by Team Vitality have etched their name into the history books by reaching the grand final of IEM Katowice for the first time in the organisation’s history.
This milestone also marks a personal triumph for veteran in-game leader Dan “apEX” Madesclaire, who secured his first-ever Spodek Arena playoff victory after an illustrious 15-year career.
Vitality’s dominant 2-0 sweep over The MongolZ (13-7 on Mirage, 13-9 on Nuke) has set the stage for a thrilling best-of-five grand final against defending champions Team Spirit.
FOR THE FIRST TIME @TeamVitalityCS ARE IN THE #IEM KATOWICE GRAND FINALS ??@Vitality_apEX@ropz@zywoo@flameZcsgo@kingmezii@XTQZZZ pic.twitter.com/cRUupgGaaW
— ESL Counter-Strike (@ESLCS) February 8, 2025
Vitality showcased clinical precision in their semifinal clash against The MongolZ, dismantling the Mongolian Counter-Strike squad with relentless aggression and tactical superiority.
Despite The MongolZ’s spirited run, highlighted by victories over Team Liquid, GamerLegion, and Eternal Fire, they struggled to find their footing against Vitality’s onslaught.
ApEX, fueled by the significance of the occasion, came out firing on Mirage with four multi-kill rounds in the opening five, setting the tone early.
Mathieu “ZywOo” Herbaut’s clutch 1v2 secured a pivotal round, while Robin “ropz” Kool delivered key plays, including a decisive 1v2 to close out Mirage and a momentum-shifting entry on Nuke.
Vitality exploited The MongolZ’s defensive gaps, particularly around Mini on Nuke, cruising to victory with strategic finesse.
Reflecting on his journey, apEX expressed his elation: “You have to wait 11 years to win a playoff game here; that’s crazy.
“Only three times in playoffs for me, but maybe it’s the year. One more game tomorrow, and if we keep growing, we might take that one home.”
Team Spirit punched their ticket to the grand final with a commanding 2-0 victory over Natus Vincere (NaVi), exacting revenge for their earlier group stage loss.
Led by the dynamic Danil “donk” Kryshkovets and supported by Dmitry “sh1ro” Sokolov and Myroslav “zont1x” Plakhotia, Spirit dismantled NaVi with clinical execution, taking Mirage 13-8 and edging out a hard-fought 16-14 win on Dust2.
YOUR SECOND #IEM KATOWICE 2025 GRAND FINALISTS ??
LAST YEAR'S CHAMPIONS @Team__Spirit ??@chopperis @sh1rocsgo @magixx772 @zont1x977 @donk1337 pic.twitter.com/1NLQDnIc4R
— ESL Counter-Strike (@ESLCS) February 8, 2025
Despite the Spodek crowd’s clear favouritism towards NaVi, Spirit thrived under pressure.
“When you cheer for NaVi, they have pressure, and when they start losing rounds, it’s more pressure on them and easier for us,” zont1x noted.
Since their breakout victory at IEM Katowice 2024, Spirit have collected four additional trophies, including the Perfect World Shanghai Major.
Their consistency and growth have transformed them from dark horses to the undisputed top team globally.
The grand final promises a spectacle as Vitality, fresh off their IEM Cologne 2024 triumph, seek to secure ESL’s other crown jewel.
For apEX, victory would signify the culmination of a storied career, adding Katowice to his BLAST.tv Paris Major 2023 and IEM Cologne 2024 titles.
Spirit, meanwhile, are chasing history, aiming to defend their Katowice crown and claim their fifth major title in just over a year.
With Vitality and Spirit yet to face each other since ropz joined the French organisation, the matchup adds an extra layer of intrigue.
“Since ropz joined the roster, we feel really free,” ZywOo shared.
“New roster, new fresh dynamic in the team. We’re feeling really good for the final.”
Sunday’s grand final will be a best-of-five series, which is scheduled to kick off at 5pm CET.
GG Bet have marked Spirit as the $1.50 favourite over Team Vitality at $2.50.
