On Thursday, March 13, 2025, MOUZ and Team Spirit triumphed over their opponents to advance to the semifinals of the ESL Pro League Season 21, held at ESL Studio, Stockholm, Sweden.
MOUZ faced off against G2 Esports, fresh from their victory at PGL Cluj-Napoca 2025, and showcased a determined performance. The match was closely contested across three maps, with G2 winning the first map, Inferno, with a score of 13-11. MOUZ showed strategic prowess as they fought back, winning Nuke 13-8. The decisive map, Ancient, saw MOUZ take control early and close it out 13-11. Jimi "Jimpphat" Salo, Lotan "Spinx" Giladi, and Ludvig "Brollan" Brolin each contributed 19 frags during this final round, supporting their team’s impressive comeback.
Meanwhile, Team Spirit clashed with Eternal Fire, displaying their resilience and skill. The first map, Nuke, was particularly exhilarating as it ended dramatically, with Spirit overpowering Eternal Fire 19-15 after double overtime. Leonid "Chopper" Vishnyakov delivered standout plays, netting 29 kills, even as the team faced illness-related challenges. Eternal Fire retaliated on Anubis, winning 13-10, pushing the series to the final map. On Mirage, Spirit maintained composure, finalizing the match with another 13-7 victory, showcasing Myroslav "zont1x" Plakotia's prowess with 16 frags powering them through to the semifinals.
The ESL Pro League Season 21 is part of one of the most prestigious tournament series, boasting a total prize pool of $1,000,000, which is divided between players and clubs. The team securing the first place will earn $250,000, adding more significance to these playoff matches.
Looking forward to the upcoming semifinal matchup, MOUZ will face Team Spirit. Spinx exemplified the team’s upbeat spirit before their quarterfinal match with the simple yet hopeful statement, "We’ll see." This anticipation reflects both confidence and respect for the competition they are set to face.
With these results, both MOUZ and Team Spirit have ensured at least a 3rd-4th place finish, guaranteeing them $25,000 each. Conversely, G2 and Eternal Fire will exit the tournament, each taking home $18,000 for their efforts.
The stakes remain incredibly high as the tournament progresses toward the grand final on Sunday, March 16, 2025, promising thrilling action as teams pile on to earn their chance at the prestigious victory.