Vitality have booked their place in the ESL Pro League Season 21 playoffs, cruising past MOUZ to complete an undefeated 3-0 run in Stage 2. This marked the first showdown between Dan “apEX” Madesclaire’s squad and their former teammate Lotan “Spinx” Giladi since his departure, and the French captain didn’t hold back, making his presence known both through his in-game performance and verbal jabs across the server.
From the start, Vitality dictated the pace, dismantling MOUZ with ease. apEX set the tone on Inferno, dominating the server with a 1.70 rating and an impressive 20-8 K-D, making a statement on MOUZ’s own map pick. When the series moved to Dust2, Mathieu “ZywOo” Herbaut took over, showcasing his ability to rack up multi-kills, including a stunning Dualies ace on the second pistol round and a clutch M4A1-S 4K while left with just 9HP. After the match, apEX threw some parting words toward Spinx, reminding him of what he left behind, saying that he would “miss ZywOo now.”
MOUZ, coming off an unexpected PGL Cluj-Napoca triumph, entered this match looking to prove themselves against a top-five opponent. Under Ludvig “Brollan” Brolin’s leadership, they had previously taken down teams like Virtus.pro, Astralis, and Falcons, but had yet to be truly tested by an elite squad. Against Vitality, MOUZ failed to rise to the occasion, struggling to gain momentum. Their T side on Inferno crumbled, going down 1-9, and their showing on Dust2 was just as uninspired, as they failed to counter ZywOo’s relentless assault.
For Vitality, this dominant performance continues their strong form, stretching back to their deep run at IEM Katowice. Despite a brief stumble in their first EPL match against MIBR, they have since been unstoppable, tearing through their competition. The team remains in high spirits, with apEX bringing both energy and entertainment to the server, ensuring that Vitality enter the playoffs with momentum.
