Stage 1 of the StarLadder Budapest Major 2025 is winding down after another thrilling day of CS2 action. From tech glitches on day 1 to massive upsets on day 2, day 3 delivered more drama with three teams taking their tickets to Stage 2 and others fighting for survival. Ninjas in Pyjamas (NIP), B8, and Fnatic emerged victorious, while FaZe Clan pulled off a miracle to stay alive.
NIP Dominates Fluxo
NIP wasted no time securing their spot, dismantling Fluxo 2-0 with back to back 13-5 wins on Nuke and Train. The standout was young star xKacpersky, who dropped a massive 40-17 across the series, with proof he’s ready to carry in Stage 2.
B8 Upsets Legacy
B8 continued their breakout run, sweeping Legacy 2-0 (Dust2 16-12, details on second map solid). Despite not topping kills, npl was the difference maker with a +4.98% round swing impact, a far cry from his NAVI struggles. This young squad showed no hesitation when it mattered.
Fnatic Edges NRG
Fnatic got a favorable matchup against an NRG side missing their IGL, but it wasn’t easy. NRG stole Mirage 13-3, forcing Fnatic to rally on Inferno (13-10) and Dust2 (13-9) for the 2-1 win. A gritty performance to advance 3-1.
FaZe Clings to Life
The match of the day was FaZe vs. RED Canids went the distance, with FaZe losing Mirage 7-13 but clawing back on Nuke in a 19-17 overtime thriller. The pivotal moment was RED’s attempted a stuck defuse on B site with bomb planted at 12-11, getting it to just 0.437 seconds before karrigan shut it dow, despite having smokes and flashes ready. RED choked a 15-12 OT lead too, rushing frozen repeatedly who nearly hit 40 kills. FaZe sealed Inferno 13-5.
Stage 1 Standings:
- 3-0 (Qualified): M80, FlyQuest
- 3-1 (Qualified): B8, Fnatic, Ninjas in Pyjamas
- 2-2 (Round 5 Bo3 upcoming Nov 27): NRG, Fluxo, PARIVISION, Legacy, Imperial Esports, FaZe Clan
- 1-3 (Eliminated): RED Canids, The Huns Esports, GamerLegion
- 0-3 (Eliminated): Lynn Vision Gaming, Rare Atom
Day 3 Fixtures (Results):
- NIP 2-0 Fluxo
- B8 2-0 Legacy
- Fnatic 2-1 NRG
- FaZe Clan 2-1 RED Canids
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- Source: https://www.esportsbets.com/news/starladder-budapest-major-day-3-recap/