The MongolZ and Spirit ready for decider match

The final two matches of the day at BLAST Open Rotterdam 2026 set the stage for a massive Group B lower bracket final. With NRG vs. FURIA and TYLOO vs. Falcons already in the books, the evening concluded with two clean sweeps, though the paths to victory were vastly different.

The MongolZ eliminate Team Liquid (2-0)

Team Liquid’s run in Rotterdam came to a heartbreaking end after a hard-fought series against The MongolZ.

• Ancient (16-14, The MongolZ): On Liquid’s map pick, The MongolZ established early dominance with a strong 8-4 CT half. Liquid managed to disrupt their momentum late in the second half, mounting an impressive comeback to force overtime. However, the North American squad couldn’t close it out, securing only two rounds in extra time before The MongolZ snatched the map 16-14.
• Mirage (13-10, The MongolZ): The MongolZ’s map pick was a tight affair early on, ending the first half tied at 6-6. Both teams traded blows after the side switch, but from round 19 onward, the Mongolian squad found another gear, taking control to close the map 13-10.

Despite the elimination, Jonathan “EliGE” Jablonowski put on a stellar individual performance, earning Match MVP honors with a massive 1.48 rating and 103.2 ADR in a losing effort.

Team Spirit roll past 9z (2-0)

Following a disappointing loss earlier in the event to PARIVISION, Team Spirit bounced back with a vengeance, dismantling 9z to keep their playoff hopes alive.

• Overpass (13-6, Spirit): On 9z’s map pick, Spirit put on an absolute defensive masterclass. Danil “donk” Kryshkovets and Dmitry “sh1ro” Sokolov spearheaded a staggering 12-0 CT-side half, racking up 11 combined multikills. 9z managed to string together a few rounds in the second half—including a quad kill from Franco “dgt” Garcia—to avoid a 13-0 blowout, but Spirit comfortably closed it out 13-6.
• Dust2 (13-6, Spirit): 9z showed more fight early on Spirit’s pick, answering a 3-0 start with three rounds of their own. However, a crucial 1v3 clutch from Boris “magixx” Vorobiev in a 2v5 situation shattered 9z’s momentum, allowing Spirit to cruise to an 8-4 half. A CT-side pistol win put the Russian squad firmly in the driver’s seat, and they punched their ticket to the next round with another 13-6 victory.

donk was the undisputed star of the series, dropping 44 kills alongside a 1.78 rating across the two maps.

The Group Stage Concludes

The stakes couldn’t be higher as we head into the final day of the group stage. Today’s matches will finalize the playoff bracket, deciding who gets a fast track to the semi-finals, who fights in the quarter-finals, and whose Rotterdam journey comes to an end.

In the Group Finals, Natus Vincere takes on Aurora, while PARIVISION clashes with Vitality. The winners of these massive series will bypass the quarter-finals entirely and advance straight to the semi-finals, while the losers will drop into the quarter-final round.

Meanwhile, the Lower Finals are pure do-or-die. FURIA will face off against Falcons, followed by our highlighted matchup between The MongolZ and Spirit. The victors will secure the final tickets to the quarter-finals at the Rotterdam Ahoy arena, while the defeated teams will be sent packing.

Today’s Schedule (Monday, March 23):