BETBOOM have secured their spot in the Thunderpick World Championship grand final after delivering a shocking reverse sweep against Falcons in the semi-finals. The Russian team lost the opening map but stormed back to claim victory with a 5-13 loss on Anubis, followed by a 16-14 triumph on Dust2 and a decisive 13-7 win on Mirage.
This marks a significant milestone for Kirill "Boombl4" Mikhailov, who reaches his first grand final at an MVP-eligible tournament since PGL Major Antwerp 2022. The Russian captain was visibly delighted after his squad dismantled the tournament favorites.
Falcons appeared dominant on Anubis despite losing the opening pistol round. René "TeSeS" Madsen delivered a crucial early clutch that sparked their momentum, while Nikola "NiKo" Kovač secured a vital 1v2 to maintain control. Finn "karrigan" Andersen continued his improved form in Malta, contributing key frags including a triple kill through Middle, as Falcons cruised to a commanding 13-5 victory.
The momentum carried into Dust2, where Falcons jumped to a 5-1 lead. However, individual mistakes began to surface. Kirill "Magnojez" Rodnov and Aleksandr "zorte" Zagodyrenko capitalized on Falcons' overextensions and questionable peeks. Maksim "kyousuke" Lukin struggled particularly, losing critical opening duels that allowed BETBOOM to push ahead 12-9. Falcons forced overtime after Daniil "d1Ledez" Kustov won a 1v3 clutch, and Ilya "m0NESY" Osipov delivered an AWP ace followed by a vintage NiKo triple to lead 14-13. But Magnojez answered with back-to-back triple kills, sweeping the defensive overtime half for a 16-14 BETBOOM victory.
Magnojez remained unstoppable on Mirage. Despite Falcons winning both pistols and starting 4-1, BETBOOM dominated proceedings. After winning the second-half force-buy, they unleashed a seven-round streak that sealed a 13-7 victory and completed the upset.
kyousuke finished the series with a dismal 0.84 rating, continuing his tournament struggles. Falcons will now face Aurora in the bronze medal match, their trophy hopes dashed after what looked like a promising turnaround following their difficult Fall season.
