Stage 2 of ESL Pro League S21 has arrived, with eight teams from Stage 1 qualifying to face off against some of the best CS2 teams in the world in Stockholm. Another Swiss group awaits, but the quality is stepping up a notch.
All eight of the opening matches have been announced – let’s take a look and give some predictions, shall we?
Spirit vs. TYLOO
Credit: Helena Kristiansson | ESL
TYLOO have become a fan favorite throughout Stage 1 of ESL Pro League S21, thanks in part to the hilarious antics of Jee. Qualifying at the last opportunity, they now face a Spirit team in their first match since their IEM Katowice Final disappointment. I expect Spirit to be back with a vengeance, leading to a very quick series here.
My prediction: Spirit 2:0 TYLOO
Vitality vs. MIBR
Credit: Helena Kristiansson | ESL
On the winning end of that IEM Katowice Grand Final is Vitality, who face MIBR in their first outing since. MIBR are too inconsistent, while Vitality are too strong even on their worst days. I don’t see anything but another 2:0 here.
My prediction: Vitality 2:0 MIBR
NAVI vs. SAW
Credit: Helena Kristiansson | ESL
NAVI haven’t exactly been at their best of late, while SAW are enjoying an interesting honeymoon period with their new roster. They couldn’t… could they? Probably not, even if NAVI have been out of the server for a little while. This one could get a little weird if SAW can continue their solid form, which is why I’m predicting a map win for the team. NAVI takes this series, though.
My prediction: NAVI 2:1 SAW
MOUZ vs. FURIA
Credit: Helena Kristiansson | ESL
As PGL Cluj-Napoca champions, you have to fancy MOUZ as big favorites against FURIA. The Brazilians will come into the series warm after playing tons of matches in ESL Pro League S21 Stage 1, which could still work in their favor. Still, the way MOUZ looked in Cluj-Napoca, it’s difficult to imagine them collapsing to FURIA.
My prediction: MOUZ 2:0 FURIA
G2 vs. paiN Gaming
Credit: IEM on X
For this G2 roster, I have a feeling things are going to get worse before they get better. Meanwhile, paiN Gaming are in a bit of a rough patch, needing individual brilliance to drag themselves through matches. This one will be closer than it seems, with most pegging G2 as favorites. I think they’ll win, but don’t be surprised to see paiN making this ESL Pro League S21 match very competitive.
My prediction: G2 2:1 paiN Gaming
The MongolZ vs. GamerLegion
Credit: Enos Ku | ESL
The MongolZ will be just about everyone’s favorite to beat GamerLegion, and it’s fair. They’ve been looking better and better of late, only really flailing against the very best teams. Still, there’s something about this GamerLegion side that allows them to make any series messy and difficult to play against, and I think it could even lead to a map win upset in this series. The overall quality of The MongolZ should still be enough to see out a best-of-three.
My prediction: The MongolZ 2:1 GamerLegion
Eternal Fire vs. 3DMAX
Credit: Helena Kristiansson | ESL
There’s been something off about Eternal Fire lately, making tough matches of games they would usually win comfortably. This is the exact scenario in which underdogs 3DMAX have thrived recently, and I reckon there’s something to be said about the French team’s chances. If EF can’t find impact from the likes of XANTARES, this one will get hairy.
My prediction: Eternal Fire 2:1 3DMAX
Falcons vs. Liquid
Credit: Helena Kristiansson | ESL
According to the ESL Pro League S21 odds, Falcons vs. Liquid is the closest to call of the Stage 2 opening matches. That’s not how I see it, though. On paper, maybe, but Falcons have shown so much more quality on the server than Liquid since the start of the year. Unless Liquid have used the time since crashing out of IEM Katowice 2025 extremely well, this series should be one-way traffic, especially if Falcons have all of TeSeS, NiKo, and degster firing on all cylinders.
My prediction: Falcons 2:0 Liquid