Team Vitality Rises from the Ashes to Sweep ESL Pro League S22 Grand Final

Team Vitality Rises from the Ashes to Sweep ESL Pro League S22 Grand Final

Andre Guaraldo

12 Oct, 2025, 18:31

|

Last updated: 12 Oct, 2025, 18:33

Team Vitality delivered a masterclass in resilience and dominance as they vanquished Team Falcons 3-0 to claim the ESL Pro League Season 22 crown. From the nail-biting opener on Inferno to a commanding close on Dust2, Vitality showcased why they are among the world’s elite.

Map Veto in ESL Pro League S22 Grand Final

In the best-of-five grand final:

  • Vitality removed Ancient
  • Falcons removed Overpass
  • Vitality picked Inferno
  • Falcons picked Train
  • Vitality picked Dust2
  • Falcons picked Nuke
  • Mirage remained as the decider (unused)

Inferno: 13-10

On Inferno, the series opener, both teams began in deadlock, trading rounds and showing respect for each other’s tactical depth. Yet it was in the tightly contested moments of the second half where Vitality’s defense surfaced most vividly, allowing them to string together decisive stops and counter Falcons’ best efforts.

Train: 13-9

Moving to Train, with the pressure of playing on the opponent’s pick, Vitality refused to relinquish their grip on the map. Their approach was marked by frequent pace shifts and well-rehearsed utility, exploiting gaps in Falcons’ defenses while their own CT setups repeatedly turned away multi-man hits. The mid-map duels (crucial on Train) were largely dominated by Vitality’s in-form riflers, whose ability to shut down flanks and punish overextensions took the wind out of Falcons’ sails, leading to a second methodical win.

Dust2: 13-5

Vitality stormed through Dust2 with overwhelming offensive strength, racing to a 10-2 lead in the first half by shutting down Falcons’ defenses and executing near-perfect site entries, most notably through mezii’s 19 kills and flameZ’s multi-frag impact; the second half was merely a formality, as the squad transformed their composure and pressure into an effortless 13-5 map win, demonstrating complete dominance in both statistics and momentum.

Ropz' 5th ESL Pro League title

A noteworthy achievement from the Grand Final is ropz’s continued ascent in Counter-Strike history as this title marks his fifth ESL Pro League trophy overall, having won his first with MOUZ, collected two with FaZe, and now earned back-to-back championships with Vitality.

DHL MVP: Zywoo

ZywOo received the DHL MVP award for his consistently elite performance throughout the Grand Final, showing up with decisive impact in every map and complementing Vitality’s firepower with reliable clutch potential, sharp AWPing, and utility play that once again marked his reputation as one of esports' true superstars.​

What's next for both Vitality and Falcons

This championship marks the return to form for Team Vitality and firmly places them back in the conversation for the top spot in the Counter-Strike world, showcasing their adaptability and depth as they eye further dominance in upcoming events. For Falcons, the loss is a hard lesson at the highest level, and how they regroup from this defeat, addressing tactical gaps and shoring up their synergy, will be pivotal if they are to challenge for titles again in the near future.


For the latest CS2 news and guides, follow Strafe Esports. Check out our X account for the latest content and coverage.

Feature image credits: ESL

Read also:

PGL Surrenders August 2026 as EWC Aggressively Steals Teams and Attention

Brazil Sets the World Record for Most Teams at a Counter-Strike Major

ESL Penalizes Lynn Vision Gaming for EPL S22 Withdrawal

Latest news

Is CS2 Really Dying? Peak Player Count Drops to Lowest Point Since 2024

Is CS2 Really Dying? Peak Player Count Drops to Lowest Point Since 2024

Counter-Strike 2 wrapped up August with a peak concurrent player count of 1,331,274, marking its lowest high-water mark since January 2024. The average concurrent count also settled at 825,257, continuing an uninterrupted slide across recent months. For a title that routinely rules the Steam charts, seeing server numbers cool off naturally turns heads across the competitive scene.
2 Sep
Thales Costa

BLAST Open Porto Playoffs: Teams, Bracket, Schedule, and More

The BLAST Open Porto playoffs will commence soon, with a single-elimination bracket featuring the six best teams. Here's everything to know about the tournament.
31 Aug
Adarsh J. Kumar

"I Have to Play My Own Game": jL’s Mindset for His Vitality Stand-In Run

The competitive Counter-Strike 2 scene is rarely static, but few announcements have sparked as much intrigue as Justinas "jL" Lekavičius stepping up to represent Team Vitality. The former Natus Vincere superstar and Major MVP has transitioned from his recent hiatus into the heart of one of esports’ most successful rosters.
28 Aug
Kaustavmani Choudhury

CS2 Tracker Exposes In-Game Chat History, Raising Privacy Concerns

Counter-Strike 2 has always had a reputation for intense competitive play and energetic in-game communication. However, a third-party analytics website called cstracker.gg has introduced a feature that exposes everything players type in match all chat to the public eye.
28 Aug
Thales Costa

Monte Gets Buried by Its Own Fans After Mocking Bymas Over Unpaid Wages

Aurimas "Bymas" Pipiras and Monte were not going to part ways quietly, and now the internet knows exactly why. What looked like a routine benching announcement two days ago has turned into one of the ugliest public disputes CS2 has seen this year and a wave of fan backlash all piling on at Monte.
26 Aug
Thales Costa

BLAST Open Porto: Teams, Format, Schedule, and more

Just three days after Team Spirit was crowned CS2 EWC Champions, the teams set their sights on Porto as they prepare for the BLAST Open Fall 2026. Starting August 26, the second BLAST tournament of the season will feature the strongest squads worldwide playing for $1.1 million and valuable VRS points as the Singapore Major inches closer.
24 Aug
Ganesh Jadhav

Spirit Takes Down FUT in Paris to Win CS2 Esports World Cup 2026

Team Spirit are the champions of the 2026 Esports World Cup. They dropped the opening map of the grand final but refused to fold, storming back to beat FUT Esports 3-1 in a best-of-five that had the Accor Arena crowd on its feet from start to finish.
23 Aug
Thales Costa

Comments (0)

Log in to comment on this match