Team Falcons, FURIA, and Astralis storm into IEM Chengdu 2025 upper bracket semis

    Team Falcons, FURIA, and Astralis all kicked off their IEM Chengdu 2025 campaigns on a high note, claiming wins in their opening group stage matches.

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    The tournament's first day featured all 16 teams in action, with several frontrunners progressing to the upper bracket semifinals.

    FURIA continued its impressive 2025 form in its opener against Lynn Vision Gaming. The Brazilian squad secured a 13-8 win on Dust II, followed by a commanding 13-2 victory on Overpass, booking a spot in the upper bracket semifinals against G2 Esports.

    Lynn Vision Gaming, the host team, now faces 3DMAX in the Group B lower bracket quarterfinals, where defeat would mean an early exit from the tournament.

    Team Falcons also showcased strong coordination in its first match, completing a clean 2-0 sweep over TYLOO. The Chinese team kept the opening half of Inferno competitive, but Falcons' defensive stability helped them close the map 13-8.

    On Ancient, Falcons dominated from start to finish, winning 13-3 and setting up a high-profile upper bracket semifinal against Team Spirit. Team Spirit also began its campaign with a 2-0 victory over paiN Gaming.

    Astralis opened its series against NAVI with a 16-13 win on Nuke, but NAVI responded on their map pick, Mirage, taking it 13-10 and forcing a decider on Inferno. After 24 rounds, the score remained tied.

    In overtime, Astralis held firm, taking four rounds to clinch Inferno 16-12 and a 2-1 series win, sending NAVI to the lower bracket. The Danes will face The MongolZ in the semifinals, after the Mongolian team defeated HEROIC in their opening match.