G2 win BLAST Open London after banger final versus Vitality

The stage looked set for Vitality to get their era back on track at the OVO Arena, but G2 simply said no.

An incredible performance from their new team, all five players had their moment to shine as they bested the best team in the world with a 3-2 scoreline after a strong display in the deciding map of Train.

A first tournament win for huNter- as an IGL and a first MVP for HeavyGod, let's take a quick look at how the action went down as G2 secured the $150,000 first place prize.

G2 dominate on Dust2

With Vitality holding such an impressive record on Dust2, it was easy to see why they chose the iconic map to kick off the BO5 final.

However, they quickly came to regret that decision, the G2 team were dominant, with each player getting over ten kills and both HeavyGod and SunPayus finding openings that made rounds feel over before they even began.

MATYS was everywhere, the Slovakian rounded out the map with 100 ADR, 16 kills, and three opening kills, a constant thorn in Vitality's side as they recorded just two T side rounds.

Oh, and one of those rounds was this ZywOo ace, so if you can have a round like that and still lose 13-3, you know you're in for a tough day at the office.

Vitality bounce back on Mirage

Despite map one decimation, Vitality returned fire in a big way on Mirage.

6-6 at the half after an impressive fight back from G2, flameZ and ZywOo were rampant, with flameZ finding five opening kills to end the half on 13 kills in total.

The second half, however, was the ZywOo show. One of the most impressive halves in CS2 history, ZywOo was an unstoppable force.

The main figure pushing Vitality to a seven round winning streak, the Frenchman didn't die once, picking up frag after frag to end the half with a 16-0 statline and get Vitality on the board in the series with a 13-6 win.

Another 13-6 win on Overpass

Sent to Overpass, Vitality wrestled the series into their favour with another seven round winning streak as they took control following a stalemate at half time.

Now aided by ropz instead of flameZ, ZywOo continued to be the one pushing Vitality forwards. The duo combined for 25 kills on the T side, putting their team into a favourable position as the CT side began.

However, that favourable position looked like it wouldn't have mattered anyway. G2's T side ultimately feel flat, with MATYS being their top fragger across the seven rounds played with just four kills.

A very stoppable force coming up against an immovable object, ZywOo continued to thrive as G2 faltered, with Vitality ending the game firmly in the drivers seat as their star sat on 20 kills.

G2 snatch away Inferno in the dying moments

Now just one map away from the win, Vitality looked to be in a fantastic position to take home their first trophy of the year as they raced to a 5-0 start on their CT side.

However, G2 changed up their approach, and a a solid lurk from MATYS onto a too passive A site saw G2 fight back for yet another 6-6 half.

Vitality put themselves in another strong position as they won the first three rounds of their T side to make it 9-6, but G2 once again dug deep, and as clutch rounds and high-intensity moments came free flowing, it was a last ditch save on a low-buy that saw G2 secure OT.

For as close as regulation was, the OT itself was a blowout. Three CT rounds that were summed up by three incredible individual plays, G2 stars were beginning to heat back up - and that spelt danger for Vitality.

16-12 when it was all said and done, G2 had done enough to earn themselves a bout on the deciding map of Train, and their entire team was fired up for it after malbsMd and MATYS had combined for 46 kills to get them there.

G2 secure the trophy on Train

As Train began, it quickly became clear that this was to be G2's moment to announce themselves once more as true trophy contenders.

They quickly found themselves 6-0 up on their CT side, cutting down Vitality's attack where ever the French organisation tried to take it, and ending out the half with an 8-4 advantage after HeavyGod's dominant, 16-kill display that included three 1vX's.

Keen to ensure their victory was never thrown into doubt, G2 began the second half strong, picking up the four rounds they needed to secure map point. Vitality then fought back with two of their own, but it was too little, too late, and the map and trophy was secured for G2 after some patient play earned them a free A bombsite.

Once more 13-6 when the final bullet was fired, G2 put in an incredible shift across the whole team to lift their trophy, whilst Vitality will still have to search to taste gold once again in 2025.