MOUZ have secured a 2-0 series win over Falcons in their opening match at BLAST Open Lisbon 2025, continuing their dominance over the European squad with yet another victory. This result builds on their recent triumphs against the same lineup at both ESL Pro League Season 21 and PGL Cluj-Napoca, where MOUZ also came out on top in high-stakes matches.
This time, the approach from Falcons differed slightly in the veto process, as they decided to remove Nuke — a map where MOUZ have historically looked strong — forcing the series to be played on Ancient. However, this tactical adjustment didn’t work in their favor. MOUZ took Ancient 13-10 and followed that with a closely contested battle on Train, ultimately closing it out 13-11 to complete the sweep.
With that win, MOUZ move on to face Spirit in the upper bracket of the tournament, a team eager to retaliate after being knocked out of the ESL Pro League semi-finals by MOUZ. The rematch between these two promising squads will determine which side advances to the playoff stage.
Spirit arrive into this encounter after cruising past The Huns in their own opening match, where Danil “donk” Kryshkovets continued his excellent form with a dominant performance, earning a 1.90 rating across the series. While that match was a relatively straightforward win for Spirit, their upcoming challenge against MOUZ is expected to be far more competitive.
MOUZ’s victory was helped in part by Jimi “Jimpphat” Salo, who topped the server with a 1.17 rating. The Finnish rifler had an explosive 2024 but has struggled to find consistency in early 2025, including a disappointing run with his team at IEM Katowice. Despite those setbacks, he showed flashes of his old self in Cluj-Napoca and now appears to be regaining his rhythm as Lisbon gets underway.
There’s been more than individual resurgence within MOUZ — the team is also settling into a new identity. Under Ludvig “Brollan” Brolin’s leadership and with the addition of Lotan “Spinx” Giladi, the squad is becoming more cohesive. Spinx, in particular, has been contributing heavily in and out of the game, providing structure and strong map awareness to help steer the team tactically.
For Falcons, this marks their third consecutive loss to MOUZ in as many series, following earlier defeats in the PGL Cluj-Napoca final and a prior ESL Pro League group stage clash. The team’s only win over MOUZ came earlier this year in Cluj-Napoca’s group stage, but replicating that success has proven elusive.
The Falcons had their opportunity on Train, a map they deliberately picked, but despite strong moments, they couldn’t capitalize on key rounds where they held the advantage. MOUZ, denied access to Nuke through the veto, still held firm on Ancient, executing their game plan effectively. That missed opportunity on Train proved costly, as history suggests Falcons have the upper hand on Mirage — the map that would have been the decider had the series gone the distance.
Although Falcons have yet to find the winning formula against MOUZ in recent encounters, there’s still potential for growth. With slight improvements in execution and decision-making during pivotal rounds, the balance could tilt in future matchups. For now, however, MOUZ continue to be the barrier that Falcons haven’t managed to break.
