Vitality Cruise Past Lynn Vision as G2 Edge Virtus.pro at IEM Chengdu 2025

Vitality Cruise Past Lynn Vision as G2 Edge Virtus.pro at IEM Chengdu 2025

Vitality swept Lynn Vision while G2 battled past Virtus.pro in the Group B lower bracket at IEM Chengdu 2025, setting up a do-or-die clash between the two European heavyweights for the last playoff spot. The winner advances to the playoffs, while the loser exits in 7–8th place — just weeks before the highly anticipated StarLadder Budapest Major 2025.

Vitality vs Lynn Vision: One-Sided Domination

Vitality showed no mercy to local favorites Lynn Vision, cruising to a clean 2–0 victory (13–2 on Dust2, 13–5 on Nuke) in the Group B lower-bracket semi-final.

Coming off a heartbreaking triple-overtime loss to MOUZ the day before, the world’s No.1 team immediately bounced back with a statement performance. On Lynn Vision’s map pick of Dust2, Vitality opened with a flawless 12–0 CT half before quickly closing the map 13–2. Nuke followed the same pattern — Vitality stormed to a 10–2 lead at halftime and wrapped things up 13–5 to complete one of the most dominant series of the tournament so far.

The entire roster delivered, but three players stood out statistically:

Shahar “flameZ” Shushan – 35–19 K-D, 99.9 ADR, 1.81 rating

Robin “ropz” Kool – 26–19 K-D, 79.8 ADR, 1.52 rating

Dan “apEX” Madesclaire – 29–18 K-D, 99.4 ADR, 1.48 rating

Mathieu “ZywOo” Herbaut and William “mezii” Merriman also turned in consistent performances, reaffirming why Vitality remain the most complete team in Counter-Strike today.

For Lynn Vision, the loss ended a spirited lower-bracket run in front of their home crowd. Junjie “EmiliaQAQ” Tang top-fragged for the Chinese lineup, but the local favorites couldn’t keep pace with Vitality’s overwhelming firepower and tactical precision.

G2 vs Virtus.pro: A Hard-Fought Three-Map Series

While Vitality’s series was one-sided, G2’s clash with Virtus.pro was a grueling battle. The international squad edged out a 2–1 win after dropping the opening map in double overtime.

Overpass opened the series with Virtus.pro looking sharp on their CT side, taking an 8–4 halftime lead. G2 mounted a comeback on the T side but failed to close out their map points, allowing VP to claim the opener 19–17 in double overtime.

Inferno saw G2 strike back. Their 8–4 T-side half set the tone, and they stabilized on defense to secure a 13–9 equalizer.

Dust2, the decider, was a complete rout. Matúš “MATYS” Šimko, Álvaro “SunPayus” García, and Nikita “HeavyGod” Martynenko all found impact early, helping G2 dominate the first half 12–0 before closing the map 13–1.

Top performers for G2:

MATYS – 54–41 K-D, 1.33 rating

HeavyGod – 54–38 K-D, 1.26 rating

Mario “malbsMd” Samayoa – 56–49 K-D, 1.16 rating

Virtus.pro, who had eliminated FaZe in their previous match, couldn’t maintain their form. Petr “fame” Bolyshev, Ilya “Perfecto” Zalutskiy, and Evgenii “FL1T” Lebedev all performed respectably, but the team fell short as G2 overwhelmed them on the final map.

Group B Recap: The Road So Far

MOUZ vs Vitality (Upper Bracket Semi-Final): MOUZ edged out Vitality 2–1 in a tense three-map thriller, winning a dramatic Inferno decider 22–19 to send the French side to the lower bracket.

Virtus.pro Eliminate FaZe: VP previously stunned FaZe with a 2–0 win, knocking them out of the event in last place after a poor showing from their star AWPer broky.

Playoff Picture: FURIA and MOUZ have already locked in playoff spots from Group B, while Falcons and Astralis advanced from Group A. The final playoff slot will be decided in the upcoming Vitality vs G2 clash.

With only one ticket left, both teams are desperate to secure momentum heading into December’s StarLadder Major.

Player and Coach Reactions

Lynn Vision: Realistic Underdogs

Before facing the top-tier opposition, Lynn Vision rifler Qihao “C4LLM3SU3” Su acknowledged his team’s limitations with humility:

“I’m good to take the L because we don’t think we’re that good right now.”

In-game leader EmiliaQAQ reflected on their journey earlier in the season:

“Brothers, this journey ends here. This is life — it doesn’t always go the way we want.”

The comments capture the underdog spirit of a Chinese roster still developing experience against elite opponents.

Vitality & XTQZZZ: Bouncing Back

After a slow start to IEM Chengdu, Vitality coach Rémy “XTQZZZ” Quoniam emphasized the need for sharper early performances:

“We also have a tournament next week and I don’t want to start like this again.”

He also discussed the team’s hunger following earlier setbacks, explaining how Vitality must maintain consistency as favorites:

“We want to win every event, and when we don’t, it’s disappointing.”

XTQZZZ further highlighted ZywOo’s motivation heading into 2025, noting that the superstar was eager to prove himself after being ranked lower than expected in HLTV’s Top 20 list.

G2 & NiKo: Balancing Star Power

Though NiKo is no longer competing at IEM Chengdu due to G2’s roster overhaul, his recent reflection on adapting his style still resonates:

“I find myself playing a bit more passive; it’s hard to have space for three stars.”

G2’s current lineup mirrors that philosophy, giving room for new names like malbsMd, MATYS, and HeavyGod to thrive in more aggressive roles while maintaining structure and balance.

Virtus.pro: From High to Low

Virtus.pro entered the match against G2 with confidence after sweeping FaZe, but their momentum quickly stalled. Despite flashes of individual brilliance, they were outpaced by G2’s tempo and coordination. The result leaves VP in the middle of the pack and searching for consistency as they integrate Perfecto into their system.

Looking Ahead

The Group B lower-bracket final between Vitality and G2 promises fireworks — a clash between the reigning world No.1 and a rebuilt powerhouse hungry to prove its potential. Both sides have shown flashes of brilliance and vulnerability, setting the stage for one of the most anticipated series of IEM Chengdu 2025.

With the StarLadder Budapest Major looming, every round in Chengdu feels like a rehearsal for the biggest stage Counter-Strike has to offer.