Look Sports Media – Ninjas in Pyjamas (NiP) and B8 have secured their spots in Stage 2 of the StarLadder Budapest Major 2025, overcoming Fluxo and Legacy respectively in tense 2-1 series during Stage 1. The victories propel NiP and B8 forward, while Fluxo and Legacy now face a crucial elimination match on Thursday, both teams carrying a 2-2 record after a day of unexpected twists.
Legacy entered Stage 1 as a favorite to advance, and Fluxo started strong with a 2-0 record, adding immense pressure to their upcoming do-or-die match.
NiP’s Dominance Overwhelms Fluxo
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NiP’s Nuke performance against Fluxo was a masterclass in map control. Securing six consecutive rounds on the Terrorist side of the typically CT-sided map put them firmly in the driver’s seat. Rasmus "sjuush" Beck’s aggressive plays consistently opened up opportunities for Marco "Snappi" Pfeiffer’s squad. While NiP only managed one additional T-side round, their initial dominance, coupled with a pistol round victory on the CT side, proved insurmountable. Kacper "xKacpersky" Gabara played a pivotal role in shutting down Fluxo’s attacks, leading to a one-sided 13-5 scoreline.
On Train, Michel "ewjerkz" Pinto shone for NiP, racking up three multi-kills and remarkably avoiding death in the first half. Although Fluxo mounted a comeback attempt in the second half, securing four crucial rounds, they ultimately faltered on their CT side, managing only one round as NiP cruised to another 13-5 victory. ewjerkz finished the match with an impressive 20/5 K/D, spearheading NiP’s attacks on B Halls, Back Bomb, and the A-site.
Snappi singled out Artem "r1nkle" Moroz for praise post-match, a noteworthy choice considering the Ukrainian’s statistically underwhelming performance across both maps (0.95 and 0.94 HLTV ratings). Boosting r1nkle’s confidence could be a strategic move by NiP’s IGL to prepare him for the challenges of Stage 2. After recovering from their opening loss to NRG, the team advances from Stage 1 with a 3-1 record.
B8’s Grit Grinds Down Legacy
B8 pulled off an upset victory against Legacy on Dust 2, capitalizing on a late-game collapse from the Brazilian squad. Despite Eduardo "dumau" Wolkmer’s underperformance, Legacy secured an 8-4 lead on the T-side, seemingly paving the way for victory. However, B8’s pistol round win and subsequent conversions shifted the momentum. Legacy briefly regained control, extending their lead to 11-7, but Andrii "npl" Kukharskyi rallied his team, executing flawless rotations and exploiting Legacy’s weaknesses.
Legacy struggled to anticipate B8’s fakes, rotating to the wrong positions as B8 claimed five of the last six rounds, forcing overtime. B8 maintained their momentum in overtime, converting all their T-side rounds and securing a 16-12 victory.
Riding high from their Dust 2 triumph, B8 carried their confidence into Mirage. Artem "kensizor" Kapran further demoralized Legacy with a knife kill on Guilherme "saadzin" Pacheco. B8’s Mirage performance was a showcase of proactive and decisive Counter-Strike, leading to a dominant 13-5 victory. Even when their economy faltered, B8 secured a full deagle round, further denting Legacy’s morale.
Legacy now faces a crucial 2-2 matchup, potentially against FaZe Clan. The team entered Stage 1 as a favorite to advance, but they must ensure their star players are firing on all cylinders in their final match.
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