Spirit Steamrolled Stage 2 of the Major. Donk Was Even Better Than Usual

Team Spirit didn't just make it through Stage 2 of the IEM Cologne Major 2026 – they completely crushed everyone in their path.

The reigning Major champions breezed through the Swiss stage with a flawless 3-0 record, dismantling BetBoom Team (13:5), MIBR (13:1), and 9z (13:3, 13:1) without breaking a sweat.

What makes Spirit's run truly remarkable is the sheer level of dominance. Across four maps, the team conceded only 10 rounds in total. That's the best result ever recorded at a Major using the Swiss format.

At this point, dominant Swiss stage performances have become the norm for Spirit. Since 2024, the squad has lost just one match in Major Swiss stages – against FURIA in Shanghai. Interestingly, Spirit went on to win that Major anyway.

Donk Is Playing on Another Level

Once again, the spotlight belongs to donk.

The young superstar delivered one of the most dominant individual performances ever seen at a Major. In 80% of all rounds played, donk secured at least one kill, making an impact almost every single round.

His standout performance came on Nuke against 9z, producing what is now the highest-rated map of his Major career:

• Rating – 2.76

• 23 kills

• 7 deaths

• 0 lost opening duels

The numbers become even more impressive when looking at the overall tournament statistics.

Donk currently leads the Major in 13 different categories, including:

• KAST – 91.9%

• Headshots per round – 0.81

• Total kills – 92

For a player already considered one of the best in the world, this stage somehow raised the bar even higher.

The Entire Team Is Delivering

While donk continues to grab headlines, Spirit's success is far from a one-man show.

Every player on the roster posted outstanding numbers during Stage 2:

• Donk – 2.27

• Tn1r – 1.45

• Sh1ro – 1.33

• Zont1x – 1.15

• Magixx – 1.13

Having all five players above a 1.10 rating highlights just how comfortable Spirit looked throughout the stage.

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Dominating Without Their Coaches

Perhaps the most surprising detail is that Spirit achieved all of this without their regular coaching staff behind them.

Neither Hally nor S0tf1k made the trip to Cologne, with the team being accompanied by Zhab Zhabych instead.

Yet none of that seemed to matter. Spirit looked perfectly prepared, highly coordinated, and several levels above the competition.

Most fans expected Spirit to advance from Stage 2 without much trouble. Very few expected them to completely erase every opponent from the server.

Now comes the real test.

According to the current seeding projections, Spirit's opening match of Stage 3 will likely be against either Vitality or NAVI. Those matchups should provide a much clearer picture of whether this roster is ready to claim another Major trophy.

If Spirit maintain the form they showed in Stage 2, stopping donk and company will be an incredibly difficult task.