{"id":41027,"date":"2025-02-09T01:04:24","date_gmt":"2025-02-09T06:04:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/esportbet.com\/?p=41027"},"modified":"2025-02-09T01:04:24","modified_gmt":"2025-02-09T06:04:24","slug":"vitality-spirit-set-to-clash-in-iem-katowice-2025-grand-final","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/esportbet.com\/vitality-spirit-set-to-clash-in-iem-katowice-2025-grand-final\/","title":{"rendered":"Vitality &#038; Spirit set to clash in IEM Katowice 2025 grand final"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Team Vitality have etched their name into the history books by reaching the grand final of <a href=\"https:\/\/esportbet.com\/iem-katowice\/cs2\/\" title=\"IEM Katowice betting guide\">IEM Katowice<\/a> for the first time in the organisation\u2019s history.<\/p>\n<p>This milestone also marks a personal triumph for veteran in-game leader Dan &#8220;apEX&#8221; Madesclaire, who secured his first-ever Spodek Arena playoff victory after an illustrious 15-year career.<\/p>\n<p>Vitality&#8217;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.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">FOR THE FIRST TIME <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/TeamVitalityCS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">@TeamVitalityCS<\/a> ARE IN THE <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/IEM?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#IEM<\/a> KATOWICE GRAND FINALS \ud83c\udfc6<a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/Vitality_apEX?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">@Vitality_apEX<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/ropz?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">@ropz<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/zywoo?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">@zywoo<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/flameZcsgo?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">@flameZcsgo<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/kingmezii?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">@kingmezii<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/XTQZZZ?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">@XTQZZZ<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/cRUupgGaaW\">pic.twitter.com\/cRUupgGaaW<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; ESL Counter-Strike (@ESLCS) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/ESLCS\/status\/1888264536232276396?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">February 8, 2025<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p> <script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p>Vitality showcased clinical precision in their semifinal clash against The MongolZ, dismantling the Mongolian <a href=\"https:\/\/esportbet.com\/counter-strike\/\" title=\"Counter-Strike betting guide\">Counter-Strike<\/a> squad with relentless aggression and tactical superiority.<\/p>\n<p>Despite The MongolZ\u2019s spirited run, highlighted by victories over Team Liquid, GamerLegion, and Eternal Fire, they struggled to find their footing against Vitality\u2019s onslaught.<\/p>\n<p>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.<\/p>\n<p>Mathieu &#8220;ZywOo&#8221; Herbaut\u2019s clutch 1v2 secured a pivotal round, while Robin &#8220;ropz&#8221; Kool delivered key plays, including a decisive 1v2 to close out Mirage and a momentum-shifting entry on Nuke.<\/p>\n<p>Vitality exploited The MongolZ\u2019s defensive gaps, particularly around Mini on Nuke, cruising to victory with strategic finesse.<\/p>\n<p>Reflecting on his journey, apEX expressed his elation: &#8220;You have to wait 11 years to win a playoff game here; that&#8217;s crazy.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Only three times in playoffs for me, but maybe it&#8217;s the year. One more game tomorrow, and if we keep growing, we might take that one home.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>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.<\/p>\n<p>Led by the dynamic Danil &#8220;donk&#8221; Kryshkovets and supported by Dmitry &#8220;sh1ro&#8221; Sokolov and Myroslav &#8220;zont1x&#8221; Plakhotia, Spirit dismantled NaVi with clinical execution, taking Mirage 13-8 and edging out a hard-fought 16-14 win on Dust2.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">YOUR SECOND <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/IEM?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#IEM<\/a> KATOWICE 2025 GRAND FINALISTS \ud83c\udfc6<\/p>\n<p>LAST YEAR&#39;S CHAMPIONS <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/Team__Spirit?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">@Team__Spirit<\/a> \ud83e\udd73<a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/chopperis?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">@chopperis<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/sh1rocsgo?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">@sh1rocsgo<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/magixx772?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">@magixx772<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/zont1x977?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">@zont1x977<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/donk1337?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">@donk1337<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/1NLQDnIc4R\">pic.twitter.com\/1NLQDnIc4R<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; ESL Counter-Strike (@ESLCS) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/ESLCS\/status\/1888323727093354643?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">February 8, 2025<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p> <script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p>Despite the Spodek crowd\u2019s clear favouritism towards NaVi, Spirit thrived under pressure.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;When you cheer for NaVi, they have pressure, and when they start losing rounds, it&#8217;s more pressure on them and easier for us,&#8221; zont1x noted.<\/p>\n<p>Since their breakout victory at IEM Katowice 2024, Spirit have collected four additional trophies, including the <a href=\"https:\/\/esportbet.com\/counter-strike\/perfect-world-shanghai-major\/\" title=\"Perfect World Shanghai Major betting guide\">Perfect World Shanghai Major<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Their consistency and growth have transformed them from dark horses to the undisputed top team globally.<\/p>\n<p>The grand final promises a spectacle as Vitality, fresh off their <a href=\"https:\/\/esportbet.com\/counter-strike\/iem-cologne\/\" title=\"IEM Cologne betting guide\">IEM Cologne 2024<\/a> triumph, seek to secure ESL\u2019s other crown jewel.<\/p>\n<p>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.<\/p>\n<p>Spirit, meanwhile, are chasing history, aiming to defend their Katowice crown and claim their fifth major title in just over a year.<\/p>\n<p>With Vitality and Spirit yet to face each other since ropz joined the French organisation, the matchup adds an extra layer of intrigue.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Since ropz joined the roster, we feel really free,&#8221; ZywOo shared.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;New roster, new fresh dynamic in the team. We&#8217;re feeling really good for the final.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>Sunday&#8217;s grand final will be a best-of-five series, which is scheduled to kick off at 5pm CET.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/esportbet.com\/go\/ggbet-sport\/\"  title=\"Claim bonus at GG Bet\"  target=\"_blank\">GG Bet<\/a> have marked Spirit as the $1.50 favourite over Team Vitality at $2.50.<\/p>\n<hr>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/esportbet.com\/news\/\" class=\"contentLinkBtn\">Esports news<\/a><\/p>\n<hr>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Following their strong victories over The MongolZ and Natus Vincere, respectively, Team Vitality and Team Spirit will clash in the grand final of IEM Katowice.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":24,"featured_media":26642,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"ghostkit_customizer_options":"","ghostkit_custom_css":"","ghostkit_custom_js_head":"","ghostkit_custom_js_foot":"","ghostkit_typography":"","wds_primary_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[3111,1081,132,434,215,3678],"class_list":["post-41027","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news","tag-counter-strike-2","tag-iem-katowice","tag-natus-vincere","tag-team-spirit","tag-team-vitality","tag-the-mongolz"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/esportbet.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/41027","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/esportbet.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/esportbet.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/esportbet.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/24"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/esportbet.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=41027"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/esportbet.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/41027\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":41033,"href":"https:\/\/esportbet.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/41027\/revisions\/41033"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/esportbet.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/26642"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/esportbet.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=41027"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/esportbet.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=41027"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/esportbet.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=41027"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}