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IEM Melbourne 2025 Semifinals: Team Vitality vs. The MongolZ Preview, Prediction and Results
After Team Falcons absolutely demolished GamerLegion to secure the first Semifinals matchup, The MongolZ edged out Team Liquid to clinch a top-4 finish at Melbourne as well.
The NiKo-m0NESY duo will now face the second-best Counter-Strike team in MOUZ. Meanwhile, the indomitable Team Vitality awaits the young Mongolian squad, as they look to extend their dominance.
Are The MongolZ Back?
After strong performances towards the end of 2024 and the start of 2025, The MongolZ were making strides toward the upper echelons of Counter-Strike esports. Unfortunately, the last three tournaments slowed them down significantly, sparking doubts about their form and future.
In Melbourne, they did take down a red-hot Complexity, as well as FaZe Clan,but were quickly humbled by MOUZ. Their two wins did secure them a spot in the Playoffs, but for those who’ve followed the team’s journey, on-stage nerves remain their primary issue.
Today, facing Team Liquid the nerves showed up again. On the first map and the first half of the second, The MongolZ were outclassed both tactically and mechanically. It seemed like history would repeat itself.
But in the second half of Ancient, The MongolZ came alive. Spearheaded by bLitz and Techno4k, the team steamrolled Liquid to force a third map. Perhaps the best news for the squad, though, was Senzu’s performance. The dual-wielding Mongol star—often absent during on-stage games—finally started to show up.
The true MVP of the series was 910, however. The young AWPer delivered when it mattered most, dominating the two maps The MongolZ won. He made bold plays, secured key advantages, and was instrumental in punching their ticket to the Semifinals.
Against the Odds, Against Team Vitality
Securing a semifinal berth is a huge boost for The MongolZ ahead of the upcoming Austin Major. But to go further, they take down none other than Team Vitality.
There’s some good news for the MongolZ fans, they are amongst the few teams to have taken a map off Vitality. The bad news? It’s the only map they have won in five matches the two teams have played against one another.
Still, this match offers a golden opportunity for The MongolZ to assess themselves and sharpen their gameplay. A solid showing—even in a loss—could be the confidence boost they need to elevate their long-term performance.
To stand a chance, The MongolZ must start strong. If they stumble early, Vitality will shut them out before they can settle in. The key will be putting pressure on Vitality and keeping them uncomfortable throughout.
Map Veto
The MongolZ will start the veto by removing Train, a map they do not play. The one map Team Vitality never plays is Ancient—coincidentally the best map for The MongolZ—so it's likely to be vetoed right away.
For their pick, The MongolZ will lean toward either Mirage or Dust2, slightly favoring Mirage since Vitality have shown some cracks on the map. Similarly, Team Vitality should pick Anubis as the second map.
Despite it being their strongest map, The MongolZ should ban Inferno, as Team Vitality have a 100% win rate on the map. With Nuke and Dust 2 left, Vitality is to likely choose Nuke as the decider
The Game
Realistically, The MongolZ’s chances of upsetting Team Vitality are slim. The apEX-led roster is stable, adaptable, and can reset mid-map even after poor starts. Make no mistake, this is Vitality’s game to lose.
But The MongolZ cannot walk into the server with that mindset. They need to make confident plays. Mzinho and 910 must keep delivering, Senzu needs to overcome his nerves, and bLitz and Techno4k have to find key openings.
If The MongolZ show up and make it tough for Vitality to close, they’ll not only gain respect but also put themselves back on track toward the Counter-Strike summit.
Catch the David-Goliath clash on Twitch/ YouTube. You can also follow the game on Strafe with live-score, updated stats and more.
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Featured Image Credits: ESL CS
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