by in
The BLAST Open Spring 2025 got off to an electrifying start as the top Counter-Strike 2 teams battled for supremacy, with Team Spirit, MOUZ, Team Vitality, and Virtus.pro emerging victorious in their opening matchups.
Team Spirit wasted no time asserting their dominance over The Huns, who entered the series as massive underdogs with esports betting sites, and they secured a comfortable 2-0 victory.
.@Team__Spirit won the series, but @thehunsesports won the highlights battle
#BLASTPremier pic.twitter.com/WdsX4XC29r
— BLAST Premier
(@BLASTPremier) March 19, 2025
However, the opening half on Anubis suggested a possible upset as The Huns kept the score tight at 7-5.
That hope quickly faded as Danil “donk” Kryshkovets took over on the terrorist side, leading Spirit to a convincing finish.
Donk’s fiery performance continued onto Dust2, where he posted a staggering 32-8 K-D and a 2.43 rating across both terrorist halves of the series.
The only highlight for The Huns came with a jaw-dropping 1v4 desert eagle clutch from Yesuntumur “nin9” Gantulga when they were already trailing 1-12.
Despite some resilience from The Huns’ AWPer and captain nin9—who delivered clutch moments with a 1v2 and 1v3 on Anubis—the skill gap was too great.
Spirit now move on to a crucial upper-bracket match against MOUZ, while The Huns face elimination.
MOUZ extended their winning streak against Team Falcons, taking a solid 2-0 victory in their BLAST Open Spring opener.
Falcons attempted to shake things up by banning Nuke and forcing MOUZ onto Ancient, but their gamble backfired.
.@mousesports reign supreme and take their first win on the Road to Lisbon!
#BLASTPremier pic.twitter.com/MM49YrOP3K
— BLAST Premier
MOUZ took Train 13-11 before clinching Ancient 13-10 in a close-fought battle.
Ludvig “Brollan” Brolin and his squad proved too strong, with Jimi “Jimpphat” Salo stepping up after a rocky start to 2025.
The young rifler, who struggled during IEM Katowice and ESL Pro League, regained form with a 1.17 rating against Falcons.
“I didn’t have the best performance at EPL, but I worked on my mistakes and came here ready to prove myself,” Jimpphat said of his recent performances.
Lotan “Spinx” Giladi’s impact was also praised, with Jimpphat emphasising his value in shaping the team’s strategy.
Falcons have now lost three consecutive series against MOUZ and will need to address their inconsistencies heading into the lower bracket.
Team Vitality’s reign of dominance continued as they dismantled Astralis 2-0, marking their 12th consecutive series win.
.@TeamVitalityCS ain't losing just yet
— BLAST Premier
Inferno was a disaster for Astralis, who managed just four rounds.
Vitality’s entire lineup finished with a rating above 1.30, showcasing their superiority.
Astralis’ woes continued on Dust2, where Victor “Staehr” Staehr provided the only resistance with a clutch and multi-kill rounds.
Meanwhile, Casper “cadiaN” Møller had a nightmare series, posting a 7-28 K-D with a 0.45 rating, which is the third-worst LAN performance of his career.
With Astralis currently sitting on the edge of Europe’s top ten in Valve’s Regional Standings, their early struggles could jeopardise their direct invite to Stage 2 of the BLAST.tv Austin Major.
A potential elimination match against Virtus.pro could have major consequences.
Vitality, meanwhile, continue their red-hot form since signing Robin “ropz” Kool, boasting an eye-watering 30-5 win-loss record in maps.
With their unmatched pistol and second-round conversion rates, the French powerhouse looks nearly untouchable.
Virtus.pro pulled off an upset against FaZe Clan in the final match of the day, securing a 2-1 victory in the opening round.
After losing Anubis 12-16, they bounced back to edge out Ancient 16-13 before delivering a stunning 13-0 blowout on Dust2.
.@VIRTUSPRO 13-0 @FAZEESPORTS AND TAKE THE SERIES!
#BLASTPremier pic.twitter.com/pnVmI3dR79
— BLAST Premier
Timur “FL4MUS” Marev was the standout performer, dropping 30 kills on Ancient to keep Virtus.pro alive.
The final map was a one-sided affair as Virtus.pro utterly dismantled FaZe in a flawless Dust2 performance.
This result is crucial for Virtus.pro’s Major qualification hopes, as they are in direct competition with Astralis for a Stage 2 invite.
Their upcoming match against Vitality will be a major test of their progress.
FaZe, on the other hand, will need to regroup quickly as they prepare for a lower-bracket battle against Astralis.
