps. NiKo admitted that the team has tried multiple approaches, from simplified executes to anti-strats, but these efforts have yet to yield improvement.

“We don’t know what’s happening with our pistols… we tried everything. Maybe people not hitting shots, or taking wrong duels … it’s a weak spot right now.” 

Falcons did manage to convert one force buy on Nuke, which NiKo credited as critical to restoring momentum. But the team head into their next match aware this pistol problem must be addressed or they risk shaky starts in later rounds.

m0NESY’s inconsistency under scrutiny

NiKo also touched on Ilya “m0NESY” Osipov’s fluctuating performance during this series. He noted that some issues did not manifest in practice, suggesting psychological pressure or differing decision-making in official matches may be factors.

“I was surprised to see him not play up to potential in some games—these issues didn’t occur in practice … when things get tough, someone else might call instead of him.” 

In the past, m0NESY has shown an ability to carry matches and influence late rounds. Falcons will hope he returns to that form in their next clash.

Series recap: 3DMAX gave Falcons a fight

The series against 3DMAX was far from smooth for Falcons:

• Map 1: 3DMAX took the opener, riding strong T-side play and exploiting Falcon’s weaker pistol rounds.

• Map 2: Falcons responded to force a decider.

• Map 3: On the decider, Falcons turned the tide, leveraging better mid-round adjustments and winning key trade situations to clinch the map and the match.

NiKo acknowledged the relief in closing the series despite rough patches. In his view, the win mattered more than perfection.

“We knew it wouldn’t be easy … losing pistols, giving them momentum in halves can be dangerous.” 

Broader implications & next steps

• Falcons move on to the semi-finals, where they’ll look to polish their pistol game and sharpen consistency.

• The pistol struggles expose vulnerability—opponents in later rounds may target this weakness heavily.

• m0NESY’s role and mental resilience will be critical for Falcons to go deeper.

• NiKo’s leadership, composure under pressure, and ability to steady the team are being tested in high-stakes matches.

If they can fix these cracks, the team’s ceiling remains very high.