
The MongolZ vs Eternal Fire is set to kick off the IEM Katowice 2025 playoffs and it’s an interesting match from a betting perspective.
Much has already been said about The MongolZ. The Mongolian squad has been hot enough in recent months to be unanimously ranked among the best teams in the game. Eternal Fire, though, is arguably “The MongolZ, but better.”
Like The MongolZ, Eternal Fire built its core roster in 2023 and has gelled over time into one of the top squads. The lineup included three veterans of the scene in İsmailсan “XANTARES” Dörtkardeş, Engin “MAJ3R” Küpeli, and Özgür “woxic” Eker, with young talent being brought in around them. The XANTARES-MAJ3R core was a proven success with Space Soldiers years ago, and adding a woxic to the mix with a pair of youngsters is a winning formula.
The latest demonstration of that is a guaranteed top-six finish in IEM Katowice 2025. It will become a top-four finish if the team can get by The MongolZ, but what are their chances?
Eternal Fire is the favorite in its match against The MongolZ. A moneyline bet on the Turkish squad is hovering around 1.7 while The MongolZ is sitting at 2.1. While both teams are very good and are regarded as top-10 squads, the fact that Eternal Fire is pegged as a decisive favorite raises an eyebrow.
The team adjusted its roster in January by adding Samet “jottAAA” Köklü. This move has worked out thus far, with this new roster having a 9-2 record to this point. That said, fans of Eternal Fire shouldn’t be too comfortable; its run in Katowice has seen several nail-biters.
Given how Eternal Fire has played throughout this event, the match will likely wind up as a long, drawn-out affair. While a messy 2-0 is possible, the 3.3 line on Eternal FIre winning 2-1 is a juicy one.
All this said, The MongolZ can’t be completely written off. The 2.1 line is arguably a bit overstated, as the team actually has a winning record against Eternal Fire. For those looking to bet on the underdog, a 2.1 return on the moneyline isn’t bad at all.
The MongolZ has a winning record against Eternal Fire, despite Eternal Fire being the favorite.
While it’s reasonable to say that Eternal Fire is the better team overall, it faced The MongolZ in four best-of-three matches in 2024. The MongolZ has a 3-1 record over the Turkish squad. Eternal Fire did win a best-of-one at PGL Major Copenhagen 2024, though.
It’s not crazy to say that The MongolZ could beat Eternal Fire; they’ve done it before. On multiple occasions.
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