Team Spirit Stomps Eternal Fire to Lift Blast Bounty Spring Trophy
No surprises today in Copenhagen as Team Spirit emerged victorious in the BLAST Bounty 2025 Season 1 Finals, claiming the first big trophy of the year with a commanding 3-1 victory over Eternal Fire.
The Grand Final proved that Team Spirit will be the team to beat in this 2025 season, as very few teams look capable of taking them down. Team Spirit lost just ONE MAP in the whole tournament, and it required a MIRACLE to make it happen!
Blast Bounty Spring Season 1 Finals Recap - How each map went
Map Veto and Picks
The map selection process set the stage for this intense battle:
- Eternal Fire banned Ancient
- Spirit banned Inferno
- Eternal Fire picked Anubis
- Spirit picked Nuke
- Eternal Fire picked Dust2
- Spirit picked Mirage
- Train was left as the decider
Eternal Fire's Single Highlight: A Monstruous Comeback
The series kicked off on Anubis, Eternal Fire's map pick, where the Turkish squad pulled off an improbable comeback. Trailing 4-12, they mounted a heroic CT-side resurgence to clinch the map 16-14.
Özgür "woxic" Eker's consistent firepower, coupled with late-game heroics from Ali "Wicadia" Haydar Yalçın and Ismailcan "XANTARES" Dörtkardeş, secured this nail-biting victory. However, this would prove to be Eternal Fire's only moment of glory in an otherwise one-sided affair.
Spirit's Resurgence
From the second map onwards, Spirit showcased why they were considered favorites coming into this final. On Nuke, they dismantled Eternal Fire with a convincing 13-6 scoreline. Danil "donk" Kryshkovets found his rhythm, leading the charge in a dominant 10-2 T-side half. Despite Eternal Fire's early round successes, Spirit's coordinated play, particularly from Leonid "chopper" Vishnyakov and Dmitry "sh1ro" Sokolov, proved insurmountable.
The donk Show
Dust2 witnessed the full unleashing of Spirit's potential, resulting in a commanding 13-3 victory. donk (again), the 2024 Player of the Year, delivered a masterclass performance (again) with an astounding 2.28 rating. Eternal Fire struggled to find their footing, with XANTARES notably absent from his usual form. The map highlighted the gap in class between the two teams once Spirit started hitting their stride.
Sealing the Deal
The fourth map, Mirage, initially showed promise for Eternal Fire, but ultimately ended in Spirit's favor with a 13-7 scoreline, clinching the series 3-1 for the Russian squad. Eternal Fire started strong on their CT side, trailing only 4-8 at the half, with sh1ro delivering a stylish 1v3 clutch.
The Turkish team's resurgence continued into the second half as they secured four rounds in a row, bringing the score to 8-12. However, Spirit's experience and composure, led by the outstanding donk, proved too much in the crucial moments.
Despite Eternal Fire's improved showing, Spirit's overall dominance throughout the tournament prevailed, cementing their status as worthy champions of the BLAST Bounty 2025 Season 1, and proving their previous victory at the Shanghai Major was no fluke. This triumph sets a high bar for the competitive CS2 scene in the year ahead, while Eternal Fire's resilience on Anubis and improved performance on Mirage show potential for future competitions.
Looking Ahead
Despite the initial setback on Anubis, Spirit's victory was never truly in doubt. The Russian team's superior firepower, tactical depth, and individual brilliance were on full display throughout the series. donk proved why he was crowned the 2024 Player of the Year, outperforming all his opponents from day one.
As Spirit lifts the BLAST Bounty 2025 Season 1 trophy, they confirm their status as early favorites for the year. Their performance in this final sends a clear message to the CS2 competitive scene. For Eternal Fire, despite the lopsided result, their performance to reach the Grand Finals AND their resilience on Anubis shows potential, but significant improvements will be needed to dethrone the kings.
This grand final, while not as closely contested as some may have hoped, marks an exciting start to the 2025 competitive CS2 season. Spirit's triumph prepares us for what promises to be a thrilling year of top-tier Counter-Strike action.
Feature image credits: Blast.tv
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