
The quarterfinals of the BLAST Bounty Spring 2025 delivered thrilling performances and surprising upsets, as Eternal Fire and Natus Vincere secured their spots in the semifinals in very different styles.
Eternal Fire advanced to the semifinals after an emphatic two-map victory over Team Vitality.
This marked their third consecutive win against Vitality, a streak dating back to April 2024.
Both Counter-Strike 2 teams debuted their new lineups on LAN, with Vitality adding Robin “ropz” Kool to replace Lotan “Spinx” Giladi, while Eternal Fire introduced Samet “jottAAA” Köklü in place of Buğra “Calyx” Arkın.
.@eternalfirecs2 secure a spot in the Semi-Finals and that $63,750 bounty! ✅#BLASTPremier pic.twitter.com/ZnxfEgghWo
— BLAST Premier 💥 (@BLASTPremier) January 24, 2025
The match began on Anubis, where Ismailcan “XANTARES” Dörtkardeş delivered a masterclass performance with a 2.19 rating, spearheading Eternal Fire’s dominance.
Vitality struggled to adapt to positional shifts caused by integrating ropz, particularly on their counter-terrorist side, where Shahar “flameZ” Shushan faltered in an unfamiliar B connector role.
Eternal Fire capitalised on these vulnerabilities, taking the map 13-9.
The second map, Mirage, saw Eternal Fire start strong, leading 9-3 at the half, with newcomer jottAAA making an immediate impact.
Despite Vitality’s spirited comeback, Eternal Fire’s aggression and a crucial 1v2 clutch by Özgür “woxic” Eker sealed a narrow 13-11 victory.
XANTARES earned the MVP of the series with a 1.53 rating, cementing his role as the standout performer.
For Vitality, their first LAN outing of the season ended in disappointment, as they exited the tournament in fifth-eighth place.
Natus Vincere (NaVi) survived a gruelling three-map series against paiN Gaming to book their place in the semifinals.
The encounter was a tale of resilience and missed opportunities, with NaVi’s composure in high-pressure moments proving decisive.
So close to the upset for @paiNGamingBR but @natusvincere hold strong in OT to book their spot in the Semi-Finals! ✅#BLASTPremier pic.twitter.com/iDwrARWWYz
— BLAST Premier 💥 (@BLASTPremier) January 24, 2025
The opening map, Dust2, was a nail-biter.
NaVi built an early lead, but paiN clawed back to force overtime.
In the extra rounds, Ihor “w0nderful” Zhdanov shone with 10 AWP kills, propelling NaVi to a hard-fought 16-13 victory.
PaiN responded emphatically on Nuke, showcasing clutch prowess and strong team play to dominate NaVi.
Led by Kaue “kauez” Kaschuk, paiN surged to a 13-7 win, levelling the series and setting the stage for a dramatic decider.
The final map, Mirage, was a rollercoaster.
PaiN raced to a 6-0 lead and reached match point at 12-10, but NaVi’s experience came to the fore.
Mihai “iM” Ivan and Valeriy “b1t” Vakhovskiy stepped up in crucial moments, forcing overtime, where NaVi closed out the map with clinical precision, 16-13.
Mihai “iM” Ivan earned the MVP award for his impactful performance across the series, particularly on Mirage.
Despite their loss, paiN impressed with their aggressive playstyle and nearly secured an upset against the world number three.
With Eternal Fire and Natus Vincere advancing, the semifinals promise more excitement as teams refine their strategies and adapt to the early-season challenges.
BLAST Bounty Spring semifinals matches
- G2 Esports (-125) vs Eternal Fire (-111.11) @ 4pm CET
- Natus Vincere (+137) vs Team Spirit (-188.68) @ 7pm CET