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The playoff stage of the CS Asia Championships 2025 is set, and four teams remain in contention for the title: Liquid, 3DMAX, HEROIC, and Legacy. With each squad carving their own path through the group stage and quarter-finals, the semi-finals promise a clash of styles, star power, and tactical depth.

Liquid vs 3DMAX: Firepower Meets Discipline

Liquid have looked revitalized since the return of Jonathan "⁠_EliGE_⁠" Jablonowski, sweeping aside MIBR and Legacy in clinical fashion. Their victories on Mirage and Nuke showcased a structured game plan built around EliGE’s mid-round calling and Guy "⁠_NertZ_⁠" Iluz’s explosive rifling. With a deep map pool and strong CT setups, Liquid head into the semi-finals with confidence.

Meanwhile, 3DMAX arrive as the highest-ranked team left in the event, battling past fnatic in a grueling three-map series. The French-majority squad, led by Filip "⁠_Graviti_⁠" Brankovic, leaned on sharp T-side executes on Inferno and composure in clutch moments on Dust2 to secure their spot. Their ability to adapt under pressure makes them a dark horse despite their favorite status.

Key factors in this matchup will include Liquid’s resurgence on Nuke, long a staple in their map pool, and 3DMAX’s capacity to control the pace on Inferno. Expect this series to test both sides’ map control, economy management, and mid-round executions.

HEROIC vs Legacy: A Tactical Test

On the other side of the bracket, HEROIC continue to defy expectations while playing with stand-in Olek "⁠_hades_⁠" Miskiewicz. Their 2-0 win over FUT in the quarter-finals underlined the team’s trademark discipline, with hades topping the server through a mix of AWP presence and late-round consistency. HEROIC’s structured defaults and layered utility remain their calling card, even as the roster adjusts to lineup changes.

Legacy, meanwhile, ended FUT’s Cinderella run with a hard-fought three-map victory. The Brazilian squad leaned on Džiugas "⁠_dziugss_⁠" Steponavičius and Dmytro "⁠_dem0n_⁠" Myroshnychenko to swing momentum in critical moments. Their resilience on Inferno, surviving overtime to close 19-16, highlighted the squad’s mental toughness and ability to grind out long series.

HEROIC’s biggest challenge will be containing Legacy’s scrappy style and unpredictable mid-round aggression. Conversely, Legacy must break through HEROIC’s disciplined CT setups and avoid getting punished on rotations- a hallmark of HEROIC’s success on maps like Nuke and Overpass.

What’s at Stake

Both semi-finals represent a clash of philosophies: Liquid’s firepower and experience versus 3DMAX’s adaptability, and HEROIC’s tactical control against Legacy’s underdog grit. With a spot in the CS Asia Championship grand final on the line, every clutch, eco round, and pistol will carry massive weight.

For CS2 fans, Shanghai’s semi-finals promise high-level Counter-Strike defined by precision shooting, strategic depth, and clutch factor, a showcase of why this event is quickly becoming a cornerstone of the CS2 calendar.