BetBoom and Monte faced off in the 2-1 progression match at the IEM Cologne Major Stage 2, with a spot in Stage 3 on the line. Both teams entered the series with strong tournament runs, setting up a three-map series featuring Nuke, Mirage, and Dust2.
BetBoom adjust through roster turbulence in 2026
BetBoom reached this qualification match despite facing visa issues throughout 2026, which forced multiple roster adjustments. Shortly before the Major, Artem “d1Ledez” Kuryatov stepped in to replace Evgeny “s1ren” Pedagogov. Despite these changes, the squad led by Kirill “Boombl4” Mikhailov has maintained high performance, largely due to the emergence of Kirill “Magnojez” Rodnov. In Cologne, BetBoom advanced through Stage 1 and only suffered a setback against Team Spirit, where Danil “donk” Kryshkovets halted their momentum in the opening round of Stage 2.
Monte rely on cohesive team play
Monte entered the series with matching momentum. The European mixture had previously demonstrated their capabilities at the Major level during the Paris Major in 2023, where the organization reached the quarter-finals. In Cologne, Monte showed competitive form, with their only prior defeat in Stage 2 coming in a triple-overtime match against G2 Esports. While Oscar “AZUWU” Bell provided strong individual numbers, the roster relied primarily on cohesive team execution to reach the 2-1 pool.
Trading dominant map picks on Nuke and Mirage
The series began on Nuke, selected by BetBoom. The Russian squad established an early advantage by securing six rounds on their T-side. After the side switch, Magnojez and Pavel “FL4MUS” Shvetsov controlled the defensive half to close out the map 13-7.
Monte responded immediately on their map pick, Mirage. The European team dominated the first half by winning nine rounds on the offensive side. Aleks “Rainwaker” Petrov led the way for Monte, finishing the map with a 20-10 kill-death ratio to secure a victory and tie the series.
Dust2 decides the final qualification spot
The final spot in Stage 3 came down to Dust2. On the decider map, BetBoom stood the distance and won 13-8 to seal the win and qualify for Stage 3, while Monte will have to win tomorrow to make it through.
