3DMAX send GamerLegion packing after Dust2 marathon

The French side lives to fight another day in Cologne after a hectic elimination series.

3DMAX are through to Group A's lower bracket semi-finals at IEM Cologne with a 2-1 victory over GamerLegion, setting up a match against the loser of G2 vs. Vitality in the next round.

The teams traded each other's map picks, with GamerLegion winning Overpass 13-6 and 3DMAX grabbing a narrow 13-11 win on Inferno. The final map, Dust2, was a back-and-forth triple-overtime affair that came down to a late clutch by Pierre "⁠Ex3rcice⁠" Bulinge and Lucas "⁠Lucky⁠" Chastang.

Date	Matches
IEM Cologne 2025
28/07/2025	3DMAX 18:30 G2	Match

Overpass was 3DMAX's map pick, but it was GamerLegion who looked like the better-prepared team as they dictated the pace during the first half for a 10-2 score, with Fredrik "⁠REZ⁠" Sterner leading the charge with a 1.88 rating and a 117 ADR.

Bryan "⁠Maka⁠" Canda kept 3DMAX in the game with a 1v2 Desert Eagle clutch in the second round after his team had lost the pistol, but the respite wouldn't last long. As soon as their economy stabilized, GamerLegion quickly picked up the two rounds they needed to lock down the map and head into their pick.

GamerLegion did not let up and cruised to a 7-2 lead on the T side of Inferno before 3DMAX's defense stabilized and the gap shrunk to just two rounds.

The French team carried that late momentum into the second half and enjoyed a spell of dominance, taking an 11-8 lead. Oldřich "⁠PR⁠" Nový kept his team in the game with some multi-kills, but just when it seemed like a 2-0 victory was on the cards, Maka rescued 3DMAX in a low-buy round, leaving GamerLegion stunned and strapped for cash for the final round of regulation.

The series came down to Dust2, where 3DMAX took control of proceedings after a slow start and went on a 10-1 run. GamerLegion then finally found their footing on the T side and retook the lead before 3DMAX clawed their way back into the game and forced overtime.

The first two overtimes could not determine a winner as the two teams kept cancelling each other out. And then, just when a fourth overtime loomed, 3DMAX pulled off a late 2v4 clutch on the A site to emerge victorious in this tense match.

More highlights from the series:

• Maka 1v2 clutch gives 3DMAX hope

• PR gets a crisp 3K

• Ex3rcice stops GamerLegion's A execute

• 3DMAX pull off 2v4 clutch for the win