Natus Vincere clinched a spot in the ESL Pro League S21 playoffs with a 3-1 series record after a convincing win over G2, securing victories on Mirage (13-9) and Ancient (13-6).
The opening map, Mirage, saw Natus Vincere come out strong, racing to a 7-0 advantage and closing the half with a dominant 10-2 lead. G2’s second-round pistol victory, with Nemanja “huNter-” Kovač contributing his first kills, provided a glimmer of hope, but the comeback was never truly within reach. Despite a more organized T-side performance from G2, they fell short and lost 9-13 on Natus Vincere’s map pick.
On Ancient, G2 started with momentum, securing the pistol round, but Natus Vincere quickly seized control once their economy stabilized. Aleksi “Aleksib” Virolainen’s squad capitalized on several mistakes by G2, including a crucial 1vs3 clutch by Justinas “jL” Lekavicius, and dominated the match. Natus Vincere won seven straight rounds, entering the second half with a 2-round advantage, and continued their strong performance to seal the map 13-6 and book their playoff spot.
After a strong finish to 2024, where G2 broke a nine-match losing streak against Natus Vincere by securing a win at the BLAST Fall Final, their 2025 encounter with NAVI was a disappointing one. Natus Vincere clearly outplayed them in every aspect, extending their recent dominance over G2 to a 10-1 head-to-head record. This loss underscores G2’s struggles against NAVI in recent encounters.
Natus Vincere is always a strong contender for titles, but their success in the ESL Pro League also holds significant implications for their Major qualifications. After slipping to No. 9 in the Valve rankings, a deep run in Sweden would push them closer to securing a direct invite to the Major. Wins over high-ranking teams like G2 provide valuable VRS points, boosting their chances.
“We’re improving as the tournament progresses, although the loss to SAW was tough,” Ihor “w0nderful” Zhdanov shared in a post-match interview. Their impressive performance against G2 further solidifies their claim for a title in Stockholm.
