apEX: Vitality ‘never showed a good face’ at IEM Cologne

After Vitality’s elimination from the IEM Cologne Major, captain Dan ‘apEX’ Madesclaire said the team ‘never showed a good face’ and did not reach its peak. He expressed regret and acknowledged Falcons’ strong performance.

apEX listed specific errors that swung the series. On Dust2 he admitted making the 12-11 call that went wrong and noted Vitality lost two eco rounds that affected momentum. The team won buy rounds but repeatedly lost half-buy situations, leaving them short on utility and control in key moments.

He pointed to surrendered advantages on the CT side, where missed shots and lapses in team coordination allowed Falcons to recover rounds. Vitality also dropped Anubis early, which apEX described as setting a difficult tone. Despite preparing for Falcons’ map choices, the team failed to start sides well and missed several opportunities to close rounds.

apEX framed the result as a dip in form after a strong run over the past 18 months and called for a period of reflection and correction. Vitality’s exit ends their Cologne Major campaign; the team will regroup and review the missed half-buys and critical round losses that decided the match.