CAC 2025 playoffs shaping up after Day 2
The CAC 2025 playoff picture is shaping up after Day 2 of the CS Asia Championships 2025.
The day saw two more teams guarantee their spot at the Shanghai Oriental Sports Center in Shanghai.
The day also saw four teams eliminated from contention, with decisive lower-bracket matches playing out at the Tier-2 event.
Fnatic and Heroic secure playoff berths
Fnatic and Heroic have joined Legacy and Liquid at the playoffs for the event.
Fnatic’s playoff run is a big statement of intent for the roster after the highly contentious benching of Cai ‘CYPHER’ Watson.
The Brit had helped Fnatic make the Budapest Major, but Fragadelphia stand-in Mykyta ‘jackasmo’ Skyba was given the entry’s spot on the roster for this event.
Whether success at the event is enough to quell criticism of the move isn’t clear, but Fnatic’s management will be happy to see the vital wins with the new addition.
Fnatic defeated paiN Gaming 13-8 on Day 1, before a 2-0 victory over TYLOO on Day 2, 16-14, 13-10.
The close two-map victory won’t help the org’s popularity in China, as TYLOO are the home favourites for the event as the number 1-ranked Chinese roster.
Of course, Fnatic won’t care as strong form from AWPer Dmytro ‘jambo’ Semera and Danish superstar Benjamin ‘blameF’ Bremer put them in fine form going into the upper bracket final.
Heroic progressed through the upper bracket after a 16-12 victory over B8 on Day 1, leading to a match-up with FaZe conquerors FUT on Day 2.
Heroic easily defeated FUT’s former NaVi Junior core 13-6 on Ancient, and 13-8 on their own map-pick of Overpass.
The victory is a positive step for the struggling roster, who missed out on the major after a brutal slump in form saw them drop in the VRS rankings at event after event.
Ultimately, losses to Gentle Mates, 3DMAX and Astralis at Stage 1 of ESL Pro League Season 22 saw the roster’s hopes of appearing at the PGL Budapest 2025 disappear completely.
A strong finish at CAC could be the start of the recovery that could put them back into the pack who are chasing a major berth in the first major of 2026, in Cologne.
The win was also a markedly good day for Heroic’s stand-in, Olek ‘hades’ Miskiewicz.
The former ENCE AWPer is only playing at CAC due to Alimzhan ‘Alkaren’ Bitimbai’s Visa issues, but has made the most of the opportunity thus far.
A strong 1.27 HLTV-rated performance against B8 was improved upon against FUT, averaging 1.48 across the two maps.
Former ENCE AWPer, hades is currently part of the ex-Inner Circle roster that was a recreation of the 9ine roster who appeared at the BLAST Paris Major, but performances like these may pique the interest of top organisations.
Heroic and Fnatic will play each other in the Upper Final of Group B on Thursday, with the winner progressing immediately to the Semi-Finals and the loser progressing to the Quarter-Finals of the six-team playoff bracket.
The playoffs will be held in the Shanghai Oriental Sports Center in Shanghai, the home of the Perfect World Shanghai Major 2024 Playoffs.
Lower brackets crunch time awaits at CAC 2025
In Group B, lower bracket teams are a round being so successful teams will have to play twice if they want to take that last playoff spot.
As such, FaZe, TYLOO, paiN, and FUT will have to wake up on the right side of the bed before their 5 AM (CET) contests tomorrow.
The winner of FaZe vs TYLOO will play the winner of paiN vs FUT in the final match of Day 3 of CAC 2025.
As such, a revenge match for FaZe may be on the cards, as the international roster were sent to the lower bracket after losing from an 11-5 lead on Mirage on Day 1 to FUT.
Facing a quick turnout from ESL Pro League Season 22, where they finished fourth, the roster was also playing with their new lineup for the first time against FUT. Perhaps some practice together, and some sleep, will lead to a different story if they get there.
In Group A, victories for 3DMAX and Virtus.pro saw hometown heroes Lynn Vision and Brazil’s MIBR leave the tournament.
As a result, 3DMAX and VP will play each other for the final playoff spot available in the group.
Virtus.pro are playing with a stand-in by way of their benched AWPer, Kaisar ‘ICY’ Faiznurov, as their current lineup does not share a three-person ‘core’ with the invited roster from July’s VRS standings.
As such, VP had to substitute in ICY to avoid missing out on the event.
