Vitality Reach IEM Kraków 2026 Semi-Finals as apEX Praises “Big Boss” ZywOo

Team Vitality have secured a place in the IEM Kraków 2026 semi-finals after defeating Aurora 2–0 in the Group B upper-bracket final (seeding match). The win allows the French-European squad to skip the quarter-finals and enter the arena stage directly in the top four.

Vitality captain Dan “apEX” Madesclaire celebrated the victory on social media:

“Feels good to beat the final boss finally… Straight to semis… felt good to win Ancient… ZywOo — big boss.”

The statement reflects both the significance of the win and the standout performance of star AWPer Mathieu “ZywOo” Herbaut, who delivered one of the strongest individual series of the tournament.

Match recap: Ancient marathon decides the series

The series was defined by an intense opener on Ancient, where Vitality survived quadruple overtime to win 25–22. The marathon map proved to be the turning point of the match.

Vitality then closed the series with a controlled 13–7 victory on Overpass, completing the 2-0 sweep and locking in a semi-final berth.

According to HLTV coverage, ZywOo’s impact was decisive across both maps, with the French superstar finishing the series with an outstanding 1.78 rating.

Key takeaways from the match

Vitality win Ancient after four overtimes (25–22)

Overpass closed comfortably (13–7)

ZywOo posts a 1.78 rating in the series

Vitality skip quarter-finals and enter playoffs in semis

Aurora drop to the quarter-final stage

What this means for the IEM Kraków 2026 playoffs bracket

By winning the Group B upper final, Vitality secure:

Direct qualification to the semi-finals

Extra preparation time before the arena stage

A strong position to fight for the IEM trophy

Aurora, meanwhile, will start their playoff run from the quarter-finals and must win an extra series to reach the top four.

The playoffs of IEM Kraków 2026 take place in front of a live audience at TAURON Arena from February 6–8.

Vitality’s mindset in 2026: confidence without pressure

Earlier during the event, Vitality players spoke about their approach to the 2026 season.

ropz explained that despite the team’s potential, they are trying to avoid excessive pressure:

“We know that we can win a lot of trophies, but we are not setting those extreme goals.”

This mentality reflects a team focusing on consistency rather than chasing unrealistic expectations after previous successes.

Kraków storyline: ZywOo vs s1mple era continues

The tournament also featured another major narrative: the ongoing rivalry between ZywOo and s1mple. Earlier in the event, apEX commented on facing the Ukrainian legend:

“It’s always good to play against s1mple, the CS:GO GOAT. From our side, there was no pressure — it was just a game we had to win.”

s1mple himself noted that his new roster still needs time to reach peak form:

“When we’ll be together for one or two months, I’ll be more comfortable and my game will be sharper.”

These storylines continue to fuel the long-running battle between two of Counter-Strike’s greatest players.

Why Vitality look like title contenders

With a semi-final spot secured and ZywOo in peak form, Vitality now emerge as one of the top favorites to win IEM Kraków 2026.

The team’s overtime resilience, star power, and playoff experience make them a dangerous opponent heading into the arena stage.