The BLAST Open Spring 2025 opening matches start tomorrow, so it’s time to make ourselves look silly and make some predictions for the match ahead. Most of the matches are pretty straightforward on paper, but there are always additional factors in play you have to consider.
Team Spirit vs. The Huns
Credit: Helena Kristiansson | ESL
Team Spirit come to their opening match of BLAST Open Spring 2025 on the back of a rough ending to ESL Pro League. While it was a pretty miserable way to exit the event, the good news is they have a free hit here against The Huns. No disrespect to the Mongolian team, but they’re only here because ATOX were suspended by ESIC. It’s not really the circumstances you want to enter an event in. Regardless, anything besides a quick Team Spirit 2:0 here will leave fans worried.
My prediction: Team Spirit 2:0 The Huns
MOUZ vs. Falcons
Credit: Helena Kristiansson | ESL
All conventional wisdom points to MOUZ winning this match vs. Falcons, whether it be easy or hard-fought. PGL Cluj-Napoca champions and ESL Pro League runners-up – what could go wrong? I’ve just got a sense that MOUZ might have a hangover from their Vitality loss coming into this. Not a literal one, of course, but a tiredness that comes from making deep runs in tournaments. Falcons need to be ready to take advantage of any MOUZ fatigue if they’re to have a chance of winning this one.
My prediction: MOUZ 1:2 Falcons
Vitality vs. Astralis
Credit: Helena Kristiansson | ESL
No one is under any illusion about the best CS2 team in the world right now. It’s Vitality, and few will argue that point. Astralis have been making some positive strides too, but these teams are operating in different universes at the moment. Based on nothing but a gut feeling, I reckon Astralis will make things a little spooky for Vitality and take a map. No rhyme or reason, just vibes.
My prediction: Vitality 2:1 Astralis
FaZe Clan vs. Virtus.pro
Credit: Enos Ku | ESL
FaZe Clan have made a habit of making things awkward for themselves for no real reason at all. They’re a team much less than the sum of their parts, hence their placement in our BLAST Open Spring power rankings. As for Virtus.pro? I don’t really know what to think of them. Sometimes good, sometimes… I think you get the idea. A perfect storm of circumstances could definitely lead to a VP win here, but I think the choice to skip ESL Pro League will have given FaZe Clan enough of a reset to secure a win.
My prediction: FaZe Clan 2:1 Virtus.pro
G2 vs. Imperial
Credit: Luc Bouchon | ESL
G2 fans: are you worried yet? Life after NiKo doesn’t look too hot right now, with another rough performance at ESL Pro League Season 21. They’ve been handed a gift in their opener of BLAST Open Spring 2025, facing off against an Imperial team that hasn’t impressed in a long time. I’m predicting that G2 will use this one as a confidence booster – as rough as they’ve looked recently, I can only see G2 as winners here.
My prediction: G2 2:0 Imperial
Eternal Fire vs. Team Liquid
Credit: Luc Bouchon | ESL
It feels like things aren’t clicking for Eternal Fire recently. It’s not a mega cause for concern, and most would still have them as favorites over Team Liquid in this match. They need to get XANTARES back in form, as it feels like he’s had a couple of big disappearances of late (including against Liquid at ESL Pro League). Liquid don’t exactly inspire much confidence either, but I think their floor is higher at the moment. It won’t be the best team that wins this one – it’ll be the least-worst.
My prediction: Eternal Fire 1:2 Team Liquid
The MongolZ vs. M80
Credit: Luc Bouchon | ESL
I’m prefacing my prediction for this match with one thing: I really like M80. They seem like fun personalities, and play decent Counter-Strike. But they’re not The MongolZ, who seem to be improving all the time. They’ve not gone all the way to a big trophy win yet, but that’ll come. The MongolZ should be tactically outmaneuvering and consistently out-aiming M80 in this series every step of the way. And look, there’s a world where M80 take a map here, but I don’t think we’re living in it.
My prediction: The MongolZ 2:0 M80
NAVI vs. FURIA
Credit: Luc Bouchon | ESL
It feels like NAVI have entered a bit of a crisis mode at the moment. They don’t look like they’re capable of winning any tournaments any time soon, let’s put it that way. A far cry from their 2024 peaks, NAVI are pretty bad right now. But for as poor as they’ve looked of late, they’re not “lose to FURIA in a best-of-three” bad.
My prediction: NAVI 2:1 FURIA