IEM Cologne Stage 3: Falcons reach LANXESS after 2OT win

At IEM Cologne Stage 3 in Cologne, Falcons came from 6–11 down to defeat NAVI in double overtime and secure a place in the LANXESS Arena playoff bracket. The match finished after two overtime periods and confirmed Falcons’ advancement to the playoff venue.

The Stage 3 group phase on Day 3 also produced two early upsets. BetBoom beat Falcons to reach 2-0 in the stage, and Argentine side 9z defeated Team Vitality to join the undefeated group. Those results affect which teams take a direct route to the LANXESS playoffs and which face elimination matches.

Falcons overturned a five-round deficit late in the match, forcing extended play and completing the comeback on the sixth overtime attempt at close range. NAVI led for most of regulation but could not close the game as Falcons gained momentum in the final rounds.

BetBoom reached the Major after using stand-ins during the qualification period. Kirill “Boombl4” Mikhailov called the season “the most unexpected season of my career,” referencing the roster disruptions and the team’s continued performance at Cologne. 9z coach Bruno “BIT” Fukuda Lima framed the win over Vitality as another notable result in meetings between the two teams.

Several other matches determined the 2-0 pool. FURIA recorded a clear win over B8 to join the undefeated group, and Spirit advanced after a separate triple-overtime match. Teams that begin Stage 3 at 2-0 avoid immediate elimination and gain a simpler path into the LANXESS Arena playoff bracket. Teams dropping to 0-2 face must-win matches to remain in the Major.

Players and coaches commented on pressure and execution after their matches. Dem0n noted his team faced added pressure in a must-win scenario when an 0-2 start would have ended their invite streak. Özgür “woxic” Eker highlighted a 1v4 clutch he completed against 9z and described reaching the LANXESS Arena playoffs for the first time in his career.

Rémy “XTQZZZ” Quoniam pointed to execution problems on Mirage and issues with second-round force buys after his side lost to 9z. Andrey “B1ad3” Gorodenskiy said the win after an earlier loss helped his team regain vocal leadership and activate more in-game micro plans. FURIA coach Sid “sidde” Macedo said the team has focused on closing out games and avoiding lapses in key moments.

NiKo and brollan both described working on map pools and individual form during the event. NiKo said the team is expanding its map pool and polishing errors, while brollan said he used time off the main lineup to reset and keep individual performance steady.

Stage 3 pool play continues with each match affecting seeding and survival. Teams that collected early wins left Day 3 with clearer paths to the LANXESS Arena playoffs, while teams with early losses face immediate pressure to win in the next rounds.