At the IEM Melbourne 2025, MOUZ and The Mongolz will clash in the upper bracket final for a direct playoff spot. Both teams started with two victories, proving their readiness for high-stakes competition. MOUZ showcases stability and strategic flexibility, while The Mongolz impress with aggression and an unconventional approach. The winner of this match will proceed to the semifinals, while the loser will head to the quarterfinals.

Current Team Form

MOUZ

MOUZ is in excellent form. Their average rating in S-tier tournaments over the last month is 6.1, which is backed by consistent results. At the BLAST Open Spring 2025, the team reached the grand final, losing only in the last match. In the IEM Melbourne 2025, MOUZ has already secured two victories, confidently reaching the upper bracket final. Over the last five matches, the team won four, defeating opponents like GamerLegion, BIG, Eternal Fire (Aurora), and G2, losing only to Vitality in a close match. This demonstrates good game discipline and the ability to adapt to various opponent styles.

The Mongolz

The Mongolz are also showing confident gameplay, with an average rating of 6.0 in S-tier events over the past month. At the BLAST Open Spring 2025, they reached the lower bracket final but failed to advance to the playoffs. At PGL Bucharest 2025, the team stopped just short of the playoffs with a 2-3 result. Nonetheless, at IEM Melbourne 2025, The Mongolz started with two wins, earning their place in the playoff seeding match. They have won 4 out of their last 5 matches, including against strong teams like FaZe, Complexity, FURIA, and Liquid. Their only loss was to Falcons. The team demonstrates strong and aggressive play, making them a dangerous opponent.

Team Map Pool

Considering the teams' priorities, MOUZ's first ban will almost certainly be Anubis—a map they consistently avoid. In response, The Mongolz will likely remove Train, as they do in most tournaments. In the first phase of map selection, MOUZ will likely choose Nuke, where they have a 74% win rate and a well-structured game plan capable of disrupting the opponent's rhythm. Meanwhile, The Mongolz will logically opt for Mirage—a map they play confidently (67% win rate), while MOUZ has shown a noticeable decline in results (41%).

In the second round of bans, MOUZ will probably eliminate Inferno to neutralize The Mongolz's strong side (73% win rate). The Mongolz, in turn, will prefer to exclude Ancient, where MOUZ boasts an impressive 73% win rate. Thus, Dust II remains the most likely decider map. Both teams feel confident on it, with similar win rates, and the game will likely be decided by fine margins and individual plays.

Head-to-Head Matches

In the past six months, the teams have faced each other twice—both encounters occurred at the Perfect World Shanghai Major 2024. In the first game, The Mongolz emerged stronger, winning the match 1:0. However, in the second meeting, MOUZ took a confident revenge, winning 2:0. This shows that the teams are well aware of each other's style and both have experience adapting to their opponent.

Match Prediction

Considering the current form, MOUZ appears slightly more stable and possesses a broader map pool, especially regarding strong maps with high win rates. Their performance at BLAST and confident start at IEM Melbourne 2025 confirm their readiness for high stakes. The Mongolz, on the other hand, surprise many with their aggressive and fast-paced play but sometimes lose stability in crucial stages.

If MOUZ manages to impose their structure and play on comfortable maps like Nuke and Dust II, they will have every chance to secure victory. The Mongolz should focus on the first map to gain a psychological advantage.

Prediction: MOUZ wins 2:1

IEM Melbourne 2025 takes place from April 21 to 27. The entire tournament is held in Melbourne, Australia, at Rod Laver Arena. Participants compete for a prize pool of $300,000. You can follow the results and progress of the tournament via this link.