In the second stage of ESL Pro League Season 21, Falcons and 3DMAX will face off — two teams that show a consistent level of play and have already made a name for themselves in recent major tournaments. Both teams have the same 1-1 record in the group, and their current form suggests an intense match. We analyze the teams' form, possible map pool, and predict the outcome of the encounter.
Current Team Form
Falcons
The average rating of Falcons at S-tier events over the last month is 6.0. The team demonstrates stable play and performs confidently in major tournaments. Over the past month, Falcons participated in the IEM Dallas European Qualifier, where they successfully qualified by winning two matches. They also reached the grand final at PGL Cluj-Napoca 2025 but lost to their opponent there.
In ESL Pro League Season 21, in the second stage group, Falcons have a 1-1 record. In the last five matches, the team secured three victories against strong opponents such as Liquid, FaZe, and Eternal Fire, but lost twice to MOUZ.
| Date | Team | Score | Opponent |
|---|---|---|---|
| March 08 | Falcons | 0 - 2 | MOUZ |
| March 07 | Falcons | 2 - 1 | Liquid |
| February 23 | Falcons | 1 - 3 | MOUZ |
| February 22 | Falcons | 2 - 0 | FaZe |
| February 21 | Falcons | 2 - 1 | Eternal Fire |
3DMAX
The average rating of 3DMAX at S-tier events over the last month is 6.1, slightly higher than Falcons. The team also qualified for IEM Dallas through the European qualifier and participated in PGL Cluj-Napoca 2025, but could not advance from the group, finishing the stage with a 2-3 record.
At ESL Pro League Season 21, 3DMAX successfully passed the Play-in stage with a 3-1 result, and in the second stage of the tournament, they have the same record as Falcons — 1-1. In the last five matches, 3DMAX secured four victories against Eternal Fire, M80, HEROIC, and Mindfreak, losing only to Vitality.
| Date | Team | Score | Opponent |
|---|---|---|---|
| March 08 | 3DMAX | 0 - 2 | Vitality |
| March 07 | 3DMAX | 2 - 0 | Eternal Fire |
| March 04 | 3DMAX | 2 - 0 | M80 |
| March 03 | 3DMAX | 2 - 0 | HEROIC |
| March 02 | 3DMAX | 2 - 0 | Mindfreak |
Team Map Pool
Falcons will first ban Inferno, as they have done 19 times, and 3DMAX will remove Mirage, which they have banned 41 times. Then Falcons will likely choose Dust II, which they prefer (16 games, 50% win rate), while 3DMAX will opt for Inferno, where their win rate reaches 75%. After this, Falcons will likely ban Train, where 3DMAX shows a high level of play (80% win rate), and 3DMAX will remove Nuke, often used by Falcons (12 games). The deciding map will be Ancient, which both teams play regularly but with varying success (Falcons — 46% win rate, 3DMAX — 36%).
| Map | Falcons Winrate | M | B | Last 5 Matches (Falcons) | 3DMAX Winrate | M | B | Last 5 Matches (3DMAX) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mirage | 38% | 8 | 8 | L, W, L, W, W | 0% | 0 | 41 | FB, FB, FB, FB, FB |
| Inferno | 40% | 5 | 19 | W, FB, FB, FB, W | 75% | 24 | 2 | L, W, W, L, W |
| Train | 50% | 4 | 2 | W, L, W | 80% | 5 | 8 | W, W, W, W |
| Dust II | 50% | 16 | 1 | L, L, W, L, L | 67% | 21 | 6 | L, W, W, W, L |
| Anubis | 43% | 7 | 10 | FB, FB, FB, FB, FB | 55% | 22 | 3 | W, L, L, W, W |
| Ancient | 46% | 13 | 9 | L, W, W, L, W | 36% | 25 | 7 | L, W, L, W, L |
| Nuke | 33% | 12 | 3 | W, L, W, W, L | 42% | 19 | 14 | L, L, L, W, W |
Head-to-Head
In the last six months, the teams have met once — four months ago. In that encounter, 3DMAX proved stronger and won 2-0, which may boost their confidence in the upcoming match.
| Date | Team | Score | Opponent |
|---|---|---|---|
| October 21 | Falcons | 0 - 2 | 3DMAX |
Match Prediction
Judging by the current form, both teams are on a roughly equal level, but 3DMAX appears slightly more stable, having won 4 out of their last 5 matches. Their more successful performance in the ESL Pro League Play-in also speaks in their favor.
The map pool could play a crucial role. Falcons will likely choose Dust II, where they do not have a clear advantage (50% win rate), and 3DMAX will take Inferno, where they have a high win rate (75%). The decider on Ancient could be the turning point, as both teams do not have the best win rate on this map.
Prediction: Falcons win 2:1
ESL Pro League Season 21 takes place from March 1 to 16 in Stockholm, Sweden. 24 teams are competing for a prize pool of $400,000. Follow the schedule, match results, and tournament progress here.
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