In the Stage 3 1-2 bracket of the IEM Cologne Major, The MongolZ and Monte faced off in an elimination match on day four. The MongolZ ultimately secured a 2-1 series victory to keep their tournament hopes alive.
Since their breakthrough run to the Grand Final at the 2025 Austin Major, The MongolZ have faced difficulties replicating deep tournament placements. Questions have surfaced regarding whether top-tier opponents have adapted to the Mongolian squad’s playstyle. While Usukhbayar “910” Banzragch and Sodbayar “Techno4K” Munkhbold have provided strong individual moments, the roster has lacked consistency. Monte entered the matchup with a strong baseline, having fought through Stage 2 and taken maps off teams like Falcons and BetBoom.
Monte take early lead on Nuke
Monte selected Nuke as the opening map. The scoreline remained even until 9-9. At this stage, Aurélien “afro” Drapier found opening kills in three of the final four rounds, consistently giving Monte 5vs4 advantages. Clutch plays from Bymas, Jack “Gizmy” von Spreckelsen, and Oscar “AZUWU” Bell helped Monte secure the required rounds to close the map 13-9.
Cobrazera drives the Inferno comeback
Monte carried their momentum into Inferno and quickly established a 5-1 lead. Anarbileg “cobrazera” Uuganbayar, the newest addition to The MongolZ, then initiated a comeback. He consistently found opening kills and successfully closed out late-round situations. The second half was entirely controlled by The MongolZ, who dominated the server and comfortably won the map 13-7 to force a deciding third game.
A tight finish on Dust2
The series concluded on Dust2, setting up a direct AWP battle between 910 and afro. The MongolZ controlled the early economy, denying afro the funds for his sniper rifle and building a 5-1 lead. However, The MongolZ made a costly decision to attempt a retake in a 3vs5 situation, which resulted in afro recovering a dropped AWP. The Frenchman used it immediately to secure an opening kill in the following round. This mistake allowed Monte to string together three T-side rounds and equalize the score by halftime.
The MongolZ started their T-side strong by winning four consecutive rounds. Monte responded by taking the next four, which included securing a dangerous semi-eco round against the Mongolian side. Trailing 10-11, The MongolZ called their final timeout. The tactical pause successfully halted Monte’s streak and leveled the score at 11-11. With both teams on full buys in round 29, The MongolZ broke through the A site to reach match point. They capitalized on the momentum to win the final round, securing a 13-11 victory and eliminating Monte from the Major.
