Team Liquid, Passion UA and 3DMAX grab final Stage 3 spots at StarLadder Budapest Major

Staff Liquid, Ardour UA and 3DMAX have change into the ultimate groups to earn a spot in Stage 3 of the StarLadder Budapest Main 2025.

The three groups efficiently navigated their approach by means of their respective fifth-round matches to advance to the ultimate Stage of Counter-Strike’s season-ending match.

After each groups started Stage 2 with two defeats, Staff Liquid and Astralis battled again to earn one ultimate shot at qualifying for Stage 3. 

Staff Liquid opened proceedings with a dominant first half on Nuke, taking a ten-round lead into the second half. The Danes mounted a comeback within the second half, however Liquid held agency, taking the opening map 13-7. 

A strong defence within the second half of Mirage made the distinction, with Staff Liquid taking a 13-9 win to cement a 2-0 sweep, bringing Astralis’ first Main since 2022 to an finish.

Following a profitable Stage 2 marketing campaign, Ardour UA sought to keep up its momentum in an all-American conflict towards M80. M80 opened Mirage with a 13-11 win, needing another win within the best-of-three to stay within the match. 

Ardour UA responded with a dominant attacking displaying on Inferno, profitable the map 13-5 to degree the sequence and take it to Prepare. The former Complexity core confirmed its expertise in attacking and defensive situations, securing the map with a 13-7 scoreline and a 2-1 sequence victory to ship M80 dwelling.

Ardour UA turns into the third crew from the Americas competing in Stage 3. With heavy hitters reminiscent of FURIA and Staff Vitality coming into the fray, will probably be fascinating to see whether or not the crew can hold the ball rolling.

Having began Stage 2 with two victories, Ninjas in Pyjamas struggled to shut out the Swiss stage with consecutive defeats to FaZe Clan and Parivision, sending the crew into spherical 5 towards a 3DMAX aspect trying to return the French flag to the latter phases of a Main. 

The French roster dominated Historic from the outset, profitable ten rounds within the first half to construct an enormous lead. 3DMAX rounded off the primary map with three offensive spherical wins, taking the map 13-3 for the early sequence lead. 

Prepare was a a lot nearer contest. Ninjas in Pyjamas ended the primary half with a slender two-round benefit, however the French firepower proved superior, taking eight defensive rounds within the second half to overturn the deficit and win 13-8, finishing a convincing 2-0 sweep.

With Stage 2 of the Budapest Main concluded, the main focus turns to Stage 3, the place eight new groups be a part of the eight qualifiers from Stage 2 for an additional five-round Swiss stage.

The highest eight groups from Stage 3 will advance to the Playoffs, incomes a possibility to compete on Counter-Strike’s greatest stage.