BetBoom Team earned a 2-0 series win over Team Falcons in Stage 3 of the IEM Cologne Major 2026. The matchup between the two 1-0 rosters was defined by an extensive comeback from BetBoom on the first map, which set the tone for the remainder of the series.
Early dominance from Team Falcons on Nuke
The series began on Nuke, the map selection of Team Falcons. The squad established an immediate offensive presence, driven by consistent entry kills from Nikola “NiKo” Kovač and AWP pressure from Ilya “m0NESY” Osipov. BetBoom struggled to maintain Outside control and failed to hold against upper site executions. Supported by effective trading from kyousuke and René “TeSeS” Madsen, Team Falcons secured a 9-3 advantage by the halftime switch.
BetBoom erase the deficit
Winning the second half pistol round provided BetBoom with the economy needed to stabilize. In-game leader Kirill “Boombl4” Mikhailov adjusted the tactical approach to exploit the defensive setups of Team Falcons.
Trailing 11-5, BetBoom found themselves in a 2v4 post-plant situation on the lower site. Artem “FL4MUS” Mikhailov and Aleksandr “zorte” Zagodyrenko secured the round, breaking the economy of Team Falcons and forcing them into consecutive eco rounds. This shift allowed zorte to consistently win opening duels outside. BetBoom tied the game at 11-11 and closed the map 13-11 in regulation time after Artem “Magnojez” Rogov secured multiple eliminations in the final rounds.
Ancient decides the series
Carrying their momentum forward, BetBoom took control early on Ancient. Starting on the defensive side, they replicated the scoreline of the previous map by securing a 9-3 advantage at halftime.
Team Falcons responded with a structured defense in the second half, narrowing the BetBoom lead to 9-8. BetBoom then broke through the A site defense to halt the recovery. Facing an 11-8 deficit, Team Falcons utilized their final timeout to equip kyousuke and NiKo with rifles and m0NESY with an AWP. While Team Falcons won the subsequent round, they lost the following engagement in a chaotic sequence on the B site. BetBoom secured the map 13-10 to finalize the series and advance to a 2-0 record in Stage 3, where they will most likely face Team Vitality.
