Falcons Miss the Playoffs at IEM Krakow After 0:2 Loss to MOUZ

Falcons have failed to qualify for the playoffs at IEM Krakow, falling short in the decisive match for the final spot in the bracket against MOUZ. The series ended 0:2, but both maps delivered intense overtime drama.

The opening map, Inferno, went the full distance before MOUZ secured the win in extra rounds, 16:14. Dust2 followed a similar script, with Falcons pushing hard to force a comeback, but once again losing in overtime — this time 19:17. Despite the sweep, the match was one of the closest and most thrilling encounters of the group stage.

Maxim “kyousuke” Lukin was the standout performer for Falcons, posting 50 kills across the two maps and finishing with a 1.19 rating. However, even his strong individual showing wasn’t enough to overcome MOUZ. On the winning side, Lotan “Spinx” Giladi led the way with a 1.18 rating, closely followed by Dorian “xertioN” Berman at 1.17.

With this victory, MOUZ extended their impressive streak of playoff appearances to 15 consecutive tournaments. The last time the team missed out on the final stage was a year ago at IEM Katowice 2025, when academy player Adrian “xelex” Winze had to step in due to roster issues.

For Falcons, the tournament ends with a 7–8th place finish, just months after reaching the final at BLAST Bounty Winter. The team will take home $38,000 in prize money, but the early exit is a significant disappointment given their recent momentum.

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IEM Krakow runs from January 28 to February 8, featuring 24 teams competing for a total prize pool of $1.25 million.