CS2 Austin Major: FURIA, Spirit advance as Liquid, Nemiga exit

FURIA and Team Spirit have officially locked in their spots in the BLAST.tv Austin Major 2025 Playoffs, becoming the first two teams to advance from Stage 3 with perfect 3-0 records. Both squads produced clinical performances in their final matchups, stamping their authority on the event as the playoff race heats up.

FURIA was first to punch its ticket to the Moody Center, cruising past Virtus.pro in a dominant best-of-three series. The Brazilian side opened with a one-sided 13-3 win on Mirage before closing it out on Train with a 13-5 victory.

It’s a milestone moment for veteran IGL Gabriel ‘FalleN’ Toledo, who returns to the playoff stage at a Major for the first time since 2019. For Virtus.pro, now sitting at 2-1, two more opportunities remain to seal their playoff berth.

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Team Spirit followed suit shortly after, taking down a resurgent NAVI squad to book their own place in the final eight. An intense 13-11 battle on Anubis set the tone, but it was on Train where Spirit ran away with it, sealing the map 13-3 and the series 2-0.

With three wins from three, the reigning Major champions are looking sharp in their title defence, while NAVI drop to the 2-1 pool with another chance to qualify.

While celebrations kicked off for Spirit and FURIA, the day ended in heartbreak for Team Liquid and Nemiga, both of whom were eliminated from the tournament after slipping to 0-3 records.

Team Liquid pushed MOUZ to the limit in one of the day’s most dramatic series. MOUZ took the opener 13-8 on Dust II, but Liquid bounced back with a 13-4 statement on Anubis.

The decider on Mirage saw MOUZ race out to an 8-1 lead, only for Liquid to claw back and force triple overtime. Despite the fight, it was MOUZ who held their nerve, edging the final map 22-19 and sending Liquid home.

Nemiga’s run came to an end in a back-and-forth series against paiN Gaming. After trading wins on Ancient and Anubis, the match went to a Dust II decider where paiN’s defence proved too strong, securing a 13-7 victory and eliminating Nemiga from the competition.

With Stage 3 now entering its final rounds, six more spots in the playoffs are up for grabs. Round four will feature do-or-die matches between 2-1 hopefuls and 1-2 survivors, setting the scene for a blockbuster finish to one of the most competitive Majors in recent memory.