NRG fall to fnatic at StarLadder Budapest 2025

StarLadder Budapest Major 2025 upstarts, NRG, have impressed thus far. The North American side started out with a 2-0 record before falling to fellow NA team M80 in the first qualification game.

They were then faced with fnatic in the 2-1 pool with another shot at Stage 2 at the Major. fnatic were dominated in the first map but bounced back to win the series 2-1.

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fnatic chose Mirage to start the series, but it was all NRG from the start. fnatic started 3-1 up, but that was the only success they would find. NRG won the rest of the first-half rounds to take a 9-3 lead at the half. They would hold onto that momentum into the second half, not dropping a single round to win 13-3.

NRG picked Inferno to try to close out the series, but this time it was fnatic who took control early. fnatic won seven of the final eight rounds to take an 8-4 lead into the second half. NRG quickly tied the game at 10-10, leaving just three rounds between themselves and Stage 2. fnatic bounced back, winning the next three rounds to take map two 13-10.

The deciding map was Dust2, where fnatic got off to a hot start with a 6-1 lead. They would then take another 8-4 lead into the half, mirroring the result from map two. It was NRG who came out firing in the second half, though, quickly turning their four round deficit into a tie game. fnatic would then keep their composure and stabilize, winning the deciding map 13-9.

StarLadder Budapest Major 2025 Stage 1

Bo3

NRG

1 - 2

fnatic

All maps

NRG	K - D	+/-	ADR	KAST	Rating 3.0
Alexander 'br0' Bro	54 - 40	+14	92.1	70.5%	1.33
Aran 'Sonic' Groesbeek	49 - 43	+6	83.9	73.8%	1.24
Zack 'XotiC' Elshani	42 - 43	-1	81.2	75.4%	1.05
Jeorge 'Jeorge' Endicott	39 - 44	-5	68.3	70.5%	0.94
Damian 'daps' Steele	28 - 41	-13	55.1	62.3%	0.79

fnatic	K - D	+/-	ADR	KAST	Rating 3.0
Benjamin 'blameF' Bremer	51 - 41	+10	87.4	82.0%	1.28
Nikita 'jackasmo' Skyba	52 - 44	+8	89.6	68.9%	1.26
Dmytro 'jambo' Semera	41 - 40	+1	74.5	75.4%	0.96
Freddy 'KRIMZ' Johansson	38 - 42	-4	58.9	73.8%	0.91
Rodion 'fEAR' Smyk	27 - 46	-19	57.1	73.8%	0.77